The Mimic

166

"Do you want me to go with you? I'm sure that someone else can go with Clint."

Everyone was ready. All suited up, all well-versed on where they needed to go for each stone. It was simply a matter of leaving. Everybody was making their way toward the platform that would allow them to jump into the quantum realm - on the outside it must've looked like a scene out of a badass movie, but it was obvious how nervous and adrenaline-filled everyone was.

Natasha and y/n were walking side-by-side toward the platform, making sure that they were at the back of the group so they had a bit of privacy. Nat had noticed how unusually silent y/n had been ever since the missions were announced, and she was worried for her. Just the idea of going back to her childhood in the Red Room sent her into a fight-or-flight response, she couldn't imagine how y/n was feeling.

"No, no. I'll be okay." Y/n reassured in a quiet tone. She forced a smile onto her uneasy face as she glanced over at Natasha. "I just need to get the stone and get out, right? It'll be easy." She lied, swallowing hard. "Easy." Y/n repeated, almost as if she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Nat.

Of course she wanted Natasha to go with her. Hell, she didn't even want to go on the mission in the first place. But she had no choice but to go alone. She didn't want to expose Nat to the monster that was the man in the suit. He was a vile, vile man, and y/n didn't want anybody else to know about him. He didn't deserve any remembrance or recognition. Y/n knew him and the facility more than anyone else, taking someone new could put them both in serious danger.

Natasha raised her eyebrows at y/n, she didn't believe her for one second. "This is a heavy mission, y/n. Are you sure that you don't want someone by your side?" She asked, reaching down to take a reassuring hold of y/n's hand. "I can go with you. You don't have to be alone." Nat hummed, almost trying to convince y/n to let her join her on the mission. She'd seen y/n in so many of her darkest times, and Nat just knew that this would trigger so many horrible memories and thoughts. She didn't deserve to go alone.

Y/n squeezed Nat's hand tightly, her uneasy smile seeming to wobble as she thought about the mission more and more. She was terrified. Completely and utterly terrified. Her nightmares were almost always in that Hydra facility, and now it was going to be real again. No amount of pinching herself would wake her up this time. "I'll be okay, Nat. I know I will." She reassured in a shaky tone. "Can you just promise me that we can have a full-out training session when we get back? Like old times?" Y/n asked, a desperate look in her eyes. She needed something to look forward to. A full-out training session didn't sound like comfort at all, but it was something that the pair used to do to relieve stress all of the time. It was fun challenging one another, and they always seemed to open up about something heavy. That was how y/n learnt that Natasha had a sister, but that was a story for another time.

A fond smile appeared on Natasha's face at the sound of a full-out training session. She was never going to say no to something like that, they used to be the thing that she looked forward to every week. "Sounds like you just want a chance at beating me up for dragging you back here." She teased, her smile just seeming to widen as y/n laughed. "Fine, we'll have a training session. But you're not allowed to use your powers! Making me almost break my hand by punching a wall because you teleported away wasn't fun." Nat grinned, squeezing y/n's hand in return before they finally approached the platform.

Y/n nodded with a quiet laugh, letting go of Nat's hand as they approached the platform. "Oh, but you practically tazering me and letting me hit my head on a concrete pillar is fine?" She asked with raised eyebrows, only seeming to laugh even more as Nat gave her a casual shrug. God, she'd missed being around Natasha. Texting and calling wasn't the same as being face-to-face, and the adrenaline of a mission just seemed to make everything even better. Y/n had almost forgotten that she was about to head back to Hydra.

However, before the pair could carry on with their conversation, the team seemed to gather in a circle on the platform.

It was a tense, energy-filled atmosphere. Everybody was stood still, yet it was obvious that everyone was prepared to fight. All wearing the same time-travel suit, with their mission suits on underneath. All taking slow breaths and staring down at the platform.

Y/n lifted her head up to scan over everyone's faces for the final time. She took in everyone's features, from their hair to the colour of their eyes. She took in the details of all of the suits, and even the way that everyone was standing. It was a surreal feeling. They'd been through so much together. They'd laughed, they'd fought, they'd done so much together. Yes, there some people (mainly Tony and Bruce) that she'd be very happy to never see again, but it still felt weird. She missed the old days with the team, but she was never going to get that back.

One more mission. One final mission.

Y/n took a deep breath, continuing to scan around the circle. "Whatever it takes, right? We need to get those stones." She spoke, breaking the thick silence in the room. "As soon as you get the stones, you get out of there. We don't have enough particles for any other trips." She commanded, deciding to take the leading role now that everyone was looking at her. She forced a weak smile, avoiding eye contact with Bruce and Tony as she glanced around the circle.

Steve nodded, smiling back at y/n. "Whatever it takes." He repeated, scanning around the room. They may have not always been eye-to-eye, but it was nice to see how much y/n had grown. She used to be completely silent, and now she was commanding the whole team. It reminded him of their mission to stop that bank heist. He really missed the old team dynamic. But now here they were for the final time.

Natasha and y/n soon made eye-contact from across the circle, a fond but teasing smile appearing on Natasha's face. She was excited for their training session. It was going to be good. Nat gave y/n a reassuring nod, preparing for the time heist to begin. All they needed to do was press a single button. "See you in a minute." She grinned, giving y/n a final wink.

Just like that, it was go time. The quantum realm opened up, sucking everybody inside and dragging them to their respective locations on the timeline. One more mission.