The Trial of Bruce Banner

Tasha-Tude

Natasha steps forward over the hillside and extends her arms to block the race she's observing between Yelena and Rebecca.

Rebecca runs at full speed and leaps into her mother's arms with nothing but trust that she will be caught. Her mother chuckles, for the first time in a long time, pecking Rebecca's cheek with six rapid kisses.

"Roar! I'm coming!" Yelena circles from the opposite direction, arms extended.

"TETYA-!-is going to approach us calmly," Natasha's smile is lost as she scolds.

Yelena drops her arms, "Even chase is boring."

The wind catches Rebecca's hair as she scrambles to break free, "Chase!"

"No! No more," Natasha lowers her, feet first, "Why are you two this far out in the backyard?"

Yelena shrugs, "It was cool. She wanted to look for bugs. I wanted to run with Fanny and Max."

"Ugh. Can we stay closer to the rental, please?!"

She can't help but keep an arm wrapped around Rebecca's torso to subconsciously check for a heartbeat.

Calculating a heart rate has become second nature, it's nothing new. Worrying about a real explosion is.

It's always been a concern of Natasha's, but she'd feel like a monster if she were somehow at fault for not taking precautions.

"Come on," Yelena softly argues with her sister, her head tilted.

Natasha's mouths make a firm 'o' shape with her eyeballs just as large, "No!"

"Where were you?" Yelena crosses her arms, "You should go back, talk to Mama, and let us have fun."

"I was on the phone with Fury."

"Oh?"

Natasha watches her sister's face drop with guilt and equal curiosity.

She smirks, "He knows who is at the house."

"Tell me."

Rebecca parts from the two and spins in place, amused with her bare feet in the grass.

Natasha crosses her arms as her voice demonstrates she's halfway impressed, "Betty Ross."

"No!" Yelena mouths quietly.

She nods, "She's doing an amazing job."

"Jen pulled this off."

"Betty is," she corrects, reaching to catch Rebecca as she falls backward mid-spin.

Natasha's intuition when it comes to her daughter is never wrong.

"Wow," Yelena crosses her arms disapprovingly.

"What?"

"I do not like this. Gor'kiy. We have talked-."

Natasha frowns in a dare, "Say that again."

"Gor'kiy. I can say worse."

"There's a difference between bitter and sad. I'm the latter and I'm allowed to be."

"What is plan?"

"There is no plan-."

"Gor'kiy," Rebecca repeats, giggling obviously.

The two dogs circle and Max licks her small face. She squeals in laughter.

Natasha lifts Rebecca into her arms and holds a glare for Yelena who calls Fanny over.

"You're not in my position," Natasha lectures her sister through her teeth while Yelena pets the dogs.

"I would not blame the person who tries to help," Yelena says with a glare.