Listening to: "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" (Deluxe Version) by Kendrick Lamar.

Warning: violence, mentions of past trauma, death, blood, and slight gore.


Back to Basics

Natasha lowers her pistol keeping her eyes on Lukin's form, blood pooling underneath his body from the multiple gunshot wounds in his torso. There's a firearm located a few inches from Lukin's unmoving fingertips and Natasha isn't sure what would have happened if he would have had the opportunity to use it.

She holsters her gun, feeling nothing but satisfaction that the man before he is finally dead. While Lukin's death won't bring back Bucky, Steve, Tony, or anyone else she's lost, she's pleased to know that she's probably saved hundreds—if not thousands of more lives that would have eventually been preyed on by Lukin. Finally, the reign of the Red Room has ended. Department X is no more.

Nat listens to footsteps approaching behind her before a warm hand curls around her shoulder. She leans into the touch and lets out a heavy yet relieved sigh.

"I'm assuming that's his office on the other side of the room," Clint says, tone low and calm. "Let's search it and see what we find. I'm sure he has Intel on Hydra."

Natasha nods her head and slips from underneath Clint's touch. She walks over to the other side of the room, making a show of stepping over Lukin's body before going into the adjacent room. Lukin's office is tiny and windowless, with a large brown desk taking up most of the space. Papers are scattered everywhere, littering the desk, and attached to the various bulletin boards. There's a filing cabinet next to the door that is bursting at the seams and Natasha isn't sure if they'll be able to open it.

"Let's start looking," she says. Nat wanders further into the room and sitting at the desk. She kicks her feet up and brings some of the papers into her lap. She and Clint search the room in silence, the only sounds being the rustling of paper and Clint's footsteps as he moves around the room.

"Hey, Nat, check this out," Clint says after an indeterminate amount of time. He has a file on his hands that has "Hydra" written on the cover in Russian. The archer walks over to Nat and hands it to her, which she scans immediately.

The file consists of several papers, each headed with the name of a city and a country. She continues scanning the items for a few minutes before smiling. "Is this what I think it is?"

"If you're thinking this is a detailed file on each and every single one of Hydra's bases then yes it is," Clint says with a full-fledged grin on his face. "There's a map on the bulletin board that I'm going to bring with us. Oh man, Fury is going to have a field day with this shit!" He makes a whooping noise and darts back over to the other side of the room, carefully setting aside the file in an open space on the floor before beginning to take down the map.

Natasha shakes her head and grabs another stack of papers before noticing a file with her name on it—her real name. One minute, her file is in her hand and the next minute, it's on the other side of the room, papers bent and fluttering to the floor. Natasha is on her feet, anger coursing through her body, muscles tensed and ready for a fight. She's shaking and breathing heavily and just this once does Natasha wish that she left a few soldiers alive for the purpose of killing them.

"Nat?"

Clint's voice brings Natasha back to herself, forcing her to relax and reevaluate. She's Natasha Romanov, Avenger. She's with Clint—her partner, her friend. She's in Russia at the Department X base. She killed Lukin. The nightmare is over but the war isn't won. Natasha takes a deep breath calming herself down. She turns to face Clint, who is looking like a concerned mother bear, and any other day Natasha would have cracked a grin and made a yo mamma joke. But, for now?

"I need to get out of here," she says simply. She hears the sound of rustling papers before a warm, steady hand is placed on her back. Natasha leans into that hand and allows herself to be lead from the base.


Outside, Department X resembles a war zone. Thick gray smoke rises into the sky, blocking the sun and casting a shadow over the landscape. Fire consumes two of the three buildings, failing to spread despite the closeness of each of the structures. Clint leads Natasha away from the base, scanning the area until he spots the team huddled together a few yards in front of them.

"Hey!" he yells, moving his hand from Natasha's back and waving it.

"My friends!" Thor booms enthusiastically, which causes a slight smile to cross Natasha's face. Thor is a literal ray of sunshine—he's always happy to see his friends and family and has such a positive outlook on life despite all the hardships he's faced.

"Are you two okay? We've tried reaching you, but all we got was static," Pepper says in a worried tone once Nat and Clint reach the rest of the team. Like Rhodey, she's still in her armor, face plate lifted and coated in soot. Her eyes scan over the assassins, slightly nodding to herself when she finds no injuries and Natasha is thankful that she doesn't point how the she and Clint are covered in blood spatter. Pepper was always perceptive like that.

"We must have been too far underground," Clint answers. "You'll never believe what we found though—information on Hydra bases scattered across the globe."

"No fucking way," Rhodey says, sounding both shocked and pleased.

"Uh, yes fucking way," the archer says, grinning. "I have everything right here in my hands."

"Here, give them to me," Pepper says holding out her hand. "I don't want you to lose them."

"Pepper, when have I ever lost anything?"

She raises an eyebrow. "Would you like a detailed list on your desk tomorrow morning?"

He pauses. "No, I would not." Clint hands Pepper the papers without another comment. She opens a compartment on her armor and gently sets everything inside before closing it.

"Avengers report," Hill says over the comms.

"Everyone's here except for—" Clint cuts himself off. The team knows exactly what he was going to say. " Everyone's here."

"Good. I want you all to move away from the base. I'm going to blow it up," Hill says. She sounds like she's smirking.

"There's a hill nearby out of the blast radius," Bruce says. "We'll have a clear view from there."

"Lead the way, Doctor Banner," Thor says with a nod.

"Just Bruce is fine," he responds with an amused smile. (Thor is the only one who calls Bruce by his title and last name, though he does that for everyone. Steve said Thor was the only one who Bucky has ever allowed to call him James, other than his own family). Bruce leads the way to the vantage point, which is only about a ten-minute walk away. The Avengers settle down and radio Hill, saying that they're clear as they look at what is left of Department X.

Clint pulls out his phone and starts playing Fall Out Boy's "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark." The song reaches the chorus right as Hill flies over the last remaining base and drops a bomb on it, flying away dramatically while the structure is blow to pieces, flames reaching to the sky as smoke billows in every direction.

Natasha watches the bases burn in silence until the song finishes and Clint puts away his phone. "Does anyone want to go to Kristyn's?"

Clint pats a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Yeah; let's go to Kristyn's."


Back in the states, the Avengers shower and change into their civvies after they arrive at the mansion. Pepper passed on the files to Hill, who assured that she, Fury, and Coulson would analyze them immediately. When the entire team meets up downstairs, they decide to walk to Kristyn's, which is only a few blocks away.

Maxie was heartbroken when she learned of everyone's deaths. She'd known Steve and Bucky since she was a child and Tony when he was young. Natasha's heart went out to her—she had just gotten her boys back (Steve and Bucky tried their best to visit her at least once a week to catch up and relieve the olden days) only to have them ripped away from her again. She attended both Steve and Tony's funerals, but was unable to make Bucky's because her daughter was in intensive care (car accident via a drunk driver. Thankfully, she is all right and pressing charges against the man, who nearly killed her).

The Avengers arrive at Kristyn's. Natasha spares a glance at the Avengers Tower, which is officially Stark Industries, rising into the sky with a height that rivals the Empire State Building (Pepper wanted Avengers Tower to be a symbol—no matter how hard they are beaten down, they will always rise again and higher than before). She pulls herself from her thoughts and follows her teammates into the diner. The interior looks the same as it always has aside for the memorial when one first enters the building. Natasha and the team helped Maxie put it together—adding in personal photos they've taken in addition to cheesy merchandise and other memorabilia.

"Maxie!" Clint yells before running over and wrapping his arms around the elderly barista.

Maxie laughs and hugs Clint back. "Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've seen you all! How have you been?"

"We've been doing all right," Pepper says with a smile plastered onto her face.

"How's Rhonda doing?" Rhodey asks.

"She'll be getting out of the hospital in a few days and then we have to go to court next week," Maxie answers as she releases Clint from the hug. "Thank heaven too. I nearly had a heart attack when I got that call. Bill and I were especially glad that the kids were with us instead of in that car! Rhonda's thankful for that too."

When Maxie finishes speaking, she ushers the Avengers to their booth (the same booth Steve and Tony used for their first date). Once the team settles in (Clint, Nat, and Bruce on one side; Pepper, Rhodey, and Thor on the other), Maxie pulls out her notepad and pen. "We having the usual today?" The usual consists of an extra-large plate of Nachos the team shares, endless Martini's, and five cases of coconut cheesecake.

"Yes please," the Avengers chirp together before laughing at their synchronization.

Maxie smiles and writes down the order before leaving the team to get their drinks. They pass the time by poking fun at each other and having a "who can be the most like Fury" contest. Rhodey wins.

When Maxie returns, Natasha proposes a drinking contest and Clint says Nat would drink everyone under the table other than Thor and Bruce, the latter mentioning he doesn't know if he can get drunk. Clint says they need to try it and the Doctor gives a sad smile before saying that Bucky said the exact same thing.

The Avengers don't get the chance to react to Bruce's words for Maxie returns with their food. Clint immediately shoves a handful of Nachos in his mouth and proceeds to choke, causing everyone to laugh. Natasha thumps him on the back while the archer sputters and tries to catch his breath. Pepper invites Maxie to sit with them as they do every time they come here, and she accepts, pulling over a chair and proceeding to tell embarrassing stories about Steve and Bucky, and Tony's childhoods throughout the rest of the meal and desert.

Natasha hasn't laughed this hard in a long time.


When the Avengers finish their meal and drinks, they reluctantly say their goodbyes to Maxie. They each give the barista a huge hug and promises that they'll return soon before leaving the diner with smiles on their faces. Clint bumps into Natasha's shoulder, scrunching his face and sticking out his tongue like a lizard. Natasha laughs and shoves him, causing the archer to grin and shove her back.

"Alright, children, behave yourselves—we're in public," Pepper teases.

"Whatever you say, mom," the assassins chirp at the same time, which causes everyone to laugh.

They're about halfway to the mansion when the hairs on the back of Natasha's stand up and she can't shake the feeling that they're being watched. Reminded of the time when Tony told the team that he felt like he was being watched after the Maria Stark Foundation Ball, Natasha clenches her jaw. "Clint," she whispers harshly.

"I know," he responds, eyes darting around the area in front of them, waiting for someone to jump out of the shadows.

"Are we being followed?" Pepper asks quietly from somewhere behind Natasha.

Natasha nods her head, lips pursed tightly as she leads the way around the next corner, setting her destination for Central Park. Even though the park will no doubt be crowded, seeing as it is two in the afternoon, it won't be as busy as the streets their currently navigating through and it will be easier for them to evacuate the citizens in a timely manner and deal with whomever dared to come after the Avengers when they're all together. That was a poor decision on their part.

Nat turns the corner and tenses, immediately on alert. Standing in the middle of the sidewalk is Rumlow, wearing his Crossbones uniform (sans the mask) and a smirk on his lips. Around him and on the surrounding roofs are whom Nat assumes to be his new crew. The Hydra Soldiers are all armed to the teeth and not bothering to conceal themselves as hundreds of New Yorkers walk by, unware of the danger inches from them. Natasha blows out a breath and walks forward, stopping when she's a few feet away from Rumlow and the seven men he has on the ground with him. Rumlow's smirk widens.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, tone lowered and firm.

"Pierce sent me to thank you. He's pleased that you Avengers took out Department X—that leaves us one less thing to do," Rumlow says. "Herr Pierce wanted to come himself, but he's been busy preparing for the arrival of the Winter Soldier. If you could just hand him over, that would be much appreciated."

Natasha stares blankly at Rumlow. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Lukin before I shot him: the Winter Soldier is dead."

Rumlow looks shocked for a brief second before he schools his expression under a mask of indifference. "Natasha, you know I don't like it when you lie to me. Now, please, tell me the truth. It will only end badly for you if you don't."

"I'm not lying," she reiterates, curling her left hand into a fist.

"Natasha—"

"Would you like me to take you to his grave? Or how about dig up his corpse, huh?" Natasha challenges, pushing back the bile at the thought of having to defile Bucky's grave. "Would that prove it to you?"

Rumlow's expression is consumed with anger before he lashes out and swings his fist at Natasha's head. She catches his fist and twists his arm, forcing the limb behind his back, pulling him in front of her and pressing the cold barrel of her now drawn pistol against his back.

"I wouldn't," she tells Rumlow's crew, who have drawn their own weapons and are aiming them at her. Natasha has no doubt in her mind that if Crossbones ordered, his men would shoot through him to get to her. She's seen it done before and has done it herself.

Rumlow breaks her grip and whips around to try to punch her again. Natasha dodges and jabs him in the stomach as she listens to the beginning sound of panic and horrified footsteps. The citizens have finally caught on to the danger and are starting to run for their lives. The Avengers need to get control of this situation soon because right now they're running the risk of being trampled by the very people they want to protect.

"Rhodey, Bruce, Pep evacuate everyone. Clint, get to a perch," Natasha yells right as a bullet whizzes past her head. "Thor!"

"Natasha duck!" Thor booms.

Natasha dodges Rumlow's kick and plasters herself to the sidewalk. Unfortunately, Crossbones follows her example, barely avoiding getting his head taken off by Mjolnir as she flies by and knocks down three of the seven Hydra Soldiers. Natasha jumps to her feet and keeps Rumlow occupied while Thor takes care of the rest of the ground soldiers. Clint downs a soldier who was trying to jump into Natasha's battle with a sniper rifle he acquired before working on the others, taking down the soldiers on the surrounding buildings with a single bullet.

"That's it—everyone's evacuated!" Rhodey shouts.

"Snipers down!" Clint calls.

"As are the soldiers on the ground," Thor says.

Natasha grunts dodging a hit before kicking Rumlow in the throat. He stumbles backwards but recovers quickly. Crossbones strikes before Natasha can get into position, slipping past her defense and kicking her in the ribs. Nat flies backwards several feet before she collides with a sturdy chest and strong arm wrapped around her waist. She looks up and sees Thor's kind gaze directed at her. Thor sets Natasha on the ground. Before she can thank him and return to her battle, several gunshots ring out. She whips her head to the side and sees that Rumlow is gone.

"Where the fuck did he go?" Clint calls, still observing the area through the scope of his rifle.

"He was heading west towards Central Park. I tried to clip him, but he was too fast," Rhodey was with both hands curled around his gun and a regretful expression.

"It's alright Rhodey; I think they might have enhanced him somehow. Maybe gave him a version of Steve and Bucky's serum," Natasha says, sounding rough around the edges. She's pissed that Rumlow keeps getting an advantage over her and having a serum isn't going to help the Avengers odds in defeating him especially if he catches them without their heavy weapons again. She sighs heavily and mutters, "Son of a bitch."


"Fury, we have a situation," Natasha says as soon as the Avengers arrive at the mansion. JARVIS locks down the building behind them after Pepper gives the order.

"I know," Fury responds, voice flowing from the study, which he's claimed as his office. "I saw it on the news."

"Shit," Clint mutters. "I was hoping we would have avoided that."

Pepper heads to the left and leads the way to the downstairs study, which used to be one of Howard's that he never used unless he was having a business meeting. She opens the double doors further and the Avengers pile inside.

The entire study has a sophisticated feel to it—dark green walls, faux fireplace lite and casting a dim glow over the entire room. A smooth, wooden brown desk rests in the middle of the room with a red leather chair behind it. There are pictures that hang in the room, mostly of the New York City Skyline, but there's one of the Avengers, Coulson, Fury, and Hill they took in the three months before the third trial resting above the fireplace. Natasha smiles inwardly at the memory—they made another Shield Agent take their picture before Fury could change his mind, which he did halfway through their photo session. He tried to escape and Thor kept in the in frame, which the former Director was not amused by.

"Where are Phil and Maria?" Pepper asks Fury.

Fury is sitting behind the desk with a plethora of files and papers littered in front of him. "Howard's lab—they're looking for more Intel in addition to what I've already found."

"I'm guessing it's good?" Clint questions with a raised eyebrow.

Fury smiles genuinely and Natasha knows this is probably going to be some of the best news she's heard in a while. "From the Intel you secured for me, I have been able to uncover that there are a grand total of eighteen Hydra Bases scattered across the globe, including Frederick, Holdrege and Tavistock. Since those last three are destroyed, there are fifteen bases left and no doubt Rumlow and Pierce are hiding at one of them."

"So once we get those bases, Rumlow, and Pierce . . ." Bruce trails off as a smile crosses his face.

"Hydra will be gone for good," Fury confirms with a nod.

"What are we waiting for?" Natasha says, looking at each one of her teammates and grinning. "Let's take down Hydra once and for all."