Can't Ask, Don't Need, Won't Acknowledge

Chapter 7: Reckoning

Wanda spent the rest of the plane ride sat on Natasha’s lap, no-one openly commented on it, for which she was glad. As she felt quite embarrassed by her need for such childlike intimacy. Wanda curled up more into the older woman, avoiding eye contact with everyone else on the plane. It was slightly awkward when they were dropped off. She stood up to leave the plane, but Natasha grabbed her arm to still her.

“Do you have anything to say to everyone?”

Wanda flushed red in embarrassment, “I’m sorry…” she said looking at an interesting spot on the floor. Steve approached her gently, “You scared us Wanda, please don’t do anything like that again.”

Wanda just nodded. Tony approached and just awkwardly patted an open hand on her shoulder, “what he said.”

Natasha rolled her eyes playfully at Stark. Sam gave her an awkward fist bump, “stay safe little witch.”

Vision just nodded at her from his seat.

“Come on sweetheart,” said Natasha gently.

‘I know we are close Nat, but I don’t think Laura would appreciate you calling me sweetheart,” joked Clint.

Natasha went to open her mouth, but was surprised when everyone chorused “Shut up Barton.” She had the grace to look to slightly embarrassed, “I guess I do say that quite a lot.”

Natasha placed a kiss on Steve’s cheek, and gave a one-armed hug to Tony, “we will see you guys again in a few weeks.”

They walked off the jet into the morning air, “Clint would you mind taking the family out for breakfast, Wanda and I need some alone time.”

“Not a problem,” replied Clint simply, “there are some waffle houses I’ve been meaning to try.”

Wanda slowly entered the house, and wasn’t surprised to see Laura glaring at her from the kitchen table. “I’m Sor…” Wanda was interrupted in her words by Laura standing up and gripping her tightly in a hug. “Do you have any idea how worried I was? I mean once your little hocus pocus ran out.”

Natasha raised her eyebrows, “Hocus Pocus?”

“I’ll let Wanda explain,” she replied with a wink, “I hope you didn’t think you were going to get away with that one.”

Wanda deflated slightly she looked at Nat earnestly, “I’m feeling a bit tired, can I go to sleep?”

Natasha looked at the girl closely she didn’t look particularly tired, but they had been up all night. “Go upstairs, get your PJ’s on and then I want you to go to my room and stand in the corner.”

Wanda looked at her slightly puzzled, “Stand in the corner?”

“Yes you heard me. I want you to go stand in the corner, and think about all the things you could have done differently last night.”

Wanda seemed slightly perturbed but nodded in understanding before taking off up the stairs. Natasha turned to Clint and Laura, obviously looking for reassurance.

“You need to do this Nat,” said Laura, reading her mind.

“I know you don’t want to, but she needs this,” echoed Clint.

Natasha shook her head slightly, “What If she has been abused? What if I’m adding to her trauma?”

Laura smiled at her, “it worked for you, and you if anything were more traumatised and abused than she has been.”

Natasha blushed slightly, while Clint laughed.

“you know Laura; you are the only person I know who can make the deadly Black Widow blush.”