Let It Go

Janet's eyes lazily closed shut, shaking herself to wake up again. She momentarily fell asleep for a few minutes, only to have Natasha kick her chair with force. She grumbled, focusing her eyes out the window and gazing into the stars. She didn't know what time it was, but she did know it was late and she was sick of the all-nighters Baron sent them on. This was the fourth time they picked up the same package from the same destination.

For the past two weeks, both of them had been taking small missions in China to receive packages for Baron, in his own ship. The amount of jet lag had left a huge toll on Janet, but she figured she'd rather be doing this than any more press conferences involving the Avengers. Four times going back to China was annoying as it was, and she was certainly curious as to what they were picking up.

When she did look, her and Natasha discovered several cables, electronics, and other metals that could be used to build something enormous. It was then her and Natasha feared the worst and the question was suddenly evident.

What was Baron Strucker building and what could it do?

It scared them more than anything, and Janet couldn't help but shake when she thought about it. They immediately told Fury, informing him that Baron was in fact up to something suspicious. Even Janet didn't know about it, and Baron practically told her everything.

"Please talk to me, I'm falling asleep," Janet blurted suddenly, slouching in her chair.

"What do you want to discuss?" Natasha replied, still piloting the jet.

"I don't know," she replied with a grumble, checking the digital clock on the dashboard and groaning at the time. Natasha remained silent, clearly not wanting to talk. The jet jerked up and down in some clouds, causing her to grip the controls tighter.

"We're going through some turbulence. Make sure the package is securely fastened," Natasha commanded, as Janet got up and went to the back. She walked carefully, almost falling from the jumps of the plane. She glanced at the large box full of the mysterious supplies. She took hold of the straps that were around it and tightened them even more than they already were. Even if the ship went upside down, there was no way the package was becoming undone. Janet went back to the cockpit, taking her seat next to Natasha.

"Safely secure, although I wouldn't mind if it 'accidentally' fell out of the jet," she said.

"We have to deliver that back, otherwise we'll definitely be suspected." Natasha replied, much to Janet's dismay.

"What do you think it is?" she asked cautiously, looking worried.

"I don't know...I'm scared to find out. Those parts look as if it's to be something big. I've never seen such technology before, and HYDRA has always had the best…besides Stark industries, that is," Natasha confessed.

"What did Fury say?"

"Same thing he always does; be cautious and keep doing your jobs. Not exactly specific, but he put us in this position for a reason. It's our job to figure it out, not his."

Janet nodded, "I'll talk to Baron. He has to spill something to me."

"At least your confident."

"You're not?"

Natasha shrugged, "I think realistically, but that doesn't mean I give up easily either."

"So…?"

"Yes, right now we're losing this battle. We're still clueless and that gives him the advantage."

"He must've been planning this for a long time. How else would he get all this done?" Janet asked, so confused.

"I believe he woke up one day and realized what he was doing now wasn't working. He changed tactics and showed a more 'compassionate' side," she answered. "It's clever, in my opinion."

Janet remained quiet after her comment, not wanting to think how far behind they were in trying to figure out his ultimate plan. Instead, another thought occurred to her.

"Why do I get he feeling we're delivering the very thing that's going to kill us in the end?" Janet asked with fear, biting her lip.

"You're not alone with that theory," Natasha replied with a sigh, nodding.

"Great," Janet mumbled, leaning back in the chair and staring out the window once more. The clouds whizzed by quickly, but the stars remained in the sky. She loved looking out the stars when she was deep in thought, especially at a time like this. As said before, the stars always reminded her that there was a world that needed to be protected. No matter how much Janet wanted to quit, she knew she couldn't.

She shook her head, not wanting to think of serious matters at the moment. She remained quiet for a moment, glancing at the controls tiredly, wanting nothing more than to crash in her bed and sleep. She hated the strange hours Baron made her and Natasha do missions or run errands for him. It made sense why Natasha was always so cold and bored.

Then again, Natasha had been opening up more, which was utterly strange in Janet's opinion. Janet turned to look at her curiously, narrowing her eyes as if scrutinizing her. Natasha could feel her eyes on her, but continued to keep forward and stay silent. After five minutes, Natasha finally surrendered with a sigh.

"Yes Jan?" Janet remained silent, still staring at her curiously. Natasha pursed her lips, "You found out, didn't you?"

Janet kept her cool. "That depends on what you are talking about."

"Well that depends on what you are thinking," she fired back, eyeing her skeptically. "You look at me as if I have some mental problem."

"Well that depends if you do or not. You've been acting really strange lately."

"You act strange all the time and you don't see me complaining about it."

"That's just my personality," Janet growled slightly, once again finding herself arguing with her. "And stop changing the subject! I want answers, Widow!" Her finger pointed in between her green eyes. Natasha narrowed her eyes in irritation.

"That depends on the answers you are seeking."

Janet slapped her forehead, getting nowhere with the conversation. "Seriously Natasha, I'm trying to be your friend!" Natasha's lips tightened, facing forward. "Like, you keep asking me strange questions lately, as if I'm supposed to know the answer. You ask about life, love, and joy…and it makes me think you're really depressed."

"Dear lord, you make it sound like some sappy soap opera," she instantly scoffed. Janet blinked.

"I give up…I give up! There's no talking with you!" she threw her hands up in the air, crossing them over her chest after. She kept herself forward, utterly livid at the fact Natasha wouldn't indulge in a small talk with her. After another minute, Natasha turned sharply to look at her.

"I've been looking at my life differently," she said quietly. Janet kept silent, urging her to continue. "I mean, I have the same ideals and standards, but I also want to feel more."

"As in love…" Janet spoke. Suddenly, her face brightened. "You like someone!" Natasha's eyes widened slightly, very surprised by her outburst. Janet shook her head, "Sorry, I'll remain calm. It's just that last time we talked, you asked me how I knew when I loved Hank." Janet shut her mouth, realizing she just admitted her affection for the man who could shrink and grow. "I can't believe I just said that out loud."

"It's not as if I didn't know…"

"Yeah but…I've never said it out loud before," Janet said slowly. "It feels great to just say it." She smiled to herself, loving the feeling of just saying her secrets. She looked at her friend, "Oh sorry, we're talking about you…"

"Oh no, don't let me stop you," Natasha grinned.

"No, no, we're focusing on you, remember?" Janet persisted, falling for Natasha tricks. She thought she'd be better at it by now, but apparently Natasha always had a plan up her sleeve, even if it was mediocre as girl talk. "Now, remember when you asked me when I knew I was in love? What did you mean by that?"

"It was a simple question, nothing more," she replied firmly. "My life isn't something to discuss openly with others…no matter how close they become."

"You have to let some people in. It's not healthy," Janet commented, giving up with a sigh.

Knowing she won, Natasha quickly changed the subject. "The ball is coming up."

Janet leaned her head back and closed her eyes, now sick of talking. Natasha could bring up any subject Janet disliked and endured, but when Natasha didn't like the topic, she instantly shut down and put up her shield. So now, Janet was doing the same, putting up a shield and being silent.

"Janet…" Natasha gripped the wheel in frustration. "The Avengers accepted the invitation."

"I know," she grumbled.

"SHIELD also accepted and will be on site," she informed.

"Obviously," Janet retorted, her arms crossed defiantly.

"Are you seriously mad at me because I didn't say anything about my personal life to you?" her voice raised a little, looking at Janet as if she was a child.

"I'm not mad," Janet stated simply, keeping her focus out the window.

"Well, this is usually the part when you tell me what you're wearing," Natasha brought up.

"You should've seen the dress Baron bought for me," Janet blurted, unable to contain the level of surprise she felt when she first saw the glamorous dress.

Natasha smiled slightly, "I've seen it."

"It's just so…" she stopped, narrowing her eyes at the red head. "You just know how to get me to talk, don't you?"

"It's in the job description."

"Aren't we there yet?" Janet uttered loudly, her leg shaking in annoyance.

"Approaching America's borders now," Natasha affirmed.

"Finally. I'm so glad this is our last trip," Janet smiled, ready to sleep. Natasha's brows scrunched slightly, looking at her radar curiously. Janet instantly took note, "What is it?"

"Ships just before the border. Looks like SHIELD to me," she replied, pressing a few buttons.

"Ok, can't we pass?"

Natasha shook her head, "Normally we would, but we're in an unauthorized ship with no serial numbers. Baron wanted this to be top secret."

Janet was somewhat panicked, "Um…what does that mean?"

"Unidentified aircraft, please state your business," Maria Hill's voice was loud and clear on speaker, as Janet and Natasha exchanged looks.

"What do we say?" Janet asked.

"We say nothing. We can't let anyone know who we are or what we're carrying."

"But that means…" Janet's eyes widened, now seeing the SHIELD ships in view.

"Unidentified aircraft, this is Agent Hill from SHIELD. Please state your business in this area," Maria repeated, her voice becoming fierce.

"Where's Fury?" Janet asked Natasha.

"If Agent Hill is giving orders, then Fury must be attending to more important matters."

"So, we're screwed…" Janet muttered. They were getting closer to the ships, but still very far from land.

"I don't even know why SHIELD is out here at this hour," Natasha mumbled to herself, remaining calm.

"Unidentified aircraft, if you do not respond, we will use deadly force," Maria stated, almost sounding excited. After another minute, both girls saw fighter jets rushing out of the helicarrier and towards them.

"Buckle up," Natasha commanded, as the straps from the chairs automatically latched over their bodies safely. Natasha played with the frequency, knowing what type SHIELD used.

Three ships were heading toward them, guns out and ready. The first lasers fired from the first ship, as Natasha easily dodged it, flying upward to a higher altitude. The three jets were right behind them, still firing. Natasha spun in the air with ease, barely missing each shot.

"As an agent of SHIELD, I order you to stop!" Maria called out again, watching the jet move easily like a professional. Maria turned to her team, "Send out more!" More fighter jets quickly rushed out of the hanger and toward the single jet that was gracefully escaping.

"We're going to have to fire upon them," Natasha ordered.

"Seriously?" Janet replied.

"I'm not going to kill them," Natasha instantly stated, putting her thumbs on the buttons. Natasha flipped backwards, as the entire jet was upside down. She got behind them and fired at the wings, as two ships went down. Natasha continued the same thing, firing the attacks until none were left. More ships SHIELD ships suddenly appeared right behind them.

"This is getting us nowhere. We need to pass their barrier," Janet said.

"The helicarrier has larger guns than us. If we attempt to pass, we'll be taken down for sure."

"Then we need to take them with us. They won't shoot their own men," Janet directed, wanting to unbuckle and snatch the controls away from her. Natasha ignored her, doing the same thing. The agents eventually caught on to her movements and were ready to fire upon them. Janet was getting frustrated. She knew Natasha was a field agent, not a regular flyer.

"Unidentified aircraft…" a different voice was suddenly speaking, as Janet's blood froze. It was Captain America himself. "This is the Avengers. You are flying in an unauthorized and hostile area. We are here to bring you in."

Janet looked up and saw the Avengers queen jet flying toward them. She could just imagine all of them packed in there, besides the Hulk and Thor, waiting eagerly to take them down. She turned to Natasha about to say something, and was surprised. Natasha's eyes were big and she had a tint of pink across her cheeks. Janet would've asked what was wrong, but instead unbuckled her seat.

"Move," she commanded, unbuckling Natasha.

"What are you-"

"I'm taking control," Janet practically pushed Natasha out of her seat, grabbing the controls. "I can fly better than you." Natasha took the seat next to her, buckling herself. The jet immediately switched gears, as Janet pressed several different buttons. The ship instantly went faster than before, spiraling through the air with several different fighters close behind, including the Avengers. Janet took the jet down, going straight and vertically downward. The water below was seen, as Janet looked like she was going to ram the surface.

"Where are you going?" Natasha yelled, seeing the water approach quickly.

"I know what I'm doing," Janet replied, quickly glancing at the radar to see the jets still right behind them.

"You are approaching dangerous levels!" Iron Man spoke on the speaker, as Janet continued to get closer to the water. Two ships that were tailing them pulled up suddenly, as the rest continued to follow.

"This isn't a submarine!" Natasha blurted once more. Janet ignored her, still spiraling down. The alarms in the jet went off, imploring them to stop. "Pull up, damn it!"

"Not yet!" Janet snapped. Another jet pulled up, as the queen jet and ten other SHIELD jets followed closely. "Now." With mere feet below, Janet pulled up quickly, barely missing the surface of the water. Iron Man did the same, barely missing the water. The SHIELD agents crashed into the water. Janet flew the jet into the air, knowing the Avengers were still behind them. "Thought they would make it. Let's end this." Janet pushed through, gaining altitude once more.

"Identify yourself now!" Maria Hill screamed on the speaker, becoming extremely angry.

"I really hate her," Janet mumbled to herself, as Natasha remained silent throughout the entire flight. "Dark clouds up ahead." She soared through the clouds, the jet becoming invisible to the eye.

Meanwhile, Steve was piloting the ship, with Tony right next to him. The others were tense with anticipation. Clint spoke up, seeing the jet enter the clouds, "Damn this guy is good."

"Are you sure it isn't being controlled by a machine?" Hank asked.

"Heat signatures indicate two bodies in the cockpit. It's definitely not a machine," Tony replied, using Jarvis. "I should go out there myself and take it down with one shot."

"He's too unpredictable. We can't take that chance," Steve responded, having trouble piloting. "I've seen these moves before. I just can't figure out where."

"That's nice, Cap. Let's just reminisce on the piloting as we get our asses handed to us," Clint remarked.

"Avengers, you didn't need to come. We have everything under control," Maria's face popped onto the screen, coming into view.

"Yeah, because you're doing so well," Tony replied. "Where's Fury?"

"He's not available," Maria grinded her teeth.

"What do you know about the assailant?" Steve asked before Tony could retort.

"Nothing except the aircraft approached the state lines at approximately 300 hours with no ID or certification. It was a rogue ship," Hill answered. "Type of jet suggests it's holding something of value, because of the design and weaponry."

"So whoever it is, they're hiding something," Tony deduced. "I intend to find out."

"How?" T'Challa asked. The screen of Maria shut off.

"Jarvis, I need a full scale analysis of the ship," Tony said.

"Detection unable to be made. Unforeseeable firewalls are blocking the connection to read the systems intellectual core," Jarvis replied.

"What? Firewalls? Get passed them!" Tony yelled.

"Right away sir. Estimated time of completion is 10 minutes."

"What!" Tony screeched. "What tech is this?"

"Basic frame indicates HYDRA, sir."

The jet was instantly quiet, distracted for a brief moment. Suddenly, they felt shots against the ship, jerking around.

"Keep the shields up!" Tony grunted. Two more shots fired against them, shaking the jet with force.

"I knew I recognized that flying," Steve announced. "Don't fire back!"

"What the hell Cap? We're going to die out here!" Clint yelled.

"It's Janet!" Steve bellowed. Four more shots were fired against the ship.

"What?" Hank blurted.

"Avengers, you're getting killed out there!" Maria's voice came back.

"We know what we're doing, Hill!" Tony yelled, turning off the speaker.

Janet fired more shots, knowing their shields would hold up. Her eyes were running everywhere, glancing at all possible options, all while trying not to get shot at by SHIELD agents. After shooting the Avenger ship two more times, she finally saw her opening through the SHIELD barrier.

"We need to get out of here. They must have figured it out by now," Janet muttered, dipping the ship under the Avengers and going faster. The SHIELD ships quickly followed her, as the Avengers noticed as well and picked up speed.

"What do you mean?"

"They have to know it's us," she replied.

"I seriously doubt that. They can't recognize the ship."

"Yeah, but they can recognize me. Hold on." She pressed a few more buttons and flipped some switched, spiraling the jet like a coil. She easily slipped through the hole in their barrier, escaping the guns that threatened to fire. Because the Avengers and SHIELD ships were close behind, they didn't fire. "Now it'll be easy to lose them."

"Fuel is low," Natasha noticed, seeing land finally underneath them. Janet picked up speed, noticing the Avenger jet was still behind.

"Kind of flying fast, aren't you Jan?" Steve's voice was on the speaker, as Janet grinned. She debated on whether talking to them or not. She still had a cover to uphold, although Steve kind of already knew she was still on their side. She looked at Natasha, who was looking down at the speaker.

With a sigh, she pressed the speaker button, "I thought you said there was no limit with the skies?"

"Well that depends on what side you're on," Steve replied. To her, he still seemed confused.

"How about you got off my ass, and we'll call it a night," Janet suggested, keeping her cover.

"Well, we would except…oh yeah, it looks like you're carrying some pretty important things in your cargo," Clint spoke up.

"An educated guess gets people nowhere in life, Hawkeye."

"How about you put the jet down and we can talk," Tony gritted his teeth, wanting to shoot down the ship.

"And why would I do that? I've done absolutely nothing wrong," she grinned.

"You're kidding right? You've been shooting at SHIELD agents all night long. Not to mention you're flying an illegal aircraft," Tony bellowed.

"You will notice that all SHIELD agents who were fired upon survived. Even those who crashed in the ocean probably suffered only minor injuries," Janet explained, her eyes scanning the area for a way to escape them. "And no, I don't count it as attempted murder." Natasha grinned.

"What the hell, Jan!" Tony shouted. He was getting frustrated.

Hank spoke next, "Janet, just put the ship down…please."

Janet's cool façade suddenly broke, as her mischievous smile turned into a frown. How did he always do it? How was he able to change her attitude within seconds? It was simply miraculous how he could make her feel vulnerable once again. She felt strong and confident, but as soon as she heard his heartfelt plea, she practically crumbled.

She shook her head, as Natasha glared at her. Janet moistened her lips, speaking sternly and full of confidence, "Sorry, but not only can't I do that, I don't want to either." Her tone was icy, but her expression was full of anguish.

"You're going to regret this…" Tony warned. More SHIELD ships came up behind them. Maria was furious that a lowly ship managed to break free of her barricade in the sky. Clearly, she wanted the ship to do down.

"More SHIELD ships on our tail," Natasha whispered, becoming worried.

"You're getting SHIELD way too involved with this," Tony stated sternly.

"They wouldn't be here if you hadn't followed us," Janet mumbled, Tony barely hearing what she said.

"SHIELD preparing to fire," Natasha whispered once more.

"Avengers, why haven't you taken down the ship?" Maria asked furiously. Janet realized they were now all tapped on the same frequency, so she remained silent.

"It's a government ship," Steve said quickly before Tony could. Janet and Natasha smiled, knowing Captain America was protecting them.

"I don't care! It fired on my agents!" she yelled. "If it's a government ship, whoever is flying that damn plane would have addressed it by now!"

"Why are you protecting her?" Tony whispered sharply to Steve.

"I'm shooting it down, with bigger guns this time," Maria said, her tone icy. Janet gripped the controls, ready to move.

"Agent Hill, that is enough!" Director Fury's voice was loud and full of authority. Janet exhaled the breath she had been holding in, easing on the controls. "Attention all agents, fall back now! That's an order!" Soon enough, the SHIELD ships pulled back. Tony's mouth dropped. "Avengers, it would be wise for you to do the same."

"Are you kidding me, Fury?" Tony bellowed. "I don't think you understand what's happening here…"

"I understand perfectly," Fury growled. "Just go home." Steve listened to Fury, pulling back the queen jet, much to Tony's dismay. The communication between them instantly broke away, leaving the two women in silence.

"What just happened?" Janet asked.

"Fury finally returned. Clearly he wasn't happy," Natasha explained.

"But how did he know it was us?"

"He probably tapped into the Avenger's communications. He knew it was us."

Janet sighed, "I was afraid I'd have to shoot everyone down."

"Unidentified aircraft, this is Mockingbird speaking," Bobbi spoke suddenly, connecting. Janet looked at Natasha, not knowing what to say. "Jan, I know it's you."

"You know?" Janet blurted, as Bobbi's face came onto the screen on the panel. Janet turned to Natasha once more, who didn't look surprised.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I was glued to Fury's hip," Bobbi replied.

"And you've always known? Since the beginning?"

"Yeah, pretty much-"

"Agent Morse," Natasha interrupted harshly. "Debrief us on what just happened." Bobbi pursed her lips, keeping herself from saying something she'd regret.

"She's been moody lately," Janet said.

"Lately?" Bobbi stated, receiving a fierce look from Natasha. Bobbi focused, "Fury and I got word on some secret information. We left, putting Hill in charge…biggest mistake in my opinion. Anyway, she thought it was a good idea to have a barricade along the east coast, considering radar has been detecting unknown planes coming in and out of the states in that area."

"Which was us," nodded Janet.

"Fury figured, so he didn't bother with the calls. Hill, on the other hand, took her chance tonight. Sure enough, both of you rolled in. Hill is being confronted as we speak," Bobbi explained further. "She's not happy."

"She doesn't exactly like being on a leash," Janet commented, making Bobbi snicker.

"Are you two finished?" Natasha asked sharply, glad to finally see New York City underneath them.

Bobbi grumbled, "Mockingbird out." The screen went dark.

"She was just trying to help. She's actually really cool," Janet said, hovering close to the water. She saw the docks up ahead. Natasha remained silent, annoyed with the entire situation. "At least we made it home alive."

"You took the controls from me…"

"Oh…" Janet drifted. "About that…"

"You just pushed me out of the way and took them…"

"Look, I acted impulsively, I know, but we were getting nowhere! We needed a plan and I had one!"

Natasha smiled, "It's fine. I wanted to see what you would do in that situation anyway. I did the same thing with Fury during a SHIELD mission."

"Damn, you sound so cynical when you make jokes," Janet retorted, seeing the secret base up ahead. "At least some good came out of this. I finally know why you've been acting so weird lately."

Natasha looked at her, "What do you-"

"Well I knew one aspect of why you haven't been acting like yourself, but tonight just further confirmed it. I'm so excited for you," Janet smiled brightly.

Natasha dumbfounded expression left Janet to smile even bigger. "I seriously doubt you know anything-"

"You're in love with someone and I happen to be very good friends with him," Janet giggled, as Natasha looked at her, horrified.

"Janet…"

"Embrace love, Tasha! Embrace it! Because soon you find yourself keeping it a secret for several years and feeling completely stupid and inadequate! It's not fun at all!" she expressed, as she hovered over a small building. The roof opened up, as she put the jet down gently inside. "Now I won't tell you what to do, but don't follow my example…" The platform lowered the ship underground, where the hanger was located.

"I'll keep that in mind," Natasha mumbled softly, unbuckling her chair and rushing to the back in embarrassment. As soon as they got out, Baron Strucker was waiting for them, as usual. Once again, he looked pleased. "Package is safely secure, my Baron."

"Excellent. I heard you had some trouble along the way. Nothing my lovely ladies couldn't handle," Strucker commented, as some agents opened the hatch to the cargo hold. They reeled out the large package, taking it to the next room.

Janet's tired studied Baron closely. He looked younger. Not exactly younger, but the deep wrinkles were softened, the liver spots on his forehead had dissolved, and his balding head had more hair. He had promised that he wouldn't suck the life out of people anymore, but clearly that didn't last long. She hadn't noticed it before, but he was probably doing this for quite some time. He was murdering others right under her nose, just for their life force. It wasn't enough proof to get him arrested, but it still made her want to chop his right arm off. Janet was furious, but she didn't show it. Her tiredness was more apparent than anger.

"I trust you handled the ship with care? This particular plane is worth quite a lot," Baron asked, touching the jet gently.

Natasha cleared her throat, "Wasp piloted through the attack." Baron looked surprised, but in a pleasant way. He was suppressing a hungry smile once again.

"Interesting. Any casualties?"

"I believe not, my Baron," Janet replied. He almost looked disappointed.

"Very well. Sleep my dears, I give you the day off tomorrow. After that, we begin the plans on my ball," he commanded, slowly walking out of the hanger.

"Does he have to call it a ball? This isn't the 1940s anymore," Janet complained.

"We have bigger things to worry about," Natasha replied.

"You saw it too, huh? He totally looks younger, meaning-"

"Meaning he's continuing to consume life. He's preparing himself for something."

"Well he must have kept doing it while I was here. He remained the same for several months."

Natasha looked down, "Things are getting out of control way too fast, and we still don't even know what he's planning yet."

"That's not true, we know he's building something. It doesn't look like a playground either."

Natasha shook her head, "We have nothing." She briskly walked out with anger, feeling helpless and pitiful.

Janet just stood and watched, feeling responsible. She shook her head, mumbling to herself, "Let go Natasha...just let it go."

Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?

You build up hope but failures all you've know

Remember all the sadness and frustration

And let it go

Let it go…

Chapter 9:

More tension is rising. Soon, the Avengers won't know what to do or who to trust. Luckily, the climax is soon so a lot of lies and secrets are going to be told.

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SilverShadow