This was inspired by a story I read in AO3. Comment if you want to read it and I'll search through my bookmarks for it.
NO. 16 - A TERRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY
Forced to Beg, Shoot the Hostage,
Natasha gritted her teeth. She had never wanted to kill Stark more than right now, and she'd known him for years. Of course the damn Sokovia Accords would be the thing to finally make Natasha snap.
But hey, who could really blame her? Tony had revealed to Ross (possibly on accident, she didn't know or care at the moment) about the existence of Clint's family. Now Natasha was forced to help them create new identities — while on the run herself — and move the Bartons across the country. She wished Clint could be here, but he was currently stuck somewhere in Europe with Steve and the rest of the now-Rogue Avengers after their prison breakout. At least, that was the last time she heard from them. That had been last week.
The plan was originally to escort Laura, Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel from the farmhouse in rural Missouri — all the way to rocky mountain Colorado. Natasha already knew she had an isolated safehouse there, albeit covered in a thick coat of dust, so all she really had had to do before setting out was create fake identification for them all.
She should've known the plan would go to hell almost immediately after driving over the Missouri state line.
Nathaniel had been soundlessly asleep in the car, his chubby hand resting on Lila's knee as she happily looked out the window. Cooper listened to music with his headphones, occasionally casting his mother and Auntie Nat suspicious glances. None of the kids had been told much about their unexpected trip, and the few words they did get had yet to sunk in. Laura simply watched as the fields of grass passed by, officially leaving their old home behind. She only hoped Clint could find his way back into the States soon enough, although she also doubted he'd come unless it was fully safe.
Natasha sighed and kept driving. She showed no signs of tiring, despite having been on the road for several hours. Laura also thought it pretty unlikely that she'd gotten much sleep while on the run from over a hundred countries for various reasons (mostly the Accords).
A small light above the ignition switch blinked twice before finally staying on.
"We're low on gas," Laura said. "I saw a sign for a station ahead."
"We'll have to stop," Natasha agreed.
Lila made a face. "Uh, I think Nate needs a diaper change, too!"
Minutes later, the car pulled into a gas station and Laura quickly got out. She opened the backdoor and took Nathaniel into her arms.
"Kids, you need to go?" Cooper shook his head, but his sister's head perked up. "You sure, Coop?"
"I'm sure, Mom."
Lila took Laura's hand and together walked towards the gas station. Natasha noticed the bathroom was at the very back, which made her slightly uneasy. Cooper took out his headphones and leaned back, breathing out a sigh of relief. He got out of the car and stood next to Natasha.
"Auntie Nat?" He asked quitely.
Natasha started filling the car with gas, but made a small sound so that the boy knew she was listening.
"I-I've heard some stuff on the news recently. And at school." Cooper avoided her eyes. "Are you and Dad really c-criminals?"
As to be expected, Natasha realized he was old enough to understand, and explained bluntly:
"We broke a list of... Rules, and they were made by the UN. You know what that is, right?" Cooper nodded, listening intently. "Of course, rules — the stupid and unlawful ones — are sometimes meant to be broken. Captain America wanted to do that, so he ignored the rules. Your dad felt that he should've supported him, and he did, which ended up being both a winning and losing battle."
"Where's Dad and Captain America now?"
Natasha gulped. "Kiddo, the Raft is a very secure and high-tech prison. Cap wasn't caught with them because it was originally their sacrifice. He later broke them out and the Rogue Avengers are now more wanted than ever before."
"Were you there, Auntie Nat? I mean, I thought I heard on the news that you signed those accords or whatever," Cooper met her gaze. Natasha's green eyes had a strange look to them, almost like she was replaying every memory associated with the Sokovia Accords.
She paid for the gas and removed the nozzle from the car.
"Remember when I said stupid rules are made for breaking?" Natasha grinned cheekily. "I signed, yes. Did I keep that promise? No."
Cooper said something else, but Natasha wasn't paying attention. She looked behind the gas station to a back entry road and cursed. A black van came around the corner and swerved into the spot next to their current spot at the gas pump.
"Cooper, get in the car," she said in a sharp voice.
He turned and saw the van, but Ross's men had already seen them.
Another large vehicle came out of nowhere and slammed into the Barton's car, pushing forward. A man ran forward and tried to grab Cooper's arms. The boy knew some self-defense (from both Clint and Natasha, of course), but his attacker's sheer size was enough to overpower Cooper. Natasha kicked him behind the knees, causing him to collapse.
Cooper must've looked like a ghost with how pale he'd gone.
In a blur, Natasha had taken down most of the men. (He had a whole new level of respect for his aunt.) Unfortunately, two more vehicles full of men had arrived on the scene. The assassin seemed to struggle more as the battle waged on, and Cooper tried to remain on the sidelines as best as he could, especially with Natasha trying to protect him. It's not like Ross really saw a teenage boy as a threat, right—?
Apparently he did.
A gun cocked against Cooper's head as a pair of arms roughly held him in place by the shoulders. He felt his eyes burn with tears. The sound made Natasha look, and she instantly faltered in sudden alarm. Cooper had sorta learned how the read her over the years, and that's definitely what her expression meant, he realized. Everyone froze — including Natasha, their attackers, and it seemed time stopped entirely. She allowed herself to be pushed onto the rough asphalt road, hands raised above her head.
"He's a boy," Natasha said, trying to keep her voice level. "Has Ross really stooped this fucking low?"
"Ms. Romanoff, you and this boy's father are in violation of the Sokovia Accords and the terms you originally signed on. We have our orders to take you in," one brave troop explained, still holding back Cooper Barton.
Natasha continued, "He has nothing to do with this. Take me and leave the damn boy!"
With his arms being restrained, Cooper couldn't stop the hot tears from rolling down his cheeks.
The man cleared his throat. "This 'boy'—" he made air quotes around the word— "is the son of a dangerous international criminal."
"So what? You think Barton's been training his kid to take down the United Nations?" Natasha asked incredulously. "Part of everyone's job is determining what's right from wrong."
"You, Ms. Romanoff, know better than anyone that training to be an assassin can start early."
Natasha was quiet for a moment. Cooper met her gaze with an inquisitive look.
"Please," she tried again. "I don't care what you do with me, as long as you leave the Bartons alone."
"Then tell us where Rogers is, damnit!" The man yelled in frustration. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. "My name is Mason Mathews. Can I call you Natasha?"
"Only if I can call you Mason."
Mason sighed. "There's nothing stopping me. I could put a bullet in your head right now and the media wouldn't look twice. In fact, I bet they'd celebrate, yeah?" He tightened his grip on the gun behind Cooper's back. "The same thing applies for the boy, so—"
Suddenly, a red glow of magic materialized and sent the all the cars flying. Another vehicle drove in and the door opened, revealing Steve Rogers, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson, and Clint Barton. Natasha shot her elbow back and knocked one of her attacker's back. She flipped over and out of their grasp, feeling lucky that they hadn't put handcuffs on her yet.
Steve and Clint ran to Cooper's aid and took down Mason, the boy screaming, "Dad!"
Eventually, everyone had been taken down by the Rogue Avengers. Clint lead his son over to Natasha, not even wasting time with any sort of greeting. "Where is everyone?"
"Bathroom. I can take Coop while you get them," Natasha offered.
Clint nodded and told Cooper, "Stay with Nat. I'm gonna get Mom and your brother and sister." He ran towards the gas station.
Steve and Sam nodded at Natasha. She knew they'd catch up later, now just wasn't the time for any kind of casual conversation.
"You okay, Coop?" Natasha asked, ruffling his hair.
Cooper shrugged shakily, still trying to process what'd just happened. He looked extremely pale. "All I know... Is that it's been one hell of a day."
Natasha laughed. "Careful, Captain Language will hear you!"
He smiled. The inside joke between the Avengers had been shared to him by both Clint and Natasha.
"A terrible, no good, very bad day..."