Starting Over

Ch. 49

Wanda doesn't remember falling asleep. The thought alone has her spinning into a spiral the second she opens her eyes. However, she catches a glimpse of the sun peaking through her blinds and the soft touch of her favorite blanket next to her and she knows she's home, that everything is okay. Blinking away dirty concrete walls, she heads to the kitchen. She's not surprised to find her family already awake. Natasha coaxes spoonfuls of oatmeal into Luna's mouth as Steve scrambles eggs over the stove. Lia sits in her usual spot eating her own breakfast. Wanda makes her way to her mother, resting her head on the top of the older woman's.
"Morning, Milaya. How'd you sleep?" Natasha asks as she feeds Luna a bite before fully embracing her eldest daughter.
"Okay." Wanda mumbles her voice muffled into her shoulder.
"I'm sure Noah will be glad to see you today." Natasha adds smoothing down her hair, messy from sleep.
Wanda hums before taking the seat next to her mother and eating her breakfast.

An hour later and she's dressed and ready to go, nervous hands fumbling over her new rings, the ones she had to replace. They were smooth and shiny not like the ones she had wore previously, not the ones Pietro stole from the market in Sokovia. The thought alone made her want to cry but she needed to be strong. She pauses when she feels her hands still, a comforting one placed over her own.
"Okay, Wands, we're here." Natasha says giving Wanda an encouraging smile. She watches as a few tears escape the corners of the girl's eyes, before the teen is hastily wiping them away. Wanda nods.
"You sure you want to do this today?" Natasha asks again giving the girl a way out, if she wants it.
"Yes." Wanda mumbles "I have to."
"My sweet girl, I love you so much." Natasha replies running her thumb over the girls cheek. "I am so, so proud of you. You call me if you need me, okay?"
Wanda nods kissing her mothers cheek with a "love you too" before exiting the car door, backpack thrown over her shoulder. Noah meets her halfway to the door taking her hand as they head inside the building.
Once Wanda is inside, Natasha let's out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Still, she plans to stick close to the city with Steve's promise to take care of the girls for the day. She sets off for Stark tower in hopes to talk to Tony.

Wanda walks inside the school, the loudness and stares of classmates creates anxiety bubbling in her stomach. The familiarity of Noah's hand in hers provides little comfort.
"Hey." Noah says pulling her from her daze with a startled jump. "You're alright" he adds, running his hand up and down her arm in a somewhat soothing motion. Wanda let's out a shaky breath as she enters her locker combination, pulling out her text books. She's out of it she knows, lost inside her head, her hands are warm, the hum of magic against her skin. Noah is quick to cover them up with his own, pulling the sleeve of her sweatshirt over them.
"I'm sorry..." Wanda starts
"No need to apologize, Wands, I got you." He replies with a small smile hoping to prompt one of her own. "Let's go to English, yeah?" She nods.
The walk to English is just as bad. The voices around her muffle in her ears, her head filled with far too many thoughts that aren't her own. Stay calm. When Noah pulls her inside the classroom she feels slightly better, there's only ten people inside so far, it's quiet. She feels like she can breath. He leads her to her desk, dropping a kiss to the side of her head before pulling out her textbook. Peter enters the room a moment later, large smile plastered on his face at the sight of her.
"Hey, Wands! I'm glad you're back!" He says as he drops into his sight to her left.
She does let a small smile grace her lips before falling back into herself.

When Natasha arrives at Stark tower she immediately heads  for Tony's lab knowing that the man will most likely be in his work shop. He looks up as she enters the doorway.
"Red! Good to see you! Friday didn't tell me you were stopping by. How's married life?"
"Good but thats not what I'm here to talk about, I need a favor." Natasha says
"Yeah, sure...What's up?" Tony asks looking up from his project again.
"Wanda's bracelets are... were left in..." Natasha starts "would you be able to make her new ones?"
"Of course, when do you need them by?" He replies
"As soon as possible."
"Look, Nat, I know we haven't always... you and I haven't always been the best of friends, but I want you to know I'm really sorry..." Tony starts "about Ultron...all the stuff with Wanda. Geez, I'm really bad at this....I'm trying to be better, to do better. I didn't have siblings growing up and in a way now we're sort of family and I... I want to be a good uncle."
"Thanks, Tony." She replies
"I can get them to you by the end of the week if that's alright. Peppers probably around here somewhere if you want to stay for lunch." He adds
"Yeah, I..." Natasha starts as her phone buzzes in her pocket. "I've got to go, sorry."
"No problem, I'll drop the bracelets by the compound at the end of the week." Tony replies as Natasha is out the door.