Whatever It Takes

Chapter 37

I walk back into the room with Dad. My 8ft tall, green, and goofy-looking father. But my dad nonetheless. "Grandma, this is my dad. Bruce Banner." I turn to Dad. "Dad, this is my Grandma Mellie and my Grandpa Alexei." 

"Thank you, for keeping her safe and alive." He steps towards them to shake their hands, they step back. I don't think that he's what they were expecting.

Melina smiles. "You're welcome. She was a very pleasant child. I'm assuming that came from you since Natasha was not." He smiles and nods. I hear the baby crying so I walk over to his cot. 

"Hi, my boy. How was your nap?" Melina materializes behind me suddenly, she gently puts her hand on my back and rests her head on my shoulder. Admiring my son, just taking in everything she can before she leaves. 

She comes around to the front of me "Yelena told me you had some sort of plan? To take down Dreykov for good. While I admire that you have the ambition of your mother, I can't condone it. You have kids, Nas. A toddler and a newborn! You cannot go killing leaders of giant torture camps!" 

I stand up quickly. "I want a better world for my kids. With him gone I can ensure they won't go through what we did. I've been in contact with his daughter. She wants to help, Melina. My first children were both killed because of him. I can't breathe while he is. I can't focus on anything else except for the fact that he killed my sons. He is a monster." I'm pacing now. I'm so angry I could burst. "Melina you know what we do with monsters. We eradicate them. We wipe them off the planet so they can't hurt anyone else." She grabs my arm to stop me. She pulls me into her, a very familiar embrace. Someone who saved my life time and time again. 

"Nas you are just like your mother. I can't help but see her in you. The fire, the passion, and the attitude. That's all her. You want to finish what she started, and I understand that. But if you die," She pauses for a breath, doing her best not to cry. ", if you die what happens to your kids? James is wonderful but I can't stand to see them lose you."