Another Romanoff [Original]

47

*This is around five years after the last chapter. I say around because I want to line up with the time in Endgame

Ana sat by the desk waiting for her sister to finish making her sandwich so they could move on with the mission reports.

" Yeah, we boarded that highly suspicious warship Danverse pinged," Rocket said.

" It was an infectious garbage scowl," Nebula replied.

" So thanks for the hot tip,"

" Well you were closer," Carol defended.

" Yeah, and now we smell like garbage,"

" Just like the trash panda you are," Ana quipped.

" Not now. You get a reading on those tremors?" Nat asked.

" It was a mild subduction under the African plate,"

" Do we have a visual. How are we handling it?"

" Nat, it's an underwater earthquake. We handle it by not handling it. Carol, are we seeing you here next month?" Ana asked.

" Not likely," Carol replied.

" What, are you gonna get another haircut? And you, do you just wanna make out again? Ugh, love makes me sick," Rocket snarked.

Rocket's statement caught her off guard. Sure, they had been getting closer over the last five years, but they knew it was strictly as friends. Even the thought of betraying Pietro still made her furious. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard things clashing in the background.

" You shut your mouth you gross ass rodent!" Ana snapped.

" Hey! Ana, you need to cool down. Take a minute," Natasha commanded.

" Fine," 

Ana left without another word.

" I hate to say it Nat, but your sister is out of control. Letting her use her powers again is too risky. She's already unstable enough as it is," Okoye said.

"Look, I know she's not in control right now. I'm just trying to keep her from going back with Barton. I don't need her getting mixed up with that again. She's just a kid," Nat explained.

" I agree when I'm not busy I'll try to make it over to teach her better control. Just try not to provoke her," Carol said.

" Alright,"

Everyone but Rhodey disconnected after that. Now it was time to find Barton.

" Where are you?" Nat asked.

" Mexico. The Federales found a room full of bodies. Looks like a bunch of cartel guys. Never even had a chance to get their guns," Rhodey explained.

" It's probably a rival gang,"

" Except it isn't. It's definitely Barton. What he's done here, what he's been doing for the last few years... I mean the scene that he's left... I gotta tell you, there's a part of me that doesn't even want to find him,"

" Is that what you said about me? When I left with him? Most of those scenes he left, those were mine. Did you not even want to find me?" Ana questioned.

" Ana..."

" Find out where he's going next. I'll help in any way I can,"

" Okay,"

Rhodey cuts off after that, but the look he gives Ana isn't a friendly one. She knew he still thought of her as a monster. Maybe she was. Every life she took for two years. The time she spent away from her kids.

" What happened here? It looks like a tornado came through here," Steve said.

" Sorry, I got a little heated," Ana apologized.   

" It's all right Ana. You here to do laundry?" Nat asked Steve.

" And visit a couple of friends," Steve replied.

" Clearly, your friends are fine,"

" You know I saw a pod of whales when I was coming up the bridge,"

" In the Hudson?" Ana asked.

" There's fewer ships, cleaner water,"

" You know, if you're about to tell us to look on the bright side I might just lose it... again,"

" Sorry force of habit. You know I keep telling everybody they should move on... and some do, but not us,"

" I can't move on. Every time I try I see his face. The feeling I got on Titan. I knew the second he was gone. It was just an empty void, an incomplete bond. The worst part is Wanda went at the same time. I felt them both at the same time. A-and then Peter. H-he was t-the worst. He didn't go quickly. I was collapsed on the ground as it happened. As Tony he-held him in h-his arms. This work we do is the only thing keeping me focused right now. If we don't do this, who does?"

Steve was silent for a moment, thinking of what to say. In his own grief, he never thought about how it would affect the youngest of the team. She was only 24 years old. She had seen enough death and pain to last her a lifetime and this was the icing on the cake. Everyone she knew, were slowly either dying or leaving her. He told himself he was going to stop that from happening. That the kids would never experience what he did, but he failed. He couldn't stop Thanos and now she lost her fiance and her sister.

" Maybe it doesn't need to be done. You deserve to find whatever happiness is left in the world. Go home to your kids," Steve said.

" I used to have nothing. And then I got this. This job... this family. And I was... I was better because of it. And even though... they're gone I'm still trying to be better," Natasha replied.

" Besides, I'm not even technically supposed to be seeing my kids. Apparently, when you lose sight of what you have, and go off with a revenge filled Avenger, you lose all custody of your kids. Tony's looking after them for me. The three kids really get along. Besides, one day I'll get them back," Ana cried.

Before anyone could think of what to say, the security cameras were going off.

" Oh! Hi. Hi! Is anyone home? This is Scott Lang. We met a few years ago, at the airport. In Germany. I got really big, and I had my mask on. You wouldn't recognize me," Scott rambled.

" Is this a new message?" Steve questioned.

" It's the front gate," Ana replied.

" Ant-Man? Ant-Man. I know you know that. I need to talk to you guys," Scott explained.

" Let him in,"