Natasha

She stumbles back on the wrong day. She can't explain why she's alive and not still lying dead on Vormir. Or how she's on Earth when the wristwatch is broken.

It's the base alright. Same monochromatic metal and huge windows. It's quiet. It sets her on edge. A dead planet is quiet.

It's dark and she nearly topples over a vase. They've done some redecorating. She follows a small path of light to a conference room.

It's a small group. She sees Bucky and Sam, wine glasses raised upwards. More glasses join them, chairs scraping back over cold tile. It's Peppers voice she hears first. "To the fallen."

The room echoes her toast.

Its Clint, he's holding back tears, preparing to chug his shot, and it's her words that she recognizes. "Some move on…" Nat hears his voice break and her simple sentence to Steve is an anthem to their hearts.

She steps into the light. "But not us." She finishes softly.

Clint's glass shatters on the floor.

She moves into the room. She can see all of them. Pepper and Peter holding Morgan at her side. Bruce's gaping mouth and an almost horrified understanding on Shuri's face. Scott and his family nestled at his side. Sam, Rhodney, and Wanda's disbelief near the knowing calm of Dr. Strange. An old man stands next to Bucky, she'd overlooked him on her first look. His face reminds her of someone dear.

Then it's Laura. Sweet, sweet Laura and Connor, Lila, and Nathaniel beside her. Clint steps toward her, bow drawn. His voice shakes. "What sort of nightmare is this?"

Nat finds Laura's face again. Something like relief fills her chest. "We won."

The arrow tenses.

For the first time in five years, Nat lets a smile reach her eyes. She laughs -"We did it!"- and tackles Clint into a hug. His weapon clatters to the floor and his arms tighten around her. "You're real." He mutters into her hair and she chokes back her laughter into body shaking tears. Another hand slips around her waist and Laura's perfume wraps around the trio. "Aunt Nat!" Nathaniel yells. They fall to the ground as the kids charge in. She tugs them all close to her, reveling in emotions she'd buried.

Her family envelopes her in their arms and Natalia Romanova's ledger is clean.

OKAY SO OBVIOUSLY AU IN SO MANY WAYS OKAY. okay.

This is based off the theory that when Steve returns the stones it gives Natasha back. Which obviously doesn't make sense, but neither does the idea that Peter Parker is still high school. Either way, Endgame was great. Somehow it actually made me like Tony? Like I've disliked him for so long, but I couldn't bear to see him go? oops.

If you didn't pick up on it, I wanted to emphasis on being an Avenger and DREAMS. Lots and lots of unfulfilled dreams.

I might come back and edit these some day. If anyone knows a GOOD beta reader I'd love it.

As always, have a lovely day! :)