Time For Another Target

The next week brought with it numerous outtings for Natalya. Some of them she was with Isabella or Kate or both. And some outtings included Serena as well and all for the same purpose, to find a dress that Logan would literally drop dead upon seeing. Second guessing and even third guessing had made her search grow long and frustrating. One part of this dress or another of that but not something altogether to her liking had appeared. The women that were with her also helped make the search more difficult because she valued their opinions as well and not everyone agreed on any one dress.

It was as if once she decided to do this thing she knew what she was looking for. She just hadn’t seen it yet. Natalya was not someone who ever concerned herself with everyday things like clothes but now that she was into it all she was becoming somewhat difficult and especially demanding to the people that worked at the bridal stores and dress shops that they visited. Isabella had an ace in her pocket though. She had an in with 2 very famous dress designers, Vera Wang and Jenny Packham. They had exhausted almost every store in New York and she doubted Natalya was going to find what she wanted that way.

Logan ofcourse knew Natalya was going out a lot but he seemed to love the fact that she was having trouble. As if her difficulty doing something for him pleased him in some way. They still trained in the mornings though and she let out all of her frustrations out on him during those intense sessions. They ate together and talked together about the wedding and their growing concern that some of her old ‘friends’ might try something. Then out she went for hours at a time in her fruitless search for her dress.

While at Nordstrom’s and trying on a particularly sexy lingerie, she needed to find something to where on their wedding night as well...damn the man! She heard a familiar voice just outside the door.

“Well, you certain are going all out to please Logan. Natalya, I’m surprised at you, going to such lengths for a man.” Natalya knew that patronizing voice. It was Valentina Fontaine’s voice. “Oh don’t worry I’m not armed,” she said and sounded as if she might be telling the truth. Maybe.

“If you had let me kill him you wouldn’t have to go through all of this. I personally think you made a mistake letting that last one go at SarahSeven’s. You looked stunning in it” she said honestly. “I came to let you know that They have new orders now. “They want to kill the Stark Girl, I don’t know why,” she said.” And then paused to hear what Natalya had to say.

Natalya was growing frustrated looking for a wedding dress. She hated every aspect of shopping and she hated wearing dresses, but at this point it had become a challenge. Logan was clearly enjoying the fact that she was frustrated and angry and so she planned to beat him at his own game. She would find a dress that made him speechless if it killed her!

They had ended up deciding to release the press release with a few adjustments. There was some talk immediately afterward, and of course her past was brought up...again, but it quickly died down after a natural disaster in Japan drew away the press' attention. Natalya knew that she had a target on her back and so did Logan, but they had talked about it and had decided that they weren't going to let the SSB and Hydra run their lives any longer. Natalya took a risk every time she walked out of the Tower, but so did the rest of the team. There would always be someone who would be after one of them, but they couldn't let that dictate their lives. Natalya figured either she would be killed or she wouldn't be. However, that didn't mean that she didn't take precautions.

Isabella was with her at Nordstorm's while she tried on lingerie, but she had had to step away for a few minutes to take a call. Natalya had no idea that it was Vera Wang herself that Isabella was talking to. She decided just to buy this lingerie and call it done when suddenly she became aware of someone standing outside of her dressing room door. At first she though it was Isabella, but the voice she heard definitely wasn't Isabella's....it was Valentina. Natalya wasn't armed, but she didn't necessarily need to be. She had been well trained for situations like this and her greatest weapon was her own body. She felt her hatred for Valentina grow, but she managed to keep her voice level.

"Logan was never your target Valentina. I was and you missed so don't play it like he was your target all along. Everyone knows you screwed up."

She became quiet as she listened to her, but was confused by what she was saying. "Who's 'They?' And why would you be telling me this?"

There was a distinct pause as if the woman was actually debating that as well. In truth Valentina knew why. And she was worried but wasn’t sure she wanted to convey that to her greatest foe and competition. Though Natalya couldn’t see her She frowned as she looked at the door to Natalya’s dressing room.

“Because I don’t trust who Hydra is taking their orders from. He is not who and what he says he is. I can see no logic on the moves Hydra is making and that alone should make everyone nervous,” Valentina said.

“Serena Stark is in danger and I will do what I’ve been ordered to do Natalya Sokolova. I don’t see her as any kind of threat...right now,” she said though for some odd reason she emphasized the words ‘right now’ as if they implied something.

Natalya suddenly opened the door to her dressing room and she glared at Valentina. She was still wearing the lingerie, but the look in her eyes was one of an angry bear. Her voice got low, but extremely threatening. "If you TOUCH her I will kill you Valentina." Valentina would know that she was being very serious right then and she would follow through with what she was saying. "And I won't just kill you, I will torture you like you've never been tortured before. You will be BEGGING me to just end your life. Do you understand?"

Valentina’s mood darkened. “Why you ungrateful bitch!” She said then attacked. Before Natalya could
move she kicked at her in the chest. Natalya half blocked but was forced back into the dressing room where Valentina joined her. It was now close quarters fighting and though Natalya was stronger and faster Valentina was more skilled. The two wome. Began tearing the dressing room apart. Natalya kicked her through the thin wall and then followed her to the next room where a fairly large woman was trying on a gown. The two women fought around the larger woman almost comically as they tried not to hurt the poor woman who was just there by happenstance.

Outside of the dressing room classical music played as several women received alterations or were critiqued by friends and family. Tea was being served as well as coffee and as the wall behind the entrance to the dressing area shook everyone stopped and looked in that direction. Valentina flipped Natalya over her and she landed against the inside wall. Paintings fell and a huge crack appeared as a paint and drywall fell in chunks onto the floor. Natalya’s lingerie was now severely torn in several places and she was bleeding in several but Valentina was no better off. As Isabella came to see what was happening Valentina grabbed her and threw her into Natalya just as she got up. The two women went down in a heap and by the time they got up Valentina had fled.

Natalya was trembling with anger as she watched Valentina flee the scene. She didn't realize just how much damage had been done until she turned around and looked behind her. She glanced over at Isabella, who was surprised but otherwise alright, and then picked up a robe to put around herself...

...Three hours later Natalya and Isabella were back at the Tower. She, Isabella, Tony, and Logan were in Isabella and Tony's office and Natalya sat with her head in her hands.

"I'm so sorry."

Isabella shrugged as she poured them each a drink from the bar. "That's what our insurance is for. Nobody got hurt and you gave those ladies in there something to talk about for years," she said with a little smile to lighten the mood.

Peter, Aunt May and Serena were eating supper at Aunt May’s house. She had made a lasagna, Peter’s favorite. Aunt May was telling Serena about when Peter was younger, specifically a time when he was 6 and she had made 2 batches off chocolate chips cookies…

“So the stairs in the old house were very squeaky. Every night for about a week he’s sneak down after he was out to bed and while Ben and I were watching TV and take a cookie then sneak upstairs. We ofcourse knew what he was doing but the funniest part was after there were no more cookies Peter took that same cookie jar,” she said and pointed over at what looked to be a circus elephant standing on its hind legs.

“And while we were watching TV he brought it to me and said, “Aunt May we’re outta cookies!” She said and they all laughed including Peter.

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“Why? Why did she come? What was she after?” Logan said in an angry rasp. “She’s part of Hydra, why would she not just try to kill you?” Steve asked just before Tony could.

Natalya looked at the others. "As far as I can tell from what she said Hydra is being given orders from someone else. She only referred to this organization as 'They.' And Valentina told me that she's not after me right now. Serena's the target for some reason. " Unbeknownst to Natalya, Serena wasn't in the Tower right then. She figured she and Peter were in their room.

Isabella's eyes doubled in size and her face paled. Natalya immediately became concerned. "...Isn't she here?"

Isabella shook her head. "No! She and Peter went to his aunt's house for dinner."

Isabella immediately activated her comm link and tried to reach Serena...

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Serena loved Aunt May. She had been close with her since she and Peter had first become friends and even after she and Peter had broken up she had stayed in touch with her and had even gone to check on her a few times when Peter was in Europe. She loved how close Peter was with her. He obviously held great affection for her and was there for her whenever she needed him. She loved that about Peter.

She enjoyed hearing Aunt May's stories about Peter, especially when he was younger. She laughed at her story about the cookies and looked at her. "He still eats all the cookies. I was making a batch the other day and he was literally reaching into the oven to grab them off of the baking sheet. I think I'm going to just have to bake them when he's not around and hide them somewhere."

Just then she heard her comm link go off. It was a message from her mother who sounded distressed. "Serena, you're possibly in danger. I need you to come back to the Tower immediately..."

Valentina was looking through her infrared gunsight. It highlighted in red who was who and where they were in the house. Her Adamantium tipped round would go through the wall, right through her side through her body and out her other side. Her organs, her heart and others would likely explode inside of her and that would be that. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she shifted her finger down and clicked off the safety. A moment later she extended her finger down onto the trigger.

“Ok in my defense I…” Peter began but then his e pression changed to one of deep concern. He only had a split second to decide. He knew...somehow that both Serena and his Aunt May were in trouble. With his decision made he somehow flew across the table and forced Serena back. In slow motion the bullet entered the house and just missed Serena’s breasts and grazed Peter’s arm as it flew and struck Aunt May square in the middle of her chest. The force of it flung her backward.

As time resumed to normal speed Peter flipped behind Serena as her chair upended and deposited her onto the floor. He planted himself atop her and held her arms down. “Don’t move Serena!” He said. “And don’t talk!” He commanded. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Aunt May get knocked back but not much more then that. “Aunt May?!” Peter cried. “Pa...Pete...r,” she said weakly. “Peter shifted so he could look toward her but he could only see her legs. “Aunt May?” He cried again but this time there was no answer. Once he felt that the danger was over, he didn’t know what exactly had happened he let go of Serena and let her up. He scrambled over to his Aunt and he saw her eyes already glazing as they looked lifelessly toward the ceiling. “Oh Aunt May…” he cried as he began to sob.

Time seemed to move both slowly and quickly at the same time. In a split second Peter had grabbed her and forced her back onto the floor. She heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet as it flew through the wall. It had just barely missed her and she knew that if Peter's senses hadn't alerted him the bullet would have hit her. But who was trying to kill her and, more importantly, where did the bullet end up?

After a moment Peter let her up from the floor and she followed his gaze over to Aunt May who lay lifeless on the floor. Serena let out an audible gasp of terror and heartbreak and she rushed with Peter over to her body. She knew she was dead and she felt as if the entire world around her came crashing down. She began to cry too and she wrapped her arms around Peter to try and comfort him.

“She’s not answering?” Tony asked them texted a message himself to her. ‘Serena respond now!’

“I..wha...who…” Peter tried to speak in between his sobs. “Oh god why her? I tried...I didn’t…” he tried to speak but he couldn’t. He could have saved her but Serena would have died. “I...just reacted. I...I...wasn’t fast enough,” Peter stammered as the last member of his family bled into the carpet. He wanted to go after whomever tried to kill Serena but he was so upset he felt sick and weak. He let Serena hold him. His entire world had turned upside down atop him.

Serena’s wrist comm went off again.

Serena’s heart broke in her chest for Peter. Aunt May had been the only family he had had left. He had lost everyone else. A tremendous amount of guilt struck her that she was still alive while Aunt May was dead. She had been killed by a bullet that had been meant for her.

She held Peter close and just let him cry. Suddenly, she heard her wrist comm go off. She saw her father’s message and she immediately sent him a message back that just read ‘You need to come to Aunt May’s house now.’

“Steve put the tower on full alert, Isabella we need to get to Aunt May’s house now!” Tony snapped and then activated his suit call. In moments he was in his suit and he can to the Helipad with Isabella right behind him. He took off like a rocket.

“Fuck!” Logan growled and ran toward the panel on the wall. As he reached it he looked up and saw a Helicopter in the air. It hovered in the distance. As he looked at it he felt a painful jolt run through his body. Natalya heard the glass and then the sound of something slam onto the floor. Logan looked down and saw that blood seeped from his chest onto the glass wall. He was stunned for an instant and then his senses returned and he slapped the panic button as he fell back as blood poured from his wounds.

The energy fields activated and the walls, ceiling and floor panels shifted as the fields cane online. Subsequent bullets hit the field but could not penetrate the energy field. The helicopter veered away and was soon lost among the buildings of the city.

Steve ran into his room where Kate and William were. “Steve, what’s happening?” Kate asked.

Isabella was in a near panic as she ran behind Tony towards the helipad. She activated her suit call as well and in moments she was in her sapphire blue suit. She took off right after him but she looked back for a moment to see a helicopter hovering by the Tower. She heard a gunshot, but couldn't turn around and go back. Her main concern at this point was her daughter. She had to find her and make sure she was alright.

Aunt May lived in Brooklyn and so it took them a few minutes to get there. She could see the hole in the outside of the wall where the bullet had gone in. She and Tony burst through the door and she was relieved to see Serena was alive, but then horrified to see Aunt May laying dead on the floor. "Jarvis...call the paramedics."

Natalya immediately rushed over to Logan's side once the Tower was fully locked down. She knew that the SSB designed armor penetrating bullets had been used and she feared that even though Logan had an incredible healing mutation that these bullets might actually be able to kill him.

"Logan?!"

Peter stood up and shrugged Serena’s arm off of him as she stood with him. He looked down at his dead Aunt and used the tears from his eyes and face with his forearm.

“There’s no use, she’s already gone,” he said coldly. Right then and there 3 people saw the little kid part of Peter die along with his Aunt, the last member of an ill-fated family that obviously wasn’t meant to be in Peter’s eyes.

“Peter...come back with us...to the Tower,” Tony asked. “Do you know who did this?” Peter asked Isabella plainly. All
Emotion in his face had suddenly Seemed to dry up just like his tears had.

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Logan hadn’t died immediately. And it was unclear if he could. They had hit his heart and the mullet took the path of least resistance as it came out and hit the floor. Blood began to pool around his back. He didn’t respond to Natalya as she shook him and called his name. And her voice got progressively more urgent and frantic as the moments drew on. His heart did not beat when she listened for it and then felt for a pulse. Nothing at first and then...yes, a pulse. The wound closed fairly fast and then he took in a breath and came alive.

“Oh fick that hurt!” He growled. “I’m gunna really need ya kill all of those guys!” He groaned as she helped him up.

Serena was worried about Peter. She knew how close he was to his aunt and she had been his last family member. His Aunt May had taken care of him and then he had taken care of her and now she lay dead on the floor and Serena knew it was because of her.

Isabella was also worried about Peter. She cared for Peter like he was a member of their own family and she could see the deep pain in his eyes. "It was Valentina," she told him honestly. "Serena was the target. We only just found out right before we tried to contact her."

Outside, she could hear the sounds of sirens as they drew closer to the house.

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Natalya fear became real panic when Logan didn't respond. She frantically searched for a pulse. At first she couldn't find one and a sob escaped her lips, but then...was that? Yes, it was! He was alive. The wound quickly closed up and Logan's eyes opened as he gasped for a breath. Tears of relief came to Natalya's eyes, but behind that was a deep burning fire of hatred for Valentina.

"I intend on killing her," she said plainly and Logan would know she truly meant it. She planned to hunt her down and kill her as soon as possible.

Logan looked down at his ruined shirt. “Well, before you do...she owes me a new shirt!” Logan said angrily then looked up at Natalya. “Have we heard back yet? If anything happens to that girl…” Logan said concernedly and threateningly to.

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Upon hearing who it was Peter turned away away from looking at his dead Aunt May. “Peter, come back to the tower with us. We all need to cool off and,” he began but Peter cut him off. “No,” was all that Peter said and his voice made the temperature in the room drop at least 10 degrees. Tony saw Isabella shake her head as if to say don’t but Tony was not having it.

“Well that suit I ‘loaned’ you isn’t for revenge Peter so you can just give it back if that’s what’s on your mind,” Tony said with more than a little irritation in his voice. Peter stopped a couple steps down the hall and half turned back to him. “Then take it back, I don’t need it...now,” he said coldly.

Natalya helped Logan to his feet and shook her head when he asked if she had heard anything about Serena yet. "No. She'd better be alright..." Natalya looked at Logan and then just turned and walked away. She headed to the area where their suits and weapons were stored. She heard Logan following after her. "I don't want anyone to follow me. I'm going to handle Valentina my way and I'm not returning until she's dead. I'm not going to let her hurt anyone else I love or care about any more."

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Isabella looked at Serena, who was watching Peter walk away. "Serena, you need to come back to the Tower with us." Serena just shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving him." Isabella gave a frustrated sigh. "Serena, we don't have time..." Serena looked at her sharply. "I said NO. I'm not leaving him. He needs me and if he's not going back to the Tower neither am I."

Isabella knew that Serena was an adult and she couldn't make her go back. She looked at Tony, wanting him to say something.

Tony stepped forward. “You are a target Serena. So you will be going back with us if you like it or not,” Tony said commandingly. When she turned back to face him with an angry expression Tony’s voice became very calm. “Don’t make me take your suit away young woman,” Tony said like she was some petulant child. “And then you’ll still be coming with us,” he added as if she had no choice which she didn’t. He was her only child and he’s put her in a sack and carry her if he had to.

——————

“The hell you are!” Logan said. “You don’t get I make those decisions Natalya. We are a team and if you are going to act like a jack fool then I’ll be alongside you,” Logan snapped. When she didn’t stop he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. She sharply chopped his hand off but she didn’t turn away. “This is what she wants my love” Logan said softly. He had never said that to her before. Not like that. Not with so much earnest and meaning behind his words. His eyes had a soft cast to them as well.

Serena crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her gaze at her parents. "I'm not leaving without Peter." She then turned and walked away to go find him without another word.

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Natalya had never heard Logan use the phrase "my love" before. He called her "babe" all the time or "Nat" but never this and never had he spoken to her so earnestly before. She sighed and looked at him. "I'm used to having a permanent target on my back. I know that one day that bullet that keeps just missing me will hit me. I've come to terms with that but Serena should not have to live her life in fear or remain in constant hiding. I don't care if this is what Valentina wants or not. I'm going to kill her Logan. If you insist on coming with me then fine, but I'm doing it."

Serena found Peter with just his small clothes on in his room upstairs. He held a black suit with what looked like a white spider on it instead of the blue, red with black spider. He looked up at her as he began to put it on. “You should go back with them. Right now Tony’s revoking your access to Jarvis and without your suit, you’re useless to me,” he said coldly. It was true for the most part but it was the way he said it as if all the joy he kn e held in his heart had suddenly been drained from him.

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Logan and Natalya suited up and were joined by Steve. “Oh I don’t think you were invited Cap,” Logan said and Steve just gave him an amusing look. “Oh I’m going and since I know the code to unlock the energy field none of you are going anywhere without me. So I’ll need to hear it from the both of you,” He said plainly. Logan looked at Natalya as if to ask if she could hack it? The slight shake of her head was all he needed and he sighed.

“Fine your coming big we’re gunna kill we bub, not have a meet and great and serve her tea and cupcakes. And I’ll need to hear that from you!” Logan snapped. Steve frowned at that as Kate came out of their room holding a very big and heavy William. “He agrees Logan. Serena is like a niece to us. We owe the Starks at least that much,” she said. “Very well,” Steve said reluctantly then moved to unlock the code.

“You find her and take her clean Natalya. We can’t have collateral damage on our hands,” she reminded them.

Serena tried not to be offended by what Peter said to her. She knew he was just upset and she just happened to be the person he was taking his emotions out on at the moment. She walked over to him and reached up and gently cupped his cheek into her right hand. She caressed his skin with her thumb. She spoke gently and with a soothing tone.

"You're not thinking clearly right now Peter and that's how people get hurt. Please, just come back with me and we'll figure this out...together. Aunt May wouldn't want you to lose your life because of her...not when you still have so much to look forward to. I know you are hurting. I can't even imagine the pain you are feeling right now. I just lost someone I cared about very much too...I can't lose you as well."

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Natalya put on her usual black one piece suit. It had some built in bullet proofing, but not enough to save her from one of those armor piercing bullets. Natalya's suit was designed to be light and flexible to account for her skill set. Natalya used a lot of acrobatics in her fighting as well as martial arts. She needed to be able to move unhindered. The only extra pieces on her suit were her wrist gauntlets and her thigh pistol holders.

Natalya glanced over at Steve as she loaded her pistols. She had figured he would want to come as well and there was no time to argue with him. The longer they spent in the Tower the further away Valentina got. After Steve used the code to unlock the Tower she looked at him. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Logan. I'm killing her. You two are simply backup."

Peter looked over at Serena. “Serena I love you but they’re looking for you. Go home,” Peter said as he began dressing in the black suit. He didn’t tell her that it had come from inside the large meteor that John Jameson has given him. And that it was alive. It seemed to form to his body as he drew it up to his neck. He stepped up to her and kissed her passionately. When he drew back he looked longingly into her eyes as if he just wanted to collapse in he arms right then. In truth he did but he felt fury build inside of him. He would explode if he didn’t deal with it.

“Please...go home babe,” he said as he drew the hood over his head.

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Tony dug our the bullet and took a sample of the powder used. Outside about 100 yards away he found a discharged shell casing and took samples of that with his science suite in his suit. “Jarvis, launch the science drone,” he said into his suit and Jarvis complied. “We’re looking for any form of what the computer is calling compound 63beta,” he told him. “Searching sir, and shall I relay the information to Natalya in the jet?” Jarvis asked. “Yes,” Tony resounded. Isabella waiter in the hall for Serena to reappear with Peter.

Serena looked at the black suit Peter put on and did not recognize it. It looked like something her father might design, but she knew he hadn't. The way it formed to his body meant that there was some serious technology in it and though Peter was smart enough to design a suit like this himself she knew that he hadn't. So where had he gotten it from? Before she could ask him though he stepped up to her and kissed her. She closed her eyes and she kissed him back. When he pulled back she opened her eyes to look at him. She sighed and then nodded at his request.

Serena stepped back out alone and found the paramedics were there. A CSI unit was in route as well as SHIELD agents. All would have to be dealt with. Isabella looked at Tony. "I'll stay here and handle this. You take Serena home."

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Natalya sat in the pilot's seat of the jet with Steve in the co-pilot's seat. It was strange for her to think how far her relationship with Steve had come. Steve had not liked or trusted her when they first met over ten years ago. Then, over time that trust had been built when she had proved herself to the team over and over again. She always put everyone else's safety above her own and was willing to sacrifice herself for the team. She now considered Steve a good friend of hers. There was a Hydra base she knew of that wasn't far outside of the city limits. Valentina had only had a helicopter and so she wouldn't have been able to travel very far.

Peter climbed out his window and quickly disappeared amongst the apartment buildings and other buildings nearby. Tony flew Serena back to the tower to find only Kate, Pharaoh and William there as everyone else had left with Natalya to go after Valentina.

Isabella observed the police as they began their investigation of the murder of Aunt May.

In the jet Steve looked at Natalya. She had come along way since she had arrived at the tower. He had had his doubts about both her and Logan and he had vehemently voiced his opinions for her not to be brought into the fold. He had ultimately been wrong, she had shown herself to be a very valuable asset and member of the team.

“It’s likely they are expecting this Natalya. So when we go in, I’ll draw the initial security. You two take the back way in Nd look for her. Tony’s drone detected the compound used in those bullets there o expect a lot of resistance,” he said.