Romanova

1

~~|2006|~~

Natasha kicked the door closed behind her and tossed the bag on the low table. Its contents clinked dully against each other.

"Did you seriously pull that heist off?"

"Wow, Sam, how low do you think of me?"

Sam shrugged, raising his hands defensively. "I'm just saying. It was a heavily guarded mansion . . . and you kinda went in there one-woman-army without even letting us know you left."

Natasha had never looked more smug. "And I still got the coins."

Sam sat up properly and reached for the bag, pulling it open and letting a few of the gold coins spill out. He picked one up and turned it over a few times. "I don't get it though. You can't sell them. They're too known. You kinda stole them for nothing."

"I stole them for satisfaction, Sam. Besides, I didn't even kill anyone on the job."

"That doesn't make you good, Nat, that makes you semi-normal."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Where's Dot?"

"It's four-thirty. She's napping."

"Ah."

"So, what are you gonna do with the coins?"

Natasha smirked. "Throw them in Bucky's face. Rub Wanda's face in them. Boast to Steve. I'll actually probably just let Dot have them."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, sounds like you. Dinner in twenty?"

"Oh, yeah, that'll be great. I'm gonna hit the shower and wake Dot up. See you in twenty."

Approximately twenty minutes later, Sam set down plates in front of his seated family members, and shoved a bottle in Dot's hands as she sat in her carry cot on the corner of the table, watching everyone else with eyes larger than her face.

"What sadness did you dredge up to cook dinner today?"

Sam glared at Wanda. "Your breakup," he said.

"Low blow, Wilson. But I'll take it."

"And what are you smiling like that for?"

Natasha's smile grew wider as she glanced at Steve. "I brought a gift for Dot. A little set of very expensive toys."

"Oh?"

Natasha stood up and turned the little bag inside out. The antique, collectible gold coins fell from the bag and scattered over the table. Dot laughed and clapped her hands, splattering Sam with the milk from her bottle. He shot her a soft glare that made her laugh a different type of laugh.

Steve's jaw dropped. "You actually did it."

"You guys suck. I can't believe you thought I wouldn't get it done. Even you, Bucky."

Bucky raised his hands in surrender. "I didn't say you couldn't. I said you shouldn't. What if you'd gotten caught? You'd really trust us with Dot for an indefinite time period?"

"I wanted to talk about that, actually. Well, Scott and I were talking, anyway."

Natasha began to gather her loot back into the bag, handing one coin to Dot. "About what, Clint?"

"This," he said, gesturing around the room, "all of this. We think it's time we. . ."

Natasha glanced at Scott. "Don't tell me this is Laura and Hope in your heads because Hope actually helped me plan my getaway with these coins."