CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:
PROGRESS

     "COME ON NOW, WILLOW." NATASHA sighed, looking down at the women whom of which she had just thrown on the map. "We've done this a hundred times." The two were in one of the many training rooms, having decided on giving up for the day and checking on Annabella's progress tomorrow. They had been training for a few hours, and Willow was tired to say the least. Natasha looked down at her, trying to hide her amusement when Willow narrowed her eyes at her.

     "Oh, I'm sorry. Unlike someone I know I wasn't trained from the ages three and up to be an assassin. Instead I was turned into a monster." Willow gave Natasha a sarcastic smile and the redhead rolled her eyes, stretching out a hand towards her. Willow huffed, latching her hand onto Natasha's and pretending to pull herself up before quickly pulling Natasha down, flipping over her so that she was on top of her. She looked down at Natasha who was trying to hide her surprise. Willow smiled, proud of herself. "I got you."

     "Unfair."

     "Fair."

     Natasha looked at her and finally shook her head as she smirked slightly, proud of the woman. "Fine. Fair." Natasha watched Willow beam and her heart swelled in her chest. Seeing Willow so proud of herself made butterflies fill Natasha's stomach. She smiled a real smile and her heart warmed even more when Willow smiled brightly back. "Let's go again?" Willow nodded, moving to stand up before stopping making Natasha raise an eyebrow at her. And then she was taken by surprise again when Willow leaned down, pressing her lips against Natasha's. Natasha closed her eyes and kissed back, trying not to frown when Willow pulled away.

     "Well, look at that." Willow smirked. "I've managed to surprise the infamous Black Widow twice in five minutes. That must be a world record." Finally she stood, reaching out a hand and pulling Natasha up. She reached up, tightening her hair that was placed in a high ponytail. Natasha pushed the hair back from her face. "Let's be honest, I'm not getting any better at this whole fighting thing."

     Natasha scoffed. "Trust me when I say you are much better at this right now then you were a week ago. This is you fighting, not the alien. Progress. It may be a small amount of progress, but it's still progress. That's what matters." Willow stared at her and Natasha offered her a small smile, reaching forwards and grabbing her hand. "I'm proud of you Willow, really I am."

Willow stared at her and wondered if Natasha knew how much those words truly meant to her. It made her palms sweaty and her heart slam against her chest because whether or not Willow realized it, Natasha had made her fall irrevocably in love with her. Willow looked down to her feet, feeling a blush crawl up her neck as she smiled to herself.

     "I never thought I'd see the day where Natasha Romanoff let someone in." The two women turned their heads to see Theodora Knox standing there. The brunette smirked slightly, arms crossed over her chest as she made her way closer to the duo. "I gotta admit, it's adorable. So, thank you, Willow." Theodora stopped, looking over at Natasha and smiling in amusement when the redhead glared at her. "She's so flustered right now and it's adorable. Quick, anyone got a camera, I want to capture this moment so that I know it actually happened."

     "Don't you have children to mother?" Natasha asked.

     "My husband's being the mother right now." Theodora responded.

     "Really?" Natasha asked. "Again?"

     "Yep."

     "Let me talk to her."

     "You and I both know that's not going to change anything." Theodora told her. "She's a teenager. Her father is protective of her because of what happened when she was little. He's scared to let her be and it's pissing her off."

     "What the hell are you two talking about?" Willow asked, cocking an eyebrow as she looked between the two.

     "My oldest." Theodora answered with a shrug. "Avery. She and Clint don't get along. She was taken as a baby and tested on by HYDRA. She's one powerful sixteen year old that can control the elements, so whenever she and her father get into a fight, I run away and take my son with me."

     "Oliver's here?" Natasha asked, suddenly excited.

     "Yeah, he's eating in the kitchen, watching some cartoon." Theodora answered.

     "You're telling me that Natasha gets excited over children more than she gets excited about getting to hand out with me?" Willow asked, feigning offense as she watched Natasha walk towards the direction that Oliver would be.

     Theodora watched the woman disappear around the corner as she looked at Willow. "Well, the option to have kids was ripped from her, literally. They give all the kids from the Red Room an involuntary hysterectomy. She's always been a second mother to Avery, as well as Oliver." She glanced over at Willow that was still looking in the direction that Natasha had went. "She would be an amazing mother one day."

     Willow smiled slightly. "Yeah, I bet she would be." Her smile started to change as she remembered that she probably wouldn't be allowed to have kids either. Hell, if she was being honest, she didn't want to have kids of her own in fear of them somehow getting infected by the alien that lived inside her. Willow shoved her hair behind her ear before offering Theodora a small smile. "I better go find her. In fact, I wouldn't mind meeting your son."

     Theodora watched as Willow continued to stand there and she nodded. "You have no idea where to go, do you?"

     "Not a damn clue." Willow answered. Theodora smiled slightly before placing a hand on her shoulder and nodding for Willow to follow after her.

     "Come on, I'll show you the way." And towards the kitchen they went.