Road To Recovery | Wanda x Reader (2/3)

Chapter 5 ~ Fifty Three & Fifty Four

Stepping out, Y/N leaned against the now closed office door, exhaling heavily. Bringing a hand across their face, they shook themselves, before moving along the long corridor towards the floor's elevator. Floor 53. Y/N hated Floor 53, almost three months ago now HYDRA had blown 53 and 54 apart, invaded the Tower, and turned Y/N's life upside down. Even with the fifth weekly therapy session under their belt, 53 and 54 still haunted him, day or night. Having to watch the elevator tick past 53 and 54 each day on the way to their personal lab on floor 55 and each week to see their therapist, hadn't been getting any easier for Y/N. As the doors closed, Y/N tried to tear their eyes from the display as the numbers ominously ticked upwards, but they just couldn't, maybe they never would. If there was a plus side to all this, Y/N could now walk without using the wheelchair.

Y/N's breathing was haphazardly increasing now, their heart was trying to break itself free from their chest. Desperately searching their mind for the tools they'd learnt so far, Y/N was grateful when they found them again. Eyes closed, in for five out for five. Maybe it was in for five, out for seven. Either way it wasn't working very well.

"Mx L/N, you appear to be in distress, I'm diverting this elevator to the Avengers Communal floor."

"No JARVIS! I'm fine."

When the doors finally pulled themselves opened, Y/N's legs failed them and they fell forwards, heading straight for the hard tiled floor below. Y/N closed their eyes, then they realised they weren't falling anymore. Opening them, Y/N allowed their eyes to take in their surroundings.

A swirling red mist.

Wanda.

Wanda was here.

As Y/N was lowered down to the floor, Wanda threw herself at them, holding on tight. Y/N just hugged back tighter. They sat like that for a while, at least ten minutes, though Y/N couldn't be sure. All the while Wanda combed her fingers through her partner's hair, as she knew it comforted them. Allowing Y/N to cry into her, their sobs getting softer as the minutes ticked by. After a while, Y/N pulled away, and Wanda took the opportunity to press a chaste kiss on Y/N's lips. Smiling to herself, as they hummed contently.

"Thanks, Wanda." Y/N responded, as she moved to stand.

"You don't need to thank me, Y/N." Wanda replied, carefully pulling them up with her.

Walking hand in hand to the faded, leather bound armchair, she lowered gently into the seat with Y/N collapsing less gently onto Wanda's lap.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Sighing, Y/N began, "I-I can't-. Every time I go to my new lab or to therapy or to come up here, I have to go past where they, HYDRA, broke in. I can't handle it. Every time the elevator ticks past 53 and 54, I - ." Y/N stopped, letting out a shaky breath as Wanda hugged them closer. " Maybe I should leave?"

"No Y/N, you're not leaving. We'll figure something out." Wanda said, moving Y/N's face round to look at her. "Maybe ask Stark to move your lab to another floor?"

Y/N started crying again, remembering Wanda's lost birthday present.

"Oh Y/N, why don't you sleep for a bit, I'll be right here."

Y/N nodded, their tears slowing as their brain was gradually overtaken by much needed sleep.

Just as Y/N drifted off, Wanda jerked her head up to the soft ping of the elevator arriving on the far side of the room. Pepper stepped out, followed by Natasha, talking animatedly to each other. Natasha saw Wanda and Y/N first and whispered to Pepper to keep her voice down, Pepper smiled at Wanda before excusing herself to the kitchen, Natasha came over and sat down on the edge of the coffee table, opposite the armchair.

"How are they?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"I was up here reading, and Y/N just came out of the elevator, and collapsed. I caught them. Y/N told me how difficult they find going past the floors that HYDRA broke into. I don't think they've been sleeping well."

"Дерьмо (Shit), ask Stark to move Y/N's lab to another floor."

"That is what I said, but then they began to cry." Wanda finished, looking down.

"If you triggered something, Wanda, it's not your fault."

"I know, I know, I just wish there was something I could do."

"You being here for Y/N is more than enough, I'll talk to Tony. Sleep, you need rest too."

"Thank you, Nat"

Natasha gave a rare, comforting smile back, as Wanda yawned and snuggled closer into Y/N.

~~~~~

As JARVIS finished playing the footage from earlier, Tony turned off the lab monitor swivelled back around to face Nat, "Thanks for showing me that Natasha."

"No problem, I want to help Y/N as much as you, Wanda and everyone else on the team does." She replied, sitting down on the only area of the workbench, devoid of clutter.

"I'll speak to Pepper about getting the builders in, to relocate the lab."

"Thanks Tony, I'll let Wanda know when she wakes up." Natasha said, getting up from the bench and leaving the lab.

Tony watched her go, "J, can you send Pep down, when she's free?"

"Miss Potts is asking if it is to do with your Arc Reactor, Sir? She adds that she will not put it back in you again."

Tony laughed at the memory, "No J, it's about Y/N's lab."

"Miss Potts is on her way down Sir."

"Thanks JARVIS."

"Sir."

Tony pushed back in his chair, rolling back over to another workbench. If Y/N was getting their lab moved, he'd have to make it state of art, maybe even as good as his own. Aside from Rhodey, Sharon, Hope and Mary, Y/N L/N was one of Tony's oldest friends. They'd helped Tony many times, not just with Stark Industries projects, but now it was Tony's turn to help Y/N along that similar long road.