During The Flight Home

[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

After dropping off the kids, Scott finds that Wanda...doing some work? Maybe she really does need a vacation.



With things much more calm, Wanda tucked herself away in a corner of the Blackbird that didn't have many people. Tugging out a hiking backpack she had tucked away, she quickly had out a few notebooks and a map. Maybe this was pushing herself a little hard but there was a deadline to meet for the college and with all the missions lately, her work off campus had suffered. Sighing, she started making notes, wondering when she'd have the time to get back to recording information for Nathan.

Scott, having left Sam to do the flying across the Atlantic, wandered back through the plane, checking on the rest of the team. There was a happy glow to the faces that smiled up at him, and he knew that they would be able to say the same thing about him. It had been a good day.

He reached where Wanda was sitting farther back in the cabin, and raised an eyebrow as he saw her bent over what looked like... "Uh, Wanda?"

Looking up, she gathered the map to her chest protectively. "Yes, Scott?"

"What are you doing?" He raised an eyebrow.

Was that a trick question? "I'm working," Wanda said cautiously, spreading the map back out slowly. "I have a small project related to the traveling people in Ireland due next week. So. I'm working."

"You're not, uh, tired? Wanting to relax a little on the way back to Westchester?" Good God, the woman was as bad as he was.

"No, not tired at all." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why? You are not trying to take it away from me, are you? I can relax well enough once we get home." There was a pause. "I will chew your fingers off if you try to take the map."

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Wanda," he said very steadily, "that's disturbing. You need a vacation."

"It is not disturbing! And I do not need...vacation." Obviously she was now thinking hard about this. "...no, no! I do not need a vacation. I'm fine. Just fine." Maybe scooting away from him very slowly was not a sign of being fine but she didn't very much care at the moment. There was only a few more things to do on the map! And then the notes to write. And then to translate the notes into a paper.

"Wanda, are you trying to guard your notes? I'm not going to take them away from you, you realize," Scott said very patiently. This wasn't funny. Really wasn't.

Just a couple of more inches to the left. "Who, me? Never. Really. Look, Nathan's juggling the children!" At that, Wanda promptly scampered further back towards the plane, clutching her notes to herself. All she needed was a few more hours, how hard was that?

"The children are safely on the ground in Tunis, remember? Nice try," Scott said, still patient, and sat down beside her. "Um. Are you having trouble juggling responsibilities, Wanda?"

"Stop tossing logic at me!" Her shoulders slumped slightly. "Maybe," Wanda admitted, smoothing out the wrinkles in the map with a small sigh. "I think maybe the fact that I am technically working four jobs might have something to do with that, yes?"

"Just a little." Scott looked down at the map. "You could take a break," he said quietly. "You really could. You know that, right?"

The smile she gave him was tight. "I could, I suppose, I know I have thought about it. But things pile up and I am needed in so many places. Maybe the field trip next week will help my peace of mind."

"Well, a nice trip to Seattle, a few nights at a good hotel..." He nudged her in the shoulder, smiling. "May just."

Wanda grinned back just a bit and returned the nudge. "Theo did invite me to visit them," she mused to herself.

"Tunis is a pretty place, judging from what we saw as we flew over," Scott said with a grin. "And there could be worse things than having a devoted bear bringing you fruity drink as you sit by the Mediterranean."

Laughing at that, she tried to look as innocent as possible. "Scott Summers, as if that thought would even pass my mind!" she protested.

"I imagine he'd be a perfect gentleman. From what little Nate's told me about him."

"He really is adorable," Wanda mused. "I have not been...well...it is hard to admit when someone you care about leaves so all of this..." She waved a hand at the notes around her. "To be an X-Man you must be neutroic, I suppose."

"Hey, I'm the prototype. No one is as neurotic as I am," Scott pointed out. "But really, Wanda... " He laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, if you do need to take a break," he said more softly, smiling. "We've got you covered."

She felt her shoulders slump a little more. "I am far too hard on myself sometimes, I suppose," she admited slowly. "With all of the problems--mine and external--I have felt like I couldn't stop. Maybe I should take a vacation." She put her fingers up, only an inch apart. "A small one, of course."

"You'd be surprised at much even a few days helps," Scott said, with some certainty - he was after all a good example of that himself, now, wasn't he? "After the field trip, think about it?"

"I will, I promise." She gave him a shifty eyed look. "You will not allow me to consider the field trip a vacation, will you?"

"Absolutely not," Scott said firmly. "You think chaperoning is conducive to relaxing?"

Maybe she pouted, just a little bit. "You and your logic," she huffed.