Secret of the Widow

4

Six sets of eyes darted between me and Fury. A different emotion flashing in each one. The eyes that concerned me most stared right back into mine, unblinking and silent.

"You're a Romanoff? Like- like Nats sister?" Banner barely managed to stutter it out. I knew his eyes held a deep sadness, but I didn't look away from the man that witnessed her death, the man that carries it every second of the day.

Tilting my head in the doctors direction I answer him steadily. "Romanoff. Like Natashas daughter."

The typically docile man slams his fits on the table, standing fast enough to send his chair flying into the wall. "No. Fury how dare you come in here- how dare you bring her up like this. Nat couldn't have children. Why are you really here?" The doctors voice rose with every sentence he ground out, his voice dropping an octave with each heaving breath he took. The other team members shock soon gave way to concern as they look to their green friend. Bucky and Fury both angling their bodies slightly in-front of mine.

I finally broke connection with Clint to look at Banner. "Doc you need to cool down. You might be Banner and Hulk, but don't let the rage control you."

Before Banner can reply I glance around the group and address them. "If you don't believe me, or Fury, or even Wanda.. ask Clint." My eyes find his again. "Hawky, you've been silent this whole meeting, studying me since you walked in here." I tilt my head and squint my eyes in curiosity. "You knew Nat better than anyone in the world. Do you think I'm lying?"

The room collectively held their breath. Besides Banner who was still trying to reign Hulks rage back in.

Clints pain was written across his face, yet his eyes held questions, held the hurt of not knowing this piece of Natasha. "You're not lying sweetie. The second I saw you, I thought I was looking at Natasha fifteen years ago." His breath hitched and he cleared his throat, apparently he wasn't finished. "You look so much like her, I've been trying to figure out how it was possible. Why she never told me." He shakes his head, the smallest hint of a smile gracing his lips for a moment as he huffs out a laugh. "Man, you even sound like her you know? Same fire, same wit. I see it in your eyes."

Banner has effectively calmed himself back down, having gone to retrieve his chair that he is now slumped over in.

Clint clears his throat loudly, all trace of sadness hidden for the moment. "Hm unfortunately I can also see Stark in you too. You've got his sass and wise cracking attitude it seems." He smirks as he says this, making the somber mood dissipate.

"Thankfully that's not all I got from him, also have a killer mind and good music taste if I do say so myself." Seeing Fury's nod the room chuckles a bit remembering the two Avengers they lost not too long ago.

Banner seems to have shut down, barely getting out his question. "If you're your Nats daughter, why all the secrecy about your identity?"

This prompted Sam to add on to what Banner said. "I don't understand that either. You spent years with Tony and he never said a word to anyone, he cared for you just as Fury seems to. Nat obviously knew of your existence. So why spend years working alone, knowing all of us yet never allowing us the same to you."

Fury took over from there.

"When Natasha was fifteen, she secretly gave birth to a baby girl. That little girl was left outside a hospital with only a name. At this time, Natasha wasn't on SHIELDS radar, so the baby was lost to the world." Fury sets his hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze, before he starts a slow walk around the room, ever the drama king.

"A few years later Natasha is pulled from the fire and becomes our top agent. We learned of the baby and spent weeks tracking her down. We found this tiny, red headed girl in the middle of nowhere Romania. I adopted her."

An authoritative glance around the room kept the occupants attention as I took sip of water, hiding the stuttering of my heart. Buckys eyes strayed to my chest for a moment, then my face. His curiosity and concern ran deep with the watery depths of his eyes. As I met his gaze all I could think of was how sad it was to have those eyes not recognize me.

I turn back to Fury as he continues, still feeling Buckys gaze.

"You see, Natasha wanted to protect her child, save her from the torment she herself was about to go through. So she gave her up. And it almost destroyed her. When Natasha came to SHIELD Ali was only five, she asked me to make sure her daughter was safe, that she was happy." He looked to me for a moment before pressing on.

"Natasha has seen the darkest parts of this world, and she didn't believe she would be a good enough mother. She didn't believe she deserved the love of her daughter. Ali met her mother only once, the moment Natasha looked into her eyes, as her baby ran forward and hugged her legs, she couldn't bare to put her in the line of danger. Natasha knew what her life had become, so she entrusted me."

Fury came over and swiped my glass, chugging my water, chuckling quietly as I roll my eyes at him. "Natasha had made a lot of enemies at that point. She wanted me to raise Ali in a safe environment, nurture her joy and her mind, and she wanted her to be trained to protect herself. Natasha oversaw everyone who had access to her: teachers, trainers, guards. She had to approve all of them. She told them what to teach her and scared them to death if they even looked at Ali wrong. Her top priority was keeping her out of the public eye and unknown to her mother's enemies and past. So she was deemed classified."

My breath hitches the tiniest bit at this. I never knew she watched over me to that extent. All these years she had been there, in the shadows of my life, the mother I always wanted and never knew I truly had, in our own little way.

I stop that dangerous line of thought before my eyes can mist over, not paying attention to the sharp eyes set upon me.

"Once Stark found out, the sneaky bastard, Natasha about strangled him to the grave. But he convinced her, he said that her daughter had the makings of greatness, but her mind needed nurtured as well as her spirit and body. He told her that Ali was combat ready, but she needed his guidance and his friendship to thrive. Natasha eventually relented. Ali was raised by two unqualified men and the ghost of her mother. Hidden away until she was old enough to fight this worlds battles."

Clints piercing gaze swept across my features then up to Fury. "Was she ever going to tell us?"

Fury looked to me, giving me a silent nod when he saw my clenched jaw and closed expression. He knew this was a touchy subject. "Natasha decided to bring Ali into the open, she wanted to introduce her to you all, to herself officially. After years of watching her train and grow, years of reading her mission logs, and then finding out about her year of taming the super soldier-" at this Fury sends me a glare, this was in fact a touchy subject for him as well. I gave him a small smile and a shrug, wanting him to continue. "-Natasha decided she was ready for the team."

He looked to Clint now. "Then the snap happened." At that everyone turned to look at you.