When Spies Collide // WandaNat Spy AU

Bombshell

In all her years of combat, the mine Wanda tripped was undoubtedly the loudest thing Natasha ever had the displeasure of hearing. Immediately upon detonation, Natasha's hands flew to her ears, and she instinctively ducked behind a sturdy plant pot sitting a few feet away from her position on the top floor's concourse. The blast blew a gaping hole through the canvas of the roof, harsh sunlight pouring in. Small fires started, and smoke wafted dangerously down the floors of the mall. Even more concerning was the fact Natasha could not locate the other woman.

Gun shots popped and cracked as the mission started to fall apart. Natasha prayed the pot she took cover behind could withstand a few hits. Clint spoke over comms through grunts and punches, though the redhead only registered about two words. She was focused on centering herself, steeling her nerves before cocking a pistol and returning fire. She had been in tougher spots than this.

Wishing she had an assault rifle, she leaned over the mall concourse railing, giving Clint and Steve on the bottom floor some cover fire with her handgun. Her vantage point allowed her to pick off hostiles with experienced precision, eyes locked on her targets like a lion hunting an antelope.

With the boys taken care of, Natasha turned her attention to locating Wanda and the source of the blast. Fires raged in larger blazes now, smoke thickening by the moment. She had to find Wanda, and fast.

Fortunately, the task was not a long one. Wanda lay sprawled by the third floor escalators, coughing up a lung, package in hand. It was unexpectedly small, no bigger than a grenade, and Natasha assumed it was some sort of explosive, or maybe the detonator. While keeping her guard up for surprise attacks, Natasha approached Wanda with caution, not wanting to startle her.

"My ribs," Wanda wheezed as Natasha inched closer. "I-"

"Shh, don't overexert yourself." Natasha kneeled by the other woman. "Do you think anything is broken?"

She nodded.

"Okay, what about your lungs? You've collapsed one before, does it feel like that?"

Wanda's eyes went wide with fear and a flash of realization. "I-I can't breathe, Nat."

"You're gonna be fine, Wanda. But we have to get you out of here. Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Stay behind me."

Natasha pulled Wanda to her feet as quickly and gently as she could, positioning her body in front of the other woman as they navigated through the flames. The escalator in front of the pair was completely engulfed in flames and therefore useless, but Natasha mapped a path to the stairs the women had earlier climbed. Thankfully, Natasha's SHIELD suit was fireproof to a certain extent, though she could not say the same of Wanda's FBI issued tactical cargo pants and jacket.

Leading Wanda as quickly as she could, though increasingly tough as Wanda trudged slower and slower, coughing and stumbling as the pair finally reached the stairs, Natasha called, "can you make it down the stairs?"

Wanda did not respond, she simply started her descent, breath heavy and face set with a mix of determination and pain. Getting down the first flight to the second floor was relatively easy, but by the time the women reached the bottom floor, Natasha was practically carrying the blonde. Amazing to Natasha, though, was how steady of a grip Wanda kept on the package, never loosening her clutch. If Natasha had not been so worried, she would have been impressed.

"Nat! You alright?" Clint yelled from the other side of the mall, and Natasha finally laid eyes on the exit.

"Just a little more, Wanda, you're doing great," Natasha whispered, then shouted out to the rest of the squad that they needed medics immediately.