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Natasha was putting the finishing touches on Wanda's hair. She was putting it in loose, beachy waves. She insisted that Wanda needed to get ready for events with other girls. It was just what girls did. (Not that either of them had done it before.) Natasha's hair was already straightened, red locks pinned back. She pinned some curls behind Wanda's right ear before giving her a mirror.
"What do you think?" Natasha asked her. Wanda smiled lightly, touching the curls gently.
"It's beautiful Tasha, thank you."
They were both in evening gowns, Natasha's black and Wanda's red. They had a target to find. Some Hydra scientist was going to be in town at a big black tie event and they needed to get their next plan out of him. The team had found a nuclear bomb powerful enough to destroy an entire city at a warehouse in Stockholm, now they just needed to know what Hydra planned to do with it. According to some questionable sources, this guy, Dr. Adams, knew.
Steve had been hesitant to let Wanda go in. Espionage and seduction was sort of Natasha's specialty in the field, but Natasha insisted it would be good practice. They didn't expect it to be a particularly challenging mission. In some ways, they had been right.
They headed down the stairs of the Avengers tower and were met with obnoxious whistles from Sam and Rhodes. "Our ladies be lookin' good!" Sam yelled, grinning. Wanda blushed.
Steve and Clint walked in wearing suits. "You two gonna whistle at them too?" Natasha commented, crossing her arms, smirking. Sam and Rhodes looked down at the ground. Natasha sure was good with espionage.
Tony came in wearing his Iron Man suit and looked around. "What's wrong with bird man?" He asked, gesturing at Sam, who was dragging his toe on the ground. Clint was snickering.
Steve let out a big sigh. He worked with so many children. "Nothing, Tony. Everything's terriffic. Are we ready?"
The Avengers headed off towards a black nondescript van, where Bruce was finishing setting up the cameras and coms.
Bruce drove them to the event. He was going to stay back and run things in the van. The last thing that they needed at this ball was the Hulk.
Tony, Rhodes, and Sam were planning to stay on the roof, ready to come down if needed. They didn't think it would be.
Steve, Clint, Natasha, and Wanda were all ready to go inside. Natasha was planning to take lead on the mission, finding their target and getting the plan as quick as she could. The rest were there just to enjoy the show. And, of course, be her backup, not that the Black Widow would ever need any sort of backup.
Bruce dropped them off in front of the building and drove around back to let out Tony, Sam, and Rhodes. He parked the van about a street away and turned on the coms.
"Everyone on?" Bruce asked. They all answered at once. Steve sighed. He hoped everyone was indeed on.
Steve leaned over to Wanda as they went into the room. "Remember, kiddo. No alcohol tonight. Okay?"
She rolled her eyes a bit, but smiled nonetheless. "Got it Steve. I'll do my best." She sauntered away with Natasha.
Steve frantically tapped into the coms. "Hey, I don't want your best, Wanda. I mean it. No drinks. Not even one. Everyone got that?" He was met with a chorus of groans.
She and Natasha sat down at the bar. Natasha asked for a vodka and a water as Wanda casually looked around the room. Natasha handed Wanda her water as she turned back around, leaning against the bar. "You know Steve, the drinking age in Russia is eighteen."
He sighed exasperatedly as Bruce stifled a laugh. "Well we're not in Russia, Nat," he hissed. "And that better not be vodka in your glass Wanda."
Natasha winked at Wanda, who giggled back. Steve was drawing too much attention to himself, so he finally gave up.
"Where's our target?" Natasha asked Wanda. Wanda was here mainly for experience and in the field training.
She took a long, slow sip of her water, hoping Steve was watching and seething. "Southwest corner, by the bathrooms."
Natasha gave her a nod. Then she flicked her coms off and gestured for Wanda to do the same. She furrowed her eyebrows together but followed suit.
"Steve would never say it, but Adams has a type," Natasha told her seriously. Wanda wasn't sure she knew where she was going.
"Alright. What is said type?"
Natasha eyed her for another moment before continuing. "He has a thing for young brunettes." Oh.
"I should be able to get the information just fine, but just in case, you're in. All you need to do is talk and flirt a little. Maybe act like you're drunk. And if it comes down to it," Natasha gave her a hard look, "as an absolute last resort, I give you permission to look into his mind. Good?" Wanda nodded. They clicked their coms back on.
Natasha touched her index finger to her ear. "I'm going in. Engaging with target."
Clint and Steve settled at tables across the room from each other while Wanda stayed at the bar.
They listened to Natasha talk to the doctor slyly. It was like she was a different person. The man was already drunk.
They heard him talking sloppily to Natasha. He seemed to be ignoring her for the most part.
"So doc," Natasha said coyly, "what are you drinking tonight?" She gave him a gleaming smile.
He looked her up and down and threw back another swig. "Irish mule on the rocks. If you'll excuse me, that girl is just waiting for a dance partner," he said sleazily. He practically waddled over to a young brunette on the dance floor in a fitted blue dress. She frowned when he touched her shoulder.
Natasha sighed in frustration. She really hoped it wasn't going to have to be done this way. "You're up Wanda," she said quietly.
"What was that?" Steve asked.
"Pardon?" Said Clint.
"Yeah, uh, what do you mean she's up?" Bruce asked.
Natasha didn't bother answering. She knew they would just yell and try to stop them. But she knew that Wanda was ready.
She heard Wanda take a shaky, deep breath before abandoning her water and making her way onto the dance floor. She didn't really know what to do, but from what she understood about men, and this one in general, she shouldn't have to wait long.
Wanda smiled to herself as she listened to the music playing. She let herself side step a little to it. Not even three songs later, Wanda felt a hand on her butt.
"Hi there sweetheart," Dr. Adams said in her ear. Wanda could smell his breath. He wreaked of alcohol.
"Who the hell was that?" Clint said indignantly. Natasha shushed him.
Wanda closed her eyes for a brief second, readying herself. Then she turned around and put on her brightest smile. "Hello there sir." He made a point of looking her up and down before he settled his hands on her hips. It took all of Wanda's willpower not to rip his arms off.
"You're hot, you know that baby? What do you say we get off this dance floor for awhile."
Wanda kept her smile tight on her face. She was making a heroic effort not to bolt. She let him keep his arm wrapped far too tightly around her waist as they went over to the bar.
"That sleazebag," Steve practically growled through the coms. Natasha told him to be quiet.
"What are you drinking sweetheart?" He said to Wanda, hand venturing lower than her hips. She tensed up and smiled, sickly sweet.
"Just water for me, please."
He gave her a weird look and burped loudly. "Whatever. Hey bar tender, two vodkas."
The bartender looked at them for a moment, before giving them a smile. "Right away, Doctor Adams."
Wanda ran her finger down his arm, trying to be seductive. "Doctor, huh?"
He turned towards Wanda with a grin. "That's right, sweetheart. How do you feel about going home with a doctor tonight?" Wanda was starting to get nauseous. The rest of the team was, too.
"Well, we barely even know each other," she said with a small giggle. "What kind of doctor are you, mister?"
The bartender returned and gave them two drinks. The doctor thanked him before handing a glass to Wanda. Adams took a long sip before answering her.
"You can't tell anyone this, but I'm a scientist. I make a lot of money. I could buy you anything you want and more."
He took another sip and gave her a funny look. "You know, it's rude not to at least sip when someone buys you a drink."
Wanda nodded. "Of course, mister. Sorry." She giggled again as she took a sip of the clear liquid.
He started talking about the science side of his job, which Wanda wouldn't understand a word of on a good day. She could feel her head start to get cloudy. Her vision was starting to tunnel. She tried to casually reach out and grab the bar for support, but stumbled. The doctor caught her arm instead.
"Feeling alright?" He asked her. Wanda tried to form words, but found it hard. She opened her mouth again, but still, no words came out.
Then he was no longer drunk. He reached in her ear and took out her com, putting it in her drink and sliding it across the counter. "You didn't even consider that the bartender and I were friends, did you?"
Wanda felt her heart skip a beat. The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. She could feel her heart speed up and panic start to set in as he wrapped his hands around her wrists.
"Come on sweetheart. Let's go somewhere quieter. I'm sure your head is pounding by now. It's some pretty fast acting stuff." Wanda stumbled as he practically dragged her across the room towards a hallway. Wanda's head was far too muddled. She couldn't fight it. No no no no no no no. This wasn't happening. Oh no. Before she lost her ability to focus completely, she saw her chance and quickly went into and out of his head.
"Anyone got eyes on Wanda?" Clint asked after a second lap around the room. They had heard everything up until the man had pulled out her com. They were all beginning to realize something was very wrong.
"Damnit," Natasha growled in her com. "How did we lose them?" She would never forgive herself if something happened to Wanda.
Natasha stopped in her tracks when she felt a familiar tingle in the back of her mind. She barely hesitated before letting Wanda in. South stairwell. Please help.
Natasha took off as fast as she could go without drawing too much attention to herself. Wanda was a genius. Something felt off when Wanda gave her the message, though. Hazy. Something was clearly wrong with Wanda. Natasha knew she could handle the man easily, unless she had been compromised somehow. "Southern stairwell," Natasha said. She didn't care how vague she was being. They needed to just figure it out and get there.
He moved his hands up to her upper arms as he pulled her down the stairs behind him, then into a closet in the basement. He flicked on a light and grinned. Wanda could barely see now. Her whole body felt like jelly. She collapsed into a chair he put next to her. She really hoped she had managed to get Natasha that message.
He leaned in, still holding her arms firmly, and started kissing her lips. Wanda didn't have the energy to fight. Her body was betraying her. Her eyes were half lidded and her movements were slow. Her limbs just felt so heavy she couldn't think straight. She couldn't even muster up a sentence. She knew her heart rate was off the charts. No no no no no no no no no.
She sucked in a breath as he ran a hand along her bare thigh where her dress had a slit. But she couldn't do anything about it.
"No," she slurred, trying to lean away from him, but she was too out of it. It was a strong acting drug. A tear rolled down her cheek as his hand went under the fabric of the dress and his kisses continued to trail down her neck.
Then the door burst open. No measly lock was a match for the Black Widow. Natasha had the doctor unconscious and on the ground before he even got his head up enough to see her. He was sprawled out ungracefully on the ground in front of her. Then Natasha turned her head to Wanda. Oh, Wanda. Natasha quickly wrapped her arms around Wanda before she could fall out of the chair. She lowered both of them to the ground as Steve and Clint burst into the room. Natasha gave them a nod and they went about securing the doctor. Natasha turned off her com so she could focus on Wanda.
"You alright kiddo?" Natasha asked softly. She lightly tapped the pads of her fingers on Wanda's cheeks. She barely responded.
Wanda moaned a bit and leaned into Natasha's chest. "M'tired, Tasha. Drugs."
She didn't manage to get any more out, but that was all Natasha needed. She quickly told Clint to go back upstairs and find Wanda's drink and figure out what was in it.
Natasha let Wanda rest against her chest for a few minutes before getting to her feet. She wrapped an arm around Wanda's back and Wanda's arm around her shoulders. She moved them both outside to a bench out back, hoping the crisp night air would wake Wanda up a bit.
Natasha let Wanda rest her head on her lap and helped Wanda lie down on the bench. She ran her fingers through Wanda's hair slowly. This was supposed to be such an easy mission. Natasha watched as Steve came out with the unconscious doctor slung over his shoulders as a SHIELD truck pulled up. She watched them cuff the man before loading him in. Then Clint came out with who Natasha recognized as the bartender with him. He too was thrown in the back of the van. Clint was yelling at him.
"M'sorry," Wanda said softly. Natasha looked down in surprise.
"You don't have any reason to be sorry, Wanda. I'm sorry that we didn't keep a closer eye on you."
Wanda sighed and tried to sit up, but was unsuccessful. Natasha helped ease Wanda down again, but so she had her face up. Natasha looked down at her and pushed some hair out of her face.
"M'sorry I went in your head."
Oh. Natasha felt her stomach twist. Had they really managed to do that much damage to this poor girl in her few months with them?
"Oh Wanda, don't worry about it," Natasha soothed as another tear rolled down Wanda's face. She wiped it away with her thumb. "It's not like you forced your way in. I'm not mad at you at all. You gave me your location. You did nothing wrong."
She looked down from Wanda's face to the dark bruises beginning to form on her neck. They were on her arms, too. Wrists and biceps. And her thigh, going farther up under her dress. If the man wasn't already unconscious, Natasha would have knocked him out right there.
Wanda opened her mouth and pulled in a deep breath. She was obviously exhausted. Natasha pushed some more hair out of her face and gently shushed her. "You don't need to say anything else, okay? Just sit tight. We'll go home soon."
But Wanda shook her head. She furrowed her eyebrows before trying again to speak. "Madrid Royal Palace. October 16."
Natasha's heart dropped. Wanda had completed the mission. She resumed running her fingers through Wanda's hair with a sigh. "You're amazing, Wanda. You did it. Let me take it from here."
Wanda seemed content now that she'd gotten out the information. She closed her eyes and let herself relax against Natasha.
After another 20 minutes, the SHIELD trucks had pulled away. Bruce's black van replaced them. Natasha realized she never turned her com back on. What she was doing was more important anyway.
Steve, Clint and Bruce made their way over to the ladies.
"How is she?" Bruce asked, worry in his voice.
They all took a moment to just look at her. She was far too relaxed and almost asleep.
"She'll be okay. She got the information. Madrid Royal Palace on October 16. She might be able to tell us more when she's a little more with it."
Steve nodded. He looked beyond stressed. "She's amazing. Think it's okay to move her?" Natasha gave him a nod. The three men made their way back to the van, where Tony, Sam, and Rhodes were already waiting.
Natasha gently tapped on Wanda's cheek again. Her eyes blinked blearily up at her. "Tasha?"
Natasha smiled sadly at the nickname. "I'm here Wanda. Ready to go home?"
Wanda nodded. Natasha helped her sit up. It was clear Wanda wasn't going to be able to walk, so Natasha just carried her back to the van.
She was lowered down into the seat next to Clint. Wanda rest her head on his shoulder sleepily and closed her eyes. Natasha slid in next to her and closed the door.
Wanda was almost asleep again by the time they reached the tower. Clint nudged Wanda with his shoulder when they arrived. "C'mon, kiddo. You'll be more comfortable in your own bed."
Wanda hummed a little before sitting more upright. Her eyes didn't really open. Clint slipped out and Natasha picked up Wanda again in her arms.
They made their way up to the residential floor, where Natasha lay Wanda on her bed. She slipped off her own heels before undoing Wanda's. Then she took in their clothing. She knew Wanda wouldn't want to sleep in the dress.
She pulled some shorts onto Wanda over the dress and a tank top before slipping the dress out from under them. Natasha went to her own room and collected a similar outfit before returning. No way was she going to leave Wanda alone that night.
Steve knocked on the doorway. Natasha looked up at him. "Hey," he said softly, his eyes falling on Wanda. "How is she?"
Natasha looked over at her. "Exhausted. Scared. But out of her dress and heels, so better, I guess. Will you sit with her while I shower real quick?" Steve nodded.
Natasha quickly showered and brushed her teeth before returning. Steve was sitting in a chair next to the bed, watching Wanda rest. He tried to smile when she walked in.
"You're staying with her tonight?" Steve asked. Natasha nodded. He returned it. "Good. I don't want her to be alone when she finally comes around."
Natasha looked at Wanda's face. Although she was resting, she did not look peaceful. "Me neither. Goodnight Steve."
"Goodnight Nat."
He flipped the light off on his way out. Natasha got under the covers and pulled them over Wanda. When Wanda felt the covers go over her, she whined. Natasha grabbed her hand.
Wanda looked at her through half lidded eyes. "Tasha?" Natasha nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. "I don' feel good. M'scared."
Her heart dropped at Wanda's words. She rubbed what she hoped was a soothing pattern on the back of her hand.
"I know Wanda. I'm sorry. I'm right here. Try to get some rest."
Wanda nodded and leaned her head against Natasha's chest. "Promise you won' leave me?" She was still slurring her words. Natasha looked up at the ceiling as she wrapped her arms around Wanda. This girl was going to be the death of her.
She pressed a kiss to the top of Wanda's head. "I promise, little witch."
Natasha knew she'd have a whole new set of problems to deal with in the morning, and that Wanda would definitely be panicked. She should be, for gosh sakes. She had been roofied and felt up by a creepy man and probably, hopefully, wouldn't remember much of it. But Natasha would be there for her, and so would the rest of the team. They both eventually drifted off that night, letting the darkness pull them down into dreamless sleeps.