Chapter 24
We stayed up all night and I think it was around mid way through season 2 that I fell asleep. Natasha and Clint must have too because I the next morning in a tangle of arms and legs. Clint was wrapped around me like an octopus and Natasha was spooning me. I didn’t take her for a cuddler.
As weird as it was, I wasn’t uncomfortable though I was starting to be when I got the urge to pee. I carefully tried to slip out of their grasps without waking them up but one I tried to move Natasha’s arms she ended up hugging me tighter.
“Oh… Natasha.” I said shaking her arm and she immediately opened her eyes. As soon as she saw me and that she was spooning me she just smiled.
“Morning beautiful.” She said sounding weirdly flirty.
“Yeah I need help.” I said. “I gotta pee kind of bad here.”
“Oh.” She said letting me go and then helping me slip out of Clint’s grasp replacing me with a pillow he immediately hugged tightly as he faceplanted into the bed and let out a snore.
“Thanks.” I said rushing to the bathroom. When I walked out Natasha was standing next to the bed while Clint was still snoring.
“Want me to wake him up?” Natasha asked.
“No let him sleep.” I said looking at Clint. “I get the feeling he hasn’t been sleeping too well.”
“Probably.” She said giving Clint one last look before we walked out. Natasha went to her room while I ventured downstairs for some coffee.
Unsurprisingly Steve was already down there with Bruce.
“Hanna!” Steve jumped in surprise.
“Morning.” I said smiling remembering the dinner I missed.
“Morning.” Bruce said quietly trying not to laugh.
“I uh… I’m going for a run.” Steve said running out.
As soon as he did Tony let out a laugh.
“Man he can’t even look you in the eye.” Tony said.
“It wasn’t even that bad.” I said.
“I don’t know Blondie. I mean what kind of stuff are you into?” Tony asked.
“I was watching HBO.” I deadpanned.
“Wait it wasn’t even real porn?” Tony said laughing again. “Oh man this keeps getting better and better.”
“In Steve’s defense HBO can be pretty graphic.” Bruce said.
“I’ll talk to him later.” I said. “Let him process everything Nat told him.”
Tony just laughed.
“I know I know I shouldn’t be laughing but…” he started. “You didn’t see the look on his face.”
“We’ve talked about this.” I said.
“Would you just give me this one?” Tony said.
“You’ve been bringing it up non stop since last night. At least you didn’t bring it up during dinner.” I said and suddenly Tony stopped laughing. “Tony. You didn’t bring it up did you?”
“Uh… well Rhodey may have asked how the roommate situation was going and it reminded me of this and it made me laugh…” Tony said. “I had to tell them what was so funny.”
“You told your friends I was watching porn?!” I said. “I am never meeting them.”
“What?” Tony said.
“Yup. Never happening. I can’t show my face. Too embarrassing.” I said.
“It’s not that bad.” Tony said.
“Still bad.” I said grabbing my coffee and heading to the gym since Clint was still asleep in my room. Steve who was already there lifting weights dropped them on his foot and quickly hopped out of the gym when he saw me.
Yeah I was definitely going to have to deal with that at some point.
Week 13…
Being mad at Tony for telling his friends Steve walked in on me watching what he thought was porn had made me completely forget about him having a thing for me.. Unfortunately the same did not apply to Elaine.
“So how did the talk go?” She asked.
“I haven’t talked to Steve yet. He’s surprisingly really good at avoiding people.” I said.
“I was actually talking about Tony but why would Steve be avoiding you?” Elaine asked.
“because of the whole porn incident.” I said.
“There was a porn incident?” Elaine asked.
So I filled her in and we argued about how we were supposed to move forward. When I walked out Tony was already waiting.
“How’d it go?” I didn’t say anything just walked to the car.
“Still not talking to me huh? Come on Blondie it’s not that big a deal.” Tony said.
“It’s a big deal and the fact that you can’t tell it’s a big deal is concerning.” I said.
“I said I was sorry.” Tony said.
“And I said I’m not mad but that’s also not true.” I said.
“Fine I screwed up. I’m sorry I just got caught up on the all-mighty perfect America screwing up.” Tony said.
“You have got to get over your issues with Steve.” I said.
“I don’t have issues with him.” Tony said.
“Yes you do.” I said. “He is not perfect and he never said he was but I do know who believed that and would constantly remind you of it.”
“You think I have daddy issues?” Tony asked.
“Who doesn’t? Remember who you’re talking to. I saw the look on your face when you saw the video of your dad saying you were his greatest creation.” I said. “He held you to impossible standards because he was ashamed of his own shortcomings. No one’s perfect that’s the whole point of life. To make mistakes, learn from them and grow as a person.”
“So you’re telling me Steve isn’t as great as everyone think he is?” Tony asked smugly.
“No. He does live up to his reputation but there’s more to him than just being Captain America. Maybe you just need to get to know that side of him.” I said.
“Hm…” Tony answered not entirely convinced.
When we got back we were greeted by Fury pacing the living room.
“About time. Did you two enjoy your brunch while we’re here trying to save the world?” Fury said.
“Would you tone it down. Last time you were here you had nothing.” Tony said.
“And who’s fault is that?” Fury said glaring at me.
“So did you find Strucker and List?” I asked.
“Who?” Fury said.
“Strucker and List?” I repeated.
“You didn’t give us those names. You just said the guy with the face.” Steve said.
“Oh right. In my defense I was heavily medicated.” I said pouring myself some coffee before going to sit next to Natasha and look through the files. “Start with List there’s no way he’d let go of the scepter once he got his hands on it. Also keep an ear out for anyone recruiting people for medical experiments in Sokovia and some of the neighboring countries.”
“What do you think we’ve been doing? There’s also something else. People are starting to ask questions about where you two are…” Fury asked looking at Clint and Natasha before turning to Steve.. “And why you aren’t working for us.”
“Tell them we’re on a mission.” Clint said.
“Need to know only.” Natasha said.
“I’m catching up on everything I missed.” Steve said.
“It’s been months. Right now they’re asking questions but it’s only a matter of time before they start looking.” Fury said.
“You think we should go back.” Natasha asked. “It’s not a bad idea. We can work from inside SHIELD get a better idea of what exactly is going on.”
“It’s risky.” Steve said.
“You wouldn’t know who to trust.” Clint said.
“No one in STRIKE. Especially not Rumlow, he answers directly to Pierce and you wouldn’t know if the missions you get assigned are actually in the interest of national security or if you’re doing Hydra’s dirty work.” I said.
“Same with all the other missions we’ve done before.” Natasha said. “We’d be going in blind.”
“Better than running around in circles.” Fury said.
“I’m not going back. I’m not a spy and I don’t want to take a shot and find out it was the wrong person.” Clint said. “I can do more good working from the outside.”
“Captain?” Fury asked.
“I… I’m tired of sitting around and waiting for something to happen. We need to make a move.” Steve said. “How do we do this?”
So that’s how it was decided that Steve and Natasha would go back to DC and Clint would stay for a few more weeks before following to be on standby in case any happened.
The day before she left I waited until Steve went on his morning run before knocking on Natasha’s door early one morning.
“Hanna?” She said surprised to see me.
“Can we talk?” I asked.
“I thought we already were?” Natasha retorted and I just gave her a look before she let me into her room. “What’s up?”
“There’s something you need to know before you go to DC and you can’t tell Steve.” I said.
“What is it?” She asked.
“Rumlow knows where Bucky is.” I said and Natasha’s eyes widened.
“Are you sure?” Natasha asked.
“In the movies he reported to Pierce, drove Bucky around and was there whenever they gave him orders. I’m pretty sure he’s his handler.” I said.
“Shit.” She said.
“Yeah.” I said.
“Why are you telling me and not Steve?” Natasha asked.
“You know how he gets whenever anyone brings up Bucky.” I said. “You both need to be careful and if he knew…”
“He’d get reckless.” She said understanding.
“Exactly.” I said. “Which brings me to my next thing. You need to keep an eye on Steve.”
“He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.” She said.
“He’s not a spy Nat. He trusts way too easily and I’m pretty sure I know where Steve is going to be staying. His neighbor the nurse, isn’t really a nurse. She’s a shield shadow and also happens to be Peggy’s niece.” I said.
“I think I know who you’re talking about.” Natasha said. “Can she be trusted?”
“She’s not Hydra but down the line she might be a problem.” I said.
“That’s a no.” She said.
“It’s a she’s not going to try to kill you anytime soon but she’s sneaky and manipulative and Steve is an easy target.” I said.
“I’ll look out for him. It’s good that you’re here.” Natasha said. “I have some things for you.”
“You do?” I asked.
“I called in some favors from Fury and…” Natasha said handing me an envelope. I opened it and saw a passport, birth certificate, social security card, ID, and driver’s license even though I don’t drive. “Your new official identity.”
“These are all real?” I asked.
“It’s not the first time we set someone up with an identity.” Natasha said putting a black duffle on the bed before unzipping it. “or in your case more than one.”
She pulled it open to reveal wads of money in different currencies, burner phones, multiple new IDs and passports and a sealed envelope.
“What is all this?” I asked.
“It’s cash from different stores Clint and I had lying around. I’m going to drop it off in a locker at Union Station.” Natasha said before handing me a key. “This is the key and this envelope are instructions for how to get to a safehouse we have set up for you. If you get separated from us or if we ever tell you to run or if things with HYDRA or the Mandarin go south don’t wait for any of us. Just go and we’ll come get you when its safe.”
“Does everyone…” I asked.
“Just me, Clint and now you. Don’t tell anyone.” She said.
“Okay. But chances are I’ll never have to use it right?” I said.
“I can’t promise you that but it’s better to have and not need than need and not have.” Natasha said. “Don’t worry. We’re really good at what we do. Even if you end up using it we’ll catch up with you.”
“You better.” I said as it suddenly hit me that this was really my life now. I had soulmates who were superheroes that put their lives in danger to save the world and could die doing it and because of that I now had a target on my back.
Shit.