Ours

You were cooking dinner when your phone rang. And it wasn’t the house phone, or your cell phone, no, this was the special phone that you kept on your person at all times.

“Hello?” Your voice betrayed your nerves as it shook. No one had called you on this phone since you had left the Avengers and broke up with Natasha almost two years ago.

“[Y/n]. We have a situation.” Nick Fury. His voice was calm, unwavering. It gave you some strength. You untied your apron and walked upstairs to your room, shutting the door after making sure that Amelia’s door was closed.

“Nick. What is it? What’s wrong? Did something happen to Natasha?” Even though your breakup had been difficult, you still cared for the red head. Your heart had never fully healed from her remark that your family was not hers. That Amelia wasn’t hers.

“We are coming to pick you up. The car will be unmarked. I want you to act as casual as you can. You and Amelia are in danger.”

You started freaking out, pulling down your suitcase from your closet as you began packing essentials, “Nick, tell me what’s going on!? If I have to disrupt Amelia’s life and drag her out of this simple life I made for her, I deserve to know.”

You heard Nick sigh, the background noise of sirens and yells leaking over the phone, “There was a falling out between the Avengers and the government. The Avengers have all been declared criminals of the state and are being rounded up and incarcerated. They know about you and Natasha and your affiliation with SHIELD. If an agent or police officer comes to your door before my men get there, do not answer it, sneak out back and get to the diner and someone will be there to meet you.”

Your breath caught. You always knew there was a danger with your job. But you had never thought this would happen. You were a stay at home mom who sometimes helped SHIELD crack codes and set up firewalls.

You weren’t important. You weren’t someone with special powers or abilities.

“Okay, Okay. I’ll have to think of something to tell Amelia and…” You trialed off as you heard a car door shut. Peering through your curtains your breath started coming out in panicked gasps, “Nick….The police are here with the FBI. They’re walking to my front door!”

Nick, thankfully, didn’t give in to your panic and spoke calmly, “Okay [Y/n]. Here is what you are going to do, you are going to pack one set of clothes for you and Amelia and then sneak out back. Do not pack anything else, do not answer the door and stay as quiet as possible. I’ll see you soon.” And with that he hung up.

Your eyes were wide as you looked around your room. And then the adrenaline kicked in. You threw a pair of clothes into the suitcase and then ran across the hall to Amelia’s room.

“Mom, knock next time, please!” Your six year old, too smart for her own good, sat on her bed, brushing the hair of her doll.

You ignored her for the moment as you pulled open a drawer in her dresser and threw a pair of clothes into the suitcase with you.

“Mom?” Your six year old stood up, holding her doll to her chest as she looked at you confused.

You sighed and drug a hand through your hair. Kneeling in front of her, you placed your hands on her shoulder, “Amelia, honey. We have to go away for a while. We’re going to go meet Uncle Fury and Aunt Maria somewhere safe.”

Your heart tore as you saw the tears rise up in your daughter’s eyes, “What’s going on Mommy?” She hadn’t called you mommy in years.

You fought to speak calmly, as your own throat began to close due to tears, “I’ll explain later, right now, we have to go.”

You grabbed a hold of your daughter’s hand, your other hand holding the handle of the suitcase.

You walked carefully downstairs, trying not to make a sound. You looked down at your daughter who was clinging to her doll as tears slid down her face.

“Miss [Y/n]? It’s the police, please open up.”

Your daughter shot you a frantic look. You pulled her with you to your backdoor. Peering into the darkness, you cursed that this had happened so late in the evening.

The door opened without a sound and you ran across the yard.

“Ouch!” Your daughter yelped as she fell down.

“They’re over here!” You heard someone yell, and then the sound of feet running reached you.

You pulled your daughter up and held her to your chest, dropping the suitcase and took off running, not looking back.

“My doll!” Your daughter yelled, her hands outstretched.

“Sorry sweetie, I’ll buy you a new one.” Your breaths coming in pants as you ran as fast as you could.

You ducked into alleys and doubel backed, all those lessons from Fury kicking in.

You finally reached the diner. Your meet up spot. You attempted to slow your heart rate and look as normal as possible as you entered the small diner and slid into a booth with your daughter.

A waitress came up to you with a perky smile, “What will we be ordering tonight?” She asked.

You took a deep breath, and staring her in the eyes said, “The bird's eye view special.”

Her smile faltered, but she kept it pasted on as she replied, “Of course, It’ll be right out, let me just check in the back to see if we have it.”

As she left, you waited a few seconds and when she came back and picked up the coffee pot and poured three cups, you stood up and walked around to the back of the diner with your daughter.

“Nick!” You wrapped your arms around the man in relief as you saw him standing in the shadows.

Fury dropped down so that he was level with Amelie, “Hiya Pumpkin, no hug for your uncle?”

Amelia wrapped her small arms around him, clinging to him, he lifted her up and balanced her on his hip as she kept her face pressed into his shoulder.

You bite your lip, “She’s gone through a lot in one night Fury. Please say you have some good news.”

Nick, even with one eye, managed to look uneasy as he looked past you, “Well, we have a safe house for you and Amelia to stay at for a while, but you’ll be sharing it with some others.”

You breathed deeply, “Alright, let’s go.”

You turned around to get into the car. Nick passed you Amelia who you buckled in next to you. She fell asleep a few minutes into the car ride.

You fell asleep a few hours later.

When you woke up, sunlight was streaming in through the car’s windows.

Stretching, you looked over at your daughter who was still sleeping.

You pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, feeling guilty for tearing her out of her happy life and bringing her into danger.

Your daughter had been through so much already in her short life. An absent father, losing a mother figure when you broke up with Natasha, and now being torn from her school and home and being brought on the run.

“We’re here, miss.” The agent who drove you said, turning off the engine. You stepped out of the car, stretching out your legs as you breathed in the woodsy smell.

You were not in New York anymore, that much was obvious. You were somewhere in the middle of the woods, a modest cabin stood in a clearing, smoke pouring from the chimney.

“Thank you.” You said to the agent as you pulled Amelia from her seat and settled her on your hip. Letting her sleep for a few more minutes.

Taking a deep breath, you walked towards the cabin. You knocked once before opening the door.

You took in the room in awe. Inside was not the rustic cabin look you were expecting based on the outside appearance.

There was a flatscreen tv, and some retro couches. A chandelier lit up the room where a kitchen was connected, the open floor layout bright and colorful.

“Hey, [Y/n], we were wondering when you would be arriving.” You turned and saw Steve and Bucky leaning against the counter in the kitchen.

You took a deep inhale and smiled, “Are you guys trying to cook spaghetti and failing?”

Steve frowned, “Is it that bad?”

You laughed, shaking your head, “Just from the smell I can tell that you used lemongrass instead of thyme. If you’ll show me where i can put Amelia down so that she can continue sleeping, I’ll help you guys fix it.”

Steve glanced at Bucky who rubbed the back of his neck like he does when he is nervous. You immediately went on edge, clutching Amelia tighter to you, “What is it?”

Steve stumbled on his words, “Well...there is, you see. Only so many safehouses and..”

The voice that came from behind you caused the hairs on her arms to stand up, “What Steve is trying to say is that I’m here as well.”

You turned to face Natasha. She stood before you in sweatpants and a tanktop and your heart started beating faster.

She looked as beautiful as ever, even after not seeing her for two years.

Her green eyes softened as she saw Amelia sleeping in your arms, “She looks so grown up now...She’s six now, right?” She asked, raising a hand and then lowering it as if she was going to touch you and thought better of it.

Your voice was stiff, hoping to not betray your racing heart as you spoke, “Please just show me my room.”

Natasha nodded, her face struggling to portray her normal calmness.

She turned to one of the three doors, “There are two rooms and a common bathroom. I’ll sleep on the couch so you and Amelia can have this room.”

You startled, “What? We can’t possibly expect you to sleep on the couch.”

Natasha let a soft smile grace her lips, “It’s nothing, [Y/n]. Really. I want you and Amelia to be comfortable. I know you are put in this position due to your relationship with me in the past.”

You dropped your head, memories threatening to over run your mind. You stepped into the small bedroom. A single queen bed sat in the middle with one dresser on the opposite wall.

You laid Amelia down on the bed, smiling at her as she curled up. You leaned over and kissed her forehead before exiting the room, slowly closing the door.

You sighed and closed your eyes for a moment, trying to absorb everything that had happened in the short amount of time.

“Hey, [Y/n]. Can we talk?” You peered over and saw Natasha standing next to you, wringing her hands as she looked at you cautiously.

You couldn’t speak, so you just nodded and followed her into the living area, settling on a couch.

She sat in a different chair, which you silently thanked her for, You couldn’t handle being so close to her so soon.

She took a deep breath and it gave you a moment to admire her. She was older, and there was more strain in her eyes. Her hair was longer and flowed past her shoulders in elegant soft curls.

You twitched your fingers as you fought the urge to run your hands through her hair like you used to do.

She started softly, sounding almost scared that you would bolt, “I know what I did was unforgivable. I hurt you and our family.”

You flinched at her use of ‘our’, painful memories emerging from that word.

She pushed on, her eyes on her hands, she didn’t see your reaction, “I was in a bad place, and I know that doesn’t excuse what I said. But I just want you to know that I am sorry. Extremely, sorry. For hurting you. And for hurting Amelia. She looks so grown up now.” She smiled, glancing up at you. Your eyes were wet with unshed tears as you shared a look with Natasha. She had been there since Amelia had been in diapers and raised her for three years, you couldn’t imagine seeing your child again after two years had gone by, seeing the changes that you weren’t there for.

Natasha kept speaking, her voice hoarse as tears slipped down her cheeks, “It seems like just yesterday she was begging for ice cream for dinner and chasing Bucky and Steve around the tower with her stuffed tiger as they pretended to be terrified of it eating them.”

You smiled wistfully with her as you recalled those times.

“I missed so much of her growing up because I was blind to the fact that I already had the perfect family. The perfect partner…” She stood up then, making her way over to you. She took a hold of your hands, gently, allowing you the chance to let go if you wanted to. You let her keep ahold of them as she knelt down before you, “The perfect child...the perfect daughter. I messed up and I yell at myself everyday for ruining the only good thing that ever entered my life...well two things.”

You laughed wetly with Natasha.

“I want you to come back, [Y/n]. I want to be Amelia’s Mama again. I don’t want to miss her life. Watching her go off to school, picking her up from homecoming. Soothing her cries over boys, or girls.”

You raised a hand and wiped away a tear from Natasha's eyes as she kept talking, “I want to be there for her first date, to be there to teach her how to make sure she is respected. I want to watch her walk down the aisle and cry with you as she says her vows. I want to be there with you, old and gray haired watching our grandkids run around and playing in our front yard. I want our family back.”

The silence after she spoke was deafening. You struggled to work past the lump in your throat, your mind blank as you took in everything she said.

Then the silence was broken as you heard two grown men sniffling and Bucky call out, “If you don’t take her back, then love really is dead.”

Natasha and you broke out laughing, you fell off the couch as your laughter took over and Natasha caught you.

You gazed up into her sparkling green eyes and without saying a word, leaned up and kissed her.

“Yes! Love is real and alive!”

You broke apart and glared over at Steve and Bucky, “Boys. Behave!”

They grinned, not perturbed in the least.

You looked back over at Natasha who grabbed your hand and helped you stand up with her.

“Who knew it would take a state of national emergency to bring us back together?” You teased.

Natasha smiled, brushing your hair behind your ear, “I promise, to protect you and Amelia and to stay true to you and love you and cherish you and everything you are. I promise to love and cherish everything Amelia is. I promise to protect and love and cherish our family.”

You pushed your face into her neck, smiling as her arms wrapped around you, “I never stopped loving you Nat.”

She clung to you tightly, her face pressed against your hair as she whispered, “I never stopped loving you either, [Y/n].”

“Mommy? Mama?”

You and Natasha stepped apart and turned to see your daughter standing in the doorway of her room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

She looked between you and Natasha, her eyes puzzled.

You walked over and picked her up, “Hey munchkin, how was your nap?”

Her bright eyes peered into yours, “Good. Mommy, I thought Mama was not in our lives anymore. Where are we?”

You brought Amelia over to where Natasha stood. She smiled gently at Amelia, “Hey Honey, you remember me?”

Amelia nodded, looking stern as she replied, “I’m six. I know a lot. Are you here to hurt Mommy more?”

Natasha flinched but kept her smile in place. You leaned back and looked at Amelia, “Amelia!”

She turned to you, “I’m just protecting you Mommy.”

You laughed, bouncing her on your hip, “Thank you darling, but it’s my job to protect you. How would you feel about Mama being a part of our lives again?”

Amelia seemed to ponder it for a while and you could sense the nerves radiating off of Natasha.

Finally Amelia broke into a grin, “We’re a family again!”

She reached out to Natasha and you let her hold Amelia in her arms as you crossed yours and smiled at them talking and laughing again.

Amelia finally wanted down and ran over to say hello to her uncles. Natasha wrapped her arms around you from behind, resting her chin on your shoulder as you both watched Bucky and Steve play with Amelia and try to convince her that their spaghetti was delicious.

“So, we’re okay?”

You leaned into Natasha’s embrace, “You’re okay with just me and Amelia?”

You could hear Natasha’s smile as she replied, “I’m okay with our perfect little family. After all, it’s ours.”