Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 51: Spooktober (Part 2)

October 30. Maya had been buzzing of excitement the whole week, admiring her costume time and time again. She could not wait to go trick-or-treating for the first time in her life. Well, what she remembered anyway.

She was out of bed even before Natasha was, and could not sit still, getting on Natasha's last nerve with the way she ran through the house. Eventually, the woman kicked her outside to play with her soccer ball to lose some energy. Which worked, because by the time Peter had arrived, she could sit patiently through lunch.

''Maya? I'm gonna run to the store quickly to get dinner for tonight, so I'm gonna be away for an hour or so, okay?'' Natasha announced when their sandwiches were gone. Peter came early on purpose, because Maya had been begging him to watch Halloween movies together, so they curled up on the couch with Hocus Pocus.

Maya barely looked away from the TV when she answered. ''Okay! See you later!''

How they ended up here, they had no clue. But Maya clung onto Peter for dear life as they swung between the trees in the front and backyard, making sure to stay out of view from nosy neighbors. Apparently, Peter always wore his webshooters, even off duty.

And she loved the swinging. Yep, she loved the thrill, and the speed, and the wind in her hair, her hands that started to cramp with how tightly they held each other at the back of Peter's neck. She loved how fast her heart beat, and how safe she felt despite the danger of falling to her death.

She felt the same as on the rollercoaster she went on with Katya at the fair: alive.

A true Romanoff-Petrova daughter. 

''Are you sure Natasha is okay with all of this?!'' Peter yelled over the noise when he shot them over the house with one of the biggest swings yet. This would be the first and only time Maya would ever see her house from a bird's view.

Her breath hitched when their feet almost touched ground before Peter's webs pulled them towards another tree. That's when she let out another joyful shriek. ''Yes! But maybe don't tell her!''

Scared, Peter's eyes widened. ''That doesn't sound like she's okay with it at all!'' His voice was high as he exclaimed the words in a panic. If he messed up and fell out of Natasha's good graces, maybe he wouldn't be allowed to meet up with Maya anymore, which was the last thing he wanted.

''Don't worry!'' Maya yelled in his ear. ''I am a good liar! She will never know!'' 

Peter was right to have his doubts at those words, because when Natasha came back and started to unpack the groceries on the kitchen island, she narrowed her eyes at the two kids sitting on the other side of it. They had made it back into the house in time, because Peter sensed her car was close.

''What's going on?'' Call it a gut feeling, but she sensed the weird atmosphere, especially when Maya didn't look up when answering.

''Nothing.'' Maya's tone only confirming her suspicions.

''Okay.'' Natasha shrugged, playing along. ''But just so you know, you have leaves in your hair.'' She knew that would do it. Maya's righteousness was too strong to keep up this lie.

The silence that followed was heavy, and the girl bit her lip to contain herself. Because she knew Natasha knew, and that pressure eventually became too much to handle.

''Peter took me for a swing,'' she blurted out, cringing when both Natasha and Peter's heads snapped towards her. Her mom's expression appeared unreadable once again, but Peter's face had betrayal written all over it.

''Maya!'' His face grew bright red under Natasha's sharp gaze, knowing he was caught.

''I'm sorry! Her face. She knows I'm hiding something,'' Maya defended her betrayal fiercely, gesturing to Natasha as if that would explain her behavior. And let's be honest, it did. Because that woman could be very scary if needed. ''I'm sorry, Mama. I just wanted to try it once, and the neighbors didn't see us, I swear. We didn't even go that high.''