Wanda/Elizabeth One-Shots

Three Little Wonders (W.M)

Wanda leaned back on the park bench, smiling as she watched her three young sons play. It was a sunny Saturday morning and with her husband Ethan away on a mission, she had decided to take the boys out for some fresh air.

At nearly 5 years old, energetic Nathan was the oldest. He had Ethan's thick dark hair and deep brown eyes, and shared his father's mischievous spirit. Even as a toddler, Nathan was always zipping around investigating things and getting into trouble. Now he giggled as he raced around the playground equipment, his little legs pumping.

Trailing along behind Nathan was shy 3-year-old Luke. With his slight frame and reserved nature, Luke took after Wanda's side of the family. He watched his boisterous brother's antics with quiet amusement, waiting for an opening to gently slide down the big twisty slide.

But it was Wanda's youngest son, 2-year-old Damien, who was the most rambunctious of the bunch - and bore the strongest resemblance to his beloved father. Damien was practically a mini-Ethan in every way. He shared the same unruly black hair, cute nose and toothy grin as his dad. And even at his young age, Damien exhibited abilities that proved he was far from an average toddler.

Just the other day, Wanda had taken her eyes off Damien for one second and he had suddenly vanished. Panic rising, she desperately called Ethan, who flew home and together they eventually located Damien - happily flying around a mile away in the sky. He had somehow travelled that entire distance in less than a minute.

Even more alarmingly, in his glee at learning to fly, little Damien accidently punched a nearby mountain, creating a huge crater in the rocks. That unbelievable feat of strength confirmed that he had clearly inherited his father's superhuman abilities.

From that day on, Wanda vowed to keep an extra close eye on precocious little Damien, who didn't seem to have an inkling yet that he was exceptionally special. His innocent joy and laughter never failed to make her smile, even as she maintained constant vigilance of her endearingly chaotic son. She loved all her boys deeply, but the extraordinary youngster held a special place in her heart.

As she watched Damien now exerting his toddler energy on the playground, Wanda noticed a few curious differences between him and his brothers. While Nathan and Luke easily conversed with the other children, Damien remained mostly nonverbal. He connected through actions more than words. And while his siblings showed caution on the towering slide, Damien fearlessly catapulted down the slick surface at every chance. Heights meant nothing when you could fly, after all.

When it came time for a snack break, the three kids bounced over to the bench where Wanda handed out juice boxes and crackers. Nathan and Luke began chattering about the "ginormous slide" and asking when Daddy would be home from his trip. Wanda smiled as she wiped a smudge of dirt from sweet Luke's nose.

Meanwhile, Damien was fully focused on steadily plowing through his crackers, sending a cascade of crumbs down his shirt in his enthusiasm. "Wow, someone was hungry!" Wanda chuckled, brushing the debris off Damien's round belly after he polished off the last morsel. Damien responded by flashing her a cheeky, open-mouthed grin that was all Ethan.

Before long, the boys were ready to resume playing. This time it was Nathan daring Luke to try the monkey bars while Damien zig-zagged happily around the woodchip pit. Ever the little flying daredevil, Damien suddenly launched himself a good 15 feet in the air from the swings, eliciting startled yelps from nearby parents. Thankfully he landed nimbly on his feet, apparently not realizing anything was unusual.

Wanda just smiled apologetically at the concerned looks shot her way. "He takes after his father," was all the mild explanation she offered. No need to get into radioactive spider bites or super soldier serums here.

Watching over her sons filled Wanda's heart to the brim. Each boy was so wonderfully unique. Level-headed Nathan kept the other two in line. Gentle Luke brought calm balance. And bold, irrepressible Damien kept her on her toes. She couldn't wait to see the extraordinary young men they would grow into someday, no doubt with their amazing father guiding them along the way.

As the afternoon shadows grew long, Wanda prepared to herd her tired but happy sons back home. Nathan immediately ran over and reached up to hold her hand. Little Luke waited patiently beside his mother, always content to go with the flow.

But getting Damien to cooperate would take a bit more finesse, as Wanda knew from experience. As expected, her strong-willed toddler was not thrilled to abandon the adventures of the playground. After several failed attempts to capture the spirited child as he flew just out of reach, she finally got clever.

"Who wants ice cream?" Wanda called out in a singsong voice. At the magic words, Damien instantly landed and allowed her to buckle him into his stroller without resistance. Nathan and Luke cheered excitedly too. Bribery for the win, Wanda thought in satisfaction.

On the leisurely walk home, Nathan chattered about his day while Luke quietly watched birds. Damien quickly conked out in the stroller, a tiny bubble of drool escaping his parted lips. Gazing at her sleeping baby, Wanda felt her heart swell all over again. Each of her precious boys was so uniquely themselves. And she wouldn't change a thing.

By the time they finally arrived home and Wanda got all three boys fed, bathed and tucked snugly into bed, she was exhausted. But it was the best kind of tired - the fulfillment of a day spent loving her children. Just as she clicked off the last bedroom light, strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Hey you," Ethan murmured, nuzzling into her hair. "How were my guys today?"

Wanda turned and melted against her husband's broad chest. "Perfect. I'll tell you all about it. But first..." She stood on tiptoes to give him a long kiss. "Welcome home."

As they walked hand in hand to the living room to unwind and catch up, Wanda once again felt incredibly grateful for the family she and Ethan had created. And she knew without a doubt that no matter what adventures or challenges the future held, together they would embrace it all.