After the MRI, they found out that there was a good amount of swelling in my brain. Overworked. The diagnosis I gave them. They have no idea how to treat a woman with powers like mine. I told them what to give me and what to do and when to check on me. They seemed to understand but who knows...
On the bad side of things... every time I used my powers, I would fall unconscious... for everything. Eyesight, hearing, pain relief. Everything. So I was stuck, forcing my brain not to do things it's suppose to automatically do.
Another thing that sucked. I was suppose to relax. I was suppose to RELAX when the freaking hulk has taken control of my Bruce and driven him off to god knows where! Now he's missing with secret mode or super spy mode or WHATEVER-THE-HELL-ITS-CALLED-MODE! No one can find him, I can't use my brain to find him... Hope is lost. I just want him back and safe. Who knows what that... monster could be doing to him. I felt completely useless... more importantly, I felt bored. The only thing to keep me happy and un-bored was Pietro.
We sat on his bed, holding hands. I found myself needing to constantly touch him. Needing to know he was actually here. When I wasn't, it felt just like it had when I collapsed on the ground beside him as I had thought I failed. We sat in front of each other, our fingers moving to play with each other. Neither of us spoke. Nothing needed to be said. The door to our room opened and neither Pietro or I moved to look and see who it was.
"Casey..." the voice trailed off. Oh good, it was Steve. "You should be in bed, lying down." Steve scolded. I scoff at his tone.
"I'll have you know, Pietro and I no longer need to be on IV's or any machinery for that matter. We just need to rest. We can rest anywhere." I correct him. My magic from before had fully restored him. Health wise. I was getting better as the hours past. I didn't have the ability to rapid heal for the time being. Steve sighed.
"I'm just worried." His voice drew closer and I smiled lightly as he kissed the back of my head. I look to see him start walking out the doors.
"You said it yourself Casey, you need rest. So don't you two go... overworking yourselves." Steve said, his back turned away from us. My jack slacks open as I stare at his retreating form.
"Steven Rogers! You did not apply what I think you did!" I shout after him. All that was heard was his annoyingly amused laughter. I look at Pietro with a look.
"We're not 'overworking' ourselves." I deadpan. Pietro smirks.
"Not now. Maybe some other time, yes?" Pietro replies, brushing his fingers along both sides of my jaw to lift it, meeting his heated gaze. I blush furiously. I physically turn into the color of a tomato. I turn my head out of his grasp and look down at the floor. He chuckles deeply and I swear my insides are mush...
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A few hours later Pietro and I lean against one another as we all sit around the table. No one talks. It seems all our minds were on what had transpired before we got on the jet.
"So... I was thinking." I voice. Everyone's eyes turn to me. "Clint." I address him specifically.
"Yes..?" He raises a brow. Growing anxious, clearly.
"I don't think Pietro or myself are in any condition to fight any time soon. Pietro can barley run, his body is so sore and I can't even list the first hundred letters of pi without fainting." I chuckle, bitterness creeping up in my tone. I didn't regret saving Pietro... I just wish I didn't faint every time I used my damn brain.
"What are you asking, exactly?" Clint asks, right to the point. I shrug, feeling a little sheepish.
"I was just wondering if Pietro, Wanda, and I could stay with you for awhile. For recovering purposes," I propose nervously. Clint doesn't say a word. No one dares speak. "The farm is relaxing; And really beautiful." I add. Clint sighs, looking between the three of us. His gaze lingering suspiciously on Pietro. He finally clears his throat and leans his elbows on the table.
"Sure," he starts and I immediately take that as a green light, smiling over at Pietro. He instantly moves in to hug me. "But!" Clint shouts over our small cheering. "It's not permanent. I don't think I could deal with three teenagers forever." He snorts, leaning back to cross his arms. I smile and nod.
"For recovering purposes." I smirk. He nods, not looking at me.
"Right."
I roll my eyes and turn back to Pietro and hug him tight.
"And you and Speedo over here, are not sharing a room." Clint says, daring us to defy him.
"I swear Clint, your sounding more like a father every day..." I say with a grin. He lets out a 'humph' and spins around in his chair. Tony sends me an amused smile.
We soon get off of the jet and I wave good-bye to everyone, sending an air kiss to Fury. I can see him shake his head, almost looking disappointed... But he catches it anyway... I smirk and move to help Pietro walk, my arm laying around his waist. Guess I didn't have enough power to take away the soreness.
Clint walks ahead of us, a bounce in his step. He opens the door and stays still in the archway, waiting for Laura to see him. None of us can exactly see over him, but we hear a surprise squeal and the sounds of running feet along a wooded floor. Laura knocks into Clint and they stagger. Only then, does she see us.
"Oh!" She says, obviously surprised. Again. "I didn't see you guys there..." she trails off. Laura takes a step away from Clint. "What is it with you and bringing people I don't know back to the farm?" She asks, teeth clenched, probably hoping that it made her less audible. It didn't. I didn't need superhearing to know what she said. Laura steps around Clint and winds her arms around me.
"Hello, dear. How are you?" She asks nicely.
"Injured." I say, motioning to myself and Pietro. She nods, looking us over. She looks back at Clint with a nod.
"Well, we have some extra rooms available. You can stay as long as you need." She says, guiding us in and up the stairs.
"This is only semi-permanent." Clint yells after us.
"Sure it is, Clint." I yell back. Laura snorts out a laugh but I don't think she meant to. Pietro chuckles.
"Put them in separate rooms." Clint says, starting to follow us up the stairs. Laura looks in between Pietro and I.
"Clint, they're teenagers-
"Exactly."
"- they're old enough to make their own choices." Laura argues half-heartedly.
"Not in my house." Clint shoots back.
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The next few days are spent settling in. Clint keeps telling us that it's only semi-permanent and Laura quickly follows and says we can stay as long as we like. That this is our home now too. Pietro and I did end up sharing a room. There was a minimal amount of rooms and Pietro kept on arguing that Wanda kicks in her sleep. Turns out Pietro did too...
A few days after arrival, Pietro and I sit on the porch and watch as Clint gets the early morning chores done. Wanda makes her presence known, by walking right in front of us.
"Did you want something?" I turn my head up to look at Wanda who was really close in front of us.
"I need to leave." Wanda states.
"What? No." Pietro shoots back, moving into a sitting position on the patio chairs we were sitting on. She sighs and sits down at the end of his.
"I need to go, brother. I have to fight. To protect those who can't protect themselves. I have a gift. I have to use it." She argues reasonably. Her gaze moves down to Pietro's stomach. He places a hand over his stomach.
"This was not your fault." She shakes her head.
"I should have been there for you. I should have protected you when you needed me."
"I wouldn't have let you." He fires back. She grabs his hand.
"I have to do this... for you; and for me." She reasons.
"I think you should go." The twins gazes snap to me.
"I'm not there anymore," I explain. "They don't really have anyone else with powers similar to ours. They could really use you and if you feel like you need to go. Feel like you need to fight... well, I respect that." I smile at her. Wanda looks over at Pietro who was staring at me deeply. He turns and looks at Wanda with a nod, showing how he agreed with me. Wanda smiles back over at me, moving to my seat to hug me.
"I have already called stark to send a jet." She informs us.
"What makes you think I would've let you go?" Pietro asks with a smirk. She looks him up and down.
"What makes you think you could've stopped me?"
We all laugh and sit around, talking about what's to come and our plans for the near-by future. We talk until starks jet arrives a little bit away from the farm.
"That is my ride." Wanda motions to it. Pietro gets up, depending on the chair arm rest to carry his weight. He still grunts as he stands to his full height.
"Good-bye, little sister." Pietro says as he hugs her.
"We will see each other soon." Wanda assures him.
"Yeah." He agrees. I stand up and hug her next, just as tightly as Pietro did if not more. I was growing fond of Wanda. With one last squeeze, we let each other go. Pietro and I hold each other and watch as she gets on the jet. We don't look away until the jet is out of our sight.
"I will miss her." He says quietly.
"I will too," I say, looking up at him. I motion to the grassy area ahead of us. "Wanna sit out there? Maybe we can heckle Clint while we're at it." I suggest. Pietro chuckles and nods. We walk over to a nearby tree. He goes to sit but eyes the hard bark of the tree wearily.
"How about this?" I try, sitting down against the tree and spreading my legs into a 'v' for Pietro to sit in between. He chuckles and nods, sitting down, then moving to lay, his head resting on my stomach. We sit peacefully, occasionally heckling Clint's work as I brush my hand through Pietro's hair.
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Over the next few months, Wanda visits as much as she can. Pietro had gotten better pretty quickly. He's been helping me build back my strength and tolerance. I still pass out sometimes, but others, I only feel incredibly drowsy. But with hard work and dedication, I will be back to my old self! Wandas been doing good, saving people and everything. Sometimes I feel myself missing it. But other times I couldn't imagine myself happier than being at the farm with Pietro and my family.
Laura had been really moody and I could not tell you how relieved I was when she finally gave birth. She turned out to be a he. He was a beautiful baby boy. Nathaniel Pietro Barton. Clint and Laura had decided to name their sons middle name Pietro; after the man who almost died saving his father. Pietro of course acted very cocky about it and boasted for hours. Plus, enthusing about how much Clint secretly loved him. Clint said he would've changed it if the birth certificate wasn't already signed.
When he came back to the hospital with Laura and the baby, Pietro and I had arranged a spa day for Laura. While Pietro had his own surprise for the couple. A blue onesie with Nathaniels full name on it. Pietro being the biggest name in the center of the onsie. Clint rolled his eyes and declared his son would never wear that.
Later in the evening, Pietro had snuck into Nathaniels room and used his speed to change Nathaniel into it. Clint forced himself not to yell as Laura was relaxing and he finally gave in, letting his son wear the adorable onesie. Clint took a video of his son and sent it to Natasha, informing her of the change and the name. Nat liked it all. Causing Pietro to boast a little more.
Clint and Laura were both soon found sleeping soundly in their bed. Pietro and I stood in Nathaniels room, watching the adorable boy sleep. Pietro stood behind me, arms wrapped around my waist and his head resting on my shoulder.
"Have you ever thought about having kids?" Pietro murmurs, careful not to wake the baby. I look over at him in disbelief.
"How long have we know each other, exactly?" I question, hoping he realizes babies were far far in the future. Which I couldn't physically see... just a guess. He chuckles, burying his head in my neck, trying to muffle the sound so that he wouldn't wake him.
Try as I might, I couldn't hold in my laughter as long as I thought. The baby groans, quickly waking up and throwing himself into a fit of cries.
"Oh shit!" I exclaim, moving forward to rock him as Pietro and I try and stop laughing. But it couldn't be done... so there Pietro and I were. Rocking a baby, and laughing our faces off.
What a life.