All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

2.11

Marzda

August 22, 2014

My Dearest Natasha,

I broke my promise to you. I'm sure it came to no surprise to the boys that I'd turn back to a life of crime, but I know I disappointed you again. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

Would it make any difference if I told you that I had no choice? That if was either help them break in or risk our child's life?

I did what I had to and I won't apologize for that. But I will apologize for breaking my promise to you. I hope it's the last one.

I suppose I should tell you that after the robbery I came back to the states. I couldn't stay with my contacts anymore, not when our child could be born anytime now. I won't lie to you, I'm scared Natasha.

Everyday I have to stop myself from calling you, from telling you where I am and asking you to come get us. But I don't think I could handle it if you didn't answer or didn't want to come to me. So everyday I try and forget your number, but I can't. And I don't think I ever will.

Yours Forever,
Marz

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'd been back in the states for nearly a month and so far nobody has come for me. It was harder to get back in then it was to get out, but thankfully nobody looked too hard at the heavily pregnant woman coming through immigration. Especially not one who also appeared to be blind. Marko had one thing right, nobody pays any attention to the disabled.

I'd stuck by the coast for a while, but then had moved inland. I stayed away from known SHIELD bases but that narrowed my options drastically. So did my plan for staying away from fault lines. By my best guess I have about two weeks before I go into labor and the last thing I want to do is cause a major earthquake during it.

So places with fault lines were out.

As my time grew closer, my anxiety and fear doubled. I'd done a ton of research on home births and had my supplies, but I was far from prepared and each day reminded me just how alone I truly was.

I moved from town to town every few days, never really going outside unless it was at night. It was more dangerous but there was less chance of being recognized. Not that anyone would recognize me with as pregnant as I am.

I'm not sure when I decided I was tired of being alone or where I was going, but one morning I found myself on a boat headed for Hawaii. As far as I knew the twins were still there, but what I didn't know is what island they'd be on or if they'd even want to see me.

But at this point I was willing to risk it.

So I started on the small island and made my up the chain, and finally on Maui I spotted a familiar face. Wanda was smiling as she shopped at a farmers market, looking happier then I'd ever seen her. It made me almost walk away but then her head turned in my direction and I heard her voice in my head.

"Marzda?" She asked excitedly.

I grin at her, "hey Wanda."

She makes her way over to me and almost drops her bags when she sees my stomach. "So.. we have a lot to talk about huh?"

"Yeah we do," I tell her softly.

"Pietro is going to be so happy to see you," she tells me as she grabs my arm. "You'll love the house. It's right by the ocean and has these beautiful stained glass windows on the front porch. Oh! And I finally got my garden."

"It sounds wonderful Wands," I say as she leads me up a path and to a little blue house on a hill. I stop when it comes into sight, "is it safe?"

She turns to me, "of course it is it's a SHIELD house."

"I meant for me. Since I'm, you know," I shrug.

"A fugitive?" She finishes for me. "Do you really think that we would turn you in?"

"No," I answer her truthfully.

She smiles, "then come on, it's almost dinner time and I'm making your favorite."

"Paprikash?" I ask her excitedly as I start towards the house again.

She laughs, "you'll have to fight Pietro for it though."

I give her a smile, "we both know I could take him."

"True, he's gotten lazier since we've been here," Wanda tells me as we head inside the house. "We haven't been called for a mission yet so we've gotten very domestic."

I follow her to the kitchen and a second later I'm spinning in the air as Pietro spins me around. "I'm going to be sick!" I warn him.

"Pietro drop her she's pregnant!" Wanda orders him.

My feet find the ground and the rest of me finds a chair as he sits me down. "Sorry Marz Bar," he apologizes sheepishly. "I didn't realize you were in a delicate condition."

"I'm not delicate," I joke as I try to hold back the vomit that threatens to come up. "Just a little.."

"Delicate," Wanda says. "And that's ok because you're here now and we can take care of you."

"You don't care that I'm on the run or how I got pregnant?" I ask them.

"We are curious," Pietro tells me.

"But," Wanda chimes in. "It's not our business unless you want it to be." She looks me over and says, "and as much as I hate to say it, you need a shower and a nap. You look awful."

I chuckle, "yeah being on the run will do that to you." I heave myself up and ask, "bathroom?"

Wanda points, "down the hall second door on the left and the spare room is right next to it."

"Thank you," I tell them.

"We are family," Pietro tells me.

Wanda nods, "welcome home."