A/N: Laura is sooooo much more interesting now in the Hawkeye series, but I mean we know I already love her so it doesn't change anything other than even more to play around with.

Also, have I kinda forgotten this fic excited. no of course not why would you say that? not because I've started posting on another one at all noooo noooo.

Red

"Wanda, honey, where are you?" Laura yelled down the staircase as she jogged down, hoping to find the brunette in the living room.

"STUDY!" She could hear Wanda's voice call back for her as she got down and took a sharp turn around the corner to find Wanda sitting by the desk looking at her as she came striding into the room.

"There you are," Laura said with a small breath looking at the young woman in front of her. She had a book in her hand, a book Laura knew was one of her own old ones. Probably a book Natasha had bought her or something a few ten years ago.

"What do you need?" Wanda said putting down the book carefully, nudging a small piece of paper between the pages she had been reading on. Laura smiled softly at her, partly guilty that Wanda clearly already knew she was going to ask something from her.

"Ah, need to run to the store to both buy food. I also need to go look at rugs because the one in the playroom is completely worn out. And not to mention the fact that I need to get a new light for Cooper's room I-"

"No, I'll come with don't worry," Wanda said, cutting her off as she pushed herself up from the chair.

"Thank you, I just want it done before the kids are back again. You know how it is." Laura said with a small thankful exhale. She hated dragging Wanda with her everywhere she went but having Wanda as an extra pair of hands had been a lifesaver the last couple of weeks.

With the kids back at school Laura had lunches to make, homework to help with, sports to drop off at. And of course, Nathaniel, who was in the toddler program three days a week, was a whole other category.

They also had all the work in the house, and everything outside and around the house, and both Laura and Clint found most days packed with stuff.

Laura and Wanda hurried down the hall again, and while getting dressed Laura snatched the car keys to their pickup truck.

After Wanda had stayed with them for a few days they decided it was time to get a new car. Of course, they had the old one, the 7-seater that they had used then they drove to the Avengers compound. But using those two seats in the trunk was both annoying, and unpractical. Not to mention how little space it was back there. Instead, they got a second car. It was only a two-seater pickup truck, but it was practical, and they didn't need much more. Just having a second car at their disposal was amazing in itself.

"Clint is picking up the kids then?" Wanda said as she took her seat at the passenger side, looking at her with a small smile.

"Yup, we're hoping Nate is in good enough mood to wait for the big kids to finish their baseball and soccer. If not… that is a problem for the future." Laura said with a small sigh as she pulled up from the house. "You know, I think I need a vacation soon," Laura added, making Wanda chuckle beside her.

"What can I do to help?" Wanda said softly and Laura could see she was still looking at her.

"Honestly Wanda, you being her is more than enough. But after this week I think we deserve a break. Also known as: I want to do nothing for two days." Laura said with a smile.

Shopping with Wanda was one of the few and only ways shopping turned barrable. She still hated it but having Wanda with her made Laura at least a bit more patient. A little bit.

Laura quickly found out that Wanda was quite similar to herself, which was a plus because it meant that bringing her around on her errands and not Clint actually sped up the process and not the opposite.

They spent an hour looking for the new ceiling light and rugs, and with a quick stop at a café to get some lunch they finished off the food shopping with everything totalling to just under 2 hours.

In a way, it felt like Wanda had been a part of their family for years. In reality, it had only been a month. But for Laura, she couldn't really remember a time before knowing her. It felt so natural having her around in the house, but part of Laura was wondering it felt so natural because she had in a way replaced Natasha.

Laura hadn't heard anything from Natasha since she left. She knew that Pepper had talked to her once. Pepper had called her right after she had finished talking to Natasha, updating her on everything Natasha had told her. Instead of going to Norway right away, apparently, the redhead had taken a few weeks in north of Finland, just by the border of Russia and Norway. Then not too long ago she had called Pepper before she started heading south. They didn't know where she was now, or really what "heading south" meant, but knowing her, she could be more or less anywhere.

The absence of the redhead wasn't only affecting the Barton family. Steve had been in contact with Wanda, and so had Maria, both telling her the team had drifted even more apart. Steve had offered Wanda to join him to travel with Sam and Bucky, which Wanda had ended up declining to Laura's relief.

Maria hadn't offered anything but instead taken the time to tell Wanda how the team had not only decided to part ways temporally but also explained how it was Natasha who had originally been the glue and probably been one of the key reasons for why this happened now.

When Wanda told Laura later, she hadn't been surprised by this explanation. Of course, Tony being Tony, he had already stepped back after everything that happened in Sokovia. And when Natasha brought back the winter soldier some mistrust had formed in the group. Of course, Steve already trusted Bucky, but Natasha had been the one bringing him in, and without her not only to lead the team but to help them learn to trust him, Laura could imagine why they would drift apart.

No one seem to want to tell them what Tony and Steve were specifically arguing about, but even before they did part ways Laura knew that the two of them had butted heads a few times.

Maybe a break was for the best anyway. It would give everyone room to think and maybe calm down before something hostile happened.

"Do we want to start preparing dinner now, or do we want to wait an hour and risk not finishing before the kids run down the house?" Laura asked as she started walking towards the house with the shopping bags in her hands. Behind her, she could hear Wanda open the trunk to fly out the new carpet for her.

"Maybe just prep the dinner, at least then it's done," Wanda said softly while floating the rug past Laura before leaning it up against a wall. Laura nodded softly while placing the bags by the kitchen counter.

"Think I'm just going to drop the bag upstairs and change to another sweater, okay?" Laura asked, looking at Wanda who had already picked up the groceries to put away. She nodded back at her, and Laura quickly picked up the new lights for the kid's room and headed upstairs.

She had just gotten up the stairs before she stopped. Her bedroom door was open, but she knew she had closed it before they left. She knew she had; she always did.

She could feel her heart start speeding up. Had somebody snuck into their home? What if they were still there?

Laura looked around trying to see if anything else had been touched. She could get Wanda, but it could also be nothing and she had just been wrong about the door. Maybe she was overreacting.

She took a deep breath before slowly moving towards the open door. She had only gotten over the doorframe before she could hear herself dropping the bags to the floor, not caring about where it landed or if she had broken something.

"Natasha?" Laura whispered looking at the sleeping woman on the bed in shock.

Natasha was spread across her bed breathing evenly. Perfectly in the middle of the bed on top of the cover. Her fire-red hair was sped across a pillow and was mainly the only thing Laura could see off Natasha's head and face.

She was dressed in mostly black, but it wasn't her normal catsuit. While this one was certainly a tight fit as well it seemed more robust, and Laura could both see knee and elbow pads. On top, she had a green vest that Laura hadn't seen before. Even her normal hourglass belt was gone. Instead, it was switched out with a normal holster with room for two handguns that thankfully was empty.

Just by the couch was a small backpack looking thing with two batons, her widows bite, and a Glock resting just beside it.

At least the gun was laying on the floor wasn't strapped to her body while she slept.

Laura watched as Natasha let out a sigh followed by a small stretch.

"I can feel you staring, Laura," Natasha said softly, turning around on the bed to look at her. Laura just stared at her as she slowly propped herself up looking at her lazily. She had some bags under her eyes, and Laura could spot something that looked like a small bruise above her eye. Her nose bridge seemed slightly miss coloured as well, but she could be wrong and just imagining things at this point.

"Are you just going to stare?" Natasha said sweetly, visibly looking at her up and down.

"Why are you here?" Laura only got out, realizing that was maybe not the best way to open a conversation with a person you fought with the last time you saw them.

She watched Natasha laugh softly before smiling at her. "In your bed or in the house? I have answers for both, but just so we are on the same page." She answered making Laura smile carefully.

"Both?" Laura said hesitantly, still not letting Natasha out of her sigh as the woman pushed herself out of the bed carefully.

"Well, I came here because I wanted to see you if I am allowed to say that, and I'm in your bed because somebody else is using mine," Natasha said, passing her in the door and continuing towards the stairs.

"You came here because you wanted to see me? Really?" Laura said, shaking her head before following the woman downstairs with a small frown.

"Well, a lot of things have been happening and I thought a break from life could be nice. It also wouldn't hurt seeing you." Natasha continued as she walked into the living room before turning to her again. "But you know, if you don't want me here…" She said with a small smirk making Laura roll her eyes dramatically.

"You are impossible." She mumbled, making Natasha laugh softly back.

"Natasha?" Both of them turned surprised when they hear a whisper. Wanda was looking at them both with big eyes. Part of Laura had forgotten the other girl was here, and that Natasha had left her just as much as herself.

Wanda continued to look at the woman confused. The woman didn't seem to know what to do with herself as Natasha smiled at her.

"Hi, Wanda." She said softly smiling at her carefully. Laura watched as Wanda continued to stare at her, taking in every single detail of the woman in front of her just like she had done a few minutes earlier.

"Right… if you want to take a shower or something that's fine, all of your things are still in your room." Laura said breaking the silence and staring between the two women. She could see Wanda shift somewhat uncomfortable, but before she got the chance to say something Natasha answered.

"Don't worry, you can keep the room, for now, Wanda, I can take the garage. But I would prefer to use your shower, Laura." Natasha turned to her, and Laura nodded quickly back.

"I'll go make the bed for you after we finish in the kitchen, okay?" Laura asked, earning a quick nod from Natasha before she disappeared out of the room again.

Wanda was still standing frozen to the floor, looking blankly into the room.

"You, okay?" Laura asked as she walked to the other woman to help her with the unpacking.

"Yeah…" Wanda whispered before turning around herself to continue with Laura. "What is she doing here?" Wanda whispered, keeping her head down and away from Laura.

"I don't know," Laura mumbled back. She too felt that Natasha hadn't just shown up without reason, something had to be going on. She wasn't supposed to be back yet. Or they didn't actually know that. But the whole point of her going away was to hunt down the Red Room, wasn't it? Laura had gotten the impression from Natasha that when she said she wanted to leave and make a difference she wasn't just talking about a few weeks.

Laura quickly finished up in the kitchen before going to get some bedding for Natasha. She could hear the shower run and a soft humming through the door. She knew the shower in the small apartment over the garage was weaker than the ones they had in the house, and Natasha deserved a good shower.

The small living space hadn't been used much. Wanda had visited a few times, but since Natasha hadn't been using her own room Wanda had used hers instead of the one outside.

Laura liked the small apartment. They had spent a lot of time making it look and feel nice and homey, and if Wanda didn't want to use it, she could imagine Cooper wanting it in a few years.

She spent a few minutes making the bed and was just about to fluff the pillow when she felt a soft breath in her neck.

"Holy fuck NATASHA!" Laura spun around holding a hand over her heart feeling it pound in her chest. The redhead was smiling mischievously at her before turning around again to carefully put down her things.

"You would think you have gotten used to that by now." Natasha purred as she brushed off the vest she had been wearing earlier before placing it on a nearby chair.

"Well, I guess I have been out of practice. Cooper and Lila aren't nearly as stealthy as you. And neither is Clint." Laura said, still feeling somewhat out of breath.

She looked at the woman as she continued to put away her things. She was wearing one of Laura's favourite fall sweaters and a pair of jeans that looked awfully like a pair she also happened to own.

Laura could see a blue bruise on the side of her neck that seemed new. One that she hadn't spotted earlier.

"What happened?" Laura asked, closing the distance as Natasha looked up, letting her trace her finger along the bruise.

"A lot." She answered softly before motioning her to step back. Laura watched quietly as Natasha started to pull the sweater over her head.

"Oh my god," Laura whispered as Natasha releveled a battle scared body. She closed the distance again immediately turning Natasha around to find Natasha's entire back beaten up with a heartbreaking blue and green colour. "Nat I... I don't know what to say."

She turned Natasha around again, letting to fingers follow a deep red bruise along her ribcage almost perfectly matching the scarlet red bra she was wearing.

"A few broken ribs probably, broken nose, a few cuts and scrapes. Just the normal stuff." Natasha said softly before slowly putting on her shirt again.

"This is more than normal Natasha. This is way worse. How did it -"

"I'll explain later." Natasha cut her off sharply making Laura shut her mouth quickly. "Listen. I don't want to overwhelm you, and we have time. Right now, I just want a break." She added quickly, smiling at her before turning around again towards the door.

"Do we have time?" Laura said after her as she followed the woman.

"Well, I wasn't planning on leaving right away. I don't know how long I will stay, but at least long enough to see the kids." Natasha continued as they walked to the house together.

"I need to talk to Clint and Wanda. At one point I need to go back to the compound as well, but I'll tell more later." Laura nodded back. She wondered what Natasha needed to talk to them about. She still didn't think Natasha would be back yet. But seeing how beaten up she was already, obviously proved something had happened the month she was gone.

As the three of them started to make dinner, Laura continued to throw glances at Natasha. She could tell Wanda was doing the same, both probably trying to find out what the woman was doing back. Part of Laura just wanted to enjoy Natasha's company, but she had known her long enough to know that Natasha was rarely just pleasure without business.

Still, it was hard not to just enjoy the moment when the kids walked into the house to find their favourite person in the world. Even Nathaniel seemed to be over the moon about seeing Natasha again. All three threw themselves at her and Laura could feel her own heart expand as she watched them.

Clint was standing in the door sending both Wanda and Laura some confused looks as she watched his former partner hug his kids. Clint took the hint though and didn't ask about what had happened either, just staying quiet while the kids drowned Natasha in news about their new school and the summer.

It felt so right having her back again. It felt so right watching her play with the kids, help with the everyday chores and just circling the living room while she was thinking.

"So, I guess welcome back?" Clint said as Natasha walked into the living room after putting the kids to bed. "Should we start with a drink, beer? Wine?" Clint continued as he walked around in the kitchen.

"What about vodka?" Natasha said dryly back, joining him in the kitchen. Both Laura and Wanda were sitting on the couch each with a tea as the two of them walked back with two shot glasses.

"Cheers to that," Clint mumbled lifting his glass for Natasha as they both quickly shotted the liquid. Natasha put down the glass carefully before tapping her finger on the table.

"I don't even know where to start," Natasha said thoughtfully as she picked up the bottle with her other hand.

"What about the beginning?" Clint said making Natasha roll her eyes dramatically.

"Thanks for the tip, let me try that," Natasha mumbled back before downing another drink after what sounded like an annoyed exhale.

The woman closed her eyes lifting her hand to her forehead as she thought about it, and for a moment Laura was starting to wonder if Natasha was going to tap out.

"I... took down… the Red Room… That's what happened, it doesn't even have a real start to the story that's all that happened. That's why I'm here, or at least partly, and that's also why Ross probably want to beat my ass." Natasha said still with her eyes closed as she thought very hard about it.

"That's impossible the Red Room has been gone for years you -"

"I mean I thought so too, I thought so too," Natasha said cutting Clint off. She looked between them with a worked-up look as she continued. "I thought so too. But I was wrong." She added with a lower voice, looking down at the floor with a sigh.

"Natasha, you killed Dreykov years ago. You dropped an entire building on him." Clint said, still sounding like he wasn't believing what was hearing.

"Clint, he didn't die. The red room never fell. We didn't… it didn't happen okay. I mean I thought so as well, but none of us could confirm it." Natasha said with a louder voice, looking at him with a begging look to just stop questioning it.

"So, what, you just took it down? The Red Room that none of us thought existed, and ever caught our attention for the last decade?" Clint said, leaning back in his seat looking at her questioning.

"Why do you think Ross tried to take me in? It's a lot of fucking questions that they don't have answers to. I mean I dropped a building from the sky." Natasha hissed back annoyed before leaning back herself to take a small breath.

"They didn't end up on our radar because they didn't want to be noticed. And I mean it's in the name, one of their widows kill me and one of you come and avenge. Doesn't matter if they hated me or not, I don't think anyone wants a hulk after them."

Natasha let out another sigh before closing her eyes.

"Nat this is insane, more widows? The Red Room, it is all supposed to be gone how is it still…"

"Clint it is gone, it is gone now. That was where I came from, I tore it down, literally exploding it from the sky and freeing the widows that were there. Dreykov is dead. I know he is." Natasha said, opening her eyes to look at her former partner again.

"What do you mean with freeing?" Wanda asked slowly, looking at Natasha with a small look. Natasha turned to her with an almost surprised look before sighing.

"What I experienced was physiological conditioning, I made my own choices, I killed all those people on my own accord." Natasha started, earning an immediate reaction from Clint.

"That is not true, you didn't have a choice. You were raised as a killer, trained that isn't-"

"Clint!" Natasha cut him off again looking at him with a cold look. "That is the whole point. Yes, you could argue that wasn't me because that was how I was raised. But I could change, I had a choice! I broke away from KGB and the Red Room because I could! But the new generation didn't have that choice. Physiological conditioning wasn't enough anymore, we are talking about altering brain function. Fully conscious, but you don't know which part is you." Natasha hesitated, staring blankly in front of her.

"After we tried to take them down, the program changed. I mean I guess they figured that having a widow on the wrong side wasn't a good thing. None of these widows had a choice. They trained and killed. If they failed, they got killed. They could even be told to kill themselves. All this while still being conscious…." Natasha trailed, looking down at the table as she finished her explanation.

"What now?" Laura asked carefully as she watched the woman continue to keep her head lowered.

"The Red Room is gone. I have some information; some I need to look more into. I couldn't go back to the compound, going there would be like putting myself in Roos's hands. He tried to get me, but I escaped. I know I didn't do anything wrong, but these are things that he doesn't want to go public either." Natasha said, lifting her head slowly to look at her.

"So, what's your plan then?" Clint asked, finally seeming like he had calmed down.

"That is actually why I'm partly here," Natasha answered with a softer voice before turning to Wanda. "I came here to give you a proposal." She said looking at the younger woman. Wanda looked at her surprised before looking at Clint to see if he had any ideas of what she was talking about.

"I don't know what the plan is. I don't know what the future holds. But what I have learned is that we are stronger together. I didn't think we can afford to have the team so torn like this. I want to get everyone on at least talking terms. And I came to offer you to join me." Natasha said, looking at Wanda with a soft smile.

Wanda looked at her back, hesitation was filling her eyes as she exchanged look with the redhead and Laura. "You want me to join you in finding Steve?" She asked slowly.

"No. I don't know if I am going to stay with him. I don't need him to agree to come back either. I just want to talk to him. We can go wherever we want and do whatever we need. No need to pick any side, Wanda. I won't force you to do that." She said with a smile looking at the brunette.

"I just wanted to offer it to you in person. You are allowed to rather want to stay here. But if you want out in the field with me, you can. I have a lot of things I want to do, and it includes a lot of moving around, I understand if you don't want or feel ready to do that just yet." Natasha said before turning to Clint who nodded in a way that looked like support.

"I'll think about it," Wanda whispered, looking down at the tea mug in her hand.

"Take the time you need. I will need to talk to Tony, and I understand if you don't feel ready for that part at least. I can come back and get you as well. We don't need to decide now. But we can figure it out together." Natasha said softly, earning a small nod from Wanda.