Chapter 21
2015, date redacted
It has been a year since the last encounter with Loki. They had yet to receive any sort of notice from him, but the good thing was that no genocidal Mad Titan had descended upon Earth yet, so that had to count for something.
Natasha pulls her car, or the car she borrowed and might wreck in a few weeks, to Clint's farmhouse.
She strides up and knocks.
The door opens and a pair of arms wrap around her.
"Lila!" Natasha says as she crouches down to hug her. The girl was now a pre-teen, at 9 years old.
"Mom, Dad, Auntie Maria, Auntie Nat is home!" Lila yells and there's footsteps to be heard.
At once, there is Cooper running down the stairs, Galina following right after, but calmly walking down.
"Auntie Nat!" Natasha is enfulged by another pair of arms as she laughs.
"Mama," Galina greets before giving her two kisses on the cheek. Galina didn't do the physical contact, but after particularly long missions or loss of contact she liked to be around Natasha.
"Yelena's still upstairs doing some French work, she's probably busy, I'll get her later," Maria says, appearing from the corner.
"Masha," Natasha breathes.
My love, my life, my light.
Maria smiles and joins them in the group hug, pulling Galina in too.
Maria manoeuvers over Lila's head and kisses Natasha quickly.
"Alright, hug time is over, who wants roast turkey!" Clint yells and the children all enthusiastically run off to the dining room.
"When did you get here?" Natasha asks as she entangles her hands into Maria's.
"Got here in the morning, go get Yelena and we'll go to eat, okay Nat?"
"Yeah, hold on," Natasha gives her hands one last squeeze before she climbs up the stairs to the children's rooms.
Yelena, her sister-child, all grown up it seems.
Natasha knocks on the door and waits.
"Yelena?"
"Yelena?"
"Yelena Belova I swear to god if you do not open this door right now I will not hesitate to let you try to clean your own wound the next time you get a knife to your back!"
The door opens to reveal a tired Yelena.
"Hey Ma, sorry. Didn't hear you, was listening to recordings for school. I hate learning French, Italian's better."
"Dinner's ready, let's go you whiny child."
Yelena scowls.
'I'm 18 Mom, turned eighteen two months ago."
"I know Yelena, I was there for your celebration. You're still my child though, and go freshen up first. You look like you're going to fall asleep standing up. Your coffee detox not really doing good, huh?"
"I need coffee, but Laura refuses to let me drink it, says if I need sleep I should go to bed or have curfews like Galina and the others."
Natasha laughs at Yelena's expense.
"Come on, I'll sneak you a few packs the next time i come over. HYDRA is fucked up, ah dear, Maria is going to kill me if she hears I swore in front of you. Ignore that."
"Never heard a word Ma," Yelena very seriously says.
"Good girl, now go."
"Bossier than Mom," Yelena grumbles, but concedes.
2015, 22 April
Natasha's enjoying her third day at the Barton farm when the Avengers alarm goes off.
"Off the alarm Nat, its literally too early for this bullshit," Maria grumbles.
"Maria. I have to leave soon, Avengers emergency," Natasha murmurs.
Maria's up and awake so fast its actually terrifying.
"I'll miss you babe," Maria sighs and leans her forehead against Natasha's.
"I'll see you soon, got HYDRA motherfuckers to fight," Natasha whispers and kisses Maria.
"Tasha, please help, my extra quivers are in your room, help me get them," Clint knocks on the door.
"Hold on, I'm coming," Natasha calls back and gives Maria's jaw a caress before slipping into her Black Widow suit.
"See you," Maria smiles and waves as Natasha picks up Clint's quiver and arrows before leaving, shutting the door silently behind her.