A/N: Watching Endgame has really reignited my passion for Avengers fanfic. I'm really excited to be fixing up this fic because it's always been one of my favorites and I really feel like I've got a good flow going. Hope you guys enjoy!
To say that Maria Hill was steaming mad would be the understatement of the century, and she did little to hide it as she stormed into Agent Coulson's office and dumped a file onto his desk. Unruffled, he only heaved a put-upon sigh and looked up at her. "Agent Hill, it's always such a pleasure."
She rolled her eyes, a frown marring her features, his sarcastic reply doing nothing to stop her. "I don't suppose you'd care to tell me why you've transferred the Widow to another location? One that- very conveniently- happens to be a safe house generally used for Council members. It's secure and comfortably, only one of those things being something that she needs, and we both know that it isn't the latter."
Coulson frowned back up at her, clearly perplexed at her anger. "I didn't think anyone care. Fury certainly didn't; he signed the paperwork. So why do you?"
Maria could only stare at him completely baffled. Wasn't it obvious? "Because she's a killer! Barton should have put her down like the animal she is in the first place, but he didn't and now she's our mess to clean up. Yet now, she's treated to beachfront property in Florida, enjoying the sun and surf when she should be six feet under. It's more than a little strange and intend to get to the bottom of it, because you, Agent Coulson, are not one to be swayed by a pretty face." She plopped down in the chair in front of his desk, staring at him imploringly. "Please, Phil. If she has something on you, tell me. I can help you."
If anything, the man in front of her seemed amused. "We're going on a field trip. Wheels up in ten." With that, he left, presumably to orchestrate this sudden trip, leaving Maria gaping after him like a fish out of water.
A couple hours later, there were at a beachfront property in Florida that the younger agent recognized all too easily, making her dig her heels in. "No way in hell am I going in there. She could probably kill me just by looking at me funny, and I won't die because you've clearly gone soft."
Coulson frowned at her. "I resent the accusation. But regardless, it's not like that. You'll see."
Maria was hesitant, but the calm way the other agent was dealing with the whole situation was enough to convince her to give him at least a little trust, and she followed him up the drive and towards the house. At the door, he knocked in a patter that she took care to memorize, and waited for the answering "It's open," to walk in. As they did, Maria took the chance to look around the house, going over the floorplan in her head. Three bed, two bath, living room at the front, kitchen in the back overlooking the ocean. Only a short walk to the beach and included a Jacuzzi on the deck. It was two stories with an office, fitness center and entertainment room upstairs, and all the bedrooms as well as the kitchen and living room downstairs. Details she'd need to know in case the need for a quick escape arose, like Maria had no doubt it would.
What she noticed quickly, though was that knick-knacks and paintings had been added to what was normally a cold, empty house, and it seemed awful homey for an assassin that had never been out of the room. She decided not to bring it up but filed the information away for later. It was a short walk into the kitchen and the Russian's smile surprised her, though it did drop as soon as she saw who was accompanying the other agent. "Hey, Phil. Want to explain what's going on? I thought we weren't going to tell anyone from SHIELD."
Coulson offered her the same warm smile the assassin had initially worn, and replied with, "Agent Hill, here was being nosey, and not in the way that Clint is. She wasn't going to drop it. So, I thought she ought to meet the people she's spying on." That made Maria's eyes widen a little. People? Wasn't the Widow the only person living there?
Widow hesitated, biting her lip in what looked to be genuine concern, bringing on a whole new round a confusion for Maria, who still had no idea what in the actual hell was going on. "How do we know we can trust that she won't run off and tell the Director and the Council?"
"Because once she understands the situation, she's going to understand the position you're in."
That left the agent a little miffed, to say the least. "She is standing right here and can be asked these questions herself."
The Widow stood up a little straighter, tossing the dishtowel she was holding aside and facing Maria straight on. "Okay. Tell me why I can trust you."'
"We both know I can't do that. Until I know this situation, you can't trust me, and something tells me that no matter what I say, you're not going to believe me anyway until I prove that trust."
Green eyes bore into blue and Maria forced herself not to shudder at the intensity, but it was over quickly, and the redhead smirked. "I like her, Phil."
The other agent smiled. "I thought you might."
It was a short walk to the living room that had been walled off from the entry hall, but was still in sight of the kitchen, and Maria watched with more than a little shock as the assassin moved to a play pen in the middle of the room, and picked up the brown-haired boy from where he'd been dozing. He rested comfortably on her hip, blinking drowsily at the new person in the room with big green eyes, before giving her a big toothless smile. "Agent Hill, this is my son Dmitri."
She almost choked. "Son? When…"
"He was born before Clint brought me in. He's almost seven months old now."
Dmitri babbled something and grabbed at the necklace his mother was wearing, causing her to coo and him and press a kiss to him temple. Maria frowned, completely thrown for a loop. "Who are you and what have you done with the Black Widow?"
The other woman smiled and held out her free hand. "I'm Natasha Romanoff and I'm still the Black Widow."
Maria, completely at a loss for what else to do, shook Natasha's hand, and spent the rest of the afternoon getting to know mother and son.
