Black Widow: Dark House

53: "Unsteady"- X Ambassadors

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Italics- any language besides English

**- thoughts/ memories

Wanda ripped herself from Ana's mind, grasping at Ana's wrist. Ana's finger curled around her throat, her grip like steel.

A choked plea failed to leave Wanda's mouth as she looked up at Ana. Ana's eyes were like a void, no anger, no pride, no fear, no love. Just death and darkness as if she were starring into a black hole.

Wanda felt Ana's grip tighten. Instinct took over and she pressed a hand to Ana's chest. A blast of energy washed over Ana, blowing her back until she crashed into a tree fifteen feet away.

Wanda gulped air as she tipped sideways on the ground, her vision blurry.

Ana's eyes burned with tears as she gasped, her whole body shaking. She blinked away the haze that seemed to have washed over her. She noticed the splintered shards of tree beneath her, and past the mangled stump she saw Wanda clutching her throat, the skin there an angry red, gasping for air. No, she saw the boy, the boy whose neck she had snapped with no emotion, no hesitation. No, it was Wanda, wheezing as she tried to sit up.

Reality and memory swirled before her, bubbling around her in an insubstantial ever shifting dream.

The earth seemed to give out from under her. Her arms and legs felt unsteady as the horror of realization gripped her. She was on all fours, unable to get up, ripping at the grass around her as if she could claw herself away from the memory within her. She let out a shattered sob, acidic bile burning her throat as it rose. Her body lurched as she heaved, yellow foam bleaching the green grass beneath her.

"I'm sorry!" She screamed, eyes wide as she pleaded with Wanda...

With the boy

With Wanda.

"I'm so sorry" Ana sobbed.

Horror vibrated in her bones, making ice seem to seep through her veins as her whole body shook from her revulsion.

Wanda had tears streaming down her cheeks as well, remnants from Ana's memory.

"Ana-" she wheezed.

"I- I butchered those people! Th-those children like they were nothing... I-I tried to kill you" Ana gasped in horror, her face red and a vein pulsing in her forehead as she braced on all fours, tears dripping from her cheeks into the grass below. She pushed her face in the grass as she sobbed, shame engulfing her entire being.

"Ana it's not your fault!" Wanda tried again, her voice stronger as she took deeper breaths.

"I murdered them! I almost killed you! And I didn't even try to stop it. Not one thought of apprehension or hesitation Wanda. I just accepted it. If that's not a fucking monster I don't know what is" Ana screamed at her, spit and tears flying off her face as she stood, her chest heaving as she tore at her hair.

Wanda stood shakily, making her way to Ana, her hand outstretched as if trying to calm a dangerous animal with an injury.

"Ana listen to me..."

"And that girl!" Ana sobbed, spit dripping down her chin, "I- I put her right in his hands. I made her-" Ana choked on the world, her chest tightening as she put her hands on her knees, feeling like the world might collapse right from under her. Her lungs heaved, her knees shook, her hands felt cold and numb.

"Ana, let's just go inside" Wanda tried, her voice cracking but calm and low, reaching a hand towards Ana's shivering shoulder.

"No!" Ana shouted, ripping her self away from Wanda, fear and anger coursing through her. No, not back to the rest of the team, not back to Yelena and... Tasha.