"no one can hurt you again"
Natasha Romanoff strolled down the bustling New York City streets, keeping a watchful eye on the young girl bouncing excitedly beside her.
"Thanks for taking me out today, Mom!" 16-year-old Penny Parker beamed up at Natasha. "It's so cool hanging out with the Black Widow."
Natasha smiled fondly at her adoptive daughter. After Penny's Aunt May had passed away, Natasha took the orphaned girl under her wing. Their relationship had flourished over the past few years into a fiercely devoted mother-daughter bond.
"Of course, sweetie. I'm always here for you," Natasha said, wrapping an arm around Penny's shoulders. She knew the pain of losing loved ones all too well. If she could provide Penny with even a fraction of the childhood she herself had missed out on, it was worth it.
They stopped to window shop, Penny oohing and ahhing over the latest tech gadgets. Natasha made a mental note of a few to come back for later as gifts. She loved indulging her girl's scientific genius.
As they turned down a quiet side street, Natasha noticed a black van slowly trailing them. Her spy senses tingled.
"Penny, stay close," she murmured, shifting into a defensive stance.
Penny's eyes widened as she too noticed the van. "Do you think...?"
Before she could finish the question, the van screeched to a halt, blocking their path. Over a dozen armed Hydra soldiers poured out.
Natasha drew her batons, shielding Penny. "Run! Get out of here!" she yelled.
But Penny stood her ground, deploying her web shooters. "No way! I'm not leaving you." She may have only been 16, but the young hero had also inherited Tony Stark's fierce loyalty.
Together, Black Widow and Spider-Girl battled the oncoming forces. Natasha struck out fiercely with her batons while Penny flipped through the air, webbing Hydra agents together. But they just kept coming.
Two soldiers grabbed Penny's arms, wrenching them behind her back. She cried out in pain, struggling to break their grip.
"Let her go!" Natasha shouted, taking down one with a hard kick. But more swarmed her until she disappeared under a pile of black tactical gear.
"Mom! No!" Penny screamed. One of the soldiers jabbed a syringe into her neck and she slumped over, world spinning away.
When Penny came to, she was locked in a cold, dark cell. "Mom!" she called out anxiously.
"I'm here," came Natasha's voice. Penny scrambled over to the corner where Natasha was sitting against the wall. She threw her arms around the woman, hugging her tight.
"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Penny asked worriedly, checking her over.
Natasha cupped her face. "I'll be alright. I'm just glad you're safe." She took in their bleak surroundings. "Any idea where Hydra's taken us?"
Penny shook her head, peering around. The heavy door looked impenetrable. "No clue. But we've gotta get out and warn the Avengers."
For the next few hours, they systematically searched every inch of the cell, testing for weaknesses. But it was fruitless. Hydra had planned well. Even the vents were too narrow to crawl through.
Penny paced restlessly. "There has to be some way to reach the others. If only I could get a message to Wanda..." Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Wanda!"
She turned excitedly to Natasha. "When Wanda and I were trapped in that cave-in last year, we somehow formed this like...psychic connection. I totally forgot until now. But maybe if I focus, I can contact her again!"
"It's worth a try," Natasha said. She watched hopefully as Penny scrunched her face up in concentration.
FLASHBACK: ONE YEAR AGO
"Come on, keep up!" Penny Parker called over her shoulder, skipping ahead eagerly through the narrow cave passage.
Wanda Maximoff smiled indulgently at the younger girl's enthusiasm and hurried to catch up. As an Avenger, spelunking through a remote cave system to investigate potential alien activity was all in a day's work for her. But for 15-year-old Penny who still saw the world with a sense of wonder, it was an exciting adventure.
When the energy signal they were tracking led deep underground, Steve had suggested the two of them scout it out first, being the most agile team members. Wanda was always happy to pair up with Penny. Since Natasha had taken her under the team's wing, Wanda saw the girl as the little sister she'd never had.
"Slow down, speedy!" Wanda laughed. "The signal's not going anywhere. And we don't know what might be lurking down here."
Penny skipped back to her side. "Good point. Wouldn't want to run into a scary mole monster or something!" She made claw hands at Wanda jokingly.
Wanda grinned and playfully swatted her hands away. "Keep it up and I'll use my powers to turn you into a mole monster!"
Penny just giggled. Together they continued following the beeping tracker device deeper into the cave. The rocky passage narrowed until they had to shuffle through sideways.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Penny asked, voice echoing off the close walls. "It's getting really tight."
Wanda checked the tracker which was pulsing faster now. "The signal is stronger down here so we must be close." She tried to peer ahead but even her enhanced vision was useless in the pitch blackness. "Just stick close to me."
They edged forward carefully until the tracker beeped rapidly indicating the source was directly ahead. But their path ended abruptly at a solid wall of rock and dirt.
Penny rubbed her hands along the dead end. "Huh, guess the signal was faulty." She tried to squeeze back around to face Wanda. "Maybe we should turn ba..." She was cut off as the ground suddenly shook violently beneath them.
"Penny!" Wanda cried out, blindly grabbing for the girl as rocks began raining down over their heads. They huddled together, Wanda desperately trying to shield Penny's body with her own as the narrow tunnel collapsed around them.
Finally the rumbling stopped, leaving them entombed in crushing darkness. Wanda conjured a soft glow with her magic, illuminating their faces. "Penny! Are you alright?" she asked urgently.
Penny coughed on the dusty air but gave a brave nod. "I'm okay. Just some cuts and bruises. What about you?"
Wanda winced as she shifted, likely having cracked a few ribs during the cave in. But she forced a smile. "I'll survive. Here, let me take a look at those cuts."
She examined Penny's various scrapes and abrasions, gingerly cleaning away the dirt and blood with the edge of her cloak. Penny remained stoic even as Wanda dabbed antiseptic on the deeper gashes.
Once Penny was patched up, she looked around worriedly at the tons of rock and soil sealing them in on all sides. "Do you think the team even knows where to find us? I mean, we kind of went off the grid here."
Wanda squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Steve knows we were tracking this signal. When we miss our check-in time, he'll come looking. We just have to stay calm and conserve resources until they can get to us."
Penny nodded, putting on a brave face. But Wanda could sense the younger girl's rising anxiety. She wished she could do more to comfort her.
Over the next few hours, they took stock of their supplies - Wanda's magic for light and minimal first aid gear, along with a couple bottles of water and protein bars. Hardly enough to sustain them for long.
Wanda did her best to keep up conversation, trying to distract Penny from their dire situation. But she could feel the girl's nerves fraying as time passed with no sign of rescue.
"What's taking them so long?" Penny finally burst out, voice cracking with emotion. "Shouldn't they be here by now?" She pulled her knees to her chest, looking small and afraid.
Seeing her in such distress made Wanda's heart ache. She wrapped an arm around the trembling girl, letting Penny rest her head on her shoulder. "I know it's scary being trapped in the dark. But we have to keep faith that help is coming. Can you be brave for me?"
Penny lifted her face to meet Wanda's earnest gaze and slowly nodded. "I'll try my best."
"That's my girl." Wanda brushed a loose strand of hair back from Penny's face affectionately. She knew Natasha would want her to watch out for Penny like a sister.
They lapsed into silence for a while until Penny spoke up softly. "Wanda? Can I ask you something?"
"Of course, anything," Wanda said gently.
"Do you...do you ever still miss your brother? I know it's been a long time, but..." Penny trailed off uncertainly.
Wanda swallowed hard, thinking of Pietro. Even years later, the loss could still feel raw. "Every day," she admitted. "But keeping his memory alive helps. Like how I know he'd want me to protect you right now," she added with a sad smile.
Penny bit her lip. "I'm glad I have you then. This would be really scary alone." Her eyes misted over. "It's how I felt after I lost Aunt May too. Before Nat became my new family."
Impulsively, Wanda pulled Penny into a fierce hug. "You're not alone, Penny. Not ever again. I'll always be here for you, I promise." Penny clung to her tightly, taking comfort in the embrace.
Eventually, exhaustion overtook them and they huddled together for warmth, drifting to sleep. As Wanda's consciousness faded, her last thoughts were of keeping Penny safe.
Some time later, Wanda jerked awake to a thunderous crashing sound. For a bewildered moment, she thought the cave was collapsing again. Then she heard Steve's voice calling distantly through the rock. "Wanda! Penny! Can you hear me?"
"We're here!" Wanda yelled back hoarsely. She shook Penny's shoulder. "Penny, wake up! They found us."
Penny stirred, eyes lighting up once she realized help had arrived. The crashing grew louder as the team broke through layer after layer of rock.
Finally, dust filled the small space as one last boulder was shoved aside, revealing the worried faces of the Avengers peering down at them. Steve and Thor helped haul the two girls up and out of the rubble.
"Thank God you're both okay," Steve said, giving them a quick once over for injuries as Natasha rushed forward to hug Penny fiercely.
"I'm so glad you're safe," Natasha murmured, holding the girl tight. She gave Wanda a grateful look over Penny's head. "Thank you for taking care of her."
Wanda smiled tiredly. "Of course. We looked after each other." She kept one hand on Penny's back as they headed out into the fresh air and sunlight, neither quite ready to lose contact.
On the quinjet ride home, Wanda dozed beside Penny, both emotionally and physically drained. As she slipped into sleep, it felt like a psychic thread connected her to Penny's mind, keeping watch even as her consciousness faded.
The next day, Wanda went to check on Penny who was recovering in her room at the compound. "How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting on the bed beside her.
"Still a little shaken up, but better now that we're back," Penny said. She looked at Wanda curiously. "This is going to sound weird, but when I woke up this morning, I swear I could kind of...sense that you were coming to see me? Like I knew you were worried about me."
Wanda's eyes widened in surprise. "I did feel drawn here strongly this morning by a need to check on you. Do you think when we were trapped down there, it created some kind of psychic bond between us?"
"Maybe," Penny said thoughtfully. She concentrated and this time Wanda clearly heard her voice in her head saying "Can you hear me?"
Wanda nodded excitedly. "This could be really useful! We should see if we can practice this new connection." For all the trauma of the cave-in, at least something good had come from the ordeal in bringing them even closer together.
Over the next few weeks, they trained the psychic link until they could communicate mentally over longer distances. It gave them both comfort to know that no matter where they were, they could call for each other if needed.
Their shared trauma had forged an unbreakable sisterly bond. As long as they had that, they knew they could survive anything the future held.
END OF FLASHBACK: BACK TO PRESENT DAY
Hundreds of miles away at the Avengers compound, Wanda Maximoff was reading in her room when she suddenly gripped her head. Penny's frightened voice echoed through her mind.
Wanda jumped up. "Penny? Where are you?" she thought back. A brief vision flashed - Penny and Natasha locked in a cell. Wanda gasped and raced off to find the others.
"Steve! Penny and Nat are in trouble!" Wanda called out. "They've been captured somewhere."
Steve Rogers looked at her sharply. "Are you certain? Can you tell where?"
Wanda focused again but all she got was darkness. "No...but they need help. I can feel Penny's fear."
"Then let's move," Steve ordered. Within minutes, the quinjet was prepped for takeoff. "We'll scan for any Hydra signals," Steve told Wanda as they sped off. "Stay connected to Penny. We're coming for you two," he thought determinedly.
Back in the cell, Penny's eyes flew open. "It worked! I reached Wanda. The team's on their way for us."
Natasha allowed herself a small smile of relief. "Good job, Penny. Now let's keep working on getting ourselves out too." Escape could not come soon enough.
Before they could strategize further, the heavy door suddenly clanged open. Two Hydra soldiers entered, followed by a man in a lab coat - the leader.
"The famed Black Widow, and Spider-Girl," he mused. "How fortuitous. I have great plans for two new assets."
Natasha stepped protectively in front of Penny. "We'll die before helping Hydra."
The man laughed coldly. "My dear, you won't have a choice." He nodded to the guards. "Bring them. We have work to do."
As the guards approached, Penny shot a web onto the ceiling and tried to yank herself and Natasha up. But one guard's electrified baton disrupted her web shooter. They both cried out as electricity coursed through them before blacking out.
When Penny came to, she was strapped upright in a lab chair. Across from her, Natasha was bound in a similar position still unconscious.
The Hydra leader approached with a sinister smile. "Good, you're awake. We can begin." He wheeled over a cart of wicked-looking instruments. "Tell me everything you know about the Avengers facility and its defenses."
Penny shuddered but lifted her chin bravely. "I won't betray my family."
The man tsked. "Have it your way." He selected a vicious looking knife and slowly dragged the blade down Penny's arm.
She screamed in pain as blood welled up. The sharp agony jolted Natasha awake. "Penny!" Seeing her daughter being tortured unleashed a ferocious strength in Natasha and she strained against the restraints holding her.
"Tell me how to defeat the Avengers and this ends," the man said calmly over Penny's cries.
"Don't...say...anything," Penny ground out before passing out from the pain.
"You bastard!" Natasha snarled, beside herself. The man merely grinned and moved toward her with the bloodied knife. Natasha braced herself, praying the team would arrive in time.
Suddenly the wall exploded inward. Captain America's shield came flying through the dust, knocking the Hydra leader away from Natasha. The Avengers swarmed in, quickly taking down the remaining forces.
Steve broke Natasha and Penny free of their bonds while Bruce rushed to tend to Penny's injuries. "You're both safe now," Steve said firmly.
Natasha cradled a semi-conscious Penny against her chest, tears in her eyes. "You came just in time." She would never let her little girl come to harm again.
They hurried Penny and Natasha onto the quinjet and raced back to the Avengers compound. Once Penny was safely tucked into the med bay bed, Natasha refused to leave her side. She gently stroked Penny's hair until the girl's brown eyes fluttered open.
"Mom?" Penny asked weakly.
"I'm here, baby," Natasha soothed. "We're home now. No one can hurt you again."
Penny relaxed into her comforting embrace. Natasha continued keeping watch through the day, ready to defend her child from anything. By night, Penny was recovered enough to return to her own bedroom.
Natasha brought her some food to her bed, fussing over her. "Just rest today. And call if you need absolutely anything."
Penny gave a small smile. "I will. But you should get some rest too, Mom." She knew Natasha needed reassurance she was safe now.
There was a soft knock and Wanda peeked in. "How are you feeling?"
Penny hugged her friend happily. "Much better now that we're back. All thanks to you."
Wanda smiled and sat on the bed with her and Natasha. No words were needed to convey the strong sisterly bond between them.
Natasha wrapped her arms around both girls. After coming so close to losing her family, she vowed to never take a moment for granted again. No force would ever break the strength of their love.
The morning after nearly being kidnapped by Hydra, Penny Parker got ready for school slowly, still feeling emotionally drained. She winced slightly pulling a sweater over the healing cuts on her arms.
"Are you sure you're up for school today?" Natasha asked gently, brushing Penny's hair back. "No one would blame you for taking another day to recover."
Penny considered it, but shook her head. "I should go back to normal routine. But can Wanda come with again?" After yesterday's trauma, she wasn't ready to be separated from her sisterly friend yet.
"Of course. I already asked her to keep an eye on you," Natasha said. She pulled Penny in for a tight hug. "Call if you need me to come get you at all."
Penny nodded into her shoulder. "I will, Mom. Love you." She felt better knowing Natasha was just a phone call away if she started feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
Wanda was waiting by the car, and grinned when she saw Penny. "Morning sis! Ready for school?"
Penny smiled back, already feeling more relaxed in Wanda's comforting presence. "Ready as I'll ever be."
They chatted lightly on the drive over, Wanda trying to keep the mood upbeat. Penny was grateful for the distraction from thinking too much about the previous day's events.
At school, Penny stopped by her locker where her best friend Ned was waiting eagerly. "Penny! I heard about you and Nat getting captured by Hydra from the Avengers mission report. Are you okay?"
Penny smiled at his concern. "I'm alright now, Ned. Wanda and the team rescued us just in time." She nodded toward where Wanda was grabbing some books from her own locker nearby.
"Woah, so it's true you have like a psychic bond with Wanda now?" Ned asked, eyes wide behind his glasses. "That's so epic!"
Penny laughed. "Yeah it's pretty crazy. Came in handy though." The first bell rang then, and they hurried off to class.
Wanda caught up and gave Penny's shoulder a supportive squeeze before splitting off for her own classroom. Penny slid into her seat in history class, preparing herself for a long day back.
She made it through her morning classes without issue. Having Wanda psychically check in on her now and then helped ease her nerves. At lunch, she regaled her girlfriend MJ and Ned with the full story of the Hydra mission while they listened raptly.
"That's so intense, babe," MJ said, shaking her head. "I'm glad Nat and the Avengers were there to rescue you." She took Penny's hand, running her thumb comfortingly over the healing scars there.
Penny nodded. "Me too. It was really scary, but..." She was cut off by a tray suddenly slamming down next to her, making them all jump.
"Well if it isn't Penis Parker, back from her weekend of lame orphan nerd activities," drawled the unpleasantly familiar voice of Flash Thompson.
Penny tensed, the bully's mocking tone stirring up bad memories. "Just leave me alone, Flash," she said quietly, not in the mood to deal with him after everything.
But Flash just sneered. "What's wrong, Parker? Get your feelings hurt during another stupid Avengers playdate?" He shoved her shoulder roughly. "Why don't you just get lost, nobody wants you here."
Anger flashed through Penny, her frayed emotions making it hard to hold back. "Don't touch me, Flash," she snapped, shoving him back.
Flash's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You'll regret that, you little bitch." He reared back to punch her.
A hand suddenly caught his swinging fist mid-air. "She told you not to touch her," Wanda said coldly, eyes glowing red. With a flick of magic, she sent Flash stumbling back.
"Penny, are you alright?" Wanda asked gently, sitting beside her. Ned and MJ looked relieved by the intervention.
Penny let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks, Wanda." She shot a grateful look at her sisterly protector. Wanda stayed by her side the rest of lunch, keeping Flash far away with warning glares.
The afternoon classes passed uneventfully until the final bell. Penny met up with Wanda by the front entrance, both ready to go home. They had just stepped outside when Flash appeared, flanked by his friends.
"Leaving so soon, Parker? We've got unfinished business," he threatened, cracking his knuckles.
Wanda moved forward, magic sparking, but Penny caught her arm. "He's not worth it. Let's just go."
"Not so fast," Flash growled. He shoved Penny brutally from behind, knocking her to the ground.
Suddenly a car came screeching up, as Natasha jumped out looking livid. In seconds she had Flash pinned against the wall by his throat, feet dangling.
"If you ever lay a hand on my daughter again, I'll make you regret the day you were born," she hissed. Flash whimpered, nodding frantically.
Natasha dropped him in disgust and was instantly at Penny's side helping her up. "Are you hurt?" she asked worriedly, checking her over.
"I'm okay, Mom," Penny assured her. Having Natasha there instantly made her feel safer. She shot a grateful look at Wanda. "Let's just get out of here."
They got in the car, both teens hugging Natasha tightly. "I'm so proud of how brave you were today," she told Penny, kissing her forehead. "And thank you for having her back," she added to Wanda.
"Of course. No one messes with my little sis," Wanda said fiercely. She high-fived Penny with a smile.
Penny smiled back, feeling so thankful for her mom and sister. She leaned her head contentedly on Wanda's shoulder as Natasha drove them back to the safety of home, where they could recover from the day's events together. No matter what lies Flash or anyone else said, she knew she would always have a family who loved her.