AN: Enjoy!
And so, Wanda made the drive out to the Barton Home, as she had promised she would.
Knocked on the door.
Let Clint and Laura hug her as she entered.
She let Cooper and Lila jump on her.
Let Laura push baby Nathaniel Pietro into her arms, letting him charm her as she cooed at him and tickled his belly. He really was the cutest little thing, and she knew Pietro would have adored him. After spending such a significant chunk of their lives without Family of their own, the thought of a new family member had been very exciting for Wanda and Pietro, making it especially tragic that he had never gotten to meet him.
Wanda helped Laura in the Kitchen, even when Laura insisted that this wasn't necessary, because this was what Wanda had always done. For a while, it all felt wonderfully normal, as if she hadn't been away from the Bartons for months.
However, there seemed to be something just a little bit off, and Wanda eventually realised what it was.
The walls of the Barton house were packed with Photographs. School pictures, baby pictures, candid family shots. A photo of Wanda with a proud Clint and Laura when she'd won an art contest.
But one person was notably absent. So, after dinner, while nursing baby Nate in her lap, Wanda looked around, and asked:
"Where are all the Photos of Pietro?"
"What do you mean, Honey?" asked Laura, clearly confused.
"Pietro's pictures" said Wanda, attempting to keep her cool. "They're gone."
"No they're.." Laura looked around, then frowned, rounding on her Husband suspiciously. "Clint Francis Barton, what did you do?"
"I just.. Put them away for a bit" said Clint sheepishly. "I thought.."
"Thought what?" Wanda snapped, though managed to lower voice when baby Nate whined slightly in her arms, and Lila flinched beside her. "That I'd forget my brother is dead just because you tried to hide away the evidence that he ever existed?"
"No!" cried Clint. "No, of course not. I just thought this visit might be easier if what you'd lost wasn't staring at you from all directions.."
"Does it make it any easier for you?" Wanda retorted.
"Well.. no" despite his best intentions, Clint was beginning to realise that he had been a first class idiot.
"I lost my brother, my twin, my other half, the one constant in my life" said Wanda, shaking. "Nothing makes that easier, nothing ever could.. Especially not having the other people who loved him most try to hide away any memory of him. I need to know that other people are still missing him too.. That he.. That he's not forgotten."
"Oh Wanda, of course he's not," said Laura. "Clint, you go get Pietro's pictures and put every single one back up, right now?"
"Right now?" Clint frowned.
"Right now" Laura confirmed, her voice stern.
"Yes M'am.."
Clint did as he was told, returning to the table a short while later.
"Wanda.."
"I don't think I want to talk to you right now.."
She didn't look at him. She was angry, so angry. Hiding her brother's life was the last thing she needed. Wanda couldn't help thinking of Vision. With him, she could talk about Pietro, and even if it made her upset, even if she cried, he let her talk, and she did the same for Vision.
Now, attempted apology or not, it felt like Clint just wanted her to paste on a smile, and hide her real feelings away.
"Come on, kid, please" Clint begged her. "I didn't mean to.."
"I don't care.. I think I need to go home.." Wanda stood, about to hand Nate back to Laura.
However, it seemed the baby boy was very much against the idea of Wanda leaving so soon. Without knowing the gravity of what he was doing, Nate grasped Wanda's scarf and tugged, revealing the hickey that she had been attempting to hide.
"What's that big bruise on Wanda's neck?" asked Lila innocently, while Wanda's cheeks burned bright red.
"Uh.. Cooper, how about you take your sister and go watch TV?" Laura 'suggested'.
"Okay, Mom." Cooper was smart enough to know when his Mother's 'suggestions' were really instructions, and took Lila's hand, leading her off to another room.
"Are you, uh, seeing someone Sweetie?" Laura asked, taking Baby Nate from Wanda's arms.
"Not exactly.." Wanda mumbled.
"What exactly do you mean by 'not exactly'?" Clint frowned.
"I.." Wanda hadn't lied to Clint or Laura in years, and she wasn't about to start again now. "I might have.. Slept with someone, a couple of times."
"Is that a good idea, kiddo?" Clint crossed his arms, entering full protective Dad mode. "You're kind of fragile right now, are you sure this guy isn't.."
"Don't say it" Wanda growled. "Don't you dare say what I think you're about to say. You don't know him, and you don't get to judge me. I'm not a little girl, what I choose to do and who I choose to do it with is my own business.."
"I only meant.."
"I don't care what you meant.." Wanda stormed out of the house, only just resisting the urge to slam the door behind her.
Wanda made it to her car, and was just about to open the door when Laura caught up to her.
"Wanda.."
"I'm not going back inside.."
"I wasn't going to ask you to."
"I'm a grown woman. He has no right.." Wanda was almost shaking. "No right to.."
"I know," said Laura gently. "I'm not here to defend him, I don't agree with any of what Clint did Tonight. He'll be getting a very stern talking to later.."
"Thank you.."
"So.. about this man.."
"Vision," said Wanda. "His name is Vision."
"Strange name.."
"Well, it's Victor really, but Vision definitely suits him better. He's lost someone too, so he.."
"He understands," said Laura.
"He does.. And we're careful, if that's what you wanted to know.." Even though she had been so horribly angry just minutes earlier, she felt a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "It's more than just sex.. We talk about things, things we can't say to anyone else. I'm not sure what we are, yet, and I don't think he is either, but it's something we both need right now. Vision wouldn't hurt me."
"That's all I needed to know" Laura hugged her. "Have a safe drive home, okay? And expect a grovelling apology from Clint sometime soon."
"Okay" Wanda chuckled. "Thanks, Laura."
Almost as soon as she arrived home, Wanda flopped on the sofa and called Vision, who answered on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"That was fast.." Wanda smirked, and could almost imagine him blushing in response.
"W-Well, I was waiting for your call. How did dinner with the family go?"
"Not as well as I hoped.. My Foster Father hid all the photos of Pietro because he was worried about me getting upset."
"That's terrible!"
"It is, but don't worry.. His Wife is probably reading him the riot act as we speak.. Tell me about your day, preferably something that won't piss me off.
"I will try my best.. This Morning I rearranged my linen closet, and in the afternoon I took Vivian out for a milkshake, we always go on Sundays.."
Wanda sat back in her chair, just listening, letting Vision's soft, accented voice calm her frazzled nerves. She could get used to this.