Ultron Aftermath

Chapter 5

Time: To deal with our grief
Place: Avengers compound

The morning light was oddly bright, casting the flying birds into dark shadows against a sky of palest blue. Their wings beat, hugging the air as they drifted together in the morning sky.

For a few moments they had Ajs eye, keeping her spun in some sort of daydream.
The 9 year olds small frame was curled up in the corner of her bay window. Aj forced her focus away from outside and looked to the clock on the bed side table once more,the time read 6:03am,the little girl sighed it had been way over an hour since she had shot awake from her nightmare with tears streaming down her face after that the girl just couldn't get back to sleep.

It was now her third day at the compound, she was still getting used to the new environment. Yesterday Natasha and Steve had taken the girls to the mall, where they spoiled the girls with clothes and decor for their bedrooms- Aj was grateful of course but the idea of people spending money on her made her feel guilty,she's pretty sure that's how Wanda felt too.

Aj also spent most of yesterday afternoon playing in the garden with Steve. The pair played soccer for hours,dripping in sweat and rolling in mud but the smile never left the girls face. It was the first time she had ever had fun and enjoyed herself somewhere but again it made her feel guilty. It made her feel guilty because Pietro only got hydra he didn't have a Nat and Steve like her and Wanda do, they were too late.They couldn't save him like they had saved the girls and for that Aj was sorry.

Upon arriving at the compound, Aj had been so caught up with all the overwhelming emotions of being somewhere new that it had all distracted her from the biggest difference now In her life and that was going everyday without Pietro. Like Wanda, the teenage boy had become a constant in Ajs life, he had become her brother. And for some reason she was slow to process him being gone. Even now, 4 days later, every time she sees Wanda she looks for Pietro too,only to be hit by the harsh reality he's not here and he's not coming here. Just like Thomas,P was gone. She was brother-less once more.

It was finally starting to hit Wanda as well likewise the distractions of the compound had gotten in the way, allowing her to push any thought of Pietro further back into her mind.But it was starting to catch up to her, Aj knew Wanda had been in denial,she didn't want to believe her twin was gone but there was no denying it anymore.

Yesterday afternoon Wanda went quiet and she hadn't said a lot since then, she hadn't really come out of her room since then. Aj tried to check on her to see how she was doing but the teenager had yelled for her to get out her room before she even got the chance too.

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Natasha had been up since just after 5 this morning,she did her usual workout and then got ready for her day,this was her routine every morning and it was how she liked it.
Natasha was currently scrolling through her phone as she sipped her coffee,she heard padded footsteps coming from the stairs,they were way to quiet to be Steve's that was for sure so she knew it was one of the girls.
Nat placed her coffee mug on the counter and made her way to the lounge where she was met by Aj, the small girl was sporting pink pajama's with small flowers on them that they had bought at the mall the day before.

"Aj why are you up so early?"

"Can't sleep"

Aj mumbled as she looked up her gaze meeting Nat,exhaustion evident in her eyes. Natasha's heart broke for the girl,she kept forgetting how young of a child Aj was.