Newfound Family

New Friends

"Go on, milaya. Lila won't bite. I'll be right here."

Wanda nodded, and Lila grabbed Wanda's hand and pulled her towards the fence.

Nat watched them from a distance, as Lila enthusiastically pointed to each horse, giving their names. Every so often, as Lila chatted her ear off, Wanda's attention diverted back to Nat. She kept checking to see if she was there; that she hadn't left her.

Laura turned Nat's attention from Wanda back to her.

"So, what's her story? Clint tried to fill me in, but he didn't seem to know very much."

Nat sighed. "Her parents died when she was very young. I don't know how young, she never said, but she said she doesn't really remember them. The twins were captured by Hydra for experiments. She's got the power to control minds and move objects. Her brother had super speed, but Clint probably told you what happened to him.

Laura frowned. "Yeah, that's horrible. Poor Wanda. How is she doing?"

Nat filled her in on Wanda's personality. "She's painfully shy, but she's starting to open up. I can't even imagine what she went through at Hydra. If it was anything like the red room, then she's doing better than I ever did."

Nat and Laura watched Wanda look back for the fifth time in five minutes. Nat gave her an enthusiastic wave. Wanda had barely enough time to wave back before Lila was showing her how to feed grass to the ponies.

"She seems to really like you, huh?"

Nat smiled. "I think she just prefers females. All the people at Hydra were men, especially the doctors. She was so afraid of Banner, we had to have him leave the lab when we gave her a physical."

Laura shook her head. "Give yourself some credit, Tasha. You've got a potential bond forming with that kid. She feels safe with you, I can tell."

Nat looked back over at her. "She reminds me so much of me as a kid."

Lila waved them over, and Nat and Laura made their way to the fence.

"How do you like the ponies, Wanda?"

Wanda climbed off the fence from where she was petting the bigger horse. Natasha was surprised she wasn't scared of them. She was scared of almost everything.

"I like them." Wanda beamed. She was about to say something else, but Lila interrupted.

"Do you want to try riding one? I can show you how, Wanda!" Lila bounced. "Please mommy, can I?"

Laura looked to Nat, who looked to Wanda.

"I don't know how. What if I fall off, or get scared and hurt him with my magic or something?"

Lila shook her head, laughing. Wanda was so surprised Lila could be so comfortable around a girl like her.

"First of all, it's a she. Second, all you have to do is sit on top of her. Auntie Nat can hold the lead rope. She used to take care of the horses sometimes when she visited here."

Wanda was surprised. Natasha didn't seem like an animal person, much less a horse one.

Nat crouched down to Wanda and Lila's level.

"Wanda, you don't have to if you don't feel comfortable. But it is easy, we can take it slow."

Wanda nodded.

"Okay, but can I watch Lila first?"

Lila cheered, and Wanda found herself instinctively raising her hands to her ears to get rid of the noise.