The Eternal Avenger: Book Two

Chapter Eighteen: I've Got You

(Claray's POV):

We all crowded back into the cabin once I trusted my feet to stand. That was the worst night terror I ever had in my life. It felt so real. As we sat around the table, Wanda made us all tea, which I sipped on slowly. Natasha's eyes were full of concern, compassion, and understanding.

"Are you okay now?" She asked, grabbing onto my hand and holding it tightly. I took another sip of tea with my free hand before nodding.

"I think so," I mumbled. "I'm sorry for waking...well...all of you." Natasha squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"No need to apologize," she said, trying to comfort me.

"Speak for yourself," Yelena's voice was even hoarser and gruffer than normal. I glanced at the blonde, a small smile on my face. "I need my beauty sleep." I smirked at her, which she returned. I glanced over at Lerato, who was laying across the doorway, her head resting on her paws as she stared out into the blackness of the forest beyond. Natasha lightly smacked Yelena's arm, and Wanda chuckled.

"You look okay to me," the witch teased gently. Yelena glanced up at her, and I couldn't miss the blush that spread slightly over the Russian's pale features.

"So what happened?" I turned my attention back to Natasha since she asked the question.

"I don't know, it was like a very vivid nightmare, but worse. I couldn't wake up. I could hear all of you, and I knew you were there, but I just couldn't force myself to wake up." I shrugged, sitting back into my chair, slouching down tiredly. Yelena reached forward and placed her hand over the one that Natasha wasn't holding.

"I know how that feels," she spoke sincerely. Natasha squeezed my other hand.

"I think we all do," she agreed. Wanda nodded.

"I've had nightmares before, but this felt different," I explained. I couldn't get my head around it, but it felt different. "It almost felt like there was someone in my head, forcing me to stay." Wanda frowned, and I glanced at her as she scooted her chair back, finally sitting with the rest of us.

"May I?" She asked gently, resting her own hand palm-up on the table. I glanced at Natasha, who nodded and let go of my hand. She kept her own hand on the table, however, ready to step in at a moment's notice. That's my girl – always prepared, and always protective. I grasped Wanda's hand tightly and felt the surge of magic when our skin connected. She closed her eyes and I followed suit. I could feel her rooting around in my head – a feeling that was familiar, but it had been a while. Suddenly, her eyes opened with a gasp.

"Oh my god," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Natasha frowned, leaning forward on the table, resting on her elbows.

"Wanda what is it?" She asked, concerned. Wanda shook her head, her mouth open, the tears finally streaming down her face.

"Claray, I'm so sorry," she whispered. I smiled at her sympathetically. I knew exactly what she saw, and the sight wasn't a pleasant one. Natasha rested a hand on Wanda's shoulder, squeezing gently, attempting to comfort the sobbing witch.

"What's going on?" Yelena leaned forward too, glancing around the table at each of us. I looked at Wanda, finding her watching me as though she was waiting for permission to share what she had seen. I nodded slightly, granting it.

"Claray's dream – nightmare – whatever it was," she started, her voice shaky and hesitant. "She saw herself burning to death. The whole thing. She was conscious through it all." She cut herself off and bit her lip, attempting to fight back additional tears. Natasha looked at me, her eyes wide.

"принцесса is that true?" She asked. Her voice was soft and tender. I looked at her, nodding.

"Shit," Yelena sat back in her seat. "That's not a cool way to die," she added. Natasha glared at her, but I couldn't help but smile.

"Literally," I spoke in a gentle, teasing tone and Yelena chuckled in spite of herself.

"I like her," she spoke as though I was no longer sitting at the table, addressing Natasha directly. Natasha smirked.

"Yeah, me too. Hands off." Her voice was gruff, but her teasing was evident. Yelena laughed.

"Why do you do that thing?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"What thing?" My eyes glanced between the two Russians, sitting across from each other, teasing each other like school children – like siblings.

"When you sleep – you like, lay ON her." Yelena explained.

"Cuddling?" Wanda asked, the humor evident in her tone. Yelena frowned.

"What is cuddling?" She asked, confused.

"It's a comfort thing," I tried to explain. There was so much of a normal life that neither Natasha or Yelena got to experience growing up. It was little wonder that Yelena wouldn't understand the more tender side of life or relationships. I frowned, thinking about it. It was unlikely Yelena had ever experienced a relationship or love in a real sense from anyone but her 'family.'

"I don't get it." The blonde shook her head, sitting back in her seat. Wanda shocked us all when she stood suddenly, offering an outstretched hand to the other Russian. "What?" Yelena asked, looking up at her.

"We're going to cuddle," Wanda stated, matter-of-factly.

"No, we're not." Yelena's face betrayed her curiosity underneath her false bravado.

"Go on, sis," Natasha encouraged her. Yelena scowled at her, but she took Wanda's hand anyway and got to her feet, following the witch over to one of the couches. Wanda took a seat, an arm over the back of the couch, gesturing for Yelena to join her. Yelena just stared at her, hesitatingly. Yelena's knees almost buckled, however, when Lerato approached her, nudging her friend with her massively black head. Natasha and I smiled at each other, holding hands on top of the table, watching the scene in front of us unfold naturally. Wanda patted the seat beside her as extra encouragement and Yelena finally rolled her eyes and succumbed, sitting beside the witch hesitantly. Wanda immediately wrapped her arm around Yelena's shoulder, pulling her into her side tightly.

"What are you...." Yelena started to speak, but Wanda shushed her.

"Put your head on my shoulder," she whispered soothingly. Surprisingly, Yelena complied, resting her head in the crook of Wanda's neck. Wanda wrapped her other arm around the young woman's shoulders, pulling her in tight against her body. Yelena seemed to struggle momentarily, but finally relaxed into the embrace. Natasha and I shared another smile across the table.

"I can see you, you know," Yelena's voice was muffled by Wanda's shoulder, but her words were clearly directed at the two of us.

"We know you can," Natasha teased. We watched as Lerato approached the pair on the couch, looking between the two of them before curling up on both of their feet. Natasha tugged on my hand and I looked up at her nodding as she climbed to her feet.

"What are we doing?" I asked softly, not wanting to disturb the unlikely trio on the couch.

"I am putting my fiancé back to bed for some sleep," she said, squeezing my hand and grinning at me.

"Sleep?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. Natasha elbowed me in the side.

"Sleep." Her voice left no room for debate. I meekly followed her out the front door back to the tent. She laid down on her back in the sleeping bag. "Come here. I'm holding you now," she said, looking up at me, her eyes full of nothing but adoration. I settled into her arms, resting my head against her chest, smiling. "I've got you," she whispered, kissing the top of my head. I smiled against her skin, planting a soft kiss on her collarbone.

"I know you do, Tasha." Sleep found us both almost immediately.

A/N: in addition to a one shot book which will feature expanded *spicy* scenes from the books I'm writing, my good friend Jace has also begun writing "Winter's Widow, which will feature Yelena.  It's her first book, so if you're intersted, go check it out.  Avengerswriter4eva