Requisite and Sensibility

Chapter 11 - Professor Hulk

"So you're just leaving me? Alone, with the twins?" Megan looked over at Natasha and sighed, nodding. "I trust you Nat, you broke that calling Tony-" "You needed family, Megan. Look at you!" Natasha fired back and Megan shook her head, "What I need is a damn person in the world that I can trust as much as Steve ok? You clearly aren't it so yes, I'm leaving." "Where are you even going to go?" "Somewhere where I don't have to deal with this crap." Natasha watched with a heavy heart as her wife picked up her overnight bag and tightly held Margaret's hand, the two walking out.

***

Two Years Later...

Megan stood in the therapy session that she had started, she looked over at Margaret, now six sitting on the chair calmly, looking not at all like a six year old. The world had toughened her, matured her. The first year that they had left, Megan and Margaret were on the run, constantly moving, they even crossed paths with Clint, an assassin now in Japan. After Margaret almost died, Megan decided on slowing down, she started a small therapy session and they lived in Steve's old apartment.

Megan focused bacon Joe, a regular, "So I, uh... Went on a date the other day. It's the first time in five years, you know? I'm sitting there at dinner... I didn't even know what to talk about." "What did you talk about?" Megan asked, encouraging the conversation, "Same old crap, you know? How things have changed, and... my job, his job... How much we miss the Mets. And then things get quiet... He cried as they were serving the salads." Jim, another regular, spoke up, "What about you?" "I cried... just before dessert. But I'm seeing him again tomorrow, so..."

Megan nodded and smiled softly, "That's great. You did the hardest part. You took the jump, you didn't know where you were gonna come down. And that's it. That's those little brave baby steps we gotta take. To try and become whole again, try and find purpose. I went in the ice in '45 right after I met the love of my life. Woke up 70 years later... then died. Then, then I was born again, re-found my love, found another love and now both of them are taken away from me. You gotta move on. Gotta to move on. The world is in our hands. It's left to us guys, and we got to do something with it. Otherwise... Thanos should have killed all of us."

As Megan spoke, she couldn't help but feel like she needed to move on again, maybe it was time she went back home.

***

Natasha covered her mouth with her hands as she started to cry miserably, she needed Megan now more than ever. "You know I'd offer to cook you dinner but you seem pretty miserable already." Natasha looked up at Megan slouching against the bookshelf, a small smile on her face. Natasha wanted to get up, kiss her and then strangle the life out of her, but she didn't want to give Megan that satisfaction. In a monotone voice she asked, "You here to do your laundry?" Megan snorted, "And to see my wife." "Clearly, your wife is fine."

"You know I saw a pod of whales when I was coming up the bridge." Natasha nodded slowly, this conversation was very calm, very casual, she guessed they would have the heavier conversation later. "In the Hudson?" "There's fewer ships, cleaner water." Natasha pursed her lips, she knew about Megan's therapy sessions, she had kept an eye on her wife and daughter and now she smiled, "You know, if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side. Um... I'm about you to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich." Megan chuckled, taking a seat opposite Natasha, "Sorry. Force of habit. You know, I keep telling everybody they should move on and... grow. Some do. But not us."

Natasha sighed, "If I move on, who does this?" "Maybe it doesn't need to be done." "I used to have nothing. And then I got this. This job... this family... you. And I was... I was better because of it. And even though... they're gone... I'm still trying to be better." Megan sighed, leaning back, "Please don't leave me again, I need you." Natasha whispered quietly and Megan took her hand, "I was a bitch. I'm back and I'm never leaving again." "Promise?" "Yeah, I promise." Megan leaned over the table to kiss Natasha and Natasha kissed her back, starved of her touch, she greedily kissed as if Megan was her food, her water.