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

Chapter 16: Consequences

Natasha could not remember ever being this angry. She stomped through the compound, as Peter trailed behind her. Her mind was racing, what in the world was her kid thinking? Why would she do it. She thought she was getting somewhere with the teenager, and this felt like a sucker punch, “Aunty Nat!” Yelled Peter, trying to get the older woman to slow down or at least calm down slightly.

Natasha furiously went storming into the lab. She located her target and shoved him hard in his seat.

“Ouch Romanoff what was that for?”

Tony turned to face the Black Widow and took in the expression on her face. He instantly abandoned the joke he had on the tip of his tongue. Tony glanced over at the stricken expression on Peter’s face. “Pete, can you go grab Pepper please and ask her to meet us here.”

“Get Steve as well please,” said Natasha her tone gentler than her face conveyed as she spoke to the kid. “Just grab them and go chill in your room. You did the right thing Peter.”

Peter hesitated but left the room once his mentor nodded that he was going to be ok. Natasha narrowed her eyes at Tony, “you going to explain to me why you are currently trying to eviscerate me with your eyes?” he asked.

“I am absolutely livid with you Tony; I want to know what in the hell you were thinking!”

Pepper rushed into the room followed by Steve, “What’s going on in here?”

Tony turned innocently to Pepper, “I have no idea, I just asked for you so there was a witness to Romanoff trying to kill me.”

“What did you do?” deadpanned Pepper, crossing her arms at her boyfriend. Natasha swallowed air in an attempt to calm her shaking arms. Steve approached her and gently put his arms around her waist, she leaned back into his arms, and visibly relaxed in his hold.
“Wanda got cocaine.”

Tony paled, and Pepper just looked at her in shock, “What? Why would she do that?”

Natasha glared at Tony, “Because someone told her that Cocaine was like happiness.”

Pepper turned on Tony in annoyance, “You told a teenage girl what?!”

“In my defence, I was just making a joke, I didn’t think she would take me literally.”

“You can’t joke like that Tony,” chided Pepper. “She is such an impressionable kid.”

Tony looked at the two women he had disappointed, “I am truly sorry Natasha. I didn’t think. I was just being well…me…”

Natasha sighed, Tony actually calling her Natasha rather than one of his stupid nicknames or her surname evidenced his sincerity. She ran a hand through her hair, “it’s not all on you Tony. Wanda made the decision to get some and do it. Peter told me she has apparently been researching it for a while…”

Steve spoke up from behind her, “what do we do now?”

“We go speak to our kid…”

………………………………………………………………….

Wanda lay on her bed, happily turning the pages of her book. A Sunday evening reading a book for her was the perfect end to her day. Today could not have gone better for her. She closed her eyes as she thought back to that feeling. The rush was exhilarating; she could see how people got addicted to that sensation. Tony was right if felt like happiness, or what Wanda thought happiness would be. Her thoughts were displaced by the sound of a knock at her door. She stood up, placing her book carefully on the side and opened the door.