Whatever it Takes: Black Widow

Chapter 16

Natasha went looking for Yelena and found her lying upside down on some garbage left of the Red Room. The Hulk was nowhere in sight and Natasha hoped he didn't run.

The redhead crouched in front of her sister to make sure she was okay. "Yelena?"

"We're both upside down," Yelena joked, making Natasha laugh.

When Yelena sat up, Natasha started crying as she spoke in Russian, "Forgive me little sister." She switched to English as she continued, "I should've come back for you."

"You don't have to-"

"Hey. Hey. It was real to me, too," she confessed.

Natasha watched as Yelena smiled a bit. The sisters touched foreheads, before hugging for the first time in years.

"Thank you," Yelena said.

Natasha looked over Yelena's shoulder to see Melina and Alexei walk towards them. The sisters parted and stood up, walking to their parents.

"Everybody good," Natasha asked.

"Hulk saved us from any injuries," Melina said.

"You got something to say," Natasha asked Alexei.

"When Dreykov took you all from me... I tried to get you out, but I was captured," he confessed then took Natasha and Yelena's hands. "It was never a mission. We are a family."

"Dreykov cannot take that away now," Melina added.

"Nat?" she heard a voice yelling behind her in the distance. "Natasha?"

She turned around to see Bruce frantically looking all over the place until he met her eyes. He ran towards her and she jogged to him, hugging him as soon she reached him.

"Are you okay," he asked into her ear.

"Yeah," she nodded, then let out a shaky laugh.

When they parted, he lightly cupped her face and said, "I'm so proud of you."

Not caring that her family was watching, she kissed him. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was enough to make Yelena yell out, "Get a room!"

The couple parted, then walked hand-in-hand towards Natasha's family. She watched as Bruce nodded to them in greeting when they reached the group.

Yelena pulled out a black shirt from her vest and handed it to Bruce, who thanked her before putting it on.

"How big are those pockets," Natasha asked in disbelief, not remembering a pocket that big.

"I made one of the pockets big enough for emergency clothes."

"Handy," Natasha replied then heard car engines in the distance. "Here comes the cavalry."

"So, what's our plan," Melina asked.

"You guys go," Natasha answered. "Bruce and I will stay."

"That's insanity," Alexei replied. "We fight. We fight with you."

"I'll hold them off," Natasha said.

Then her family protested with the four of them overlapping each other while Bruce stayed silent.

"Besides, if it can work out with the four of us, you know, there may be some hope for the Avengers," Natasha told them. Then she held her thumb and forefinger together, making a small space between the two. "Little bit."

"Okay, well, if you're leaving, then I guess you should take this," Yelena said as she took off her vest and handed to Natasha. "I know how much you like it."

"Shucks," Natasha said with a smile as she took it. "It does have a lot of pockets."

"Very handy pockets, yeah."

"He had Widows implanted all over the world," Natasha told Yelena as she took out one of the antidote vials and handed it to her sister. "Melina will need to copy the formula, but you should be the one to tell 'em it's over."

"Look in the front pocket on the right," Yelena told her.

Natasha did as she said and grabbed what felt like a chain. When she opened her hand, she saw the necklace that Bruce made her.

"Thank you," she told her little sister.

"I know how much it means to you, so I pocketed it for safekeeping. I didn't want you to lose it."

Everyone looked at the jet that landed as Widows came pouring out. The girls said they came back for Yelena, Melena and Alexei. They took Antonia as well, with Melina playing mother hen to all of them.

Before leaving, Melina turned to Natasha and said, "Hey. You take care of yourself, okay?"

Natasha took her mother's hand and said, "Don't worry, I got this."

"I know."

As she let go of her mother's hand and looked towards the jet, Yelena whistled and Natasha whistled back.

Natasha felt more determined than ever to make sure that the snap never happened and if it did, then she would do everything in her power to get them back.

Bruce broke the silence, "Nat, we gotta go."

An idea formed in her head as she turned to face him and said, "If we run and split, they won't find us both. One of these days, were going to have to try not going in different directions."

"I know," he smirked sadly.

"Call me when I can see you?"

"Camp somewhere with a signal," he joked.

She smiled, and he kissed her then pressed his forehead to hers. This time she kept her emotions at bay.

Natasha nodded, silently telling Bruce she'll be okay. He took a few steps backwards as if holding her gaze for as long as he could, then turned and ran. The redhead watched as he transformed and jumped high into the air, sending Ross men in the other direction.

After he disappeared into the woods, Natasha started running in the opposite direction as she put the vest on.

Note: One more chapter to go!