How do you heal?

Chapter 36: Lockdown All Around

Pietro stayed in Ohio with Annie and Alex over the next few days. Despite the wonderful fact that the house had three bedrooms Pietro had tried to insist on sleeping in Annie's room. "Come on, Солнышко, it will be safer if I stay in there with you. We still don't know if that old guy who followed you has anything to do with this whole bombing and I can protect you better if I am right beside you." He had argued playfully. "And I promise to wear pajamas so you're not tempted to ravish me in the night seeing as I usually sleep nude."

Annie paused from putting sheets on the guest bed to look at him. The back cat, that had slipped in when she'd let Bubba out earlier, watching them from the dresser. At first she'd panicked since the dog had never been a fan of cats but she was surprised to see this cat had been an exception. Bubba had gleefully run up to the feline and flopped onto his back as if he were asking for belly rubs and the cat seemed to comply by kneading at the mutt. "First, ew. I didn't need to know that and Piet it's a twelve hundred square foot house and your superpower is speed. We could sleep on separate ends of the property and you would still be able to get to me in less time than it takes to sneeze. You sleeping here, down the hall, is not putting me in any greater danger but you still might want to wear pajamas just in case you do need to rush to my rescue." She reached for a pillow and pillowcase, tossing them at him gesturing for him to help her finish. She cocked her head slightly and held back a laugh as she said, "Although the sight of you naked might scare the intruder to death."

Early the afternoon after Pietro had arrived Annie was getting impatient. She had made breakfast for everyone, packed Alex a lunch for work, cleaned the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, pulled weeds from the garden, taken Bubba on a very slow walk with an exasperated Pietro and still had heard nothing from Steve or Sam. As Alex was nearly as neurotic as Annie and there wasn't anything else she could find to clean or organize to occupy herself any longer Annie pulled out her phone to text Tony.

Annie: I know you are probably fielding press calls left and right about the attack but have you heard anything? Has anyone found Bucky?

Tony: Do you watch the news at all, Red? Rogers and Wilson found him in Romania about an hour ago. Unfortunately the new King of Wakanda, who believes that Barnes is responsible for the bombing and therefore the death of his father, also found him. Authorities took them all in and they are headed to Berlin.

Despite the fact that Bucky, Steve and Sam were currently in custody Annie let out a sigh of relief at learning they were all okay.

Annie: What's going to happen to them? Why are Steve and Sam in custody?

Tony: Accords were signed this morning and Rogers and Wilson were not authorized to operate in Bucharest. Barnes, obviously, is on the hook for the bombing. Take a breath, I'm on the quinjet headed there now. Romanoff and I will beat them there and get this sorted.

Annie: Please keep me posted. I'm going to see if I can get my flight changed and head back to the compound today.

Tony: Stay in Ohio, Red. No need to rush back. There's going to be a lot of paperwork, we may be a few days. I'll see if I can get them to let Barnes have a prison call tonight so keep your phone on.

Annie: Thank you, Tony.

She dropped her phone on the counter and rubbed at her temples as Pietro walked in from the garage looking angrily down at his own phone. "Hey, is everything okay?" She asked.

Pietro sighed as he came to stand next to her. "Sort of, I just got off the phone with Wanda. She said Stark left about an hour ago. The others found Bucky but she said something about them being arrested."

She nodded her head as she pointed at her own phone. "Yeah, I just talked to Tony. He is on his way to Berlin to sort things out but why do you look pissed?"

He looked at her for a minute, his jaw working side to side, clearly deciding what he wanted to tell her. "Tony told Vision to keep Wanda at the compound."

"Okay?" She said, not seeing the issue. "Everyone is scattered and things are a little wild. It makes sense he would want to protect her."

He shook his head. "No, Annie. It's not for her protection."

When she realized what he was saying she dropped her head to the counter and groaned. "Tony, NOOOO!" She already blames herself enough for what happened in Lagos. Why on earth would he do that?"

He leaned back against the counter beside her. "I don't know but I'm not exactly happy with him right now."

She straightened and looked at him. "Okay so, why don't you go back to the compound and break her out? Bring her here, we can make room."

Pietro pulled Annie into a hug. "I really appreciate you offering, it means a lot that you are willing to house stowaways but she and I talked it over. Despite being on house arrest Wanda is safe at the compound. Vision was told to keep me there too since Stark didn't know I was gone, so it's not worth the risk of me getting caught trying to rescue her and you being left alone here."

She stepped back and looked up at him. "I'd be okay if you got caught Piet. She's your sister so I understand if you want to try a prison break anyways."

He just shook his head again as he smiled and said, "Nah, it's okay. If Wanda really wanted to she could get out and you are only here for a few more days. Plus you are a better cook than her so I'd rather stay here."

"Fair enough," she said and stepped back. "I'm going to use the bathroom but do you want to go grab lunch after?"

"Sure."

Annie walked down the hall to the bathroom and briefly thought it was strange the door was shut since Alex was at work but seeing as she knew Pietro was in the kitchen she walked in without knocking. "Oh my god!" She screamed and jumped back.