Painted in Crimson ⇨ P. Maximoff

THREE

LOST AND INSECURE.
YOU FOUND ME.
YOU FOUND ME.
- THE FRAY.

---

Six months.

That's how long Rosalind had been in the facility. Everyday she found it harder to leave. Everyday a little more of the wall she had built, crumbled. And that was because of Pietro and Wanda.

Since being brought into the facility, Rosalind had gained full control of her abilities. But she still had problems with teleporting. It tired her out quickly. She had thought about teleporting the twins and herself out of the facility, but she could barley teleport herself, never mind two extra people.

They were sitting in their small box room talking. Rosalind was leaning against the wall with Pietro beside her. Wanda was dangling her head of the edge of the bed.

"Rosalind?" Wanda asked as she stared at an upside down version of Rosalind.

"Yeah?"

"Who's Natalia?"

Pietro eyed Rosalind intently as he saw her stiffen, and then relax once more with a sigh. Rosalind had never planned to tell them about Natasha. She had never planned to allow herself to get close close to them. To anyone. She knew that she could let go of her past - that she should. But there was still that constant nagging in the back of her mind.

What if she got close to someone, allowed them to break down her barriers, only to lose them like she lost her sister?

She didn't know if she could bare the pain. So, even though she was close with the twins, she was still cautious with what she told them. If she was honest with herself, she would realise that she was afraid of what would happen if she confided in the twins. If she told them about her past, about the academy. But maybe she should.

"Natalia," she began slowly. "Is my sister."

"What happened?" Pietro asked softly, intrigued.

Rosalind stared at the wall, her eyes out of focus. "We were pulled apart." Her mind mind began to pull her back to the memory and as it began to play in her head, she told the twins of that horrendous day.

---
Eight year old Rosalind clutched the hand of her older sister. She was the only familiar thing, in such unfamiliar territory. Natasha could sense Rosalind's fear. She was also afraid, but she knew that she had to stay strong for her sister.

"Everything will be fine Rosie, I promise." Natasha told her younger sister softly, in Russian.

"I'm scared Natalia."

"And that's okay. It's okay to be scared, but things will work themselves out. And no matter what, I promise that you'll always have me."

"You promise?" Eight year Rosalind questioned, even though her sister had already promised. Her brown eyes were wide, glistening with tears.

"I promise." Natasha confirmed. "My sweet, beautiful, little Rosie, I promise."

Rosalind wrapped her arms around her sisters waist and closed her eyes. Natasha wrapped her arms around Rosalind's tiny frame in return. The two girls pulled away from the hug as they heard the door open.