WandaWidow - Book 1

Chapter 34 - Home

As they waited for the doors to open on the jet Wanda played with the sleeves of Natasha's jacket, which were just a little short on her, and bounced on her heels. She was excited, but also nervous. She had played this moment out in her head since Natasha had left, but now that it was here she wasn't sure how she would react to seeing Natasha walk out of those doors.

The excitement quickly died off when the doors opened, and Maria Hill stepped out first, followed by some agents. There was no sign of Natasha and Wanda cocked her head in confusion. Before she could ask, another few agents appeared carrying something between them. It looked like a stretcher.

"I thought she was okay," Wanda thought out loud, causing Steve and Sam to turn and look at her.

They could see a few tears begin to silently trace down Wanda's cheeks as she didn't take her eyes off her lifeless love, being carried towards them.

"I-uh.." Steve started, but had no idea where to go from there. Maria had told him Natasha was fine, but she didn't look fine to him, and if he didn't know better he would've thought they were bringing home a corpse.

Sam put an arm around Wanda, and then looked at Steve. Steve turned to Maria, who was walking alongside the stretcher.

"Hill," the annoyance clear in his voice, "What the hell?"

"Language," Maria smirked.

"I'm not joking," he replied sternly.

Wanda wasn't listening, as she had no interest in hearing what Maria had to say. She had decided to look for herself. She had felt bad for digging through Steve's mind earlier, but had made no promises to Maria.

The first image she saw was of Natasha laid up in the hospital bed. Maria had rushed into the room, but Natasha wasn't conscious. She looked beaten, and was covered in bandages.

The next thing was a few days later, and she saw Natasha again unconscious.

Followed by the next day. Maria walking in to Natasha awake, but in pain.

She then heard the conversation with the doctors about sedating Natasha.

Before Maria could explain to Steve, Wanda piped up - eyes still fixed on Natasha coming ever closer to them.

"They sedated her," she said flatly, "To numb the pain."

Steve looked at Wanda and understood right away how she had realised this. Unfortunately Maria did too.

"You looked inside my head?" she began, clearly irate.

"I did," Wanda replied coolly.

"How dare you?" Maria continued, and looked to Steve or Sam for them to agree with her. Sam kept his arm around Wanda and gave her a squeeze in solidarity.

"You could have warned us, Hill," Steve remarked, still hurt to see his friend in such bad shape.

Maria ignored him and walked up to Wanda, who didn't seem phased. Though she was forced to break her gaze from Natasha as Maria had blocked her from her view.

"I wouldn't," Sam warned Maria.

She ignored him. "Excuse me, I'm talking to you," she directed at Wanda.

"I owe you nothing," Wanda spoke quietly, but not timidly.

"If it wasn't for me, she would still be in Belgium, alone."

"If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be hurt," Wanda stated, before turning and following the stretcher into the building.

Sam stood awkwardly for a second, before following Wanda inside.