Starting Over

Ch. 2

Wanda lies awake that night eyes fixed on the ceiling, her eyes glow red as she watches her memories like a movie. Tears streaming down her cheeks. She rolls to her side, glancing at the clock on the night stand 2 a.m. Deciding sleep would not be coming anytime soon, she went in search of something to drink. Tea, perhaps, something to make her feel warm inside enough to keep the cold memories of the day prior at bay. Wanda made her way to the elevator.
"Where to Ms. Maximoff?" Friday asked. Wanda startled at the sound.
"Just to the kitchen please, Friday..." Wanda managed to say after the initial shock of hearing the voice.
"Of course." Friday replied
Wanda was surprised to find lights on in the kitchen. Natasha and Steve sat at the bar having a hushed conversation both looking up when the elevator opened.
"Sorry... I... uh... didn't mean to interrupt.. I couldn't sleep..." The teen apologized
"Hey kid, it's okay. You want some tea? Hot chocolate?" Steve asked. Wanda nodded. Steve made his way from the bar, giving Nat's hand a squeeze before walking to the stove. He put on a kettle of water and pulled out some tea bags.
Wanda made her way over to the bar sitting at the empty seat next to Natasha.
"Hey, you okay?" Natasha asked
"Yeah... this is just the first night I've spent without him." Wanda said biting her lip to keep the tears from falling
Natasha rubbed Wanda's back, as she watched the girls shoulders shake. "I'm so sorry kiddo... you don't deserve this... any of this." Steve Placed a mug on the counter. Wanda took a sip, body warming from the hot liquid. After a few more sips Wanda's tears had stop, but Natasha continued to rub circles on the girls back.
"Come on Wands, let's go somewhere more comfortable." Natasha said standing, helping the girl to her feet leaving an arm resting on the girls back. In some ways, Natasha felt like Wanda was much older, the maturity that she saw on the battle field was nothing like what the spy was seeing now. Wanda looked young, especially in the clothing that was too large on her small frame and without all the black eyeliner she had seen the girl wear. She couldn't be more than 16 or 17, just a kid. Natasha sat on the couch and pulled the girl into her side, she wasn't one for displaying affection very often but the girl seemed to be very comforted by physical touch. If Natasha could provide that for her, she would.
Natasha felt Wanda's head rest against her shoulder, she knew the young girl had fallen asleep.
"Wanda? how old are you kiddo?" She asked
"I'll be 16 soon..." Wanda replied half asleep.
Natasha definitely wasn't expecting Wanda to be this young. The girl would need an education, friends, a somewhat normal life. But Wanda was by no means normal. Natasha leaned back in to the couch more, she smiled when she felt the younger girl snuggle into her embrace. Gosh, this kid was already growing on her, ruining her reputation. Both soon drifted off to sleep.
Natasha awakened to the sound of her name.
"Nat.... Tasha..." she felt the presence of a hand on her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes, careful not to wake the sleeping girl in her arms. "Hey, I made some breakfast. Figured you guys might want some." Steve smiled, obviously amused at the current sleeping arrangement before him.
"Thanks, we'll be down in a minute." Natasha replied. Wanda shifted in her arms, stretching out her legs from their previously curled position.
"Morning kiddo. You sleep okay?" Natasha asked pushing some of the girls hair out of her face, as Wanda wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"Yeah, sorry I kept you on the couch. You could have woken me up. I would have went to my room." Wanda replied
"It's all good kiddo, come on. Steve made breakfast." Natasha said pulling the girl to her feet.
Steve greeted them in the kitchen with two plates of chocolate chip pancakes, just as Tony entered the kitchen.
"Morning, Capiscle. Red. Little witch." He said making a dash for the coffee pot.
"Please, did you even sleep at all stark?" Natasha said rolling her eyes.
"That's besides the point." He shrugged " there's something we need to discuss. The press are going crazy after the little Ultron, destruction of Sokovia fiasco. They're Looking for someone to blame. Currently they haven't seemed to pin point one specific person but it looks like I'm in the running and so is little witch here. There's rumor running wild that the government is going to get involved."
"Well please tell me you've handled it Stark," Steve said from his seat across from Natasha "since you did create Ultron. We don't need Wanda's image tainted by rumors when she hasn't even had a chance to create an image for herself yet."
"There's not much I can do... the people talk.... and if they don't want to blame me..." Tony replied "all I'm saying is they seem to be more concerned with a girl who can use magic than a man with a suit..."
"You need to set them straight. tell them the truth, stark..." Steve said clenching his jaw, Natasha reached across the table hoping some type of contact would help him hold back for the sake of her or the young girl sitting next to her.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple, cap..."
"Then figure it out." Natasha could feel the tension increasing in the room and glances at the young girl next to her, Eyes closed.
"Will you two continue this somewhere else? Or better yet quit talking about it..." she said nodding her head towards Wanda. Tony and Steve end their argument abruptly, Tony heading back down to his lab.
" hey wands, you okay?" She asks taking one of the the girls hands in her own. Wanda nods.
"We're not going to let anything happen to you, no matter what the press says I promise." She reassures her.
"Can I go to my room?" Wanda asks
"Yeah, of course. I'll check in with you later." Natasha nods. Wanda leaves quickly, half-eaten plate of pancakes left on the table. When she was sure Wanda was gone, Natasha continued the conversation.
"We can't let Stark blame this on her. She's been through enough."
"I know, Nat. I just don't know what we're supposed to do. She's just a kid." Steve added
"She's 15... 15, Steve. She should be going to school and making friends, not all of this..." Natasha said gesturing with her hands.
"Fury called this morning... said someone has to signed the papers to be her legal guardian, I thought it should be you." Steve said. "She trusts you Nat, I can tell."
"I don't know, Steve, I'm not the best role model for a kid..." Natashas replied.
"Don't degrade yourself. Clint's kids love you and Wanda will too, I know it." He said reaching across the table for one of her hands. "Hey, we're in this together. We're a team."
"Thank you..." Natasha said, squeezing his hand. "For everything."