"There are many things of the life of Natalia Rushman that Peter Parker and even she doesn't know about herself. People were searching for her." The Watcher said as he looked back to a few weeks ago. "She has only seen glimpses of her true self. Her true upbringing. But when she discovers the truth...would she still choose the family that she has been given? Or would she find herself a danger to her own family? That is a question that only she can answer..."
DAY OF THE ACCELERATOR EXPLOSION:
At his apartment in New York City, Clint Barton, Hawkeye, was sitting down on his couch watching some tv while eating some leftover pizza.
Watching the news, they were talking about the turning on of the accelerator. He didn't really care about it, not really that big on science, the only science he cares about having to do about the arrows he makes and shoots.
But then he saw something that caused him to almost choke on his food.
He saw someone he hadn't seen in ten years on the screen. Someone who has been thought to be dead for ten years.
"What the hell?!" Clint asks as he rewinds the news and pauses it on the scene that Natalia is in. "It can't be."
Going through his phone, Clint scrolled through his contacts until coming across the one he was looking for. Clicking on Bucky Barnes, he heard it ring for a moment before someone picked up.
"Clint. I'm busy." Bucky Barnes, formerly the Winter Soldier, reported in and was going to hang up when Clint stopped him.
"Wait, wait, wait! This is important." Clint told him and sent the photo to Bucky. "Take a look at what I sent you."
"What the hell?" Bucky was shocked to see.
"That's what I was thinking," Clint replied. "But I had a mouth full of pizza."
"What is she doing?" Bucky wonders from wherever he currently is. "She's not undercover."
"How could you be so sure?" Clint asks.
"She wouldn't let herself be caught on camera by some random news reporter."
"Huh. Good point." Clint didn't think about that. "When was the last time you had contact?"
"Ten years," Bucky replied. "You?"
"Same." Clint sighed, wondering what had happened to his friend. "She just...vanished."
"She tends to do that," Bucky replied.
"Yeah." Clint chuckled. "Think we should check on her?"
"Didn't we try to do that for ten years?" Bucky asks him.
"Yes," Clint said as he got up and played the news again. "But this time things will be different."
"How so?" Bucky asks, not following his logic.
Clint then started to turn up the volume on his television to hear it. "For starters..."
"...building a particle accelerator in the heart of Central City..."
"This time we already know where she is." Clint was happy to say, seeing as that narrows it down to the location of where this was filmed. And he knew he needed to pack his gear as if they discovered where she was, there was doubly going to be others after her as well.
NOW:
After their talk with the therapist, it was like Natalia grew a third eye. She shuttered at everything, not knowing what to believe anymore after what happened. Peter tried to help her, but with the two of them walking through the streets with Clinton was a bit difficult.
"You going to be okay?" Peter asked her.
"I will be...after a while," Natalia whispered and looked at Clinton in his father's arms. "Mind if I carried him for a moment?"
"No, of course," Peter said as he handed over their son to her. "If I can't help you, I'm glad he can."
"It's because of you that I have him." Natalia reminded him as she cuddled him close.
Peter smiled and looked at the time. "Hey, how about we-" Before he could finish his question, his senses went off and he saw a chase in pursuit. "Look out!"
Working fast, Peter grabbed his family and pushed them against the wall of the bridge without hurting either of them. As the car drove past, Peter recognized the man at the wheel was one of the Mardon brothers.
Looking down at them, Natalia saw the hesitation in his eyes. "What are you waiting for? Go!"
Peter saw he had her blessing to go and took off. "Get home! I'll meet you there!" He then changed into his suit and swung into the air, luckily nobody was around to see him change.
Peter swung effortlessly through the air, weaving between the thick cables of overhead wires as a cacophony of sirens blared in the distance, announcing the approach of a dozen police cars racing in pursuit. With a powerful leap, he launched off the last light post, landing gracefully atop a sleek, glistening squad car.
"Hey, Mardon! Mind dropping me off at the jail?" Peter called down, trying to keep the mood light despite the chaos. As he glanced around, he noticed with surprise that Mardon was alone—his brother was absent.
Without warning, Mardon raised his gloved hand, and a swirling mass of ice coalesced into a perfectly formed snowball. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it at Peter, who instinctively reacted, his agility allowing him to narrowly dodge the icy projectile. He landed back on the roof of the car, momentarily stunned by the sudden aggression.
Thinking quickly, Peter adjusted his stance to grip the car's side tightly. He swung himself through the open window, his movements fluid and precise as he kicked Mardon out of the vehicle. The man tumbled into the street, sending the car careening wildly off balance. With adrenaline surging through him, Peter returned to the car's roof just as it flipped over, catching it in a display of raw strength. He strained against the weight, stabilizing it for a heartbeat before he heaved it aside, ensuring no innocent bystanders would be harmed in the process.
After a moment's relief, grateful that no one was in harm's way, Peter's gaze snapped to Mardon, who was struggling to rise, his hands weaving a mysterious pattern in the air.
"Mardon!" Peter shouted out, urgency lacing his tone.
Mardon pivoted to face Peter, a sly smile spreading across his lips. Just as Peter braced himself for an imminent attack, an eerie fog began to swirl around Mardon, thickening the atmosphere and obscuring his figure. Peter's instincts kicked in as he attempted to use his advanced sensors to pinpoint Mardon's location, but the fog was too dense, rendering even the most sophisticated technology useless. It was as if the air itself had conspired to hide Mardon from view.
Suddenly, the tranquility of the moment shattered as a car barreled down the road, its tires screeching in panic. Without a second to lose, Peter sprang into action, launching a web that latched onto the vehicle, halting its rapid approach and preventing a catastrophic crash at the impending turn.
As he caught his breath, Peter peered into the car. Inside, the driver sat wide-eyed, a cocktail of fear and astonishment washing over him as he recognized Spider-Man. After a moment of shared relief, the driver offered a shaky thumbs-up in gratitude. Peter, relieved that the man was unharmed, mirrored the gesture with a grin before turning back to the unfolding chaos, ready to confront the threat that lurked just beyond the swirling mist.
Natalia stepped into her cozy home, the familiar scent of warm wood and lavender filling her senses. She gently placed Clinton in his colorful playpen, a safe haven adorned with soft toys that encouraged his burgeoning curiosity. As he settled in, she took a moment to observe him, intrigued to see how long it might take for him to figure out an escape route. Just as she began to relax into the mundane, her phone chimed—a message from Peter. He was heading out to meet with Cisco, Ronnie, and Caitlin regarding the recent chaotic chase that had unfolded at Caitlin and Ronnie's place.
While Natalia waited for Peter's arrival, two figures lurked in the shadows across the street, their eyes focused intently on the scene playing out before them. Clint, hunched over with binoculars, squinted, trying to decipher the dynamics between Natalia and Peter.
"I don't know, man," he murmured, adjusting the focus of his binoculars.
Bucky, his partner in this discreet surveillance, peered through his own set of lenses, curiosity piqued as he tried to gather intel on the man Natalia was with. "You don't know what?" he replied, irritation seeping into his voice.
Clint lowered the binoculars, a contemplative expression crossing his face. "It's not what I expected. She looks…" He trailed off, searching for the right words. "Happy. Just like in that news footage. Maybe…she's not in trouble at all. Maybe she chose to leave."
Bucky shifted uncomfortably, casting a sidelong glance at the couple interacting so freely. "Do you really need to stand so close to me? You're crowding me here," he grumbled, wanting a bit of space.
"Kind of," Clint admitted, glancing to his right. "There's this spiky plant over here that keeps jabbing me. It's annoying." He begrudgingly shuffled away from Bucky, trying to escape the prickly foliage. "So, what's our next move?"
Bucky returned his gaze to the couple. "I don't know if there is a next move," he sighed, contemplating the situation.
"Why don't we just go knock on the door?" Clint offered, his eagerness evident. To him, it seemed like the most straightforward approach.
"You are the absolute worst at recon, Clint," Bucky scoffed, exasperation bubbling to the surface. "You have the patience of a small child."
"Please," Clint shot back with a dismissive wave. "I have the patience of a normal-sized child."
"Peter, I'm going to go to the garage for a bit." The two of them picked up Natalia using their radios.
"Here we go," Clint said, seeing an opening to have a chat with her, alone.
Natalia stood in the cool, dim light of the garage, surrounded by the familiar scents of oil and metal. She gently wiped her hands on a rag, humming a tune that danced through her mind. "Try to break me, but I'm not afraid now. All my days just looking for a way out. I swore I never would go back…" The notes faded as she was struck by the sudden sensation of a presence nearby. Turning, she spotted a figure silhouetted in the doorway, curiosity etched on his face. "Can I help you?" she asked, her brow arching slightly.
Clint chuckled softly, the sound light and teasing, though he couldn't decipher whether she was playing coy or genuinely oblivious to his identity. "Sorry. I was just walking by and couldn't help but notice your bike. It's incredible."
A smile broke across Natalia's face, warmth spreading through her as she glanced at the sleek motorcycle gleaming under the faded fluorescent lights. "Thanks! I just got it. Do you know your way around bikes?"
"A bit," Clint replied, stepping forward to examine the machine that seemed almost a part of her. He leaned in, intrigued, hoping to gauge her vibe more accurately. "Mind if I take a closer look?"
"Not at all. Come on in. I'm Natalia," she introduced, extending her hand with an inviting grace.
"Nice to meet you, Natalia," Clint said, shaking her hand, trying to see if this was Natasha in deep cover or not. "I'm… Clint."
"Nice to meet you, Clint." Her voice was warm, and genuine, as she returned her attention to the motorcycle.
Clint moved closer to the bike, running his hand over its immaculate surface. "It's really spectacular, huh?"
"Like a work of art," Natalia replied, her eyes shining with passion. "Do you have one?"
"Nah, too rich for my blood. Maybe someday," Clint replied, stepping back and regarding her with newfound interest.
"It's always good to have a dream," Natalia said thoughtfully, a sense of calm enveloping her, a welcome contrast to the haunting shadows that loomed over her mind after the morning's hypnotism session.
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Clint said, studying her as she seemed entirely at ease, showing no signs of ulterior motives. "We all need something to hang onto. Something to work towards, right?"
"I couldn't agree more," she affirmed, casting her gaze back to the cluttered workbench, filled with sketches and tools.
"What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?" Clint leaned against the table, arms crossed, intrigued.
"Oh, I'm an architect. You?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Clint hesitated, searching for the right words. "Security freelance deal."
"That must be interesting work! You do it mostly in Central City?" Natalia inquired, her interest genuine.
"No, we travel all over," he replied, surprise flickering across his face as he saw the familiarity behind her eyes, uncanny yet warm.
"That's nice. We went on vacations to France a few times, and Hawaii for… a special occasion," Natalia reminisced. A smile crept across her lips as she thought back to the surprise trip Peter had orchestrated to celebrate their engagement. "We moved from a small apartment a few months ago to have more space."
"So… are you happy?" Clint questioned, intrigued by the serenity radiating from her.
"Absolutely, I love it," she proclaimed, joy bubbling in her voice. "Seriously, we're devastatingly happy. It's kind of disgusting to others, especially our friend Cisco."
"Cisco?" Clint was about to respond when an unexpected screech pierced the air, and they both turned toward the doorway.
"Oh." Natalia's expression softened as she recognized the sound. She turned and spotted little Clinton sitting on the floor with a cheeky grin. "My little escape artist, always finding a way out."
As she bent to scoop him up, their serene bubble was broken by the frantic call of Peter echoing from somewhere inside the house. "Nat! Do you have Clinton? He's escaped again!"
"I have him!" she called back, cradling the little boy in her arms.
Clint's expression shifted to one of shock as he glanced down at the child. "You… you have a son?"
"Yeah, this is little Clinton," Natalia beamed, gazing fondly at the toddler as she approached Clint. "Clinton, say hi to Clint."
"Gah!" Clinton blurted out, wide-eyed and giggling.
A laugh escaped Natalia as she adjusted his shirt, a twinkle in her eyes. "That's Clinton for Hi, Clint."
Clint stood in awe, lost for words. "He's beautiful."
Just then, Peter burst into the garage, his wild hair askew and a mix of exasperation and love in his eyes as he surveyed the scene. "I don't know how he keeps escaping." Peter's gaze landed on Clint, and he added, "Oh, hey, I'm Peter."
"…hi," Clint managed, still processing the heartwarming sight in front of him—Natalia holding Clinton, the sense of family palpable.
"Peter, this is Clint," Natalia introduced them, her voice tinged with pride. "Clint, this is my fiancé, Peter."
"…nice to meet you," Clint said, extending his hand to Peter, who shook it firmly.
"Same here," Peter replied, flashing Clint a friendly smile.
"Uh… anyway, thanks for letting me take a look at the bike," Clint said, his mind racing with confusion and disbelief as he tried to piece together the reality before him.
"No problem," Natalia said warmly as Clint began to turn away.
"Have a... great weekend," Clint offered the words feeling heavy with unanswered questions.
"You too," Natalia called after him, waving with a bright smile. "Say bye-bye, Clinton."
"Bye-bye," Clinton echoed, attempting to mimic her tone, which sent a wave of laughter through Natalia.
There was no way this was the same woman who had vanished years ago. She couldn't be. She exuded happiness, wrapped in the comfort of a loving relationship—a far cry from the shadows of the past. Bucky's background check on Peter had shown nothing alarming. He wasn't a criminal; he was simply a dedicated scientist working at Mercury Labs, a decent man.
Was this real? Was she genuinely in love with this man?
"Many questions that are asked, many answers that have yet to be discovered," The Watcher mused quietly from the shadows, observing the scene with his omniscient gaze. He watched as two confused men stood by, contemplating the unexpected reunion. Peter and Natalia were blissfully unaware that their journey was just beginning, and he'd continue to watch over them, silently witnessing the unfolding chapters of their lives.
EARLIER:
Peter navigated the bustling city streets, his mind racing as he approached the familiar brownstone where Caitlin and Ronnie lived. The weight of his news felt heavy on his shoulders. When he finally crossed the threshold, he found both of them ensconced in their cozy living room, surrounded by books and scientific paraphernalia. The warmth of the room did little to ease the chill of the news he was about to deliver.
As he relayed the shocking information, he could see their expressions transform from curiosity to disbelief. "So... he can control the weather?" Ronnie leaned forward, his brow furrowing in concern. "Is this really the reality we live in?"
"Sadly, it sounds like it," Peter replied, his voice thick with anxiety. "This is nothing like anything I have fought before, and I have a sinking feeling that the particle accelerator is partly to blame for this madness."
Caitlin's eyes widened with a mix of alarm and determination as she asked, "What do you need from us?"
"Anything you can give me," Peter stated earnestly, his gaze unwavering. "Wells left STAR Labs in your name, right?"
"Yeah, that was a surprise, to say the least," Caitlin admitted, the memories of the sudden transition flooding her mind.
Cisco chimed in, crossing his arms playfully, "He always did like you best," he said with a mock frown, though a hint of admiration sparkled in his eyes.
Peter took a deep breath, rallying his thoughts. "So, we can use STAR Labs as, what, some kind of base?" Ronnie asks.
"Exactly," he affirmed. "We need to stay one step ahead of this threat. I've already got my hands full trying to help Natalia understand what's happening to her, so I need you guys to help me with this—it can't be done alone."
The three of them shared knowing glances, a silent agreement passing amongst them as they understood the gravity of the situation. Finally, they turned back to Peter, their resolve clear.
"We're in," they said in unison, a united front against the challenges ahead.