Cookie's writing

“I can’t wait to see you all on Christmas! I’ve decked the apartment out and I have pretty much everything we all eat!” You messaged the group as you left work, an excited smile tugging at your lips. 

“Christmas? What are you talking about?....we’re on vacation?” Your sister replied within minutes. Everything you had imagined for your first adult Christmas went from being filled with warmth, laughter and traditions to hitting you like a bucket of cold water. 

“What?...” You sent back, your smile faded quickly. 

“Honey, we told you weeks ago” your mother’s name popped up. 

“I would’ve remembered if you did….when did you guys leave?” You asked, not feeling a mix of disappointment and loneliness as you started to think about what Christmas would now look like. 

“We landed in Hawaii late last night, I’m so sorry honey. Maybe you could get a last-minute ticket? You never got back to me when I asked you if you wanted to come” 

Your mother’s message stared back at you for a moment before you exited the app and quickly searched up flights from New York to Hawaii. It was a stretch, doable but only if you could get the time off work. You switched from Safari to the work chat. 

“Hey guys, I know this is supper last minute, but would anybody be able to cover my shifts for a week?” You hesitantly pressed send and placed your phone on the passenger seat before driving home.  

The whole drive home you racked your brain for the memory of your parents even telling you about their holiday plans, let alone even inviting you and not a single memory came to mind. Maybe you were too busy with work to remember, maybe they forgot to ask, who knows, but it definitely made everything you were so excited about seem pointless. 

“Hi Y/n. Sorry but no staff will be allowed to switch the roaster this close to the holidays. If this is a family emergency, please see me tomorrow to discuss some possible time off.” Your phone buzzed with a message from your boss. You let out a heavy sigh as you sunk into your sofa. 

“Sorry. Can’t make it. Working.” You replied to the family chat, fighting back the tears that were building in your eyes. “Have fun” you added. 

“I’m sorry love, we promise to call on Christmas eve! X, Next year we will do Christmas at yours xx we love you” your mother replied but her words meant almost nothing to you now. 

As you sat on the sofa, trying to avoid dealing with you the idea of doing Christmas without your family, you scrolled endlessly on TikTok, hoping for it to distract your mind but of course, almost every second video was about people getting ready to celebrate in their cozy homes and surrounded by their loved ones. With Christmas only a week away, your Christmas spirit melted faster than the sun could melt a snowman. 

“Ugh!” You groaned, dropping your phone onto the couch beside you and rolling your eyes. A knock at your door making you pull yourself up from the sofa before you made your way to hope it. Yelena stood happy to see you. “hey!” She smiled, “are you ready for Christmas?” She asked, letting herself in. 

“I guess so” you sighed, closing the door after her.

“Why the sigh?” The blonde asked as she turned to you. 

“It’s not like I’m doing anything special” you replied, walking towards the living room once more, “my family just told me that they’re in Hawaii for Christmas and guess who didn’t get the invite” you added. 

“Wait…so you’re spending Christmas alone?” Yelena’s cheerful expression turned to a concerned frown. You nodded as you sat down on the sofa once more. “Well, not on my watch!” Yelena added. 

“Lena’, it’s fine, you don’t have to worry” you tried to assure her, but you knew better then trying to convince somebody as stubborn as Yelena. She chuckled, “you’re going to have the best Christmas, I promise!” The blonde smiled. 

----

Christmas Eve morning came cold and snowy as you woke up to Yelena ripping the covers off you, “get up! It’s like 10am” Her thick Russian accent filling your bedroom. You groaned the morning coldness filling your body, “Lemme sleep” you mumbled. 

“No, have things to do before tomorrow” she replied. You rolled over, pulling the pillow over your head to block out her enthusiastic energy. But Yelena wasn’t having any of it. With a swift motion, she yanked the pillow away, revealing your messy bed hair and sleepy eyes.

“Come on! We have to bake the cookies or Santa won’t eat!” She exclaimed. Sighing, you finally managed to sit up, “fine, just give me a minute” you said, swinging your legs off the edge of the bed. “Good! I have coffee from the café waiting for you in the kitchen” Yelena said proudly as she left the room. The smell of coffee finally hitting you as you wandered after her and into the kitchen. 

You grabbed the takeaway coffee then made your way to the living room to enjoy the hot drink while you caught up on the latest season of Outer Banks. Within minutes, you heard voices coming from the kitchen she slightly made you frown as you placed your coffee on the coffee table and went to investigate. 

“Good Morning!” Clint, wearing an apron smiled. 

Your eyes met his as you gave him a soft smile before they moved on to Natasha who was reading the baking instructions on the back of the book. “Yelena, what did you do?” You asked, your eyes shifting to her. 

“I told you, you’re going to have the best Christmas” she said, “I invited everybody” she added making Clint laugh. “Yeah, ‘invited’” he said, “don’t stress kid, you’ve got more than one family” he added, giving you a playful wink. You felt a genuine smile tug at your lips just as Kate and Peter let themselves in, Kate had her hands full of brand-new cooking utensils while Peter had his hands full of grocery bags. 

“You guys seriously don’t need to do all this for me” you said, feeling every piece of love from your family friends. 

“As if we would let you spend Christmas alone!” Wanda charmed in as she entered your apartment, you turned to her and smiled softly. Suddenly your small apartment’s kitchen was alive and becoming a mess. Clint, Kate & Wanda began baking cookies while You, Nat & Yelena & Peter worked on making gingerbread houses.

Sam, Steve, Thor, Bucky and Tony arrived with extra party essentials. Thor placed a very large punch bowl in the center of your dining table while Tony and Bruce whipped up an alcohol-free punch. 

Hours flew by as your apartment was filled with laughter and memories. You made a mess, flour dusting the kitchen counter and your faces. By the time you finished making gingerbread houses, you felt a certain warmth blooming in your chest that had nothing to do with the oven. You took a moment to admire the sound of your closest friends filling your apartment with exactly what you hoped for, love and happiness. Freshly baked cookies wafted through your apartment, mingling with the scent of cinnamon and ginger from the houses. 

“I think we’ve earned this!” Kate said, holding a piece of gingerbread covered in frosting and candy. 

“Cheers to that!” You laughed, taking a piece for yourself. Just then, Steve and Tony entered the room holding up a gingerbread house version of the Avengers Tower with proud smiles on their faces, “no way did you guys make that!” You joked. 

“We did!” Tony said proudly, admiring his handy work in frosting. 

The evening wore on, it felt surreal to be surrounded by friends who felt more like family. You could hardly believe that just a few days ago you felt unloved by your own family and the holiday season weighing heavy on your heart. Now, the sound of holiday classics on the radio wrapped around you like a warm blanket, intertwined with the joyous exclamations of your friends.Yelena was right, this was going to be the best Christmas yet!

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“Come on detka. It won’t be that bad.” Nat muttered into your ear as she held you from behind as you stared at your form in the mirror, her arms wrapped around your waist gently. “It’ll be a couple of hours then we can come up here and cuddle okay?”

You hummed looking up, meeting her eyes through the mirror. At the moment, all you wanted was to rip away from Natasha, strip down, put on some safe comfy clothes and burrow into your special duvet however you nodded, putting a small smile on your face. “Okay Natty…”

She released your waist, one hand dragging down to capture your hand gently and tug you away from the mirror. You pulled your hand back, a normal motion for you. The girls didn’t know why but sometimes being touched made your skin crawl however they never questioned it much. You fidgeted with your top as you followed your girlfriend out to meet up with Wanda.

“You two finally ready?” She mused turning around to look at the two of you. Her face turned from a smirk to a loving smile. “You two look amazing…”

“You look great too detka.” Nat said placing a soft kiss on Wanda’s cheek before the two of them turned to face you, your hands fidgeting with your shirt again. Each of them placed a chaste kiss on your cheeks before the three of you made your way down to the party.

The music was loud as Natasha pushed the door open, revealing a throng of people dancing around, milling around the bar and sprawled out on the multiple couches chatting. Going in there seemed like the worst idea however, you had gone this long without anyone finding out as you managed to avoid any parties that Tony had thrown. Your brain instantly started to scream however you put your mask on and followed the two in front of you to the bar where they both ordered a drink before turning to you.

“What do you want malysh?” Wanda asked placing her hand on the small of your back, bringing you back to the present. Your eyes glanced over to Natasha who had concern swimming in her green eyes. “Do you want me or Natty to order for you?” She mumbled into your ear. You nodded softly, one hand going up to fidget with your necklace.

After ordering your drink and receiving the three of them, the three of you made your way over to the couches where all your friends were sitting.

You sat silently between the two girls as they all chatted. Your body stopping you from talking, earning you a few glances from your concerned friends, glances you brushed off with a small excuse of being tired.

After a couple of hours, your mask had started to slip and your could feel overstimulation take over. Your hair being in your face was causing you to constantly push it behind your ears. The clothes you were wearing were too tight, the shoes pinching your toes, your makeup felt like it was burning your skin. The music suddenly felt like the sound of nails on a chalkboard. the throbbing lights causing a migraine to start forming behind your eyes.

You started to feel your fuse grow shorter and unfortunately it was Natasha that received your final snap.

“Oh my god Natasha. Just fuck off!!” You screamed, your whole body freezing as soon as you realized what happened. Natasha turned to you with wide eyes, confusion running over her face. “Detka…?”

Your head whipped around to face a mad Wanda. “Y/N! Natasha did nothing wrong! What is wrong with you?! You’ve been nothing but stand off ish all night! She was checking to see if you were okay!” You could feel electricity running through your veins so you stood and bolted out of the party, ignoring all the people trying to bring you back with tears now streaming down your face.

You pushed the door to the staircase open and bolted up to the living floor where you flung your old bedroom door open and closed it behind you. After some digging through your drawers, you found some old safe clothes and peeled the fancy clothes off pulling on the cotton material. You flicked the small light off and burrowed into your weighted blanket after whispering for Friday to sound proof your room and unplugging all the electronics. It couldn’t have been more than 5 minutes before you heard a soft knock on your door and you let out a soft whimper.

The sound shattering the hearts of the two women outside your door. Natasha pulled Wanda a little farther from your door. “Autism.” She muttered causing the witch to look at her in confusion. “She’s got all the signs. I don’t know how we’ve never noticed it before. It explains why she exploded.” Wanda’s heart shattered again taking a glance at your door.

“I snapped at her… what do we do?” She asked softly looking back at the assassin who wiped the tears off the brunettes cheeks.

“We put on some cotton clothes, grab her little stuffed animal and her other comfort items and go check on her. She may not want us to touch her and that’s okay but she needs to know we’re here to support her okay?” The redhead said with a soft smile at the witch before the two rushed off to their room.

Your heart felt shattered as your brain played Wanda’s little rant at you over and over again. You had messed up and now she hated you. You knew eventually your autism would ruin it for you. It always did. It’s the reason your parents gave you up and you never found a forever home, dealing with the shit side of the foster system. You hid it from the team over the last 3 years, the fear of being a burden to strong to tell them.

You were once again snapped out of your thoughts with a soft knock on your door. You didn’t respond but the door opened anyways letting in some light causing you to whimper, pulling the cover over your head blocking it out. You heard two sets of footsteps and the door closing before pulling your head out of your blanket to see a sheepish Wanda and a concerned looking Natasha holding all your comfort items.

“Im so sorry detka… i shouldn’t have snapped at you…” She muttered placing your bear in your arms before taking a step back, your hand instantly reaching out towards her and your other girlfriend making grabby hands. “Do you want us to hold you malyshka? It won’t be too much?”

You shook your head. “Pressure…” Your voice came out shaky and almost silent. Both girls climbed into bed with you, you settling your head on Wanda’s chest, Natasha spooning you from behind.

It took around 40 minutes for you to finally feel okay to talk. “Im sorry… I-I-I… I didn’t mean to be a burden… I tried so hard to be normal… but I can’t…”

“And you don’t have to love. You are NOT a burden and anyone who ever called you that is wrong. You are you and that is beautiful.” Natasha muttered pressing soft kisses to your head.

“We love who you are no matter what you think. Your autism doesn’t change that detka. Being “normal” isn’t real sweetheart. Your differences are what makes you exactly what you need to be. Understand me?” Wanda said softly into your hair.

You sniffled and nodded softly in her shirt. Both women pressing kisses into your hair is what you fell asleep to that night.

The next morning, you woke up buried into your two girlfriends who were talking quietly. “Morning sleepyhead…” Wanda said looking down at you, you just tucking into her neck again with a soft whine. “How are you feeling?”

“Better but still tired…” You murmured. “I’m sorry again… i should have been honest with you but… i don’t want to lose you…”

“None of that. We aren’t going anywhere baby. Nothing will change that. Understand?” You nodded into the witches neck receiving soft kisses. “I can’t imagine how bad it was last night but you never have to go to one of those parties again okay?”

“I can go just not for that long… I have to learn my limits…” You said glancing up at Natasha who smiled softly.

"Is she okay? Can I talk to her? I'll get the first flight over!" Yelena's mind is racing. She knows the stress and worry isn't over, but her commanding officer assures her that you were treated with the best of care and should be landing in the states within a few short hours. Little information was shared with the blonde who didn't take notice of the time when she called Natasha. 

"Lena, it's 4am, is everything okay?" Natasha's low, raspy, and tired voice travels through the phone. Yelena once again not caring to take notice of the time, "They found her!" She replies while she gets out of bed and slides on her slippers. She can tell by the shift in Natasha's voice that the red head has shot up from her laying position, "are you sure?!" 

"Positive, they said she'll be landing in New York in a few hours. Can you watch Natalia for me? Please?" Yelena asks as she walks down the hall to your daughter's bedroom, peaking her head through the crack of the door to check on the three-year-old who was asleep peacefully snuggling her favorite plushie. 

"Of course, I'll be over soon" Natasha replies before hanging up the line. 

Hours passed as Yelena waited patiently alone in the hospital's waiting room, 9:28am and they were still checking you out and not a single word on your wellbeing was mentioned to your wife. Small cups of coffee filled the bin as Yelena's mind ran over scenario after scenario, her right knee bouncing uncontrollably as other patients' family members came and went. Some leaving in tears of grief while others left with sighs of relief. 

Lost in her thoughts, Yelena didn't even notice Natasha taking a seat beside her and placing her hand on her sister's knee. It wasn't until Natasha's thumb stroked Yelena's knee that the blonde's eyes turned to meet her sister. 

"Wands has Natalia" Natasha spoke softly reading the look on her sister's face. Yelena nodded as she leant back in her chair, "any news?" Nat asked. 

"Nothing" Yelena replied while she tried to fight back her tears, wanting to stay as strong as she possibly could for you. 

"Mrs Belova?" a doctor asked as they entered the waiting room, Yelena's eyes shot up to meet the eyes of a tired woman as she took off her surgical cap. 

"That's me" Yelena replied, standing from her chair before she could even blink. Natasha was standing beside her, both looking at the doctor for answers. Her eyes scanned the waiting room, "come with me please, somewhere more private" she replied. Her words made Yelena's stomach drop, her mind now filling with her biggest fear as she and Natasha followed the woman in scrubs with a white coat down the hall, taking a left and into a room with soldiers standing guard outside. 

"Please just cut the crap, is she okay?" Yelena's eyes looked deeply into the doctor's in hopes of finding answers. The woman took a deep breath, her own eyes looking at Natasha before back at Yelena, "she's my sister, please!" Yelena added. 

"Mrs Belova, your wife okay. We would like to keep her in for a week before sending home, she's malnourished and some of her injuries we are going to keep an eye on in case of an infection. She's extremely weak at the moment but physically, she will make a full recovery. I have requested that our psychiatrist comes down to speak to you, they will be able to inform you of your wife's mental health" the doctor who forgot to introduce herself explained, her name tag reading "Dr Katherine Campbell".

"I'd rather see my wife first, please" Yelena pleaded just wanting to see you for herself. 

"I'm sorry but I think it's best you wait" Dr Campbell's eyes shifted to Natasha in hopes she'd help make the stressed blonde understand. Natasha looked at Yelena, placing a hand on her forearm, "let's just wait for the psychiatrist, you'll want to know everything there is" Nat agrees with the doctor just as another woman knocks and enters the room. 

"Here she is" Doctor Campbell smiled softly at the other woman. 

"Hi, Mrs Belova, is it?" the woman smiled, reaching her hand out to shake Yelena's, "I'm Dr Jenna Hemmings, please take a seat" she added before also shaking Natasha's hand. The four women took a seat at the large, rounded table, Yelena's knee bouncing once again as she watched the psychiatrist open up a file of documents that had your name on them. 

"I'm very sorry for what you've been through over the last three months, I don't have a lot to discuss in terms of where your wife is at mentally, but, I have seen her and I from what I have seem I can give you a rough idea on what to expect" Dr Hemmings began as she looked between the two sisters. 

"It's my understanding that your wife has suffered from serious and extreme torture during her captivity. I have seen many cases unfortunately and I just want to let you know that it's not going to be easy. Y/n may become distant and feel disconnected from what she knows. Who she was before the kidnapping may take some time to return, I'm going to give you a list of other psychiatrists for you to make an appointment with then Y/n feels ready to talk about the events. It's important that you do not push her to talk, if she wants too, listen. 

Do you share any children together?" She goes on. Yelena nodded, "A three year old, Natalia" 

"As hard as this will be on your daughter, it'll be best if she has somewhere else to stay with the first week that Y/n is home"

"You want me to keep my daughter from seeing her mother?" Yelena frowned in confusion. 

"This is just until you and Y/n's psychiatrist have a better understanding of her PTSD" Dr Hemmings replied. Natasha assured Yelena that the little girl could stay with her, Wanda and the boys for as long as needed. "Can I just see my wife now? Please? whatever else you need to discuss, I'm sure we can do later" Yelena begs once more. 

Dr Hemmings nodded lightly, "I'll let Dr Campbell explain your wife's injuries" 

-A Week Later-

Since being home, Yelena has cared for you day in, day out. She tended to the wounds that covered your back, changing the bandages and cleaning them. She did the same for the grazes and cuts on your face, arms, legs and thighs. She showered you, clothed you and fed you, all while you could barely bring yourself to say a single word. 

The bedroom was kept dark, anytime Yelena opened the blinds to let some sunlight in, you got up and closed them before getting back in to bed to sleep the day away. A psychiatrist had stopped by twice since you came home, but even she couldn't get you to speak. She suggested to Yelena that it would be in your best interest to start antidepressants which you took without a fight. 

"Good morning lyubov'" Yelena spoke softly as she got on her knees in your view, your eyes glued to the dark gray wall behind her. Looking into your eyes, Yelena only saw the ghost of the woman she loved. She gently stroked your face with her left thumb, "Natalia is coming home this morning, do you feel up to seeing her?" she asked. Your eyes shifted and connected with the worried eyes of your wife's, the first time you really looked at her since the hospital. You shook her head before turning to your other side, giving Yelena the view of your clothed back. 

"Okay lyubov', we'll try again tomorrow. I'll go get you some breakfast" Yelena said in defeat. She hoped that the idea of seeing your daughter would bring something new out of you, that you'd get out of bed and come downstairs for the first time. 

Yelena returned 20 minutes later with toast, orange juice, your medication and some vitamins placing them on your bedside table. She kissed your cheek and whispered how much she loved you before letting you fall back asleep in the darkness. 

"I miss mommy" Natalia pouted as she picked up another slice of apple from her plastic plate. "I know dorogoy, mommy isn't feeling well at the moment but she's getting better, she's getting plenty of sleep so she can play with you again" Yelena assures the little girl before placing a kiss on her forehead, "how about mac n cheese for dinner?" She asks. Natalia perks up instantly, nodding with excitement, "Mac n cheese!!!!" She claps with a mouth full of apple. 

Night time came, Natalia was bathed, fed and tucked in bed fast asleep after Yelena read her a bedtime story. She can't stop her mind from remembering when you and her would read a fairytale together for the growing child, switching voices, giggles full of life filling the room before the angel drifts off to sleep. Not only did Yelena miss you, but so did Natalia. A drawing of the three of you in crayons sat on the toddlers drawing table, mommy in bed just like her mama said. 

When Yelena came to bed, it was the only time you felt safe again. You instantly felt her arms wrap around you, pulling you close as she knew you'd been waiting all day for her to come back to bed. "How are you feeling detka?" She asks in a soft tone, you wanted to answer her, to give her a form of words but nothing left your lips. Tears filled your eyes as you brought her hand to your lips, kissing the top of her hand to let her know you were here, you heard her, you loved her.

-1 Month Later-

As time went on, Yelena was doing her best to give you everything you needed but her growing thoughts were becoming darker by the day. She wasn't going to push you to talk about what happened, but she couldn't help but picture just how you got the wounds on your back. She was positive they would turn into scars and she worried for when the time would come and you'd notice them never fading away. She wanted to know if you were tortured into not speaking of the events that happened, she hasn't heard your voice since you woke up in the hospital. "Just tired" were the last words she heard you speak.

The meditation didn't seem like it was working in Yelena's eyes, you still didn't have the energy to get out of bed, to talk, to eat or even shower. Natalia hounded her mama daily for when she could see her mommy and on the one chance you nodded at Yelena's request for the young girl to see you, it broke her. Natalia of course, didn't entirely understand what was wrong with you and she didn't take your actions to heart, but deep down, Yelena did. Natalia had tried to show you a drawing she did at day care, you took one look at the colorful drawing before you looked back at Yelena who was standing behind your daughter, you shook your head at her than turned to lay with your back facing them. 

It wasn't until one night when Yelena had gotten into bed with you rather early, she mentioned Natalia was staying at Natasha and Wanda's for the night. She held you in silence for hours until you turned and looked at her. Tears pooled at your eyes before slowly making their way down your cheeks, your wife wiping them away gently with the touch of her thumb as she placed a loving kiss on your forehead before looking into your broken eyes once more. 

"What do you need detka? How can I help you get through this?" Yelena asked and for the first time since everything, you weren't looking through her. You could see how tired she was, the stress and worry of everything creeping in on her. Slowly you sat up and took a deep breath, Yelena sat up with you keeping a close eye on your body language. 

"Can I make us a hot coco?" you asked. Yelena couldn't help but smile softly as she nodded. Happy she finally heard your voice since you were at the hospital, no longer having to repeat the last words you spoke to her, "just tired" running through her head. 

You returned to the bedroom with two mugs of hot coco and a large yellow envelope, placing it on the end of the bed before handing Yelena her drink. "If I tell you everything, c-can you write it down for the report, please?" you asked, sipping your drink and placing it on your bedside table. Yelena nodded without a second thought, "of course detka, are you sure you're up for this?" she asked, just to be sure. 

"Are you sure you want to hear it?" you asked her in reply, worried that the details you had to share for the report would upset her. "If I am the only person you feel safe enough to tell, I am here to listen detka. I've got your back like you've got mine" she reminded you as she placed her mug on her bedside table and grabbed the envelope and pen. You took another deep breath and closed your eyes for a moment, remembering the moment you were taken captive. 

"I just finished my shift, Lisa, Jasmine and I were walking back to our rooms when 3 masked men ambushed us, one grabbed Lisa and dragged her towards the bush, he had large knife to her neck. Another put a bag over Jasmine's head, they told us to keep quiet or they'd kill us. I screamed for help, but one guy hit me over the head with his gun and I blacked out. When I woke up, I had a shackle on my left ankle, my hands tied behind my back and a bag over my head. 

I could hear the girls screaming and crying for help, the place smelt unbearable…like death. I tried to keep the girls calm, I told them we'd be safe soon, to keep quiet or they'd hurt us but we were all so scared. 

They kept us like that for hours, days maybe. I wasn't sure, it was too dark with the bag over my head. When they came back, one guy removed the bag, he was wearing a mask and had his gun pointed directly at me. There was a small cup of water and a bread roll on the floor, he told me to eat, or he'd shoot me. I was so hungry, that when he cut me free, I don't think I even swallowed much of the roll, the water was dirty but I didn't care. I asked him about the girls, but he just kneed me in the face to shut me up. 

It was like that for days until the ringleader came, he had an interpreter with him, he didn't speak one word of English. He said that if our country cared enough about us, they'd stop the war and go home and leave us behind to become slaves." You spoke slowly so Yelena could write but halfway through, she decided that typing it up would be a lot faster. 

"Things got worse, every time we did something wrong, we got less food and water, a beating and placed in this room that felt like it was on fire. It was so hot in there, sometimes they threw me in there just because I didn't eat fast enough. Lisa tried to escape but they caught her, they dragged me into this room with her and ha-" you paused as tears streamed down your face. 

"Detka, we can take a break, it's okay" Yelena's hands reached for yours but you shook your head, "I don't want never want to speak about this ever again, I have to do this now" you replied, wiping your tears before taking a mouthful of your hot coco. 

"He handed me a gun and told me to shoot her but I couldn't. I tried to plead with him, saying she won't do it again but that just gave me a beating. He beat me with a rusty pipe wrapped with barbed wire, that's that the marks on my back are from. I've never felt so much pain…I was crying so much that eventually he grabbed me by my hair and made me watch" you paused once more, your body shaking with fear as you recalled the details of what happened to your friend. Your wife was quick to put the laptop aside and instantly wrapped you in her arms, pulling you close into her as you broke down.

Through your sobs, you continued to explain the events you endured. "T…T-they beheaded her like it was nothing! There was blood very where, I was c-crying! Screaming! They tossed her h-he…to me and told me if I didn't shut u-up that w-would be me" You gripped onto your wife for life, she held you tightly as she cried with you. Kissing the top of your head for comfort. 

----

3:38am, you were passed out asleep, tired from the crying and recalling. Yelena watched over you, her arms wrapped around you. She knew it was going to be a long road of recovery ahead, but she had every faith in you. 

By morning, you woke up to an empty bed, but you felt differently. You sat up, stretched and slipped into your robe before making your way downstairs to see Yelena making waffles with your daughter. You smiled softly to yourself before making yourself known to your girls. 

"Mommy!!!" Natalia came running into your arms. You hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek, "you feel better?" she asked. You nodded, "a little bit my love" you replied before putting her down on her feet. Yelena turned around and smiled lovingly at you, "Natalia, can you please get your sippy cup?" she asked the little girl to distract her for a moment so she could talk to you. 

"I sent your report this morning" Yelena informed you with a kiss on your cheek. "Thank you, darling" you wrapped your arms around her, "what's on your mind?" you asked her, seeing she'd been thinking. 

"He's still out there" she replied, her jaw clenching at the thought of the man who tortured you for months walking free in his own country. You knew instantly from her tone what she was thinking, and you knew there would be no way to stop her, in fact, you didn't even want to stop her.

"I know and if the time comes, I don't want you to think twice" You cupped her face, "let him suffer…he's already taken enough from me, take everything from him" you added looking into her eyes. "Here mama!" Natalia's voice broke the silent agreement between you two. 

It would be a year until Yelena returned to war, she wanted to stay with you until you knew well enough to look after yourself once more. Now with a four year old and your wife off finding the man who covered you in scars, physically and mentally, you made the decision to never return to the warzone but would continue your work at the veterans clinic.

At first, Yelena struggled to be open with you about her abandonment issues and seeks Natasha's advice.

After finding she tells you her issues, you are sure to always make sure to tell her where you're going.

She hates going on missions where she can't talk to you. So you always make sure to send her a simple text of an emoji and it's always this 🥧.

Sometimes Yelena struggles with identifying emotions within others. Because Red Room taught her to be basically show no emotion, she gets worried when your mood might switch for whatever reason and she'll start to think that maybe you need space and/or mad at her.

You don't mind that you need to spend some extra time assuring Yelena that you're not leaving her or you're tired of her.

Not only for safety reasons but you allow you snap maps on for Yelena only, this way if you forget to tell her where you're going, she can check.

She doesn't check your location unless she hasn't heard from you within hours after sending you a text. After that she'll call you to leave a message, or another text that'll just say "if you can't talk rn, send me our emoji" just so she knows you're safe.

You also get her a bracelet that she can wear and whenever she's having worrying thoughts while on a mission, she'll press a button that lights up your bracelet so you're able to know where her heads at for when you guys talk again.

"Are you okay Mrs Belova?" your doctor asked, unsure if the news something good or bad. You grabbed a tissue from the box on her desk and wiped your tears while nodding, "I'm just fine" you smiled, "I'm just very happy" you added. Your doctor smiled, "you had me worried for a moment" she chuckled, "go home, tell your wife. I will make a follow up appointment within a few weeks for a check-up and to make sure everything is going smoothly" she added with a smile, you nodded again as you stood from your chair. 

"Thank you so much, for everything!" You shook her hand. 

"Congratulations" your doctor smiled once more as she shook your hand. 

The whole drive home your mind was racing on how you wanted to tell Yelena the news. Getting to this moment wasn't easy and it took a lot of work and time, but you wouldn't change any of it for the world. Opening the door to your home, you were greeted with the smell of a roast dinner and your two dogs running from the living room to greet you. 

Fanny and Gizmo wagged their tails like crazy as you greeted them with excitement. Fanny was the first dog you and Yelena adopted while Gizmo was a rescue dog that Yelena brought back from one of her deployments. It took a little time for Gizmo to warm up to you and Fanny, but it's been three years since she was brought home and now she's inseparable from Fanny. 

"Mmm" you hummed as you entered the kitchen, "dinner smells amazing" you added as Yelena turned around and smiled before gently pulling you in for a kiss. "I wanted to give you a break from cooking" she replied but something in her tone of voice told you she was hiding something. 

"Is that all?" you asked, giving her a soft smile. Her eyes dropped as she ran her tongue over her lips, "I've gotta go back" she admits and just like that, worry took over your once excited mind. "But you just got back" you frowned slightly, wrapping your arms around the back of her neck. Being married to a soldier was never going to be easy, you knew that but when she got back, you knew you'd have some time with her before the next deployment. 

"I know, but they need me" Yelena replied, looking into your eyes. You could see she was also disappointed. You kissed her once more while playing with the baby hairs on the back of her neck, "I need to tell you something" you spoke softly not wanting that excitement to fade away so quickly. 

"What's wrong?" Yelena asked with worry in her tone. You led her to the dining room and sat across from her, your original plan on how you wanted to tell her the news was no longer a thought. You reached for her hands and smiled softly at her touch. "Baby is everything okay?" she asked, her eyes searching yours for an answer.

"Everything is fine my love, but, when I tell you this, I want you to know I'm telling you because I want too, not because you have to go back, okay?" 

Yelena nodded without saying a word, her full attention was on you. 

"I wasn't out just now having a coffee with a co-worker" you admitted, your stomach fluttered with nerves. "I was at the doctors; I had a couple of tests done and they all came back positive" you added. 

Yelena's eyes shot open and a smile tugged at her lips causing you to smile widely at her as tears filled your eyes once more, "I'm pregnant" the words flew out of your mouth. Yelena jumped from her seat before rushing over to you and picking you up in her arms making you squeal. 

"How far along are you?" your wife asked when she gently placed you back on your feet.

"I'm 6 weeks, I just wanted to be 100% sure before I said anything" 

"And you're feeling okay? Everything is okay? What did the doctor say?" All these questions came flying out of her mouth making you giggle at her excitement. 

"I'm fine, some morning sickness here and there but I'm good, everything is good, we have an appointment for our first ultrasound in 2 weeks"

Yelena sighed, "I won't be here" 

You cupped her face gently, placing a kiss on her forehead, "I know baby, but it's okay because I'll get a tape of it and we can watch it over and over when you come home"

Yelena nodded, even though the thought of not being there for the first ultrasound disappointed her, she didn't let that take away the happiness and feeling of joy she was having right now. 

----

It's been three months since Yelena was deployed again, the two of you spoke every chance you got, and you updated her on everything about the pregnancy so far. You had decided it was best for you and the baby to step down from your military duties as a nurse and continue to work at the veteran's clinic. The decision also gave Yelena peace of mind that you were safe. 

At 12 weeks, Yelena was bursting to tell Nat about the news. You knew the moment she had told her older sister because Natasha would come to see you every day to make sure you were doing okay and if you needed anything. You didn't mind as much because you knew this was how Yelena was able to protect you from anything being so far away. 

You were waiting at the airport with your hand gently resting on your 5-month showing bump when Yelena came walking out of the arrivals with the softest smile on her lips. She dropped her bag at her feet and wrapped her arms around you instantly, hugging you tightly but not too tight of course. "I missed you so much!" you whispered while tears of happiness filled your eyes. 

Yelena pulled back slightly and wiped your tears before she found both of her hands on your stomach, "I missed you both" she smiled, placing a kiss on your lips, "the webcam didn't do you justice, you're so beautiful" she spoke. You couldn't help but raise a brow, "is that you saying I look bigger in person?" you asked with a playful smirk. Yelena's eyes shot open for a moment as she shook her head, "n-no" she replied before chuckling. 

"You're lucky I love you" you jokingly rolled your eyes, "I have a surprise for you and we have about an hour to get there" you added. Yelena looked at you slightly confused, "what have you done?" she asked. 

"Well, I asked to push back my last ultrasound until today, I have footage of the others for us to watch tonight but I thought we could found out the sex today, together" you explained. 

"You want to know the sex? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Baby, you haven't been able to be there for the others and I want to experience this one with you as our first. I only have you home for a few days before you go back an-" you paused trying to fight back your tears. Since falling pregnant, you've found yourself crying a lot more easily than before. "I w-want you to k-know what we're having in case som-"

"Hey" Yelena pulled you into her chest as she rubbed your back. It was clear now that this was something that had been on your mind for some time and Yelena wasn't sure on how to ease your mind. She placed a kiss on the top of your head before gently making you look up at her, "I'm glad you want to know the sex because I don't think I could wait, even if I wanted too" she said with another soft smile as she wiped your tears once again. "Come on, we don't want to be late" she added before picking up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. 

Yelena's eyes were glued to the small black and white screen as the doctor took down some notes. "That's our baby" Yelena smiled proudly, you brought her hand to your lips, kissing the top of her hand as she watched every movement the unborn baby was doing. 

"Would you two like to know the sex?" the doctor looked at you both, the two of you nodded with excitement before the room filled with silence as the doctor doubled checked everything. Yelena squeezed your hand with excitement when the doctor looked at you both again. 

"Congratulations, you're having a baby girl" she smiled. 

----

Yelena went back for a month while she carried out her duties before requesting time off to be there for you during the remainder of your pregnancy. It wasn't easy for her to get the time off but given how loyal she is to her duties; she was given the time off and a little extra. 

You took maternity leave from work and were soaking up the time you now had with your wife, the two of you decorated the nursery, painting the walls in a lavender like purple and Yelena put together the crib while you placed family photos on the walls. Everything was going well until Yelena was called to go back, this time it was urgent but of course, to keep you from worrying she kept that detail to herself. 

Now here you were, in the middle of your 8th month of pregnancy waving off your wife while Natasha and Kate stood beside you. 

"She'll be home before you know it" Nat spoke in hopes to comfort you, but you shook your head at her words, "you don't know that" you replied before making your way back to the car. 

The last few weeks of your pregnancy you thought would be very different, but you found yourself preparing your bag for the hospital alone, getting nervous about giving birth and making sure you everything was ready for when you brought home your daughter. Natasha decided to come stay with you for the remainder of your pregnancy, but it wasn't the same, you wanted your wife, you needed her. 

Your water broke around 10:15pm on a Friday night as you were gently rubbing your swollen stomach and talking to your unborn baby about her mama and how much you missed her and wish she was here right now. Natasha took you to the hospital and waited by your side. 

"I need to call Lena" you looked to Natasha who nodded, "we'll try her and see if she picks up" she replied as she pulled her phone from her back pocket. 

"Natasha, is everything okay?!" 

"Y/n wants to talk to you, can you talk?" 

"Yeah, of course, put her on"

Nat handed you the phone and stepped out of the room to give you some privacy. 

"Lena?"

"Hey darling, I got Natasha's messages, how you are you doing? How's our printsessa?"

"We're okay for now, a few contractions here and there but the midwife says I still have a few centimetres to go before they'll take me to the delivery room. I need to know you're okay, that you're going to come home" 

"Baby, I need you to focus on you and our beautiful girl. I'm fine, I'm not going anywhere, okay?" 

"I just really need to have you here right now"

"I know baby, I'm here, I promise"

"But you're not Lena! You're over there, you should be here by my side" 

"I am darling, I'm going to stay on the phone the whole time & I know it's not the same, I wish I could be there, I'd do anything to be there right now"

Yelena was right, it wasn't the same but knowing you still had her somehow, made things seem just a little better. 

----

After hours of labor, your daughter finally came into the world, screaming and healthy. You heard a quiet sob on the other end of the phone when your daughters first cries entered the world, you knew she was just a happy as you were, and you couldn't wait for Yelena to meet her. 

Natasha smiled at her sister when she entered the waiting room of the hospital, "about time!" she teased the blonde. 

"Getting a flight home was hell, how is she?" Yelena placed her bag on the empty chair besides Natasha. 

"She did amazing, she's resting now" 

"and th-"

"She's perfect, I haven't seen her yet but the midwife told me she arrived healthy and with a set of lungs" Natasha interrupted her sister. Yelena smiled softly, her original plan was to surprise you and be here just in time for the birth but sometimes things just don't work that way but she was just happy she was here now. "Why haven't you seen her yet?" Yelena asked. 

"She deserves to meet her mama first before she meets me and knows that I'm her cool aunt and she won't ever tell you but, I'll be her favourite" she replied with a smirk causing Yelena to raise a brow, "Ha!" she fake chuckled at her sister's joke before the room went silent. 

"Well? What are you waiting for? Go!" Natasha gave Yelena a gently push towards the room you were in, "Room 4, I'll be here" she added before sitting back down next to Yelena's bag. 

When Yelena entered your room, she couldn't help but smile softly to herself when she saw you fast asleep. She wandered over to you quietly and placed a gentle kiss on your forehead just before a nurse popped her head in. 

"Hi, sorry, there's meant to be no visitors" she whispered careful not to wake you. Yelena turned and faced her, "I'm her wife" she replied. 

"Oh, I'm sorry" the nurse smiled, "would you like me to bring up the baby? She's due for a feeding an hour" she added. Yelena nodded knowing it was only a moment before she would meet her daughter. 

----

Stirring in your sleep, your eyes fluttered awake to the soft sound of a familiar voice. "and that's how I met your mommy. Between you and I, I think I fell in love with her the first time I saw her, but don't tell her that. That's our secret!" Yelena spoke softly with your daughter in her arms looking up at her mama as if she truly understood a single word Yelena was saying. 

"I heard that" you smiled at the sight, "You're here" you added as Yelena carefully walked over to you and sitting on the edge of your bed. "I tried to get here in time for you but trying to get a flight wasn't working, I'm sorry" she replied as she looked up at you. 

"You're here now and I'm sorry I snapped over the phone" 

"Don't be sorry, none of that matters, not now. Not when we have this beautiful girl" Yelena smiled softly once more, "she's so tiny" she added.

"She did not feel that tiny coming out, trust me" you joked as you looked at your daughter falling asleep in Yelena's arms. "Have you made it official yet? Her name?" you asked.

"You sure?" Yelena questioned, you nodded, "I am"

"Well in that case, welcome to the world, Natalia Katherine Belova"

"Natasha?!" you called out serval times but no answer, you checked every room you passed just to be sure, still calling out her name. "Nat! Can you hear me?!" You called once more but still, no answer. You walked the long hall, opening every door until finally you found her, and it wasn't a scene you expected to see. 

Natasha was sat in the corner, covered in blood with Dreykov's lifeless body only meters away from her. Her combat knife still in her hand as she looked miles away from where she was. You'd never seen her like this, she doesn't notice you standing in the doorway or how you slowly walked up to her and kneeled in front of her. "Nat?" You spoke softly but she wasn't there. 

Gently, you placed your hand over her shaking hand that still held the knife that clearly killed Dreykov. You took the knife from her carefully and placed it besides you before looking back at her. It was obvious to you that she was disassociated and had no idea that you were even kneeling right in front of her, and you didn't want to frighten her by any means. 

"Nat, it's me, it's Y/n. I'm just going to check to make sure you're not hurt, okay?" you spoke before you gave her a check over and to your relief none of the blood on her seemed to be coming from her. Your heart broke at the scene in front of you, there wasn't much time to waste but you didn't care about that right now, all you cared about was Natasha and her wellbeing. "If you can hear me Nat, I'm here" you spoke softly before you kindly wrapped your arms around her and pulled her into you. 

Instantly the redhead broke into a sob as she clung to you, "he's gone now, he can't hurt you" you spoke softly as you comforted the assassin you proudly call your girlfriend but you knew that right now and in this moment, she wasn't the girlfriend you knew and loved so deeply but instead she was a scared little girl who needed know everything was okay, that she was loved, protected and most importantly, safe. 

You knew little about the things that went on in Red Room but you knew of the sexual assault Natasha endured from the hands of Dreykov so you let her cry into your arms as much as she needed too until Yelena came looking for the two of you. 

"Y/n, we have to get o-" Yelena came running into the room, stopping her words when she saw the state of her crying sister in your arms. "Natasha" she spoke softly as she took a few small steps towards the two of you. "Lena, she's okay, I promise. Get the jet started, we'll be there in a moment" you looked at the blonde when you felt Natasha's grip on you tighten. She needed space and you knew as much as she loved Yelena, she didn't want her to see her big sister like this. 

There was no argument from Yelena, she simply nodded and made her way back to the jet. It only took a few more moments before you were able to walk Natasha to the jet, keeping an eye on her the entire flight home. 

----

Once back at the compound, you ran Natasha a shower which she sat on the ground letting the water run over her as she stared into space. You told Yelena to let the team know that Nat will be taking some time off and that you'd explain things at a better time but for now, your focus was solely on Natasha and making sure she was okay. 

While she was in the shower you grabbed her favorite Pjs and laid them out on the bed before you made sure you had other essentials like fruit and bottled water to make sure Natasha would eat. You didn't want to push her in any form to talk to do anything she didn't want too, you promised yourself that you'd be whatever she needed. 

Nat came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Even with a wet face you could tell she had been crying as she looked over to you. "It's over" she spoke before sitting down on the end of the bed, "it's really over, he's dead" she added as you sat down beside her. You placed a hand on top of her knee, your thumb stroking her skin with care as you nodded at her words. 

"What do you need love? Whatever you need, I'm here for you. If you want to talk, I'm here to listen, if you need to cry, I'll hold you, if you need to scream, I'll join you" 

Natasha smiled softly at your offer, thankful to have somebody love her for her, somebody who wasn't scared of her or ever held her to her past. "I don't want to do what I always do, I don't want to push this down anymore" she spoke, placing a hand on top of the hand you had on her knee. "I thought killing him would make me feel better, that somehow it would free me from the memories I have but honestly, it just brought it all back and I felt like I remember more than I've ever remembered. I want help" she explained as tears built up in her eyes once again.

"I want professional help. This isn't something I can play off anymore, I know that now" Natasha added. Gently, you cupped her face, wiping the tears that broke free from her eyes, "I promise you Natasha, you're not alone. You are the strongest woman I know, and I'll be here to hold your hand through all of this, all will. We'll get through this together, no matter how dark the days get or how hard the storm comes crashing down, we're in this together" 

Tears uncontrollably streamed from Natasha's eyes as she crashed into you, wrapped her arms around you tightly, as you wrapped your own arms around her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. She sobbed once again in your arms and no matter how long she needed to let out her emotions, you held her until she was ready to get into her pjs and even after when she curled up into a ball in bed, you were there to assure her she was never alone. Not now, not ever.

Once arriving at the theme park, you instantly saw the hidden excitement in Natasha's eyes as she looked up at one of the rollercoasters. A soft smile tugged at your lips before you felt Yelena excitedly pull at your jacket, "Come on Ma!" she smiled widely, showing you exactly how many of her adult teeth were beginning to come through. 

"Natasha are you ready?" you asked, looking at the young teen while Melina grabbed the backpacks out of the car. 

"Yeah, let's go" Natasha slightly rolled her eyes to prove to you and Melina that just going on a family outing wasn't going to change what she already knew. 

Given Yelena was only 6 years old, everything was new and exciting to her. Her jaw dropped at each new ride her eyes locked onto, at least for her this was a real and her little mind never gave it a second thought unlike Natasha who struggled to allow herself to enjoy days like these. 

"Yelena, no running off please!" Melina reminded the young girl who ran ahead, stopping at Melina's words. "But mom! I don't want to miss the good rides!" She turned on her heels, causing both you and Melina to chuckle. "You don't love, the park doesn't close until night" you smiled softly. Melina took a hold of Yelena's small hand and walked ahead, giving you a chance to talk to Natasha. 

"You know, today isn't about making this look real" you spoke as you walked alongside the teen with blue hair. "You say that but everything we do is too make us look like we're a real family and one day, I'll have to go back. What happens to Yelena when the time comes?" Natasha snapped as she looked up at you. 

Mission or not, it broke your heart to hear those words come from her mouth. Three years doesn't seem like a long time but within the time of being together as a four, your heart grew to love the girls as if they were your own, you see them as your own and nothing would ever change that, you just wish Natasha would see that.

"Things will be different, I promise" you replied, lying to her and you hated yourself for it. 

"How?" Natasha asked with the tiniest hint of hope in her voice. 

"Because, neither Melina or I will let anything happen you girls and I know you're having a hard time trying to see that, but I love you, Natasha. You're my daughter and no mission will change that" 

"But you can't promise that when I go back, that things will be okay" 

"I can and I am. Melina is a lot closer to Dreykov than I am, if you think she'll let him hurt you or Yelena in anyway, you don't know Melina well enough" you replied, seeing your words put the teen at ease. She smiled, "I love you too" Her words came to you in an almost whisper, but they warmed your heart. 

----

After hours of going on ride after ride, snack after snack and of course some shopping, it was time to head home. Yelena was coming off a sugar high and both you and Melina could tell how tired the girls were. After your talk with Nat, she let her guard down a little and allowed herself to enjoy the day as a normal 11-year-old. 

"Thank you for taking us" Nat smiled at both you and Melina as you all gathered at the car. 

"You're very welcome girls" Melina smiled, helping Yelena into her seat. You smiled back at Natasha, for the first time in a while she looked genuinely happy. 

The car ride home was rather quiet, everybody was too tired and achy to want much of a conversation but of course, Yelena asked if Mac n Cheese was on the menu for tonight's dinner. "I'm sure we can cook some up when we're home" you replied, looking at the 6-year-old through the review mirror. 

The radio played softly as Melina drove you all home, your hand resting gently in her free hand, her thumb stroking your knuckles with love as you watched passing vehicles through the window. "They both had a lot of fun today" Melina whispered when she saw both girls in the backseat asleep. "Natasha seemed to really enjoy herself as well" she added. 

"I'm really proud of her today and letting herself enjoy the day" you replied, looking over at Melina as she pulled up in the drive away. "Do we have to move them?" you asked in a whisper, looking over your shoulder. 

"Let's just do another block and see if they wake up, if not, we'll park in the garage and wake them when dinner is ready" Melina suggested, placing a soft kiss on your cheek. Moments like these made you both forget the meaning of everything, the red room, the mission, the widow program and most importantly, Dreykov. It was just you, your wife and the two young and beautiful girls you shared with her and as Melina took her time, driving another block with her free hand intertwined with yours, you forever wished things would never change.

Tonight, was exactly that, a few hours in the emergency room helping out the nurses. You never knew what injury would walk through those big sliding doors. "Alright, Mrs Anderson, take it easy for the rest of the week, okay?" you smiled softly at the elderly woman who had slipped in her kitchen while making dinner. She required a few small stitches. 

"Thank you, doc!" the woman smiled before you showed her out. With her cart, you placed it in the filing system at the front desk before taking a much needed mouthful of your soon to be cold coffee when your eyes locked onto the next patient who walked into the ER.

"Dad?" you questioned as you wandered over to him, "are you okay?!" you asked in a worry. Your eyes scanning every part of him for any injuries or signs of blood.

"It's not me honey" he assured you, "it's Kate" he added. Your heart sunk as you saw your girlfriend standing behind your father with a soft smile and a large gash on her forehead as she mouthed "I'm sorry" when you raised a concerned brow at her. 

"What happened?" you asked. 

"I slipped" Kate lied which only made you tilt your heard at the dark-haired woman.

"Take a seat on bed four, I'll be with you in a moment" you replied, giving your girlfriend a non-impressed look. Your dad, Clint, followed Kate to the bed where they both waited for you to return with fresh instruments to stitch Kate's forehead up. It was hard for you to keep your worries to a minimum when your father was yet to know about your relationship with his crime fighting partner. 

You returned with everything you needed and began to clean up the blood that made a river down the side of Kate's face. She would see the worry in your eyes and knew she'd be getting a talk when she was home alone with you. Clint offered to get some fresh coffee as it would take a while for you to make sure Kate could leave in be better condition she arrived in. 

"What happened?" you asked as you jabbed her with some lidocaine to numb the area before giving the woman stitches. 

"It was just a little fight; you should see the others! I think they'll need a lot more than stitches" she replied with a chuckle. You didn't find it funny though. 

"Baby, I already worry about my dad out there fighting aliens and whatever else, now I have to worry about you as well and somehow, I'm more worried about you than my dad" you explained as you prepared the stitches. Kate gently placed her hand over your blue gloved hand, making you look at her once more. 

"I promise you, I'm okay" she assured you. 

"Honey, I'm about to give you 4 stitches, I wouldn't exactly say that's okay" 

Kate didn't want to make you worry any more than you already were, "what can I do to make this up to you?" she asked. 

"You could be more careful? Maybe not throw yourself into fights?" You raised a brow at her once more. Kate raised your hand to her lips and kissed your covered knuckles as she looked up at you, "your wish is my command" she smiled softly. Her cuteness was more than enough for you to forgive her and make you blush, you chuckled, "now I have to change my gloves again" you playfully rolled your eyes before taking off the now contaminated gloves. 

As you turned around to get more gloves, you were met with the very protective look of your father who had just seen everything. He moved slightly to the left and made eye contact with Kate while instantly gulping and sloughing in hopes it would hide her from the glaring look from your father. 

"So, which one of you is going to explain this?" he asked, placing the two take away coffee cups in the bin before crossing his arms over his chest. 

"Dad, not here, not now" you tried to keep professional as you grabbed a fresh set of gloves. 

----

You would've had Kate stitched up and out the door by now if it wasn't for the glaring stare your father was giving the two of you. Not a word was spoken as you stitched up your girlfriend's gash while your mind tried its best to not think about the talk you're going to have to have with your father. 

It was safe to say that your dad has always been extremely protective of you, you're his eldest child and nobody would ever be good enough for his little girl. Even through high school, anybody you dated not only got a talking too from your father but also his friends, the avengers. 

"How long have you two been dating?" Clint asked, breaking the silence. Kate looked at you as she chewed the inside of her cheek, it was clear she was slightly scared of what your father and her mentor might think of her dating you. 

"A few months" you replied as you began to finish up Kate's stitches. Your father's eyes looked direct at Kate as you backed away from her and removed your gloves once again. "Remind me again my number one rule, Bishop" he spoke sternly. 

"Not to flirt with your daughter" Kate confessed. 

"Lucky you because it was me to who flirted with Kate" you turned to your dad who wasn't impressed. "Why? I mean, you can ha-"

"Dad!" you interrupted him, "I know you love me, and you care about me but, so does Kate. She's amazing, she's respectful, she's funny, she's smart and beyond beautiful, she makes me happy and for once, please, just give this one a chance. No talks from your or the others, if I didn't think Kate would be good for me, I wouldn't have asked her out myself" you explained, slightly unloading some built up feelings. 

Clint took a moment to think about what you were saying, his eyes drifted back to Kate before he sighed in defeat. "Can I just say one thing?" Your father asked, you nodded. 

"You hurt her in anyway a-"

"I know, you'll kill me and then most likely the Avengers will kill me and for some reason I feel like you'd kill me again" Kate interrupted, chuckling nervously at her own words. You couldn't help but shoot your dad and unimpressed look before he opened his mouth again. 

"You best come to dinner Friday night then, Laura is going to want to know about this" he replied. Your dad won't admit it but he couldn't have picked anybody better for you to date. He knew Kate would never hurt you and that she would treat you with nothing but love and respect, it just meant now he had to really make sure that she wouldn't get hurt on the job.