Chapter 1
The Quinjet soars through the night sky, its sleek form cutting through the clouds. Inside, the Avengers sit in a silent anticipation. Tony Stark leans against the wall, arms crossed, while Thor gazes out the window, seemingly lost in thought. Hulk sits with his arms folded across his chest, his size making him take up nearly a quarter of the jet. Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, who have been quietly conversing, glance at each other occasionally. Yelena Belova pilots the Quinjet, focused on the task at hand. The hum of the engines fills the air, the tension thick in the cabin.
Tony Stark: [he ends a call and switches off the monitor; to Belova, who's flying the Quinjet]
"Hey, you wanna switch out?"
Yelena: [glancing over her shoulder]
"No, I'm good. If you wanna get some sleep, now is a good time, we're still a few hours out."
Tony Stark: [raising an eyebrow]
"A few hours from where?"
Yelena: [her lips curling into a subtle smirk]
"A safe house."
Tony furrows his brow, but before he can inquire further, the Quinjet dips down toward the earth, heading into a remote area. The team sits in silence as the aircraft touches down on the outskirts of a large farmhouse. They disembark, stepping into the chilly evening air. The farmhouse is nestled among trees, its warm lights glowing softly through the windows.
Thor: [looking around curiously]
"What is this place?"
Tony Stark: [shrugging]
"A safe house."
Yelena: [with a teasing smile]
"Let's hope."
They all walk toward the house, their footsteps crunching on the gravel path. Yelena leads them to the door, and she opens it with a light push. The interior of the house is cozy, well-lit, and lived in. The scent of something delicious wafts from the kitchen.
Yelena: [calling out]
"дорогая, I'm home."
As the door creaks open, a heavily pregnant woman enters from the kitchen. She is Kate Bishop, Yelena's wife, her pregnant belly slightly visible beneath a loose sweater. She gives Yelena a warm, loving smile as she walks over to her.
Yelena: [gesturing toward the Avengers]
"Hi. Company. Sorry I didn't call ahead."
Kate: [smiling warmly]
"Hey."
Tony Stark: [noticing the situation and to Thor, trying to mask his surprise]
"This is an agent of some kind."
Yelena: [glancing back at her wife with a fond look]
"Gentlemen, this is Kate Bishop."
Kate: [smiling at each of them, unfazed]
"I know all your names."
The room goes quiet for a beat, everyone awkwardly glancing at each other. It's clear this is a surprise to all of them, especially given that none of them expected this level of familiarity.
Yelena: [interrupting the silence]
"Ooh, incoming."
The sound of footsteps comes rushing down the hallway, followed by the excited shout of a young boy. Derek, Yelena's son, barrels into the living room. His face lights up when he sees Yelena.
Derek: [running to his mother]
"Mama!"
Yelena scoops him up into her arms, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
Yelena: [affectionately]
"Hey, bud! How are you? Ooh..."
Tony Stark: [watching with a mix of surprise and amusement as Yelena interacts with her son]
"This is... a smaller agent."
Yelena: [smiling at her son]
"Look at your face! Oh, my goodness!"
Derek: [excitedly]
"Did you bring Auntie Nat?"
Natasha Romanoff: [kneeling down to Derek’s level, smiling warmly]
"Why don’t you hug her and find out?"
Derek rushes toward Natasha, who picks him up in her arms and gives him a tight hug. The other Avengers watch as Derek hugs her affectionately, completely at ease with the group. Derek suddenly looks up with excitement.
Derek: [grinning]
"Grandpa Clint!"
Clint, standing nearby, steals Derek from Natasha’s arms in a playful manner, lifting him up and spinning him around. Derek laughs joyfully.
Steve Rogers: [looking around the room, unsure of what to say]
"Sorry for barging in on you."
Tony Stark: [sarcastically]
"Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed."
Yelena: [glancing back at Tony]
"Fury helped me set this up when I agreed to join. He kept it off SHIELD's files, I would like to keep it that way. I figured it would be a good place to lay low."
Kate, standing beside Yelena, places a hand on her wife’s arm. There is a calmness about her, a sense of peace that contrasts with the chaos of the outside world. She speaks up, a softness to her voice.
Kate: [to Natasha, eyes bright with affection]
"Nat. Ah, I missed you."
Natasha smiles, reaching out to place a hand on Kate's growing belly.
Natasha Romanoff: [gently touching Kate’s stomach]
"How’s little Natalia, huh?"
Kate: [giggling softly]
"She's… kicking like crazy, just like her mother this one."
Natasha smiles fondly and bends down, placing a kiss on Kate’s stomach. Clint, now holding Derek on his hip, glances around at the others, clearly proud of his family’s growth.
Clint Barton: [walking over to Kate and kissing the top of her head]
"Hey, kiddo."
Kate: [grinning at Clint, affectionately]
"Hey, old man."
---
Later, after the others have settled in, Kate and Yelena retreat to their room. Kate begins carefully checking over the wounds on Yelena's side, though she does so gently, as Yelena seems to be downplaying her injuries.
Yelena: [chuckling softly as she leans back on the bed]
"See, you worried for nothing, Kate Bishop. Can't even feel the difference, can you?"
Kate: [with a small smile, though her concern remains evident]
"If they're sleeping here, some of them are gonna have to double up."
Yelena: [laughs softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners]
"Yeah, they're not going to be happy about it."
Kate hesitates for a moment before continuing, her voice quieter, more serious.
Kate: [eyes full of concern]
"What about Nat and Dr. Banner? How long has that been going on?"
Yelena: [giving her a confused look]
"Has what?"
Kate laughs softly, shaking her head at her wife’s innocence.
Kate: [teasing]
"You are so cute."
Yelena: [shrugging, still confused]
"My сестра and… and the green man?"
Kate: [laughing softly]
"I'll explain when you're older, Belova."
Yelena’s eyes widen slightly, realizing the subtlety of Kate’s comment.
Yelena: [in an exaggerated, innocent voice]
"Oh. Okay."
The room is filled with a comfortable silence, but Kate’s expression turns more serious.
Kate: [looking at Yelena with concern]
"It’s bad, right? Nat seems really shaken."
Yelena: [her expression hardens as she thinks about the situation]
"Ultron has these allies, these uh, kids, they're weird really. They carry a big stick and Nat took a serious hit. Someone is going to have to teach them some manners."
Yelena: [sighing softly]
"And that someone be you. You know I totally support your Avenging, I couldn't be prouder. Sometimes I even miss the action days. But I see those guys, those ‘Gods’..."
Yelena: [glancing out the window]
"You don’t think they need me, Kate Bishop?"
Kate: [seriously, looking into her eyes]
"I think they do. Which is a lot scarier. They're a mess."
Yelena: [nods slowly]
"Yeah. I guess they’re a mess I need to take care of."
Kate: [pressing her hand against Yelena’s side, her tone soft but insistent]
"You need to be sure that this team is really a team and that they have your back. Things are changing for us. In a few months’ time, I’m gonna be outnumbered. I need... just be sure."
Yelena: [in an American accent, with a slight grin]
"Yes, ma'am." [She kisses her, and as Kate places her arm around her waist, Yelena touches her wounded side.]
Kate: [noticing the change in her wife’s expression as she touches her side]
"I can feel the difference."