Author Notes:
I still need to finish writing the next chapter of "Life Happens" but my muse demanded this story be written, and who am I to deny my muse...
especially when she looks suspiciously like Scarlett Johansson ;-)
Okay like the summery says this is my version of the A/B/O trope.
I have only done a little research on it. I don't normally read them, but the concept interested me.
I read a statement on Wikipedia that struck me, something about in nature an alpha would mate with another alpha not an omega.
thus this story came to mind.
Peter like every other student… person knows what it means to be either an alpha, or a beta, or even an omega.
Once you reach puberty, your body changes, to reveal what you are.
Every kid wonder what they'll be. Most hope they are betas or at least an alpha. Being an omega is the least desirable classification to have.
At least it's not as bad as it used to be. Societal rules have eased up in regards to omega's rights.
Thankfully for most people, they are betas meaning life is normal. They can meet fall in love and have a family or choose not to.
Unfortunately, omegas don't have quite the same chance. Like the Vulcan's in the old TV show Star Trek, who enter 'Pon Farr' every 7 years, omegas enter something a heat every few years.
Due to the pheromones that alphas and omegas produce.
Now scientists have created a drug that lessens the effects, but the best cure is to mate, have sex, with an alpha.
Thankfully they don't have to get pregnant, because while omegas tend to be female, male omegas are not uncommon.
Peter figured with his Parker Luck he'd be an omega.
So, he was pleasantly surprised when the signs showed him to be an alpha
He breathed a sigh of relief. Then got on with his life.
His friends MJ and Ned are both betas, and the other group of people he spends the most time with, the avengers only Tony is an omega, but he's in a relationship with Pepper Potts who is an alpha.
The rest are mostly betas, including Steve Rogers.
Natasha Romanoff is the only other alpha on the team.
Due to the hectic schedule of school for Peter and the avengers sometimes being gone for days or weeks due to missions.
Peter didn't spend a significant length of time with the other avengers until now, he's in college, he spent the summer at the compound.
The world has been quiet lately, most of the avengers have been spending more time around the compound then they had in months.
Peter is happy because he gets to train with the people he still idolizes after all this time.
Especially Natasha, he assumes it's the whole spider thing.
He'll never say it to Tony, but Natasha has always been his favorite avenger.
He even to this day, is still in awe of her, and has a deep respect for her and what she had overcame.
In fact, the rest of the team tease them about being spider mom and son.
Peter doesn't think or feel like she is a mother to him. It could be that she is one of, if not the most beautiful women, he's ever seen.
Not that he's crazy enough to tell her.
However, Peter figures a super spy like her would already know.
So, he is content to spend as much time learning from her, as much as he can.
Although lately he noticed, his attraction to the beautiful redhead, seems to have increased.
He has started to have dreams of them together.
When he wakes up, he's painfully hard.
At first, he's able to ignore it. But soon he finds himself taking a deeper breath around her, and feels the urge to reach out and touch her, hold her.
When they train. He finds his mind wondering to how he can get her on top of him or vice versa.
He suddenly finds himself sweating more, and feeling hot.
Which causes him to take his shirt off.
Which something he never does. Having grown up scrawny he learned to hide his body, it only got worse after the spider bite, his body grew long lean muscles almost overnight.
The years of training, fighting and web swinging only increased, his muscle definition .
The few times he's had his shirt off, around women, they would stare, and brush their hands on his abs.
It's kind of embarrass him.
When he made the mistake of mention it to Clint and Sam, they teased him about his shyness, tell him he has no reason to hid his body.
They told him if they had his body, they would never wear a shirt.
The few women he's been with seem, to react very positively to his body.
He's not blind, he knows he's in great shape, but he just doesn't like to flaunt it.
Part of it is his fear of others discovering his secret.
Especially when he was still in high school. How he went from being puny Parker to 8 pack Parker.
Soon enough when he wakes up after some very vivid dreams featuring them both. He needs to take matters into his own hands in the shower, he bites his tongue to keep from moaning her name, he didn't feel right. He starts to feel guilty, fantasying about her.
It has come to the point where he starts to avoid her as much as he can. Which seems to hurt. Like he needs to be around her.
Several times he's had what feels like a panic attack but as soon as he hears her heartbeat or even better smell her scent, he calms down almost instantly.
He can't figure out why his body is reacting this way. They are both alphas, he thought maybe it was something with Tony.
Except Tony hasn't been in heat in a little over a year. He was around the last time Tony felt the effects.
It did not have any affect on Peter. In fact at first he didn't even realize it. It was only after he saw Tony and Pepper together that he realized the signs.
Tony and Pepper left the compound for a week's vacation, and came back fine.
Soon he couldn't help it, in the shower when he is about to spill his seed, her name crosses his lips.
He feels relief, then feels even more guilt.
He was raised better than that.
It has gotten to the point that he needs to know what pheromones he's producing, maybe he is wrong and he is in fact an omega.
He waits until later at night and sneaks into Dr. Banners lab, he knows enough, about medicine, and biochemistry he feels he can test himself.
He is able to finally get the blood drawn. He spent half the time just psyching himself up to insert the needle.
He stains a slide and looks at it under a microscope, then feels like an idiot, he mutters to himself about that won't show him what he need to know.
He jumps when a voice in the door way agrees with his mutterings.
Tony and Bruce are standing in the doorway. Tony looking amused while Bruce looks worried.
They both walk up to him.
Peter prepares for his fate.
"Whatcha doin spiderling?"
"I, uh I need to test my blood."
Suddenly Bruce is more concerned "is something wrong?"
"No! Uh maybe yes, I, I'm having a slight personal problem." Peter's words got progressively softer as he is speaking.
"Can you, uh, tell me what the problem is?"
"Um, I think I'm…" peter starts to blush and wave his hands around, he starts to gesture down towards his crotch.
Bruce is confused by this bewildering game of charades.
However Tony knows what he's trying to say, cause he lived it. "You think you're going into heat?" tony asked being uncharacteristically gentle with the question.
Peter just looks down and nods.
"But how, you're an alpha?" Bruce asks, his concern changes to surprise.
"I know, but I'm attract to her, I can't stop thinking of her. I have been trying to avoid her as much as possible, which sucks cause I love training with her…" peter stops cold knowing he's already said to much. There is only one 'her' that he trains with.
"Oh kid, there is nothing wrong with that."
"Yes there is, I feel so dirty when it happens. I have to much respect for her. But I get to the point where I think I'm panicking until I smell her scent or hear her heartbeat, and in the morning…" peter stops again, but that the other two can complete the thought.
"Okay Bruce since he's already drawn the blood, let's test it, and see what's going on with our little spider."
"Please, tell me what's wrong with me?" peter pleaded.
"Hey now, Peter nothing is wrong with you, this is just normal biological behavior." Tony gently chided him.
Bruce takes the rest of the blood and loads a sample into the correct machine. He then starts it.
While Bruce is doing that, Tony moves a stool over next to Peter. He gently puts his hand on Peter's shoulder. "Okay, why don't you tell what you've been experiencing. And you don't need to be nervous about it. If it helps, think of it clinically, say it like you are describing what a friend is going through."
Peter takes a deep breath, then looking down he starts to explain how he would dream of Natasha, he can't say the details. But it isn't important.
Then he describes how he will get sweaty and hot more easily when he trains with her, he mumbles about how he seems to be trying to think of ways to get her on top of him, and how he then tries to keep his distance.
He talks about how he has been avoiding her as much as possible, and how it's starting to physically hurt him. About the panic attacks until he's near her.
He closes his eyes in shame about how at first, he could forget about the dreams, but now he has to take care of it in the shower and how shameful he feels when he calls her name and thinks of her.
Peter has tears welling up from his shame.
Tony who continues to be uncharacteristically gentle sits for a few minutes to process it all. "Peter, I understand why you feel bad about this. But it's normal to desire someone, especially someone as beautiful as Natasha. As long as you don't do anything to someone against their well. Having a healthy fantasy life is a good thing. I know Natasha would not think less of you for it. She knows she's a beautiful woman."
Tony waits a few minutes for Peter to process it. Tony doubts it will fix his hang-ups, but it might be a start.
"Peter, can I ask you what might seem like a strange question?" Tony continued on.
When Peter nods while looking concerned, Tony asks "have you and Natasha ever had sex or any other kind of bonding process?"
Peter's concerned look, morphed into a bewildered one in about two heartbeats. Thus, confirming what Tony was already about 99% sure is the answer.
"No, we never… why, I mean, I don't understand…"
Tony just shook his head, causing peter to stop talking. "I know, okay so the reason I asked you that question is, what you are describing is what an omega in heat experiences when they've bonded with an alpha. Granted it's not usually that intense."
Suddenly the machine beeped to indicate it had completely the task. Bruce went over to check the results.
When tony heard him mutter "what the hell?"
Tony said, "he has both omega and alpha pheromones doesn't he."
Both Peter and Bruce look at him in surprise.
Bruce saying, "Yes, how did you know?"
"I've done my research on omegas. And it seems that a very small group of people can be both, usually something happens when they are going through puberty. If I had to guess you were bit while you were going through puberty, right?"
Peter could only nod since he is still trying to process all the information.
"Okay so it's likely you started out as an omega but the spider bite changed you to an alpha. Usually in these cases the person presents as which ever was last. Meaning you present as an alpha, but you are also an omega."
"Wait I remember reading about that. In medical school. That is incredibly rare." Bruce said.
"Yes, and there's more, unlike regular omegas they only go in heat if another hybrid is around them."
Peter, still reeling from all the information, asks, "but who is the other hybrid?"
"Peter, you're smart, you already know." Tony said gently again.
"Wait Natasha? But, how… what do I do? She's not going to want someone like me? Will the drugs fix it?"
Tony who now looks bewildered asks "what do you mean she wouldn't want someone like you?" tony along with the rest of the team as seen just how much Natasha cares about Peter.
It is a source of amusement for the rest.
Not that they would tease her to much about it.
To farther prove his point. Only Peter can get away with teasing her.
"Well I mean, she smart, and beautiful, and caring. She's perfect. I'm just some nobody that was at the wrong place at the wrong time."
Tony looked thoughtfully at Peter then gently said to him "you are in love with her, don't you?"
Peter looking down again quietly says, "I think so, yeah."
"You have loved her for a while now, haven't you?"
"Yeah, since before I started feeling this way. How could I not, she's perfect."
"Have you thought about telling her how you feel?"
Peter is almost violently shaking his head no, before Bruce even finished the question.
"No no no, I can't do that, it would ruin, everything, she would feel uncomfortable around me, then I would lose her... friendship. I can't lose her ." Peter started to tear up at the thought of not seeing Natasha again.
Tony stepped in before Peter had a panic attack. "Hey, it's okay. Natasha isn't going anywhere. Okay it's late, why don't we head to bed and we can figure out what to do in the morning."
Peter gets up, and heads to his room. His room is next to Natasha's so in order to keep from panicking he stands at her door and reaches out with his senses to hear her heartbeat and he can faintly detect her scent. He feels the tension loosen up.
He feels a couple of tears fall. Afraid, terrified, that the women he loves, who is a super spy while pick up on how he feels, and start to avoid him.
He very quietly whispers " Natasha " as he brushes his fingers on her door.
Then knowing he can't stay there any longer or he'll run the risk of getting caught.
He heads to his room. To get a few hours of not very restful sleep.
When Natasha was growing up in the red room, they gave her an enhancement that increased her durability, and a better than average healing ability.
She was thankful that when she presented she was an alpha. Omegas were automatically eliminated.
She breathed a sigh of relief and got on being the black widow. She never had to deal with going into heat.
Then she became a SHIELD agent. Which led to her being assigned to watch... babysit world famous tony Stark. While the fact, that he's an omega, isn't a secret it's not publicly known.
It led to the one time she was around an omega long enough for a heat to be a concerned. In fact, he did start to go into heat, while she was around.
Much to her surprise, she didn't feel the usual protective instinct that alphas are supposed to.
It was then that Pepper helped him. They bonded privately at first. Later after the avengers had gone public, it was made public, when they married.
Again, she breathed a sigh of relief, she doesn't have time to be bonded to have an omega who would need her.
Granted it only happens every few years. However, she was taught to not have ties.
Ironic considering the next thing she did was join the avengers, and she found a family, suddenly she has ties.
Thankfully with most of them being betas, heat isn't an issue.
It stayed that way through the ups and downs of Ultron, the civil war.
Those events brought new members to her family.
Including the man currently occupying her thoughts, especially lately.
Peter Parker better known to the public as Spider-man.
When she first met him, it was during the debacle of the civil war.
She only very briefly met him. Then she had to go on the run.
She has to admit he made an impression; she could tell he was young even though he never took off his mask.
However, he had a lot of raw potential.
Plus, the shared spider thing, did amuse her, not that she ever told anyone.
After a long time of her family being split apart. They finally were able to come back together.
She never forgot about the spiderling. She followed what he did as much as she could, without her family finding out. She knows they will tease her about it.
So, when they moved back to the compound. She was pleasantly surprised when he sought her out, to train.
She, having already deduced his identity, and knowing his age, she wasn't fully prepared for how young he still looked despite being almost 17. She put it aside, she felt a protective instinct that she'd never felt before.
She initially thought it was the spider mom and son thing the others like to tease them both about.
However, as time went on it wasn't maternal feelings she felt. While not love or lust, it felt different... comfortable.
She found when she was on a long mission, she would start to feel slightly anxious about getting back.
She also found that she isn't bothered, if he did something, that would annoy her, if others did it.
Not that he did a lot of things that annoyed her. He has always been considerate of her; she can easily read the respect and awe he has of her.
Since the first time he met her, it has not changed, he still looks at her with the same awe and respect.
In fact, that respect and awe is why he was hurt at one point. He took the brunt of a blast by grabbing her and doing his best to wrap his body around her as a shield. When she became aware, she felt a level of fear and anguish that shocked her.
She screamed for their team to help. He woke up slightly, smiled and, weakly asked if she was okay. She wanted to rail at him for what he did. She just gave him a small smile, and let him know she was fine. He passed out shortly after that.
Due to his advanced healing he didn't spend too much time in the infirmary but she still spent as much time watching over him as she could. She would wait until the rest had gone to bed; she would sneak back to sit by his bed for a few more hours. She would brush the hair off his forehead.
His aunt May caught her once.
May just smiled at the younger woman and turned to go back to the guest room Tony had set up.
However, this last few weeks something has changed. Peter is acting very different. At first, she was concerned he was hiding some big event in his life. However, it's not that. She took the time to try and figure out what is going on. She noticed that when they train, he seems to be sweating and acts like he's hot far quicker than he had even when they first started training.
She finds her mouth grow dry when he takes off his shirt.
While he tends to cover his body, she knows he's not exactly ashamed of his body. He's just self-conscious.
She's seen him wearing very little. She likes how his body looks.
She's never really been attracted to the big burly types. She likes guys with long lean muscles, a dancer's grace.
She rarely remembers her dreams; it helps when most of the time it tends to be nightmares. But lately she has been having interesting dreams.
The first few times she dreamed of having some very passionate sex with Peter she was shocked.
Her anxious whenever she's been away for more than a day, has gotten worse. Not enough to affect the mission. But enough that if she's not careful the others will be able to tell.
Just the other night, she found herself standing in front of Peter's door. Not sure why she ended up there.
She quietly opened his door and found him lying in bed. He had kicked off his sheets and was just in his boxers. The sweat made his hard body glisten. She takes the time to admire the body she wouldn't openly do during the day.
Her mouth went dry and felt desire pool insider her.
He must have heard her or smelled her because he leaned towards her, after she was surprised to see she had silently moved to the side of his bed. She could see he was agitated in his sleep, before she arrived. As she got close, he calmed down.
She stayed with him for almost an hour, she gently sat on his bed. She however didn't give into the impulse to run her hand up and down his body.
Which reminds her of the training. Lately he's been avoiding her. It hurt more then she expected when she realized.
Yet at the same time she would notice he would act like he's having a panic attack until he got near her. The first time she almost went to him.
Later she realized it would be better for him to come to her when he's ready. Until then she would be there for him anyway, she can.
Her dreams have become more intense. She has never had dreams about anyone that passionately.
She also finds herself becoming more protective than ever before. She has gone out while he's on patrols a few times. Not close enough for him to detect her, but she can still back him up if he gets into trouble.
When she wakes up this morning FRIDAY tells her "Agent Romanoff, Captain Rogers has requested you and Mr. Wilson help to check on a potential Hydra base. Also, before you go, the boss has asked if you would meet him in Dr. Banner's lab."
"Thank you, FRIDAY." Natasha said, as she got up to get ready for the day. She finds lately she's not been as well rested as she usually gets.
She walks into the lab and finds Tony and Bruce waiting for her.
"Natasha, I have a strange request. Can we have a small sample of your blood?"
"Why?"
"Uh, to test a theory, I'm not ready to say yet. Not when you are getting ready to leave, on a mission."
"That does not fill me with confidence. You already have my DNA on file."
"Yes, but I need a current sample." Tony can see that she's not fully on board with this. "Do you trust Brucie bear?"
"Fine, but I want answers when I get back."
"I give you my word, as soon as you guys get back. I will tell you."
Natasha moved over to sit on the stool next to Bruce. He made quick work of drawing a little blood.
She left to meet the others at the Quinjet.
After she left the lab. Bruce took the sample and moved to the same machine he used last night. It was pretty much a given for the both of them. But they have to be sure.
FRIDAY let them know that Peter is wake. At the same time the machine beeped. Both Tony and Bruce looked at the screen and saw that it is the same. She is also showing both alpha and omega pheromones.
Bruce asked him. "why didn't you just tell her it was to possibly help Peter?"
"Because she might get distracted. Bruce you have to remember they are both having omega and alpha tendencies. Tell me you haven't see how protective they are of each other." Tony said
Bruce looks thoughtful, then nods when he knows what Tony said is true.
When Peter woke up this morning, he got ready for the day. He asked FRIDAY what everyone one is doing. Peter noticed that she seems to hesitate when she tells him that Captain Rogers Agent Romanoff and Mr. Wilson have just left on a mission.
"Oh, Okay thank you FRIDAY." Peter feels his anxiety spike. He knows that she can take care of herself. Even better than he can. But he can't help but want... need to be there to protect her.
Peter puts on his workout clothes. He heads to the gym. He knows if he doesn't work himself tired, he won't be able to sleep.
He doesn't realize that he hasn't eaten yet. He is distracted by Natasha being gone.
He goes to the gym to the part that has been set up as a parkour for him. He jumps and leaps, then he lines up with the obstacle course and pushes himself without his web shooters to try and beat his best time. He pushes himself for a few hours before he starts to get lightheaded.
Knowing that she would kick his ass if he ignored it. He stops and tries to calm down. He then realizes he's very hungry. He wants to smack himself on the head.
Even though he doesn't want to eat. He knows he needs to. So, he heads to the kitchen. He makes a light meal. He picks at it, eating as much as he can.
Tony walks in and sees Peter looking listless. FRIDAY had told him that Peter had gone straight to the gym without eating. He was all set to go get him when she let him know that Peter has gone to the kitchen and is currently trying to eat.
Tony finishes up the current job he's working on in his lab then he goes to see Peter in the kitchen picking at the way to small amount of food for someone with his enhanced appetite.
He isn't surprised. It is a common omega trait to feel listless and a lack of appetite when in prolonged heat. His need to push himself in the gym is an alpha trait. Pepper was the same way last time he went into heat. She was out of town on a business trip. She became almost maniacal about finishing the meetings.
"Peter, I know you don't feel like eating, but I know you need to eat more than that."
"I just feel nauseous like if I eat anymore, I'm going to puke."
"I know, kid. That is normal. Also, I know you will want to patrol. Feeling restless is also normal but at least tonight I'm sorry but I'm benching you."
Peter wants to protest. He's right about feeling restless. But he knows that he's distracted. "I don't like it, but I agree."
Tony gives him a sad smile as he puts his hand on Peter's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you kid. Don't worry we will get you feeling better."
"How?"
"Brucie bear and I are working on it."
"Anything, I can do to help?"
"Not right now, but if we need to, we'll ask for you."
Tony waited a few minutes while Peter continued to try and eat more. "I know it will be hard, but try not to push yourself to hard."
Knowing he might need help with the alpha traits he goes to the one alpha he trusts more anyone, not just with this situation but with his life.
His wife.
He heads to talk to Pepper. FRIDAY told him that she is currently not in the middle of a meeting. He walks in to her office. And sits down putting his feet up on the desk.
Until she gives him the look. It's the little things he likes to do.
"I need your help with something..." He explains what both Natasha and Peter are going through, as well as how Peter seems to be feeling it the worst.
She sits there and listens without interruption. Afterwards she leans back says. "We'll just have to keep an eye on him until she is back. I think she needs to know. Then they decide what to do. However, I think she will understand once it's explained to her.
"I plan to as well. However, I don't think we should tell Peter, he is sure that she would reject him. He would rather suffer, then lose her.
"No surprise there, but she is starting to suffer as well. And I know she won't reject him. Her feelings are hard to read but it's clear who her favorite is."
"Yeah, I know who his favorite is to." Tony said, feeling put out, that he is not Peter's favorite.
Pepper knowing what he's feeling just laughs out loud.
Tony just spends some time with his wife. Enjoying the time, they have alone. Soon however she is called to another meeting.
Tony needs to check on Peter.
Tony lied to Peter, he and Bruce have nothing to they can do to stop it. Bruce is looking at the current drugs that omegas use to lessen the effects, just in case.
They are just waiting until Natasha is back to tell her what is going on. Then let the two of them decide.
As he gets back to the avenger's private section of the compound, he asks FRIDAY where Peter is.
He heads to the gym to check on Peter with his own two eyes.
Peter noticed as soon as tony walked into the gym "I'm not pushing myself. I just need to move."
"I know spiderling. I'm just making sure you are okay."
Tony knowing, he can't help Peter as much as it pains him. He lets him do his thing. He does tell him that they will be having dinner in a few hours. And Pepper will be expecting him to be there.
Peter is quick to agree. Next to Natasha and May, Pepper is the one to get him to do something the easiest. He knows better than to get on an of those three's bad side.
Tony smirks knowing what Peter's thinking. He too knows better than to get on the bad side of any of the women in their lives. He heads back to his lab.
When he gets there, he tells FRIDAY to keep a close eye on Peter and let him know if Peter seems to push too hard or tries to leave.
He is confident that Peter won't. Unlike when Tony first met him. Now at the age of 19 and in college. Peter has his impulsive nature mostly under control. Natasha has a been a huge help in that regard.
She loves to train him as much as Peter loves to be trained by her.
The whole team can see that. Which is why when it comes to most aspects of Peter's life here, Natasha has final say. She is in charge of his training with the others helping out.
Tony spends the next few hours working in the lab. he had FRIDAY leave the video of Peter in the gym up, so he looks over to check on him every once in a while.
That is where Pepper found him when she got home. She looked over watched Peter moving around the gym. "FRIDAY how long as he been in there?"
"Peter has been there all day minus an hour to eat a light lunch."
Pepper looks away, to see Tony watching both her and the screen. She walks over and they wrap their arms around each other. The bond between them pulses mildly in pleasure. They kiss, then she rests her head on his shoulder.
Soon she raises her head, "You have an hour, before I am coming back to get you for dinner, after that you are done in here for the night."
Tony smirks, loving when his alpha takes charge. "Yes mistress."
She smirks back and then gives him a loving kiss. She turns to leave the lab. "I'm going to have Peter help me make dinner. It will allow me to monitor him closely."
She's not sure if the protectiveness is a product of her alpha tendencies or just that she considers Peter to be her son. Likely a combination of both.
Tony knowing why just says "Okay mama alpha."
Pepper walks into the gym and peter spots her right away. She stops and waits until he comes to her.
When she wraps him into a hug, she can feel him trembling slightly. Tony did the same thing when she came back from the business trip when he went into heat. "Oh Peter." she said softly looking at him. Her expression is maternal.
"Peter go get clean up, you are going to help me make dinner."
"I don't know how well I'll be at that."
"I know, you are mostly there so I can keep my eye on you."
He gives her one of his bright smiles. That reminds her of Tony "Okay mama alpha."
Pepper just laughs at him. "You and Tony have spent way too much time together." she steps back and pushes him out of the gym. "Go get cleaned up smart ass. I expect you in the kitchen when you are done."
Pepper heads to the bedroom to quickly change out of her work clothes, she puts on something comfortable, knowing it will be a stay in night.
Then she heads to the kitchen and starts to do meal prep. As she got started putting the ingredients together Peter walked into the kitchen his hair still wet from the shower. She directs him to his first task putting together a salad.
It went like that, she had him do little things, while she kept a watchful eye on him.
Soon enough the dinner was finishing up. She had Peter set the table while she dragged her husband out of his lab.
She also had FRIDAY tell Dr. Banner that dinner is ready and she expects him to be there. As queen of the house she expects everyone to listen to her. Especially when it comes to healthy habits like eating right at a normal time.
Most everyone willingly listens to her. It's her husband that sometimes gets stubborn.
They all sit down for a very enjoyable dinner, but the rest can tell that Peter is not so subtly missing someone. He keeps no glancing at the chair that Natasha usually sits in.
Which is not surprisingly next to Peter.
After dinner, Pepper drags Tony and Peter into the living room to watch a movie. She knows that Bruce will go back to his lab. She doesn't try to run everyone's life. She happy he joined them for dinner which she thanked him for.
Soon Peter feeling restless. Excuses himself to his room.
He does some meditating; Natasha has been teaching him to center himself when he feels restless.
It somewhat helps. But he is still to keyed up, and lethargic at the same time.
Soon he gives up and goes to bed.
Pepper and tony are more worried about Peter then they are pay attention to the movie. FRIDAY informed them that the others are not sure when they will be back. Likely tomorrow.
Later Tony gets up to check on Peter. He pokes his head in and sees Peter in bed asleep, but clearly agitated.
Not sure what to do. He tells Pepper.
Pepper, walks into Natasha's room, and picks up her pillow. She softly walks, into Peter's room, and put the pillow near him.
In his sleep, he reached out for it, holding it close.
His agitation calming down.
He's still sweating, just because he's still in heat. However, having Natasha's scent there, has calmed him down, for tonight.
Even though it still fairly early in the night. They both decide to head to bed themselves.
Tomorrow will be a big day for their family. They both can feel it.
As the Quinjet flew to the location of this possible base. Natasha feels herself get more anxious. She is surprised. Normally she doesn't feel this way until later.
It's not enough to distract her, but she does have to take a deep breath to center herself.
She has Sam take the controls. Even though it's on auto pilot, they always like to have at least one person in the seat in case of an emergency.
She goes back and does some meditation to help her center. She also tries to find the cause. She's pretty sure it is Peter's recent changes.
She suddenly hears Sam talking to Steve up in the cockpit. "Have you noticed how Pete's been acting different this last week?"
"Yes, but I think it might be longer than a week. He seems distracted. I'd say he was starting, to be in heat, if I didn't know he was an alpha." Steve said in the co-pilots seat.
"Oh, shit your right. He does act like he's in heat. Pretty intense though. Yeah, that is weird since he is an alpha, maybe it's something weird with his powers. After all I don't know of any other spider-mutated guys running around. So, who knows, maybe he was bit by a female spider, and he needs to mate or something?" Sam said as they both laugh.
Natasha tunes out the rest of what they say. She considers that he might actually be going through something like that. None of the people on the plane are scientists and only Peter knows for sure what he's feeling.
She has never actually seen an omega go through heat, but she learned about it when she was younger it is basic information like learning to read, write, and count.
She knows she won't get the information right now. She puts it aside to concentrate on centering herself so they can get the mission finished as soon as possible. She wants to get back to Peter... to the compound.
She frowns at how her first instinct, is to get back to Peter. While she's not totally surprised, she cares about him, and is concerned about how he's been acting.
It's how strongly, she needs to get back to him, that surprises her.
After several hours of flying. They finally get close enough to the base to start getting readings. It appears empty; however, they still need to get there and make sure it's not a cover.
After another couple of hours. Which she is honestly about to go stir crazy. But she has control, they land. They creep through the woods to the perimeter and do a sweep. Still seems empty. The perimeter seems to not have any security at all.
Still they all know that as soon as you get careless you die, they still move cautiously, Sam takes off and Natasha and Steve split up to cover different directions.
They approach the base. Their reading find minimal power levels, Sam is reporting no movement anywhere around the base.
They go opt to try the front door approach Steve has the other two, stand back, while he, with his shield at the ready, opens the door.
It had taken Natasha about 30 seconds to hack the electronic lock.
He made his way in slowly, soon he let them know seems safe to come in.
The other two join him shortly both have their weapons at the ready.
Like the outside it seems to be deserted.
When they reach the stairs, Natasha takes a device that both Peter and Tony had developed. It works like pulse Doppler. You drop it down a stair well and it will map each level. The amount of mapping depends on the material and the thickness. The device is designed to map most of the floors in a standard SHIELD or Hydra base.
Which seems to be the case, as she slowly unwinds the sphere, going down to the lowest level. It makes no sound, nor does it have any blinking lights. Its designed to be stealthy.
As she reels it back up slowly, it continues to send out the pulses to continue to build a map of the levels.
Once it is put away, they look over the wire frame rendering of each level. On her tablet. Steve taking in all the information forms a plan. They split up. He will start at the bottom and work his way back up. Sam will start on the top and work his way down.
Natasha is going to check the rest of the base. They know that since she is as good of a tactician as Steve, he is fine with her being away. He keeps Sam a little closer.
It took a while for Sam to not take offence. But the first time he was on a mission with her that Steve was not. She proved just how good she is. Now he knows that he has just as much to learn from her, as he can from Steve.
They set a time to meet back no matter what. And regular check ins. They go their separate ways.
Natasha silently moves through the current building they are in. Not finding anything more than spiders and other creepy crawlies.
She hopes to come across a computer that has some power. She wants to put her new device a portable version of FRIDAY designed to smash mainframe defenses and download all the data in its raw form for later decryption and translation.
However, if it's a standard Hydra base then one of the others will likely run across it. They know to note it, and when they meet up, she will go and download any data they can get.
The building shows nothing of note or value. She moves on to what appears to be a barracks, for men based on the pornographic magazines left behind.
She checks for any hidden safes or secret rooms. The barracks is also a bust.
The next building seems to be another barracks also ends up being equally empty.
The next building doesn't look to be barracks from the outside based on the shape. Is in fact an office building. Officer's offices.
She takes a little extra time and is able to gather some papers. She is able to open all the safes and finds some possible actionable intel.
She puts all the papers in to her satchel and moves on.
They keep in communication at what seems like random times, but it's a system they developed over time. It keeps it from being, so much it can be distracting but, not long enough to be taken, and the others not know.
She times finishing up the officer's building with when she has to go back to meet up with the other two.
Sam has already told her he found a working computer. Steve also found a working computer as well.
They all meet, at the top of the stairs. She hands some of the more interesting papers to Steve then has Sam take her to the computer he found.
She looks around the computer physically first to make sure there are no surprises. Then she looks around it internally. She is happy it's connected to the mainframe. She brings out her device and plugs it in.
Because it is a stripped-down version of her, FRIDAY doesn't speak, she can communicate on the screen. FRIDAY goes to work. Ripping through the firewall and any security countermeasures.
Even though FRIDAY can still communicate to the team through the Stark satellite they still use this version that is separate from her, for security. In case there is a virus that buried in the data.
Mini FRIDAY states it will take 45 minutes to download and compress the database to fit in the devices she currently has on her.
Natasha steps away and both of them go back to Steve. He has reviewed the pages. Current plan is Natasha will babysit the computer data transfer, while Sam and Steve finish sweeping the different levels. Whoever is done first will either relieve Natasha or go sweep the base. They will decide when the time comes.
There are only two more buildings on the surface. One is likely the officer's barracks Natasha is determined to check that one next.
As she sits there waiting her thoughts turn to peter. She had been able to put the situation to the side while she was concentrating on sweeping the buildings. But now that mini-FRIDAY is doing most of the work she is having a harder time not wondering how Peter is doing. Why Tony needed a sample of her blood and if it had anything to do with her distracted state.
She starts to poke around the mainframe herself, staying away from the sections that are being copied.
All black widows are taught how to hack. And she had Peter and sometimes Tony teach her more.
She prefers to have Peter teach her. Not just because he's less likely to make lewd comments and turn everything in to a dirty thought.
But she genuinely likes spending time with him. She has since the beginning. They work well together.
Clint likes to tease her that, of course, they work well together, since she molded Peter to be her perfect partner.
While she can't totally disagree with the statement. Peter has smoothed out her rough edges just like she has done for him.
As she roots around the mainframe, she is not seeing anything beyond a standard base. No secret experiments. No special items or weapons stored here. It seems like a standard SHIELD turned Hydra base.
As she waiting, she takes out the specially designed power bar that has extra calories in it. Supposedly a full meal in a small package. Taste isn't bad, but not all that great.
She absentmindedly wonders if she can see if Peter can make something better. Biochemistry is one of his specialties.
In her boredom she said that, to the others instead of the standard check in message. Sam teases her of channeling her inner Clint, and then agrees that Peter might be able to come up with something better.
Steve just says the bars taste fine. And a small smile appears on his face when both of his teammate snort on the comms at him. Shortly after Sam adds "Cap made a funny."
Both Sam and Steve ended up back out at the stairs at the same time. There is only one level left. "Sam head up to relieve Nat so she can go check the other buildings.
Sam just nods. He doesn't need to say anything because Steve had the mic open for Natasha to hear them when he said it.
Natasha meets him at the door. He nods as she steps through to go back up and continue to check the other buildings.
She makes her way to the last barracks. As she figured it is the officer's barracks, she takes a little extra time to check for safes and other hiding places. She finds some more papers that look promising.
By the time she's heading to the last building the database has been downloaded and secured. Steve had finished the last level and then went back down to the bottom to make sure there are no hidden subbasements.
Steve and Sam are now making one more sweep around the perimeter of the base. Once it's done, they are going to set charges and demolish the base.
Natasha enters the last building. It seems to be labs and other work spaces. She gets ready to get Tony or maybe Peter on the line through the satellite if she needs to, to translate anything she might need real-time translation for. Unfortunately, this building was completely stripped of anything of value. More so than the rest of the base. She can't even locate any papers that shows what they were doing there. All of the safes and hidden spaces are coming up empty.
After she finish the sweep of the building. Steve and Sam have already moved the Quinjet to the base. And taken out the shape charges for base demolition. They start to put charges in the main building. Several charges on each level. By then Natasha has retrieved the mini-FRIDAY and started to put charges in the other buildings.
It's almost dark once they have finished.
Because this is in the middle of nowhere. They are not worried about the civilian population.
They climb aboard and take off moving a safe distance they set off the charges the explosion lite up the night sky.
They wait until the smoke clears then move close to make sure that it's done.
The main building is a smoking crater. All the other building, are completely destroyed.
A damage control team will come in to haul off the material and turn the land back to a natural habitat.
Natasha as the most experienced is in the pilot's seat. she sets a course of home.
She sets the autopilot and then goes back to take care of business in the bathroom.
She steps out feeling slightly better, but nothing will beat having a shower in her room. Plus, her anxiety is back now that they are heading back. It will still take several hours to reach home.
They all take the time to start writing theirs reports.
About halfway home. She has her report done. FRIDAY sends her a message that she has some videos that Natasha should watch, in private.
Natasha is surprised. However, she asks Sam to take her seat.
She moves to the back of the plane and taking the earphones out she waits.
FRIDAY loads the video of last night in the lab. Several videos during the day. And lastly a message that Pepper made for her that was just uploaded for when they were on the way back.