His Inheritance

Echoes of the Past

"Looks like we have a guest," Yelena announced just as you sat down for breakfast.

"Who?"

"Hey!" Natasha wandered in all glossy painted lips and bouncy red curls. "How is my favorite sister-in-law?"

Unfolding your napkin and placing it on your lap, you smiled back. "I'm your only sister-in-law."

"True." Pulling out a chair across from you, she took a seat and eyed your plate. "Aren't Luca's breakfasts the best?"

"I love everything he makes," you admitted.

As if he heard his name, Luca wandered out of the kitchen. Hugging Nat from behind, he winked at you. "Couldn't stay away from my kitchen, huh brat?"

Nat leaned into the hug. "Of course not."

Luca shook his head looking over both of you. "Not that my efforts really work. Both of you are too damn skinny. Men like a little meat on a woman's bones."

"I should probably warn her that's all too easy with your cooking." Nat winked at you.

"Want a plate?"

"Of course," Nat told him.

She grinned back at him as he headed back for the kitchen. That's when she noticed Yelena standing by the edge of the kitchen, not far from Scott.

"You're new," she told her.

Yelena nodded.

"She did such a wonderful job at the wedding," you said, "I asked Steve if I could have her as my personal security."

That stopped Nat, had her staring at you. "And he just agreed to it?"

You nodded, chewing on a strip of bacon.

"A woman?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" Yelena asked, her tone polite enough.

If Nat was offended by a soldier speaking to her, you wouldn't know it.

"Yeah, it is," she said to Yelena. "It's my brother we're talking about."

"It surprised me too, but I'm grateful," you told them.

Nat's smile turned saucy. "How did you get him to agree to that?"

"He wanted to have a wedding night, so..."

Nat chuckled. "How did that go?"

You held up a finger to hold that thought as Luca walked back in with her breakfast. They chatted a moment before he left you both to eat. The minute he was out of earshot, Nat's mischievous gaze was back on you.

"Are you okay?" Nat was direct. "I know it was the first time for you. And Steve? Well, I hear he can be a lot."

"You heard that about your brother?" you asked.

"When your brother is head of a crime family, yeah," Nat told you matter-of-factly.

As she started on her breakfast, her gaze swept the room again.

"He's not here," you told her. You knew she was looking for Clint. "He drove Steve into the city."

"How is he?" she asked in a lowered voice.

You didn't miss Yelena's warning look. You remembered her telling you that Nat's emotions ruled her often.

"He's doing better," you told her. "He looks better. If Steve had him resume his driving duties, he must think so too."

She looked encouraged by that.

"Or he's that worried about the current situation," Nat said quietly. "Clint's one of the best marksmen he's got."