WandaWidow - Book 2

Chapter 7 - Understanding

"Well, we were coming back from Lagos and I got a call-," Natasha began.

"From who?"

"Tony."

Wanda nodded in understanding, and Natasha took this as permission to continue.

"We talked a bit about what had happened and he told me Ross was coming to meet with him."

"Meet about what?"

"About Lagos, about all of it. He wasn't happy. So I told Tony I wanted to be a part of those conversations and when we landed and got you settled I headed to the tower."

"What do you mean, settled?"

"Well, you passed out."

"Yes."

"I put you to bed. Well Steve carried you, but I wanted to make sure you were comfortable before I left."

"Right."

"So I did, and then I met Tony and Ross and basically the outcome of the conversation was either one of two things."

"Which were?"

"We stop, the team stops. We all retire."

Wanda nodded again, "And the other?"

"They arrest you. Try you, and likely imprison you."

Wanda took a deep breath in, but didn't say anything.

"Well, obviously we didn't want that to happen. We explained to Ross about how it wasn't your fault, and that it was all Rumlow, but he didn't want to hear it."

Wanda nodded again.

"So, Tony and I tried to come up with another solution, and that's where the Accords came from. We figured if we could get everyone else on side in signing, we could put this behind us and have a fresh start."

"You created the Accords?"

"Well I didn't write it, but I helped come up with it, yes."

"No one told me this."

"Well no one knew, except Tony."

"Why?"

"Well we knew Steve would be hard to convince, you saw how he reacted to Tony about it. We figured that if I pretended to be impartial and was seen to agree with it then it might get him to consider it a bit more."

"So, you lied?"

Natasha sighed, "Yes."

Wandas shook her head, "I still don't get what this has to do with us."

"No, sorry, you're right. Well, when we were talking with Ross at the beginning he basically explained that no one would take this idea seriously coming from me, as the whole thing concerned you and well with us being together-"

"What?"

"He said it was a conflict of interest."

"Right?" Wanda still wasn't fully following.

"So, I had to make it seem as though there wasn't a conflict of interest."

"That we were done?"

"Yes."

"So, it was all pretend?"

"Yes."

Wanda's face was hard to read. She looked to be quietly considering what Natasha had just said. Natasha didn't know how she would react, but had hoped for some relief, something that would indicate that this was good news. She gave her a moment, but before long prompted her to say something.