Forgotten Ghost | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 51: Party Invites

That everyone made it back on the Quinjet in one piece wasn't new. What was new was the extra piece of cargo they were taking back with them, priceless and more powerful then all of them combined.

Katya wasn't going to lie and say she wasn't the tiniest bit wary of the scepter. Everything she couldn't explain and was closer to magic than reality, she didn't like. Facts, that was what she liked, things she could explain. And even though Steve, the Hulk and Thor were weird too, she could explain them. 

Steve got strong because of science. Hulk the same thing. Thor was tricky. She could explain his existence, but until she saw Asgard with her own eyes, there was no way to prove his story, she would just have to trust his word. 

This time, the Quinjet was filled with euphoria and relief, a completely different vibe than before. This time, Katya wasn't listening to music. She was cleaning her knives and guns, checking if they were still good and replacing any parts that might need it. She checked up on Clint, who lay in the middle of the Quinjet on a gurney. They had pumped in some more drugs and he seemed comfortable for the time being. 

Katya was tired, but the adrenaline from finally getting the scepter kept her from sleeping. So instead she emptied her mind by keeping her hands busy, doing the movements she had done countless times and could do with her eyes closed. 

Tony was flying the plane, something he could do with the help of JARVIS. Natasha was keeping herself busy in the cockpit too, swiping through files and entering new information while talking to Maria quietly, discussing things and updating her. Steve was checking on Clint and Thor stared at the scepter, which was in the back of the jet, as far away from Katya as possible. 

Across from where she was sitting, Banner had his headphones back on. Steve had been right, you could hear the music through the whole jet, that's how loud it was. But she didn't mind the opera music, it was a nice change to the music she always listened to.

Katya looked up from her knives when Natasha moved in the corner of her eye. It was a subconscious reaction, but her blue eyes kept following her as she walked to Banner and crouched down in front of him, interrupting him from his small meditation session, trying to completely calm down. Katya couldn't imagine how much of a beating on his body it was every time he transformed back from the Hulk. 

''Hey, the lullaby worked better than ever,'' she said to him kindly. Katya continued with her work, but couldn't resist but listen in. 

''Just wasn't expecting the Code Green.'' It was painfully clear that Bruce didn't like the damage the Hulk did and wished he didn't have to go out there today. Maybe the Hulk's biggest hater was the man who literally turned into him and Katya admired him for trying his best to live with him. She didn't know if she were that strong.

''If you hadn't been there, there would've been double the casualties. My best friend would've been a treasured memory and I may have had to scrape my girlfriend from a tree.'' They both turned their heads towards Katya, who had to suppress a smile but was clearly listening in.

Bruce laughed at her attempt to cheer him up, but it wasn't really helping. ''You know, sometimes exactly what I want to hear isn't exactly what I want to hear.''

''How long before you trust me?'' she asked him quietly.

''It's not you I don't trust.'' That made at least two of them.

Natasha raised her voice, no more speaking to Banner alone. ''Thor, report on the Hulk?''

Katya looked up from her hands, wanting to see the way this would play out. Thor could miss the point sometimes and because he had no idea what they were previously talking about, this could go horribly wrong.