Upstate New York, USA

Summer 2015

One definite benefit to having the training she did was that, even in a facility as large as the new Avengers Compound, Natasha was pretty good at tracking people down. Not that it was a particularly tough task given the tools at hand; the new U.A. might not be J.A.R.V.I.S., but it was still undoubtedly indispensable on that front. It meant it didn't take long at all for Natasha to track down who she was looking for. Not that she was exactly hiding or anything.

In the nearly a week that Nadine had been gone so far, Natasha had barely seen Nina, her niece disappearing with the Twins for hours on end, usually reappearing in time for meals and to while away evenings in the common area working their way through the material Natasha and Nadine had decided would give them a good foundation for their impending 'Avenger Training.' So she figured it was about time she touched base with her adoptive niece. After all, her promise to Nadine aside, Natasha was rather invested in making sure Nina was doing okay herself.

Besides, one of Stark's people had come to her, asking that she track down Nina and the Twins. Something about uniforms.

Natasha was almost immediately frowning as she walked into the hanger, though, curiosity suddenly warring with concern when she spied Nina kneeling in the far corner by herself, the air around her wavering as though a curtain of heat and steam were rising around her. An uneasy suspicion that she hadn't actively thought about since Sokovia began wending its way back into her thoughts. Warily, she made her way over.

"Hey, kiddo." Nina looked up in surprise at the sound of Natasha's voice, the odd distortion around her disappearing. "What are you doing over here?" The girl swallowed thickly, trepidation clear in her eyes as she tried to find a way to explain. It was painfully obvious how unsettled she was at being caught out. And how anxious. And then it clicked for Natasha, the suspicion that had been lying dormant for the last couple weeks finally snapping into place.

Strucker's experiments had worked on Nina too.

Nina had powers.

But before she could say anything, with a flash of motion and a sharp gust, Pietro had appeared at Nina's side, lounged out casually beside her.

"Romanoff," he greeted lazily, though there was a keenness in his eyes that had Natasha eying him back just as closely, considering him.

He sat close to Nina, legs stretched out in front of him with ankles crossed casually, leaning back on his hands with one arm angled behind the willowy blonde so that she was nearly within an embrace. The message was clear even if he didn't realize he was giving it. Nina was scared and nervous about learning to control her powers and of having others discover she had them at all, and Pietro was protective of her because of it...well, that and the other reason...

"Relax, Romeo. I get it," she said dryly, earning a dull flush from Nina, "back off about the powers." She eyed the pair then, nearly laughing at the way they nervously glanced to each other.

"You're..." Nina hesitated, looking to Natasha warily, "you're not going to freak out?" Natasha couldn't help but scoff, causing Nina and Pietro's eyes both to go wide with surprise.

"More of the Avengers are Enhanced than not, Sweetie," she pointed out as she lowered herself down to sit, cross-legged, in front of the pair, "including me, I suppose, if we're being honest. So it's kind of par for the course in this place." Nina looked to Natasha in astonishment. She obviously hadn't known about Natasha's own brush with the Treatments Nadine had endured. Then again, until Nadine had confirmed it? Natasha had effectively been in a state of denial on the topic herself, unwilling to give credence to her own suspicions about precisely what she and her remaining groupmates had gone through in the Fall of '97. She grinned reassuringly at Nina. "Though, to be fair, you've arguably been Enhanced to some degree since the day you were born." She paused then, considering her niece for a moment before continuing.

"Honestly? Knowing what I do about Strucker, his Experiments and his interest in you specifically? I've been wondering how far he got with you." Nina swallowed thickly, looking down to her hands. Despite the nerves Natasha noted and the lingering fears from what had happened when she'd been under Strucker's control, the tension written all over Nina's slight frame began to dissipate. So, regardless of her interest in pursuing the topic, Natasha settled for changing tracks to her secondary reason for seeking the pair of them out. For the moment, of course. She wasn't done with this new development, yet. Especially given Nadine's warning about Nina not necessarily wanting to go through Avengers' training but rather feeling that she had to. It was something Natasha had begun to notice about her niece as well. After all, while there was little doubt Nina felt the need to do the right thing and stand up when she saw something was wrong, she still didn't have quite the same kind of drive to fight that the rest of them had. It was like Nadine had said; Nina was almost too innocent to be an Avenger.

It meant this development about her powers had Nina's need to learn what it took to be an Avenger making a lot more sense.

Still, suspected or not, Nina being powered was still a bit of a surprise. Natasha hadn't been sure Strucker had her long enough to really accomplish much or even really start with Nina. Then again, knowing as little as they did of Strucker's experiments thanks to List destroying most of the research before Tony could stop him? Perhaps she shouldn't have been.

As Natasha looked to Pietro, the boy's eyes automatically narrowed, wavering somewhere between suspicion and curiosity. Natasha nearly laughed again.

"Where's your sister? Stark's uniform people are looking for the three of you."

Pietro didn't even have to say anything for Natasha to get her answer.

A flash of red-tinted vapour sped toward the three of them. With a small gasp Nina's hand flew up and the distortion Natasha had seen earlier winked into existence again, more misty in appearance than before. The red vapour skittered and dispersed across the pearlescent barrier.

"You're getting better," Wanda said happily as she all but skipped over, settling on Nina's other side before glancing to Natasha. Natasha couldn't help the astonished look that flashed across her face before she was looking to Nina with consideration.

"What just happened? What did you just do?" The Twins looked proud, Pietro almost smugly so, though there was an adoring glint in his eyes that his sister's gaze didn't have, as Wanda glanced happily at the other girl. Nina flushed, looking pleased despite appearing somewhat self-conscious at the attention.

"As—as best I can figure," she hesitated as she spoke, uncertainty colouring her tone, "it's a shield. I can make, err, combination psychic-telekinetic shields or something like that." It was almost a question. Natasha realized immediately that Nina wasn't entirely sure what it was exactly that she could do. The Twins, though, seemed somewhat more certain.

Pietro broke in, "That's how she saved my life in Sokovia—"

"—and why I couldn't feel him any more when she did," Wanda finished, though her voice wavered at the memory. Her twin reached out to her, clasping her ringed hand tightly. After a moment, she continued, excitement making its way back into her voice. "She can block physical objects, like bullets, as well as my psychic connection to Pietro. It's why I thought he'd been killed; I felt his pain from just as Nina got her shield up and then I felt nothing." Natasha's attention fell back to Nina, her brow furrowing faintly as she processed what she'd just been told, pieces she hadn't realized had been missing falling into place about that day. Nina suddenly looked nervous again, squirming under Natasha's thoughtful yet still astonished gaze. Without even seeming to think about it, the Sokovian boy's arm rose to curl around Nina's shoulders, squeezing gently to provide the reassurance she suddenly needed. A wan yet grateful smile crossed her face as she glanced up at him, letting him tuck her more securely against his side. Pietro leaned over to brush a kiss against the crown of her head. Next to them, Wanda rolled her eyes, though there was no doubt to Natasha that part of the Maximoff sister was pleased by the development. It was a sweet, peaceful little moment. Natasha couldn't help but smile herself as she watched the exchange.

But then the moment broke as Nina looked up to Natasha, looking distinctly worried again.

"What does my mom think about it?" Natasha frowned.

"About the powers or you and Speedy Gonzales, here," she teased in effort to break the tension Natasha could feel growing. Nina's cheeks flamed, Pietro scowled and Natasha couldn't help but chuckle before putting the girl out of her misery. "Honestly? I don't know, sweetie. I imagine she's not totally oblivious about you and your little romance. You two haven't exactly been subtle about it," Natasha pointed out dryly. The pair of them glanced nervously to each other, while Wanda fought and failed to hold back a giggle, earning her a glare from her brother. Natasha grinned, but sobered quickly as Nina's features grew guarded and nervous again before she could say anything about her apparent new powers. A sick sense of disbelief was suddenly growing in Natasha's gut as suspicion suddenly took root in her mind at the signals Nina was giving off.

"You haven't talked to her about it..." Nina winced at the shock in Natasha's voice. "Nina, she thought—thinks it was Pietro's powers and you both jumping in front of Clint that saved you all that day." Nina cringed, her face crumpling. It was answer enough. Natasha nearly gaped at her niece at Nina looked up to her, her blue-grey eyes wide and pleading. It took the redhead a moment to decide precisely what to say.

"Sweetie, I'm not even sure your mom suspects. She knows you're keeping something from her, but she thinks it's either to do with not knowing how to process nearly dying that day or you not knowing what to do next." Nina blanched, but she didn't look convinced. Behind her, Pietro and Wanda exchanged a troubled glance. Natasha sighed heavily, her mind racing.

"She hasn't said anything to me about it. But could she know? She knows everything about Strucker that I do. Possibly more. And she knows everything I did about what he was doing in Sokovia. Has she put together that you likely left that place with powers of your own? Maybe. I did, or at least, I wondered if it was possible. But Nina," she paused, caution purposefully thick in her voice as she fixed Nina with a pointed look, causing her niece to stiffen, "she can be a bit blinded when it comes to you. Has she noticed you're holding something back? Of course she has. Has she put together that you have powers? Does she even suspect? I don't know. But...but it's possible that she hasn't. It's even possible that subconsciously she doesn't want to see it.

"But even if she has? You're going to want to tell her. And you might want to do it soon. The longer you wait, the more she's liable to freak out when she finally finds out if she actually doesn't know." Nina deflated.

"If you do, she probably does," Nina muttered defensively.

"She doesn't," Wanda interrupted softly, not quite seeming to realize she'd spoken aloud until she looked up to see them all looking at her. A faintly apologetic expression came over her face but as she continued her voice was assured. Mostly. "Not as far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure she knows about you two," she gestured between Nina and Pietro, "but about your powers?" She hesitated then, looking decidedly uncertain. "I can't be sure. She's gotten better at guarding her thoughts against me; since Paris, both of you have," she glanced to Natasha with an almost grateful little smile. Natasha couldn't help a small moment of self-congratulation. They'd been working on that. On the way to Paris, she and Nadine had grilled the Sokovian girl on her powers and psychic capabilities as a means to pass the time, the pair of them working with Wanda in trying to discern ways to at least marginally guard their thoughts from her. It was quite satisfying to know something useful had come of it. But then Wanda's grin faded. "But I don't think she knows," she said to Nina. Natasha sighed heavily. Nina made a small, dissenting noise that had Natasha's brow rising incredulously.

"It's my mom," the blonde girl declared, incredulous. "What about me doesn't she know? She knows things about me before I do, Natasha. I'd be very surprised if she doesn't."

"Even if she does, you still need to talk to her about it, Nina," Natasha admonished as gently as she could. Nina deflated once more, but her expression remained conflicted. "It's something she needs to know," the redhead repeated hoping she was getting through to her niece, "sooner rather than later." It was Nina who sighed this time.

"I know," she finally admitted, her voice wavering with uncertainty. But then something subtle shifted in her expression. Nat's eyebrows quirked with surprise at the sudden determined set of Nina's features. Her blue-grey eyes glinted with resolve. "I—I want—Nat, I need to have it under control when I talk to her. Please. I need to do this my way. It's something I have to do." Natasha sighed heavily. She couldn't argue with that. Nina was right, after all. If Nadine really didn't know? Nina was old enough that it was her responsibility to tell her mom. It wasn't Natasha's place to do it for her. Not unless she was asked to...and even then... Nina glanced to each of the Twins in turn, dismay clouding her eyes before they dropped to her wringing hands.

"She really doesn't know, does she..." Pietro squeezed her shoulder again and Wanda reached out to untangle Nina's white-knuckled fingers to grasp her friend's hand tightly in her own. Natasha didn't answer. There was no point. Nina knew what her answer would be: probably not.

"She's not going to be happy about it, is she." Nina's voice was almost painfully soft when she finally spoke again. Though worded like one, it wasn't a question.

"Nina—" But Nina's stricken gaze rose to Natasha again, causing her words to falter and her breath to hitch.

"She's always wanted me to be...normal," she murmured dejectedly. Nat sighed.

"Oh, solnyshko..."

"I mean...What's she going to think? She hates being Enhanced! And if I am..." Natasha started at Nina's observation. Painful as it was to admit, on some level it was true, and Natasha had admittedly been actively avoiding the realization. On some level, Nadine didn't like that she was Enhanced. Natasha wasn't even sure if her sister was aware of it. Sure she liked the Enhancement itself well enough, and not just because it was a useful tool for what she was. But she arguably resented it and how it came about more. Especially considering how the consequences of what had been done to her had spread to encompass and affect Nina too. "What's she going to think of me," Nina whispered, her tone once again thick with miserable uncertainty.

Natasha's heart nearly broke at her niece's tone. She knew Nina didn't doubt how much her mom loved her, what Nadine was willing to do for her...she couldn't. But she was still so shaken from having one revelation dropped on her after another that her fears were getting the better of her.

"She's wanted you to be allowed to be normal," Natasha clarified firmly, earning a hopeful yet still skeptical look from the girl. "That's an important distinction, Nina. You've never been 'normal,' no, but she didn't want to take away your chance to grow up with some semblance of a normal life. The kind of childhood, the kind of life she never had. To not have to fight and hide and be on your guard every day of your life." A brittle smile tugged at Nina's lips.

"A hollow dream, apparently," she said softly. Natasha couldn't quite decipher her tone, but there was a distinct sad note to it. But before Natasha could say anything more, Nina was looking up to her with a wan smile.

"At least," Nina added almost bitterly, "if anyone's going to understand the impulse to keep secrets, it'll be my mother." It was only thanks to Natasha's extensive training that she didn't flinch at the blonde girl's tone. As it was, she couldn't quite hide her wince in time. Nina gave her an almost apologetic glance.

But the redhead knew better than to press. A shadow of Nadine shone from Nina's expression and Natasha knew pursuing any further would get her nowhere. Not when that brand of determination was looking back at her from behind Nina's sad, thoughtful features. Natasha grinned faintly, nodding once. Nina's frame relaxed, the steely, intent look on her face easing with relief as she realized Natasha was going to let it go. For now, she amended silently. One thing was for certain, though: Nadine had been right that there was more to Nina's wish to take part in Avenger training than they had all suspected.

"Just don't wait too long, Nina," she cautioned softly as she stood. "It's not the kind of secret that keeps well." Her normally sunny features sedate, even haunted, Nina simply nodded.

A/N: Thanks for Reading!

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