Chapter Text
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It was a grey and dreary afternoon at the new Avengers compound. The rain had been falling steadily for days in upstate New York, and so far, showed no signs of stopping. Natasha didn't mind the rain, she found it comforting rather than depressing. The monotony of endless rainy days paled in comparison to the long cruel winters she had endured in her home country. Snow was miserable and unforgiving, not to mention eerily quiet. Natasha preferred the melody of falling raindrops and had always found the sound to be calming, especially now when she needed to focus.
Sitting at a large table in the building's new state-of-the-art conference room, Natasha couldn't help but groan to herself. The senior members of the Avengers had decided to gather that afternoon, and what had started as a civil discussion had quickly degenerated into a heated argument. She had spent the last hour listening to her colleagues voice their various concerns while choosing to keep her own thoughts to herself. In her opinion, they really only had one choice, and discussing it further was a rather pointless endeavor.
After a few more heated exchanges, the debate at last came to an end, and the time for conversation was over. A heavy silence settled over the room, punctuated by an unspoken tension as everyone anxiously awaited a decision. Leaning back in her chair, Natasha took the opportunity to quietly assess each person seated at the large wooden table. Wanda was staring vacantly out the window, while both Scott and Peter glanced around the room uncomfortably. Everyone else's attention was focused on the blonde woman seated at the head of the table.
Carol Danvers sat deep in thought, her brow furrowed slightly and her brown eyes dark with contemplation. It was at times like this that Natasha was relieved she was no longer in charge. She didn't envy the other woman one bit. The decision before them was a hard one to make, and one that could potentially have serious repercussions. She watched as Carol ran a hand through her short blonde hair and lifted her dark gaze to look around the table. The woman's expression was stoic, but the lines around her eyes betrayed her weariness. The blonde sighed heavily.
"Ok... let's do this. But this time we're going to do it right," she stated, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "One person, one mission, no losses."
Several people around the table nodded solemnly as everyone in the room, especially Natasha, felt the weight behind her words.
"I would volunteer, but obviously it can't be me," Carol continued as she scanned the periphery of the table, looking from person to person.
Some did their best to avoid her gaze while others seemed to welcome the consideration, obviously hoping to be chosen. Finally, Carol's gaze came to rest on one person, and Natasha couldn't hold back a smirk as their eyes met. Their fearless leader had apparently decided she was the best choice, which Natasha found somewhat amusing but not entirely surprising. Holding the blonde's inquiring gaze, she quirked an eyebrow.
"Sure, I'll do it," she replied with a small shrug.
The tension filling the room seemed to ease a bit as everyone took a moment to absorb her response. Thankfully most people seemed pleased with the decision.
Still holding her gaze, Carol nodded once in response. "Alright then, let's get started."
With the meeting finally over, Natasha decided to drop by the new science lab to start going over some of the specifics for the mission. The preparations were fairly easy this time around since most of the technical kinks had been worked out, but time travel was still a risky endeavor at best. Due to its dangerous and precarious nature, the technology had been shelved after the end of the war. Strict procedures and regulations had been instituted since then, and only certain individuals could authorize its use. Time travel could only be employed under the most dire circumstances, and only after all other options had been exhausted.
The technology had originally been created in an attempt to reverse the devastating effects of The Blip. Eventually, they were able to restore what had been lost, but the victory had come at a price. Manipulating the past had created unforeseen consequences, and in some cases resulted in heartbreaking casualties. Forced into an impossible situation on a distant world, Natasha had been prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect someone she loved, but had tragically lost them instead. It had taken her a long time to finally accept Clint's death, but she knew she would never be able to escape her own guilt.
The end of the war had brought with it more painful losses, and initially everyone had come together to provide some form of mutual support. But once the funerals were over, and the debris was cleared away, people had eventually gone their separate ways. With everyone scattered around the globe, and no one left to lead them forward, the future of the Avengers had seemed uncertain. Natasha had returned to her home country, to the family she never spoke of, with no intention of returning.
Until Carol Danvers stepped up.
Natasha was surprised to say the least when Sam contacted her and told her the news. In the past, Carol had never stayed long when she visited her home planet. The woman was always on the move, always heading off somewhere where her considerable powers were desperately needed. It had been somewhat of a struggle to maintain contact with her during the years after The Blip. Sometimes months would go by before she found the time to check in. Natasha often wondered why Carol chose to take on so much responsibility. Her efforts were admirable, but didn't seem sustainable, and Natasha could only assume that was why the other woman had finally decided to stay in one place.
The fact that Carol had decided not only to stay but also to lead them, piqued Natasha's curiosity enough to return. The other woman was more than relieved when Natasha stepped through the doors of the new Avengers compound. Carol was grateful for the show of support, not to mention the years of experience Natasha brought with her. As news of her return spread, more people decided to follow suit, and soon the new compound was bustling with activity. The Avengers were back, and ready for whatever was in store.
It was almost a year before a new crisis inevitably hit. One that threatened countless lives and had the potential to wipe out entire worlds. Even though they were Earth's mightiest heroes, the Avengers had answered the call and joined the galactic fight. When it was discovered that a particular well-known relic held the key to their salvation, hope was reborn, until they learned it had been destroyed years earlier. It was then that they realized only the past could provide the answers they so desperately needed. And as luck would have it, the person who was in a unique position to provide those answers was a younger version of Carol Danvers.
Natasha had known Carol for years, having met shortly after The Blip, but they had never been more than acquaintances. The other woman had appeared unexpectedly when they needed her most, and she had quickly proved to be a powerful ally. Over the years, they had communicated mostly through holograms, and their conversations had never progressed beyond professional. Despite this, Natasha had to admit she was intrigued by the blonde, and had been from the start. Carol had a way of owning a room the minute she stepped into it, and her brazen nature and obvious lack of concern for what other people thought of her was appealing.
The blonde also had a reputation for being somewhat "icy" but Natasha thought "aloof" was a more accurate description. The woman was all business, all the time, and mostly kept to herself. She never dropped by the communal areas of the compound, or took the time to socialize with her colleagues. Carol was smart, clever, and undeniably attractive, but completely unapproachable on a personal level. She smiled little, laughed even less, and had a knack for sobering almost any conversation.
Some people assumed their leader kept her distance due to arrogance or disinterest, but Natasha believed it had something to do with the weariness she often saw in the other woman's eyes. Carol looked like someone who had been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders for far too long. And that probably wasn't far from the truth. Had they been friends, Natasha wouldn't have hesitated to voice her concerns. But since they weren't, she kept her opinions to herself.
Because they shared no close bond, Natasha wasn't quite sure what the other woman thought of her, but apparently Carol trusted her enough to send Natasha on their most important mission yet. She could only assume the other woman had done her homework and had chosen Natasha for her very specific skill set. Getting information out of people was one of her specialties, after all, and would no doubt come in handy. In any case, Carol's trust was well-placed. Natasha knew everyone's hopes were riding on her, and she had no intention of disappointing anyone.
The next week was spent planning and preparing until at last Natasha felt like she had everything she needed. As a reminder, she was once again briefed on the side effects of time travel, as well as the specific time period she was traveling to. Natasha didn't have a clear memory of 1988, she had only been four years old at the time, but luckily information from that era was easy to come by. Donning her period-appropriate attire, and thankful that leather never went out of style, she made her way to Carol's office to receive the last bit of information she needed.
The blonde was sitting at her desk when Natasha walked in, pouring over a file she had laid out in front of her. The woman's office was bathed in light, despite the inclement weather, thanks to an entire wall full of windows. As Natasha approached the desk, the blonde looked up and met her gaze.
"Everything ready to go?" Carol asked.
"Yep. So, where exactly are you sending me?" Natasha asked.
"To a bar I used to frequent," the other woman answered as she gathered up the papers and handed the file to Natasha. "It shouldn't be hard to find me."
Detecting the slightest hint of trepidation in the blonde's voice, Natasha stared at the other woman for a beat, wondering if she should ask Carol to elaborate.
"Alright," she replied, deciding against it.
"Your first priority is to establish contact with me... her. It's up to you how you want to proceed from there."
Natasha nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll get what we need."
"I know you will."
Natasha couldn't hold back a smirk; Carol had indeed done her homework. Leaving the office, she made her way to the science lab while she scanned the file and committed it to memory. It seemed easy enough, all she had to do was find Carol in the past and find a way to gain the young woman's trust. Entering the lab she handed the file to Bruce, who was waiting at the controls, and stepped up onto the large machine's platform.
"Ready?" the big man asked.
"You bet," Natasha responded, smiling to herself.
This time she knew exactly what she was walking into.
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