Chapter 21
AN: Thank you for the support. Hope you like this chapter.
September 2nd 1963
After a couple of weeks in Wakanda the Carter's and Carter-Stark's retuned home to have an enjoyable rest of the summer with their extended family, during which Gabe Jones had a daughter who was he and his wife named Stephanie Margret Jones, and Dugan was named her godfather.
Having just arrived home from her first day at her new school Natasha is far from happy as she had a pretty crap day.
"Jarvis are Mom and Dad home?" Natasha asks as they walk into the house, speaking for the first time since Jarvis picked her up, knowing that sometimes one of her parents are home while other times they are at SHIELD and/or Stark until before diner.
"I'm sorry Miss Tasha, but your parents had to go to DC, they'll be back first thing in the morning," Jarvis explains to Natasha, as Peggy and Howard had to go meet with the president.
"That's not fair!" Natasha says, sounding upset, before storming upstairs. "I want Mom and Dad!" Natasha says as she goes.
About half an hour after Natasha stormed into her room there is a knock on her door.
"Come in," Natasha says, without lifting her hand from her from her pillow.
"Miss Tasha, what's wrong?" Jarvis asks as Ana walks over and sits down on the edge of her bed.
"School wasn't fun," Natasha admits, turning to look at them. "People made fun of me because of my size, because I'm so much smaller than everyone," Natasha explains.
"Oh, I'm sorry Honey," Ana tells her, rubbing her shoulder.
"Miss Tasha what is your Mother always telling you?" Jarvis asks.
"Know my value, and to believe in myself, know what I can do, even if other kids don't believe in me," Natasha says. "I know all that, but they were saying to me still hurts," Natasha admits.
"That's understandable, but as hard as it is, it won't help to dwell," Ana informs Natasha.
"Ana is right, Miss Tasha. You can either continue to lie in your bed, think about what happened, and continue to make yourself feel worse, or you can come downstairs with Ana and I," Jarvis says. "We can do something fun, like go to your dance studio, or swim in the pool, or spar with you," Jarvis explains.
"You'd spar with me?" Natasha asks, looking between Ana and Jarvis.
"Of course," Ana answers.
"Then I'd like to do that," Natasha says.
"Then let's go," Jarvis says, and the three of them head downstairs where they proceed to spar together. Natasha finding it pretty enjoyable even though she purposely holds back so that she doesn't hurt Ana and Jarvis.
The following morning Natasha is having an enjoyable breakfast with Ana and Jarvis, in the kitchen, not really looking forward to going to school. As she eats her pancakes Natasha suddenly hears;
"WE'RE HOME," From the foyer.
"Mom and Dad!" Natasha says excited, and she hurries to the front of her house where her parents are.
"Hey Tash," Peggy greats, and Natasha just happily hugs her parents.
"You okay, Kiddo?" Howard asks concerned.
"I had a really bad day at school yesterday, but Ana and Jarvis helped," Natasha admits, causing her parents to exchange concerned looks.
"They're good at that," Howard says, smiling at his dear friends.
"How about you tell us all about it," Peggy requests, as they head back to the kitchen.
December 24th 1963
A few months have passed since Natasha has started at her new school, and even though she isn't having a great time, she is having a better time than her first day.
It is Christmas Eve and Howard, Natasha, Ana and Jarvis are in the living room watching Miracle on 34th street, which is playing on the TV.
"Dad, when will Mom be home?" Natasha asks curious.
"Any time now," Howard answers, as he knows that Peggy is on a mission, but is planning on getting home before Christmas.
"Okay," Natasha says, and they drift into silence.
In South America Peggy is with Jack, trying to get home, and so she is talking to the person who runs the SHIELD base they are at.
"I'm sorry Director Carter. With the storms in New York it's not possible to fly back tonight, I'm sorry," The Agent tells Peggy.
"Thank you for trying Commander," Peggy says, and she walks away from him. As she sees Jack Peggy walks over to him.
"Anything?" Peggy asks Jack.
"No, none of the civilian pilots will fly," Jack explains. "It's dangerous for a pilot, and the planes risk damage," Jack explains, and once he does Peggy realizes something.
"That's it!" Peggy says, looking excited. "We don't need to get to New York, we just need to get to Los Angles," Peggy explains.
"What's in LA?" Jack asks curious.
"One of Howard's personal hangers. He has planes that can fly themselves and that Howard designed to be able to handle strong whether," Peggy explains.
"So, you're going to fly one of Stark's experimental plans from LA to New York, when you don't know how to fly a plane?" Jack asks shocked.
"It's not experimental, and I trust Howard's inventions, not to mention his piloting skills which he programed the planes to have," Peggy informs Jack. "You can stay if you want, Jack, but I'm going to get home because I'm not going to miss Christmas with my daughter," Peggy says, an edge to her voice, as since the president, who she knew well, was assassinated she has been working more, and has missed a lot of time with her daughter, so she promised herself that she will not miss this.
"Marge, I'm with you," Jack assures her. "I'm just pointing out the flaws," Jack explains.
"Well you can do it on the way, let's go," Peggy says. "Commander," Peggy says, walking back over to the commander she was talking to.
After a long flight, that wasn't as eventful as Jack predicted it was, Peggy finally arrives home and finds Howard, Ana, and Jarvis putting out the Christmas present.
"You made it," Howard says, walking over to his wife.
"Not technically. It's four am," Peggy says, walking over to Howard, who greats her with a kiss.
"But Miss Tasha is still asleep," Jarvis says, gesturing to the couch where Peggy realizes Natasha is asleep.
"Why is she sleeping down here?" Peggy asks, walking over to her daughter to check on her.
"She wanted to wait up for you," Ana explains.
"I can't believe I almost missed Christmas," Peggy says, and because Howard, Ana, and Jarvis know her so well they can hear the guilt in her voice.
"Peg, you stopped a war, you should be proud of that, I know I am," Howard tells his wife. "You didn't miss anything, and even if you did Tash would understand because what you did was important, you're a hero" Howard reminds Peggy.
"Mr Carter-Stark is right, as is your brother, you were always meant to fight, and that's what you're doing now, you're fighting, and being a hero," Jarvis informs Peggy. "Miss Tasha is so proud to be your daughter, and you should never feel guilty for what you have to do sometimes," Jarvis explains.
"They're both right, Peggy. Tasha may not know the details about what happened, but she knows you were doing something important, because you do that every day, don't feel guilty Peggy," Ana says.
"Thank you," Peggy says relieved, and the four old friends embrace, and once they break apart they continue to get everything set up for Christmas morning.
January 1st 1964
After a truly enjoyable Christmas, with family and extended family, Howard turned his attention to something else he had to organize, something which has finally come to ahead.
"Are you nervous?" Natasha asks her father curious as her, Natasha, Peggy, and Jarvis are standing together backstage.
"Nah, I'm good at this kind of thing," Howard explains.
"Unless your hover car doesn't work and falls to the ground," Peggy teases.
"Hey, I handled that great," Howard says, in his defense.
"Sure you did," Peggy says, with a smirk.
"Mr Carter-Stark, one minute," an assistant says.
"Thank you," Howard says.
"Goodluck Dad," Natasha says to him, "You're going to do great," Natasha says, before hugging him.
"Thanks Kiddo," Howard says, returning the hug, and kissing her head.
"Tash's right, you're going to do great," Peggy tells Howard as she knows he is very good at this, at presenting the image he wants to protect.
"I love you," Howard says, before kissing Peggy.
"I love you too," Peggy says, once they break apart, and once she does Howard heads out on the stage and opens the 1964 Stark Expo.
March 4th 1964
Nine weeks have passed since Howard opened the 64 Stark Expo and ever since the expo, to Howard's relief, is doing really well.
It's early morning on a Wednesday and because Peggy had to be at SHIELD even earlier Jarvis is driving Natasha to school, and Howard to Stark.
"Is this right Dad?" Natasha asks, handing him the book she is working out off.
"Almost Kiddo," Howard tells her, once he has a look. "On this one you've just got to do this third step, second," Howard explains to his daughter.
'Okay, thanks," Natasha says, sounding relieved, as she takes the book.
"Mr Carter-Stark, Miss Tasha, please make sure your seatbelts are on," Jarvis requests.
"Everything okay, Jarvis?" Howard asks worried, as both he and Natasha put their seatbelts on.
"There is a car following us, Sir. Acting in an aggressive way," Jarvis explains. "I'm doing what I can to lose them," Jarvis explains.
"Tash, hold on," Howard tells his daughter.
Over the next tense minutes Howard and Natasha can both tell that Jarvis is trying his best to get them away from the car behind them, but he doesn't seem to be succeeding. Suddenly, they feel the back of the car get hit.
"Jarvis," Howard says worried.
"I'm trying Sir," Jarvis reveals, as the car gets hit once more, this time more forceful. "Mr Carter-Stark, Miss Tasha, hold on," Jarvis says worried and as he does they all feel the car get run off the road, and rolled.
Over the next few minutes Howard, Jarvis and Natasha feel pain, and hear glass break, before the car settles, on it's roof.
"Tash, Jarvis, are you alright?" Howard asks worried.
"I'm fine, Sir," Jarvis answers, as he is feeling no major pain.
"Me too," Natasha says, and as she does Howard sees a figure walking towards the car, with a gun in his hand.
"Tash, stay low," Howard tells his daughter, as he quickly opens the side panel and pulls out Peggy's hidden gun. Once he has the gun, Howard turns off the safety and shoots the person, killing someone up close for the first time.
A little while later Howard, Natasha, and Jarvis are getting checked out by the paramedics, Howard and Jarvis doing what they can to make sure they don't collected blood from Howard or Natasha, when Peggy, Daniel, Jack, and Lian arrive.
While Daniel, Jack, and Lian go to talk to the authorities, having instructions from Peggy about what to do, Peggy walks over to Howard, Jarvis, and Natasha.
"Are you okay?" Peggy asks worried.
"Yeah Mom," Natasha assures her, as her mother hugs her.
"It's only a few cuts and bruises, Mrs Carter-Stark," Jarvis assures her.
"Howard?" Peggy asks concerned, as she notices Howard just staring out to nowhere, and Howard doesn't answer her. "Howard?" Peggy asks concerned, as she takes his hand.
"Peg," Howard says, looking at her. "I shot him, I killed him," Howard says, his voice quiet. "I've never done that before," Howard reveals, as while he has been responsible for a lot of deaths, he hasn't killed someone up close.
"I know," Peggy says, before hugging her husband, feeling worried for him, as she knows that someone's first up close kill can affect them a great deal.
"Who is trying to kill us now?" Natasha asks, knowing the possibility is someone trying to take her, but she doesn't want to think about that.
"I don't know, Darling," Peggy says, as she and Howard break apart, turning to look at her. "But we're going to find out," Peggy explains.
Four days later
Over the next few days Peggy, and SHIELD, work to find out who ran Jarvis, Howard, and Natasha off the road, and discover that it was foreign intelligence agents who wanted to try to take out the weaker of SHIELD's director.
It is the middle of the night, and as she wakes up Peggy realizes that she is in bed alone, feeling worried as Howard hasn't been okay since he killed a man, Peggy gets up and starts to search for him.
As she figures it is the most likely place Peggy heads straight to the lab, but to her confusion, and concern, she finds the lab empty. After finding the lab deserted Peggy proceeds to search the rest of the main floor of the Estate, but it isn't until Peggy heads outside that she finds Howard sitting out by the pool.
"Howard?" Peggy asks concerned, as she sits down next to him.
"Hey Peg," Howard says, sounding distracted.
"Howard, you're not okay, you need to talk about what happened," Peggy tells her husband, "Let me help," Peggy says, taking Howard's hand, as she hates seeing him so distressed, in fact it pains her to see him like this.
"I've been responsible for a lot of death," Howard tells Peggy. "I've killed a lot of people, but I just made the weapons, I had never been close," Howard explains. "Peg, I saw his eyes after I shot him, I saw the life disappear from his eyes," Howard says, sounding pained, and distressed. "I've never been the one responsible for that before," Howard explains, looking lost.
"Howard, you saved Tash, and Mr Jarvis, and yourself," Peggy reminds him. "I know it doesn't help much, but it's what you need to tell yourself," Peggy explains to Howard. "That man was trying to kill you, and our daughter, and your best friend, you did what you had to do," Peggy tells him.
"Did you feel like this the first time you killed someone?" Howard asks his wife.
"Yes, but not just the first time. Howard, I feel like this every time I kill someone," Peggy explains. "It's never easy to take a life, especially up close, so you need to remind yourself of the reasons why it happened," Peggy explains. "Howard the fact that it is effecting you so much is one of the reasons that show you are a good man," Peggy explains. "It will take time, but you will learn to live with it, you just have to remind yourself that it was necessary," Peggy explains, and Howard and Peggy drift into silence as they sit side by side.
June 13th 1964
Ever since Howard killed a man he has been struggling with what he did, but every time he struggles he reminds himself of his wife's words and they help. Natasha has started her summer vacation, and honestly, she is very thankful to be away from school as she doesn't really have many friends, and she is often picked on due to her small size.
As her parents are both working in Howard's lab Natasha is pacing back and forth in the corridor outside as there is something she wants to talk to her parents about, but she is feeling a little nervous.
"Miss Tasha? Is everything all right?" Jarvis asks concerned.
"Yeah," Natasha confirms. "I'm just.. debating something," Natasha admits.
"I'm sure whatever it is that you want to talk to your parents about will be easier than you think," Jarvis informs Natasha, who just gives him a shocked look.
"Can you just do that mindreading thing on cue?" Natasha asks curious.
"I cannot read mines, Miss Tasha, I just know you," Jarvis assures her. "Just talk to them," Jarvis urges Natasha.
"Okay, I'm going to do that, I'm going to talk to them," Natasha tells Jarvis before heading into the lab.
When she walks into the lab Natasha finds her mother sitting on one of her father's workbenches, with files, while Howard is standing nearby working on something.
"Mom? Dad?" Natasha asks as she walks in.
"Hey Tasha, everything okay?" Peggy asks curious.
"I just had a question," Natasha admits, sounding nervous as she isn't sure how her parents are going to react. "And I'm not really sure how to ask it, so I'm just going to ask it. Why do you two look different at home than you do basically anywhere else?" Natasha asks curious.
"Tash, come over here," Howard requests, in a gentle tone of voice, and Natasha walks over, jumps onto the bench, and sits next to her mother. "Tasha, you know how we told you that you were infected with recreated, uncomplete, versions I have seen before?" Howard asks.
"Yeah," Natasha confirms.
"One of the serums is one that Peg and were infected with, twelve years ago," Howard explains.
"It caused us to stop getting older, and it effected our cells…." Peggy starts to explain.
"Which is why you heal quickly," Natasha realizes, remembering what she heard her Uncle and Aunt talking about when her were hurt.
"Exactly," Howard says. "And why it takes us a lot to get hurt,"
"Just like you do with your abilities, your Dad and I keep what we can do hidden," Peggy explains to her daughter. "Azzuri made us masks that simulate getting older," Peggy explains to her daughter. "We activate them when we're in public, or even at SHIELD when we're around people we don't completely trust," Peggy explains to her daughter.
"Who knows?" Natasha asks curious.
"Jarvis, Ana, your Aunts and Uncles, Azzuri and his wife," Peggy answers.
"Does that mean one day I'll be older than you?" Natasha asks curious.
"With how slow you get older, not for a while," Howard explains, causing all three of them to laugh.
"Tash, it's important that, just like with your abilities, no one else finds out," Peggy explains to his daughter.
"I know," Natasha answers, and they drift into silence.
July 27th 1964
Seven weeks have passed since Natasha found out that her parents don't get older, and ever since she has been enjoying her summer holidays. As there is something that they need to check on in DC Peggy and Howard have decided that Natasha and Jarvis would come with them, rather than having her stay home.
"So, where are we going?" Natasha asks her parents curious, as she sits in the back of the car between them as Jarvis drives.
"Back in 1949 your Dad and I finished construction on what was, at the time, an old SSR base," Peggy explains. "As the SSR was being dismantled and SHIELD was being founded we were able to hide the exitance of this base; your Dad, Jarvis, and I are the only ones who know it exists," Peggy explains.
"Ever few years we check to make sure it's still secure, and we hide any reports or tech that we don't want others to know about there," Howard explains to his daughter.
"That explains why we have the big car," Natasha comments.
"Yep," Howard confirms, and they drift into silence as they drive.
After a little bit more driving Jarvis finally pulls a car into a huge underground hanger, and he, Natasha, Peggy and Howard all get out of the car.
"Wow, this place is huge," Natasha comments, finding the entire thing familiar because of how she grew up. "Does it have a name?" Natasha asks curious.
"I'm partial to the Playground," Howard says.
"Which is a ridiculous name for a secret base," Peggy informs her husband.
"I don't know, I kind of like it," Natasha comments, as she looks around.
"Do you want a tour?" Howard asks curious.
"Yes please," Natasha comments, and her parents proceed to start to show her around, while also making sure everything is secure and placing the stuff they have brought with them in the vaults.
Seven weeks later
For the rest of the summer Natasha enjoys her summer holidays with her parents, and extended family. Since returning back to school Natasha has found this year much like the previous, but she has gotten more used to it, so she knows how to handle it.
It's after lunch and to avoid being asked awkward questions about why she has already finished all her work Natasha has gotten a bathroom pass and is walking the halls. As she walks Natasha hears footsteps that do not sound like kids and so, wanting to avoid getting in trouble from another teacher Natasha quickly ducks into a utility closet, but she leaves the door open a crack so that she can hear when they pass.
"The Carter-Stark child goes here, we'll find her, and blackmail her parents into giving us what we want," A voice says.
"Here's the picture, it's from last year," Another voice says, and Natasha assumes something is hand over. "We don't leave without her," the voice says, causing Natasha to swear to herself in Russian, as the footsteps die away.
Knowing what she has to do Natasha sneaks out of the closet, and moving as quickly, but as quietly, as possible Natasha heads to the administration building. Once in the administration area Natasha goes to the public phones, grabs it, and hides behind a bench as she makes a call.
"Please be in the office," Natasha mutters to herself as while she knows more than one person she can call this is the one she wants to answer the most.
"Director Carter," Peggy answers, after more rings than Natasha would have liked.
"Mom, it's me. There are at least two guys at my school. They're after me, want to abduct me," Natasha explains to her mother.
"What? Are you somewhere safe?" Peggy asks, and Natasha can hear the worry in her mother's voice.
"For now, but they're going to keep looking," Natasha explains.
"Get somewhere safe, and stay there," Peggy urges her daughter. "I'll be there as soon as I can with your Uncles and Aunts," Peggy explains.
"Okay," Natasha tells her mother before hanging up. Once Natasha hangs up she hears gunshots and Natasha knows, that she cannot just sit there, not when people are in danger because they are after her.
Knowing what she has to do Natasha puts the phone back and heads towards the sound of gunshots.
"You can do this, Tasha," Natasha tells herself as continues to make her way towards the gunshots.
After a few minutes Natasha finally gets to where the gunshots came from, and she isn't at all surprised when it is her classroom. Pausing outside the door Natasha takes a deep breath before walking into the room, and the second she does she finds two guns pointing at her.
"I'm the one you want, don't hurt anyone else," Natasha says, raising her hands in surrender.
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