Percy Jackson and the Avengers

Chapter 47

POV: Natasha

       Natasha and Percy sat in complete silence as she drove him back to his mother's apartment. She knew that if the kid really wanted to leave, he would have. This way she would also have the chance to learn more about the strange new addition to the tower. She parked and they both got out, Percy slamming the door harder than necessary and fidgeting in front of the door before it was opened by a pretty middle aged woman with curly brown hair, streaked with grey.

       "Hi mom." Percy said quietly, seeming almost ashamed. Sally sighed and pulled her son into a hug tightly.

      "You aren't eating enough Percy. You need to take better care of yourself. You're going to give me a complex." His mother chided him before the two of them exchanged a strange look. Natasha was surprised that she hadn't said anything about her son having gone missing for almost a day. Nat hovered in the doorway, waiting to be invited inside. She wasn't like the boys, Natasha has manners.

        "And who is this?" Sally Jackson turned and evaluated her warily. Natasha decided she liked the woman.

        "Natasha Romanoff. I'll be training your son to prepare him for the Avengers initiative." Mother and son snorted at the same time. Natasha was confused. Sure the kid was good, but he has a lot to learn before he would be ready to join as a full member of the Avengers. After all no matter his self defense skills, he was still a kid.

        "Percy go pack. Ms. Romanoff, can I get you anything to drink?" Natasha smiled as she stepped into the small, but clean apartment. A small baby crawled across the carpet, babbling nonsense. Natasha looked at Sally, gesturing at the little girl.

        "May I?" Sally nodded and Natasha scooped up the baby. She rocked and cooed the infant as she tried to pretend that she could have one of her own one day. Maybe with... she shook herself out of the impossible fantasy as the baby began to cry.

        "Zoe, Zoe." Sally cooed at the baby, "Mommy is right here baby." Natasha handed the baby back to her mother who rocked baby Zoe. Sally lead Natasha into the kitchen, deftly filling a glass of water for her while continually murmuring to the fussing baby. Natasha thanked her and took a sip.

        Suddenly there was a loud crash from the other room and lots of shouting. Natasha shot to her feet, reaching for her gun. She waved an unperturbed Sally to stay behind her. She crept around the corner into the living room to see two strangers tackle Percy. Nat lunged forward to intervene when Sally said from behind her loudly.

       "No fighting inside the house. I'm tired of replacing my coffee table." The three people froze in the center of the room. Now that she could get a closer look, she saw a goth looking boy, with dark hair and cold eyes and a girl the same age as the boy with short black hair, dressed in a silver coat and a death to barbie t shirt. The girl also seemed to be wearing a silver tiara on her head. Strange. Both of the strangers made the same cold assessment of her that Percy had made when they had first met. Natasha was appropriately unnerved. 

       "Sorry Sally." The two newcomers chorused.

       "You can smack Percy for being an idiot later. For now I have cookies." Sally smiled and tugged Natasha out of the way of the three stampeding teenagers.