V I G I L A N C E ~ (MCU) ~

C H A P T E R 2 1_

I pull my hair into a tight ponytail and strip from my clothing. I fit into my S.H.I.E.L.D. suit and fit all the belts and holsters where they need to be. I load up gear into everything, grabbing grenades and extra ammunition before fitting my guns where they go.

Even if the others don't know of the alien attack, they are full aware an attack is always possible with Nebula's ship above the city and from the recent unexpected Hydra ambush this morning...

They watch me gather things and prepare, not knowing precisely why I am doing this but feeling it's also wise to prepare for the worst. Steve knows this well now. And I argue with some of them now.

"Get your wife and kids to the inner cell now," I tell Barton.

"Why? What are you not telling us? Is something out there?"

"Not yet. But if you value their lives you'll do as I say."

He looks back at Rogers who stands there... a serious look on his face before he says, "Do as she requests."

He is confused but they get them back there and Pepper eventually is persuaded along with Darcy. Jane doesn't go yet but we load her up with a rifle.

I sit at the table with guns piled on as I rip thick tape and wrap it around flashlights under the barrels of each weapon.

I work and pass out as much as I can for everyone's defense. But I wonder if it will help in the end.

I wait outside as they still work hard on the scanning systems and game plan for what the next move would be.

The air of the night is chilled but it doesn't affect me. Sometimes I think I'm cold blooded...

The gentle breeze blows at some stray pieces of my dark hair as I watch the horizon... the city with no glow as the moon creates just enough light to see the outline of skyscrapers...

"What are you looking for?" a voice asks from behind me.

Natasha is good at not making any sound, isn't she?

"...I'm waiting..."

"For what?"

"For the sky to come down..." I say plainly as I don't look back over my shoulder at all.

She doesn't reply to that... and she walks around slowly, stopping when she eventually gets to my side and looks out to where I do, but still a good distance to my left...

"You got us all worked up now. You'd think we were ready for the end of the world..."

I think on that and my gaze casts down a tad. "It won't be if I can help it..." I say quietly.

"... ...Just make sure the strive to do what's right all on your own doesn't lead you to do something foolish..." she says, a bit in a lost way.

I look at her. "Do you speak from experience?"

She glances down. "...It took me a long time to realize it but... sometimes not everything is best done alone... Sometimes it's better to have an army at your back... a small one that will do what it takes to save both you and the world..."

"...You sound like Steve," I mutter quietly with a thoughtful slight smile.

"Well then I guess I spend too much time with that fossil," she almost chuckles a tad.