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“Stark, I’m going to kill you. Then I’m going to have her resurrect your corpse, and then I’m going to kill you again.” Darcy Lewis removed her fingernails from her scalp and tried to smile at the dark corner. “Hey, there. I didn’t mean that. I’m not going to kill anyone, honey. Please come out.”
No sound or movement came from the shouded girl, her knees drawn up to her chest.
“Friday, some help,” Darcy begged.
“I have called the Captain back to base, but his ETA is three hours,” the AI informed her.
“Fuck the Captain. I want Stark!” Darcy winced at the whimper that came from the small form.
“I could summon Drs. Foster, Cho, and Selvig to aid you,” Friday offered.
“No, inform them of what is going on, and see if they can fix it. With luck, we won’t need St--your boss at all,” Darcy said, sinking down to her knees and smiling as gently as her irritation would allow. “Hey, hi. Wanda, can you come out?”
“Where is my brother?” The question was delivered in a shaky warble that was trying so hard to be brave. If that tone hadn’t broken Darcy’s heart, the question itself would have.
“Pietro, umm, your brother,” she stammered, stalling for time. “He’s not here.”
Wanda moved forward, her eyes narrowed at Darcy. “Where is he?” she hissed.
As an adult woman, Wanda was truly hot; as a ten year old, she was adorable. Her eyes were even larger than the grown-up’s version, and her long brown hair framed a pale face. Thankfully, her clothing had downsized with her, and the mini-Scarlet Witch get-up added to the complete image of too-freaking-cute. Even when pissed , Darcy noted before shoving that thought far away. Not the time, Lewis.
“Pietro is not here. At this hospital.” Darcy floundered through the lies, trying to come up with something that wouldn’t freak kid!Wanda out but that wouldn’t make adult!Wanda see her as scum. At least she’d done enough research -- aka stalking -- on the woman to know what topics to avoid: dead parents, Pietro, and Stark missiles as examples.
Assuming that the Brainiacs can fix her. Stark really needed to stop leaving his experiments around where other people could get at them. All it had taken in this case was a clumsy tech and Wanda was wrong-placed-wrong-timed into her ten-year-old self. “Are you hungry?”
The girl nodded slowly, her eyes suspicious. “Awesome!” Darcy chirped, glad that the subject of Pietro had been dropped for a moment. “Do you like pop tarts?”
“What are ‘pop tarts’?” Kid!Wanda’s attempt to say the name of the snack was super darling.
“It’s a breakfast pastry. You’re in for a treat, you’re going to love them,” Darcy babbled, waving the kid toward the kitchen attached to the lab. She knew this was going to be a slam dunk; adult!Wanda loved them so much that Thor’s absence had barely been noticed by the Materials and Supplies division.
The girl sat quietly in a chair while Darcy warmed the two rectangles in the toaster. When they popped, she quickly plated them and put them on the table with a flourish. “Tada! Pop tarts!”
The child reached out and took one, sniffing it suspiciously. After Darcy nodded encouragingly, she took a cautious nibble. Her eyes widened and she took another bite, bigger bite. “May I have a napkin please?” Wanda asked after she’d swallowed.
“Of course!” Darcy got her a paper towel, pleased at her manners. This is sadly the longest conversation I’ve had with her.
Wanda took it and wrapped one of the pop tarts. “For Pietro when he gets here,” she told Darcy with a shy smile.
“Uh, um, that’s very nice,” Darcy said, blinking away tears. Then Jane took the perfect time to come into the room and wave her over. “Excuse me, Wanda, I’ll be right back.”
“So how weird is it to be babysitting your crush?” Jane whispered gleefully.
“Way to make it worse,” Darcy hissed with a wince, grabbing her best friend’s arm. “Don’t say anything more; I don’t want to explain to a ten year-old what a ‘crush’ is.”
“It’ll be fine.” Jane grinned, unconcerned about the anxiety she was causing Darcy. “She didn’t remember her adult life when she was a child; she won’t remember this when she’s an adult.”
“Oh, god!” Darcy ignored her teasing and focusing on the important thing. “Please tell me you know how to fix this.”
Jane nodded. “We’ve got it figured out, we think. Erik and Helen are running tests right now.”
“Good.” Darcy sagged with relief.
“What are you whispering about?” Wanda asked. She’d nibbled her pop tart into a perfect circle, Darcy noted. “Is my brother dead?”
Darcy’s jaw dropped, lost for words. Jane stepped into the breach, asking, “Oh, honey, why would you think that?”
“Because you get a funny look on your face everytime I mention him,” Wanda told Darcy somberly. “And-and-and, I can’t feel him. Stark killed him, too, didn’t he?”
“No, sweetie, he didn’t.” Darcy finally found her voice. “I know you can’t remember, but I promise you that Tony Stark didn’t kill your brother.”
Wanda stared at her, her young eyes disbelieving. She’d had too much loss to believe anyone, and Darcy wanted to come up with the words that would restore little Wanda’s faith in people. Even an optimist like Darcy knew that wasn’t possible.
Then Erik and Helen came in with the tested device, and the chance to save kid!Wanda was gone.
~ * ~ * ~
“Darcy.” Wanda’s voice and accent were unmistakeable, and Darcy had time to steel herself before she turned to face her. When she was looking at her, the intern almost lost her composure. Someone had curled Wanda’s hair, her makeup was amazing, and she wasn’t in uniform. The sundress was sedate but the other woman’s bared shoulders and cleavage were distracting.
“Hey, Wanda,” Darcy said, after realizing she’d been staring a beat too long. “What’s up?”
Wanda laughed. “You are trying to be so casual, after what happened. Very well, I’ll start.”
“Start?” Darcy asked, swallowing a suddenly dry throat.
“By thanking you, first.” Wanda stepped forward and held out her hand. Darcy took it, relishing the warm softness of her skin. “You were so kind to a lost child.”
“Oooh, you remember,” Darcy said, feeling her cheeks turn red-hot. “Ah, I’m sorry about Jane.”
“I’m not,” Wanda told her, leaning in a little. Darcy froze as the Scarlet Witch kissed her cheek. Next she put her lips next to Darcy’s ear and whispered, “Would you like to come with me for coffee?”
“You’re-- You didn’t mind that I was crushing on you?” Darcy blurted. Oh, God, why can’t I string a sentence together without putting my foot in my mouth?
“Not at all.” Wanda squeezed her hand. “I’ve wanted to ask you out for weeks. If you’re interest--”
“Yes. Yes, I’m interested.” Darcy grinned, winding her fingers through Wanda’s. “I’d love to.”