I've Got Red In My Ledger

Chapter Twenty One

I take Wanda's hand in my own and bring it to my lips. "I just wish that you could see yourself the way that I see you." I pause, realising something. "Here," I raise her hand to my forehead. "Let me show you how I see you."
"Nat, no." She tries to pull her hand away, but I stop her.
"Wanda, you deserve to see yourself in the way that I do. Please. Please."
I can see her apprehension, can see that she really doesn't believe that there's any good parts of herself to see.
"Let me show you the good parts that you don't let yourself see."
She sighs, and I feel the gentle warmth of her magic against my forehead. She closes her eyes, and I begin thinking of all the things I love about her.
It's not hard.

It really isn't hard. There are many difficult things in life, but coming up with things I love about this woman is easy.
I can't help but smile as I think of everything.

I sigh, sitting down on the couch beside Wanda. "I'm truly sorry about Pietro."
She's new, and Clint brought her back with us after she helped us destroy Ultron.
I wasn't there to see what happened with Pietro, but I know that she's empty. I've lost people too, and I know what it's like.
Wanda doesn't smile. She barely even acknowledges my presence.
"You... you were amazing out there," I tell her. I will keep talking, because I have to get through to her. "You're incredible."
Tony and Steve are laughing in the corner, Clint has already gone back to his family, and Thor is in the kitchen. Vision is somewhere in another part of the compound.
No one is paying attention to us, which is why I start talking to her. Because there's something about her that makes me want to spill out my entire past.
"I... I'm Natasha. You can call me Nat, if you want to." She finally glances up at me and her blue eyes sparkle with tears.
"I'm Wanda." She tells me softly.
Her hair falls across her face, and I rest a hand on her arm.
"Come on," I hold out a hand. "There's something I want to show you."
She looks up at me, and she takes my hand without hesitation.
Something about her has always made me feel a little more alive, before I fell in love with her.
"Where are we going?" Wanda asks, and I turn to her with a smile.
"I'm taking you to my favourite spot in the entire world." We go up the elevator, to the roof. This has always been my favourite place, because all the way up here, there is no one around. It's just me and Wanda.
She gasps when we climb the staircase and finally end up on the roof. Tony has told me off countless times about it, about being up here. Telling me it's dangerous and there's no rails. I think that's why I like it.
I throw my arms out, turning to face her, my hair flying in the wind.
She smiles, laughing. "It's a little windy." Her hair flies out behind her, but I can only focus on her smile.
"Scream." I tell her. I turn to face the wind, and she comes to stand behind me. "Scream and let it out." I call over the wind.
She glances over at me, still smiling. "Someone might hear me."
"So? I do it all the time." I reach out and take her hand. "Sometimes you just need to scream."