[1] Skipping Stones - Pietro Maximoff

Chapter: 7 [Edited]

Volher's POV

Inhaling sharply I dropped onto the front steps of the front deck. I've been getting these sharp and aching feelings for a few weeks. I haven't told Laura or Clint, I don't want them to worry about me, but I myself am worrying. Something's been off and I don't know how I know but these pains aren't physical or at least not when they start. It almost feels like how I felt when Mom and Dad first died but different.

A hand on my shoulder pulls me from my aching thoughts, "Hey honey," Laura said, looking at me with concern, "there's someone on the phone for you, do you want to take it?"

I begrudgingly nodded my head, this feeling won't stay forever and if it does it'll lessen, just like when Mom and Dad died and just like when we couldn't find Willow and Farron. I follow Laura into the house and pick up the phone, bringing it to my ear, "Hello?" I asked in a scratchy voice as Laura walked out of the room.

It was quiet for a few long moments and I almost hung up the phone but a small voice came through, "Volher?" I almost dropped the phone at her voice. It's been far too long since I've heard that voice, "I probably should've called before now and not poked around in your head to get your attention," she paused for a brief moment, "I'm sorry."

"Farron..." I managed to let out, "Where are you, are you okay, your voice sounds a little weird." I hear a chuckle on the other side of the line and I frown, "What, what's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing," she quickly answered, "it's just funny how I'm the one worried about how you'll take this news and you're wondering if I'm okay." She was now laughing hysterically but I could hear the brokenness in them.

"What news?" I was confused and scared. I heard the front door open but I didn't pay any mind to it, my only focus was my baby sister, "Farron, what news?"

"Uhm," she started and I glanced up to see Clint standing in front of me with slight hope in his eyes, "Willow..." her voice cracked and my mouth went dry. "I just thought you should know not to hear from her again." I held eye contact with Clint for a moment and I felt the tears well in my eyes, "I know she'd send you messages sometimes, but you won't be getting anymore."

She was definitely crying now, "Is Willow okay?" My question was met with silence, "Farr, is Willow okay?"

I can hear her sobbing through the phone and she finally answers me, "No, Volher, she's not okay."

I opened and closed my mouth over and over again but I just couldn't find the words so I just shoved the phone in Clint's hand and crumbled to the ground. I'm the big brother and it was my job to keep them safe, but what happens when they get hurt and they wouldn't let me protect them? "Farron," Clint uttered, his voice was a little shaky and I was trying desperately to slow my breathing, "what's going on honey?"

"Clint?" her voice cracked again. Clint must have put her on speaker, "I'm so sorry. She made me promise not to help her, she made me promise. I shouldn't have promised her, if I didn't she'd be here right now. I'm so so sorry." She sounded so broken, like there was no hope left for her in the world. I'm her big brother and she's all alone now wherever she is, she shouldn't be alone.

I was so mad at Willow for so long and now she's gone and I never got to apologize to her. She was only doing what she thought was right even if I disagreed with her. She died thinking I hated her. The last thing that we did was argue over the phone.

Tears trailed down Clint's face but he made no move to wipe them away, he just stared at the wall blankly, "Farron, where are you? I'm coming to get you, you're coming home now."

Her crying only got worse after he said those words so I cut in, "Please Farron, please come home. We can help you, whatever mess you're in we can get you out of it, that's what big brothers are for right?"

"No," she said quietly and my heart stopped, "I can't...I know you want me back and I want so desperately to see you guys again, but I've got responsibilities I've got people I need to look out for." She paused for a long time after that and I thought she hung up but her voice came through again, "I just wish you could be here with me, so I knew that you were safe and so I wouldn't feel so alone. Just know Mom, Dad, and Willow can sleep peacefully now, they can rest. Give Laura my love. I love you guys so much." The phone cut out.

My sister is dead and the other can't come home or won't. I looked at Clint feeling empty, but he looked determined, angry almost. "I'm gonna find her buddy," he said walking over and sitting on the ground next to me, "she can hide but I will find her if it's the last thing I do, I promise."

I quickly turned my head to look at him, he didn't make promises often since he knew how serious my family took them before we fell apart. He wasn't exactly the most reliable person if you needed him to be somewhere at a specific time. He was lucky he made it home when Laura had Cooper or he would've been in the dog house right now.

"I'm gonna go lay down," I mumbled to him and practically crawled my way up the stairs to my bedroom.

"Hey Volher, how was the call?" Laura stood in the hallway holding Baby Cooper and I forced a smile on my face.

"You should really talk to Clint about it," I say and continue but stop after a moment, "I can watch him if you want to talk to him now...I suggest you do."

She frowned slightly but handed Cooper over to me anyways and headed downstairs. Poor Laura, she probably thinks Clint has to go back to work but it's much worse than that. I look down at the infant in my arms and smile, there's always some kind of light in the darkness and Cooper just so happened to be my light.

I walked to my bed and curled up to sleep, the baby still tucked safely in my arms and I promised myself in that very moment that I would never let anything happen to him.

Thoughts of what just happened ran through my mind and all I can keep thinking is that my sister's dead and she died thinking I hated her. I want to be with Farron now if it's the last thing I do, I want to be there for my little sister and I want to protect her like she's trying to protect me. I understand why she's staying though in a way, she said there's people she needs to look out for, to protect. I'll see her again some day, I have to believe that. If I don't it'll break me.

Willow's POV

My entire body hurt as I felt myself become conscious again, I could feel something being pushed out of my body as it started to stitch itself back together. This kind of healing was not like Farron's at all, she made sure no one was ever in pain when she healed us. I hate the way my abilities heal me, it always hurts.

I opened my eyes and found myself in a wooden box and I rolled my eyes, they buried me. With minimal to no effort I cleared away the dirt from my 'grave' and lifted the box out of the ground. From there was just as simple as punching a hole big enough for me to get out.

It was dark outside and it led me to wonder how long I'd been dead and why I'm still alive. I didn't want to be alive, there was a reason I asked Farron not to bring me back. I can't handle the pain anymore, I can't, but I'm not about to try and take my own life now, that's just not who I am, those days are over with. I thought being killed with a bullet would be different, I should've known better.

My mind was racing with the thought that I don't want to be here but then something occurred to me. Something that I should've realized years before but let my emotions keep me from searching for other options. I could start over, go to a new place with new people and have a new life. The only thing keeping me from doing that was Farron and Strucker and Werner, I don't want to leave them but I feel like I have to. Farron will be fine and she'll have Strucker and Werner to take care of her.

She'll be okay. With that last thought I turned away from the compound and headed to wherever my next life would bring me.