❝Whatever happens, just know that I never stopped trying.❞
. . .in which she must do whatever she can to protect the world and what's left of the ones she loves.
[BOOK THREE]
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★ ★ ★
4 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS AFTER DECIMATION
APRIL 2026
★ ★ ★
"I can't believe you."
Marlena scoffed and collapsed to the floor in a heap of sweat. Natasha stood over her, her green eyes especially judgmental given the latest new that had been sprung on her.
"Yeah?" Marlena took a deep breath and rolled over to grab her water bottle from the bench. She took a swig of the water inside and looked back at Natasha. "And why not? I figured you wouldn't be all that surprised."
Natasha chuckled and took a swing at the sand bag hanging in front of her. The two were in the recreation center at the Avengers compound. When Marlena wasn't exercising in the city and when Natasha wasn't busy running missions, the two took time together to train, per say. Marlena doubted she would find herself trapped within another battle, but living a life like her own came with no guarantees whatsoever. Truthfully, Marlena wouldn't be surprised if she were to step outside the compound and immediately find herself locked in a confrontation between two of New York's finest criminals.
"It's not that I'm surprised, because I'm not surprised at all," Natasha said to her. "I'm bothered because you didn't tell me—neither of you told me. You and Steve have been together for ten months now and somehow the only one who knew was Tony."
Marlena grunted and scratched her head. "Yeah, I underestimated just how close the two of them actually were."
"They're obviously closer than we are."
Marlena frowned and sat up, her glistening hazel eyes falling on Natasha. "Please stop, okay? I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I wasn't ready to tell anyone. Throughout the entire time I've known all of you I've only ever been with one man, and I figured a transition from me with Bucky to me with Steve would be a little bit weird for everyone. I also wanted time between me and Steve without the interference of any outside forces; I needed to know if we could work the way I wanted us to work."
"And did you get your answer?"
"I did," Marlena smiled as her thoughts began drifting to her relationship with Steve. "He's been everything to me and more, Natasha."
"How do you feel about being in another relationship?" Natasha asked her.
Marlena shrugged and took a swig from her water bottle. "It's different, and of course I will always love Bucky, but Steve has given me back what I never thought I'd have again. The way I love him is different from the way I loved Bucky. It's comparable to being in love with both the sun and the moon; interpret that as you may."
