Forever & Always

Damn Kids

Natasha yawns, a hand on her bedroom door handle. Her other hand finds her hip as Lucy paces through chipper.

"Morning Aunt Nat! I brought coffees!"

"Is that my shirt?"

Lucy looks down, "Maybe."

"A blonde left this morning-."

"-Izzy."

"Izzy stayed with Brody last night. You and Linda were in my studio."

"Yeah okay,' Lucy blushes, scratching her forehead with a squeaky pitch, 'Lindaaaah may or may not have stayed over. Uncle B said it was okay! You can ask him! I swear!"

Natasha blinks, unreadable.

Lucy bites her cheek, "Say something? Like anything. Your glare might be scarier than my mom's. Did I ever tell you that when dad used to steal the remote on a Saturday morning and turn off the world news because-."

"We keep bleach in the pantry. Make sure the door is closed so Milo doesn't get into it."

"Yep!" Lucy darts around the space, opening every closet door.

"Coffees?" Natasha extends her open palm and waits.

Lucy runs back to hand them off.

"Remind your mother that check out is at 11," Natasha yawns again.

Lucy snickers, "Yeah ma'ams. What's wrong with your head? Oh my god, are you, are you hungover?! You are!"

"Shh! So loud."

"You partied harder than us kids!"

"Shush!"

"We always knew Riley was the favorite but I wasn't expecting you to get SLOSHED. Wowsers! Dude! What are you like drunk?! Is Uncle B up? He'll spill the tea. UNCLE-."

Natasha swings Lucy around, pinning her to the ground.

"Hi?" Izabella stands frozen at the door, the Banner's house key in her mouth, holding muffins.

Jennifer circles from behind, palm on her forehead, "Jesus, Lucy! What did you do now?"

Lucy wheezes, "I didn't DO anything! Aunt Nat is crazy mom!"

"That's why I married her," Bruce mumbles, seemingly just appearing in the kitchen and casually sipping a coffee, "Thanks for getting these."

"Thanks for the help. I hope watching me get destroyed is entertaining for you. By all means, sit," Lucy whines.

"It is. I will. Thanks."

"Is this about Asgard?! For the hundredth time! I didn't mean to stab you! THAT ISNT EVEN OUR REALITY !" Lucy squeals.

"I can't,' he leans forward, 'I'm having trouble hearing you."

A phone dings from the tabletop. Izabella scoops it up and enters Natasha's passcode;

"It's Riley."

"Excuse you! Drop that phone." The older Russian glares.

"They landed in the Domican Republic."

Jennifer sits up at a barstool, "Matt said he wants to take me there."

"On that note! I'm going back to bed," Bruce exits quickly.

Natasha grabs the phone from Izabella and follows him, looking back at Jen, "Check out us at 11am sharp. I need my house back. Izzy?"

"What?"

Natasha rolls her eyes, "At least text us if you're going to use the key."

"Can I use it on Friday for movie night? Ooh! This week is my pick and we are watching You've Got Mail!"

Natasha fakes excitement with another very sarcastic eye roll, "YAY!"

Jennifer salutes at Natasha. Lucy stands and shakes off her pummeling.

Izabella rubs her hands together, mouth contorted, "Let me know if you need a ride, I guess. I don't know where you parked."

Jennifer steals a coffee, "The airfield."

Lucy reaches, rolling her eyes, "That was Izzy's, mom."

"Sorry!" She spits her sip back into the cup. "Where's mine? You didn't get me one?"

"Ugh! MOM! I asked you if you wanted one and you said and I quote, 'no I'm on a no caffeine diet' so I bought 4!"

"Oh, right. Sorry honey. I was with Matt when you texted-."

"-I know."

"I thought you were with Linda?"

"OH would you look at that,' Izabella pivots, 'Dr. Strange is calling. I have to answer this...bye!"

Lucy takes the seat next to Jennifer as they sit in silence, staring forward.

Walters laughs to herself and speaks up first. "I bet Thor is missing our weekly performances."

"I haven't even seen her place yet."

"Who's place?"

"Izzy's."

"Oh," Jen nods.

Lucy shakes her head and leans an elbow over the table, "Does Matt know? Where you live and all that?"

She shrugs, "...no."

Her daughter sighs, "I'm sorry. I'm keeping you away from your home. From your cousin."

Jennifer takes her hand, "I'm happy as long as I can be wherever you are."

"But you miss Earth."

"What?! No!"

"A little?"

"A little," Jennifer squints over her confession.

Lucy shrugs, "I, might, miss it a little bit too."

Jennifer lifts an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean...Dad's here."

"UGH,' she rolls her eyes, jostling a giggling Lucy, 'you had me considering relocation until you brought him up."

"Seriously though,' her fingers find her hair, 'Would you?"

Jennifer contorts her mouth with a hopeful glisten in her eyes, "Would you?"

* * * * * * * * * *

"And and, just like that,' Maria blows her nose so hard that the sound resembles a thunderstorm, 'my baby is GONE. Forever. She'll never visit outside of work, she'll never call me, we'll never have movie nights again, we'll never finish our tenth run of Avatar the Last Airbender together-."

Fury, who has been quietly listening to her vent and cry, looks down over the buzzing phone.

Maria scrambles to answer, "Riley?...Riley! You made it to the D.R?"

'Yeah. The hotel feels pretty fancy. Garrett says he'll send pictures.'

"I'm low key jealous. I should fly out-."

'No.'

"I'm kidding!" Maria sniffles.

'There's a cabana-...Mom? Were you crying?'

"No?! Not at all. The tree outside started blooming. You know what it does to my nose."

'Okay well. I guess I'll see you in a week.'

Maria inhales and holds her breath, "Yeah."

'Yeah. Don't start with the whole, tearful, I'll never come over thing, again. We've been through this.'

"I'm not."

Fury leans over, "She is. I'll keep her in line."

Riley laughs, 'Thanks. I love you, mom.'

Maria covers her mouth, swallowing before she answers calmly, "I love you."

The call ends and Maria drops her phone facedown on the table. She sits against her chair and secures her bun.

Fury shakes his head, "Well?"

"Well nothing,' Maria adjusts her uniform and huffs, pushing the chair against the table, 'where's Violet? Why hasn't she clocked in for work today? These damn kids. You can't get good help today!"