Athena Choi, a former Avenger, is called to Westview, New Jersey to help solve the anomaly that surrounds the small town. When Athena gets trapped inside, Darcy Lewis witnesses a torrid affair that she simply can't tear her eyes away from.
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SELCOUTH | 9.2 "WHO'S THE OLD WOMAN NOW?" Manhattan, New York | 2023
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THEY ARRIVED BACK TO THE LANDING PAD and Athena taps the side of the helmet, a wide smile on her lips. The mission had been successful and if everyone else was able to get their Infinity Stones, then they were bringing everyone back. Athena was already thinking of the celebratory dinner that they were going to have and the fact that she was going to meet Yelena, and most importantly, she'd have Wanda back.
She looks around seeing that everyone was accounted for except for Natasha. Her smile slowly slipped away as she looked at Clint.
"Where's Natasha?"
He shook his head and Athena's throat instantly tightened. She could feel the tears that were about to start burning her eyes. She refused to accept the answer that he was giving her. Natasha wasn't gone. There was no way that she could be gone. She refused to accept it. She couldn't accept it.
She grabbed Clint by the neck, ignoring as Steve and Tony tried to get her to release him, she could crush his windpipe right here and right now, "Where is Natasha, Clint? Where the hell is she?"
"There had to be a sacrifice," Clint barely got out, "She – wouldn't let me."
Athena stared at him and knew that had to be the truth. Natasha and Clint had been close, probably closer than she and Natasha had been. He would have done everything in his power to protect her and that if there had to be a sacrifice, Natasha would choose herself.
She released Clint and walked out of the room heading outside to the lake. There she allowed herself to cry. When she had wanted to die five years ago, it had been Natasha that had grounded her, that had pulled her back to earth and told her that they'd bring everyone back.
"Damn it!" Athena yells as she buries her face in her hands, "What the hell am I supposed to do without you?"
Athena wipes her tears away aggressively. They had to bring everyone back now. Natasha's sacrifice couldn't be for nothing. It had to mean something.
"Kid," she hears Tony say, "Natasha – she loved you."
Athena turns to look at Tony, "You think I don't know that? Natasha was the big sister I dreamed of when I was in foster care. But none of that matters now, does it? She's gone."
The rest of the team joins them outside and Athena rolls her eyes as she looks back at the lake. She honestly wanted to be alone right now. She'd lost the two most important people to her, and she just wasn't sure how to handle the grief.
"Did she have any family?" Tony asks softly.
"Yeah," Steve states, "Us."
"We're not a family," Athena states as she looks at the men, "We're coworkers. We work together and that's it. None of you cared to ask if Natasha had a family. You guys didn't even know Clint had one. Bruce told us about Ragnarok and none of you cared about Thor or the fact that he was possibly dead. So, let's stop pretending we're a family when we're not."
