Get ready for a chapter of pure fluff!
This chapter is significantly longer; hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
"Here, I'll take that." Clint grabbed Pietro's dry leather suitcase and threw it into the back of the Quinjet, next to Wanda's new red one. "We only have a few hours airtime before we get to the farm, so I hope you brought something else to do."
Pietro nodded. Namely, he'd brought a Kindle.
He took a seat next to Wanda, who was trying to read a magazine while completely ignoring him. "Hey." he said quietly.
He was met with only dead air in response.
He sighed, although he hadn't expected anything less, and pulled on his Beats as he pulled open the Netflix home screen. He could already tell this was going to be a very, very long flight.
Four hours later, Pietro was shaken awake by Clint. "We'll be touching down in about twenty minutes."
Wanda was packing up her magazine while Natasha stood in the back of the plane, brewing coffee. She'd be coming too, at least for the first few days-until she was wanted for an urgent mission in Moscow.
Pietro watched out of the corner of his eye as a large split level farmhouse came into view. "What is this place?"
"My home-and my family. My wife, Laura; and my three children: Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel. Nathaniel Pietro."
"Didn't see that coming."
Clint smirked. "That joke is getting so old it's not even funny anymore."
"And yet you're still laughing."
"No, kid, I'm smirking. There's a difference."
"You're laughing."
The plane landed with barely a bump in the middle of acres and acres of farmland. Pietro couldn't see any other sign of civilization-it was like they had fallen off the edge of the map, to a place where nothing else mattered. Not HYDRA. Not even SHIELD.
He shouldered his backpack and held the door open for Wanda as she followed Clint outside. She barely acknowledged him, without even a nod. Then she walked up a small gravel path to the front door, where Clint was fishing a key ring out of his pocket. He found the correct key and fit it into the lock, watching as the door slid open with barely a squeak on well-oiled hinges. "Honey? I'm home." he called as he stepped inside.
A woman with dark hair and a kind smile came to greet them, enfolding him into a hug. "Clint. It's so wonderful to see you. And Natasha! How are you?" The twins stayed near the back of the group, instinctively trying to stay out of sight-
-at least until Clint pulled them forward. "This is Wanda and that's her brother, Pietro."
Laura beamed at them and shook each of their hands in turn. "It's so nice to meet the two of you I've seen so many good things. Won't you come in?" She held the door open so the others could go inside. Pietro noticed that her gaze lingered on him for just a second too long. And that's Pietro-the kid who was just pulled back from the brink of death.
The farmhouse was happily cluttered. Legos were scattered on the floors and tables, along with half-finished drawings and books resting on their spines. It was a house that was cozy yet comfortable; old yet lived in. It had a charm that had nothing to do with its interior or its location.
Two small children were sitting on the couch, watching a movie. They looked up when the others came in, with eyes wide as saucers.
"Aunt Nat!" the little girl cried, running to give the assassin a hug. Pietro smirked but didn't laugh.
The boy, Cooper, was examining him carefully. "Are you Quicksilver?" he asked.
"That I am." Pietro smiled as best he could. He wasn't really used to children-he hadn't spent much time with them back in Sokovia.
"Dad's told us about you. Can you really run faster than the speed of sound?"
"Yes." When Pietro ran, it was almost like time slowed down-everything seemed to move in slow motion. He was able to see things as they really were-or as they were about to be-and even change them accordingly if need be.
"And you're Scarlet Witch?" Lila asked, turning to Wanda.
Wanda looked as caught off guard as Pietro had. "Yes, I suppose I am."
"Can you cast spells?"
"You could say that." Even Wanda didn't know the full extent of her powers. She was always discovering something new and testing what her limits really were.
"Can you make unicorns?"
"Not quite."
Cooper was still looking at him in awe. "Will you race me later?"
"I would love to."
Laura showed him to Cooper's bedroom, a small room under the eaves that was furnished simply with a desk, a set of drawers, and a small wooden table and chair set. A cot had been set up under the window, which looked out over the farm and the surrounding fields. "I know it's not much, but I thought I'd give Wanda the spare bedroom. Cooper is practically beside himself with excitement, but I can easily find you another room if you would prefer…"
"No, it's fine. This is perfect." And he meant it.
Laura went into the adjoining bathroom to ensure he had enough soap and tools. "I heard about what happened. I thank God every day that Dr. Cho was able to pull off the medical miracle that she did. You saved my husband-and for that I can't thank you enough."
"It was nothing."
She stood in the center of the room for another minute, still watching him. "Are you sure there's nothing else you need?"
"I'm fine. Thank you so much."
"Don't mention it. We're so happy you're her." She left him to get settled in.
Pietro wondered what it would be like to live in a family like this, where you knew you were loved and cared for. Must be nice.
Unfortunately, it was a reality he could only imagine.
Cooper was ready to race. His shoes were tied securely and he'd spent an hour running circles around an old shed at the far end of the property. He wasn't that bad-but he still seemed confident he would beat Pietro.
How wrong he is.
He pointed out a large red barn in the middle of the yard. "Race around the yard and then come back to this point. Okay?"
"Okay." Pietro glanced down at his tennis shoes. They were filthy and caked in dust and grime-which reminded him that he would have to get a new pair sometime soon. He was an Avenger-he had an image to uphold.
Lila and Wanda sat on the porch, each holding two signs-one which endorsed Pietro and the other which endorsed Cooper. Lila was watching with rapt attention, while Wanda watched with mild interest. Pietro could almost read the look on her face. The little boy is going to beat you.
He would have to give her a show.
Lila cleared her throat loudly. "On your marks…get set…go!"
Pietro was off like a shot. He felt the world slowing down as he rounded the side of the barn. He sprinted back to the finish line and the world resumed its normal pace-loud, pulsing, and vibrant.
Both Lila and Cooper were watching him with openmouthed awe. "That's amazing." Lila whispered as her GO COOPER sign fluttered to the ground, forgotten.
He looked down, embarrassed. He'd never been one to flaunt his powers, but no one had ever looked at him like that before-like he was anything more than an abomination. It definitely took a little bit of getting used to.
Cooper grinned back at him. "Care to have a rematch?"
"No!" Lila cried, running over to them as well. "I want you to give me a piggyback ride!" She clambered onto his back and squealed in elation as Pietro ran her around the large yard. In spite of himself, Pietro couldn't help smiling as he heard her high pitched giggles.
He glanced back once to see Cooper trying and failing to keep up with him. Wanda was still watching from the porch-although from this distance he couldn't tell if she was smiling or not.
Wanda couldn't remember a time she'd felt happier than the days she spent at the farm.
She was busy from sunup to sundown, exploring the farm and its surrounding acres of land or playing with one of the kids-Cooper, Lila, or baby Nathaniel, who was so young he could barely sit up. They went swimming in a nearby pond, played in the hayloft amid fragrant bales of hay, and walked miles across green fields under the mild sun. Laura had a grill out almost every night, using her own fruits and vegetables that had been raised in the sun warmed dirt. They still had an earthy taste. It was the best food she or Pietro had ever eaten, and they couldn't get enough of it. Pietro still tried to reach out to her, but Wanda was content to ignore him.
Today, Lila had dragged her off to make dolls out of cornhusks. They sat in the hayloft braiding the husks together as Cooper and Pietro ran around in the field below. Pietro was just a blur as he streaked across the farmland, as Cooper rushed to keep up with him. He was always clamoring for a rematch, no matter how many times he lost against Pietro. At least he was a good sport about the whole thing.
"Why don't you ever talk to Pietro?" Lila asked, braiding a flower crown out of snow white daisies.
How do you explain resurrection to a five year old? "He played a practical joke on me and he really got me upset."
"Oh. Cooper does that to me sometimes. I hate it when he does that."
"I guess that's what brother do, right?"
"Yeah. Why do you cry at night sometimes?"
Another priceless question. "I don't know…sometimes I don't even realize it."
"Cooper always helps me when I start crying. Once a boy at school punched him right in the face! Mama wasn't happy, but it was really awesome!"
Wanda had to smile, absentmindedly tying off her flower chain. It had to be nice to be that innocent. "Maybe." She looked out the window again. Pietro and Cooper appeared to be cloud gazing again, lying on their backs in the middle of the field.
Pietro noticed her watching and waved to her tentatively. His blond hair was tousled, sticking up in all directions like stalks of corn after a windstorm.
She smiled and waved back.
The next morning, Pietro made another pot of coffee. He'd been skeptical of the drink at first, but Wanda seemed to love it so he decided to try it once or twice.
Of course, now he couldn't get enough of it. Today, he couldn't find the creamer so he drank his coffee black and bitter.
Just then, he noticed Lila coloring at the kitchen table. "I drew something for you." She handed him a piece of paper with a drawing of two kids playing in a green filed. One had bright yellow hair, while the other had a more subtle shade of brown. They were holding hands and smiling wider than Pietro would have thought was humanly possible.
"Thank you, Lila. I love it." he said truthfully, hugging her tightly.
"That's you, and that's your sister." Lila said, pointing each of them out. "I'm glad Daddy brought you guys to visit us. You're both really nice."
"Thanks. So are you and your brothers." Pietro glanced down at the picture again. He was surprised to see just how much it looked like him and Wanda. "You're a very nice artist."
"Thanks. Hey, do you want to make a picture?" She practically pushed a piece of paper into his hands. "I have a lot of colors."
Pietro had to smile as he started to sketch.
Later that morning, Clint and Natasha had to fly back to New York. Clint would be back in only a couple days to pick up the twins; Laura had found out about a harvest festival that would take place in a nearby village in a few days' time and had insisted Pietro and Wanda attend. The whole family turned out to see them off, despite the early hour.
"Bye, Aunt Nat!" Lila said, giving her another hug.
Natasha ruffled her hair. "Bye, Lila. See you soon. Draw me another picture while I'm gone, okay?"
"Okay."
She turned to the twins, who now stood with the rest of the group. "Look at the two of you. Not hiding at the back anymore."
Pietro glanced down in embarrassment. "Times have changed."
"I'll say. Have fun these last couple of days. See you back in New York."
Next up was Clint. "Take care of them." he whispered.
Pietro nodded and Wanda mirrored him. They didn't even need to be asked.
They stayed outside for a long time, until the Quinjet was just a speck on the eastern horizon flying into the rising sun. Laura's face was frozen in a smile as she continued waving long after her husband had lost sight of her. Pietro wondered how she could be so calm and collected knowing that Clint might never come back. Then again, he supposed she had to be used to it. You had to be, in this line of work. Finally, after what seemed like a small eternity, she sighed and turned to face the others. "Who wants to go strawberry picking?" she asked cheerfully.
Too cheerfully.
The acres of forest bordering the farmhouse were filled with ripe berry bushes. They spent hours out of doors armed with small plastic pails to use for collecting the fruit-bright red strawberries, deep blue blueberries, and small raspberries and blackberries. They exploded in Pietro's mouth with just the tiniest amount of pressure, bombarding his tongue with flavor. His hands were stained with berry juice and his ribs hurt from so much laughter.
Every so often, he chanced a glance over at Wanda. She seemed to be having the time of her life, as strawberries were one of her absolute favorite foods.
He had a few more races with Lila and Cooper. He even allowed Lila to beat him once or twice-until she accused him of letting her win. He was surprised to realize how much the kids had grown on him-they were like the little sister and brothers he'd never had and never known he'd wanted. For his entire life, he'd just had Wanda; it was almost refreshing to meet some new people-especially since Wanda still wouldn't talk to him.
That night he made a blanket fort in the middle of the family room with the aid of Cooper, Lila, and even Wanda. They spent the night watching movies, while Laura made them all warm glasses of hot chocolate before she went to bed. Quite possibly, it was the best thing Pietro had ever tasted-but the kids acted like it was just an everyday occurrence-which it might have been, for all he knew.
She laughed when she saw him gulping it down and ruffled his white blond hair. "You're still a kid under that façade, aren't you? Let me guess: you like hot chocolate, KRAFT mac and cheese, bedtime stories, and happy endings."
Pietro glanced to Wanda. Have we ever had KRAFT mac and cheese? "Well, happy endings are nice every once in a while, I suppose."
She climbed inside the fort with them, Cooper on one side and Lila on the other. "How about I tell you a story-just for tonight?"
He had to smile. He didn't remember the last time he'd been told a bedtime story, although he could remember his mother singing Russian lullabies over his cradle if he thought back far enough. "Sure."
"Okay. Can we do Rapunzel?" Lila asked, climbing onto her mother's lap.
"Of course. You can even help me tell it, since you know the story so well. Come on, Wanda. You don't have to stay in the corner like that. We're all friends here." Laura invited. Wanda reluctantly moved forward a little bit. This was a new experience for both the twins-either that or an experience that could barely remember having.
Laura separated her daughter's hair into three sections and began to braid deftly. "Now, how do all good fairy tales begin?" she continued.
"Once upon a time!" Lila cried.
"Exactly. Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom…" Laura's voice was soft and quiet as she took them into a world of hidden towers, evil witches, and beautiful princesses. By the time she'd ended the story with 'happily ever after', Lila was fast asleep and Cooper appeared to be on the brink.
"Don't stay up too late." she whispered to the twins as she tucked them in like a mother hen. For once, they didn't protest. In fact, Pietro realized he almost enjoyed being babied-every once in a very great while. Then she left. Pietro could hear her locking up for the night and then her soft footsteps on the stairwell as she went to bed.
Cooper yawned and shifted on his elbow until he was facing Pietro. Wanda was already asleep, to Pietro's surprise. Not only that, but she seemed to be sleeping regularly. "Mom says the two of you are superheroes."
Pietro went red. "That was nice of her."
"She said you helped Dad save the world."
"Well, we just helped. Your father did most of the work."
"My dad is a superhero too, you know."
"I know. He's a very good one." Pietro hesitated, unsure of how to present the question on his mind. "Do you…I mean, are you ever afraid that one day your father won't return home from a mission?"
"Of course. All the time. But Mom says we can't worry about things we can't change. If Dad ever dies, I'll know he died protecting hundreds of little children like me, Lila, and Nathaniel. And that makes his sacrifices worth it. Do you and your sister have parents?"
"We did, once. But they were killed in a shelling."
"Maybe we could share mine-if you want to, that is."
"That might be nice."
Cooper rolled over so his back was to Pietro. "'Night, Quicksilver."
"Pietro."
"What?"
"My name…just call me Pietro."
"Okay. 'Night, Pietro."
"Good night, Cooper."
Pietro heard his breathing even out and relegate itself to a sleep rate. He was surprised to find that within ten minutes he was asleep too.
The next day, they spent another day outside. Today, it was stifling hot so they went swimming for hours. That night, Wanda encountered a new problem.
She couldn't get to sleep, much less stay asleep.
She glanced at the clock on her nightstand, flipping it toward her so she could read its flashing numbers. 11:57. She listened carefully to be sure no one else was up and climbed out the window of the guest bedroom and down a small latticework to reach the back lawn.
Cicadas made their own music as she took a seat on the cool grass and waited for her brother to join her. She could sense he was up-he always was, whenever she couldn't sleep. Sure enough, two minutes later he came strolling outside. "Hey." he said, taking a seat next to her. The grass was covered with a thin film of dew, but neither of them seemed to care.
"Are you cold?" Pietro asked, out of habit or brotherly instinct.
She shook her head. "I'm fine. How about you?"
He shrugged. "I don't really get cold. Not after…that." Wanda didn't even have to guess what he was talking about. "We need to talk."
"Yeah, I guess we do. Tomorrow is already our last day. Isn't that amazing?"
"Yes. It feels like we just got here. Are you excited for the harvest festival?"
"I would say so. Pietro, I can't remember being happier than I've been since we got here. I hope we can come back one day."
"Me too. I would love that. Wanda, I'm so sorry about what happened. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to bring up bad memories. You're right-I didn't think. I never think, and I'm very sorry. I'm going to try harder next time, because you're my sister and you deserve better. I promise I won't leave you without saying goodbye…and if I do die before you again, I promise I'll wait for you. Friends?"
"Friends." They shook on it and embraced for good measure. Wanda held on for just a second longer than normal, but Pietro didn't mind.
In fact, he almost enjoyed it.
"But if you ever do something like that again…" Wanda added.
"Don't worry. I won't." And he meant it.
They fell asleep on the dewy grass, watching the stars just like old times.
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