❝Whatever happens, just know that I never stopped trying.❞
. . .in which she must do whatever she can to protect the world and what's left of the ones she loves.
[BOOK THREE]
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★ ★ ★
5 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS AFTER DECIMATION
PRESENT DAY OCTOBER 7, 2026
★ ★ ★
Marlena took a deep breath and sat her water bottle down at her side. She looked at the empty gym in front of her and frowned, her thoughts wandering back years when she and members of the team would train together or spar with one another. Now it seemed as if she and Natasha were the only ones left. Okoye and the remaining Avengers were off handling issues across the globe under Natasha's command. Tony finally had the family he desired, so he wasn't around as much anymore. Clint was running across the globe wreaking havoc. Steve and Marlena visited every once in a while to see Natasha, but for the most part the two managed to find a way to live without the world of avenging. It wasn't that they were through fighting, but after Thanos it seemed almost as if there wasn't much left to fight for.
After several more minutes of being lost inside her head, Marlena finally stood up. She wiped her face clean of sweat and grabbed her gym bag. She ventured through the compound until she found the room she was looking for, and once she had, she stepped inside. Natasha was sitting alone with her legs propped up on the table in front of her and her eyes were brimming with tears. A small smile pulled at the corner of Marlena's lips and she started toward the redhead.
"You look like shit," Marlena teased her.
Natasha chuckled and wiped the tears from her face. Even after so many years, she still felt the painful effects of losing her teammates—her family. As someone who wasn't big on expressing emotion, she feared she'd never find a way out, but she figured the pain was the price of love, and she loved her team. "It's been a rough few years," she answered with a sigh.
Marlena walked over to her. She sat her bag down and grabbed a chair. She pulled it over to Natasha and sat down beside her, her head falling onto the redhead's shoulder. "Tell me about it," she replied.
"I've missed you," Natasha told her.
Marlena smiled softly and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly within her own. "I've missed you, too. I also meant to bring you the present I got you from Nice today, but Steve was rushing me, so I'll have to get back to you on that."
"Oh," Natasha hummed and placed her head over top of Marlena's. "It's been months since you two got back, I almost forgot about it. What is it?"
"Exactly what you told me you wanted plus a little bit more," Marlena answered her. "I got us matching friendship bracelets."
