What If?

Chapter 7: Whatever It Takes

Five Years Ago, 3 Months after the Decimation.

Somewhere in the Avengers Facility, Natasha was seen at the firing range as she was shooting her targets non-stop. Every time her magazine ran out, she moved to replace it with another and resume her practice. Sometimes, however, she'd rarely step out of the line and start walking towards her targets, rage fueling her adrenaline as she fired bullets non-stop until she used her last round.

She sighed, seeing that she had used every bullet on a sheet of paper, turned around a left the range to dry her sweat off in a bathroom. There, she looked herself in the mirror and observed her Blonde hair. She looked around and saw a Red hair dye package near the sink, taking the opportunity to kill some time as she grabbed the box from the counter.

Later, she was seen outside sitting next to the tree. It was raining right now. Night has fallen as she sat alone in an area where birds once inhabited the tree as Banner was seen walking by.

Bruce: (Sees Nat sitting next to the tree) I see you gone back to being Red.

Natasha: (Turns around, seeing Bruce) Bruce.

Bruce: (Smiles at his love interest, waving his hand backward) Come on inside! I'll pour us some coffee.

She followed him inside the compound as she sat on a couch while Banner walked over to bring her a cup of coffee, but not before bringing her a towel first.

Bruce: (Gives Nat a towel) Here, this should help.

Natasha: (Smiled as she accepted the towel) Thank you, but you didn't have to do that.

Bruce: I wanted to. (Sits next to her) It wouldn't be polite if I didn't hand you something to dry.

Natasha: (Looks at the towel) Does this help my clothes?

Bruce: No, but I'm sure you'll change out of those eventually.

Natasha: (Nodded as she turned to Bruce) It's been a while since I saw you.

Bruce: I know. This project I'm working on, it's uh... It's kind of a long term process.

Natasha: Any progress?

Bruce: Some good, others are mishaps.

Natasha: What kind?

Bruce: The kind that you would laugh at just to relieve the stress. Nothing to worry about. (Puts his cup on the table) But enough about me. I want to see how you're doing.

Natasha: Well... (Leans back on the couch, holding her mug) Everyone's out of the compound making sure the world doesn't fall apart while I stay here to keep an eye on things most of the time.

Bruce: So, it's lonely then?

Natasha: (Nodded) Yeah...

Bruce: What about Sam? And Barnes?

Natasha: Sam's out in the city helping those he can to cope with their losses while Barnes is in Wakanda doing important.

Bruce: Danvers?

Natasha: In Space. She said there are worlds out there suffering the same consequences of what Thanos did all those months ago.

Bruce: The Raccoon?

Natasha: Same as Carol; making sure things are under control his own way.

Bruce: Clint?

Natasha: (Sighs as she bit her lip) ...M.I.A.

Bruce: Really?

Natasha: Witnesses claim he survived what happened, but he disappeared without a trace... It's possible he's still out there.