UNDERCOVER ⧗ BLACKHILL

Not Forever - 26

A/N: sorry for that last chapter...i'll share my therapists number after this :)
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(Maria's POV)
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Yesterday, we had said our goodbye to the crime organization, and now today it was time to say goodbye to the team. This is definitively going to be the hardest thing I've ever done. I don't know how to explain it to Yelena and Peter, although I'll of course visit.

Somehow, I've managed to keep my cover, although I did introduce the team to Natasha as 'friends' in the same business, because there wasn't a way for them not to meet.

Today, though, today's going to be the worst. How do I explain to Yelena and Peter that I won't be around as often, not just because I'm undercover?

Did I mention in simple terms, this can be defined as running off with one of the most dangerous people? For all I know, I can be branded a fugitive. Hopefully not, though, because this can just all be defined as undercover work that takes a little bit longer.

As we're heading out, I text them that we're on our way to meet at the park. We've chosen a more secluded section, so we have more privacy, and are able to talk all of this through without being at the tower.

—- (Yelena's POV)

I pull out my phone as it buzzed with a message.

mar❤️: heading out now
yelena😇: ok we'll leave too :)

"Peter! They're leaving now let's go!" I yell out to Peter, presumably in his room.
"Ok!" I hear him yelling back, scrambling to get up from what sounds like a water bottle falling over.

Eventually, Peter comes out all dressed ready to go.
"There you are, I've been waiting for you."
"Ugh whatever," he puffs out, grabbing the house keys so we can leave. He closes the door behind us, and we head off to the park.

Before we went, we told Kate where we are going, because you never know what can happen. Not that we don't trust Natasha because we do, Maria does, but there's other people out there who would love nothing more than to hurt us.

Luckily, the walk to the park doesn't take long because like a normal person, I get tired very quickly from walking a distance. Peter got distracted a few times by dogs, but that's ok, they're cute.

As we walk up to the park, we see Maria and Natasha off to the side, on the outskirts of the park as planned. We walk over, greeting each of them with a hug, sitting beside them.

"So, uh, what do you have to tell us?" I ask to get the conversation going, looking over to the pair.

"Uhm, so I, we," she corrects herself quickly, the slip up luckily being able to be chalked up as nerves. "We won't be around as much anymore."

"We're not babies you know," Peter responds to the explanation a child would accept.

"We know," she reassured us. "But someone asked us a question and it made us think."

I step in, wanting a straight response and not working around it. "Natasha, what's the question?" I demand, looking serious and she knows it.

"I got into this industry way younger than an age anyone should. If I wasn't where I am today, where would I be? What would I be doing?" she responds. I search her eyes for any sign of lies, but I can't find any.

"Well I don't know if I were you," I reply smartly, but continue. "Travel, or work. Something that can keep me alive but also comfortable."

"And that's what I eventually came up with. I realized that I never really lived, it's just been work and live, not get killed."

Peter and I both hum in understanding, looking back over at Maria to continue.
"I've also been doing this for a long time, never had another job or anything," she explains, with a subtle smile that only we could see. We knew that's not the truth, but it's the truth right now.

Maria rips off the bandaid, not being able to keep it from us anymore.
"We're leaving, not forever though. We'll come back and visit you."
"What?" I ask, confusion and maybe hurt in my eyes. No, definitively hurt.

"Natasha and I realized that we never thought of a life outside. So that's what we're going to do for a while, so we can see the world that we never took advantage of."
"What?" I ask again, voice now shaking a little.
Peter wraps his arm around me and talks instead, which I appreciate.

"How would you visit us, though? Run away in this business, how are you ever going to come back? There's money over each of our heads."

"Have you met us? We'll figure it out," Natasha attempts to reassure him, while he's trying to stay strong for me.

Having had enough of hearing this, I get up, walking over in front of them.
I try to reason, "Please don't leave forever. I need to see you. You're the reason everyone stays sane."
"I promise," she replies, knowing she can't say much more.

I can't exactly bring it up right now, but how is the mission going to change? Does Fury know? Does he not, and if so, what is he going to do?

"I'm going," I direct, to which everyone stands up, I can't be here for much longer before I break down in a park. That won't be pretty.

"Ok, but come here," Maria tells me, engulfing me in one last hug. "I'll miss you."
I just squeeze her tight, not ever wanting to let her go. Eventually, we do have to pull back, so I quickly wipe my eyes before anyone can notice.

Peter waves bye to Natasha for us, as we turn around and walk away. Out of all the situations I ran through my head, this definitively wasn't one of them.

How am I going to live without her? I mean, sure, she said it wasn't forever, but no one can promise anything like that.

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A/N: i'm sorry that one hurt. i also want this to get to 30 chapters, so 4 left. i love each and every one of you, but don't worry, i have another fic planned.