The Game That Started it All

Bad Dreams

Natasha's POV:

11:35pm

Steve had fallen asleep in my bed, but I laid there wide awake.

I knew I wasn't going to sleep tonight. Especially with the day we have planned for us tomorrow, it was going to be one hell of a roller coaster.

My mind wanders and random thoughts come and go, I still lay here though, worried out of my mind. Tomorrow could include anything, the abilities Ivan and Andrei have are beyond the definition of 'normal'. The others won't be able to handle their capabilities. Except maybe Clint because he did deal with me in Budapest, I'm also the best there is.

I then remember I haven't checked in on Wanda much when I made a promise to her. I wonder if she's doing ok, so with that I slip out of Steve's grasp and pad off to Wanda's room.

I knock lightly in case she might be asleep, not wanting to wake her up if she was but I then hear a quiet 'come in' from the other side of the door.

"Hey Wanda it's me, I just wanted to see how you were doing" I ask as I open the door and walk over to the edge of her bed

"I've been better" She half smiles

"Yeah, we all have good days and bad days I guess" I mutter

"Nat, I know why you're here and I just wanna get to the point. I need to get better because Fury isn't letting me in on the mission tomorrow" Wanda exhales in annoyance

"How do I get rid of the constant dreams of that Hydra Base?" She finishes with a hint of sadness in her voice

"You don't, you just have to learn how to cope and deal with it" I sigh sadly and meet her big blue eyes

"How do you cope?"

"Well, 6 years after my traumas I still don't know how. I wish there was some way I could make this situation better for you Wanda, because every single living soul knows that you are one of the last people who deserved this. You just have to learn what manages your pain from your horrifying experience." I say softly, trying to keep my composure

Her eyes then glow a bright red, and I know she's searching my mind.

"Wanda hey, get out of my head"

"Your trauma, it's fresh I can read you like a book" Wanda speaks understandingly

"And Steve" She states

"What?"

"Steve helps you cope, he takes some of the pain away. Even if I didn't have telekinesis Nat, it's very obvious that you have been sleeping better. Probably because Steve is next to you and gives you a form of protection which you have never had, especially in your childhood" She recites

"Jesus Wanda this is getting way deeper then I usually am comfortable with, I came here to see how you were doing" I say awkwardly

"Ok ok, but the mission tomorrow, it reminds you of your past yes?"

"You could say that" I reply blandly

"Natasha, why do you feel like you have to prove anything by going tomorrow"

"I don't feel like I have anything to prove at all"

"You do, I can read you"

I sit down on her bed and stare at the wall. I knew I wasn't ok, and that's enough for me to admit.

"I have nothing I need to prove to the Avengers, you all are my family and I have nothing to show for my spot on this team" I state

"I know that, everyone knows that, but it's not us." Wanda finishes

"It's Andrei and Ivan" I whisper

They knew I would be coming tomorrow. They're smart, they taught me emotions were a weakness. So if I let my emotions get in the way of this mission, I let them win. They know i'm an Avenger now. We've been on the news countless of times, they could have come to get me if they wanted to,

But they wanted to lure me back to Russia. Save themselves the time.

I needed to prove to them i'm not the monster they made me, that i'm more than the assassin I was created to be. Steve and the others say I am so much more than that.

Question is; are they right? Or is tomorrow just going to show the team my true colours.

"Wanda, is helping others a way of not talking or focusing on what happened to you?" I smile softly

"Oops, you caught me." she sadly says

"You know for someone without mind reading powers, you're very observant"

"I was taught that way" I smirk

"I'll be ok, I just think work and missions is the best way to distract me from it" She sighs

"FRIDAY, how much has Wanda slept in the past week?" I say aloud

"The total in a weeks time would be 8 hours and 41 minutes Miss Romanoff" The A.I responds

Wanda rolls her eyes and speaks up;

"FRIDAY same question about Natasha please"

"Her total would be 13 hours and 27 minutes in this past week"

"Ha see, I have been sleeping better" I tease

"Also, I'm essential to the success of this mission, it's gonna be hard without my knowledge on them" I glare at Wanda

"Go get some actual sleep before your mission, or it will not go well" She says seriously

"Alright fine, goodnight Wanda" I say as I get up off her bed

"Night" She responds

I leave her room caught up in my own head, thinking about Wanda's advice.

Should I really be going on this mission tomorrow? I guess I could tell them what to do through ear pieces, it might even be better that way. I make it to my door and slip inside the darkness of my room quietly, not wanting to wake Steve.

Who was fucking snoring again.

Screw it, let's wake the monster up

I slam my door as he jolts awake from the sound, nearly giving him a heart attack

"Oh shit Steve i'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you" I smile sarcastically

"What was that for?" He asks, still a little jumpy

"You were snoring again, you could be heard from miles away" I laugh as I walk over to the bed

"I don't snore" He groans while rolling over and putting a pillow over his head

"Mhmm right" I joke

"Where were you anyways?" Steve asks, poking his head out from underneath the pillow

"I just went to check on Wanda, I couldn't sleep"

"C'mere" Steve motions for me to lay next to him

I oblige as he wraps his arms around me and I snuggle into his chest, letting his warmth surround me.

"I'll try not to snore again" He chuckles

"You better, or you'll be sleeping on the balcony so the rest of New York can hear you" I laugh

He lightly laughs along with me as he kisses the top of my head

"I love you" He whispers

"I love you too"

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A/N
oK i know this chapter sucks and it's short but next chapter is gonna be hella interesting i promise.
also i know i haven't updated regularly or often but i have the flu rn plus school work and i feel like sHit
anyways i hope you all liked this chapter lol i tried
ily all so frickin much! all your comments are so sweet i cant stop reading them the support actually means the world u have no idea ❤️❤️

-Ella