Venomous

43. Distant lights

"I think it's best if we take a moment and calm..."

"Shut your face, toaster." I cut visions no-doubt meticulously crafted thought off before he could finish it. The android sighed and looked at me condescendingly. All my muscles clenched, and Wanda's calming hand on my bicep was the only thing from trying to disassemble him.

"Parker? Parker, look at me." Wanda grabbed my chin, forcing my face in her direction, the sharpness of my jaw almost enough to slice her palm. "I'm sure she's fine, Parker."

"Stupid, never should have let her..." I resumed pacing wildly, white fluid moving up and down my arms and legs as AV tried to calm me down and anticipate my needs. No doubt they would try to learn to fly if they thought it would get us to her faster.

"Ms. Brock, if you would just..." Wanda and I both gave Vision the death glare simultaneously and he wisely backed up a few paces, reading the room.

"I swear to God if she's..." I didn't have time to finish my thought before my cell phone was buzzing insistently in my hand. Glancing at the name, I inhaled sharply. Natasha. "Baby? Are you okay? We just saw the news." Wanda tugged me down into a chair while I listened to Natasha's reassurances. She was okay. Blast was close but didn't get her. "Oh god." The final piece of news was one that we didn't need. Not now. "Stay safe. Love you." I stood up, immediately heading out of the lounge towards my room. I needed to pack, despite what Natasha had said.

"Natasha's okay. They're saying it was Bucky – that can't be true, can it? He was just here. The King of Wakanda has been killed."

"Shit." Wanda's expletive mirrored my thoughts, and I took a deep breath trying to plan my next steps.

"Steve's been told to stay away, but that's not gonna happen." Maybe I could get in touch with him and Sam and be of use.

"Where are you going?" Vision materialized in the doorway, and I blinked up at him, seething.

"I need to get to Nat. Move." When I tried to push past him, Vision didn't budge. I growled, AV's white skin threading down my fingers and legs, ready for a fight.

"I really must insist that you stay at the compound, Ms. Brock. Tony wanted to avoid the possibility of another public incident."

"Are you not letting her leave?" Wanda stood by my side. Vision smiled at her but shook her head.

"She's safer here. We can protect her." He reasoned. I scoffed, trying to push past him again.

"I can take care of myself, toaster." Visions still grip on my shoulders stopped me short. Before I could wind up for a punch that would hopefully break his synthetic face as well as most likely my hand, Wanda's hands were on my shoulders, guiding me through the door, past her boyfriend's watchful gaze.

"Let's go Parker. Now." I followed her down the hall and we sat together in silence in my room for a few moments before she got up, murmuring something about food. I collapsed on my bed, staring at the ceiling and coming up with plans to get out of the compound, get to Europe and do whatever I had to do to protect my girl – and my friends.

...

After only a half an hour, I heard the sound of a door slamming. I wondered if Wanda wasn't being allowed to leave as well, smirking to myself. That sounded like trouble in paradise.

...

Wanda and I were sitting in the lounge that evening, reading in silence. At least we could still do that. An explosion from outside startled us out of the quiet, Vision materializing like an annoying mosquito you were dying to swat as the three of us glanced out of the window.