Daeia Maximoff

As the chilly wind sneaks its way into the nursery, Wanda quickly moves to shut the window. She's not just concerned about her twins catching a cold; there's also this nagging fear at the back of her mind, the worry that someone might sneak in and snatch them away. The house is so hushed, the only audible thing being the rhythmic breaths of her little ones.

Since the twins' arrival, peaceful sleep has eluded Wanda. Every time she tries to drift off, nightmares featuring her eldest child haunt her thoughts. It's like a routine now – the moment sleep evades her, she finds herself tiptoeing to the nursery. There, the sight of her twins, peacefully breathing and brimming with life, becomes the anchor that eases her troubled mind.

Only Pietro and Laura were privy to the knowledge of Wanda's firstborn daughter. The baby girl, who tragically passed away, had only been met by Wanda's twin brother, Pietro. For the longest time, Pietro bore the weight of this knowledge alone before Wanda eventually confided in Laura. Those memories were like a hidden treasure chest in Wanda's mind, buried deep to shield herself from the intense pain they carried.

The loss of her firstborn not only left a void in Wanda's heart but also extinguished her desire for motherhood. The mere thought of going through such agony again was unbearable. So, when she discovered she was pregnant with Natasha's children (later revealed to be twins), she initially leaned towards abortion. The prospect of being pregnant again dredged up memories of the pain she endured with her daughter, Daeia. Wanda couldn't fathom facing the possibility of losing another child, especially one connected to her soulmate, Natasha. Their relationship hadn't begun with romance; it was a result of a spontaneous one-night stand that evolved into something more meaningful.

Wanda had a heart-to-heart with Pietro, discussing the idea of going through with the abortion. She needed someone to confide in, and her brother was the perfect person for the job. She was confident that he wouldn't impose his opinions on her and would support whatever decision she made, as he always did. Despite his own hopes for her to keep the baby, he managed to keep those feelings to himself, although not entirely hidden from Wanda. After the conversation with Pietro, Wanda sought out Laura, who had become a sort of mother figure to both her and Pietro.

“Have you ever thought of abortion?” Wanda had asked Laura, one night on the porch of the farm house when she and Pietro were visiting the Barton family on their farm. The two had been the only ones up in the farm house with everyone else asleep. They were both sat on the porch swing couch, blankets wrapped around their body to block out the cold air. Wanda felt the surprise and shock roll off the older woman in waves.

“A long time ago, once upon a time. Why do you ask, honey?” Laura answers, facing her with a curious expression on her face. “ Are you?” Wanda nods her head before Laura could even complete the question.

“Oh honey,” there was no judgement in the Laura's voice, only understanding as she wraps her arms around the younger woman, pressing a kiss to her temple. “ Are you thinking of terminating the pregnancy?”Laura asks. She's guessing that's probably what prompted this topic between them. Wanda nods her head.

“I needed to talk to someone who wasn't my brother and could relate through what I'm going through or at least someone who has experience in being pregnant before,” Wanda says. Laura understood that.

“How do you feel about being pregnant?” Laura asks. It's an important question. It helps her see where Wanda's mind is when it comes to pregnancy.

“I don't feel anything about it,” Wanda answers truthfully because she doesn't have any feeling towards being pregnant. She doesn't know how to feel about it.

“That's alright,” Laura assures her. “Everyone has different reactions to being pregnant. Do you want to have kids? Like have you ever envision yourself to have kids in your future?” It takes Wanda, a minute to reply, truly thinking about the question. If she had not Daeia or had Daeia lived? Would she want kids? She knew her answer. It was a definite yes. She had envision children in her future but now she wasn't so sure anymore.

“I'm not sure,” Is the answer Wanda gives to the question.

“And that's okay,” Laura says once again reassuring her about her answers. “ Sometimes it just happens but whatever you choose whether or not you keep the fetus, we will stand by your choice. We will still love you no matter what, and I hope you know that.” The immense feeling of love that Wanda felt for Laura washes over her, hugging the woman tightly who just hugs her back.

“Thank you,” Wanda tells her.

“You and your brother are much as my kids as the ones I gave birth to,” Laura tells the younger woman in her arms. “ You guys are family and no matter what we will always support you guys.” Laura's words left Wanda momentarily speechless, overwhelmed by gratitude. They sat in companionable silence, basking in the love that Laura generously offered, extending it to Pietro. Eventually, Wanda reluctantly pulled away.

“It's okay, you know,” Laura reassured her. “ To terminate the pregnancy if you wish. It's your body so it should be your choice to do what you feel is right.” However Wanda didn't know what felt right. There's a part of her that wants to proceed with the pregnancy but there's the other part of her that wants to terminate it to avoid the pain of the possibility of losing another child.

“What would you do? if you were in position?” Wanda asks, prompting Laura to delve into her own painful memories.

"When I was 18, I got pregnant with my boyfriend at the time," Laura began, opening up about a chapter of her life. Wanda held Laura's hand, offering comfort as she listened to the unfolding story. "I was still in high school. I didn't want to be a mom at that age. I wanted to graduate, go to college, and get a degree. I wanted to be financially ready to have kids so that I could give them a nice life. My parents didn't know I was pregnant. I knew they would have made me keep the baby if they knew. They were very religious, so they were against abortion."

Wanda empathized with the loneliness of facing such a situation without supportive parents and rubbed Laura's hand in a comforting manner.

"I had to wait for a while so I could pay the abortion cost. I was nearly done with my first trimester when I terminated the pregnancy," Laura continued.

“Did your boyfriend say anything about it?” Wanda asks curiously. She had never known who Daeia's birth father but in her mind, her child had no father.

Laura answers, “ We actually agreed that I'd get an abortion. He had been with me that day when I got it.” Tears blur Laura's vision as she remembers. “ We had a beautiful baby girl whom we named Micaela. We were sad of course that it was done but we felt so much relief that we didn't have to be parents at such a young age. We weren't ready to be parents, to take on that responsibility.”

"I'm really glad you didn't have to face that alone," Wanda expressed, her voice filled with genuine empathy. Curiosity then nudged her to ask about Laura's former boyfriend. Given what she gathered from Laura's narrative, he seemed like a decent person. Despite their separation, Wanda sensed a belief that they could have remained friends, especially since they shared a daughter.

"Where is he now? If you don't mind me asking," Wanda inquired, her curiosity tinged with a sense of compassion.

“He got into a car accident a month after we got the abortion,” Laura replied, her voice carrying the weight of sorrow.

"I'm so sorry," Wanda uttered, instinctively wrapping her arms around the older woman.

“It's alright. I know that he's with our daughter now and that they're both looking after me. Maybe one day Clint and I will get to see them again when its our time to go,” Wanda internally flinches at the thought of one day that Clint and Laura would no longer be with her. She hates thinking that one day she's going to lose the two people who were parent-figures to her and Pietro. Wanda smiles at her though because it's the same thing she had told herself when she lost Daeia. That one day she would see her baby girl again when her time comes but for now, she knows that her baby is in a better place. “ Everyone has their own reason wanting to terminate a pregnancy. I know you have your own reason as well.” Wanda takes a deep breath, prepping herself to tell her about Daeia. It was only fair that Laura shared something very personal, very painful memories with her that she does the same.

“When Piet and I joined Strucker, there were guards that would be guarding us,” Wanda starts with something simple yet so many memories she buried deep down came rushing at her. “ I was 15 when a man first touch me for his own sick pleasure.”

A soldier entered her cell and pulled her out without much thought. It wasn't unusual for the soldiers to take her and Pietro out, so she didn't think much of it at first. However, her instincts kicked in when she realized Pietro wasn't with her, guided by his own soldier, as they usually were for their experiments.

"Where's my brother?" she asked the soldier, but he remained silent. Another attempt at questioning yielded the same response. As she tried to break free, he tightened his grip on her hair like she was a mere doll.

"Let go, you're hurting me," she pleaded, attempting to escape his grasp.

"You're only gonna hurt yourself more, princess," the soldier finally spoke. Eventually, they reached an empty area, where he secured her onto a table, restraining her hands and feet. She struggled against him, understanding what he intended, but her efforts were futile. He was much stronger, and this wasn't what she had signed up for. "Damn, you know how long I've been itching for this?" the soldier grinned, letting his hands roam over her body like it was his playground. Every sound she let out was met with a beating. There was so much blood the first time.

"I had to endure it, and there was nothing else I could do," Wanda sobs. Laura empathizes deeply with the woman who went through so much, wrapping her arms around Wanda to express her support.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through that," Laura says, gently rubbing Wanda's back. "No one deserves to experience such violation. It wasn't your fault at all. You didn't do anything to deserve it. Your feelings about what happened are completely valid. Some people out there are just sick. Hold on to that truth." Wanda clings to Laura, absorbing the reassurance. She had long carried the belief that she somehow deserved it for not saving her family, for surviving. Deep down, she knew it wasn't true. But there was a part of her that believed otherwise. Now, hearing Laura affirm that it wasn't her fault and validate her feelings means a lot to Wanda. She takes a minute before continues.

"I had no idea who it was. They're gone now. I ended up pregnant," Wanda confesses, unveiling a secret known only to Pietro. "Even though it was a tough experience, I kept my daughter, not that I really had a choice. But when I got my powers and felt her, that connection, I fell in love with her. I knew I'd do anything to protect her." The image of her beautiful baby girl flashes in her mind, and a tear escapes down her face.

"What's her name?" Laura inquires, gently wiping away the lone tear on Wanda's cheek.

"Daeia," Wanda reveals, the name feeling raw on her tongue as she says it for the first time in 11 years. It's rough hearing it out loud.

"It's beautiful," Laura remarks. "Maybe she and Micaela met in the afterlife." Wanda smiles at the thought.

"I'd like that," Wanda responds. "She passed away when she was 5 months old. Just stopped breathing one night, and I felt the connection severed. It was like losing a part of myself."

"Losing a child isn't easy, hon," Laura empathizes. "It leaves a gaping hole in your heart where your child used to reside."

"I don't know what to do, Mama," Wanda admitted, not realizing the slip of the term, but Laura caught it and felt her heart soar. Even though she could never replace the Maximoffs' mother, being seen as a mother-figure by the twins was an honor. Despite being only a couple of years younger than her and Clint, the twins viewed them as parent figures. Laura's heart ached for Wanda, whom she saw as her own daughter. "I can't go through that again. I can't let Natasha go through that. She's already lost so much. If I tell her about the baby and lose it... I can't be the one to give her hope only to crush it."

Laura furrowed her brows in confusion at the mention of Natasha entering the conversation. "What do you mean, darling?" she asked.

"The child is Natasha's," Wanda revealed, surprise coloring Laura's face. "Yeah. I don't know either, but I know it's hers. She was the only one I slept with. We kinda had a one-night stand." Laura grimaced, not really wanting to hear about the sex life of the two women she considered as a daughter and a sister. Wanda rolled her eyes at Laura fondly.

"You should talk to Nat about this," Laura advised. "I know you don't want to, but this is a big decision. Nat should also get a choice. If she wants to keep the baby, we can find a way to transfer the baby. We'll figure it out, okay? But you should talk to Nat about it."

Wanda feels strong arms envelop her waist, and she leans back into the familiar embrace of her soulmate.olace in the familiar embrace of her soulmate.

"Hey you," Natasha's raspy voice soothes her. She leans into the comforting hold, facing Natasha.

"Why are you still up?" Wanda inquires, wrapping her arms around the shorter woman.

"The bed felt cold. Another nightmare?" Natasha questions. Wanda nods in confirmation. "That rough?" Another nod follows. Nightmares are infrequent since they got together, making each occurrence particularly unsettling.

"Want to talk about it?" Natasha offers, but Wanda hesitates. It's too soon after sharing with Laura.

"No, but thanks, my love," Wanda replies, sealing her gratitude with a kiss.

"Alright. Planning to join me in bed soon?" Natasha doesn't press, understanding Wanda will share when ready. Nightmares create a unique understanding between them.

"I will. Can the twins sleep in our room?" Wanda surprises Natasha, who knew Wanda preferred the twins in their own space.

"Really?" Natasha's excitement surfaces, liking the idea of having the twins close while they sleep.

"Yeah. I worry someone might take them from us," Wanda admits, acknowledging the slim chance but still uneasy about it.

"I feel the same way, but I wasn't sure if it's just my default setting to be paranoid about everything," Natasha confesses. Wanda chuckles softly, fully aware of the truth in her soulmate's statement. When Wanda shared news of her pregnancy, Natasha went all out with baby preparations. Following Laura's advice, Wanda opened up to Natasha about the situation, hoping to make decisions together. It turned into a heated argument. Natasha struggled to accept the possibility that the child was hers. Initially leaning towards abortion, Wanda's decision sparked fury in Natasha when she considered the child might be hers. In the heat of the moment, Wanda impulsively went to a clinic but reconsidered upon facing the doctor's questions.

The doctor's probing made Wanda question her decision. Was she ready to lose another part of herself, a part of her soulmate? Her powers deepened her connection to the twins, allowing her to sense their thoughts and emotions. They had already become an integral part of her, and aborting them felt like severing a limb. Grateful to the doctor, Wanda left the clinic feeling lighter. Upon returning to the compound, she found Natasha anxiously waiting for her. She recalls the memory.

"I'm sorry," hits Wanda the moment she walks into her shared floor with Natasha. Natasha had been pacing for the last hour since learning Wanda had gone to the clinic.

"I'm sorry for denying that the kid wasn't mine. I'm sorry that I acted like I didn't want them. I do, Wanda. I want our kid," Natasha says, tears welling up. She drops to her knees, eye-to-eye with Wanda's still-flat but pregnant stomach.

"I want you. I promise I'll do right by you," Natasha adds, not looking at Wanda directly, but the words carry a weight for her too, not just the baby. When she finally looks up at Wanda, who's already looking down at her, Natasha pleads, "Please, please keep them. Even if you don't want to, let me find a way to transfer them. Let me have a chance to keep them, please."

It's an all-out plea from Natasha, and Wanda, taken aback by the usually composed woman's emotional display, feels a bit unnerved. When Natasha starts crying, Wanda knows she made the right decision in keeping their kids.

“I'm not going through with the abortion,” Natasha snaps her head up so fast that Wanda wonders if she might have broken her neck. Wanda felt the relief pouring out of Natasha.

“What?” Natasha asks, despite feeling relief that Wanda had decided not to go through with the abortion, she was slightly confused. “ I thought you wanted to?”

“I did. But when I went to the clinic-”

“ You what?” Natasha interrupts. Wanda shoots her a pointed look

“Sorry continue,” Natasha says.

Wanda goes on, “ I couldn't go through with it. I would have felt their deaths and I didn't want to feel that. I couldn't do it. In a way I was killing a part of myself, taking away a part of you. I would have been taking away your legacy, your blood.”

“Thank you! Thank you! I promise you won't regret it,” Natasha vows, wrapping her arms around the younger woman.

Not once had Wanda regretted her choice in keeping the twins. She and Natasha learned that they were having twin girls. Faternal, not identical. It was truly confirmed that the twins were Natasha's children when Wanda had gotten a blood test to see who was the other half of DNA, her twins had. The DNA was a perfect match of Natasha's which confirmed all the worried Natasha had of the kids not being hers. When they learned that they were having girls, Natasha was adamant that the middle names of the girls would be Melina and Yelena. Wanda would be able to pick the first name to which she choose, Vanessa *****-*****though Natasha wanted the name Cassandra so they had compromised it- but had became Nessandra (combination of Vanessa and Cassandra) and Natalia (Natasha had agreed to it knowing how sentimental Wanda was). So their daughters were named Nessandra 'Nessa' Melina and Natalia Yelena.

After putting the twins in the bassinet in hers and Natasha's bedroom, they had climbed into bed together. They laid on their side so that they were facing each other with their hand intertwined together between them.

“I love you,” Natasha says, kissing the back of Wanda's hand before falling asleep.

“I love you too,” Wanda kisses the sleeping woman's head before letting sleep take over.