SUPREMACY / P. MAXIMOFF

cloud 11

"What's it saying?"

"Nothing."

"Tell it to say something!"

Shut up.

"It said to shut up."

"Are you sure that wasn't just from you?"

"It's from both of us. Shut the hell up."

Ana sighed, leaning back in the cot she laid on, writhing with discomfort. She still felt the needle pricks all over her body, and the IV's and electrodes in her arm and on her forehead. Pietro had left hours ago, angry with Ana for keeping something so crucial from him.

She didn't blame him for being angry.

He went on a run. By now, he was probably in California, or somewhere far, fuming. Ana just kept hurting him and upsetting him. She couldn't imagine what he was feeling when he thought she was dead. Little slip ups like this probably reminded him of how dangerous Ana was. How reckless. She wasn't good for him, no matter how much they liked each other. If he even liked her at all at this point.

"I hate you for making me not tell him," Ana thought.

I didn't make you do a thing. You did this on your own.

"Are you talking to it right now?" Tony asked.

"Hmm?"

"The Mind Stone? Are you guys arguing or something? Your brain waves are erratic."

Ana nodded, sighing again. Wanda laid her hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry about Pietro. I can still sense him. He is still near. Maybe, he is even coming back," Wanda hummed, and Ana glared at her.

"Wanda, don't read my mind."

"I didn't have to read your mind to know you were worrying about my brother."

True.

Ana shoved the Mind Stone back into the deepest recesses of her mind, not wanting to hear it's annoying voice echo off the walls of her mind anymore. She wrung her hands together, worried despite what Wanda said. Someone could have attacked him, trying to find her. He could have gotten hurt.

"It's dark," Ana muttered. "I want him to come home already."

Wanda looked sympathetic. Ana ignored her, and focused on Natasha as she walked into the room.

"I just got off the phone with Coulson. He's bringing his team on The Bus to come pick Ana up."

Ana's heart gave a terrible jolt of surprise. "What? Why is he picking me up?"

"Even though S.H.I.E.L.D. is toast, they still have all the information on the Infinity Stones, and on you," Steve piped up. "Tony needs your files and the ones about the Mind Stone.  He's trying to figure out how to fix your powers so you can defend yourself. And how the Mind Stone inhabiting your body effects you."

"So basically," Tony started. "A bunch of weird science shit. Don't worry about it."

"Am I going alone? What about you guys? What about-" Ana was cut off when the front door opened up, revealing a somber looking Pietro. Ana's eyes met his, and her heart sunk when she saw the pained expression he wore when he examined her. In a bed, with wires poking out of her body. He silently made his way to her bedside. He grabbed her hand off of the railing of the bed it rested on, and intertwined their fingers. Ana just kept staring at him, not sure if he was still mad or not.

"Steve and I are going to try to find out exactly who is targeting you, and try to subdue them before they can make anymore moves. Tony is going to be working at the tower. Clint is going to stay here and protect his family, but he'll be available for backup if we need him. We'll all be in constant contact with you during your stay with Coulson," Natasha informed her, in an attempt to reassure her, and calm her nerves.

"What about us?" Wanda asked, gesturing to her and her brother.

"We assumed you might want to join Anastazya on The Bus, considering you never leave her side," Tony mumbled, typing on his computer. "But if not, we could totally use you rookies with Capsicle and Nat."

"We'll go with Anastazya," Pietro replied, voice strained and stern.  He squeezed her hand as he said so.

Ana looked down at their hands, her chest heavy with guilt and panic. She wished she was dead. She wished she could be dead. Her family would be safe. Grieving, but safe.

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fault I am so sorry, you guys," She whispered, eyes burning with tears. But she wouldn't dare cry. This was her fault.

"Hey," Clint told her sternly. "Is that thing in your head keeping you alive?"

Ana nodded.

"Then it's all worth it, to protect it. To protect you. We love you kiddo, there isn't any getting past that. No matter what you do."

Ana looked around her, hands trembling, eyes watery. She felt so vulnerable, so weak, but so relieved. After guarding herself for so long, it was someone else's turn to do the job for her, after more than a lifetime of recklessly risking herself.

All the secrets and the lies, they were nonexistent now, dissipated in the air like the breathe it took to speak them. She was transparent.

Well, not totally. Not yet. There was one thing she had to do. One last thing to get off her chest.

Pietro leaned down and kissed her forehead, starting a wildfire throughout her body where his lips touched her skin. She was floating, higher than cloud nine. Cloud eleven, even.

She held his chin in place, so she could speak to him at eye level. He looked perplexed, and Ana's heart was beating so fast out of her chest she was positive Pietro could hear it's frantic pitter patters.

"We need to talk."