Every now and then I get a little lost, my strings all get tangled, my wires all get crossed,
Every now and then I'm right up on the edge, dangling my toes out over the ledge,
I just thank God you're here,
'Cause when I'm a bullet shot out of a gun,
'Cause when I'm a firecracker comin' undone,
Or when I'm a fugitive ready to run, all wild-eyed and crazy,
No matter where my reckless soul takes me, baby you save me,
It's hard lovin' a man that's got a gypsy soul,
I don't know how you do it, I'm not sure how you know,
The perfect thing to say to save me from myself, you're the angel that believes in me like nobody else,
And I thank God you do,
'Cause when I'm a bullet shot out of a gun,
When I'm a firecracker coming undone,
When I'm a fugitive ready to run, all wild-eyed and crazy,
No matter where my reckless soul takes me, baby you save me,
I know I don't tell you nearly enough, that I couldn't live one day without your love,
When I'm a ship tossed around on the waves, up on a high wire that's ready to break,
When I've had just about all I can take, baby you, baby you save me,
When I'm a bullet shot out of a gun,
When I'm a firecracker coming undone,
When I'm a fugitive ready to run, all wild-eyed and crazy,
No matter where my reckless soul takes me,
Baby you save me
You Save Me-Kenny Chesney
The press coverage of Progeny's reveal is still going strong two days later and Natasha admits that she has enjoyed seeing Tony so proud of his 'child'.
Dr. Foster and Darcy Lewis had arrived that morning with the message that Thor would return in a few weeks with Lady Sif. When Darcy said the other woman's name her electric blue eyes lit up with a smile. Like they are now as they're standing in the training room. Both women are in very interesting gear and Natasha is in her customized suit.
Darcy wears black leather pants with a black top made of a softer looking material. The top is sleeveless, with a high neck. The black color makes her pale skin appear even paler. Electric blue, leather boots cover her feet. Four silver buckles go up the backs of her calves from her ankles to just under the bend of her knee. The front of the boots comes up higher, almost to mid-thigh. Against the wall is a pliable chest piece, though the strange metal is matte black, electric blue runes are carved into it.
Jane's outfit is different. She wears softer looking pants in a deep purple. A black gladiator skirt, only a few inches long and coming to a V-shape in the front and back rests on her hips. Her shirt is a lighter, but still dark, purple. That material, too, looks soft. Her chest plate also rests against the wall beside Darcy's but where Darcy's reminds her of electricity, Jane's reminds her of space. Of galaxies. She wears almost the same boots as Darcy but they're black instead of blue.
"So, you got powers like Thor's plus speed and durability, correct?" Natasha asks Darcy and the brunette nods. "And you, Dr. Foster, received powers as well, along with super strength and flight?"
"Yes. And please, call me Jane." The other woman answers. She's tiny, even compared to Natasha but at the spies urging, she moved to the free weights and picked up one of the fifty pound weights without a bit of strain. Then she casually tossed it in her hand, catching it on its way back down and doing it again.
"Okay." Natasha said impressed. "How hard is it to hurt you, Darcy?"
"I'm positive that a normal human wouldn't be able to. Heimdall told Thor what happened and he was worried, so he came and got us for a little while. When it was discovered what we could do individually, he had Lady Sif work on training us. Some of what she taught me is useful because I can't get hurt, but she also relies a lot on brute strength and while I am stronger than I was before, I'm not nearly as strong as Jane."
"We'll see what you can do on the mats shortly. It's not noted in my file but I'm slightly enhanced. More like you than Jane. Fast, agile, durable. I don't have the brute strength either. Once you're evaluated, we can see what we need to work on and how you feel about field work. What about you Jane?"
"Sif taught me as well, but she was more useful to me except where her height is an advantage."
"Okay. Tony or Friday may want to work with you. He has a strain of Extremis in his blood that helps with healing, a little strength, a lot of durability. Friday operates Progeny and her suit is nearly indestructible."
"Nearly?" Darcy asks and Natasha nods.
"We don't like to deal in absolutes here. Things change. There may be someone out in the universe that could damage the armor. We haven't met them yet, though. Moving on, Tony will want to check out your gear and most likely he'll want to add trackers and a comm system. It's for your safety, if anything happens in the field."
"Sure." Both women answer and Natasha feels her shoulders relax.
"Have either of you picked code names? For field work?" She asks them and they share a glance with each other.
"Thor sort of did it for us. When we started training." Jane answers. "I'm Super Nova. She's Lady Lightning."
"Friday?" She calls to the AI. "Can you mark that in their files?"
"Yes, Natasha. Excuse me for interrupting, but it appears former director Fury is here to see you and Boss." The AI replies and Natasha turns to face the two new-comers.
"If you want, Friday can direct you to your rooms and you can get settled in." She tells them and they both nod, grabbing their armor from where it rests and following her out the door.
"Right this way, please." Friday says to them. "Former director Fury is in conference room B, Natasha. Boss is already there."
Natasha nods to the women and hurries towards the conference rooms. When the women are out of sight, Friday speaks up again.
"Boss wants me to give you a warning, Natasha. He says you're not going to be happy with the former director. Agent Agent appears to be alive and here as well."
Natasha stops in her tracks as she processes that information.
"Are you sure?" She asks the AI, she doesn't know if it'd be better if it's a mistake or not.
"Facial recognition and body scans confirm a ninety-nine percent match. Although, there's a cybernetic enhancement that was non-existent before his death during the Battle of New York."
"Thanks, Friday. Tell Tony thanks for the warning."
"Of course, Miss. And my apologies." The AI stays silent after that and Natasha resumes her path to the conference rooms with a new determination in her step and anger in her eyes.
She's never been one to show her violent tendencies when enraged. She burns hot but she keeps it controlled. So, when she opens the door to the conference area, she does so quietly. There's a polite smile on her face as she turns to make eye contact with first Fury, then not-dead Coulson. She doesn't say anything to either of them before turning away and looking at Tony. She sees the hurt and anger in his eyes and she doesn't care what either of her former superiors think when she moves closer and props her hip on the arm of his chair, her back and side leaning against him.
Tony smoothly raise his arm and wraps it around her waist to help her balance, though she doesn't need it. His forearm rests across her thighs and she places one hand on the sleeve of his suit jacket.
"So, you're why Shield dug itself out of a hole. Makes sense. You did that, too. Both of you did, though Fury was a little more up front with his deception." Her voice is sharp and cutting and she's only slightly satisfied when both men flinch. Tony shifts his grip so that he can squeeze her hip in comfort and she leans slightly into him, her back pressing into his shoulder and chest.
"I wanted to tell you sooner." Coulson speaks up and her eyes snap to his and he stops.
"No." She tells him with a shake of her head, letting some of the hurt bleed past the anger. "If you had really wanted to, you'd have made sure I found out. If you had really cared, you wouldn't let an order stop you."
"Natasha." His eyes are sorrowful but she just shakes her head again.
"I will work with you, if you're the one in charge, but don't expect us to be friends again. Don't expect this to be anything but a working relationship."
"Okay." Coulson tells her with a final nod and she relaxes slightly. "I have a new team that I feel your team should meet. I believe that the relationship could be mutually beneficial."
"If this is going to be a base of operations for you, part-time or not, I'd like to meet them anyways." Tony says and when Natasha glances at him he looks back at her before continuing. "You understand that I can't just let anyone around my family, right? Not without being thoroughly vetted."
"I understand. Although, there's a member of our team that you may not be able to find much information on, as she erased most of it over the years."
"I'm sure between myself, Natasha, Friday, Vision, and one of our newest residents, we'll manage." Tony replies and Natasha catches his shark smile out of the corner of her eye. "Now, is your team still in the quinjet or did they not come with you?"
"They're in the jet." Coulson answers with a slight nod. Fury's been oddly silent through the whole meeting.
"Friday, get your armor and have Vision help you escort Coulson's team from the landing pad. Ask our new residents if they'd like to join you and explain what's going on. I don't want there to be any unpleasant surprises."
Natasha turns her body more towards Tony at that, resting her leg on the chair arm, knee bent so she can reach him without twisting uncomfortably. She keeps one foot planted on the floor and puts a hand on his shoulder as his arm tightens around her waist, his hand now resting on her thigh instead of her hip. When he looks up at her, she ignores Coulson and Fury being in the room, because she's trying not to be who she was forced to be her whole life. So, ignoring their presence, she moves her hand across his shoulder and presses her palm against his neck, then his jaw before sliding it back into his hair.
She's new at offering comfort, but when Tony's head bows slightly and his eyes close, she knows that she's done this right.
Looking back at the two men, she's not surprised to catch them glancing at each other before looking at her and Tony. Natasha just rolls her eyes.
"Boss, we're on the way. Eta, two minutes." Friday says. "Lady Lightning and Super Nova have decided to join us."
"Thanks, Fri." Tony answers as he lifts his head again. He doesn't pull away form Natasha, though so she just stays where she is, her hand in his hair, lightly scratching at his scalp and playing with the strands. No one speaks as they wait for the others to join them. She doesn't know why Fury and Coulson are being so quiet but she just doesn't have anything to say. She figures Tony probably feels the same way as her.
When the door to the office opens, Vision and Darcy walk in followed by a young woman in a black body suit, Agent May, Agent Mackenzie, the science duo of FitzSimmons, and then Jane and Friday.
"Lewis?" Coulson asks surprised. "Foster?"
"I guess today is just full of surprises for everyone, ain't it?" Darcy says sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
"You're part of Stark's new team?" Fury asks, with less surprise and more caution than Coulson.
"Fury, Coulson, I'd like to introduce you to my team. Lady Lightning aka Darcy Lewis, Super Nova aka Dr. Jane Foster, Progeny aka Friday, and Vision. You already know me and Natasha, and I'm sure you caught the press conference. Your turn."
"This is Quake, Agent May, Mack, Dr. Fitz, and Dr. Simmons." Coulson says drily but he keeps shooting glances at Darcy and Jane. "I'm sorry, is that Asgardian armor?"
"Yes." Darcy says but she doesn't elaborate.
"Oh, I forgot." Tony says and Natasha knows he hasn't forgotten anything. "Thor will be joining us in less than a month along with Lady Sif."
"Lady Sif?" Both Fury and Coulson speak at the same time but Coulson sounds happy and Fury sounds curious.
"Is there a reason Lady Sif is accompanying Thor on his trip?" Coulson continues.
"Probably so she can see her girlfriend." Jane looks at Darcy with a smirk as Darcy gets a soft smile on her face. Everyone notices.
"Girlfriend?" Coulson's team asks.
The meeting wraps up fairly quickly after that as Tony got Friday and Vision to direct the Shield agents to the guest wing. He shows Fury to a room closer to the Avengers quarters. Natasha leaves the area before everyone could start getting settled in, needing a moment to adjust.
Before when she got like this, she could just pick up and leave. More often than not, Clint understood because he did the same thing. But, she's trying not to be who she was. She doesn't much like that person. So, instead, she goes to her and Tony's room, knowing she can lock the area down so only Tony can get in. And that's what she does.
A few minutes later, Tony comes in, closing the door behind him and leaning against it while he watches her pace back and forth. Finally, he moves forward and she pauses, watching him as he removes his suit jacket. He throws it onto the end of the bed, before loosening his tie and rolling up his sleeves.
"Come here." He tells her and she slowly walks forward. When she's directly in front of her, he takes her hand in his, moving the other one to his shoulder and wraps an arm around her waist. He slowly begins to sway and she catches on quickly.
Laying her head on his shoulder, she lets go of his hand, wrapping her arm around his waist as he wraps both arms around her. They sway slowly as a slow song begins playing through the speakers. There are no words and it makes it easy for her mind to drift.
"I don't understand why he never told me sooner." She finally speaks, her voice cracking, and Tony pulls her tighter against him.
"I don't know, Natasha. I won't pretend I do." He tells her, his voice barely a whisper. "But I will tell you that it's okay to be hurt. To be angry. For as long as you want, you can feel how you want."
"Really?" She asks him because she's never had someone tell her that before.
"Really." He promises her, pressing a kiss to her hair.
"When Friday told me who was here, I almost ran." She confesses, the dimly lit room making it so much easier. "I thought about it. But then I thought about you. And I thought about what we're building here. What we can have."
Tony stays silent but he doesn't pull away. She knows he's listening, letting her talk as they dance slowly in the middle of their bedroom floor.
"I've ran before. It's always been easy. I even offered to run with Bruce before everything happened and he ran by himself. But, running is easy. Staying is hard."
"Yeah, it is." Tony whispers, his arms tightening around her once more before relaxing. "I'm glad you didn't run. Then or now."
"Me, too. And then, I stayed because I thought I had to. This time, I'm staying because I want to. Because I know you'll be here."
His calloused, rough hand slides up along her arm and shoulder, up her neck, to her jaw and he tilts her head back. His brown eyes stare into hers for a moment before his gaze slides to her lips and she doesn't have to think about it. She grips his shoulders and lifts up onto her toes as he leans down slightly.
His lips meet hers and her eyes close as his hand moves from her jaw to the back of her head. His fingers run through the short strands as she opens her mouth under his, her fingers twisting the fabric of his vest as she clenches her fists.
As he pulls back, his fingers slide from her hair and slide along her jaw again. He catches her chin in his fingers, keeping her head turned towards him as his thumb traces over her bottom lip gently.
"I'll be here." He promises. "Can't burn it down without you, though."
"I'll be here." She promises in return. "We're gonna burn it down together."