Chapter 63

Upstate New York, USA

Late Spring 2015

"Well?" Pietro and Wanda looked up as Nina nearly skipped into Pietro's room. "What did they say? Are you free?" They didn't even need to answer. Nina could see the answer clear enough on both their faces; relief on Wanda's and an eagerness to be moving on Pietro's.

Not to mention that, instead of wearing plain, bland hospital-garb, Pietro was clad in normal clothes again. Or at least, normal for him. There was something rather comforting seeing him shrugging on a light runner's jacket over the athletic shirt and pants that she'd come to see as characteristic on him. Pietro grinned, spreading his hands wide in a showcasing pose before lifting the hem of his shirt. Nina blinked, swallowing back the urge to stare at his toned torso instead looking at the neatly healed wounds he was gesturing to. Though, once she turned her attention to them, it was hard not to stare at those too. Where there had originally been several bullet-wounds clear through his body, now the only evidence left of the devastating injuries were a few pale patches spread across his skin, the artificial flesh only barely tugging at his natural skin as scar tissue would've.

"Good as new," he declared smugly, looking between Nina and his twin, "you can barely even tell I was shot, no?" Next to him, Wanda scoffed, reaching over to tug his shirt free and yank it back down again. Nina snickered at the exasperated move, only barely able to keep from bursting into laughter at Pietro's surprised 'what' and Wanda's answering mutter of 'show-off.'

"So that's a yes to being free?" Nina teased. Pietro turned back to her, a grin once again on his face as, in a blink, he was at her side, an arm draping over her shoulder.

"Of course," he answered, barely sparing a glance at the indignant sound Wanda made.

"Don't do that," she scolded, marching up to her twin to lay a light smack on his chest, "you know the doctor said at least another week—" But Pietro waved her off.

"I'm fine," he insisted, "and it was barely even three feet; I wasn't even going that fast. Besides, what do they know about our Enhancements anyway? Maybe not using it is worse than using it." Wanda was unimpressed and unconvinced, fixing Pietro with an admonishing look as her arms crossed over her chest. Nina just felt uncomfortable.

On the one hand, she sort of knew how he felt; there had been times over the past week where she'd felt like the warm, hazy feeling deep in her chest had been on the verge of bursting free. So far she'd been able to keep that from happening, forcing herself to keep perfectly still, forcing herself to focus on her breathing until the feeling eventually faded. But she knew that wasn't going to cut it for long. The sensation was getting stronger. Her powers were getting stronger. Even just thinking about it had the feeling slowly spreading through her chest from its resting place beneath her sternum.

"Nina?" Her attention snapped back to the Twins, noticing they were both looking at her in concern. Wanda stepped forward, brushing her fingers against her arm as she searched Nina's face. "Are you okay?" Nina swallowed before nodding.

"I'm fine." Wanda cocked her head slightly, a faint line of concentration forming between her brows.

"Are you? You got so serious all of a sudden." A weak laugh escaped Nina and she waved it off.

"It's nothing," she glanced between the Twins, giving them each a small smile before a frown of her own appeared as a thought struck her. "Wait, you couldn't—" A nearly worried but sheepish expression flitted across Wanda's face. Nina's lips parted in surprise. "You couldn't read me? With your powers?" Wanda shrugged uncertainly.

"No, not always. Not like I could before…" Before her powers manifested, Nina supplied for herself at the pointed way Wanda trailed off. Nina swallowed thickly. Wanda reached out again, this time giving Nina's arm a gentle squeeze.

"I think…I think it's your…" Well, that went without saying. Nina leaned against Pietro as his loose hold across her shoulders tightened minutely. So that was something else she could do…

Pietro chose that moment to clear his throat. "I'm hungry," he declared, a faint tension in his voice the only indication that he was well aware of the unease that suddenly hung thick in the room. Wanda shot him a look that was equally admonishing and grateful. Nina could barely manage a small smile at his chipper change of subject. "Some real food would be nice, not that what they had here was all that bad," he continued with a roguish grin. Shaking her head despite the fond smile growing on her face, Wanda grabbed his arm and bodily turned her brother to push him forward out of the infirmary.

An hour and a delicious set of sandwiches later, and the three of them were occupying one of the couch sets in the Common Area set aside for the Avengers.

Nina had become quite fond of the area over the last several days. As much as she loved the Twins, there had still been moments when she'd needed space. Some time to herself. She wasn't used to always being around people, after all. It was on one of her missions to find a spot to hunker down with her own thoughts that she'd been guided to the common area set aside for the Avengers specifically. It was something else she had her new Aunt to thank for. Natasha had gone on to explain that the whole wing that they were in was restricted solely to the Avengers as well as the Twins, Nina and her mom.

For family, Natasha had insisted with a smile and firm look in her eye.

Then, with a knowing grin, Nat had resumed her seat in front of a massive stack of files at the table nearest to the room's kitchenette and left Nina to her own devices. Something Nina had appreciated. Not just that Natasha hadn't insisted on trying to talk or in looking at her like she was about to break down or something, but also that she had stayed even if she had given Nina space. It had seemed a contradictory feeling at first, but even when Nina had wondered why Natasha couldn't have left altogether, a part of her had begun trembling in panic at being left totally alone in the empty space.

It hadn't been much longer before she realized that having Natasha nearby made the space feel safe. And after the last few weeks she'd had? Nina very much needed that feeling.

So much so that, when she'd returned the next day for a few more minutes alone with her thoughts, she'd actually been relieved to see Natasha puttering away in the kitchenette making some grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches. Relieved enough that she'd found herself greeting the female Avenger with a tight hug. One that Natasha had returned without hesitation or question.

She had then proceeded to feed her grilled cheese sandwiches and shooed her off to the peaceful corner where Nina had curled up the day before.

"It's your spot now," her new Aunt had said with a wry grin before nodding toward the orange and tan set of couches and chairs on the other side of the common area, "so long as you're okay with me claiming that middle one over there." Unable to help her grin, Nina had nodded, something tight in her chest beginning to ease ever so slightly. Halfway to her chair of choice, Natasha had paused then, looking back to Nina with a smirk. "Oh, and you're making the food tomorrow."

So Nina had made a fairly decent fettuccini for Natasha the next day.

And, having found her safe space, Nina had made good use of it in the days since. Natasha hadn't been around for only one of those days, something that Nina had been a little disappointed about. But she hadn't been entirely alone, either. Captain Rogers had occupied Natasha's chair that day, his ankle resting on his opposite knee as he'd focused on the tablet in his hands. He'd only spared her a small smile in greeting, but it had been enough to put Nina at ease.

Enough so that she'd pointed out he was in Nat's chair. He'd laughed at that.

"Well, then I suppose she'll have to fight me for it," he'd teased lightly back. Natasha had laughed about that in turn when Nina had told her about it the next day.

"He can try," the redhead had smirked. They'd spent the rest of the afternoon with Natasha telling Nina all about how she'd met Steve and subsequent Battle of New York.

The next day, neither had said a word, Natasha merely shooting Nina a commiserating grin when she curled up onto the orange couch next to her Aunt rather than on the crimson one she'd claimed. It had been a bad day, with Nina's thoughts berating her extra hard over her inability to reconcile some of the things she'd learned about her own past. She'd woken up several hours later with her head on Natasha's shoulder, her Aunt's arm curled around her shoulders even as she focused on the tablet in her other hand.

Though Natasha hadn't so much as started to ask if she was okay—it had no doubt been obvious that she wasn't, considering how awful Nina had felt walking into the common area—Nina had felt much better by the time she'd pulled herself to her feet to rejoin the Twins in the infirmary for dinner.

And naturally she had returned the next day.

It had easily become a bit of a sanctuary to Nina.

For all that the area was huge and open, the fact that it was still effectively segmented into sections made the corner where the crimson couch set they occupied quite cosy. The huge squashy pillows certainly helped there. Nina was nearly burrowed between two of them in the corner, while the Twins sat to her right, Pietro snug in the middle with Wanda's legs stretched out across both his lap and Nina's as she laid her head on her brother's shoulder. And it was Wanda who finally broke the easy silence between them.

"So, you're speaking to your mom again?" Nina fidgeted next to Pietro at the question, earning an exasperated look when she jostled Wanda's leg where it lay over hers. But she didn't grimace at mention of her mom the way she might have a couple days before. She was, sort of. It wasn't easy. Every time she was alone with Nadine, Nina felt like everything she felt, everything she wanted to say or ask or accuse felt like it was crowding forward in her brain, catching in her throat as it tried to escape. So she'd kept her mouth shut.

But it was getting a little better. The longer she had to mull over everything she'd learned, the easier it was getting to ignore the surge of hurt and anger her mom's initial confessions had left her fighting. In thinking it all over, she was admittedly starting to come to terms with it all. Not completely, of course—she wasn't sure actually accepting any of it would actually happen for a long time—but enough that she could put it aside. Enough so that she wasn't always fighting against the urge to lash out at Nadine. She knew, rationally, that her mom didn't deserve it, but that didn't always quash the urge as effectively as she'd like.

Feelings were irrational like that.

These last few days, though, another urge had been growing to rival the one fed by the pained, angry feelings stirred up by the things her mom had told her.

She missed her mom.

Or, more accurately, she missed being with her mom. Her mom was right there, but part of Nina wasn't quite ready to bridge that gap just yet. Too many things had changed. Her mom had changed… Sort of.

In some ways, she was exactly the same as she'd always been. Real smiles still came rarely, and usually only for Nina. But her mom smiled with others now, too. She smiled around her Aunt Nat—it still felt so strange to think of Black Widow as her Aunt, but it was slowly beginning to feel natural—and even around some of the other Avengers. The other day, Hawkeye had popped into the Compound to see how Nina and Pietro were doing and Nina had actually seen her mom smile, really smile, when the archer had draped an arm around her shoulder in a half-hug of greeting.

She'd even grinned, her pale eyes betraying her amusement, when Stark had managed to corner her and Natasha when he too had dropped into the Compound the week before. It had been on the other side of the glass from the room where Nina had been sitting with the Twins, but Nina had seen the exchange clearly enough. It left her curious about what the billionaire had been asking. Of course, a few minutes later, her mom's expression had gone cold and she'd turned on her heel after effectively cutting Stark down with whatever she'd said. Pietro had actually shivered beside her at the exchange, and at the end of the bed Wanda had been trying to hide a wary, even nervous look of her own.

"It's not the first time we've seen that look," Wanda had finally explained when Nina had pressed to find out why they had reacted that way. Nina had frozen, dread pooling in her stomach. Pietro had shrugged lightly, nearly succeeding in shooting her a reassuring look.

"Well, she did believe we had handed you over to Ultron," he'd explained softly, attempting at a carefree tone. It hadn't worked. But then he'd turned serious, his gaze turning haunted as it met his twin's. "And she wasn't wrong."

It had all poured out from there. And Nina's heart had nearly broken at the guilt that became clearer and clearer the longer Pietro had spoken. He'd admitted that he and Wanda had both felt guilty about what Strucker had done to her back in Novi Grad already, and she had already heard their reasons for throwing in with Ultron, but she could barely comprehend the pain in his voice as it spilled out just how horrible he felt over everything that had happened.

"We were blind, Nina," he'd murmured, his body nearly shaking it was so tense with guilt and horror over what their actions had helped unleash on their home, their city; Novi Grad was devastated, almost beyond hope of recovery. It was all over the news, and had been now for weeks. "We were stupid and naïve and…" He'd faltered, having trouble voicing what he wanted to say, hard as it was to get out. It had been obvious that he wasn't usually good at sharing his feelings. Each and every look he'd given Wanda, searching almost desperately for reassurance and encouragement had made that clear. Even the ones he'd turned to Nina for had been nearly pleading, as though desperate that she understand that they hadn't meant for anything bad to happen. They hadn't wanted what had happened. At all.

"We should have known better. But we just wanted—" Nina had squeezed his other hand then, looking up from where her head had been laying against his shoulder.

"You wanted justice," she'd offered when he hadn't continued. Pietro had merely sighed, looking dejectedly to Wanda.

"No." It was Wanda who had finally spoken, breaking her silence. Her voice had been hollow and laden with more guilt and remorse than Nina had been able to bear. The whole time her twin had spoken, Wanda hadn't said a word. She'd just clutched her brother's hand as though it had been the only thing keeping her on the bed, her face ashen and drawn. "We wanted revenge. And other people paid for our mistakes." She'd fallen silent then, her eyes shining and glazed and staring at nothing. But her tears didn't fall.

"Mistakes we should have paid for," Pietro had added grimly.

Wanda hadn't spoken again, only letting out a small, pained sound of agreement at her brother alluding that they hadn't paid a steep enough price for their mistakes.

They'd spoken very little on what had happened in Sokovia and with Ultron, but little by little, more had come out, and Nina had done her best to listen, the need to do for the Twins what they had done for her pressing as insistently against her ribcage as her newfound powers often did. And it had helped. At least, for Pietro, it had.

Wanda was another story.

Nina sighed at the question she still hadn't answered, very aware that both twins were watching her with poorly concealed confusion. They knew most of what Nadine had shared with Nina, Nina needing to let it out to someone, to ease the feeling that there was simply too much in her head to contain. Especially not when Pietro had begun to drop almost pathetically blatant hints that he and Wanda were more than happy to listen. Even going so far as to point out that he, at least, had nothing better to do. That had made her laugh, surprisingly enough, and his smug look at having inspired the reaction nearly made her smack him for being cheeky. But it had felt good to let it out, and Pietro had been as good as his word, both twins listening sympathetically has she poured her heart out.

Rather like Pietro had poured his own out when he'd opened up about their role in the Ultron Fiasco.

"Not yet," she finally admitted tightly. Pietro made a small sound that she couldn't quite decipher. Wanda, however, frowned in a way that bordered on pity.

"She misses you too, you know." Nina started, glancing to Wanda in confusion before what she said registered. She swallowed thickly.

"I thought you said you couldn't see my thoughts, anymore." Wanda shrugged.

"Only sometimes. Sometimes I can see them as easily as anyone else's." She fixed Nina with a knowing look then. "But it's not hard to guess what you were thinking." Nina did grimace then, hugging the pillow she was wrapped around tighter.

"I just can't…" an irritated sound was all that came out next. Even after having told them almost everything, from what her mom had said to stumbling through her feelings on everything from her kidnapping to learning her father had been just as Enhanced as her mom, she couldn't quite manage to get it out. She simply didn't know how she felt.

That's what was making it so hard.

She sighed. Wanda reached forward to clasp her hand, earning an indignant grunt from Pietro as she nearly elbowed him in the stomach in the process. Rolling her eyes at her twin's antics, Wanda leaned back after a moment, settling back against him. But she turned her shrewd blue-green eyes back to Nina.

"You should tell her," she finally said quietly. Nina couldn't help the way she tensed, a thread of panic needling and prickling at her. "You shouldn't just…bottle it up." At that Nina fixed Wanda with an intent look of her own. The moment she did, a dull flush began to creep across Wanda's cheeks.

"Neither should you." It was said so softly that Nina barely heard herself say it. But the Twins did hear her, their matching gazes flicking to her, one set cautious, the other stricken. Wanda trembled, her hands clenching tight as she tucked them beneath her elbows. But neither Pietro nor Nina missed the move. Pietro's expression grew worried as he tucked Wanda closer to his side, laying a light kiss against the crown of her head.

"It's okay," he murmured. Nina couldn't help but look away, the moment feeling far too private for her to even hear. But hear she did. "You don't have to say anything," he continued murmuring, "we understand, Wanda. I understand. I was there too." Nina looked back to Wanda with worry as a sharp, breathy sound shook free. It took Nina a second to recognize it as a stifled sob.

"But you don't." If Nina's response to Wanda's advice had been soft, Wanda's was all but inaudible. Had Nina not watched her say it, she wouldn't have known Wanda had spoken at all. She certainly wasn't sure she'd heard right. Wanda drew in a shuddering breath, her eyes fixed on her knees. "You don't understand. You can't." His face fixed with determination, Pietro fished out one of her hands, clasping it tight in his own.

"I can try," he assured her before glancing to Nina. "We can." Another shuddering almost-sob hiccupped from her. Before she could even contemplate the move, Nina was slipping from her spot on the couch to settle on Wanda's other side, wrapping her arms around her in much the same way that Wanda had embraced Nina when Nina had sought them out when her own world had finally finished fallen apart. That felt like forever ago, already.

"But it's all my fault," she whispered, shaking her head against her twin's side. Pietro's arms tightened. Nina laid her head against Wanda's shoulder. "Everything. Sokovia…all those people…Johannesburg and what I did to the Avengers…Ultron…" Her voice cracked and shattered. And Nina was fighting back a sob of her own, her vision beginning to blur at how broken and small Wanda sounded. Strong, sharp Wanda. Her arms tightened further around her friend. Wanda burrowed deeper into their embrace, clutching at her twin and Nina both.

"You wanted justice," Nina said, doing her best to keep her voice steady, desperate to try and help her friend, to sooth her, to help back her away from the panic and horror and guilt ravaging her conscience. "Ultron took advantage of that. You aren't to blame for what he did." Nina nearly jerked as Wanda's head began to shake violently, and other gasping sob tearing through her.

"But Ultron only existed because of me."

And the floodgates opened.

By the time Wanda fell silent, dropping into an exhausted doze even as the last words fell from her lips, Nina was nearly shaking in effort to keep the warm haze of her powers contained as they threatened to burst free. She could hardly bear her own horrified disbelief from the potency of Wanda's feelings of guilt. On Wanda's other side, Pietro's face had turned stony and pained, his eyes unnaturally bright as he clung to his sister.

Neither of them could even move, much less speak. So they said nothing.

They just held Wanda tighter. Neither of them knew what more they could do. So they both hoped that listening was enough. And for the time being, it seemed to be.

Only time would tell.

But Wanda had finally let it out, letting some of the weight she'd been carrying on her soul loose for them both to help her bear.

So while it didn't feel like much, it was a start.

And that was something.

A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

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Guest Reviews:

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