A/N: EPILOGUE / FIRST LOOK AT THE SEQUEL AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER
Last chapter? Maybe. I haven't decided yet. I always write the authors notes before I start on the chapters. My plan was ending it on chapter 20 or when I hit 50k words. Now I'm currently on 49k words which are only like one-third of a chapter before I hit 50k so who knows. I think this will be the last one not gonna lie.
Anyways, this is so boring and not interesting. Check out Never far from home if you want to keep on reading my stories. It's cute and I like it a lot. Would also recommend following me (he he ofc I recommend that…) because I'll start a new fanfic soon as well. Exciting times.
Rant over
Yeah, later me just popping in. I have officially decided this is the last chapter. Not gonna lie I am really not feeling this rn, and honestly, I'm just going to do this one and then finish it. Because I really don't wanna force myself to do another chapter. I just can't do it. Again epilogue at the end.
S-B
Natasha had never felt so powerless, but at the same time so powerful before. She felt invincible. But she wasn't in control. She wasn't moving her own body. It was Madame B and Natalia. She wasn't the one behind the control panel, she was only a spectator in her own body.
Natalia walked around Tia and watched her, studied her. Tia stood still as they circled her. Natalia stopped and looked her dead in the eye before she walked over and stood beside Madam B. She could feel herself straighten up and smile. A smile she hadn't felt in years. And evil smug smile she used to give her targets before she killed them.
"You like what you see Natalia?" Madam B asked with a calm voice.
"Maybe. She is nothing I can't take down." Natasha didn't recognize her own voice. It was calm, maybe too calm. She couldn't remember her voice being that calm when she talked with Madam B before. Where was this coming from?
"Oh, I know dear, Natalia. You can take on anyone." Madam B confirmed. Natasha could feel her looking at her but she or Natalia didn't look back. She was still looking at Tia who seemed to have shrunk down a bit under Natalia's stare. Natasha could feel herself staring at her like she was a pray. She was ready to attack.
"Natalia don't be so rude. I feel like you two could be good friends." Madam B started.
"No. I don't do friends. And I would never take her as an ally." Natalia answered cold. Fuck off, Natalia. Yes, we do friends remember Wanda. We love her. We protect her.
Natasha tried desperately to shake her out of the trance. She could feel herself ready to kill this woman before she left with Madam B back to Russia. It was not happening.
"Celestia doesn't deserve that." Madam B answered coldly before she placed her hand on Natalia's shoulder to keep her back and Natasha was almost happy, she did so. Almost.
"Celestia." Natalia echoed.
"Yes. Do you know why we call her Tia, Natalia?" Natalia shook her head slowly.
"It's shortened for Celestia. She is Celestial. Godly." Madam B answered her own question with almost pride in her voice. The same pride she had when she talked about The Black Widow.
"That's dumb," Natalia mumbled.
"Doesn't like that we call anyone other than you godly?" Madam B laughed at Natalia's dumb comment.
"That, and that it sounds like a stupid princess name." Natalia huffed.
"It does. But she isn't like you, Black Widow. She isn't as fast, she isn't as strong, she isn't as deadly. But she is powerful." Madam B voice was calm but so cold and evil at the same time. It was…exhilarating.
"But don't worry, you will always be my little killer princess." Madam B continued to praise Natalia. It made her sick. She didn't want to think back at her time at the red room. She didn't want any of this. It was the perfect tactic to break her. It was awful.
"Then get rid of her. Get rid of Celestia. You don't need her." Natalia challenged and for the first time stared into Madam B's eyes. Natalia wasn't scared but fuck Natasha was. She was dying inside.
"No, because I need her. Yes, she lacks in strength and power. But do you know why she almost beats you, Natalia? Because she can get into your head. She can break you from the inside. She can turn anyone from a small weak peasant to a killer, and she can turn a killer into a nothing, just like that. Manipulating everyone like she has with you and Wanda" Natasha felt herself back away from Madam B. Just in seconds Natalia, the powerhouse and Madam B little rat was gone, and Natasha stumbled backward.
What was happening?!
"She's not ready. Take her back to her cell" Natasha fumbled backward before she felt two hands grip her arm and drag her out of the room before she got thrown into her cell again. She was so confused. What had just happened why what. FUCK.
Natasha didn't have any words left. But Wanda didn't need any more words. The woman had turned her back towards Wanda and looked down at her own lap. Wanda reached slowly after Natasha but got sopped.
"Don't." Her voice was cold, and Wanda felt a pang in her chest. She got that Natasha was hurt but at the same time.
"Natasha…" she whispered slowly looking at the older woman in front of her.
"DON'T YOU GET IT WANDA? THEY USED YOU TO BRAINWASH ME!" Natasha screamed. She spun up and turned around looking at Wanda with tears streaming around her face. If Laura and Clint hadn't heard them before they definitely had now.
"She… she… she tried to get me back. …she wanted to make me her personal little killer princess again. And she almost succeeded. By taking that one thing I cared about away from me. That one thing I had left… you" Natasha fell down on the bed again with tears still streaming down. Wanda watched her curl up and turn her back towards her again.
"Natasha I… I didn't mean... I" Wanda made no sense anymore. She didn't know how to respond. She wasn't even sure if she understood everything that she was just told.
"Madam B was a monster. She was everyone's nightmare back in the red room. But for some reason, I always felt safe around her. I wanted to please her. I knew I would never get loved by her. Love was for children that didn't know any better. I did know better, so I knew I was never going to get loved. Her gratitude was the closest I could ever get." Natasha sobbed into the bed as she talked, and Wanda could hear she was struggling to speak.
"I tried to care for one once. A young girl. She was an orphan taken in by the red room, but she had so much potential. She was so kind. To kind. So, I took her under my wing. Nobody knew. I made sure she was safe. But the red room is cruel and punish nice girls like her. Her generosity was picked up on. And she was forced to fight to her death. I ran into the room just as she fell to the floor. Killed by her peers."
"I'm sorry Natasha," Wanda whispered low. Natasha turned around for the first time and looked at her with two hurt eyes. They say in silence for what felt like hours. Maybe it was. Wanda didn't know anymore. Natasha had stopped crying and was just lying on the bed at this point. They continued to stay like this for at least 30 minutes more before Natasha broke the silence.
"Wanda?" Natasha's voice was soft and calm. She didn't sound like she had been crying at all.
"Yeah?" Wanda looked at her. Natasha was lying on her back with her eyes closed. She had formed a small smile in the corner of her mouth.
"If I offered to keep mentoring you? Would you still say yes?" Natasha didn't look at her just continued to lay on the bed. Her voice was quiet.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I?" Wanda was surprised by the question. That was not what she expected at all. But yeah. She trusted Natasha and had loved to have her as her mentor. Natasha ignored her question completely and continued.
"What if I left for a little while? Would you wait for me? Be okay with me being gone? Trust Steve and Bucky without me there?" Her voice was dreamy and distance when she talked.
"I… I… yeah. I guess I would. If you promised me you will come back…" Natasha sat up and looked at her with a serious look in her eyes but nodded slowly.
"Why? Are you thinking about leaving? After everything that happened?" Wanda's voice was almost like a whisper. Natasha looked at her again and her eyes softened. She moved over to her and hugged around the younger woman.
"Madam B took so much away from me. I just need some time to think." Natasha whispered into her ear. Wanda nodded slowly.
"What if something happens. Like…like…previously?" Wanda whispered back.
"I know it sounds weird but right now I need to be alone. I… I know you want to help. You and Laura. But Pepper did the right thing leaving. Believe me, this wasn't the first time I had a panic attack. I'll manage, Wanda." Natasha looked at her with a kind smile. Wanda only nodded she didn't want her to leave. She really didn't. She was so lost without her. Natasha was the one thing holding her down.
"I know what you're thinking Wanda, but I am not the only one you can trust. Steve wants you to trust him more than anyone. You have James too. And Laura. Laura was my saving grace. Believe me, if you ever need someone to talk to. It's her." Natasha had that confident look on her face. She straightened up and looked at Wanda with such confident she couldn't help but smile a bit. Natasha was always like this. For some reason, she could always make Wanda feel better even if the whole situation sucked.
"So, this is goodbye or?" Wanda looked at the older woman. Natasha looked at her with a mischievous smile and replied softly.
"If you want to call it that, go for it. But I don't know if I would. It's more, until next time."
- Epilogue -
Chapter 1
Wanda ran down the hall almost running straight into Sam on her way forcing her to incase herself in a red glow to halt before she hit him.
"Fuck, hey there little witch." Sam laughed as they both let out a breath.
"Jesus Sam, guessing you're late as well," Wanda said as they both picked up their pace jogging down towards the elevator.
"Wouldn't be here if I wasn't. Really hope Steve is in a good mood because I am not feeling a mad Captain America today." Sam replied dryly. Wanda nodded in agreement as they stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button to take them down to the shooting range. They were five minutes late for practice. Last time she and Bucky had been late they had ended up having to run five laps around the facility and she was kinda not feeling it right now.
"Peter is here for winter break," Wanda said as the elevator made its way down. Sam looked at her with a surprised look.
"Really. Spiderling is back?" Wanda nodded in confirmation. Peter had of course high school but had spent more and more of his free time at the facility.
"Captain Rogers is waiting for you. Stark is also here as well"
Friday's voice interrupted their dialog and Wanda looked at Sam with a slightly scared look.
"From a scale from 1 to 10 how pissed is Steve? Should we just bail now?" Sam said with his normal sarcastic tone.
"Enough. I would not recommend bailing though. You have a very important guest. If I was you I would hurry."
Both of them looked at each other. They were both thinking the same. Get you asses into that shooting range right now. They both shoot out of the elevator sprinting around the corner. Sam slowed down in front of her almost making her bump into him again. She looked up to see a very annoyed Steve rogers and less annoyed Tony Stark. Bucky, Rhodey and Peter looked at them all with a dumb grin on their face.
"Wow look who showed up finally. Capsicle over here was really starting to get worried." Tony's voice was filled with happiness and excitement for some reason Wanda didn't know.
"You're late," Steve said with an annoyed look.
"I know. I am sorry." Wanda started. Her voice was definitely not as confident and powerful as she wanted it to be.
"I would punish, both of you if it weren't for our guest." Steve looked at her this time with a smile on his face. Wanda looked at him confused. What was he talking about?
"Is that my jacket?" Wanda's legs almost gave under her when she heard the voice behind her. Could it be?
"I mean she has had it since Sokovia," Steve answered casually.
"Still doesn't explain the jacket." Wanda spun around throwing herself around Natasha's shoulders
"Hi" Natasha whispered softly as she let her hand glide through Wanda's hair.
"Hi," Wanda answered weakly. She pulled away slowly before she stopped.
"You're blond?" Wanda commented, letting her hand brush through Natasha's blond short hair. She looked mostly the same. Maybe she looked a bit older, but she had the same beautiful fiery eyes Wanda remembered.
"Well needed a bit of a change," Natasha said with a small smile. Her normal catsuit was switched out with a suit which seemed to be made out of a thicker more durable material. She had on a curve-hugging west and, on her arms, she had her usual widow bites. She had a gun, a Glock 17, resting her right thigh and a new weapon of choice on her back.
"Batons?" Wanda asked curiously. Natasha shrugged.
"As I said, I needed a change." Wanda looked at her again. She was beaming in pride and confidence, and Wanda couldn't help but feel a bit proud to know that this woman in front of her, Natasha, really was her mentor.