Nothing Will Ever Bring Us Back Together

Chapter Eight- Athletics

ATHLETICS TRACK

Just under five weeks had passed since Katya, Joe, Zoe and Sam had begun training together. They were all great friends but nothing more and since Zoe and Sam got a different bus, Joe always saved a seat for Katya. Today was Thursday, it was the day of the first athletics meeting. All four had properly psyched themselves up for it. The mixed relay would be last, girls hurdles were first. Joe's dad had come to watch, both of Zoe's and Sam's parents and Katya's mum.

"Oh God help me." Natasha whispered as Tony plonked himself on a chair three seats down from her, with no one in between. He, however, did not give a second glance as the girls hurdles started and Zoe came a close second. Joe won his hurdles. The 100s were next and even though Katya knew she could win, she doubted herself. She could see her mother was in the crowd, along with Zoe, Sam and Joe's parents that she felt she needed to impress. Once the gun went off, there was no doubt she would win. She was 10m ahead of her awestruck competition. Katya heard her mum cheering and smiled. She had been bothered to come.

"One down, four to go, I think." She muttered and this was not counting field events. The athletes were separated from their parents so Katya stood at the side of the finish line to cheer Joe on. Joe's thoughts were similar to Katya's. He wanted to impress his father, show him there was something he was good at. He was tired of being out done by Ella. The gun went off and he was also 10m ahead of his star struck competition. They both also won their 200s by a wide margin. Natasha realized that it was Stark's kid winning all the boys races. She wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't been sitting three seats down from her but come to think of it, Natasha could see the Pepperony in him. Katya then went off to do her high jump. Joe and Zoe stood off to the side while Sam did hammer throw, something you did not want to get near. Sam, who was more of a runner, came fourth out of nine and Katya came second to the second best in California. The 800s were next. Joe and Katya were both tired but, since there were not too many competitors both boys and girls went at the same time, so after the duo had pulled away from the pack, they took turns to lead and keep each other going. With 100m to go, they looked at one another any sprinted to the line. Katya won but only because she dipped before the line. Joe, Sam and Zoe all had a bit of a break while the 1500s were on but Katya had to do long jump, it was nearing the end, though, so she was able to do her three jumps one after the other. Then she was able to to relax with the other three. They all went over to their kit bags and pulled out out their phones.

Joe texted Tony, 'Hey Dad! Am I doing ok?'

While Katya texted Natasha, 'Hi mum am I racing ok? I thought Dad and Ethan were coming?' Natasha and Tony's phones pinged at the same time. Natasha noticed that Tony had not changed his text tone in all of these years. Natasha's quick reflexes enabled her to reply first,

'Hi Katya, you're amazing. They were coming but Dad had to talk to him about stuff.' and Katya quickly replied, 'What stuff?'

'Tell you after.' Natasha texted back as Katya and Zoe were called for the girls relay.

In this time Tony texted back, 'Joe you're great son, focus now though.' Joe didn't reply. Instead, he focused on shouting at Katya and Zoe to win the relay. Which they did. Joe and Sam won there's as well with Zoe and Katya shouting very loudly at them. It was time for the mixed one. All the other teams had marked Zoe, Sam, Joe and Katya as competition. As she lined up at the 100m to go mark Katya noticed she was the only girl going last. It went just as planned. Zoe shot away and clean my got the baton to Joe who also went like a shot and cleanly gave it to Sam (they had been working on that). Sam was a little slower but it didn't matter, Katya was like an arrow from an bow, but faster. They won, before most of their startled competition had even got the baton to the fourth person.

After that the hugged, said bye, and went off to find their parents Katya followed Joe, talking to him the whole way. When they reached Tony, Joe quickly said to him "Dad, this is Katya, she's my friend."

"That's great, kid," He replied and then looked up, "Nata-Clin..." Katya looked kind of worried and made her way over to her mum.

"Dad!" Joe hissed. "She's going to think that we're a weird family now."

"We-we are." Tony hissed back, still startled. Natasha's head shot up as she heard Katya approaching.

"Well done, Kat." Natasha said getting up. She then realized the only way out was passed Tony and Joe. Natasha decided go risk it, she would just talk to him if he talked to her.

"Romanoff? Widow? Natasha?" Tony asked, surprised at himself for not asking before.

"Yes Stark. It is I, in the flesh. How come you are here? Others leave you as well?"

"Yeah, they all had their reasons. Where's the archer?"

"Katya's here but Clint's at home. She's almost as good as him these days."

"I meant Legolas."

"And I meant goodbye. Come on Katya." Natasha strided past Stark and Katya followed giving Joe an, 'I don't know,' look. Joe returned it. Both children were obviously confused.

"I thought she was going to name her kid Katniss." Tony said.

"Dad, how do you know Katya's mum?" Joe demanded.

"Katya? Definitely should have been Katniss. Quite similar, though."

"Its a nickname, her real ones Yek- something. It's Russian."

"Definitely her kid then."

"Your avoiding the question, how do you know her mum?"

"I just do Joe." He couldn't tell his son about the Avengers and it was obvious that Natasha hadn't told her daughter, either.

"What did you call her?"

"Not- I called her Romanoff and then Natasha, she used to work for Stark industries actually. Let's go home." There was some truth in that actually, she did used to work for him, undercover for S.H.I.E.L.D; and then he had fired her and not been allowed to. Tony had mainly blocked that from his mind, it was a confusing time and he had been dying. Joe left the topic, promising himself to get more from Katya the next day.

Katya got into Natasha's car and said,"Mum, how do you know Joe's dad? And why did he call dad Legolas? And why are Ethan and Dad at home? They said that they would come and watch me."

"Um, Dad was shouting at Ethan when I left."

"Why?"

"Because..."

"It's about me. What did he say?"

"He didn't mean it..."

"What did he SAY?!"

"Ok, I quote, 'I'm not coming to watch my stupid, friendless, pathetic excuse for a sister in athletics.''

"I'm going to kill him."

"I know, honey."

"What about my other questions? How do you know him?"

"I used to work for him."

"Why did he call dad Legolas?"

"Err... when I worked there I said my boyfriend was a good archer and then he called him Legolas." This would have been a good enough reason for Ethan but Katya knew it not to be true from the pause before it.

"Why did he call you widow?"

"Um that was what he called me because there was someone else called Romanoff and they were there first." That was not true either. As they pulled up at their house Natasha said,

"Katya give me all your weapons." Katya gave them over one by one asking,

"Why?"

"Just you know a precaution... Ethan's in there." Katya pulled out her last knife and ran to the house. She then remembered that she didn't have a key. She handed Natasha the knife and gained access to the house. It was empty.

An hour later Clint walked through the front door, "Tasha?" Clint asked.

"CLINT BARTON WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" I was so worried."

"It's ok Tasha, I was just out in the woods teaching Ethan." He walked over and then continued, "Tash, I promise next time-"

"OW KATYA STOP OW! MUM DAD HELP ME!" Ethan screamed as he found himself under Katya, who was beating him to pulp. Natasha couldn't take her fists.

"Katya, STOP!" Clint shouted and both he and Natasha went to pull her off.

"He promised not to call you friendless again, Katya." Clint said as he sat her down across from him at the table.

"What did you do for him?" Natasha asked.

"Dad signed my permission slip!" Ethan said excitedly.

"For what?" Natasha growled.

"For him to go to Mexico." Clint sighed and Natasha stalked off, shaking her head.

STARK HOUSEHOLD

"Pepper, we're home!" Tony Stark shouted, as he and Joe walked through the door.

"Hey Dad, How'd it go little bro?" Ella asked skipping into the room. Pepper followed, walking.

"Mum, why is she skipping? And why'd she text me good luck? What did you do to make her so... happy?"

"Err... just signed something-" Pepper began

"Mum signed my slip to go to Mexico!" Ella exclaimed

"Mexico? Why? When?" Tony asked.

"To see her pen pal... it's a school thing." Pepper confirmed.

"Yep sure, El, I've never seen you so happy about education."

"Thanks Dad. How'd it go Joe?" Ella asked.

"Good, won everything." Joe said.

"What about that 800?" Tony asked.

"Doesn't count she was in different race." Joe said.

"You were beaten by a girl?" Ella scoffed.

"Well technically but she's older!" Joe prayed that was true. They had never discussed birthdays but he knew Katya's was in March. It wasn't true.

"Sure sure."

"Come on guys, let's do something interesting." The family went off and played frisbee in the massive garden.