A/N: The album being listened to, later in this chapter, is Sunny Side Up by Paolo Nutini, for anyone who may be interested. But, I'm hoping to have the next chapter up relatively soon. As always, thank y'all for sticking around. And any mistakes you find are mine, so sorry about that.

Chapter 20: Turnabout

Wanda pulls back slightly to check the alley, admittedly, distracted. Reeling from the adrenaline of the chase, of the kiss, her thoughts race. Somehow, of all things, she settles on, "I've heard public displays of affection make people uncomfortable." A line stolen straight out of Natasha's story. One that probably sounded better when Nat said it.

"I don't feel discomfort of any kind. Do you? Or, are you? Uncomfortable, I mean?" He's so close. Close enough that she can feel the puffs of air on her lips when he speaks.

"It's not to make us uncomfortable. It's to make whoever may be looking at us uncomfortable." His hand is still resting on her hip, the other still nestled in her hair. "To divert their attention elsewhere."

"Oh… I see."

It's a lot. Emotionally, mentally, physically, a lot. More than she's willing to dissect while they're potentially still in jeopardy.

Taking a step back, Wanda stifles competing impulses. Allows her training to take over. "We should get back to the rental before they come looking around here again."

"I'll call us a taxi."

The ride back to the rental is quiet, limited to polite conversation with the driver. Even back at the rental, neither Wanda nor Vision speak. Instead, they focus on inspecting the cabin for any signs of entry.

Checking room by room, it takes around twenty minutes to clear the space of any threat. Apparently, the drunk kids haven't said anything to anyone. Or, if they have, they haven't been believed.

Their search ends in the kitchen, the heart of the cabin. Wanda, worrying her lip, slides back onto the countertop. "Should we leave?"

"Why? Did you see something amiss?" He comes to stand opposite her, scanning the room again while he asks.

"No, nothing." Everything at the rental is just as they left it. Except, her anxiety about their ordeal earlier hasn't waned. And the sense of danger she's felt since they were spotted, since they've arrived in Sokovia, remains ever-present in the corner of her mind. "What if they go to the police?"

"They haven't yet, as far as I can tell. If they do report anything, we'll know."

"How?"

"The local authorities file everything electronically to prevent paper waste. Their systems aren't nearly as secure as they imagine them to be."

"You broke into the cops' computer system? When?"

"Last night. That's what I was doing before your dream. I thought it prudent to be as precautious as possible while we're in the country, considering your history here."

"And you were worried about breaking and entering… So, you think we should stay."

"I think it appears to be safe for the time being. However, if you wish to leave, we'll go. I'm not sure that there are any trains running at this hour. We could take a taxi, or fly, if need be."

"How much longer is the cabin booked for?"

"Two more days. Having said that, we're under no obligation to remain for the full duration. It's your call."

"This day will never end," It comes out unintentionally, barely audible under her breath. Sighing, she runs a hand through her hair and catches sight of his coat sleeve sliding down her wrist.

They have nothing planned, nowhere else to stay. Wanda supposes they could call Nat or Steve, let them know what happened. But, if something comes of it, and she is brought in, then that could potentially expose them as well. "We'll stay the night. We can figure out our next move come morning. In the meantime, if you catch wind of anything-"

"I'll inform you immediately, by all means."

"Okay. I trust you." Wanda hops off the counter, stretching her arms out. On her feet again, she takes off Vision's coat and offers it out between them. "Thanks for this. And for today."

"Thank you, for everything." When he says it, his eyes bright with emotion, it sounds like a confession.

The owners of the rental cabin have an extensive music collection. Meticulously organized, it spans several decades and forms, from vinyl records and cassettes to compact discs. Vision decides to take advantage of it while he cooks, choosing an album at random to put into the player. The first song that plays is a jaunty jazz number, well complemented by the singer's folksy vocals. It makes the room feel brighter, the warm brassy notes somehow adding to the morning sun.

Throughout the night, he'd stayed vigilant, watching for any indication that they'd been reported. Nothing came of it, thankfully. But, as the late evening hours shifted to daybreak, less activity to monitor meant more time to spend with his own musings.

The previous day had been a proper whirlwind of events and emotions, providing him with more than enough fodder to keep his mind occupied between reports. Not the least of which included Wanda conveying that she trusted him. The thought of it alone is enough to bring forth a smile, even so many hours later as he prepares breakfast. He's been fortunate enough to witness many victories in the process of her recovery. This one, though, feels greater, more significant.

There's also the matter of his most recent epiphany. The Vision, a synthetic being, has fallen in love. In contrast to his research on the subject, the kiss itself didn't serve as the catalyst for his enlightenment, as lovely as it was. It was the culmination of all the moments that led to it. It was the most dazzling smile on the face of the most incredible person. It was the privilege of bearing witness to an angel in scarlet. Almost on cue, another song begins, the artist crooning over the low, mellow tune.

"Wow, Vizh. You really went all out." He hadn't noticed her come in, regarding him with a grin.

"Yes, well," Looking at the table now, covered in an array of overfilled platters and bowls, perhaps he has gone a bit overboard. "I read somewhere that breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

"Looks like you really took it to heart. I can't believe you did all this."

"I couldn't help but notice that you barely ate yesterday. I thought you might be hungry."

"You thought right, thank you." Wanda tucks into a plate of fruit as soon as she sits, popping a strawberry into her mouth. "Did anything come up last night?"

Sitting opposite her, he finds he has to clear his throat before he speaks. "Uhm, no, nothing. It seems we're in the clear, for the time being."

"Thank God for that." An errant drop of juice paints her lips pink, and he's caught, bang to rights, staring. She doesn't call him on it, but there's no missing the way her eyebrow raises in response. Her gaze shifts, momentarily falling to his lips, too. "So, I was thinking. Since I chose here, it's only fair that you pick where we go next."

That they would continue to travel together, is a given. For Wanda too, evidently. Nevertheless, he hadn't considered where they might go. He'd been too absorbed in his own thoughts and ensuring they weren't the subject of any police reports.

"You don't have to pick anywhere right this second. Just, think about it."

"I shall."

Around the same time that Wanda finishes eating, the album ends. Vision is switching the music player to radio, watching Wanda use her power to clear the table when something occurs to him. "Wanda."

Humming in acknowledgment, she twists her wrist and outstretches her fingers in a single graceful movement. It ends with her hand closing into a loose fist, the red flare waning.

"Last night… Why didn't you use your power on those who recognized you?"

She doesn't reply right away, moving to take a spot on the edge of the couch by the music player. "A few reasons. I didn't want to risk someone seeing. Or putting you in harm's way, more than I already had, have. And-"

The Vision drops to his knee by her side, interrupting her with a hand on her leg. If he doesn't say something now, what she's just said will inevitably end up getting glossed over. "Wait just a minute. You've never put me in harm's way."

"Oh? What would you call what happened last night? Or-"

"I believe it's most commonly referred to as a kiss." He feels a twinge of guilt for cutting her off a second time, but he feels it necessary. The way this is going, she'll just assign herself guilt for all they've already gone over. From the night at the Avengers Compound to the Raft, and beyond.

"You know that's not what I meant. If those kids went to the cops, we would have been screwed."

"Be that as it may, we've been on the run for months. Statistically, it was only a matter of time before one of us was recognized." Intent on getting his message across, he captures her hand. "Even if they had gone to the authorities, it still wouldn't have been your doing. You… you can't blame yourself for someone else's decisions."

"That's not fair, you can't use my own reasoning against me." Her smile gives her away and, inwardly, he celebrates.

"I absolutely can. Turnabout is indisputably fair play."

"Indisputably, huh?"

"Afraid so." Giving her hand a quick squeeze, he winks. "Alright, that's settled, then. What's the next reason?"

"Natasha once told me of a close call she had at the mall with Steve. I figured if it worked for them, it might work for us."

"Oh." Something in him falls a little. He's not sure what he was expecting to hear, or what he wanted to hear. Either way, it definitely wasn't that.