SHE KNEW Natasha wasn’t fine. It was written all over her face, all over her shoulders and the weight on them. She could only understand as much as she allowed herself to, not having been in Natasha’s position during those five years. She wasn’t going to force her wife to talk about it if she wasn’t ready to, but she could already see the words spilling from Natasha’s mouth before she could even stop them. Much like Daisy, she had grown up without a family, without a real home – and to have one now was something they valued more than anything. Losing it was like their world crumbling around them, and putting it back together with bandaids could only do so much.
SHE COULD PICTURE IT, the image haunting her whenever she closed her eyes. Natasha all alone in the compound, no one to keep her company except her friends. Having to sleep alone every night, letting the years pass by slowly without so much as a sliver of hope that they’d come back. How she wished she’d been there. She made a mental note to thank Steve later whenever she saw him again. “I get that. I wouldn’t be worrying about myself, either.”
AS THEY WALK, they reach a corner in the path that Daisy is forever familiar with. Even in five years, the place hadn’t quite changed. Daisy loves the bench here – it’s next to a meadow that Vera would often play in. She’d always imagined they’d get a dog for her so she’d have someone else to play with; was that even a good idea now? “Come here,” she says as they reach the bench; Daisy reaches for Natasha to sit her down next to her.
COLD NIGHT SKY, it was thankfully a clear night. As soon as they’re sitting, she wraps an arm around her and pulls her in a bit closer. Even though the animals and the humans are all back, the world is quiet here, in their own little bubble. Daisy reaches her hand up to brush some of Natasha’s hair off her shoulder as she speaks. “I’m very real. We both are. We have all the time in the world to make up for it now.” Sorta – there was no possible way to make up for everything, and there would always be threats looming around the corner. At least they could try, though. They could try.
“WHAT would you say about going away?” She suggests as she leans in to kiss her on the side of the head again. If she wasn’t so sure that Natasha needed this, she would be giving her space – but if she’d learned anything in the silence of those nights, it’s that Natasha missed the touches the most, the kisses. Daisy would’ve, too. “You don’t have to put into words right now, but maybe we could use some time away. Just you, me, and Vera. Somewhere new and safe for a few days, we can get back on our feet. Try and make up for lost time. Fury has a safe house somewhere we could use, I’m sure. Or we could go to a resort.” A pause, a small smile. “You know how much I missed those long nights, if you know what I mean. And I love you and want you to be okay, so.”
it always felt nice to be able to have someone to talk to. she didn’t talk to many -- she could count the amount of people she trusted on one hand. but being with daisy, being able to speak to her, to truly just open up to someone ? well, it felt nice. there were still things that she kept inside, but it felt nice to have someone there. it took natasha a while to truly open up. but she couldn’t keep things from daisy. not anymore. it didn’t feel right, and well, a part of her really didn’t want to keep anything from her wife anymore.
as the two of them sat together, she looked out at the scenery and just let herself be close to daisy, a hand moving to rest on her leg for a moment. “i know you’re real. it’s just hard to make myself really believe it some days.” her thumb rubbed gently into the fabric of her pants, enjoying the closeness. there were nights that all natasha wanted to do was be in her presence. she didn’t need to talk. she just wanted to know that daisy was there. “going away ?” it wasn’t an awful idea, really. natasha hadn’t left the compound in almost all of the five years and she barely left the house now. and well, getting away sounded like a good idea.”
looking at daisy, she let a small half smile rise on her lips. “yeah. we can go anywhere, really. i mean... i’d rather stay out of everyone’s view, so if we do a resort, we can do something more private.” a pause. “we deserve some time away.” daisy’s next words prompted a soft chuckle to leave her lips, shaking her head ever so slightly. “oh, you missed them ? i went an entire five years without you. you blinked and came back. definitely not fair. you owe me.” maybe the lightheartedness was to simply cover up the solemn mood, but being like this with her felt right.
they both needed to just get away with their daughter and not worry about any of the other avengers. natasha didn’t want to worry about rebuilding or helping others. “i love you, too.” she’d only really said the words to daisy in her lifetime -- at least where she’d meant them. “there’s a lot of time to make up for. and i don’t know -- it was like i missed five years of vera’s life but i still get to have them. and i still get to have you.” that was all that really mattered, if she was being honest. they came back. that was enough. “we’re still here and still alive. i know other people lost a lot and there’s things that we can’t fix. there’s things that people are going to be angry about for a long time. but we’re still here.”
it wasn’t easy, and she knew that everyone was still healing and was still rebuilding, but the team was finally back together again. at least most of them. they’d lost people along the way, but they reunited the entire world. “we deserve some time away. i think vera would like it, too. she’s probably going to get tired of seeing the same walls every day if we don’t get out for a little bit.”