I'm not going

The next morning.

The sun was shining very brightly, it was another warm, bright, summer morning, and Natasha had walked out of the house for once, she did not know if it was the sunlight, but she felt so good and warm, it was like the sun was shining on her gloomy feelings, and it made her feel so fuzzy and calm.

"Good Morning Madam" said Benjamin as he saw Natasha walking over towards him and he smiled.

"Good Morning Benjamin, and I told you to call me Natasha" said Natasha as she smiled and she walked over to where Benjamin was standing.

"Ahh, sorry Natasha" said Benjamin as he smiled and Natasha smiled at him.

"Madam, I heard about your father's passing, I am very sorry, please accept my condolences" said Benjamin as he smiled sadly.

"Thank you Benjamin, it really means a lot to me" said Natasha as she smiled.

"How are you doing?" asked Benjamin as he could tell that Natasha's face looked gloomy, and it was only normal, she had just lost her father.

"I have been better, I could be better, but I will be better" said Natasha as she smiled, life went on, even if you didn't want it to, it still did, and even though it was hard to accept, moving on would do you more good than holding on, but that did not mean that she would forget her father, that was impossible, like Pete had said, he would always be in her heart.

"Natasha, if you still don't feel well, you can decide not to train today, it can wait till you feel better" said Benjamin as he smiled.

"Thank you for your concern Benjamin, but I truly don't need to rest, in fact I need something to distract me, and get my mind off everything, so I would like to continue" said Natasha as she smiled, there was nothing better to help her heal than for her to engage in other activities, that would take her mind off everything that was worrying her.

"Alright Natasha, if you say so" said Benjamin as he smiled, if there was something he knew about Natasha, it would be that she was a very strong woman, in body and soul, the things which even he thought she could not do, she showed him and did them anyway, so he knew that if she said she would be fine, then she would be fine.

"Yes, so today I want to spar, because well the last time I punched someone, my hand kept on aching for a week" said Natasha.

"Well that is only normal, but as you go on, you won't feel pain anymore" said Benjamin as he smiled, it was a common thing for people learning how to fight to feel pain in their hands after they had punched a target.

"Alright then" said Natasha.

"In fact, you can stop using your boxing gloves now" said Benjamin as he smiled.

"That is good news for me" said Natasha as she smiled and Benjamin smiled at her.

"So can we get started now?" asked Natasha.

"Yes, of course, let's go" said Benjamin as he smiled and Natasha walked ahead of him as he walked behind her and he smiled, she was the nicest person to him in this whole house, well also including Alfred.

…

"How is she?" asked Michael as he sighed and he sat down on the couch in his room.

"Well she looks better now, and she even went to meet up with Benjamin for their training" said Charlie as he sighed and he sat down beside Michael.

"Well that's good" said Michael as he smiled, he had spoken to Natasha yesterday, and well she seemed weary of him, and he did not want to trouble her anymore, so he just stayed back and he sent Charlie to find out, he could not just help it, Natasha was like a sister to him, they had all grown up together, it was a shame that an unfortunate incident ruined their many years of friendship.

"Don't you feel anything for her?" asked Michael as he looked at Charlie.

"To me, she betrayed all of us, so No, I don't feel anything for her at all, sure I feel pity for her, but that is all" said Charlie as he sighed and he shook his head.

"Not everyone is as forgiving as you are Michael" said Charlie as he looked at Michael.

"But she's our friend" said Michael.

"Correction Michael, she was our friend, or at least she was mine, but not anymore" said Charlie.

"But…" said Michael.

"But nothing, I don't want to talk about this anymore Michael" said Charlie as he shook his head and Michael kept quiet, going on about it would not change anything at all.

"Anyway, in other news, have you gotten the invitation to Grandfather's Birthday celebration?" Charlie.

"Yes, Alfred brought mine over yesterday evening" said Michael.

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Nine as he walked into the room.

"Oh you finally arrive, we are talking about Grandfather's invitation" said Charlie.

"At this point, he should have just sent us all one invitation card" said Charlie as he laughed.

"I agree with you there" said Michael as he laughed.

"Well I'm not going" said Nine casually as he sat down on the couch.

"What do you mean you are not going?" asked Michael.

"It means I am not going" said Nine.

"Oh but you cannot decide not to go, Grandfather would be furious, and call you ungrateful, among other things, you have to be there" said Charlie as he shook his head, he and Michael would end up being reprimanded if they were the only ones that showed up.

"I don't feel in the mood for socializing" replied Nine simply.

"Like you were ever in the mood before" said Charlie as he scoffed and Nine looked at him coldly.

"Oh come on Nine, either we all go, or we all don't because I sincerely am not in the mood for Grandfather's scolding" said Michael as he pleaded.

"No, then don't go" said Nine.

"Oh come on Nine, you know we cannot do that" said Charlie as he shook his head.

"Nine, please, who knows, maybe you will even find a girlfriend there" said Michael as he smiled and Nine did not look amused at all.

"Yes, you really need one, maybe she will help with your sour mood" said Charlie and Nine paid no attention to the both of them.

"Come on Nine, Lia is going, I am sure she would have many friends there" said Michael as he smiled.

"Who knows maybe she can introduce you to one of her friends" said Michael as he smiled.

"If she does that then I am definitely not going" said Nine.

"You know what, both you and Lia are single, maybe you guys should just end up together" said Charlie as he laughed.

"I doubt that, you know how Lia is… she is still in love with Dom" said Michael as he shook his head and sighed.

"Really?? Gosh I thought she would have gotten over him by now, she only did have a crush on him" said Charlie as he shook his head.

"Nope, why do you think she has never once brought home a suitor??" asked Michael.

"I don't get why she would waste time chasing after someone who doesn't love her" said Charlie as he sighed and Nine just sat there quietly listening to their conversation, he agreed with Charlie, he really did, he also did not get why she would do that.

"Like they say, Love is blind" said Michael as he laughed.

"But I mean, I hope you are wrong, it's been years, I am sure she has gotten over him by now" said Charlie.

"I really hope so too" said Michael as he sighed.

"Anyway, enough about that, Nine you are definitely going, and that is not up for argument" said Michael as he smiled and Nine scoffed.

"We need to go buy new suits, because knowing how Grandfather is, he would want us to dress the best" said Michael as he sighed and he face-palmed himself.

"Great, I have been eyeing this yellow banana suit" said Charlie and both Nine and Michael turned to look at him with an expression that read "You cannot be serious"

"There is no way, we are letting you wear any suit of that sort" said Michael as he shook his head.

"Well, you have no control over me" said Charlie as he smiled.

"There is no way I am standing next to you while you wear yellow" said Nine as he looked ta Charlie coldly.

"It says it right there in the invitation, dress code for men, black tie event only, either with navy blue, black or grey suits, clearly no yellow allowed" said Michael.

"You are all so boring, but fineee" said Charlie as he shook his head, he found this all annoying, Grandfather was so strict, even in an invitation.