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

Chapter 18: Civil Discourse

Natasha ran around the corner taking in the carnage, her first instinct was to run to her broken teenager, but saw the public and the cameras everywhere. It would not be good for their relationship to be public knowledge. As much as she yearned to comfort her devastated child. Steve tried to recover his equilibrium as he starred at the destruction. “Sam . . . We need . . . Fire and Rescue . . . on the south side of the building. We gotta get up there.”

……………………..

Wanda didn’t speak the entire jet ride home, they all tried to get the teenager to speak. As soon as she got back she locked her self away in her room. She found herself turning the TV on and listening to all the different reporting of the attack. She cringes with every word, as she thinks over her actions again and again, cursing herself for her weakness. If only she had trained harder, if only she had been better prepared. She should have been powerful enough. Wanda didn’t hear the door open, she only stopped watching the TV when it suddenly switched off. Steve set the remote on the bedside table, he was followed into the room by a concerned Natasha.

“It's my fault,” said Wanda sadly. “That's not true,” replied Steve gently.
“Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific,” stated Wanda firmly with a hint of sadness.

“I should've clocked that bomb vest long before you had to deal with it,” was Steve’s gentle reply. He went over and sat next to the teenager. Natasha stayed in the doorway knowing that Steve needed to handle this.
“Rumlow said "Bucky" and . . . all of a sudden I was a 16-year-old kid again, in Brooklyn. And people died. It's on me,” continued Steve.

“It's on both of us,” appeased Wanda.

“This job . . . we try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, next time . . . maybe nobody gets saved.”
Vision materialised through the wall. “Vis! We talked about this.”

“Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that ...Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving.”

Natasha glared at the android, clearly unhappy that he had materialised in her daughter’s room prior to this, if her words were anything to go on. Steve knew he better speak up before the mama bear erupted.

“Thank you. We'll be right down.”

“I'll . . . use the door. Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest,” replied Vision as he exited the room past the glaring black Widow.

“We know who it is?”

Vision turned back abruptly from the doorway, to face Steve, “The Secretary of State.”

Steve sighed. Natasha glanced at him “it’s ok Steve, head over, Wanda and I will join you in a minute.”

Steve stood up and placed a kiss to Wanda’s forehead before leaving the room. Natasha went and sat down next to the upset girl.

“You ok sweetheart?”

Wanda knew in that second why she had been avoiding Natasha since the incident, all it took was one term of endearment, the concern dripping in her voice and she broke. The tears cascaded down her face. “Of course you’re not.”

Natasha wrapped the girl into her arms, pulling the girls head into her chest, she peppered the girls head with kisses. Wanda just sobbed earnestly into the older woman. No more words were spoken, Natasha just gently rocked the teenager until there was only the occasional sniffle coming from the girl. “Take a few minutes’ sweetheart then come and join us in the meeting room ok?”