Disclaimer: I own nothing except Maria. Sorry for the long await but I am beginning to write again.

From the top window you could see Maria with a blank face, trying to show no emotion as she slowly walked on the wire. Through the bottom window you could see Clint looking up calling out hints. Suddenly Maria lost her balance and began to plummet. Her heart gave a terrible squeeze and Clint's face showed the emotion she felt surging in her but there was a sudden whirl of red. Thor had been above and flew down to catch her when he saw her fall. He held her in one arm and in the other he held his hammer.

Natasha sighed as she put down the spyglass. She was across the street lying on the roof of a building. This was getting out of hand.

It had started off with one night. What Strucker had told her had, well, struck her. So she decided to break code, just once, to check on her. She just needed to make sure that she was okay. But when she saw Maria through a window she was in her room but it looked like a hospital room and she was not awake. That wasn't enough. She came awhile later. Clint was with her but she was still asleep. She supposed it was simply bad timing on her part but it wasn't what she needed. Again she came and she was awake.

Even from the building she was hiding in she swore she could still see her smile. It even made the Russian spy grin. Once she even saw Nick Fury and Bobbi. Something hit Natasha seeing Bobbi. It was bad enough seeing her with Clint. She did not like it. And she especially did not like seeing her with Clint and Maria. But she couldn't do anything about it either.

Soon the spying in became a habit. She did change buildings, even streets, and would come in at different times. She was sure she would not be tracked but she had to be sure.

She got scared when she didn't see Maria one day but she thought of checking her grandparent's home. Sure enough there she was with Clint snoozing on the couch and cookies on the coffee table. She smiled gently.

She even watched her at school at times. She beamed proudly when she produce answers to the teacher when she was called at in class, glowered at the boys that talked to her in the hallway and smirked when she would block a goal in soccer.

But most often, Maria would go back to Avengers Mansion. Natasha had mix feelings of this. The place was a huge target filled with other targets. She trusted the Hulk as much as she could possibly throw him and was unsure of Wasp's whimsical nature.

But by the way they acted and treated her she knew they would protect her. The same she would. The only difference was that Natasha had to protect her in a different way. This is why she sometimes hated Nick Fury, and how far he went to do what needed to get done. Because that is exactly what Fury said to persuade her to take this mission.

Only with Hydra dead will people actually be safer. Obviously we can't protect people from everything but we sure as hell can make it as safe as possible. That's why Hydra needs to be taken out. So people can have a safer and brighter future. People like Maria.

"Yeah, thanks." She muttered. She sighed as she took one more peek at her.

She was grinning despite the fact that she was dangling in the air, both hands holding the wire. She had lost her balance when Clint made a joke and she burst out laughing. He was shaking his head with a smile. Tony had flown up next to her and she began to swing her body. She let go as she flipped and twisted and landed in his arms. Instead of going back up he set her on the ground next to Clint.

Natasha smiled. Safe.

But as Natasha left she did not bother to look around. She didn't notice a figure in the shadows, hooded. After she left he stepped out and looked into the mansion. Seeing what he saw a gave a gruesome gin. "Well, well then, she does live. And lithely to.' Reaper grinned. "Strucker will be very pleased to hear of the girls . . . abilities."