Natasha shut the door to the camaro sharply, cutting off at least a dozen questions from the reporters swarming her. Their cameras flashed and snapped as she sped away, despite the one-way, blacked out glass of the car windows.
She wouldn't be hearing the end of this for a while. Six months, at the least, but in all likelihood people that matter wouldn't forget about her testimony for years; telling the senate to buzz off had no chance of going well, HYDRA or no. She was fully expecting a call from Stark in the next few days, and most definitely one from Clint - if for nothing else than to plop her onto the farm for a hot meal.
But she had bigger problems to deal with. They were small with respect to everything else she did in life, but they certainly felt far larger than anything else she'd gone through, except perhaps going AWOL.
SHIELD was gone; their funding was gone, public trust had been mauled, and their numbers were less than a fraction of what they had been just last Monday. Fury had his work cut out for him, which meant that Natasha was set on a collision course with something - and someone - she had no intention of even knowing. She'd saved the world yet again, and this was her reward.
The plan was logical. With their protection gone, Ben and May Parker would need some way to protect themselves, and some resources beyond a line to some of Fury's Lieutenants. Natasha was personally dubious as to whether anyone would ever come, but if anyone did figure out the backstory of Richard and Mary Parker's son, they would be too valuable to pass up. Giving them all the facts would provide them with direct lines not only to Natasha herself, but the Avengers at large whenever necessary. Doing this would help keep everyone as safe as possible without disrupting their lives anymore than necessary. The plan was sound, and Natasha couldn't quite accept it.
She'd buried her offspring in that bunker. Everything that hadn't been fuel for a puddle of propane was hidden away where no-one would ever suspect it or be able to access it. And now, the uncertainties that had plagued her ever since she'd closed the door to that root cellar were back in force.
The past few days had been mighty fuel for every one of her intrusive thoughts, but those concerning her offspring had fed like a pack of starving wolves; the thought that the very system set in place to protect them and the people around them could be compromised - that innocent civilians would die because of decision she'd made - had gnawed at her without relent.
It continued to harass her as she parked at Reagan. The first thing she did was make a beeline for the nearest restroom, changing into jeans and a leather jacket. She threw on a beaten-up base cap to complete the disguise, appreciative that it was somewhat crowded. She was able to slip into the herd relatively unnoticed, swiftly navigating her way over to her terminal and claiming a seat.
Her tickets would take her to LaGuardia. Natasha passed the time on her flight by skimming through a magazine, whilst soundly reminding herself that May and Ben Parker's nephew was in school right now, and further scheduled to meet a friend and go to the Rockefeller center, where they would be tailed by Maria Hill herself. Natasha also reminded herself that the number of people who knew about May and Ben Parker's nephew was limited to herself, Hill, and Fury, but part of her still adamantly supplied that this won't be enough, and on about how if they just told the kid now he might get some actual training. Or, if-
Natasha silently smacked that corner of her mind, and focused far too intently on the issue of Sports Illustrated that had somehow found its way to her hands. The articles were monotonous and inescapably drill, but it provided a rote distraction, at the least.
Once the plane had landed, Natasha was on a metro to queens in thirty-two minutes, after changing clothes once more. Her jacket was black - one of the first things she'd bought for herself. It was in near mint condition after all this time, and it brought a small level of familiarity.
As she stepped off of the train and made her way to the Parkers' apartment complex, she attempted to ease the knot of tension - the gnawing, which got even worse with each step closer to the Parker's residence. By the time she stood at their front door, she was staring at her hands, because she felt sweat on her palms. She quickly wiped it onto her pants, roughly five seconds before the door swung open to reveal May Parker.
The woman had hints of gray in her hair, but other than that there was nothing else to mark anything notable about her. Nothing to so much as hint about what slept in her apartment every night. She was clearly nervous, but still very polite as she let Natasha in. Her eyes gave Ben Parker a once-over, before zeroing in on a photo that sat upon the kitchen counter; a young child in a baggy Iron Man tee, grinning toothily at the camera. Natasha forced her eyes to Fury.
"Agent Romanoff," Fury said, "Glad you could make it." he looked to May and Ben, "I apologize for the wait, but her testimony at the Senate couldn't exactly be avoided."
"It's nothing," Ben Parker said, giving Natasha a wary look for a moment, while May's eyes were firmly on Natasha, warily curious. "I just checked in with Peter's principle. He's in school."
"Did that myself just before I got here," Fury replied, "Good instinct."
Natasha sat down next to Fury, pooling much of her focus toward keeping her eyes on the Parkers. May said, "Director Fury, with all due respect," she glanced at Natasha, "This is about the detail on us, right? You weren't very clear with your message."
Natasha raised an eyebrow just a bit as Fury shrugged. "Well, dead men are kinda like doctors, Mrs. Parker. Handwriting isn't the best. But yes, this is about the security detail. More specifically, about its replacement." he reached inside his jacket, withdrawing a manila folder (they were always manila), handing it over to Ben.
Ben and May, who had both leaned over to read the folder, stilled utterly and completely. Their eyes shot over to Natasha, who kept her expression neutral. She watched as their eyes descended down the folder, and how they grew to dinner plates in almost perfect unison. Both Parkers quickly reread the folder once, then twice, all while Natasha slowly crossed her arms, shoulders squared.
The Parkers took another twenty seconds or so to finally look at her, with slackened jaws and tense hands. Natasha cleared her throat.
"Yes," she said, "It's true. All of it."
"Mary said she gave birth during that assignment-"
"-In Europe," Fury nodded. "Yes. We extended that trip specifically for them."
"And Peter…" May said quietly, "You told us Richard and Mary were killed for their research, and that people might-"
"-Come after him to get to SHIELD." Fury finished, "Yes, we said that." he returned the Parkers' gazes without hesitation. "You didn't need to know what he was in order to need motive to protect him. It also preserved the idea that he was the Richard and Mary's biological child, which would stop him from snooping around for his real parents later in life."
Ben leaned back in his seat, while May was holding Natasha's gaze, clenching her mouth shut. She looked to Ben, who was rubbing his temple, and asked quietly, "Are you going to take him away?"
"No." Natasha said firmly. "He knows you. He believes Mary Parker gave birth to him and changing that now wouldn't be in his best interest." her eyes briefly flicked over to Fury, who appeared almost aloof, "I'm not gonna take his family away if I don't need to." Natasha's knit her fingers together tightly as she finished, "Besides, my work is dangerous. It wouldn't be an environment to raise anyone."
"So ignorance is bliss?" May asked as Ben reached for her hand. His gaze flickered between Natasha and Fury, whereas May's stayed firmly on the avenger.
"In this case, definitely."
May went quiet. Ben squeezed her hand, then slowly began, "So what is the plan from now on?"
Natasha took a brick phone out from her pocket and slid it across the coffee table. "This has a secure number on it. Goes directly to me." She un-knit her fingers. "If something comes up, or if you're concerned about suspicious activity, call it. I'll be over as fast as I can."
The Parkers nodded. Their knuckles on their hands were white.
"Hill is watching Peter right now," Fury said, "But after today, SHIELD cannot be relied upon to protect him. Go directly to Agent Romanoff from now on."
"And if something comes up on my end," Natasha said, "I'll call."
The Parkers nodded. Ben's face was solemn, while May was still peering at Natasha, her lips pursed. She paid another glance to her husband, possibly looking for support, before asking, "Do you have a backup plan? If something goes wrong and you can't make it to us in time?"
Natasha shook her head. "Resources are tight right now. I could get Stark to get a detail on him, but that could lead to some unpleasant questions." She re-knit her fingers. "And it could also lead to more changes in his life."
"Didn't one of your agents go rogue?" Ben frowned.
"Rumlow did," Fury replied, "And had a building dropped on him. And in any case, if an attack hasn't happened by now, it isn't likely to happen. Everyone involved in the project Peter was wrapped up in is dead, and many of the people who oversaw it kicked the bucket a while ago."
"I took a lot of the shots myself," Natasha added, "Trust me, this is the best for everyone."
May and Ben exchanged uneasy looks, before turning back to the Fury and Natasha.
"Alright." May spoke up first, resigned. "Ben?"
Ben was clearly unhappy, but he said, "Nothing. I just hope you're right, Director Fury."
Natasha turned her head to Fury, who she quickly followed in rising to her feet. She did her utmost to keep her eyes on the Parkers, but she failed; they strayed over to a set of framed photographs resting on the bookshelf in the corner of the apartment; most included Peter somehow, but the one that stood out most was one of Peter in tights and a t-shirt, stretching in a room where the walls were mirrors, wearing red ballet shoes. She ripped her eyes away from it as fast as possible, but it was too late.
"It'll be fine," Fury said, "and if something goes wrong, there's an avenger to make the problem go away."
Natasha nodded, but the image of Peter Parker doing ballet didn't leave her alone for the rest of the day.