"Clint! Where's Kali's book bag?"

Natasha picked up the couch cushions, glancing briefly at the empty space beneath them before replacing them and turning in a full circle, scanning the living room. With a huff of impatience, she hurried down the hallway to the master bedroom.

"Clint! What are you doing?" she called as she stepped into the room.

Clint busted out of the bathroom wearing only a pair of black dress pants as he attempted to buckle his belt. Natasha sighed and grabbed the purple button up shirt that was laid out on the bed and threw it at him.

"What were you doing in there? Taking a luxurious bubble bath?" she asked and he gave her a flat look.

"I had to shave," he responded.

Natasha rolled her eyes and pulled her hair up into a loose bun with a clip, placing it securely at the nape of her neck so that it was snug and pushed the loose pieces of hair that framed her face behind her ears. She looked at herself in the mirror, wondering how she had become this. She was a mother and a wife and a measly office assistant. It was hard to believe that she had ever been an assassin with an amazing special set of skills, saving Manhattan next to five other incredible heroes. And she was considered a hero herself. People looked up to her, wanted to be her. There was even a Halloween costume designed after her that she had seen at a department store last year. How could she have become so domestic after all of the things she'd been through and done?

Clint stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. He planted a sweet kiss to her cheek and she smiled at their reflection. It was so normal.

"We should get going or else Kali will be late for her first day of school," he murmured.

She sighed and nodded, wanting more than anything to stay at home and spend the day in bed with Clint. She missed him. Ever since Kali was born, it was hard to have alone time while working and taking care of their daughter. They both loved Kali more than anything, but Natasha wished she could have just one day with Clint.

Clint pulled on a pressed black blazer over his dress shirt, leaving it open, and they headed into the living room, where Kali was kneeling on the floor, attempting to tie her shoes.

"Let me help you with that, Kali-bug," Clint said, dropping to one knee and taking the strings from her small fingers. He sang the shoe-tying song from Spongebob as he tied the laces and Kali hummed along with a smile.

"Thanks, Daddy," she said when he stood and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Of course."

"There it is!" Natasha exclaimed from behind the armchair, appearing as she stood up with Kali's Avengers book bag in hand. She hurried over to Kali, gently slipping the straps of the bag onto the five-year-old's small shoulders. She smiled and picked up her own bag, grabbing the set of keys that were sprawled on the kitchen counter before rushing to the door and holding it open. "Alright troops. Move out!"

Kali giggled and skipped out the door. As Clint walked outside, he gave Natasha a sarcastic smirk, and she shoved his shoulder forward, causing him to stumble slightly while he laughed. Closing the door and locking it, she hurried to the passenger side of the car, throwing the keys to Clint as she went. She opened the back door and helped Kali into the seat, buckling the belt securely, making sure it clicked and held. Natasha was always fussy about car safety with Kali. She had had too many experiences with car accidents where a seatbelt would have been nice. Granted, those were dangerous missions.

With a final pull on the belt, she deemed it safe, and shut the door, jumping into the front passenger seat and buckling her own seat belt.

"Everybody ready?" Clint asked, glancing back at Kali.

"Yeah!" Kali exclaimed.

He smiled at her and turned the engine on, pulling out of the driveway. Natasha looked up at their small, one-story home sitting between two equally sized houses. It was painted a nice brown colour with black and white trimming. The garden out front was blooming and fiery leaves were beginning to fall from the tall trees, creating a blanket of yellow and red and brown across the lawn. It was simple and cozy and so unlike how she pictured her life being. And yet, it worked. It felt right. She knew she belonged here with Clint and Kali. She had a family.

Clint turned on the radio and a Rolling Stones song came through the speakers. He and Kali immediately started to sing along, loudly and beautifully, laughing as they sang. Natasha rolled her eyes, and laughed with them, still not able to believe that Kali preferred this music over the children's songs that they had tried to play for her. She was so much like Clint. She had even inherited his wonderful singing voice

They listened to the classic rock station all the way to Kali's new elementary school, singing to every song and even making up their own parts. When they got there, Natasha helped Kali out of the car and insisted on walking her to her classroom despite the young girl's protests. Clint and Natasha each grabbed a small hand, and they walked up to the school with Kali between them, occasionally swinging her in the air while she laughed merrily.

Once they were inside, the family walked down the hallways that they had previously travelled just a week before, following the route to Kali's kindergarten classroom. The hallway was teaming with small children and anxious parents as they brought Kali over to the side.

"Alright, Kali. We have to go now," Natasha said, bending down and straightening the front of her daughter's blouse. "You have a good first day, alright. Make friends and have fun. I want to hear all about it tonight, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Kali answered, rolling her eyes and Natasha chuckled.

"And don't forget what I taught you, Kali-bug," Clint said with a wink and Kali giggled. Natasha shot him a look, and he attempted to look innocent, a feat he never seemed to manage with Natasha because she always saw through him. She knew he had been teaching her self-defense. While she didn't much approve of her daughter getting involved in fighting, she did feel better knowing her daughter could handle herself better than most five-year-olds could if it came down to it. At least she wouldn't be bullied.

"Make sure you pay attention in class. And try your hardest at everything. I know you'll be the best in there," Natasha said.

"I know, Mommy," Kali said, exasperated.

Natasha sighed, hugging Kali tight to her chest, loving how Kali's small arms wrapped around her shoulders, barely reaching all the way around and how her head rested in the crook of her neck. It reminded her of the nights she spent just a few years before, up late, or even through morning, cradling a toddler Kali and rocking her back to sleep when she woke crying. She had no idea that Kali's first day of school could affect her like this.

"Alright. Go get 'em" Natasha said, releasing her daughter and giving her a small push toward the classroom.

Kali stepped forward a couple steps then stopped and looked back. She ran back to Clint, wrapping her arms around his leg in a tight hug. He laughed, hoisting her up by her underarms and balancing her on his hip, kissing her forehead with a smile.

"Have a great day, Kali-bug," he said as he set her back on the ground.

This time she skipped into the classroom, waving to them over her shoulder. Natasha stood up, leaning against Clint as he wrapped an arm around her waist, and they watched Kali run over to a table and immediately begin talking to the two kids sitting there. It was unbelievable how outgoing she was. Natasha wasn't really sure where she had gotten it from, but she was glad the little girl had the trait nonetheless.

When Kali glanced up at the couple, they waved one last time before turning and walking away. Natasha wasn't sure what to do about the feeling of loss that enveloped her. She hadn't expected it. It was only elementary school. But for some strange reason it seemed like so much more. The past five years had happened so fast and their little girl had grown up so much.

Maybe it was just the fact of knowing that she was there for her daughter at an important time like this unlike her own parents. Natasha had never gotten their protection or even their love when she was a child. Even so, when they were gone, it had still hurt. She missed them terribly but for what reason she didn't know. Fury was more of a parent than they could ever dream of being. He had taken her in, choosing to believe Clint that she had some good in her. That she wasn't completely empty inside. And seeing her daughter going to school and feeling like this, loving her daughter and her husband so much, she was beginning to believe it herself.

Having these last seven years to just be normal and have a second chance at a real life was more than she could have ever asked for. She had a family now. She had brothers and sisters, maybe not by blood, but she loved them more than any real family she had ever had. And they loved her, too.

Natasha wished sometimes that she could go back to that day eight years ago, fighting side by side with the Avengers in a fight for Manhattan. She had never felt so united or involved in something great than in that moment when they stood together, in the desolated streets of New York City preparing for Loki's army to come. She almost wished they could do it another time. She wanted to feel that adrenalin again. She wanted to help people again.

Clint took her hand, looking at her curiously. Of course he would notice when she began to daydream. She smiled at him, a genuine open smile that she seemed to be using a lot nowadays, and he smiled back, kissing the back of her hand gently.

As they were walking through the parking lot toward their car, Clint's cellphone rang. When he answered it, he halted in his tracks, pulling Natasha to a stop. She gave him a perplexed look, but he didn't answer her questioning gaze. Clint spoke quickly, nodding to an invisible recipient. The conversation was brief, and he murmured in hushed tones so Natasha only caught a few words. When he hung up, he looked up at her slowly with a strange gleam in his eye.

"Who was that?" Natasha asked, seeing the strangely far off look Clint held.

"Fury."

Shock flickered across her face, and Clint raised an eyebrow in question. Natasha knew there was only one reason Fury would be contacting them now. It had been far too long for it to just be a casual chat with one of his old agents. And she knew what Clint's question was. She asked about it anyways, wanting to hear it out loud.

"And?"

"He's got a job for us."

Natasha processed this, thinking over the past seven years of domestic living. It had been a long time since she had fought or manipulated anyone (for the greater good of course), and she missed it. And maybe a mission is just what she needed to get her mind off her fear of her daughter's rapid growth. Kali was prepared for this. She knew it could happen at any time, and they had everything ready in case the time came.

She wanted to fight with her family again. It had been too long.

Natasha's eyes met Clint's, and she smirked, letting him know she was ready. Ready to get back in the game.