The Other Symbiote

Home Sweet Home

Raiva was once again inside the Quinjet, but it was now filled with deafening silence. She looked around at her chosen family, seeing defeat and fear hidden beneath their façades. She knew all too well what they were doing and finally the silence was broken.

"The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is. There's been no official call for Banner's arrest, but it's in the air."

"Thanks, Maria." Raiva huffed, causing the woman to scrunch her nose in a playful attempt to get her to smile.

It failed.

"Stark Relief Foundation?" He pulled away Maria's attention on her niece.

"Already on the scene. How's the team?" She looked back at Raiva who had turned to look at everyone.

"Everyone's...we took a hit. We'll shake it off." *No, I don't think we will.* Even Nemesis was being quiet, unsure of how to help them all, specifically Nat.

She had been there from the start - the first one Raiva revealed Nemesis to, the only one who understood her pain of not wanting to hurt anyone. But now, Raiva didn't know how to pay the favour back.

"Well for now I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here." Raiva turned away and moved back next to Nat, who just smiled softly at her.

"Are you okay?" Raiva chuckled lightly at the care in her voice.

"I'm fine - I didn't get hit by Wanda, so I'm fine. The real question is 'are you okay'?"

Nat's simple response was plain to see as she leaned her head onto Raiva's shoulder.

——

"Here we are. Home sweet home." Clint spoke from the pilot seat after an hour of flying. Nat awoke with her head on Raiva's lap, the teen also asleep.

Others began to stir and exit the jet, with Nat deciding to let her sleep. "It's alright, Natasha. Point me to a room's window and I'll jump through."

Clint obeyed and Nemesis quickly jumped onto the wall of the farmhouse and crawled into the window.

The other Avengers all trundled into the house, perplexed that it even existed.

"Honey, I'm home." Two children ran out to greet him and he wrapped them in his arms. "Hi sweetheart! Hey buddy!"

"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" Lila perked up at the sound of the tired redhead. "Why don't you hug her and find out?" She picked up Lila just like Clint had done and kissed her on her nose.

"Also, we have a guest currently sleeping in the laundry room." Laura raised her eyebrows but brushed it off once he told her that it was a teen.

"You don't have to be awkward about it, Clinton." Raiva spoke from the hallway, leaning against the entrance frame.

"Laura, Lila, Cooper. This is Raiva..." He looked at her and she pulled her symbiote around her back. "...And Nemesis."

Whilst Raiva expected them to be scared of her, Laura shrugged and the kids stared in awe.

"That's so cool!" "She's pretty." Raiva giggled softly at Cooper and Lila's comments on her other half.

"Close your eyes. Both of them." She pointed at Lila's playfulness before she became engulfed with Nemesis. "Okay, open."

Both were confused by the different voice but even more amazed at Nemesis. The two quickly glanced at her and ran out, enticing her to chase them.