2: Are you ready to comply?

Chapter 14

*A/N written 26.06.2021...so I have an assignment due in, in about 24 hours that I haven't' finished...so what am I doing??? Writing this....whoops....*

*Okay so I managed to get the assignment in, it was crap...but we move on...I don't know the mark yet, not particularly looking forward to finding out, but hey ho...*

*so again like 3 years since an update...jokes it's been like a month but still...I am so so sorry! Placement is absolutely crazy, and the ward has just gotten more and more hectic, so on my days off I'm either studying, or asleep...*

Nat's POV

"I know. I know. I know" I heard her say, her voice shaking. She was gasping for breath between her tears and her hands were pulling at her hair frantically clearly trying to feel some sort of pain, trying to find any way to ground herself. I recognised the behaviour, it was the same as when she was on that rooftop all those years ago, the same as when she tried to kill herself in front of me, the same as when I'd have to hold her tightly to calm down from an episode, it all looked the same. My eyes skimmed over the rest of her instantly, checking for any wounds or injuries, making sure she was at least physically okay.

I put my my arm out in front of Wanda stopping her from taking another step forward. Ana looked different, older, her muscles more defined, her new found strength was obvious. Her hair was dark brown, nothing like her pale blonde colour before. I knew she wouldn't look like the 17, 18 year old girl after all this time at HYDRA but seeing her like this, seeing her look so different, it only made the fact sink in more. Her behaviour might be the same, but she wasn't.

I still wanted to run and wrap her up in my arms though. I wanted to stop whatever was going on in her mind like I always used to do. But I couldn't, the scared young girl who used to curl up next to me on my bed, was now a scared young adult who doesn't remember all the moments shared. I had to go about it all carefully, she wasn't our Ana right now. Somewhere inside I knew she was still there, I don't know how I knew it, but I did, however right now she needed to learn to trust us all over again.

Wanda's eyes were still glistening red, keeping hold of the connection in her mind. She was trying to help her, I could see Wanda's head tilt and her focusing. Soon enough Ana stopped shaking. Stopped screaming. Stopping punching. She totally froze.

I felt my breath hitch in my throat, unsure how the next few moments were going to play out.

She then carefully stumbled to her feet, her balance was off. She was weak from whatever she just endured, but I knew that we couldn't rely on her fragile state aiding us, if anything it would just make her more defensive, make her more dangerous.

She looked around, her eyes wide, trying to assesss where the next threat might come from. Which is when she spotted us.

She stumbled back a bit at first,

"N-n-no, go away. Stop it" She screamed out at us, she went to punch herself once more which was when Wanda restrained her from doing so with her magic, she froze all over again, looking at the red mist circling her hand in disbelief

"Y-y-you're real?" She eventually choked out, not trusting herself, not trusting her mind not to be playing tricks,

"Yes Ana, we're real. We're here" I reply softly, taking a step forward, I expected her to react, to lash out but she stayed focused on her hand, and the red magic that covered it,

"Y-y-you're really here?" She muttered breathlessly, looking up and watching me carefully as I approached her, as I put my hands on her face, as I brushed away the tears, thankful to have her so close to me, thankful to feel her again,