A/N While I was too early last weekend, this time I'm nearly too late. Last week of writig my Bachelor thesis is starting so the next chapter will definitely be late simply because there's the possibility of me forgetting to update. Please bear with me, alright guys? Two things to the mini-story and especialy last week's chapter: firstly, I'm kinda not sorry about how I ended it. It was the only solution that seemed naturally to me and yeah, well... there's not just happy endings though I do like those two. Still, there might be other oneshots which are not too happy. Secondly, I'm glad you're not against the mini-stories per se. I don't know when and where I'll do it again, but they're definitely a possibility. Let me know if there's something you're still missing in this collection.
DarylDixon'sLover: What exactly? Me writing this ending or how Nat reacted? Probably neither of us is sorry, to be honest, but then again life isn't always fair, is it? But you don't have to like everything I write ;)
Invader Johnny: Yeah, sooner or later she's back. And if it's just to make sure her boys get home safe.
AeslinnArt: Thank you very much. Yeah, I love Nat in that whole Barton family dynamic. And this one isn't exactly a happy one but it isn't a sad one either. It just... is.
Sportsfan64: I'll take that as a good wow if that's okay with you ;)
Maria.Z.A: Thank you very much! I try to depict the characters as in character as possible. And yes, I also liked soft Tony... one kinda needs that every now and then. It's totally okay to like the oeshots better! Just hoping you're reading the next mini-story nevertheless should there be one ;)
Rahaf: Thank you. More dark stories, huh? I see what I can do since too much fluff is sometimes like too much chocolate: I love it but yes, there is a too much. If there's something specific you'd like to read, just pm me, alright?
WidowInBlack: Thank you a lot. It's nice you'd read every story I'd write, thank you very much for that. To be honest, Nat isn't a character that has to be in a relationship to work but without Clint? The guy that practically saved her back then? I think there's nothing worse that could happen to her. I might like to lead those characters through some darker times and situations but I'm not sadistic. I think there has to happen quite a lot until Nat cuts her bonds with Clint. As I said, still don't know when or where the next mini-story will happen, but ifyou have any input, let me know ;)
Title: Djinn (#62)
Characters: Natasha, Fury
Word count: ~ 1003
Without intending to, over time Fury became something like Natasha's djinn – just without the lamp. And according to the rules, Natasha has ever used three wishes, not regretting a single one of them.
Her first wish had been that he'd believe her and take her into SHIELD after Barton had her brought with him from his mission to kill her. Not that she wanted to join SHIELD per se; at that time, she couldn't have cared less for which agency she worked. No, she just wanted to get the bullseye off of her back that the KGB had put there. The Damocles sword of having to return to the Red Room, of having to be re-educated. Of losing every chance of being free and working on erasing the red in her ledger. Of losing herself completely for this time. No return. Fury had been her only chance. If he hadn't allowed her to join SHIELD, she would have died. Natasha knew that. They would have been stupid not to kill her otherwise. But Fury had followed Clint's call – something she would have never dared to hope – and hadn't killed her once she had set foot inside. Yes, the first weeks and even months had been anything but easy but Natasha had never given much thought to what people might think of her. She wasn't about to make friends and it had almost been fun to push the other agents to the mats again and again. Aside from that, changing your life wasn't meant to be easy. If it had been easy there would have been a catch somewhere. But it hadn't been and there wasn't such a catch. She had worked for her place within SHIELD though Fury granting her the first wish had certainly helped.
Her second wish hadn't been nearly as easy to grant. Natasha still remembered vividly the day she thought Fury had died in surgery right in front of her own eyes, killed by a man who had nearly killed her years ago. By a man who had been nothing more than a ghost story at that point. Dead because he had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. Because Steve's flat hadn't been secure enough safe for one single agent playing his friendly neighbour. Natasha had wished for Fury being alive again, for coming back from the dead. For not leaving her, too. First, she had lost Coulson, the man she had trusted with her live on more missions than she cared to count. A man she had trusted to have her back when she jumped into a room full of enemies, knowing she wouldn't have to explain herself to him afterwards and that he would deal with Fury and the Council because of it. A man who had become family after everything he, Natasha and Clint had been through. Clint being the second she'd lost. Not in a sense of him being killed but he chose to spend more time with his family, shortening his time at SHIELD and even at the Avengers Tower. Knowing how much Laura constantly worried for her husband, Natasha was the last one to not understand and accept his choice, but she still missed her partner in the field, especially after Phil's death. There could have been a worse replacement than Steve but he simply wasn't Clint. He didn't have Clint's witty sarcasm or was as relaxed around her being flirty. He didn't spend his observation missions humming songs she had never heard before and he didn't made cleaning their weapons into a competition to avoid paperwork. He called her Ma'am, for God's sake. The first time he'd done that she'd nearly punched him. So when Fury had died, her world had collapsed. She had wished for nothing more than Fury coming back, since his presence alone let her face Hydra with much more calmness. And that wish he had granted her too, though the wish in itself had been an act of despair much more than anything else.
By the time the whole disaster with the Sokovia Accords had led to the Civil War of the Avengers at the airport, Natasha had given up hope of getting all team members around one table again. She missed silly team-bonding nights and throwing popcorn at the guys every time a girly scene was on screen. She missed her different sparring partners. Steve's righteousness. Sam's jokes and half-honest tries to get her to have a date with him. Girl's night out with Wanda. And of course Clint, her brother. There had been happening too much to just pick it up where they left off. And then, when she had crossed Tony to help Bucky and Steve escape… It had been the last nail to the coffin of their friendship. So, naturally, she had made a wish. This time she even voiced it, when Fury tracked her down somewhere in the Welsh wilderness. For the first time in a very long time, she had asked for his help. Asked him whether he could help her bring the band back together. To get Tony and Steve at one table so they would finally talk. And he did. Natasha had no idea how he managed but Fury did. It took a long time, a considerable amount of effort and patience and more threats and insults in more languages she cared to count. It wasn't like before. In fact, Natasha believed it would never be like that again. But they started having team dinners again; either someone tried to cook or they would order in from the start. Neither Steve or Sam nor Wanda or Clint held her role in the Civil against her although they would have every reason to do so. Then again, there hadn't been a right side in this war of theirs.
Fury had granted her all her wishes. Now, she had none left according to the rules. But then again, when had he or she ever played solely by the rules?
2. A/N Rather short compared to the last chapters, isn't it? Still hope you enjoyed this calmer pacing and I'm sorry I almost forgot to give you your daily dose of Natasha Romanoff. I wish you a good start into the week and leave me a review if you like.
