Covert Affair | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 76: Goodbyes

Tony stood in the quiet hallway of the Avengers compound, his gaze fixed on the slightly ajar door to Jenna's room. The compound felt emptier without the usual bustle.

Pushing the door open gently, Tony stepped inside, his eyes immediately drawn to the personal touches. The walls were adorned with photos. He moved closer to a cluster of pictures, Jenna laughing with Clint, the nerd heard, Pietro and Jenna being rescued from the river.

It was a sunny afternoon, Pietro was sitting near the water's edge, blowing up a kiddy pool. Jenna walked out of the compound, her eyes narrowing as she approached Pietro. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Pietro grinned up at her, pausing in his task. "Making a pool" he declared, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Jenna shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "You know there's a perfectly good pool inside, right?"

Pietro shrugged, resuming his efforts. "But this one has a view" he said, gesturing towards the lake.

Before long, they had dragged the kiddy pool to the riverbank. The two of them climbed into the empty pool. They spent hours talking and laughing, the afternoon slipping away. Eventually, they both dozed off in the pool.

The kiddy pool had somehow floated downriver, drifting towards the open sea.

When they woke up, hovering above them was Tony in his Iron Man suit, the Quinjet casting a spotlight on the floating pool. He stared down at them, amusement on his face.

"Wanda is gonna kill me" Pietro muttered under his breath, looking up at the Quinjet.

"Nat is gonna kill me" Jenna echoed at the same time, her eyes wide with worry.

Tony couldn't help but laugh at their synchronized fear. "You two are something else" he said, shaking his head.

But then some shoes by the bed that caught his attention—neatly placed as if Jenna might walk back in at any moment. Tony's gaze softened as he approached the nightstand. There, prominently displayed, were two framed photographs. The first was a picture of Tony, Pepper, and Jenna at a gala, their smiles wide and genuine. Tony's arm was draped protectively around Jenna's shoulders, while Pepper stood beside them. Next to it was another photo, this one of Jenna and Natasha at a museum. They were standing close, Natasha's arm around Jenna's waist.

He reached out and gently picked up the photo of the three of them at the gala, his thumb brushing over the glass. He traced the outline of her face with his thumb, a wave of guilt washing over him. He should have done more to protect her, to keep her safe. The weight of his responsibilities, of the decisions he had made, felt heavier in that moment than ever before.

Tony leaned against the wall, closing his eyes as he tried to push away the overwhelming sense of guilt. He missed Jenna more than he could express.

"God, kid , I'm sorry" he whispered into the quiet room.

Tony found solace in his lab, a place where he could lose himself in his work and momentarily escape the weight of his grief. But every time he was in the lab, his gaze would inevitably drift over to Jenna's lab.

Her lab remained just as she had left it. The tools she had used, the projects she had started, and the notes she had scrawled on the whiteboard all seemed frozen in time. Tony could almost hear her voice and the annoying spy that was always right on her tail.

━━━━━ 

Jenna struggled to balance an armful of groceries, her phone precariously tucked under her chin, while Lily clutched her beloved bottle of alcohol like it was her prized possession. As they approached the door, Jenna shot Lily a playful glare.