Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 81 - Would You Come Home?

With a heavy sigh, Keira sunk down to the floor, her back against the foot of the bed. She had never been much of a people person, and that trait hadn't exactly improved over the years. And now, when the compound was filling up with people again, it all became a bit too much for her.

A moment alone was all she needed, to calm her racing heart.

Since Nikato wasn't here to cheer her up, she needed it more than ever. It had been her own decision to leave the dog behind, after asking Pepper if she was comfortable with having him around. Morgan had been overjoyed at the prospect of having a new playmate for a couple of days.

And considering that they had no idea how the time travel would go, it was easier for Keira's brain if it didn't have to constantly worry whether Nikato was okay or not.

"You okay?"

Natasha was leaning against the doorframe, her arms loosely crossed over her chest. It didn't take a genius to understand that Keira was feeling overwhelmed. As the people they had stayed in touch with during the years had already returned to the compound, it was bound to get busy inside the blonde's head.

More people meant more voices.

"Of course, I'm as brilliant as always." Keira scoffed, her face still hidden in her hands. Even when the redhead sunk down beside her, she didn't move. Instead, she just sighed. "Think we can get him back? This time, her voice was softer, and it held none of the previous sarcasm.

Even if she hadn't stayed for the briefing, she already knew that they needed to do a bit of traveling to get the whole team back. Clint was still out there, Thor was a prisoner of his own mind, and Carol was somewhere in space.

Wanda had been her sanctuary, and without her here, Keira couldn't keep the voices out of her head. She let her hands fall and leaned back against the bed, waiting for an answer.

Natasha suppressed a sad smile and sighed deeply. "Honestly? I don't know. Judging from the reports, and what Rhodey's been saying... He's fallen off the deep end. I don't think we've ever seen him like this before." The lump in the back of her throat burned, and she swallowed hard to try and make it go away. Blindly, she reached out a hand and grasped Keira's, intertwining their fingers. "But after all, you lost your way for a while, and you came back."

Keira felt the green eyes on her, but she didn't dare to meet them. The way she had acted that first year after Thanos was her greatest shame. To just abandon her best friend and home like that... Disgraceful. "We'll get him back. I know it. All lost things can be found again." Her voice sounded much stronger and more certain than she actually felt. As the words that the ghostly appearance of Wanda had told her those years ago echoed off her tongue, her free hand automatically found the ring around her neck.

A sigh escaped her lips, and she scooted down so she could lean her head on Natasha's shoulder. To stop any tears from falling, she cast around for another subject. "So, uh... What about Thor and Carol?"

Natasha squeezed their joined hands before resting her head against the blonde's. "Rocket and Banner will get Thor. They wanted to have you as well, since you visited New Asgard during the years.... But I told them that I was in greater need of your help. And Carol? We haven't been able to reach her, so she's off-world somewhere in deep space. Hopefully, we can do this without her."

"Hah, you mean because I was one of the few who showed some human decency by not abandoning our family like the rest of them?" Keira huffed, hating the resentment in her voice. "I would choose you over them any day of the week, so thanks for sticking with me. Would've been embarrassing if I lost my cool with them."

Natasha hesitated for a moment, not missing the sharp edge that Keira's words held. "The loss was hard for us all..."

It was exactly what Keira didn't want to hear. Closing her eyes, she exhaled deeply through her nose. "Please, do not say that, Tasha. And yes, I know I'm the biggest hypocrite out of all of them because I went rogue. But to say it was hard for everyone isn't right. Your loss was as big as anyone's. If not bigger." Had it not been for the fact that her fingers were already intertwined with Natasha's, they would've been shaking. And from the way her back had stiffened, her head leaving its resting place on Natasha's shoulder, it was clear that she felt strongly about the subject.