CHAPTER 23
Hi, I'm back! Sorry, I was first stressed and then completely forgot to upload last time... But now I'm back!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except my own. The characters belong to MARVEL.
CHAPTER 23 Welcome back
By the next afternoon, the Widows had arranged themselves with their guests. Lerato had taken Clint out to train again, eager to learn any new tricks he could bestow upon her. Antonia and Natasha lounged on the roof to watch them whirl back and forth.
"She's not going to pull this off, if she keeps her weight in the middle," Antonia observed calmly. Natasha hummed just as Clint knocked Lerato off her feet with a practiced sweep. "Told you," Antonia huffed.
"He's known our techniques for a while," Natasha replied. "Not all of them, but he knows my style."
Antonia's lips curved into a crooked grin. "Your style is far from usual for us. You have your very own style in a way none of the others were afforded to develop. It's quite fascinating to be honest. Very flashy."
Suddenly Natasha was back in a crappy gas station in the middle of nowhere. "Why are you always doing that thing with your hair?" Yelena, freshly bandaged, imitated one of her landings. Her eyes were laughing before her voice showed the same. "You're a total poser." At the time, Natasha had denied it. Denied taking her time to land and pause. Maybe she was right. Maybe my style is so different because I pose. Because I have the time with my team mates to pause between some punches. My sister doesn't have that luxury. Didn't have that luxury.
Lerato made a frustrated noise. Clint had toppled her again, despite his patient instructions. "Again!" she demanded, teeth bared in frustration. "Again!"
"No," Antonia, replied calmly, "Enough for today. You're going to be sore tomorrow. And we have a meeting. I can train with you after. I know the tricks now."
Clint's gaze jumped up to them. Scrutinizing.
Before Natasha could decipher his expression completely, the phone in her pocket buzzed. "Agent Romanoff," Tony's voice was slightly crackling, something in the background interfering. "Where might we find you on this fine day?"
"Stark," Natasha noticed everyone around her perking up, "Where are you?"
Tony huffed a laugh. "Very impolite. Answering a question with a question." A pause. Murmuring conversation in the background. It sounded vaguely annoyed. "Capsicle wants me to tell you we're nearing your last known location." Another comment from beyond the phone. "Landing on the northern city border. As instructed. Rendezvous at lake Lupa-tó at five. Bring the crow." Another pause, crackling as if the phone was pulled away from Tony's face. "Happy now?" Clearly not directed at Natasha but at Steve in the background.
"Yes, thank you," Natasha answered anyway. "We'll be there."
Before Tony could answer again, she hung up. Clint was already half up the ladder to the roof. "We're leaving?" he guessed. At her nod he lunged off the ladder to pull himself up onto the roof beside her. "Okay, okay, okay," he repeated more and more to himself. "We should pack and go right away. Scout out the landing place in case there's something fishy."
"Fishy?"
"The last time Tony came to pick us up I was imprisoned until Cap broke me out." Clint's eyes turned hard as flintstones looking across the roofs. "I won't be locked in again." Some memory must have flashed across his mind. Fists clenching at his sides, jaw working.
He looks ready to attempt to murder anyone that comes too close to him. I never asked in detail what exactly happened in that prison. Maybe I should have. Wanda had – Wanda had marks around her throat. Natasha focused on keeping her face blank, her posture relaxed. Of course. Clint had seen. He was there. He saw this young woman imprisoned, shackled and collared for her powers. And then Thanos killed her. Made her disappear. Probably killed her love too. Clint loves strays. And none of the other criminals disappeared. This is not only about his blood family.
Natasha saw Lerato and Antonia slowly backing away from them towards the stairs down from the roof. Trying to remain unobtrusive where they were unwelcome. For once Natasha thanked the Red Room for training them all in the art of melting into the background.
Natasha shifted to press their shoulders together. "I won't let him take you away from me. We'll stay together from now on."
"How can you promise that."
"Because I'm the Black Widow," Natasha said with more confidence than she felt. "I spent the last months with Steve and Tony, searching for Thanos. That bastard took my niece and nephews, sisters, friends. I spent enough time rattling against the bars. I refuse to be sent back now." She met Clint's eyes and found the same fire reflected in them. "He made a mistake when he took them from us."
"I never took you as one for big speeches."
"I'm not. This is a promise. We'll get them back."
"Whatever the cost."
In the end, Antonia and Lerato escorted them out of their flat with enough time to spare to scout. "It's better to know your surroundings in case of unexpected circumstances," Antonia merely offered. "Whatever advantage you can get. Even if they are your allies."
Lerato brushed her braids over her shoulder, worrying at her hair ties. "I don't think you should go just yet. Our sisters are looking all over for information on Thanos. Maybe they found something you haven't heard of."
"Then you know how to get in touch with me." Natasha tapped at the pouch with her phone. "I'm sure you figured out how to get into that without me noticing already."
"Old habits." Lerato didn't even seem apologetic. Just shrugged and flung her braids back over her shoulder. "Now, do your thing and we'll keep an eye out here."
"Thank you. I appreciate your help with finding him and," Natasha paused, "thank you for telling me about my sister."
The widows exchanged a quick look. "We lost too many without knowing." Antonia eventually offered.
"Make sure to give that fucker a Widow's greeting." Lerato bared all of her teeth in a terrifying smile.
Before Natasha could reply, Clint was already there. Clasping hands with the Widow with an equally dark expression on his face. No words were spoken but Natasha could almost feel the promise hanging in the air between them. Not letting anyone separate her and Clint and punishing Thanos for what he did. We all delve into our darker instincts the longer this lasts it seems. Too much lost to keep up a bright façade.
Natasha knocked her hand lightly against Clint's and as if by prior arrangement, they turned in unison to leave down the street. Without a word or a look back. Around them other people were going about their normal lives – or as normal as live was after the Snap. Still, there were enough people on the street that Natasha and Clint had to weave around them.
I really don't like leaving his side just yet. He was gone for so long… Natasha glanced at Clint without turning her head. I don't want him to slip away again.
After the third time they swerved around the same person on opposite sides, Natasha sidled in closer to Clint. As casually as she could, she slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow. Blinking, Clint looked down at her. There were questions clearly written across his face but one shake of her head and he pushed them away. For now. I'm sure I'll have to answer them sooner or later. He always comes back to things like this.
Together, they wove through the streets until they found Natasha's bike. Still parked in the forgotten side street. Ready to go and pick up their ride out into space.
"I don't think I have a helmet for you," Natasha said as she swung onto the saddle. "But I don't think that should be a problem for us."
"Don't think so. We've been through worse." Clint gave her a shit eating grin. "We can survive leisurely driving through Budapest without a helmet." He swung up behind her, arms around her middle. "Just try not to drive too crazy just yet, okay?"
Natasha could feel the grin as he leaned his face on her shoulder. Rolling her eyes, ignoring her own fond smile, she kicked off the ground and swerved them into the late afternoon traffic of Budapest. It prevented any conversation they didn't want to shout directly in to each other's ear, so they left it at that. With Clint at her back and a possibility of finally facing Thanos, Natasha felt something like hope. Like they were close to something that might change their future path for good. And if we can fight him, maybe we can get the stones off of him. Get the others ack to where they belong. Return half the world back to life. She felt the warmth of Clint's arms around her. Get our own happiness back after so long without real peace of mind.
With these thoughts in mind, Budapest flew by as Natasha and Clint drove towards Lupa-tó lake. Slowly, traffic thinned out as they left the city behind. Rolling green replaced the towering houses along the street. Something like quiet hung over the landscape of the early evening, sky turning purple and pink.
Natasha patted Clint's hand three times. Almost there. He patted her hip back three times. I know.
They followed the highway out of town, then a smaller street that finally turned to gravel and mud as the lake opened up beside them. Families packed their thing on the beach after a long day out. Nothing indicated a space ship with one of Earth's biggest geniuses and America's Golden Boy Scout would land here soon. Which is exactly what we are banking on. Nothing to keep us here. Just a quick stop and go right for Thanos. Wherever that bastard tries to hide.
Once they stopped, Clint swung off first, eyes already darting around, looking for any kind of threat they might encounter. "I don't see anyone," he murmured. "They're not here yet."
Following his lead, Natasha swung off the bike. Humming her understanding, she leaned against it, arms crossed. For all the world they were just some tourists coming to the beach to enjoy a mild evening out. "They'll be here soon enough. Steve was in the background, giving instructions." I hope, Tony recovered enough of his strength to pull this off. No doubt he would go regardless, but it would make it easier, if we were at full capacity… Natasha shielded her eyes to look up in to the sky. We can use all the help we can get.
The wind was mild across her face, the sun still warm enough to reach her. A bump at Natasha's shoulder told her Clint was leaning against the bike next to her. And when did she close her eyes to listen to the wind?
"I'm glad you found me," Clint said almost as low as before. "I know I said not to go looking for me. At the time I really felt I needed my time, but," he trailed off.
Natasha kept her eyes closed, lightly resting part of her weight against her best friend at her side. As the pause grew with so many things unsaid, she shifted to press her shoulder more firmly against him. Clint shifted to put his arm around her shoulders.
"I think," pause, "after months of killing my way through the underworld," the hand on her shoulder flexed, "I think I finally came to terms with the Snap and how my life changed for now. Until we beat the ugly fucker. This isn't the end."
"No, it's not," Natasha easily agreed, "Although you were a pain in the ass to find. But I understand why you did it. We all," now it was her time to pause. Had to grieve? Come to terms with it? I'm not finished grieving. And Steve and Tony certainly didn't come to terms anything. "We all had to deal with it." And even that some of us did poorly.
"You think they're just going to take me back?"
Natasha blinked against the sun. "They will. Or we will just find our own way. We have the rest of the Widows and a few illustrious contacts left that might be able to help us." She leaned her hip into the sidelong embrace. "Rhodey helped me track you down. He knows as much as I do about what you did. The others let me go off after you whenever I wanted. Steve even played chaperone to one of our bars once. Hey, don't laugh! He was trying to be sweet."
"He must have been so out of place."
"Oh, no he was. Still, it was sweet of him to try."
Some of the tension Natasha hadn't noticed before, melted from Clint's shoulders. "So, chances are they invested enough to let me get back. Well, that's reassuring."
It's not just because they invested time and resources to find you. You're part of the team. Part of our dysfunctional family. But Natasha felt she couldn't say that out loud to him just yet. It was one thing to know they belonged together. It was another behemoth to claim people they had worked together with for some time, some whom were partially responsible for their hiding and imprisonment, as family. So Natasha didn't say anything.
The sun sunk below the horizon. Around them the beach cleared of people.
Nothing happened.
No spaceship, no Quinjet. No call either.
Did they ditch us? Natasha idly thought. Steve gave the call to action. He's always on time…
Clint dozed, still leaning against her bike. His head lolled onto her shoulder. He didn't get much sleep last night, did he?Natasha had intermittently woken from his shifting the night before. As emotionally taxing as the day had been, she had slept better than usual. Especially considering they were in a new environment. But Clint, curled around her as they hadn't slept since their last mission together, must have kept one eye open. Well, I'll keep my eyes open for him now. Let him find some rest.
A low drone. Natasha looked around, mindful of Clint still slumped against her. There. A dark spot in the darkening sky coming from the north. Approaching rapidly.
"Our ride's here," Natasha murmured close to Clint's ear. There was no change in his posture, but Natasha felt the subtle tension rising in her best friend. Ever so slowly, Clint extracted himself from her side until they leaned against her bike, shoulders barely touching.
The spaceship touched down a good distance away from them. Through the cockpit's windows Natasha spied not only Tony and Steve, but the furry ears of Rocket. We're really all going together.
"Is that a racoon?" Clint blinked in confusion.
"That's Rocket," Natasha shot him a crooked grin, "One of the smartest racoons you'll meet anywhere. He worked with Tony and Bruce. We picked up a few new strays on our way since Wakanda."
"I can tell." Clint stared at blue Nebula as the ship opened.
"We can't take that thing with us," was the first thing Nebula said. "We have just enough room for all of us."
"Hi Nebula," Natasha greeted, unperturbed. "I asked friends to pick it up tomorrow morning. No need for more work on our end. Is everything ready?"
Nebula gave a non-committal hum, turned around into the ship. Shrugging, Natasha and Clint followed her. As soon as they entered the ship, the ramp closed. Something started humming, powering up.
"Welcome aboard. This is your captain speaking," Tony snickered over the intercom, "Hold on, we don't have time to lose. Carol'll meet us up there."
Natasha waved a hand at Clint's confused look. I'll explain later.
Nebula was already buckling into her seat close to the cockpit at the front. Unbothered by whatever else might happen.
Exchanging a look, Clint and Natasha slowly crept forward, keeping their balance in the slowly shifting aircraft. Natasha took the lead for now, Clint at her shoulder. Amidst the cockpit, the found their friends already assembled. Tony, Rocket and Nebula helmed the controls, not looking back. Thor grinned broadly at them, waving. Rhodey and Bruce nodded their head in acknowledgement, but didn't comment on Clint's appearance back in their midst.
It was Steve, finally, who met their gazes calmly. A small smile crawled across his face. "Welcome back."