Nightmares
For the fourth time this week you woke up in a cold sweat. Your pjs sticking to you uncomfortably. Nat and wanda were away on a mission for the week and despite being reluctant to leave you they had to. Director fury’s orders.
It was almost becoming normal for you to spend hours tossing and turning trying to sleep only to wake up in the morning even more tired and feeling gross in the damp sheets and clothes.
With a sigh you pulled back the covers knowing you had to change the sheets again so the room didn’t smell bad. Trudging into the bathroom you peeled off your clothes dumping them in the wash and making a mental note to wash them and the other three pairs of pjs you had soaked through. With am exhausted sigh you stepped into the shower melting at the feeling of the warm water washing off the remnants of an awful sleep.
After a shower, you had changed the sheets before going off in search of breakfast.
Shocked to see pepper standing in the kitchen tapping away on her tablet.
“Pep?” You asked.
“Oh hi y/n/n long time no see huh?” She said looking up. “I had to come remind Tony about the meeting and thought I’d stick around a bit. He was ignoring my calls thinking it would get him out of his work.”
You laughed slightly, their dynamic was adorable. Pepper was motherly to all the avengers and worried a little too much sometimes. On top of the stress of running stark industries you often made her take breaks.
“Honey you look tired, are you feeling ok sweets?” She asked coming and laying a hand on your forehead.
“Im fine, just haven’t slept well lately.” You shrugged as she removed her hand and frowned.
“Well, I know a but about not sleeping from Tony’s late night adventures in the lab. And i know how important it is to sleep. As well as how stressful it can be for your partner to be risking their life somewhere off grid.” She smiled softly.
“Yeah, it’s tough. But I’m doing ok.” You said.
“Well the bags under your beautiful eyes say otherwise.” She smiled “i think wanda and Natasha might be getting back early as well. I’ve had Jarvis keeping tabs on them for you and he says their work was almost done around lunch time yesterday.”
“We got back last night actually.” A voice came from the doorway and you turned launching yourself into Nat’s arms. “Hello my love.” She said placing a kiss on the top of your head. “Now whats this about not sleeping?” She asked tilting your head up to face her.
“Its nothing.” You said and before she could reply you felt a tap on your shoulder. Spinning around you launched yourself at wanda, wrapping you legs around her waist. She chuckled and stabilised herself against the wall.
“Sweets you look tired. And i know you missed us and probably haven’t eaten breakfast.” She said studying your face.
“Why don’t you and natty take a nap in our bed and I’ll make breakfast for the three of us and pepper. Because we all know she hasn’t eaten.” She said shooting pepper a look returned with a sheepish smile. The only one who more of a mother than pepper was wanda despite being one the youngest of the team. She just had a natural caring instinct.
“Alright. Sounds good to me.” Nat said as wanda passed you to her. You laid your head onto her shoulder and closed your eyes. Wanda cooed at your sleepy form.
“Go take our baby to get some sleep and I’ll call you down a bit later.” Wanda said.
“And you.” She turned to pepper. “Are going to drink a glass of water and not just coffee and take a shower while i get breakfast ready. God knows you could use one to relax a bit.” She said and pepper saluted and walked off to her part time room in the compound chuckling to herself softly and still tapping away on her tablet.
You didn’t remember falling asleep but you woke up to a hand on your shoulder and a familiar wetness on your clothes.
“Baby are you ok?” Nat’s worried voice came
“Yeah ‘s normal.” You said slurring slightly
“Baby how long has this been going on.”
“Four five nights.” You said sitting up and getting up to change again.
After another shower and Nat had changed the sheets you walked back down to see how wanda was doing with breakfast.
“Hello sleepyhead, just in time.” She smiled and you saw pepper sitting at the table with damp hair freshly showered and beaming at you and the promise of real food and not just coffee.
After the four of you had eaten and wanda began to clean up you were sat chatting to pepper as wanda and Natasha were in the kitchen.
“Y/n/ns been having trouble sleeping. She’s exhausted and when i woke her up she was covered in sweat.” Nat said to wanda frowning.
“Oh poor girl, i forgot this time of year is always hard for her. But she’s been doing so well lately it completely slipped my mind.”
“Why is this time of year hard?” Nat asked drying off a plate with a towel.
“Its the time of year that hydra killed her brother. I held her for days in that cell until she couldn’t cry anymore tears.” Wanda said with a sigh. “Its been five years but i think us being away only intensified her anxieties about loosing loved ones, she’s most likely been having nightmares and hence the sweating.”
“Aww our sweet girl.” Nat said shaking her head.
After the kitchen was clean wanda and nat led you back to your shared room. Promising they would never leave you in this time of the year again. You had teared up, thanking them and as you fell asleep in their arms that night you didn’t have nightmares for once. Knowing your girls were safe in your bed.