Saving Natasha

PART 24: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARLING

NATASHA'S POV

I woke rather suddenly

"Shit, what time is it?" I glanced at the clock beside me, 5:54.

Phew. I didn't sleep in. I lay back down for a few minutes waiting for my alarm to go off. I was going over the day, what i planned to do. It was Ava's birthday. My alarm went off, pulling me from my thoughts back to the real world. I pulled the covers back and instantly regretted it, it was freezing. I ran across the room to the bathroom closing the door behind me.

I pulled off my pyjamas and hopped into the shower. It was so warm, i let the water pour over me, enjoying the splash as the water fell to the floor. I started washing my hair, thinking about Ava's big day. There was nothing huge planned, Ava wasn't big into birthdays, just a quiet day at home with the whole crew (which of course meant it wasn't going to be quiet, last time everyone was together, they all had a competition to see who could lift Thor's hammer) i rolled my eyes at the memory. I was excited none the less.

I washed the shampoo out of my hair and turned off the shower grabbing a towel off the radiator. I sat in the bathroom for a while, enjoying the quiet. I walked up to the mirror, wiping the condensation off it with a cloth. I just stood there looking, staring into my own wide green eyes, following the ridge of my button nose, tracing the line of my cheekbones, watching my full lips as i contorted my face into weird positions, eyeing my sharp collarbones.

I sighed and went back into my bedroom. I grabbed a pair of legging pulling them on. I walked over to my wardrobe and opened it, all dark, all shades of black or navy. I smiled as I thought of my style. I grabbed a random t shirt pulling it over my head, and grabbed a large jumper that I'm pretty sure wasn't mine.

I headed out of my room trying not to wake anyone and walked down to the training room. I smiled as i looked around the room, it was all so familiar. I threw my jumper onto a bench and walked into the centre of the training room, the dummy i had used yesterday was still there and i punched it. It felt good so i did it again, in no time the poor dummy had been bartered.

I checked the clock, 6:30. Ava would usually come down around now, but it was her birthday so i expected her to stay in bed. I looked back at the contorted face of the old dummy and laughed at it. I walked out of the main training area and was heading towards the shooting range when i heard a noise behind me, i turned to see Ava trying to hide, i shrugged my shoulders and turned back around, pretending i didn't see her. I heard her try stifle a laugh and run into the training room.

I walked down to the shooting range, grabbed a handgun and headed back to the main arena. I walked in the room and grabbed the jumper i had left on the punch, i started to pull it on while trying to find Ava. She was standing at the back of the room, the same place i had waited the first time she trained with me, as the jumper covered my face i smiled.

I sat down on the bench, pretending to tie my lace. I still had my gun on my belt, and when i sat up i pulled it out of its holster on my belt slowly. I stood up and aimed the gun across my stomach, thanks to the jumper ava wasn't able to see it. I quickly checked her position as i 'fixed my hair' and fired the gun. It was 2 inches from her head.

She came out of the shadows sulking.

"How did you know i was there?" She walked closer to me frowning

" what you think if i heard a noise in the hall I'd simply shrug my shoulders and walk away?" I pulled her into a hug "happy birthday darling"

"Thanks Nat" i pushed her back, holding her at arms length. She giggled at me before pushing my arms down and giving me another hug.

"Want some breakfast?"

"I'd love some"

We walked up the stairs chatting about random things. She was very talkative, she was usually quieter in the mornings. She continued chatting away as i started to make some breakfast for us. It was a great morning. No one else was up. It was just the two of us in the kitchen laughing and somehow covered in flour.

After breakfast we went back downstairs to train for the day. It was a normal training day, and when we came back upstairs Ava went to shower as i started to clean the kitchen. We had managed to get flour everywhere. When Ava came back down she sat down facing me, excitement clearly portrayed in her face.

"What is it? Why are you so excited?" I turned to the sink so she wouldn't see the smile taking over my face.

"Mmmm nothing. Its just, its beautiful outside"

"Ava, its literally snowing" i looked out the window, watching the delicate flakes fall.

"Ummm yeah, snow is pretty" i laughed at her as she tried to back up her lie

" its on my bedside table"

"Yay! Thanks Nat!" She ran out of the room. I turned around sitting on the counter waiting for her to reappear.

she came running back downstairs in a matter of seconds with a small bag in her hands. She came into the kitchen and sat on the counter opposite me. She smiled down at the carefully wrapped package in her lap

"What is it?" She looked up at me smiling.

"Why would i tell you, its literally on your lap just open it" i jumped off the counter and walked out of the kitchen. I started to clear the table. I could hear her in the kitchen trying to carefully open the present without ripping the paper.

"Just rip it for gods sake, are you planning on saving the paper?"

I walked back into the kitchen and stood in the doorway, leaning against the door frame. She started to tear at the paper, trying to reach what lay underneath it. When she finally ripped the paper off, she looked at the small box lying in her lap, utter confusion on her face.

"Is this one of those things where its just a whole bunch of wrapping until it gets down to the size of a pea?"

"Just open it, jeez Ava!"

She slowly opened the box and just looked at what was inside. She was at a loss for words. She looked at me and i laughed.

"Fury ok'd it last week"

"Really!!!"

"Yup, you're now officially a SHIELD agent"

She jumped off the counter and ran at me, hugging me so tightly I wasn't sure if i could breath or not. I laughed at her again and she stood back to look back at her earpiece.

"Best. Birthday. Ever!!!!"she hugged me again and we stood there for a few minutes, locked in a tight embrace

"Well, agent johansson you ready for your first mission?" She jumped back

"You're lieing, a mission, with you!!?!! When!?!"

" I dont know, i was thinking like this evening" i smiled at her. She looked at me in utter disbelief. She hugged me again and then ran out of the kitchen

"Love you Nat!"

"Love you too agent"