see you in a minute

“If you’re about to ask me about Tony, I have no comment.”

“I think we’re way past hugging it out at this point. The Inhumans are pissed.”

“Of course. I’m sure Yelena will just tell me that she is a big girl. Can handle herself. She can, but there’s no way Valentina doesn’t have ulterior motives.” Melina insisted, shaking her head slightly. She knew that if Natalia was worried about it like this, it was worth looking into. But the pregnancy reveal completely shifted the conversation as Melina just stared at Natasha, dumbfounded. Both of them knew what went on in the Red Room, both had experienced the sterilization firsthand. As painful as it may have been, starting their own families was never a possibility. Not naturally, at least. “дерьмо… Are you… going to keep it?” To others that might have been an insensitive question, but Melina had a good enough relationship and understanding with her pseudo daughter to ask bluntly.

“—sorry! Didn’t mean to land so close to you! Are you alright? I didn’t step on you did I?”

“are you some kind of idiot or somethin’?! don’t touch my stuff!”

“..was I supposed to be listening? If you haven’t noticed, there are more important things currently keeping me occupied.”

Cindy grimaced upon hearing about Yelena. Honestly, she wasn’t sure she could even say she was that different. “I’m not just a different age,” She admitted, frowning as she looked up at Natasha again. “My memories are different too. My everything is different, actually.” She nodded at the next comment, rolling her eyes. “Are they not able to hold S.H.I.E.L.D. accountable for any of this?”

Daisy really wished that they weren’t having this conversation right now. The entire universe around them shifting and crafting a new narrative without their consent was terrifying. She didn’t want it to happen. Daisy wanted her Cal back, not this Mr. Hyde from another universe that didn’t even know who the hell she was. Not this Calvin Zabo who was not her father. The fact that there was no hope in reversing it was terrifying, and she couldn’t even begin to imagine how weird this all must be for Natasha too. Pregnant? It was literally impossible. “Awesome. That’s just.. all of this is so awesome.” She sighed, pausing to look up at Nat again as she frowned a bit. “Is it weird for me to say congratulations?”

Monica could feel her jaw clench at that comment, but she forced a smile anyways as she shrugged at the question. “Because A.I.M. doesn’t support terroristic acts of violence. It wasn’t as easy as just storming in and taking her back myself. But truly, thank you for going in and helping. I don’t know how to thank you.” Her smile was very forced at this point as she raised a brow at the Widow and glanced down at her stomach. “I see S.H.I.E.L.D. left you a little present. A physically impossible present. Congratulations.”

Medusa felt herself fall silent at Natasha’s words as she stared down, unsure what to make of that. Surely the widow must have been joking, but her tone didn’t display that. She couldn’t help a bitter laugh as she slowly shook her head. “Of course they do,” She clenched her fists, frowning as she looked back up at Natasha. “How bad is it?”

Gone, but never forgotten. That’s one thing that Natasha had noticed upon her ‘resurrection’. Her image had been plastered places she wouldn’t have expected it to be. There were the collectible Barbies -- the price tags promised they were different from the normal ones -- the tributes online. There was even a grave. Natasha Romanoff was loved. Natasha Romanoff had not been forgotten. The woman who lived her life was not Natasha. Not really.

The whole reality warping thing was hard for Nat to wrap her head around. She was Natasha but she wasn’t this Natasha. The body of one reality and the body of another. It was something she carried but the world didn’t know. They rejoiced her resurrection. Natasha woke up each day and tried not to scream. If there was anyone who would possibly understand, it was Tony. The two hadn’t really had a chance to talk yet; Tony had been catching up with Morgan and Pepper and Natasha had been giving birth to a baby of her own. She didn’t really want to think about the occupied crib she left with Steve as she traveled upstate to the Stark cabin. Knocking on the door, the redhead leaned against the wooden frame.

“In my defense he was dead when I got here. Now grab his legs, we only have a few minutes to hide the body.”

“My father is none of your business.” Janice’s face remained blank. “What would even make you think I would tell you anything?”