Chapter 30
2016, date redacted
Aliya sighs as she sips her tea. Her cover likes tea. She doesn't, but she'll endure.
She's been AWOL and become Aliya Krakenova for two months now.
She's been keeping up with the news of the Avengers. Steve and the others had escaped from the Raft, probably with Tony Stark's help. Clint and Scott were under house arrest. The Avengers who signed the Accords were giving speeches too, Maria and Pepper being forced out to attend hearings and testimonies for the Accords too.
Maria. Natasha missed her, missed her daughters, missed Liho.
But she was not that person anymore. Natasha Romanoff was lost, a skin she shed.
Sometimes Aliya slipped and Natasha came back, but she is Aliya Krakenova. People always asked how did she become a master in espionage? The answer was always the same. I am my covers, I wear them like turn coats.
Aliya switches off the television.
She's had enough of hearing politicians drone on and about saving the goddamn earth from climate change or something. Couldn't do that without an earth to even save, could they?
The Mad Titan Loki had warned them of years ago had not come, but when he did, she would be prepared to risk it all to kill him.
But that was a Natasha move. Aliya is a retired gymnast, now a cashier at the old store that sold records a few blocks away from her apartment.
Sweden was very nice, she approves of Dorothy Underwood's choices. Aliya's never met her, and she didn't really intend to. Let her live her life of her own, no point tracking her down anymore.
Her burner phone rings and Aliya is immediately cautious. She never gave away her burner phone number to anyone, not even Maria. Natasha did not want to drag anyone into her own mess that she could damn well sort out on her own.
Aliya carefully moves to the back of the couch and picks up.
"Ah, Miss Romanoff," T'Challa's familiar voice rings.
Aliya slides on her accent.
"Wrong number," she says.
"Miss Romanoff, we have a private jet waiting for you on the rooftop. If you'll kindly follow us, we're providing a place to stay for you and the other rogue Avengers."
"I think you have the wrong number sir," Aliya politely declines.
"Well, you see, Mr Barnes has awoken, and he's asking for you, he won't talk to anyone but you. We tell him you're on the run, but he's not handling it well."
Aliya did not want to deal with this now. James could fuck off.
"And, Miss Romanoff, your family, they miss you too."
Aliya hangs up and destroys the burner phone.
Aliya sees the life she has built around her. In two months, she had accomplished this.
Was going back really worth it? Who knew if Maria was still willing to be with Natasha? The Avengers, when she had turned on both sides?
Spiders, they weave lies and deceit. Webs and webs of them.
Did they truly want her back or were they going to use her again, just as she would secretly use them?
She can smell her neighbour cooking. They were nice, they had a son and a daughter. Middle aged couple, had stable jobs.
Aliya's only companion was an aloe vera plant she cared very much for.
She listens to the sounds of wind whipping around. There weren't many cars in the neighbourhood, especially at this time.
Aliya conjures an image of Maria in her head. She notices the details are fading. The blue eyes no longer sparkle like Natasha knows they do.
The curve of her lips, no longer the same. Felt off, Natasha decides.
Your family miss you.
Black Widows were not made for love. She had been shown that, repeatedly. Broken, used, remade, tossed away.
But Maria didn't, the little voice in her head betrays her.
"Shut up," Aliya calls out.
"Shut up," she tells it firmly.
You're hurting everyone, the voice continues.
"Shut up!" Aliya screams at the voice, and she wonders distantly if she's going insane.
Let go, Natasha.
Let go.
Just, let go.
And strangely, Aliya lets go.
2016, date redacted
She wakes up an hour later, finding that she had dozed off on the jet.
Natasha rubs her eyes, sitting up.
"Miss Romanoff, we are landing in Wakanda soon, it is currently about 2029 in Wakanda," T'Challa greets as he notices.
Natasha was only here for business. Check up on Maria, Yelena and Galina, help James out a bit, then she'd probably go back to her apartment. Aliya's matters still need to be settled, after all.
Natasha lets her head loll to the side, as she watches the floor.
2016, date redacted
Natasha must be really tired, as she finds herself being shaken awake.
'We're here," T'Challa simply says.
Natasha silently unbuckles her seat belt, standing to follow T'Challa.
The guards greet their king, and join him as they see Natasha.
Natasha makes herself stand straight. On pointe, knees locked, hyperaware.
"They're in there," T'Challa simply says, opening a door.
For a moment, the Avengers stare at Natasha. She stares back.
Then everything explodes and there's people moving to her, to confirm that she's here, to feel her because holy shit its Natasha Romanoff, she's back.
Natasha doesn't know what to do but let them, distantly, as if her soul had floated out of her body.
Natasha looks around, eyes darting.
Barton, as if noticing this, calls off everyone.
Natasha notices Maria sitting tensely on the couch, purposefully ignoring her gaze.
Natasha sits down on the carpet, she has no belongings, she has nothing. Black Widow has always been born out of nothing except ruin and destruction.
"So, Romanoff, you're back," Tony says.
Natasha nods.
"Sorry," she simply says.
Tony nods. He probably still mistrusts her, but he had forgiven her.
Maria, however...
"Romanoff, come out for a moment," Maria suddenly says, eyes locking with her own.
Natasha numbly stands up and follows Maria into another room.
They stare at each other for a few minutes.
Maria's giving her a chilly gaze, Natasha giving her a blank one.
Natasha imprints the memory of Maria in her head again, like repainting the picture of Maria. Restoring it, noticing how blue and sparkling her eyes were, with a few flecks of silvery-grey. How Maria exudes grace and agility and power and warmth.
"I'm sorry," Natasha offers.
Maria looks aghast.
'You're sorry? You take part in the airport fight in Germany, you fight, you run off, for TWO MONTHS. You don't call me, you don't text me, you don't inform anyone, you just disappear. You know what I had to tell the kids? Laura? Lila? Cooper? Nathaniel? You make everyone worry, you're here one day and the next you're GONE like you're never here. I leave my door slightly open, my window unlocked, in hopes that you'd come back one day, that you'd reappear and be the little shit in my life, but you NEVER DO. FOR 61 AND THREE QUARTERS OF A DAY," Maria spills, looking angry and hurt and resigned.
Oh. She really messed up, didn't she?
"I'm used to you going AWOL, or going deep undercover. But I spent the entire two months, attending hearings, pretending everything was okay, drinking with Pepper as I cry and pass out with her, I watch the news in hopes of SOME news on you. To prove that you were in my life, that you weren't just some part of my fucking imagination. For two months, Natasha Romanoff. It may not seem like a lot, but to me? It was the worst two months of my entire crappy, fucked up life," Maria's voice drops into a whisper as she sags against the wall, looking like she was going to punch Natasha but also cry.
Natasha lowers her head.
"Oh for gods sake, Romanoff," Maria growls as she pulls Natasha by her wrist and suddenly they're kissing, tears streaming down both of their faces, lips and teeth clashing, biting. There was nothing gentle about this, it was rough, wild, needy, claiming.
"I'm sorry," Natasha chokes out, salty tracks still visible and shining.
'You fucked me up so bad Nattie," Maria cries as she pulls Natasha closer to her, even though they were already pressed together.
'I'm sorry Masha, I love you, I'm sorry," Natasha whispers as she drops her face into Maria's shoulder.
"I-"
"Shh, I'm here Masha. I'm here, I got you," Natasha soothes.
Maria's choked sobs are giving way to soft hiccups now.
Maria brings her hands to tangle into Natasha's hair, now platinum blond.
"You dyed your hair," she murmurs.
"Yeah, you froze me, remember? You froze my fire, my light," Natasha chuckles, tightening her hold around Maria's waist.
They stands like that for god knows how long, and by the time Maria is nearly passed out from exhaustion, when Natasha supports her out, the room is cleared with only Clint there. How T'Challa got him out of house arrest for today, she didn't know.
'See you tomorrow," Clint mouths and Natasha nods.
"Your rooms," the assigned guard says and leads her and Maria to Natasha's room.
Natasha thanks the guard. She helps them strip and burrows both of them under the covers.
Maria automatically tangles her legs into Natasha's and Natasha smiles.
Reunited. Family. Home.