There was a strange feeling overcoming Spencer as she walked up to Nat's grave a few days after. Val had kept her longer than anticipated, which she didn't mind. She found a strange feeling of peace being in New Asgard, and Val even gifted her a house to stay in whenever she decided to, and that was where she and Pietro had stayed the last few nights. It was strange doing such domestic tasks after living the way she had the last few years, it almost felt…criminal.

Pietro reassured her that it was normal feeling that way, that he had felt that way after the Snap. Her eyes grew watery as she stared down at the empty grave of Natasha Romanoff, it was lightly decorated, and off the beaten path. Cooper was at her side, happily sniffing at the gifts left on Nat's grave, before he came over and nudged her hand gently, as if reassuring her it was okay to cry. She clutched the vest Nat had given her tightly in one hand as she petted Cooper for strength with her free hand. It was too hard to believe she was gone, a part of her wished it was some cruel joke; that Nat was alive somehow, but the haunted and guilty look in Clint's eyes said it all.

Nat was really gone, and the thought made Spencer cry as she crouched down to drape the vest over her tombstone; she could feel the snot building, feel the ache behind her eyes, and feel the devastation eating at her heart. It felt like too much to bear, to think of Nat throwing herself off that cliff, to think that Nat had been thinking of her—Spencer shook her head pushing the palms of her hands against her eyes, trying to stop the onslaught of despair and tears.

Cooper whimpered sympathetically, rubbing his body against hers in a reassuring way only a dog could give, and he sat on the ground, observing the tombstone with intelligence that shouldn't be possible. Spencer sighed shakily and groaned, it felt like her grief was never-ending, but mourning was finicky like that, it could strike whenever it pleased, and it didn't care for anything else.

Spencer wiped her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie and blew her snotty nose into some tissue she had brought beforehand. She still wanted to cry, and felt the sting hitting her again, as she lifted her head and stared at the tombstone before her.

Natasha Romanoff

Daughter. Sister. Avenger

It wasn't comforting visiting her grave, because Spencer knew there wasn't a body underneath the soil, not even a coffin. She could feel beneath the soles of her feet that there wasn't anything beyond this tombstone, the hole had been dug and that was it.

It made her despair worse, because her body was left strewn across the bottom of a cliff on a planet so far away, inhabited by only one lone guardian. Was her body even there? Had it disappeared when the soul stone appeared in Clint's hand? Or was her body rotting away on an alien planet, away from everything Nat had ever known?

Spencer's hands clenched into tight fists at such thoughts; Nat deserved to be buried on her home planet, not anywhere else. She fell back onto her ass, closing her eyes and raising her head towards the darkening sky; there wasn't a way to get her body back. What happened had happened in a different timeline, on a planet no one really knew how to get to expect for Gamora, and she was long gone right now.

Her heart felt like breaking, there was too much suffering and pain in her heart in such a short amount of time, it felt like she was walking through molasses. She lost too much, she felt too much, and it hurt so damn much.

The sound of a car door closing snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts, and when Spencer opened her red stained eyes, she looked behind her, and saw an older woman standing there with a lovely Akita. The woman's hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, her hazel eyes didn't seem surprised to see Spencer there, and she was dressed comfortably.

Cooper whined happily at the sight of another dog and went to greet the Akita. Both canines wagged their tails happily in greeting while Yelena spoke, "There wasn't any rain predicted for today," Her accent was thick and full of sarcasm, as she walked over to the tombstone with a fresh set of flowers in her hands, but she stopped as she noticed the vest draped over the tombstone. A look of emotion shot through her eyes, and Spencer felt it deep in her bones, "You've, had it?"

Spencer bobbed her head, "I told her I liked it before the Snap, and after…" Spencer looked away with tears in her eyes, "Clint gave it to me for safe keeping, but I knew it was yours." She explained thickly.

"It was the first thing I bought after I was free from being controlled by the Red Room," Yelena explained quietly with a soft smile as their dogs came over.

Spencer hummed lightly, "You have great taste."

Yelena laughed quietly, "Thank you, that's an honor coming from Shockwave—do they even still call you that?" she asked with her head tilted in a question.

Spencer snorted, feeling her heart lighten, "I'm not even sure, to be honest." Spencer heaved a heavy sigh, "I'm not even sure if I want to keep fighting on after losing so much," She admitted this freely and without a care, because Nat loved Yelena, and trusted her. So, Spencer would do the same.

Yelena hummed with a nodded, "I want to kill your adoptive father," She admits with a nonchalant shrug, and Spencer stares at her with raised eyebrows, "Clint Barton, yeah? He was there with her, wasn't he?" She asked with a hardened tone.

Spencer nodded her head, "You have every right to be angry with him, but he did try to give himself first," She spoke thickly, "I know it isn't what you want to hear, but he isn't responsible, and if it hadn't been for her sacrifice, we wouldn't be here, because last I heard you had been snapped away, too."

Yelena sighs with an eye roll, "You sound like a brat, you know that? I bet Nat loved kicking your ass." She remarks snappily.

Spencer felt some tension leave her body, and shrugged, "We little sisters are meant to do that, right? From what I was told, you were a fucking brat, too."

"Hey, I'm older than you, have some respect," Yelena sniffed as she set down the flowers in front of the tombstone, "This is Franny, by the way," She introduced her Akita.

"Hello, Franny," Spencer smiled, "This is Cooper, he's an old man."

Cooper grumbled at her words, but wiggled his body as Yelena petted him, "He looks part wolf," She commented with an impressed look, "I should have gotten a wolf, since when could we have wolves?" She muttered with a furrowed look, Franny whines with an unhappy look, "Sorry, Fran, but wouldn't being a wolf be cool?"

Spencer smiles, "He's half wolf,"

"Wow, look at you," Yelena marvels and Cooper pants happily with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, "So, what's next for you?" She asks casually, as if they had been friends for years now, instead of a few minutes.

Spencer shrugged, "I think I want to start a family, we lost a lot of time, ya know? I don't know if I have the emotional capacity to an Avenger anymore." She rubbed at her achy eyes, and sighed, "What about you? You live around here?"

Yelena nods with a thoughtful look, "Yeah, you say that. I'm taking jobs here and there, I was supposed to kill your adoptive father, but I don't think I can now that I've met you," She makes it sound like a nuisance, "Out of respect for you, I won't, but I think I'll stalk him." She nods with a small grin.

Spencer snorts, "Good luck, he might not have any superpowers, but that man is harder to kill than most, it's actually uncanny."

"I think it would be a nice way of reminding him that I can still decide to kill him," Yelena says breezily, "Besides, he needs to keep on his toes."

"You have fun with that," Spencer rolled her eyes, "I'll be too busy trying not to fall apart every day to check in on him," She admits sheepishly.

"You're more emotional than I thought, is that new? I thought you were more like Nat." Yelena frowns at her.

Spencer glares at her, "No one can be like Nat except Nat," She points out.

Yelena stares at her and nods her head in agreement, "Touché, but I guess I don't know what the hell you went through when you were in outer space, yes, Nat told me," Yelena adds before Spencer could ask, "That's pretty cool, by the way, being in outer space, how was that?" she asked in a good-natured way.

"Terrifying," The memory of Asgard shattering flashes before her eyes, "I wouldn't recommend it."

"Shit," Yelena's eyes went round, "That look was scary, don't look at me like that ever again," She demands with a frown, "I think I got the goose flesh," She pulls back the sleeve of her coat, "Yeah, look! You gave me the goose flesh, wow!" Spencer snorts in amusement, "That rarely happens, that's so cool, maybe I should stalk you, do you want to spar?" Yelena asks with an excited gleam in her hazel eyes.

Spencer cocks an eyebrow at her, "Do you have food to feed me and Cooper?"

Yelena nods, "I make a great mac and cheese," She bobs her head from side to side, "It's boxed, but I spice it up, trust me, it's great."

Spencer grins at her as Yelena helps her onto her feet, "You got a deal, Yelena."

If you thought this story was never coming back...girl, same. So, it's been a hot minute, lol. Funny story, the last update I did of this story, was a few days before I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter, and hence I completely forgot about this story until, like, a few months ago. I just wanted you all to know that I am very determined to finish this story, I haven't actually completed ANY of my stories, but I want to finish this one, so, it might be a bit rushed, but as a fresh mom who only has a few hours at night to herself, it's the best that I can give right now.

This chapter is short and sweet, I haven't typed at all since my last update, so I am rusty. I apologize for any errors or any weirdness. I have decided that because I have limited time to flesh out this story, I will not be following the timeline from now on, I was planning on it, but ugh, so much has happened, and it gives me a headache trying to find a good fit to squeeze Spencer in.

I think I'll do a few more chapters before I finish this story. I might write another smut scene, who knows.

Thank you to every single one of you who has read this far, who has kept up with this story over the years, because it's been idk how many years since I started this story in my cousin's bedroom. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Also, I think I like either The Night We Met by Lord Huron or In the Stars by Benson Boone for the begining scene. Let me know which you think fits better. Until the next chapter!