It had been a few months since Pietro's death, and despite the weight of that loss hanging over them both, Lexi and Wanda had found a rhythm. It started slowly, a morning routine born from the shared need for something grounding after all the chaos. Every day, without fail, they would wake up before the rest of the compound stirred, lace up their shoes, and take off together.

Their run through the forest had become their sacred time, their escape. Sometimes they ran in silence, letting the cool morning air fill the space between them. Other times, they talked about everything—nothing and everything. Lexi would talk about the things her father wanted her to create, and Wanda would listen, asking questions about everything that she didn't understand. Which was a lot.

But there was something more unspoken between them, something that grew over time. With each passing day, Lexi began to realize how much she had come to rely on Wanda's presence. How the mornings felt incomplete without her. She had never realized how deeply she had come to care for Wanda until she started to feel an unsettling emptiness when Wanda was away.

And it wasn't just the runs. The training sessions with the Avengers were a separate part of their routine. Steve and Clint had insisted on bringing Lexi and Wanda into the fold, though it took a lot of convincing, especially from Tony. Steve had pushed hard for it, seeing the potential in both of them. After some initial hesitation, Tony and Natasha agreed to let them train, but only if they were ready to handle it.

In the beginning, there was a lot of tension. Natasha was hard on them both, but Lexi quickly found that her own natural agility and sharpness made her a strong contender in combat. Wanda's powers, still unpredictable at times, had begun to stabilize, though she often struggled with controlling them when under pressure. She was determined to prove herself, and Lexi had no doubt she would get there.

Tony, always protective of his daughter, was often distracted by work but still made time to be with her. Whether it was tinkering in the lab or reviewing security systems, Tony's presence in the compound was a comforting constant. The rest of the team had begun to accept Wanda more, and even Clint had warmed up to her, though he still felt the pangs of guilt over Pietro's death. The tension was always there when the two were in the same room, but it was manageable.

That morning, like every morning, Lexi and Wanda had set out for their morning hike. The air was crisp with the first light of dawn, and the forest was quiet, save for the soft rustling of leaves. Wanda, ever the quiet one, had been lost in thought as they moved along the path, her brow furrowed with something Lexi couldn't quite place.

"Everything okay?" Lexi asked, her voice soft but filled with concern.

Wanda glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yeah... Just thinking." Her eyes dropped to the dirt path below them. "Can you teach me again?" Lexi had always been the one to teach Wanda about technology. It started with simple lessons: how to use a phone, how to send a text, and how to look something up online. For Lexi, it was second nature, but Wanda? She'd always felt left behind when it came to anything involving modern technology.

She giggled and pulled out her phone. "Okay, Wands, it's easy," Lexi explained, her voice soft as she placed a sleek phone in Wanda's hands. "You just press the power button, and then swipe here to unlock it."

Wanda's fingers hovered uncertainly over the screen, her brows furrowing in concentration. Lexi watched, patiently, as Wanda's fingers finally brushed the screen, unlocking the phone with a small smile of triumph.

"See? It's not so bad," Lexi continued, her tone light, though a glint of pride sparkled in her eyes. "Now, you can start by checking out the internet. Just type what you want to know, and all kinds of things pop up."

Wanda nodded, though the uncertainty still lingered in her features. She hesitated for a moment, then typed Lexi's name into the search bar. She wasn't sure what to expect—maybe a few articles or mentions here and there, maybe some public appearances. But when the results started appearing on the screen, she was taken aback by what she saw.

There was Lexi, her name everywhere. Articles that went back years. The first few were from when Lexi was only seven years old, calling her a "child prodigy" or "tech genius in the making." Then, as the articles progressed, they became more specific—more focused on her intellect, her breakthroughs in science and technology, the papers she'd written at age nine, and the labs she'd worked in by twelve.

Wanda stared, not quite believing the sheer volume of praise and attention that had followed Lexi all her life. "Genius" was a word that appeared in nearly every headline, each one trying to define just how extraordinary she was. The titles rolled on and on: A Young Prodigy Who Outshines Her Peers, The Future of Science in the Hands of a Teenager, and A Mind Like No Other: How Alexandra Stark Became the Prodigy of a Generation.

As Wanda scrolled further, the tone shifted. The headlines turned darker, more sensational. Abduction of Lexi Stark Shocks the World, A Genius Kidnapped: The Stark Family's Nightmare, and Lexi Stark Missing: What's Being Done to Find the Young Prodigy?

Wanda's heart sank as she kept scrolling. She wasn't sure how many articles she could take before the sadness started to overwhelm her. She didn't need to read about Lexi's kidnapping. She didn't want to know the details—the trauma that had followed, the family that had been torn apart. It wasn't what Lexi needed right now. Until the newest one, that had been published less than 2 weeks ago. The prodigal daughter returns: What happened to Alexandra Stark?

She quickly swiped her finger across the screen to turn the page, but another article popped up—one from when Lexi had turned fifteen, calling her the "Prodigy of the Generation" and claiming that her intellect had surpassed even that of her grandfather, Howard Stark. The comparison between her and her own father, Tony Stark, felt almost cruel to Wanda—like a weight no child should bear, even if Lexi was clearly gifted. She couldn't imagine how much pressure had followed that kind of praise.

Lexi had always been capable, even beyond her years. But Wanda knew there was a difference between being smart and being expected to be something no one could ever live up to.

"Wow," Wanda muttered, her thumb scrolling slower as she processed the information. "You really are... something else, huh?" Lexi, who had been sitting next to her and watching with mild amusement, suddenly went still. "What's wrong?"

Wanda stopped scrolling, her finger lingering over the screen as she stared at it, unsure of how to explain the mix of emotions she felt. "I didn't realize... you've been under such a microscope. Your whole life."

Lexi glanced over at the screen, then gave a small, reassuring smile. "Honestly? It wasn't that bad. My dad... he protected me every step of the way." Wanda raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Tony Stark?"

"Yeah," Lexi replied with a soft laugh. "He'd do these photo shoots or interviews with the media only if I felt comfortable with it. And anything online—if there was ever anything that could hurt me or make me feel threatened, he'd have J.A.R.V.I.S. block it out. He did everything he could to make sure I was safe, not just physically, but emotionally too. I never felt like I had to be anything more than just his daughter"

Wanda looked at her, a little confused. "But... all these achievements. How did you not feel pressured?" Lexi shrugged, looking down at the phone. "I made all of those things because I wanted to. He never pushed me. He always told me I was his daughter first, not his legacy'" Lexi paused, her voice softer now. "He didn't want me to grow up like he did—feeling like I had to live up to something or someone else's expectations. He was always there for me. No matter what. Even when things got tough. And he didn't just protect me from the world, he protected me from myself too."

Wanda turned her head slightly, intrigued by the vulnerability in Lexi's voice. "What do you mean?"

Lexi smiled softly, her eyes distant as she remembered. "He made sure that everything I did wasn't about impressing anyone. He never forced me to do anything I didn't want to, even if I felt like I had to. He always told me that what I did should make me happy, not anyone else. I think he never realized it was him I always wanted to impress" She chuckled. "He's always been so protective he's... He's the best".

Wanda's expression softened. It was clear how much love Lexi had for her father. "Sounds like you've been lucky." Lexi smiled and reached out to give Wanda's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I've been lucky in a lot of ways."

She turned her head slightly to look away from, Lexi, her gaze distant. The brunette caught the shift in her behaviour and tilted her head, concerned. "What's on your mind?"

Wanda bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before she let out a quiet breath. "It's just... you've done so much. You've had so many opportunities, Lexi. So many chances to prove yourself. And here I am, just... struggling to keep my head above water. I never had all of that. I never had anything close to what you've achieved." Her voice trembled slightly, a mix of self-doubt and something more—a lingering sadness she didn't often let surface.

Lexi could hear the weight in her words and moved closer, gently taking her hand. "Wanda, you've been through more than anyone should ever have to. You're stronger than I could ever imagine."

Wanda shook her head, looking down at her lap. "I know it sounds stupid, but sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I had... more. If I had something like what you had. My family—" Her voice cracked, and she stopped, taking a moment to compose herself before continuing, "We didn't have much, Lex. It was just Pietro, me and our parents. We didn't have money, we didn't have anything extra. Just... love. Just each other."

Lexi squeezed her hand, giving her the space to keep talking.

Wanda closed her eyes for a moment, her mind drifting back to the days before everything changed. "Our parents did the best they could, but it was always hard. I remember when we were younger, our father used to sell American shows, and our mother would stay home, trying to stretch every ruble to make sure we never went hungry. It wasn't always good, there were days when my father couldn't sell anything and the power would go out because we couldn't pay the bills, and we'd have to sit in the dark, just waiting for it to come back on. But even on those nights, our family would find a way to make it feel okay."

Wanda's voice softened as she remembered the little things that had made their childhood special, despite the struggles. "Sometimes, our parents would make a game out of it. We'd sit together in the dark, telling stories to pass the time. My mother would laugh, and she'd sing old songs she remembered from her youth. Pietro and I would act out little plays, making each other laugh until we forgot the cold. It wasn't much, but it was everything to us."

A tear slipped down Wanda's cheek, but she didn't wipe it away, allowing herself to feel the weight of those memories. "We didn't have things. We didn't have wealth or status, but we had each other. And that was enough for me. I always thought as long as we had each other, we'd be okay."

Lexi's heart ached for Wanda. She could see the pain in her eyes, the sadness of a time lost. "I'm so sorry, Wanda. You and Pietro—your parents—they gave you all the love they could. And that's what matters the most."

Wanda sniffed and shook her head, letting out a shaky laugh that barely masked her sadness. "It was enough, I guess. But when they died... everything felt so... empty. I don't know how to explain it, but when we lost them, I lost everything that made me feel whole. I didn't just lose my parents, I lost the family I had built in my heart. And I feel like I'll never be able to fill that hole."

Lexi moved even closer, pulling Wanda into a hug, and wrapping her arms around her tightly. Wanda rested her head against Lexi's shoulder, her breath coming in slow, steady inhales. "I just wish I could go back," she whispered. "I wish I could go back to those days when we were together, laughing, even when we didn't have anything."

Lexi pulled back slightly to look at her, cupping Wanda's face in her hands. "Nothing will ever fill the hole of your family, baby. But I promise you, it'll become smaller as you go. They'll always be a part of you."

Wanda felt a flutter in her chest at the soft, affectionate term Lexi used. Baby. It wasn't something she expected to hear, but it sent a warmth through her that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was just a word, but it felt... different. A soft kind of affection wrapped around the word, and it made something stir in her, something that sent a rush of butterflies through her stomach. She blinked, looking down, unsure of what to do with the unexpected feeling.

She swallowed, trying to steady herself, but the sensation lingered, making her cheeks flush slightly. "Thank you, Lexi," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, but filled with an emotion that was hard to name.