Scarlett Johansson x Daughter One Shots

safe & sound.

-hello!

this is a chapter from a new book I started writing a while back and haven't had the chance to get much further into writing it but let me know what you think!

💫

AVERY

"Hey, I get it. It's Stefan. It's always going to be Stefan," I quoted one of my all time favourite tv shows.

"I can't think about always." I shoved my mouth full of popcorn. "All I can think about is right now, and I care about you, Damon." I almost choke on a kernel, but recovered by the time Elena starts to speak again. "Which is why I have to let you go."

I don't get any further into the episode when I have to reach for the remote to pause after a loud knock echos through my apartment.
With my fluffy socks on, and phone in the pocket of my pants, I made my way to the door. A woman with red hair and a man with brown stood on the other side.

"Hi, Avery Barker is it?" The woman spoke, voice hoarse.

"That depends on who's asking," I answered, eyebrows drawn together. I hate when people show up announced, especially when my Friday night plans of binging something on tv and eating junk food are interrupted because of it.

"Clint Barton," the man showed me his badge. "We're with SHEILD."

I nodded and gave the redhead a look. "You? I presume you're not nameless?"

"Natasha Romanoff."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Mom, why was this list of names on the counter?"
She took a breath and patted the space next to her on her bed. She's barely able to leave it these days.

"You remember how the other week I told you about what happened to me as a kid?"
I nodded.
"I've tried to shield you from all of it since the moment I found out I was pregnant, and when I'm gone," she took a breath and my eyes watered at the second I allowed myself to think about losing her, "I want to do my best to keep protecting you. So, this is a list of people that I need you to do your very best to stay away from if they ever find you, okay? I need you to promise me that. These people are dangerous, Avery."

My face fell into a frown as I pondered on her words and scanned the list.

Dreykov.
Alexander Pierce.
Natasha Romanoff.
Olga Kurylenko.
Brock Rumlow.
Yelena Belova.

The list went on for so long that the entire yellow page was filled.

"Okay," I whispered and leant my head on her shoulder, "I promise."

I slowly reached for my gun resting on the round table beside my door and tucked it into the back of my sweatpants as the redhead continued.
"We just have a few questions," she pulled out a device similar to an iPad, but seemingly more complex, "about this video."

The video she was talking about had gone viral over all different social media platforms and news channels. I typically try to stay away from all that sort of stuff but this was everywhere, it's been hard to miss.

I pretended that I wasn't watching myself shoot a police officer my gun and take down several others as they had tried to cuff me. They had reason to—I'd stolen several pieces of jewellery from a store on seventh which I ended up selling under a fake name for a much higher price because I was about to get evicted—but I wasn't going to let myself get caught.

My Mom raised me to survive, fight, and lie before anything else, especially when it came to my identity.

Once it ended, Natasha tucked her iPad-like device away and my eyes darted between the two of them. "Unless you always turn up to strangers apartments and make them watch a video that has obviously been edited to make it come across cooler than it actually is, I assume that you're trying to get at something?"

"The girl in the video, it's you," the man declared.

"I'm truly flattered you think I can do something like that, but that was clearly a man. The person had no boobs."

The redhead glanced at my chest for a split second before she met my gaze.

"Oh, shut up. I'm wearing a guy's shirt," I told her, my tone defensive.

She quirked an eyebrow then continued on with the subject. "The gun tucked behind your back right now is the same gun you used to shoot the police officer."

If my heart wasn't racing fast enough before, it sure was now.
From the moment I started talking, I'd been taught how to act and respond if I ever found myself in a situation like this, but one never occurred until now.
I didn't what I supposed to say, or do. The two of them knew that and used my silence as an opportunity to continue.

"Where'd you learn to fight like me?" Natasha asked with a nod upward. Like me? I learnt from my Mom, and my Mom learnt from the red room.
The names on the list ran through my mind and then it clicked.
My Mom knew Natasha from her childhood—or lack thereof. The were raised in the same place but if both of them managed to get out, why did my Mom turn out to be the most selfless, kindhearted person on the planet, and Natasha turned out to be a threat?

"It's not me, and this is borderline stalker-ish, so if you don't mind I'm going to get back to my Friday night plans now," I said. I tried to slam the door shut, but it was stopped when the redhead put her combat boot in the way.

"Kid, you're in danger and we're trying to help you," Clint warned, although I didn't believe him.

"That's almost as convincing as the old 'I have candy in my car if you want to get in' trick."

Natasha cocked her head to the side and raised both eyebrows. "She has a point," she told Clint. "We're serious though, Avery. When an eighteen-year-old has the skill that you do, people get suspicious." It's getting creepier by the minute. How does she know my age? "I know this probably sounds like bullshit right now, but you need to understand that you have people after you."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of—"
I didn't get to finish my sentence before I was pulled out my apartment and away from the door. I'm unaware of what happened for several moments as I looked to the redhead, my heart beating through my ribcage. I turned my head to my right and see Clint with his back pressed against the wall on the other side of the door, an arrow pulled back to launch from his bow.

Then I noticed the bullet hole in the wall directly in front of my door.

I live alone, but somebody just fired a gun from inside my apartment. I was shot at.

"Believe us now?" Natasha asked, her voice lowered. She released her grip on my arm and reached for the gun that she had tucked into her own pants. I did the same.

_________
let me know if this is something I should write more of in the new year!

also side note: I was gonna post this on my Nat one shots but I figured I'm more active on this book so I'd post it here instead 🕺