Heartbeat (Natasha x Wanda + One)

Eight

One week.

That's how long it took before Allie finally dragged me out of bed. "I don't know what happened but whatever they did, you need to forgive them."

"What?" I ask her, shocked. "I thought you didn't like them."

Allie sighs slightly, "I like them, it's just... they're married. I was just worried about what would happen to you when they decided that they wanted to break up with you. I've seen how you get over one person you love, I could only imagine how it would be with two."

"I don't love them," I grumble.

"Uh huh sure," Allie says as she rolls her eyes, "they love you though. They've been messaging me non stop asking how you are."

"They have?"

"Yeah and you should probably shower and get dressed because," she looks at her watch, "they'll be here in an hour."

"Allie!" This was not how I wanted to spend the day. Scrambling out of bed, I head to the closet and stare at the full walk in. Why did I have so many clothes? I don't wear most of them.

Allie comes over and ducks around me, pulling clothes from hangers and handing them to me, "just hear them out ok?"

"They know who we are," I tell her. "Natasha figured it out and I kinda blew up at her."

Allie is silent for a second before admitting, "so does Ash."

"How'd they take it?"

"Oh they obviously are only sticking around for my money," Allie jokes.

I chuckle, "who says you have any money?"

Allie laughs before turning serious again, "I get why you freaked, but... I don't think you need to worry about them knowing who we are."

Pulling her into a hug I mumble into her hair, "I hope you're right."

Allie let's me hold her for a moment before pulling away, "no offense mama but you definitely should shower before they get here."

I wince, "is it really that bad?"

"Yeah," she shoves me towards the bathroom, "hurry up. I'll let them in if you're not out when they get here."

I grumble and head to the bathroom, turning the shower to the hottest setting. The room fills with steam as I strip and step into the hot shower, wincing slightly as it stings my skin. I stay in until I'm red and pruny before finally getting out and getting ready. I go slowly, trying to come up with something to say to the girls, something that would make things ok again.

But worry gnaws at my stomach when I can't come up with anything. Allie had been right when she said that I cared for them, and this past week without them hurt more than I thought it would. Allie was probably also right about us not needing to worry that they'd tell, but the only way to be sure was to do something I'd only had to do once before.

Once dressed and ready I head to my office and pull out a stack of papers from my desk. Brushing the dust off of them I make sure all the pages are there and grab a pen before going towards the living room. Allie meets me at the door and glances at the papers in my hands but doesn't comment on them. "They're in the kitchen," she tells me. "I'm going to get Ash, we'll be back in a few hours." She pauses for a second before adding, "remember, open mind."

"I know," I agree with a small nod. "Tell Ash I said hi and be safe."

"I will." She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Heading towards the kitchen, I stop outside the door trying to get up the courage to go in. Shoving the papers into my hoodie pocket I push open the door and tug nervously it my sleeve as I sit down across from them, avoiding their eyes.

"Hi," Wanda says softly. "You look nice."

My eyes flick up to meet hers, and I'm surprised to find dark circles under hers, "you look tired."

She chuckles slightly, "yeah it's been.. a week."

Guilt fills me as a pit forms in my stomach. Had she not been sleeping because of me? "I'm sorry," I tell her.

Natasha finally speaks before Wanda could, "you have nothing to apologize for," she tells me. "I'm the one that's sorry. I never should have acted how I did or jumped to conclusions about why you hadn't told us about being a Stark. Given the circumstances I probably would have done the same to protect my family."

"Thank you for saying that," I tell her. "It wasn't all you though, I could have handled it better."

"We both could have," Natasha says softly. Like Wanda, she also looks tired. "I am truly sorry Megan."

I nod slightly, "I know, I am too." I hesitate before pulling out the papers from my pocket, "there is something we need do before moving forward though. This is an non disclosure agreement saying that you won't tell anyone who we are." Sliding over the NDA I tell them, "you don't have to sign it, but-" I stop short as both of them don't even hesitate before signing it. "Just like that?" I ask them. "You don't want to read it?"

Natasha shakes her head, "we don't need to."

"We trust you, and we want you to trust us," Wanda adds.

"And if this is the first step in regaining your trust, then it's a no brainer," Natasha says with a small grin.

"It is," I tell them as my phone chimes in my pocket. "I missed you guys," I admit.

"We missed you too," Wanda tells me.

I smile slightly, "yeah Allie tells me that you've been texting her all week."

"We needed to know if you were alright and you weren't talking to us, but Allie was," Natasha answers.

"She's a good kid," Wanda says. "She loves you a lot.

And according to said kid, so do you, I think to myself. Before I can answer, my phone chimes again and this time I glance down at it and feel my heart stop-

ALLIE STARK ADMITTED TO STARK MEMORIAL HOSPITAL