LUNA's POV
"Luna, wake up, baby," I'm awoken by Wanda shaking me gently, making sure to remove her hand as soon as my eyes open so I know I'm not gonna get hurt.
I must've fallen asleep at some point on the way over here.
"Hey," my mother smiles after I gain some more awareness of my surroundings and sit up properly. "We're here. The house is right there," she informs me and points to the house in front of us, and I can't help but shrink back into my seat.
This is real. The moment I step in that door, I will be part of the Maximoff family. Unless Wanda's husband decides not to let me stay, or if she makes that decision herself. It's all too much. My breathing is picking up by the minute and I can feel my whole body beginning to shake. I've experienced this a couple of times before, but I've never known what it is. I was always just told to 'suck it up' and 'get over it.'
"Hey, it's alright, we can take a second. Have you had panic attacks before?" Wanda asks me with the same worried look on her face that she had the moment she found out who I am to her.
"W-what's a panic attack?" I question through my shallow breaths. It's escalating.
"It's... well, it's what's happening to you right now. I'll explain it to you in a minute. Just focus on taking some deep breaths for now, okay? Come on, I'll do them with you," she says kindly before attempting to take my hands into hers, but I flinch heavily and my breathing only becomes more rapid.
Physical contact has never been a favorite of mine, because all the physical contact I've received has ended in me bruised, broken, or bleeding. I couldn't tell you the amount of broken bones I've had. The most recent was my ankle, but all they did was stick a cast on it and force me continue training, despite the agonizing pain. I still don't think it's set correctly since it still hurts a lot.
WANDA's POV
Luna's reaction to me trying to hold her hands, although not surprising, was upsetting. Just the look of utter fear and panic in her eyes is enough to make me feel sick. She's terrified of me, her mother.
I know I'm not the route of the problem with physical contact, for I haven't laid a hand on her since she was two years old.
She did fall asleep on me earlier, but I suspect it was just because she was sleepy and was distressed from learning of her uncle's death. She's more aware of what's happening now and thanks to what Strucker and his men did to her, she's grown to think that anyone who touches her is going to hurt her.
"It's alright. I'm staying right here," I breathe out, still a little shaken up from her sudden outburst of emotion. "I just need you to breathe slowly for me, okay? Nice and slow." I'm making sure to use the softest voice I can as not to startle her further.
The next few minutes are spent with me gently coaxing Luna through some deep breaths, all the while staying as still as possible so she doesn't think I'm going to hurt her. That's the best way to do things with her; be gentle, and no sudden moves.
Eventually, the teen's breathing evens out and her tears have stopped fully. There's nothing left except for a numb, emotionless girl sitting in the passenger seat. I know exactly what she's doing. Because I did the same. If you numb it out or 'dissociate', the difficult feelings stop. Or at least temporarily. Until one day something tips you over the edge and all those feelings come back at once. I had to learn that the hard way, through many breakdowns. But I refuse to let her reach that point. I will teach her that it's okay to feel.
"Are you feeling better now, sweetheart?" I ask after she lets out one last shaky breath.
"I think so. I really hate when that happens," she sighs and brings her knees up to her chest, hiding her head in them.
"How often do you get them? The panic attacks."
"I still don't know what that is. But I'd say at least once every two days. Since I was ten or something. Which is the first time I... the first time I got beaten."
Why, why did I leave her in that place? What was I thinking? I should have listened to Pietro when he told me I was making a mistake.
"Oh, Luna. I'm so sorry. Next time you feel a panic attack coming on, get me, okay? I'll be right here to help you through it. And also, a panic attack is sometimes what happens when something sends you into a shock, or if you get really scared about something. It can take you by surprise and obviously the symptoms are like the ones you just experienced. It's okay to have them. Everyone does at some point in their life," I explain as sympathetically as possible, slowly moving my hand closer and closer to tuck a piece of loose hair behind her ear.
As I pull back away, she hums quietly to herself, and I think I even see her crack a small smile.
"I guess we'd better go in then?"
"Are you sure you're ready?" I ask for confirmation, she nods. "Alright. Let's go."
After grabbing my bag from the backseat and helping Luna out of the car, I fumble around in my pocket for my keys.
"Looking for these?" the teen asks me and holds up exactly what I'm looking for.
"You're sneaky," I laugh and she throws them playfully to me. "How did you even get those?" I question whilst unlocking the front door.
"I don't know, I guess I just-"
"MOM!"
"MOMMY!"
Out of nowhere, Luna is cut off by my twins running towards us, Tommy using his super speed and Billy holding onto him so that they both reach me at the same time.
"Hi, my babies!" I greet them as we all go into one big group hug. I'm just waiting for my husband to get over here.
"Wanda." There he is. "I've missed you, darling," he says and comes over to kiss me deeply.
"I missed you, too, Viz," I say back whilst giving him a big hug.
"Uhh, Wanda?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Who is that?" he asks after taking note of the girl standing on our doorstep.
"Oh, right!" I remember and pull away, walking back over to the door to grab Luna. "Come on, honey. It's okay."
Once I've got her inside and shut the door, I place my bag down on the kitchen counter and stand beside her, placing my arm around her shoulder but I quickly retract it when I feel her tense up.
"Boys, Vision, this is Luna," I introduce her, every single one of them look confused as to why I've brought a random stranger home with me. Well, to them she's a stranger.
"Cool! Is she our new sister?" Tommy asks as he jumps up and down on the spot, Billy looking a bit more skeptical and Vision matching his expression.
"Uhh... I guess so," I respond and the twins both start bombarding Luna with questions. Personal ones, too. Where she's from, how old she is, why they haven't seen her before. All things she doesn't want to answer.
"Boys," I interrupt their little interrogation, "Let's let Luna settle in for a little while, okay? Go play or something, just no using your abilities on each other."
With that, the boys both go scurrying off and into the garden, Vision still leaning against the kitchen countertop with his arms crossed and finger pressed against his chin.
"Wanda, can I have a word?" he asks me, still not fully grasping the situation.
"Yeah. Just let me get Luna into the guest room and I'll be right with you."
-
"How did you have another child and not tell me?"
"Viz, that was a really awful part of my life. I didn't want to relive it. I even tried convincing myself that she got out and was living with a nice family somewhere in the city. I guess I was just kidding myself," I explain with tears in my eyes. I think the situation is finally catching up to me and I'm only just taking it all in.
Before this very long and almost painful conversation with my husband, I got Luna all settled into our guest bedroom and made sure she felt comfortable before I left. I also found her some pencils we had laying around so she can do her drawing in the meantime. This girl has a love for art, and the way her eyes light up when she looks at her drawings... it's magical. She has such a passion for it.
"Oh, Wanda," Vision starts and pulls me into him, "It's alright. I understand. How about this: I take the boys away for a few days whilst you figure this out with Luna? I'm sure she could benefit from just some one-on-one time with her mother."
The use of the word 'mother' makes me scoff to myself. I'm not a mother in her eyes. I'm a mom, to Billy and Tommy. But to Luna, I'm just some woman who abandoned her when she was a baby.
"Wanda, look at me," he insists and cups my face to look into his eyes, "It's not too late. You can still make things right with her."
"I sure hope so," I reply and bite the inside of my cheek in apprehension. "It's past the boys' bedtime. I should go tuck them in."
"I'll help, darling."
-
LUNA's POV
"Hey, baby," Wanda greets me as she enters the room after knocking. "Sorry I took so long. I was putting the boys to bed. What you up to?"
"Just drawing," I reply plainly, not particularly feeling in the mood to talk. It's been a long day.
With tired eyes and an achy body, I put my pencil and the piece of paper down, setting it on top of my collection that's piled up on the nightstand before turning back around to Wanda, only to her kneeling down beside the bed.
"How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
"Fine. I'm just tired. Is it okay if I go to bed now? I'm not sure I can stay awake much longer."
"Of course you can. You never have to ask if you can go to sleep. It's okay. My room's just across the hall, come and get me if you need or want anything at all, you don't have to worry about waking me up. And tomorrow maybe we can online shop for some things like new clothes and shoes and everything you need? I'm not sure how much longer all of my stuff is going to fit you," she adds on with a small giggle. "Goodnight, Luna. I... I love you."
"Night, Wanda."