Chapter 12: Home (not) Sweet Home

With their new jet 'Rescue', our little team of Spy/Criminal/Bomber finally got out of Budapest at 11am, after some sleep. That was the 'official' reason, but actually Rick just wanted to avoid fulfilling the bet. But at the end, under group 'persuasion' Natasha was still chosen as the winner.

After finally quitting Hungary alive, Hawkeye start to make a call to his superior to update him on the mission, while Yelena, Natasha and Richard were catching up with each over. Leaving the jet in autopilot.

"So yeah, it was pretty easy for us to hide. But after we came to the garage, mom took a car and left. She said 'I still have something to do alone, so don't wait for me'."

Said Yelena with annoyance in her voice. Previously, she thought that after quitting the Red Room, the three of them could finally have a life together like a real family. Unfortunately, reality gave har a slap in the face.

Especially so when she learn from her sister that the latter won't stop her spy activities but will continue to do so under the 'good guys'. A.K.A the S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Well it's not bad" Tried to justify Natasha.

"At least I will have a job. And will ACTUALLY be paid for it. Unlike when we were in the Red Room. Besides, what else was I going to do? It's not like people will accept that the Black Widow will honestly work as a waitress or a baker right?"

That statement received a collective nod of approval from her listeners. But Yelena still mocked her though.

"Pfft! Well, I'm sorry princess that your so famous. That's sounds sooo terrible."

Natasha raised an eyebrow at and replied with a mocking smile of her own.

"Ooh are you jealous that I'm getting a job after getting resigning, but you will have to look for it yourself? That's sad."

"No!" Rebuke Yelena while pointing at her sister. "It's just that I noticed that even if you say you don't like attention you always show off."

"Me ? I never show off. What are you talking about?"

After hearing Natasha, Yelena made some exaggerate movement before saying dramatically.

"Oh. My. God. I can't believe it! How can you lie like that?"

"What? I never show off, and that's true!"

"Natalia Alianovna Romanoff. You're the one who show off the most in the world! I remember when we were fighting in the apartment: during the fight, after beating two Widows, you stopped and start posing in the middle of the fight. Or the other other day when we were getting inside the Academy, you start to pose again while landing, for at least half a minute! So "

Rick who was enjoying the fight, unconsciously nodded to Yelena's argument.

'Well Natasha do pose every time she land or fight. Actually now that I think about it, it's somehow incredible that can pose during a fight unscathed.'

While stuck in his thoughts, Rick didn't noticed that Natasha saw him. But he did knew about the latter afterwards.

"Why are you nodding? Do you agree with what she said?"

Caught off guard Rick start to quibble clumsily.

"Well... No!...Yeah? I mean, we do see you posing..." that answer only serve into irritating Natasha.

"First of all Yelena, your exaggerating. Half a minute? Really? Second, you! Are you really gonna side with her? And third, I wasn't posing in the apartment. I was just taking a breath, that's all."

"Yeah, riiiight." Yelena rolled her eyes at Natasha, with a little smile on the corner of her mouth.

Dropping off the subject, the trio start to talk to other things until Natasha asked her sister:

"By the way Yelena, what are you going to do later? Are you coming with me to the Strategic Homeland Security.. Whatever the rest is?"

"I..."

Caught off guard, Yelena didn't know what to reply. To tell the truth, after being turn into an obedient robot, Yelena didn't want to work for another organization again.

But like Natasha she was limited in her options. A resume with only written Murderer didn't look good. Furthermore now that she could, she wanted to live with her sister again and feel the long lost warmth of family.

So after thinking a little, Yelena decided to tell the truth...in her way.

"Who wants to work with you? Especially in an organization that tried to kill you. Besides your asking me as if I'm like you, and has to beg to find a job. I'm only 18. I can still go to college and then find a job, contrary to you

Natasha raised an eyebrow at that.

"can you, really? How did you pass your USE again? Oh that's right, you never went to high-school in the first place."

(A/N: USE= United States Exam. Equivalent to High-school Diploma in Russia. I don't know if it's true. Those in the knows correct me if I'm wrong.)

Guessing Yelena internal struggles, Rick decide to help her out.

"Well if you don't want to keep playing spies with your sister, you can still work for me. I still need people to introduce me to new clients. It's not like everyone want to smuggle things everyday."

Rick thought he was helping out. Besides he was also truthful concerning his lack of clients. But strangely enough Yelena didn't see it that way.

"Are you asking so you can become my boss? Besides how much money can you make from it?"

"That's not the real question here." Interject a wild Clint Barton who finished his call. With real surprise on his face, he asked.

"Why do you think you can still continue I doing your illegal activities?"

"I don't really understand your question here. But if you refer to the Red Room, you don't have to worry about it. I won't get caught again." Replied Rick, a bit weird out by the question.

"No, that's not what I mean. Before Budapest mission, the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division had no idea about who you really were. I mean they should have a file on you. Because your technically an international criminal specializing in transporting illegal marchandise. Which is a potential risk if what you transport is dangerous, but you weren't a priority because you were a little teenage criminal."

"Well thank you for the compliment." Grumble Rick, but Hawkeye Barton ignored him.

"You may not realize it, but it was a good thing. Because before that, you could live your life in peace. But now you are in our radar. And I will be honest with you. Normally, when we find a person as dangerous as you "Dangerous?!", with criminal past, we don't give him the choice. He can only join the organization or go straight to prison like Natasha."

The latter noticed that Hawkeye didn't mention the third option which was use on her at first: extermination.

But Natasha didn't call him out. Because she believes that if he was talking about it right now, then he should have convince his superior that that option wasn't needed.

"So this is how we normally proceed. But I know that those option aren't for you. You already said that you didn't want to be an agent, and seeing that you were already preparing your escape in Cambodia, I don't think that our prisons can hold you for long.

So I made a deal with my boss : In exchange for you to never commit crimes again, the Strategic Homeland... Well, S.H.I.E.L.D. won't go after you."

Honestly, learning the deal Hawkeye did, disappointed Rick very much. Because he actually wanted to know how it feels like to work as a smuggler. Furthermore he also indirectly learn the hidden message: Shield is now paying attention to you.

Nobody will be comfortable knowing there are people who are constantly monitoring yourself.

In his old earth, he read many fan-fic where the MC immediately blow up and start in a killing spree because he was being spy on by the S.H.I.E.L.D. But to that, Rick just wanted to laugh.

Rick can still understand if it's like in Natasha case and was forced to work for them. But starting to kill because you are being monitored? Rick couldn't understand. Because monitoring dangerous people like him IS the Shield job!

And even in his old earth there was many organization that watch over potentially dangerous people all the time!

So he could understand the dissatisfaction, over it. He can even understand if the S.H.I.E.L.D don't respect their private life. But not the exaggerating reactions of those MCs. Because it was a fact that they were dangerous.

Besides in those stories, more often than not, the MC end up doing something outrageous like becoming the head of Hydra or secretly controlling a country. So in fact S.H.I.E.L.D is right when it comes to monitoring dangerous individuals.

Which is why, even if Rick wasn't happy, he didn't argue much.

"Well I understand. I will just have to look for legal work to act as a cover." But he still didn't give up.

"...As long as you don't get caught. But I'm warning you. If you do get caught, don't expect me to cover up for you." Clint rolled his eyes at Rick before talking again after noticing that the Jet stopped moving.

"I think the Kingjet stopped. We should be there right?"

"Well, we should be." Replied Rick as he went to the cockpit to see the situation.

And after some verification, he indeed confirmed that they arrived at his hometown : Hampstead.

Situated on the north of London, after it's integration to the city, Hampstead became the residence for the richest and elitist and was also were every member of the Cater family were born except for one.

Even though, now most of them were living in America, with only Rick's mother still living there. In the ancestral 'house' as big as mansion. And because his mother has a very small social life she doesn't receive any visits most of the time.

Which is why after landing in the Garden, Rick was surprised to see a sport car he didn't recognize at the entrance.

Noticing the way Rick look at the car, Natasha asked.

"What is it? Is there a problem with that car?"

Rick shook his head and explain.

"No. it's just that it's the first time I've saw a guest coming here."

But it was apparently the wrong thing to say, because the team was still on edge after ten days of hiding. Which is why they all readied their weapons.

Something Rick followed after realizing that this visit was indeed suspicious after Budapest event.

So after looking at his friends, he rang the doorbell and wait with them in a strange formation. Looking like they were going to attack whoever answer the door.

As he wait, different scenario flash through his head on what was going on inside his house.

'Is it Hydra? I remember that at this time they where part of S.H.I.E.L.D. right? But Barton only gave his report a few minutes ago. They are damn too fast! So maybe it's the Red Room? Because they didn't saw my body, they went to my only known house to see if I really died...'

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of shoes walking towards the door.

Before the door even open, Rick could hear the sound of widow bites charging behind him, which unconsciously made him tense up.

Clack

But as the door finally open. because all along, all he was imagining were some incredible enemies, he didn't expect for a familiar face to open the door. And therefore didn't react until he was called out.

"Oh, little Richard it's been a long time since I last saw your face in person. We didn't saw you for the Thanksgiving and Christmas in Washington and after missing the new year here, Miss Carter was really worried that something happen to you. Especially when your...'father' didn't answer any of her calls. But I didn't expect that her worries were justify. If it wasn't for your cousin, we would have been left in the dark forever of what's going on."

Confronting Rick with disapproval radiating from all her being. Faiza Hussain, a woman in her forties but look much younger, was the doctor/housekeeper taking care of Amelia Margaret Carter. Richard's mother. Although with the traditional nurse uniform, headscarf hiding her black hair and her scolding, Faiza Hussain may appear like a stern type of person, but in fact she all the opposite.

Which was why Richard who has known that woman from young age through his memories was unresponsive at first due to the inconsistency. Then he realized the implications of what she just said.

"Youー! Aunt Faiza! What did you just say?! My cousin is here?! Which one? For what?! What did she say to my mother?!"

Contrary to Faiza Hussain who he never met, Amelia Carter who was the perfect copy with the same name as the one on his own earth was easier for Rick to consider her as her real mother. Especially so with the memories of the old Rick too. So it what understandable that he confuse his identity when it come to her.

'Bullocks! What kind of gormless cousin is it? Doesn't she knows that my mother has a fragile body and heart?!'

As if reading his thoughts, Faiza said.

"Don't worry, Miss Carter is fine. Well, after learning that you actually didn't die, that is." Learning that news didn't make Rick feel better. On the contrary.

Especially when Faiza basically admitted that her mother knew most of the important things. But unfortunately for Rick it wasn't over.

"by the way, don't ever think of escaping, because we already have been were warned of your incoming 'visit' today. So you should quickly come Inside and stop your childish thoughts."

Laughing awkwardly for guessing his thoughts once again, Rick resign himself and followed inside with his friends.

What Rick didn't notice, but was seen by the rest however was the small gun Faiza had in the always hidden right hand that she put away as she turn to lead the way.

That small action, didn't diminish the worries but only fuel their vigilances. Except for the oblivious Richard.

And to dispel the cautiousness they were displaying, Yelena did some small talk with Rick.

"So, your Name is actually Richard Carter?"

"Richard Mason actually. Why?"

"Nothing I was expecting something better. Like a Brandon, Cameron or even Isaac. Not... 'Richard'."

The latter didn't even try to argue and simply rolled his eyes at her while getting inside.

Even though the house had three big floors, the living room was on the ground floor, a few meters after the front door. Which prevent the guests from walking for too long.

So it was was without surprise that when just after entering, they could already hear the loud voices coming from the living room. And they weren't talking about pleasant things.

"ーshouldn't be so stubborn! Do you really think that only the garantie of a small agent would be enough to not make Furry take further actions against that stupid cousin? You yourself know that's not the case at all! So instead of letting him continue on his criminal path, and sulliing the family reputation, he shー"

"Stop talking about family and my mother whenever it suits you! If my son hadn't show such a talent, you would have never paid attention to him!"

"Because nobody else would have! But now that he's associate to us! To our nameー"

"Oh, please. Stop with your grandstanding. Youー"

The woman didn't find the chance to finish her sentence because Faiza directly open the door. Interrupting whatever she wanted to say.

Entering the living room with the embarrassed face of someone who heard too much, Faiza directly annonce Rick presence before quickly going to the kitchen.

"Miss, your son is here. It's almost noon, I'm going to the kitchen to get the Lunch."

That one sentence trigger the trio following Richard. As if a silent signal was sent between them, Natasha suddenly followed Faiza.

"Let me help you Miss, and please don't refuse. After imposing myself without any prior announcement, it really embarrasss me to do nothing and come with nothing too."

Not prepared for a sudden helping hand made Faiza stammer a little before looking at Amelia for help. But the latter didn't even look at her. Too occupied in searching for any visible injuries her son may hav with her eyes.

So after some hesitation Faiza accept Natasha proposal. Thinking that Rick's friend looking harmless shouldn't do anything that shouldn't be done.

On the other side, after failing to spot even a scratch, the beautiful but frail looking brown hair mother finally spoke to her son. And like the sad looking Rick expected it was to scold him.

"So after six months without any news my son finally remembered that he has a home right? And I'm not even sure that he came back for his poor mother who's worried about him. With all those friends I'm afraid it's more because you couldn't find a proper place to celebrate your birthday right? No one care about that fragile woman worried sick for her son. After all living with a father who's giving him all the freedom he need is much better than an old woman who talk too much right?"

"Moom. Stop saying that. That's ain't true at all."

"Yeah, right. That's surely the reason why I just learn that you enjoy your 'freedom' so much that you succeed in taking it to another level and help other enjoy that freedom too, by smuggling! I can't believe it! My son. The one that I raise and educate to become a proper person, actually because a lowly criminal?! Instead of using his genius mind to do save lives, he actually use it to do bad things!"

Seeing her mother going on her tirade, Rick tuned her down in his head as he start to plan how to get out from this embarrassing situation. And plan how to silently kill his 'friends' latter who were sitting by his side while enjoying the show with gusto.

'Hurgh! Coming here today was clearly a bad idea.'