Hey ya'll! Little closer to the cure now! I'm not gonna say too much, I just want you to enjoy the chapter!
Disclaimer: I wish you could buy Marvel with cupcakes.
Natasha's ability to get in and out of places without anyone knowing she was there- unless of course she wants you to know- never ceases to surprise me. I had stayed up late, waiting for Bruce to come home, and when he wasn't home by eleven o'clock I went to bed, after checking on the girls. The next morning I woke up to someone shaking me.
"Darling if you need something, ask Daddy." I groaned.
"Minnie." Natasha said and I jumped, scooting away from her with a jolt. It was still dark out and I realized I was still alone in bed.
"Jesus Christ Nat." I breathed. "What- What's wrong?" I asked as I ran my hand over my face.
"I need you to authorize this." she said as she held out a paper.
"What is it?" I asked as I turned on the light next to my bed.
"I need permission to go out of the country."
"Why?" I lay back on the pillows.
"Because a passport Chloe is known to use on occasion was just used." she explained. "She's on her way to Korea."
"No, I mean why do I need to authorize it" I asked as I looked at her. "Go crazy." I threw my hands up, and then paused, thinking about that. "On second thought don't go crazy, just go... Moderately crazy." I nodded.
"I need you to authorize it because you're SHIELD's director and every minute we spend talking every minute Chloe is going to get closer to her target. We've got agents in that part of the world tracking her down, but I want to be the one to bring her home."
"Okay, do you have a-" she held up a pen. "Thanks." I took it and signed the form before looking at her. "And Nat?" I asked and she looked at me as I sat back up. "Make sure she's got it with her before she gets home." I told her and she nodded.
"I'll check in when I land." she informed me.
"Nat, let's keep this one close. Who else knows you're going?"
"Just Coulson."
"Do you need Barton on this one?" I asked and she shook her head. "You sure?"
"Yeah, it'll be simple." she nodded.
"Alright." I said. "Let's just keep it me you and Coulson. I'll take care of the rest." I told her and she gave me a small smile. "What?"
"You're starting to sound like a Director again." she said and I smiled.
"Have a safe flight Nat." I said and she gave me another small smile before leaving.
As I lay on the bed I thought back to earlier in the day, around dinnertime.
I had ordered for us from my favorite Chinese place in town, Kayla loved Chinese, her favorite food currently was egg rolls, and chow mein, and while I knew I should make her eat differently, I figured a treat would be nice for her. As we were getting ready to eat Amanda walked into the kitchen and paused seeing who I had invited over for dinner.
"Logan, what are you doing here?" she asked and he shrugged from where he was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a beer.
"Your mom invited me over." he said and she nodded slowly.
"Oh, cool." she said nonchalantly, but I could see her look around the kitchen.
"He's gone back to school sweetie." I told her and she blushed lightly.
"Who?" she asked as she sat down at the table.
"Piotr." I replied as I picked up Kayla. "Did you wash your hands?" I asked and she nodded. "Good girl." I put her in her booster seat and she looked at her plate before grinning widely.
"Can I eat?" she asked and I nodded.
"Course you can sweetheart." I said as I handed her a fork and spoon. "Logan, you good on your beer?" I asked as I walked to the fridge.
"Mom, where's your crutches?" Amanda asked suddenly and I smiled at I looked at her.
"I know the doctor said not to, but Logan offered..." I shrugged and she smiled before looking at him.
"Thank you." she said softly to him.
"She's still got to go to physical therapy." he shrugged, not used to people displaying gratitude to him.
"But I don't need the crutches so much anymore." I grinned. "I've just got to take it easy."
"That's great." Amanda smiled.
"What do you want to drink honey?" I asked her and she shrugged.
"What do we have?"
"We've got tea, lemonade, water and diet coke."
"Diet coke please." she said and I grabbed two cans of diet coke and poured them over ice for myself and her, for Kayla I grabbed a juice box and put it in front of her, half of her face was covered in sticky white rice as she ate.
"Where's Daddy?" Kayla asked as she took apart an egg roll. It may be her favorite thing on the menu, but she sure had a strange way of eating it.
"Daddy has to work late tonight honey." I replied.
"Will he be home tomorrow?"
"Of course." I told her and she smiled.
"I want to go back to school." Amanda suddenly blurted out and we all looked at her. "I just- I feel like with all the moving around and everything, I've been missing a lot of school, and I think it's time for me to go back, you know? Things have calmed down and I haven't accidently scared anyone-" Kayla looked up at her with wide eyes and Amanda shot her an apologetic look.
"That was mean." Kayla said softly and Amanda leaned over and hugged her.
"I didn't mean to Kayla, I'm so sorry." she said and Kayla nodded, patting her older sister's hair, not noticing that she left a few pieces of white rice clinging to Amanda's strawberry blonde hair.
"When did that happen?" Logan asked and Amanda sighed as she sat up straight in her hair, I reached over and plucked the white rice from her hair.
"When we were in Canada. It was an accident, it just happened."
"What did you turn into?" I asked softly and Amanda looked at Kayla who sighed.
"That bad lady." Kayla said softly.
"Well you don't need to worry about her anymore." Logan said and I cleared my throat and shot him a look. "She was arrested." he continued and I nodded with a smile.
"So, can I go back?" Amanda asked and I smiled.
"Honey, that's why I asked Logan to come here today," I informed her. "He's going to take you back to the school next week."
"Really?" she asked, her eyes lit up happily and I nodded.
"Of course, we were going to ask if you were ready to go back." I said and she sighed happily.
"If Amanda goes back to school, who am I going to play with?" Kayla asked sadly.
"You my little munchkin are going to a new preschool." I informed her and she looked overjoyed.
"Like back at our old, old house?" she asked and I nodded as I picked up her juice box she knocked over.
"That's right honey." I replied and she sighed happily.
I smiled lightly as I thought about that, Dallas had found us a nice preschool down the street which not only gave parents time off from their extremely energetic kids, but also had a great learning program, and an art program which I knew Kayla would love. I walked downstairs to make myself a cup of tea, seeing as the gloves I slept in were cotton, I took them off so when I was putting the water in the kettle, before looking at the empty couch, and then at the clock above the microwave before I picked up the phone and dialed Bruce's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey honey, did I wake you up?" I asked and he groaned softly before clearing his throat.
"Yeah, I guess I fell asleep at the Tower." he said and I nodded even though he couldn't see me.
"Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
"No no, it's alright." he said. "I hope you haven't been waiting up for me."
"No, I just woke up, I'm making a cup of tea and I thought I'd check in and make sure I don't have to start searching the hospitals for you." I teased.
"No, no, I'm sorry to make you worry." he said and I chuckled lightly.
"It's okay Honey. Why don't you just stay there, I'll bring you some clothes in the morning." I told him.
"It's okay, Tony kept some of the clothes I left here when I was working here last time."
"Okay, well, I hope that you'll come see your children tomorrow." I said.
"Rather see my wife." he replied and I laughed.
"Well hurry home and you can." I said and he chuckled.
"So you want me to come home now?"
"Well I don't want you to leave in the mornings." I said with a smile.
"So I'll come home."
"Do you have to work tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"Well, might be best if you just stayed there tonight." I told him. "But, let's not make this a regular occurrence. I may not be able to touch you, but I miss using you as a pillow." I said and he laughed.
"Ah, now I know why you married me." he said and I giggled.
"Ah, you've found me out." I said and he laughed.
"It's alright, I've apparently grown used to being someone's pillow, between you and Makayla, it feels weird not having someone sleeping on top of me." he admitted.
"So come home tomorrow." I replied.
"I will." he promised. "I love you."
"I love you too baby." I told him before we hung up. I walked over to the stove and then laughed to myself when I realized I had forgotten to turn the burner on. I turned it on and returned to the kitchen table. About five minutes later I heard the front door open and I smiled. I stood up and walked to the front room and stopped seeing a raven haired Vietnamese woman holding a briefcase standing there. She looked as surprised to see me as I was to see her.
"Let me guess," I said after a moment. "Chloe Kenner."
"Well when you're right, you're right." she said and I nodded.
"And when you're a traitor?" I asked.
"You're doing what you've been taught. You're looking out for number one." she replied.
"I thought you were half way to Korea by now."
"Not quite." she said simply. "There's just one more thing I need to get." her eyes flickered to the stairs and I looked behind myself before I stepped to the side, right in front of the stairs.
"That's funny, because you have the one thing I need to get." I said as I stood there. I heard the tea pot start to whistle in the kitchen and Chloe looked at me before she looked to the side. I looked to see what she was looking at and she darted past me, towards the kitchen.
I followed after her, my knee aching in protest, before sliding to a stop as Chloe swung a baking sheet I had used previously in the night at me. I ducked, crashing into her legs, knocking her back on her back. I heard movement upstairs and Chloe and I both stared at each other before she elbowed me in the ribs, making me clutch my ribs and roll off of her. She jumped up, and turned off the stove before grabbing the tea pot.
"I'm sorry Director Banner," she said. "But this is going to hurt you a lot more then it will me." she said as she held the tea pot over my face. We both heard a noise behind her and she turned around, and let out a shriek. I looked behind her, noticing Amanda had taken the shape of what looked like a wraith.
I quickly rolled to the side as Chloe stumbled back, dropping the tea pot as she did, it splashed everywhere, and she landed in it before screaming and trying to jump away from the hot water. Amanda changed back and helped me up as Kayla started crying upstairs and I looked down at Chloe who looked startled and horrified, sitting there on the floor of the kitchen, soaked, burnt and broke as I would imagine.
"This'll hurt you a lot more then it will me." I told her before I punched her hardly in the head. She collapsed on the floor and I ran a hand over my face before I looked at Amanda who looked pale and was shaking slightly. "Honey, are you okay?" I asked and she nodded numbly. "Go get me the duct tape." I told her and she nodded before I went to the phone and picked it up. I dialed Coulson's cell phone number and waited a moment.
"Hello?" a female voice answered.
"Heather its Minnie, wake Phil up and send him over to my place."
"Is something wrong?"
"Yeah, I just took down an assassin in my own home. Send Phil over." I said before hanging up. I thought for a moment and then went to Amanda who handed me the duct tape. I pushed Chloe onto her stomach and felt her sides; I took her jacket off and looked inside the pockets. "Take it carefully." I ordered Amanda who nervously took the jacket and hung it up on the back of a chair. I taped Chloe's hands behind her back and gestured Amanda over. "Take her arm, and on the count of three we're going to hoist her into this chair." I said and she nodded, before helping get me into the chair.
A few minutes later the door opened and I pulled the gun from the inside of Chloe's jacket. I slowly moved out the door and stepped towards the front door. I stepped onto the front room and let out a sigh as Bruce lifted his hands quickly, and I lowered the gun.
"What the hell is happening?" he asked as he rushed over to me. I handed him the gun and he put it on the stairs before wrapping his arms around me tightly. I clung to his shoulders as he held me tightly.
"I taped her mouth." Amanda said walking out of the kitchen. I let go of Bruce and sighed before I gently patted his chest.
"Wait for Phil." I said and he cupped my face before leaning down to kiss me.
"Daddy?" a small voice from the top of the stairs called and he looked up. Kayla ran down the stairs and he caught her as I quickly grabbed the gun and hid it from her. I went back to the kitchen and put the gun on the counter as I looked Chloe over.
Amanda had defiantly seen a lot of films, she had taped Chloe to the chair, to the bottom of the chair, taped her ankles to the legs of the chair. She walked into the kitchen and I smiled at her.
"I've seen films, they always find a way out." she said and I nodded.
"Min-"
"Don't bring her in here!" I said to Bruce quickly and I heard him stop. I walked out of the kitchen and looked up at him. "Please, just go in the front room, wait for Phil, there should be some agents coming any moment now." I heard the door open hardly and I threw my hands up as if to say "You see", before I smiled at Kayla who looked scared. "Don't worry sweetie, everything is okay." I promised her.
"Minnie?" I turned around and smiled seeing Phil who walked over and wrapped his arms around me, which to be honest, kind of surprised me a little.
"I'm fine Phil, my daughter helped." I said as I looked at Amanda who smiled lightly.
"We're lucky she was easily startled." she said softly and I nodded.
"Where is she?" Clint walked into the house followed by Steve and I shot Phil an exasperated look.
"We needed our best agents on this. I'm having Natasha's plane delayed, she'll be collected and we'll find it." Phil told me and I nodded, crossing my arms.
"Careful guys," I said as Steve and Clint walked into the kitchen. "Floor's wet- Careful!" I said as Steve slipped, and caught himself on the counter.
"I'm okay." he said quickly and I laughed lightly as I walked over and threw down some dish towels.
"Minnie," Phil dropped his voice. "Did you find it on her?"
"She had a briefcase, it's by the front door, I didn't go through it, put either Nat or yourself on it." I said lowly to him while Bruce settled Amanda and Kayla on the couch. "Also," I said and he looked at me. "If you don't find anything, I want you to do a full body x-ray. She's riding a lot of money on this, that's why she came here. She said she needed one more thing before leaving." I nodded to the couch and his jaw set before he nodded.
"There's no way she would let it get far from her." he said understanding my meaning.
"Exactly." I replied.
"Hey, Min," Clint said suddenly and I looked over at him. "She's got stitches right here." he said and we walked over to him. Amanda looked over the back of the couch as I got to where he was pointing. Under her left shoulder alongside her bra strap was a small cut, which had been stitched up.
"These stitches are fresh." Bruce said as he slipped on his glasses. "Maybe an hour old."
"So she got in a fight." Steve said and Clint shot him a look. Even Phil looked slightly exasperated at his hero.
"No, she was perfectly fine when she decided to walk into my house and try to take my baby." I said and Clint smirked lightly. I ran my thumb along the stitches and then paused, before doing it again. I looked at Chloe who was awake now and looking at me nervously. I looked at Clint who ripped the duct tape off of her mouth making her wince and he smirked as Steve also winced.
"I knew you wouldn't let it get too far away from you, but this?" I asked and she glared at me.
"vít bạn." she snapped and I raised my eyebrows.
"Well I don't know what you said but-"
"She said "screw you"." Bruce said as he leaned in, looking at the stitches. He looked at Chloe who swallowed and stared at him, trying not to break eye contact. "Chloe, you sewed the chip into your arm didn't you?" he asked and she stared at him.
"Same to you." she snarled.
"That's a yes." Clint muttered before he grabbed a pair of scissors and handed them to Bruce. "Get it over with."
"Wait a minute, you can't just cut her open!" Steve protested.
"Why not, she did it to herself!" Clint said and I rolled my eyes.
"Would you feel better if we took her to the hospital to do it?" I asked and Steve nodded. "Good, you stay with the girls, we'll go do that." I said to him and he sighed as he looked at me with an exasperated look on his face.
"Minnie-"
"Steve." I looked back at him and he looked me over before crossing his arms.
"What happened to your crutches?" he asked and everyone looked at me.
"He offered." I said after a moment and Bruce shook his head lightly as he looked at me and Steve frowned.
"You know that your doctor said it was better for you to heal on your own."
"I'll still do the physical therapy, but the crutches were driving me nuts!" I replied.
"Minnie, just because you have the ability to do something doesn't mean you should!" Steve countered.
"You know what Steve; I really don't need a lecture from you right now!"
"A lecture? Minnie really, this is about you- You need to be more careful-"
"Says the guy who can't get hurt even if he were to try. Steve, I'm not a doll, I'm not made of glass, I don't need a babysitter 24-7."
"Apparently you do!" he shouted back at me, gesturing to Chloe, as I stared up at him. Everyone was silent, even Chloe.
"Cut open the stitches." I said looking at Bruce who raised his eyebrows. "Now." I replied.
"Minnie, Steve's right, we should do it at a hospital."
"You know what I've learned about assassins is you never know how many of them there are, there's no guarantee you'll make it to a hospital. Do it now." I told him and he looked at Phil who nodded slowly.
"Clint, upstairs in my closet on the top shelf, there's a black bag will you go get it please?" he asked and Clint nodded before going upstairs. Bruce went to the sink and washed his hands before Clint returned with the bag and Bruce opened it, pulling out a scalpel, and tweezers.
"Hon, grab me a paper plate." he said and I did what he told, he pulled out a needle and a small vial of something and looked at me as I eyed the needle.
"Don't you fucking stick me with that." Chloe said threateningly.
"Don't move or it'll break off inside of you." Bruce warned and she stared at him in slight horror before he pushed the needle into her skin and injected her with-
"Lidocaine?" Steve asked and Bruce nodded.
"It's a local anesthetic." he replied and Steve looked a little grossed out as I put the paper plate on Chloe's lap and Bruce started cutting the stitches.
"Ew." Amanda muttered from the couch and Phil, Steve and I all looked over. "She's asleep." Amanda said, her eyes never leaving what Bruce was doing. When the wound was open he picked up a pair of long tweezers and slid them into the wound, before pulling out a small, flash drive chip. He looked up at me and I smiled as he put it on the paper plate and moved it from Chloe who was glaring at all of us.
"You know they're all going to kill me now right?" she asked and everyone looked at her. Bruce was stitching her back up.
"Who were you going to sell it to?" Phil asked and she scowled.
"There were some prospective buyers." she replied.
"Clint, uh... Minnie, we're gonna borrow this chair." Phil said and I laughed as I nodded.
"That's fine Phil." I replied.
"We'll bring it back." Clint replied as he and Steve picked up Chloe, Clint "Accidently." dropped the legs of the chair making her fall forward slightly, Steve caught her, glaring at Clint as Clint grinned and picked her back up.
"Like I said, I want Natasha heading this." I told Phil who nodded.
"Get some sleep Minnie." he said and I nodded as I covered my mouth with a yawn. He left and I locked the door behind him, Bruce picked Kayla up and brought her upstairs while I talked to Amanda downstairs.
"Honey, you did amazingly today." I said to her and she smiled lightly.
"That time I meant to do it." she told me and I laughed as I hugged her. She hugged me back, careful not to touch my skin and I rubbed her arm lightly before I sent her upstairs. I looked at the small chip on the plate and found myself staring at it, until Bruce came up behind me.
"You okay?" he asked and I jumped.
"I thought you were putting Kayla to bed."
"I did." he said and I nodded.
"It's funny isn't it?" I asked and he shook his head.
"None of this is funny." he replied and I smiled lightly. "If it weren't for me-"
"Not another word." I said pointing at him. "I'm too tired for this pity party. We're not having it. This chip," I pointed at it. "Could very well have everything you need to know to undo whatever the hell it is they did to me." I told him and he nodded with a small smile before the phone rang. "That'll be Tony."
"Hello Tony." Bruce said into the phone. He paused and listened, and then shook his head. "No." he said. "No, we have all the time in the world tomorrow." he told Tony. "I just want to get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow Tony." he said before hanging up.
He walked over to the counter and picked up a tissue before picking up the chip. He wrapped it in the tissue and put it into a plastic sandwich bag before walking over to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into his touch and he took me upstairs, leaving the mess in the kitchen, we went upstairs to the bedroom and I changed my pajamas, having gotten wet from the water, and he changed into his pajamas, before putting the chip in the locked drawer on his bedside table.
He took my hand and pulled me to him, before he leaned down and kissed me. I broke away after a moment, and he smiled at me gently before we got into bed and he turned off the light. I pulled a pair of cotton gloves on and got into bed, before he wrapped his arm around me, I rested my head on his shoulder and he held me close as we both started to fall asleep.
A few minutes later Kayla showed up in the doorway, she ran over to the bed and Bruce helped her into bed with us, before falling asleep. An hour later I was vaguely aware of Amanda slipping into bed next to me as we slept.
Even as I slept, in the back of my mind, I knew the secret to me being normal again was in the third drawer from the top in Bruce's bedside table.
And the thought of it terrified me.
I know you guys like action, and it is an Avengers story, so I threw a little action, as well as Amanda using her ability to help. I hope you enjoyed it!
P.S. Please don't forget to review!