บท 88: C88 Time After Time

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As Natasha braced to make a painful decision, a familiar voice echoed through the garage, cutting through the tension like a sharp blade. "You promise what's for the best?"

Natasha and Melina both spun around, weapons instinctively raised, only for Natasha to lower hers at the sight of Peter and Peggy stepping into the light. The confusion and bewilderment on her face was unmistakable; she hadn't expected Peter appear so suddenly.

Peter, with his characteristic smirk, looked at Peggy, who was clearly surprised. "See, I told you they were here," he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement.

"But how did you know that?" Peggy asked, her curiosity piqued.

"The Force," Peter replied nonchalantly, the smirk widening as he enjoyed the mystique he'd fabricated around his supposed powers.

Peggy shook her head, her expression a mix of amusement and annoyance. "Right, the Force. One day you'll have to actually explain that to me."

Turning back to the two women, Peter's tone shifted from playful to serious. "So, what's going on here? What's for the best again?"

Natasha, caught off guard and unable to meet Peter's gaze, hesitated. "I... I need to leave," she said quietly, her voice tinged with a reluctance she couldn't mask.

"Why? Did something come up?" Peter probed further, his eyebrows raised.

Before Natasha could respond, Melina interjected, her weapon still trained on Peter. "It's none of your business, boy. I suggest you leave before I put a bullet in your head, and trust me, I really don't want to do that—not when my daughter seems so smitten with you~" She teased, hoping for a reaction from Peter, though it never came.

On the other hand, Natasha flinched at her mother's words, both embarrassed and upset, the last thing she wanted was for Peter to know about her twisted family ties.

Ignoring the gun aimed at him, Peter turned to Natasha, his tone light. "So, that's your mother, huh? I think I'm starting to see where you got your looks from."

The comment caught Melina off guard, her stern facade softening as she noticed Natasha's cheeks tinting with a blush. The seasoned Black Widow was momentarily speechless, her weapon lowering slightly as the realization hit her—her daughter might actually be in love.

On the sidelines, Peggy watched the unfolding drama with a growing interest. She might not know all the details, but it was clear to her that she was witnessing a tale straight out of a romance novel—the very genre she adored in secret.

Not many knew, but after losing the man she loved in World War II, Peggy had never found love again, refusing to settle for anyone but him. So, without the personal drama of romance in her own life, she had turned to romance novels, finding solace and excitement in their pages.

Lost in her thoughts, Peggy's face flushed as she imagined Peter and Natasha as the protagonists of her favorite novel 'Deadly Desires: Love Undercover.'

As her mind wandered, she couldn't help but muse to herself about the title's alternate, cheekier title, 'Deadly Desires: Love Under the Covers,' which was very apt, as the book was practically a porno.

As Peggy giggled softly to herself, lost in the imaginary world of espionage romance novels, Peter glanced at her with a quizzical eyebrow raised. 'What the hell's wrong with her?' He shook his head slightly, focusing back on the pressing matter at hand—Natasha's imminent departure.

"Natasha," Peter started, his voice firm yet infused with concern, "if you're in trouble, or if there's something going on, I can help."

Natasha shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze. "Peter, I appreciate it, but I can handle it myself," she replied, her tone resolute yet tinged with a hint of sadness.

"You say that, but we both remember how things went the night we met. You couldn't exactly handle it yourself, could you?" Peter stepped closer, his features softening. "Besides, you don't have to do everything alone, you know. I know we haven't known each other for long, but whatever it is, I'm here."

Natasha shook her head, more forcefully this time. "It's not just about handling it, Peter. It's... complicated. My life isn't just mine; it's tangled up with obligations." She paused, her voice barely above a whisper. "Now, please step aside and let me go…"

Feeling annoyed at her refusal, Peter crossed his arms and stubbornly replies, "Make me…"

Natasha's brow furrowed, aware that if Peter chose to, he could easily overpower both her and Melina, so fighting wasn't exactly an option here.

But unfortunately, her mother was oblivious to this fact. And after a tense pause, Melina's patience finally snapped. With a swift motion, she raised her gun and fired at Peter's feet, the bullet striking the concrete with a loud crack. "Look, kid. Step aside, or the next one goes in your leg," she threatened, her eyes narrowing.

Peter didn't flinch at the shot, his calm demeanor both impressing and surprising Melina. 'He's not your average boy…' she concluded as he held Natasha's gaze, silently pleading for her to accept his help, to trust him.

Natasha simply looked away, and with quick steps, she closed the distance between herself and her mother. Reaching out, she snatched the gun from Melina's hand with an assertive grip. "This is for your own good," Natasha said firmly, as her mother started to protest.

"Hey! I wasn't actually going to shoot your little boyfriend," Melina tried to snatch the gun back, but failed. "I was just trying to scare him a little…" she groaned.

Ignoring her mother, Natasha's eyes met Peter's, a storm of emotions swirling in their depths. Her voice was low, tinged with a sorrowful resolve. "Peter, I'm not like other girls. I can't just have a normal life—friends, or... or even something more with someone." Her gaze faltered slightly, hinting at deeper feelings. "I'm not free to make those choices. I'm a tool, used and controlled, and that's all I will ever be..."

She took a deep breath, steadying her shaking hand as she raised her mother's gun. Her voice hardened, a serious mask falling over her vulnerable admission. "Please, just step aside."

Peter, seeing that she wouldn't listen, sighed deeply and stepped aside, his heart heavy. "Okay, Nat. If that's how you want it."

As Natasha walked away, her steps echoing in the vast, empty garage, Peter noticed a single tear escape down her cheek. He stood motionless, allowing her to go, yet his hands gripped into tight fists, reflecting the frustration boiling inside him.

Melina, after a lingering glance at Peter, turned and followed her daughter. Her gaze had been evaluative, almost as if trying to discern what her daughter saw in this charming, yet mysterious, man.

Once the two widows had disappeared, Peggy turned to face Peter, her expression tinged with exasperation. "What are you doing? Don't just stand there—go after her already!" She chastised him, yearning for a happier outcome. "Honestly, you men can be so oblivious... Take it from an old woman who's seen her fair share: when a girl insists she can handle things on her own or spouts any other nonsense like that, it's often exactly when she needs your help the most."

Peter merely smiled wryly and pulled out his datapad. "Who said I wasn't going after her?"

"What is that?" Peggy asked as she leaned over, her eyes widening at the sight of a moving dot on the screen. "You tracked her? Isn't that a bit... much?"

Peter shook his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Not her. Her mother." He discreetly used the force to attach one of the tracking chips they had taken from the lab on Counter-Earth to Melina near the end of their conversation.

Peggy's expression turned from confusion to disbelief. "And how is that any less creepy?"

Peter raised a brow, sighing in annoyance. "First you tell me to ignore what she says and go after her, but the second I track her that's weird?"

"Yes!" Peggy nodded assertively.

"You women are too confusing…" He mutters as he strode away from the garage, his boots tapping against the pavement. Peggy, matching his brisk pace, watched him carefully, sensing his determination mixed with a twinge of frustration.

"How do you plan to follow her?" she finally asked, her voice tinged with both curiosity and concern.

Peter didn't break stride, but the corners of his mouth twitched, hinting at a plan already forming in his mind. "I have my ways," he replied simply.

Peggy, undeterred by his vagueness, continued, "If it's about getting there quickly, I can have a jet ready for you within the hour. Just say the word."

Peter paused mid-step, turning to face her with a wry smile. "I appreciate that, Granny, but no thanks."

Peggy opened her mouth to offer another solution, maybe argue that time was of the essence, but Peter cut her off. "Look, thanks for the offer, but I've got this. Really."

Before Peggy could respond, Peter gave her a quick, tight smile. "See you later, Grams." Then, to her utter shock, he vanished right before her eyes. One moment he was there, and the next, he was just... gone.

Peggy stood there, blinking in disbelief at the empty space where Peter had been. She shook her head slightly, a mixture of admiration and exasperation crossing her features. "Show-off," she muttered under her breath, though the corner of her lips twitched upward in an amused smile.

————

Driving off in her stolen car, Melina made her way back to the airport. Inside the vehicle, the atmosphere was thick, tense with unspoken regrets and a kind of mourning for what might have been. Natasha stared blankly out the passenger side window, her gaze lost in the passing blur of city streets.

Melina stole glances at her daughter, her hands gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. The silence was deafening, filled only by the soft hum of the engine and the occasional swoosh of other vehicles speeding by. She could see Natasha's reflection in the window, the suns light catching tears that stubbornly clung to her eyelashes.

Natasha wiped away a stray tear, her heart heavy with a sorrow that felt as if it could crush her. "…"

When Peter had saved her life, it was like a star shooting across the darkness of her world—bright, beautiful, but fleeting. She could still feel the warmth of his concern, the sincerity in his voice when he'd said he was there for her.

But what could she offer him? Nothing but complications and shadows from a past that would always haunt her. She was a brainwashed spy, her very biology altered by the Red Room to deny her the chance of ever having children. 'Peter deserves more—deserves better.' She thought to herself.

Melina, sensing the weight of her daughter's silence, reached out tentatively, her hand hovering before gently touching Natasha's. "Natasha, I—"

Natasha pulled her hand back sharply, her voice low but fierce. "Just drive..."

The rejection stung, more than Melina cared to admit. "Okay…" She sighed, turning her eyes back to the road.

The space between them was filled with years of betrayal and pain, a chasm not easily bridged. As the silence grew unbearable, Melina reached for the radio, hoping to fill the void with something, anything else.

A song began to play, the singer's voice mournful and hauntingly beautiful. The lyrics spoke of lost love and the pain of leaving, mirroring the ache in Natasha's heart so precisely that her defenses began to crumble.

🚨Play Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper🚨

🎶Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you🎶

🎶Caught up in circles🎶

🎶Confusion is nothing new🎶

🎶Flashback, warm nights🎶

🎶Almost left behind🎶

🎶Suitcase of memories🎶

🎶Time after🎶

🎶Sometimes you picture me🎶

🎶I'm walking too far ahead🎶

🎶You're calling to me, I can't hear🎶

🎶What you've said🎶

🎶Then you say, "go slow"🎶

🎶And I fall behind🎶

🎶The second hand unwinds🎶

🎶If you're lost you can look and you will find me🎶

🎶Time after time🎶

🎶If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting🎶

🎶Time after time🎶

🎶If you're lost, you can look and you will find me🎶

🎶Time after time🎶

🎶If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting🎶

🎶Time after time🎶

…

Natasha's breath hitched, and another tear rolled down her cheek. Melina flinched at the sight, her hand moving to turn off the radio. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, leave it," Natasha interrupted, her voice breaking slightly. "Just leave it on."

Melina obeyed, her heart aching as she listened to the song alongside her daughter, whom she loved but couldn't comfort.

🎶After my picture fades and darkness has🎶

🎶Turned to gray🎶

🎶Watching through windows🎶

🎶You're wondering if I'm okay🎶

🎶Secrets stolen from deep inside (deep inside)🎶

🎶And the drum beats out of time🎶

🎶If you're lost you can look and you will find me🎶

🎶Time after time🎶

🎶If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting🎶

🎶Time after time🎶

…

As the song played, the words weaving through the car like threads of sorrow, Natasha's mind wandered back to Peter, tears streaming down her face. His cocky smile, his earnestness, and even the way he would infuriate her with his teasing… She missed all of it…

Beside her, Melina drove on, her eyes moist as she focused on the road ahead. There was nothing more to say, nothing more to do but head back to the Red Room…

A/N: 2295 words :)

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