Chapter 61

Malick wasn't in Vermont but the woman who he was having an affair with did give them the tip that eventually led them to him. Apparently the woman wasn't very happy when she found out that her lover was the head of a Nazi organization. They found him near the Canadian border guarded by the remaining two Winter Soldiers. Natasha shot one of them while May got the other one. Malick was clearly shocked that they located him and Natasha wished she had took a picture when they stormed his house because the look on his face was priceless. He clearly thought that he would get away with it. They brought Malick to the Playground so no loyal HYDRA thugs would try to rescue him.

Natasha joined Coulson in his office. Steve and Tony were at the White House to brief the President while Coulson asked her to stay here to get Malick to talk. "Has he said anything yet, Phil?"

He shook his head. "No, he wants to talk to a lawyer. Funny guy."

She got an idea. "Any word on his daughter?"

"She was in Europe when everything blew up. She has to be still there. Europol is looking for her."

She nodded. "Okay. I'll talk to Malick now if it's okay with you."

"Of course."

She walked with a water bottle into the interrogation room and sat down. She pushed the water bottle over to Malick. "Don't worry it's not spiked."

Malick smirked. "It was nothing personal, Miss Romanoff. You were lying to me and a risk that needed to be dealt with."

She leaned back into the chair and crossed her arms. "And now you're the risk that needs to be dealt with. I hope you like the ocean. You're gonna spend a lot of time there."

"The Raft is for enhanced people." He raised an eyebrow. "I am not one of them."

"No, but the President thinks that it's the right place for you to spend the rest of your days unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you give up HYDRA's money sources and the names of the other high-ranking members."

"Never."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Worth a shot." She got up and walked to the door. Her hand was already on the handle when Malick spoke again. "That's it? No torture?"

Natasha turned around with a smile. "Oh no. Torture is overrated, people tend to say all kinds of things to end it. But I do wonder how your daughter is." She walked back and placed her hands on the chair back. "She's in Europe, isn't she?"

Malick's face darkened. "What does she have to do with this?"

"Potentially a lot. Don't they say that no love is greater than the one of a parent? How much do you love your daughter, Gideon?"

Sweat was building on his forehead and she knew that she had him. "Why?"

She gave him a sweet smile. "Well, if you don't cooperate with us, I have to punish you. Maybe I kill her quick and she won't feel a thing or I kill her slowly over several hours."

"You wouldn't!" He yelled and tried to stand up from his chair but couldn't because he was tied to it.

She jumped over the table and brought his chair to fall and placed one boot on his throat. "We both know I not only would but will kill her." And she really would go after her and kill her if it meant bringing down HYDRA once and for all.

"You'll never find her. She's protected!"

"You mean how no one would find Ward or the list?" She put more pressure on his throat. "I found both. And I will hunt your daughter down and kill her. I will leave right this moment to find her if you don't give me what I want!" She pressed her foot into his throat until he began to choke.

"Fine!" She pulled a foot a bit away. "I give you what you want, just please don't hurt her!"

"I will if you lie to us!"

She helped him back up and placed pen and paper in front of him and after frowning at her he began to write.

She obviously didn't lose her touch because Malick gave them access to accounts, offshore firms and trust founds that had been financing HYDRA for a long time. Several powerful HYDRA members who managed to stay hidden after SHIELD fell were now discovered and arrested. Stephanie Malick was arrested in Milano and brought back to the States where she would be put on trial. Having no more aces up his sleeves and with all the evidence against him Malick pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in the Raft.

The Avengers celebrated their victory at the Tower with a party and invited Coulson's team as well. Pepper was here and it looked like she and Tony were on their way to get back together. And Natasha could see a little romance brewing between Bucky and Sharon who he invited to the party as his date.

Steve came up the stairs to the little podium she was standing on to watch her friends. He handed her a glass of champagne and kissed her. "To HYDRA's defeat!"

"To HYDRA's defeat!" She agreed and clinked her glass with his.

"Have I told you how proud I am that you got Malick to talk?" He took the glass out of her hand placed it on the banister and then wrapped his arms around her.

"You have." She smiled up at him. "Several times."

"I think I have to show you again later." He winked at her and let his arms wander to her ass.

"Smooth, Rogers!" She laughed. "You know what that means, right? Now that HYDRA is gone?"

He beamed at her. "We can finally get married!" He kissed her. "I can't wait to be your husband."

Three months later

"Natasha!" Laura gasped when she and Pepper came out of the bathroom. "You look so beautiful!"

"Yeah?" She couldn't help but do a little twirl to show of her wedding gown. Chanel really did a great job with her dress. She loved every little detail of it. It was perfect, it looked elegant yet sexy. It was an ivory mermaid dress with a trail and covered in thousands of pearls and crystals. She chose not to wear a veil and Pepper borrowed her diamond clips that held her bun in place.

"Okay, you've got something new, your dress. And you borrowed something from Pepper." Laura listed while taking pictures of her with her phone.

"The clips are vintage!" Pepper added.

Laura nodded. "Okay, so you only need something blue."

"I already got it and only Steve will see it." She grinned at her friends with a wink.

Pepper and Laura laughed and Lila came running into the room. She looked so cute in her flower girl dress. "Oh Auntie Nat! You look so so pretty!"

She kneeled down and gave Lila a kiss on her cheek. "So do you, pumpkin!"

Clint came in after Lila and smiled at Natasha brightly. "You look amazing, Tasha!"

"Thank you."

"Okay." Laura took Lila's hand. "Pepper and I are gonna meet Bucky and Sam and you two wait for your signal." She gave Clint a brief kiss and then left with her daughter and Pepper.

"Nervous?"

She shook her head. "Actually no. I thought I would be but I'm just excited. I can't wait to marry Steve."

Clint offered her his arm. "I'm so happy for you." They walked through Tony's vineyard in South France that he generously let them use for their wedding.

"Ready?" Clint asked her before they got to the ballroom where the ceremony would take place.

"Yes!"

"Then let's get you married!"

The music started and she entered the room. Steve in his tuxedo was waiting for her under the flower arch and smiled at her brightly when she walked down the aisle. The butterflies in her stomach were going crazy, she couldn't believe it was finally happening. In a few minutes she would be his wife.

She walked past by their friends and family and Clint placed her hand into Steve's when they reached him. "You are so beautiful, Nat." Steve whispered to her. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She whispered back.

"Okay, you have time for that later." Fury grunted and everyone laughed. Fury gave her a small smile before he continued. "We are here today to witness Steve and Natasha vow eternal love to each other..."

To be honest she couldn't really remember much of the ceremony (she had to watch the tape later) but all she knew was that she was now married to Steve. She was his wife! She almost wanted to squeal but she knew that Tony would never let her live that one down so she controlled herself.

She was dancing with her husband! Steve led them over the dance floor smoothly and she had to think back to the time where she taught him how to dance. The others joined them on the dance floor but her focus was only on Steve and the way he looked at her. Like she was the most precious thing he had ever seen. His fingers kept playing with her wedding ring and he gave her these secret little smiles.

"We've done it, doll!" He kissed her deeply and someone whistled. "We're finally married!"

"Are you happy?"

He smiled brightly. "More than I ever thought I could be! Are you?"

"Yes, so much!" Her cheeks already hurt from smiling so much but she couldn't stop. "I love you, Steve. And I always will."

He twirled her and then dipped her. "I will always love you, too!"

The End

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