Chapter 3
We invited Melina to the compound, making sure to send Clint and one of the quinjets to pick her up. I made the choice not to tell Melina that Yelena was alive and well. She deserved good surprises just as much as the rest of us, and this was one she would forgive me for. It had been a few days of finally getting to spend time with Yelena and catch up on everything we’d missed with each other. In doing so, Yelena was able to get to know Wanda better, and from what I could tell, they were really enjoying each other’s company. Something I was beyond thankful for. Wanda had a way of bringing out Yelena’s more playful and childlike side, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest to see. She hadn’t lost her innocence or her childhood. It was still inside her, and she never let them break her. Melina had been cycled through the red room four times because her mind was stronger than their tactics of brainwashing, but Yelena and I had managed to learn from her and never allowed them to take our hearts from us. Yelena was still learning to let her walls down and allow us to see that hers was still there, whereas I’d been away from everything long enough that most of my walls have fallen already. Currently, we were sitting together in one of the common rooms, anxiously waiting for Clint to show up with Melina.
“Nat?” Yelena asked gently.
“Yeah?” I asked, Wanda mindlessly playing with my fingers.
“Do you ever wish you could go back to the person you were before? Like back when we were in Ohio?” She practically whispered, and I could feel two sets of eyes on me.
“I miss the innocence and belief I had. Belief that Melina would figure out a way to get us out of there, all of us. Belief that Alexi wouldn’t just hand us over once everything was done. Belief that it all meant something to them as much as it meant something to us. Real or not, Melina was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a mother, and we are the closest she’s ever been to being a mother. Given the way she treats the pigs she takes care of… I would say it was something she longed for as well.” I said with a slight laugh.
“So then… Why did you stop talking to her?” She asked with her eyebrows knit together.
“After we… When we got the news that you’d died, seeing her only reminded me of you and our family. It was selfish of me. But she understood that. Just like she always had. We both felt like we failed you, and we punished ourselves in different ways because of that pain. Mine was removing the comfort she brought me, and hers was letting me do that because she didn’t believe she deserved to call herself a mother when she couldn’t save one of her daughters.” I said, doing my best to calm down the burning in my throat.
“But that makes no sense. Even if I had died… It wasn’t your fault, and it wasn’t hers.” She argued with her signature frown on her face.
“Can I… Say something?” Wanda asked timidly.
“Of course, sweet girl,” I said, looking to Yelena for her opinion.
“Please.” She said, casting her intense gaze on Wanda.
“I killed people. I did what I was supposed to do to keep Steve and the others alive, but in doing so, I killed a lot of people. Because of that… It felt impossible to see the good in my magic. I refused to use it for anything, too afraid that it would hurt others. But it was Nat that helped me to see that my magic wasn’t evil. I had placed my guilt on my magic instead of letting it help anyone else, and I repressed it. That’s what happened with Melina and Nat. Melina, as your mother, wanted to keep you safe and protect you from any harm, and when she heard you’d died, her mind went over all of the ways she failed you. She didn’t want to risk failing Nat as well. As for Nat…” She said, looking at me with gentle eyes.
“It’s okay, bug,” I whispered, kissing the side of her head.
“Nat looked at Melina, and she was disappointed in her. Something that constantly hurt her. Melina should have protected you as children. In growing up and getting her own freedom, she wanted to correct that for you. She wanted to forgive Melina for letting both of you down. So they worked together to right the wrongs of the past. But the second they heard that they failed and you were a casualty of their delayed spring to action, it was too hard for them to be around each other without placing blame and feeling guilt. I… I have never met Melina nor spoken to her, but from listening to the two of you tell stories for the past couple of days, I know that she was good to you. Both of you. She gave you hope. I think it’s time you returned that kindness to her.” She said, avoiding eye contact.
“Wow. Did you find yourself a shrink?” Yelena joked.
“Just a very perceptive and healing woman of magic,” I said with a gentle smile.
“You know… Mom’s going to love her.” She said with a laugh.
“Today is about you.” I reminded her, feeling Wanda slightly tense up next to me.
“It’s about both of us. But I’m sorry, Wanda, she will be far more excited about my return from the dead.” Yelena said with a wink.
“That’s perfectly fine with me,” Wanda grumbled, pulling me as close as possible.
“Bug? Why don’t you get dressed for the day? We can go pick up some ice cream before Clint gets back with Melina.” I suggested.
“Really?” She asked, eyes as large as saucers.
“Absolutely. Now go.” I said, kissing her forehead.
She happily got up from the couch and made her way to our room. Because of all of the extra excitement since Yelena showed up, I hadn’t forced Wanda to go on our normal runs in the morning. That meant she was able to lounge around in her pajamas all morning, and it was something she was clearly enjoying while it lasted. Wanda was clearly nervous for today, and I couldn’t blame her. I was just as nervous about it for the same and other reasons. I was the one that stopped talking to her, I knew that she would’ve continued to stay in contact with me after the news of Yelena, but I couldn’t deal with it. Clint had let me know that Melina was willing to come back, and I knew that I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was slightly shocked that she agreed to come here. Of course, that could mean that she missed me enough to come to a place crawling with people who wouldn’t understand anything about us or our dynamic. I could feel Yelena’s eyes on me, and her face told me she wanted to ask something but wasn’t sure how to go about it. I could see the inner battle raging behind her eyes and decided to be the one that brought it up for her.
“What is it?” I asked with a small laugh.
“Did Wanda tense up when I said mom was going to love her?” She asked with a frown.
“She… The short answer is yes. The long answer is not my story to tell, but just know that she and Pietro lost their parents. They both were scared kids, and it’s what led to them being with HYDRA.” I said with a sigh.
“These HYDRA people… They’re dead, yes?” She asked firmly.
“Yes, sestra. They’re dead.” I said with a soft laugh.
“Good. Or I would’ve suggested that we go and show them everything the Red Room taught us.” She grumbled.
“Believe me… They were taken care of. We almost lost Pietro in the process, but we were able to thankfully bring him back, and I was able to prevent her from feeling what I felt when I heard that you died.” I said with a sad smile.
“You know… You always seem to know what she needs. I thought that you were lucky that you found her, but I think you’re both equally lucky.” Yelena said thoughtfully.
“All I want to do is make sure she feels nothing but joy,” I said with a shrug.
“I think you do an amazing job.” Came Wanda’s gentle voice.
“I would have to agree,” Yelena said, both of us turning to see Wanda standing in the doorway.
“Alright, you two, time for ice cream now,” I said, shaking my head gently.
Wanda squealed happily, and Yelena pulled herself off the chair. We made our way to the car, and I made sure to hand Wanda her shoes and found a pair that Yelena could wear since the one thing we’d forgotten to get her were shoes. Her reasoning was that we had the same size shoes, so she didn’t need to get new ones, which was fair. But she still needed to get her own shoes because she loved to take the shoes that I loved the most, which was why I had to give her certain pairs so she didn’t use my favorites. Yelena sent me a look, letting me know she knew exactly what I was doing, but accepted the shoes anyway. The drive to the ice cream store wasn’t long, which was good because Wanda was beginning to vibrate in her seat with excitement. I had to hold her hand to keep her from sprinting into the shop without us, but Yelena was getting just as excited. It made me wonder how long it had been since she’d been able to enjoy ice cream. I shook the thought from my head and allowed the sweet smell of the ice cream shop to overtake my senses. We all stood there reading the flavors and making our choices when I felt Wanda gently tugging at my sleeve.
“Natty? Can I get two scoops…?” Wanda asked, batting her eyes at me.
“Of course, detka.” I said with a smile.
“And what about me, sestra?” Yelena asked with a smirk.
“Just order whatever you want. There’s no need to be a brat about it.” I said, rolling my eyes.
“It’s been too long since I’ve annoyed you. I have time to make up for.” She said with a shrug.
We got our ice cream and sat down outside to enjoy it. Wanda and Yelena had gotten lost in their love for their ice cream, completely zoning out. It was cute to see, knowing that they were really enjoying their sweet treat. I had to admit that it was good, but it had also been a long time since I’d allowed myself to enjoy ice cream this way as well. Once they snapped out of their trances, they fell into conversation, talking about their happiest moments eating ice cream. Yelena told a story about when we were in Ohio, and Melina allowed us to stay home from school and brought us to get ice cream. Once again, showing us that she truly wanted to be our mother over anything. Wanda talked about how she and Pietro were able to watch sitcoms with their parents, and while they did that, it was the one time that they would be allowed to eat it. It was their reward for learning. Wanda had never shared that story with me before, and I could see that she was allowing herself to open up further, seeing that Yelena was making the same effort. It warmed my heart, and I was able to actually learn more about both of them. We finished up our ice cream and headed back to the compound, knowing that Clint and Melina would be arriving soon. When we got back, I told Yelena and Wanda to go wait in the common area where we were before, and I would wait for Clint and Melina to land.
While I waited, my nerves were bubbling around at the surface, but they were still somewhat subdued. I saw the jet touchdown on the landing pad and subconsciously held my breath. Seeing Clint walk up to the building with Melina in tow made my heart begin to race. I hadn’t been this worried before, but now that she was here, everything seemed to mean more. Everything needed to go perfectly today, and I was praying that things between Melina and Yelena would work out perfectly. That was a big hope to have, but I couldn’t help it. This was such a big moment for all of us, and I was about to completely flip her world upside down. The selfish part of me wanted to believe that this would mean that we would get to see Melina more than I had before. She wouldn’t want to miss many moments with Yelena if she didn’t have to, and selfishly, I would enjoy that. Her eyes scanned me, clearly checking to make sure I was fine and that Clint hadn’t brought her here to tell her that something was wrong with me. The small action warmed a spot in my chest, but I tried my best to remember that it wasn’t about me today.
“Mom… What you’re going to see in there is not going to make sense, but I promise that it’s not a joke.” I said gently before turning and making my way back into the room.
Clint brought Melina into the room after me, and I could see a frown on her face. She was still trying to figure out what it was that I was talking about. She quickly got her answer when her eyes landed on Yelena, nervously sitting in the chair. She was clearly unsure of what to do with this situation and was hopeful that Melina would take over for her. I waited, holding my breath as I waited for something to happen with them. Wanda’s eyes were flickering between all of us, her nerves clearly climbing with each silent moment as well.
“Natalia… If this is one of Tony’s time travel things or… Or those stupid face-changing disguises, it’s not funny.” She said, holding tears back.
“Melina… Mom. No one is laughing.” I said softly.
“So it’s really you?” She asked, still not willing to allow herself to smile.
“I heard a crazy rumor that I died and thought we could clear some things up,” Yelena said with a nervous laugh.
“You heard a crazy rumor… You are such a brat. Get over here.” She demanded.
Yelena laughed gently and walked over to Melina. She allowed her to pull her into what looked like a bone-crushing hug. Yelena had the biggest smile on her face that I had seen since she’d been here. It was hard not to smile when I saw how happy she was being held by our mom again. After a few minutes, she let go of Yelena, and her eyes settled on Wanda and me. Wanda was tense next to me, and I knew that she had no reason to be, but I would never invalidate her feelings or make her feel unprotected, so I stepped in front of her to intercept my mom’s stare.
“Mom,” I said with a warning tone.
“What, dorogoy?” She asked with a smile.
“Be nice,” I said firmly.
“I’m always nice. You know this.” She said with a wink.
“Uh-huh. I’m right here.” I reminded her.
“Nonsense. You don’t need to be over here.” She said, trying to wave me off.
“Detka? Right here.” I said, looking at Wanda firmly.
“Hello, Mrs…” Wanda said with a slight frown, looking at me for a hint.
“Oh, none of that. Melina. I’m not a married woman, Wanda.” She said with a laugh.
“Right. Hello, Melina.” Wanda said with a tight smile.
“So you are the one they’re calling the Scarlet Witch. The one that possesses enough power to crumble the very fabric of space and time.” She said with a knowing hum.
“Oh… Yeah…” Wanda mumbled.
“Mom… Watch it.” I warned.
“Stop worrying. She is impressive, and all I truly care about is her making you happy. Does she make you happy, dorogoy?” She asked, turning her gaze to me.
“Yes, mom. She does. Now, put away the scary face and talk to her about cooking.” I said, rolling my eyes.
With those words, she turned to Wanda, and they fell into a light conversation. Yelena sent me a look, a happy smile on her face. I knew that it killed her inside that Alexi wasn’t here and never would be, but at the end of the day, the mission was nothing more than a mission to him. All he cared about was becoming the Red Guardian again, and when he didn’t get that, it set him off. They put him in prison and kept him there until he finally proved he wasn’t indestructible. Seeing Wanda and Yelena get to interact with Melina warmed my heart. They all looked so relaxed with each other. In the midst of the conversation, Wanda quietly made her way over to me, instantly curling into my side.
“She’s amazing.” She whispered with a sigh.
“You all are,” I said with a smile.
“I just mean… I can see why you are as amazing as you are. It makes sense. She is kind and caring, one of the sweetest people without trying, and that’s exactly who you are. She told me what she told you before she had to leave you and Yelena. After you got back from Ohio.” She said quietly.
“She told you that?” I asked in surprise.
“She did. And just so you know, you never did lose your heart. If anything, it’s more beautiful now than it ever has been.” She said, nuzzling herself as close as possible.
There was nothing more I could say to that. I wanted to argue and tell her that I had done plenty of things that would disqualify me from that, but somehow, hearing it from her made me believe that maybe it was true. The innocence that Wanda said her thoughts with always made it feel impossible to even want to argue against. For right now, I just planned on focusing on the amazing day that we’d had together, and I knew that there would be more to be had. Melina would stay at the compound for a few days, not wanting to leave Yelena or me just yet. That was something I wouldn’t complain about, and it may help Wanda open up even more, considering she seemed to really open up and relax with Melina. Only time could tell, but I was truly excited to get this time with all of them. We were headed to bed when Melina grabbed my arm gently and pulled me in for a tight hug.
“You… My sweet, brave girl… You have done it. You have brought our family together as one once more. More than that, you finally found the one who allows you to be yourself. You let your walls down with her. A mother notices these things, you know.” She whispered into my hair.
“I never could get anything by you,” I said, feeling a hot tear fall down my face.