(a/n) Hey guys. Hows it going I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter 1. There were some spelling errors that I noticed. I will preface this chapter with I do not have a beta and I proofread my own works. I am planning on going back and editing Chapter 1(Time to Go) a bit so that it flows a little better. I have this great idea in my head for an awesome story, the plan is to now get this down and posted. I want to warm my readers that I will not be able to always update daily or weekly. I will try my best but at the moment I am in the middle of my fall semester with 6 classes. Please feel free to PM me for questions or things you would like to see added. I am always open to ideas and suggestions! Please Read and Review I would love to hear what you all are thinking. The majority of this will be Natasha's thoughts. Once Steve is reintroduced you will also be getting his thoughts as well.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters associated with Marvel. They are not my original characters.
Denali, Alaska: 8 months after TWS events ended.
Natasha has now been "finding" her knew identity for 8 months. She wound up in Alaska after traveling to different tropical and hot countries she decided she wanted a break from the heat to cool down. Natasha always goes to extremes, so why not go to one of the coldest states in the United States: Alaska. She needed this "vacation", she had never been to Alaska except for one mission. She had never realized how beautiful it was, until she was standing in Denali National Park. As she stands looking out at Mount Mckinley. She begins to reflect on the past few months, doing what some probably would call her Soul Search journey.
As she reflects back she realizes that this was her best course of action. She knows she needed the time to rediscover herself. Now sitting here in Alaska she is actually happy with her life. She knows she was happy fighting Hydra with Steve but this is a different happy. She is actually free, she doesn't have anyone to answer to besides herself.
She traveled through India, South Africa, over to Brazil, then Argentina, up to Mexico, and finally she made her way to Alaska, where she has been for the past month or so. She knows it is time to head back to New York and check in at Avengers Tower with Tony. She had figured all of her new covers out months ago but felt the need to continue her journey. She had become enlightened during her time alone. Her realization came that she knows she is a monster as does everyone around her, to live she had to come to terms with her past which she has. She still feels she is not good enough to be loved especially by Steve. Her dark past prevents her from opening up to him, if he saw her for who she really was he wouldn't want her on the team much less want to love her.
Breaking her train of thought, Natasha realizes she has been standing on the edge of the road in Alaska for over an hour just staring into the wilderness. She turns back to her off road Black Toyota 4Runner and gets in to begin her journey, to where, she asks herself. Well Natasha you are going home. She pulls back on the road and leaves Denali behind, heading South, back to the lower 48. She decided to stay in Canada for most of her trip, just in case any unwanted people are searching for her in the United States.
2 Days Later: Vancouver, B.C.
Natasha is in Vancouver when she realizes it would be smart to call in to Tony and make him aware that she will be arriving at the tower.
She picks up her Stark phone and dials. The phone rings twice before there is an answer.
"Hello?" Tony speaks.
"Hey Tony, it's Romanoff"
"Oh Hello Natalie, so nice to hear from you after months" Tony replies with a laugh.
"Stark for the last time use my real name" Natasha replies angrily.
"Nataaasssshhhaaa you know I was just joking, you need to take me less seriously and just have a laugh" Tony tells her.
"Okay whatever Anthony, I was calling out of courtesy, I am heading stateside, planning on arriving at Avengers tower, in about four days."
"Sounds like a plan, I will have your floor completely ready in time for your arrival, and when I say I, that is actually J.A.R.V.I.S and Pepper."
Natasha smiles " Thanks Tony, I will see you soon." Natasha pauses. "Before I go, who else is at the tower Tony?"
"Bruce, Me, and Pepper at this time, haven't seen Spangles in two or three months, and Thor has been popping in and out from Asgard when he wants Poptarts" Tony tells her.
With a slight chuckle "Okay thanks Tony, see you soon"
"Bye, Red"
Natasha hangs up the phone with a smile. She definitely missed Tony but she knows that will change after living with him for a week.
As she continues her drive she is very glad Steve will not be apart of the greeting committee. She cannot face him yet. How is she supposed to look him in the eye after she left him for months without any contact. She cannot blame him at all since she was the one who ignored every form of contact he tried with her. She saw him for a brief moment in Johannesburg while she was picking up some gear before she made her way to Brazil. She believes she evaded him without notice but there is still the possibility he spotted her. It was not very mature of her to avoid him but she just could not be around him at that point.
New York, New York: 52 hours post phone call to Tony.
As Natasha pulls up to the front doors of Avenger's Tower formerly Stark Tower, she feels at peace. She decided to drive almost completely through with only a little sleep because all she wanted to do was get "home" .
Natasha parks her black 4runner in the private Avengers garage beneath the tower. She exits her vehicle and heads to the elevator.
"Ah it is good to have you back" J.A.R.V.I.S. greets her.
"Hey J.A.R.V.I.S, it's been a long time"
"That it has . Tony asked me to send you up to the common area to meet him"
"Alright beam me up Scotty" Natasha jokes
"Right away "
As J.A.R.V.I.S moves the elevator to the common area, Natasha can't help but wonder what her time at Avenger's Tower has in store for her. Will it be a time of ease, will there be missions, will any of the other Avengers be stopping by?
The elevator stops at the 42nd floor. Must be the common room Natasha thinks to herself.
She steps off the elevator to see not only Stark but Pepper and Bruce, awaiting her arrival.
"Ah Little Red how nice of you to finally come home to grandmother's house" Tony jokes
"Funny Stark" Natasha sneers back at him.
Bruce awkwardly waves "Hi Natasha"
"Hey Bruce"
"Natasha it is so great to have another woman around" Pepper states as she goes in for a hug.
God only knows why Pepper is trying to hug Natasha, doesn't she know her affinity to spontaneously being hugged. Clearly no. Oh well.
Natasha hugged her back politely " I missed you as well Pepper" Natasha pauses "What happened to Maria? I thought she was working for Stark Industries now?"
"Maria? She is still working for us, she is out on assignment at the moment in LA" Pepper explains
"Enough with the small talk, how about we get Natasha settled on her floor and then have a team dinner" Tony Suggests.
"Wow Tony you are so polite" Pepper says.
"I am, Natasha has been traveling quite a bit. I am sure she is both tired and hungry"
They both look at Natasha with questioning looks.
"Tony is actually correct about me….for once" Natasha stresses "I am very hungry and tired"
Tony gestures to Natasha "Right this way your room is on the 35th floor, Bruce is the 36th floor and Steve if he ever comes back is the 34th floor." Tony pauses before smirking "I know what you are thinking Capsicle's room should show his age! How about we move him up to the 97th floor just for good measure"
Natasha and Pepper both shot him deathly looks.
"Tony thats enough show Natasha to her floor and stop picking on Steven when he isn't here to defend himself"
"Okay, okay. I get it, it's all fun and games until someone picks on Grandpa"
"TONY, I mean it go NOW!"
Tony scurries towards the elevator attempting to his snickering. Natasha follows looking very annoyed with Tony's behavior, little do they know that Natasha is just about the same age as Steve. The old person jokes get to her sometimes as well.
As Natasha sits at the dinner table with Tony, Pepper, and Bruce; she can't help but think to herself is this what having a home feels like? Sitting with people you care about, eating, laughing, and actually enjoying yourself.
She never thought she would admit it but she is really enjoying her time here at the Avengers Tower. It would be nice to stay a while before she hits the road again and make this her home base to return to.
As dinner finishes, Natasha smiles, Tony isn't so bad he just has a impish way about him.
"Thank you for dinner you guys, I am going heading back to my floor now to get some sleep"
"Have a good night Natalie, see you in the morning" Tony says
"Night Natasha, if you need anything just as J.A.R.V.I.S." Pepper tells her
"Good Night, Natasha" Bruce says
Natasha smiles "Thanks guys, I'll see you in the morning" and she turns and heads to the elevator.
Natasha enters the elevator "J.A.R.V.I.S , can you shut this security feed down for a few minutes? Let me go dark"
" I can , will not be happy but the cameras will shut down in: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, you are black"
"Thank you J.A.R.V.I.S, I have a few questions for you."
"What is it I can help you with?"
"When was the last time Captain Rogers was at the tower, how often does he come in, and when will he be back next?"
" is unaware but Captain Rogers comes in every couple weeks or so, he has me go dark and bring him right to his quarters, he was here about a week or so ago, he is not planning on coming back for a few months though, when he left he made me aware that he would be going deep to look for his friend Sergeant Barnes."
"Thank you J.A.R.V.I.S, please make me aware the next time Captain Rogers returns and you can bring the cameras back up, I do not need them down anymore"
"Right away , we are entering your floor now"
"Thank you J.A.R.V.I.S"
"Goodnight "
"Goodnight" and she walks into her bedroom
Natasha quickly showers and changes into a pair of gray cotton shorts and a black cami tank to sleep in. She climbs into her new comfortable bed and begins to think. How will seeing Steve go again? Should she leave when he arrives? Will he want to see her? Does she want to see him? Does Steve call this place home? Is this really her home? Will she ever be able to let her guard down enough to let someone in? The monster that she is will never allow her to have what she secretly wants. She wants the love she feels for Steve to become a reality for her but she knows that if he knew about all of her dark past he could never feel the same way.
(a/n) Okay guys there it is chapter 2. Let me know what you think. My original plan was to follow AoU and give an explanation for the Brutasha crap. But I am going to deviate from that and go with Romanogers all the way. They will have their reunion shortly. Just a warning I will be skipping up to AoU events it will only be few months. Natasha will have been living at the avengers tower the entire time, training and living life trying not injured Tony because of his initiating actions. Just a reminder, this is not beta edited. I have edited myself so there is the possibility of errors, please excuse them or PM me so I can fix the errors.