WandaWidow - Book 2

Chapter 8 - Liberation

Natasha POV

As I watched the bedroom door close, I knew for certain that I had fucked this up. Wanda being angry I could work with, but clearly it was all a front. She wasn't mad, she was devastated, and I did that to her.

I could barely look at myself in the mirror while I rinsed the tear tracks from my face. I didn't know how I expected her to look at me in the morning, or even ever again. I promised her I wouldn't leave, that I would always be there. I broke that promise, and broke us in turn.

I was naive to think that this all could just be explained away, and the more I thought about it the more I even struggled to understand why I handled things as I did. Why didn't I talk to her about it? Why did I feel the need to keep everything a secret?

Wanda was right, she would have been able to handle knowing. I guess part of me believed that her guilt would eat her alive, and that she would think that she deserved the prison sentence that was looming over her. Maybe a different version of her would have. Perhaps the woman I met right after Sokovia, when she was a shell of the Wanda I now loved.

I should have known her better than that, and I never should have doubted her. I not only broke her heart, but I made her feel worthless and that she meant nothing to me. I don't think I would ever be able to forgive myself for that.

When I exited the bathroom I knew what I had to do. If I stayed, I would only hurt her more. I couldn't make this right, but I could still finish what I set out to do here. I could make sure she was free, even if that meant free of me too.

I knew though that before I left, I needed to get rid of her collar. She wouldn't be able to defend herself with it on, and for her to really make her way in this world she would need to be able to be her true self again. Her powers were a part of her, a part that she had already gone too long without.

Despite my previous uncertainties about how to remove it, I settled on a magnet being the solution to the lock. The problem was, I didn't have one. It was late here, too late for me to find one in town, so I knew I had to make one myself. I had done it once before, and sincerely hoped that I still remembered how.

I headed outside, using a torch to guide the way to the quad around the back, and using the tools I had, was able to open it up and remove the battery. I had found an old metal radiator key from inside one of the kitchen drawers, and then using some wires and the battery I sent a charge into it. I tested it on a few nails long discarded outside and to my relief it worked. Granted, it wasn't as strong as I would have liked, but hopefully it would be enough. I replaced the battery, checked the quad to make sure it was running, and parked it at the side of the trailer, closer to the door. I threw the tarp back over it to protect it from the elements and returned inside.

I would have preferred to test the magnet on the collar itself, and leave knowing it worked, but I couldn't face her. Perhaps it was cowardice, or maybe even kindness, but I left a note instead. It was short, but there was nothing more I could say. I apologised again, but even that felt selfish. My apology meant nothing to her and I understood why. All the same I folded the paper and set it alongside the magnetised key on the kitchen table.

Most of my things were still packed, not that I had much. I checked through to make sure that I had everything I needed, and my heart stopped when my hand fumbled on a small box near the bottom of my bag.

I pulled it out, but didn't dare look inside it. The velvet exterior felt painfully soft. I considered leaving it here, but felt that if Wanda found it that would only make things worse, so I shoved it back at the bottom of the bag and loaded the rest of my things on top of it.