ASCENDANCY / P. MAXIMOFF

desperation

"I can't believe you carry around five million dollars Tony, that's absurd."

"I knew it would come in handy one day."

Anastazya woke to banter - as usual - and the peculiar smell of burning toast. She sat up and yawned, wincing at her sore muscles, which still twitched and spasmed from her shocking defeat nearly a week ago. For the first time in too long, Ana had woken up in her own bedroom at the Avengers tower, much to her relief. She and the team had arrived back home from Sokovia late the previous night, so it was no wonder everyone was up and in their pajamas at two o'clock in the afternoon.

"Goodmorning," Natasha hummed, peeking into her bedroom with a tray in her hand. She was wearing a t-shirt that looked too big to be originally hers, and black spandex. Anastazya smiled and slowly sat upright. She smiled at the food on the tray. "Clint and I tried to make breakfast."

Anastazya laughed. "Oh, so that explains the burning smell."

Natasha rolled her eyes and handed the tray to Ana. On it was a rough looking Eggs Benedict with crispy, blackened bacon. Anastazya appreciated the effort and popped a piece of bacon in her mouth.

"But that doesn't explain the shirt. Who does it belong to, may I ask?" Ana mused, but Natasha wasn't cracking.

"It's mine."

"So I guess that means that Bruce steals your shirts to wear to the supermarket? Or, to sleep?"

Natasha's cheeks reddened, and she covered her face. "Shut up, Dmitriev. You're the one who had a crush on Steve when you first arrived here."

Ana rolled her eyes. "You act as if you haven't had a crush on Steve either!"

"I heard my name?" Captain chuckled, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. He was also in his pajamas, wearing an "I Love Las Vegas" shirt and patriotic basketball shorts.

Ana's eyes narrowed. "Eavesdropping, are we Captain?"

Steve snorted then tapped his earlobe before sauntering away. "I don't have to be standing by the door to hear you guys think I'm attractive!" He sang.

Ana flopped back onto the bed, groaning loudly. "We've been exposed!" she whined playfully.

Nat chuckled and stood to her feet when she heard the doorbell ring. There was no more Jarvis to tell them who was at the door anymore, so they had to figure it out the normal way now.

Ana sprung to her feet and followed her, curious at who could possibly be at the door.

Nat's hand wrapped around the knob and turned it, yelling out in surprise when she came face to face with the Freaky Friday Twins, Wanda and Pietro, all battered and bloodied. Pietro held an unconscious Wanda bridal style, panting and huffing. He could barely keep his eyes open.

"Please," he breathed out desperately, his accent thick due to his exhaustion. "Please, help my sister."

Clint appeared at Ana's shoulder, eyes wide with panic. Everyone was migrating towards the door, but no one was doing anything. And they didn't want to.

"Oh hey, Speed Racer," Tony greeted him, eating Lays chips out of the bag. "What brings you here? Come to, I don't know, torture Anastazya some more?"

Pietro's heavy gaze flickered towards Ana, his blue eyes pleading for her to do something. Ana groaned and reached forward to take Wanda out of his grip. She was surprisingly heavy, and Ana nearly fell at the dead weight. Tony looked at her incredulously.

"One of these two told you where I was when I was lost," Ana huffed out, dragging her feet as she carried Wanda towards Dr. Cho's empty lab. Clint and Captain went to Pietro's aid, slinging their arms around his shoulders and helping him walk to the lab as well.

"But it was their fault you were lost in the first place!" Tony yelled after the rest of the group. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "You people are so kind, it disgusts me. Put them on the operation tables!"

Ana adjusted her grip on Wanda, slowly walking up the stairs to the lab in an attempt not to fall. When inside, she gingerly placed Wanda onto one of the three steel operation tables. Captain and Clint mimicked her actions.

Ana moved over to Pietro. She was still beyond pissed off for what he did to her in Sokovia, but the better person in her paid more attention to his injuries and the situation, not his faults. He looked at her warily. One hand twitched with impatience. If anything, he looked worse than Wanda. He had numerous serious lacerations and gashes and a large bruise on his forehead. Wanda had a few bruises on her pale skin, but otherwise she looked fine.

"Why are you not healing?" she questioned him, laying a gentle hand on his forehead. It was hot to the touch and moist due to sweat. Ana could only assume it was a fever due to an infection.

"I-I do not know," he stammered out, trying to look at Wanda from his spot. Ana turned his head upright, causing him to snarl at her.

"Your sister is fine, worry about yourself," she asserted a bit harshly. "What happened to you two?"

Pietro sighed. His eyes looked somewhere beyond Ana. "Ultron was trying to transfer his program to a human body. Wanda was finally able to read his mind, see his vision, his real plan. She discovered that he was to destroy the entire universe to start new again," Pietro cleared his throat. "We tried to escape, and narrowly did. He did something to Wanda that I do not understand. I have been running with her for the last twelve hours for help, and she has made no sign of recovery."

Ana gnawed on her lip and looked over at Bruce and Tony as they prepared to examine the twins. She watched Pietro, who was glaring at them, and thumped him on the head.

"Ow!" he cried out, directing his glare at her instead. "What is your problem?"

"You are," Ana spat. "You have some nerve, Pietro Maximoff, coming here for help after what you have put us through. You are lucky we are even wasting a second on either of you! You are lucky we didn't kick your asses out on the street."

"You are intolerable," Pietro hissed. Ana clenched her jaw.

"And you are annoying!" Ana bit back, turning on her heel. "And by the way, I hope the operation fails!"