Agony (Wanda Maximoff)

Chapter 34

Her fingers hesitantly reached up to his head, and she allowed her hands to run through his thick hair, bringing him closer. His arms around her waist tightened, and she leaned down towards his head, feeling herself forgive the man who had given her his time and patience. She couldn't possibly be mad at him, not after everything he has done, not after everything the team has done for her. She was angry and she was in pain but she was strong and she knew that eventually she would be with Pietro again, and maybe things would soon go back to normal. 

But for the time being, she allowed Steve to rest, and after some time went by, she felt his body slump against hers, and his light snoring soon followed. 

___

Natasha closed herself off during the three days of Wanda's mental quarantine. Clint tried to talk to her and see her, but she wanted to be alone. Her memories, her fears, they brought up feelings she thought she buried a long time ago. The Red Room was a dark place in her mind that she refused to think about, but it only took Wanda a few seconds to open up that door in Natasha's head. It only took a few seconds to dismantle The Black Widow. 

She didn't resent Wanda for doing that, not after what the team has put her through, but it still hurt. The first time Wanda used her hex on Natasha, she was shocked, almost catatonic in response. Wanda was gifted in the act of breaking someone down mentally, and completely disintegrating their conscious, it was terrifying. 

The Red Room trained her to be the best of the best, and she was, but against Wanda Maximoff she was useless. 

A distant sound reeled Natasha back into her stressful reality. But someone popped into her head, and she quickly jumped up and ran into the bathroom. Natasha showered off the last few days and quickly got dressed in her uniform. She buckled her weapons belt around her waist; attached her bracelets and zipped up her boots. She found a bag beneath her bed and packed it with her guns, along with a few gadgets she always brought with her. 

Natasha swung the bag over her shoulder and walked out of her room. People around her stopped as she made her way down the hall, and she took a quick turn towards Bruce's Lab to say goodbye. 

The whole team was in there with him except Steve, but she paid no mind to it. 

"Nat?" Clint asked, putting down his bow that he was cleaning. "Where are you going?" he asked her. 

"I need to go see a friend," she told them, and Bruce took off his glasses and walked up to her. 

"We need you here," Bruce told her in a hushed tone. 

"I know, but I won't be gone long. I'll be back in a few days, I just need to go." She leaned up and gave Bruce a soft kiss on the cheek, then looked over at Clint and nodded her head, and she immediately knew that he was aware of who she was going off to see. 

"Be safe, Romanoff," Tony chimed in, drinking a tall glass of green juice. 

"Kinda sounds like you're gonna miss me," she joked, clutching her bag full of guns closer. 

"Did I say be safe? No I meant don't be safe," he answered, and she smiled, rolling her eyes and stepping back. 

"Call me if anything happens, I'll come back right away." She gave the team one last glance before walking out of the lab and made her way towards an exit. As the fresh air hit her face, she pulled out her phone and dialed his number, and she patiently waited for him to answer. They promised each other a long time ago that if they ever needed one another, they'd call a specific number. And at that moment, she needed him. She needed his reassurance and she needed to see his face and to know that everything was going to be okay.