Covert Affair | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 28: Ex.013

As Natasha stirred from her slumber, she found herself wrapped in Jenna's embrace, their bodies entwined in a tangle of limbs. A soft smile graced Natasha's lips at the unexpected warmth of the moment. 

Natasha gently attempted to extricate herself from the embrace.But just as she began to drift back into a peaceful slumber, feeling a pang of guilt at the idea of disturbing the sleeping girl's rest. The ring of both phones shattered the tranquility of the moment.

Groggily, they both reached for their phones, their expressions clouded with confusion as they saw the caller ID displaying Fury and Maria's names.

As the call ended, Natasha and Jenna sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, Jenna's cheeks flushed with embarrassment from their position, her gaze darting away shyly. "Um, I should... I should go get ready," Jenna stammered, her words slightly rushed as she scrambled to untangle herself from Natasha's embrace. "Feel free to grab some clothes from my closet," she added hastily, her cheeks still tinged with a rosy hue.

As Natasha browsed through the clothes, Jenna retrieved her mask from the bedside table, a familiar routine ingrained in her actions. With a practiced swipe of her finger, the mask covered her eyes once more, obscuring her identity again. "How do I look?"

 Natasha couldn't help but tease Jenna, "I think I like your voice without the mask more," she remarked.

Jenna's cheeks flushed at the unexpected compliment, her mask unable to conceal the hint of a smile that tugged at her lips. 

---

Nick Fury stood at his own grave, wearing sunglasses and a hoodie. Steve and Sam approached greeting the trio.

"You get used to it," Steve remarked.

Fury's gravestone, marked with the epitaph "The path of the righteous man. Ezekiel 25:17."

"We've been data-mining HYDRA's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm headed to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come," he explained.

Steve, however, had other priorities. "There's something I gotta do first," he replied.

"How about you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities," he offered.

Sam considered the proposition but ultimately declined. "I'm more of a soldier than a spy," he admitted.

With a nod of understanding, Fury accepted their decisions, shaking their hands before making his departure.  Natasha and Zero joined Steve and Sam.

"You should be honored, that's about as close as he gets to saying thank you," Natasha remarked, her words carrying a hint of admiration for Fury's rare display of gratitude.

Steve glanced at Natasha, his expression contemplative. "Not going with him?".

Natasha shook her head in response. "No," she replied simply, her voice tinged with resignation.

Steve's brows furrowed slightly as he processed her answer. "Not staying here?" he asked, his gaze searching Natasha's face for any hint of uncertainty.

"No," she repeated, her voice firm this time. "I blew all my covers. I gotta go figure out a new one."

Steve nodded understandingly, the weight of Natasha's decision settling heavily on his shoulders. "That might take a while," he remarked, his tone sympathetic.