Very dark outside

Natasha sighed deeply as she sat on her hotel bed, she just could not believe it, all this nonsense that Romanoff was saying about protecting her, and then him refusing to tell her who killed her father, it was unfair, she just wanted closure.

She did have to say that he was right… she did not want justice… she wanted revenge, she was so used to being trampled on in her last life and in this one as well, until she changed, but now she wanted revenge, of course she wanted revenge.

If she could, she would kill the man who killed her father with her bare hands, her father did not deserve to die, not at all, she wanted to avenge her father's death, this was just too much all too much for her.

A part of her wished that she had not found all of this out, she should not have gone to see her father that day, maybe now, he would still be alive like he was in her past life. Natasha could not help but blame herself, she was to blame, maybe if she had kept away from her father, they would not have come to warn him and kill him.

The pain and the memory of her Father's death was just like it was yesterday when it all happened, sure she often thought about it, thought about how she did not have time to see her father before he died and tell him that she loved him a million times, and also that she did not blame him.

But right now Natasha felt like crying, why was life like this? Why were people so wicked, killing each other, fighting? Why, it was all pointless, just useless, what sort of joy or gratification did one get from killing people, killing innocent people, tainting your hands with their blood, it was just horrible so horrible.

Natasha could not bear to think about this anymore, she was just tired, so tired, Natasha sighed as she picked up her phone and she dialed Dom's number, she hoped that he would pick, she wanted to speak to her baby right now, she needed to hear her sweet voice, the voice that would calm her, and reassure her to stay strong, because her baby needed her, and she needed her baby as well.

Dom looked down at his phone as he frowned at who was calling, nevertheless, he picked up the call.

"Hello" said Dom as he put his phone to his ear.

"Hi" said Natasha as she really did not feel like arguing, or fighting, she was just tired.

"You hung up on me yesterday Natasha" said Dom as he stood up from his office desk and he walked out the door in the direction of the dining room.

"I didn't, I said what I needed to say, so there was no point staying on the call" said Natasha.

"Mhmm" said Dom as he seemed calmer than yesterday, he was just relieved that Natasha sounded okay, or at least he thought that she did, but he would not ask her, because he knew that she would tell him nothing at all.

"Where is Joy? I want to speak to her" said Natasha.

"Hold on" said Dom as he walked into the dining room and Joy was drinking her grape juice.

"Princess, your mommy is on the phone" said Dom as he looked at Joy.

"Mommy!" said Joy as her eyes lit up and she put down her glass of grape juice as Dom smiled at her and he gave her his phone.

"Hello Mommy!" said Joy as she put Dom's phone to her ear and she smiled.

"Hello my baby" said Natasha as she smiled.

"How are you?" asked Natasha as she smiled, hearing her baby's voice was so soothing.

"I am very good mommy, and how are you?" asked Joy as she smiled.

"I am fine now my baby, thanks to you" said Natasha as she smiled and Joy giggled.

"Are you back from school now my baby?" asked Natasha as she smiled.

"Yes Mommy, I am at home now" said Joy as she smiled.

"Mommy what time is it over there in Russia?" asked Joy as Natasha smiled.

"Well right now it's 9pm over here, it's very dark outside" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Ahh Mommy, it's 1 o'clock here, and it is very bright outside" said Joy as she giggled and Natasha smiled.

"Oh I guess we are opposites now my baby" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Mommy is it not late? You should go to sleep mommy; you always tell me not to go to bed late" said Joy as Dom took one of her potato chips.

"You are right my baby it is late, I just wanted to hear your voice, I will go to sleep now" said Natasha as she smiled.

"Okay Mommy, goodnight, have sweet dreams" said Joy as she giggled.

"Thank you my baby, I love you so much" said Natasha as she smiled.

"I love you too mommy" said Joy as she giggled and she gave Dom's phone back to him, and to no surprise, Natasha hung up on him again.

Don just sighed as he put his phone back in his pocket.

Natasha still had a smile on her face, her baby was right, she should just go to sleep, and she would have sweet dreams, just like she said.

Dom was really just tired, Natasha was something else, Dom just sighed once more as he took another one of Joy's potato chips.

"Hey daddy, you are taking my chips" said Joy.

"What? Can't I take some of your chips?" asked Dom as he smiled.

"You are taking too many daddy, get your own chips" said Joy.

"Ouch princess, you don't want to share with me? Your poor father?" asked Dom as he pretended to be hurt.

"No daddy, okay, we can share, but don't take too many" said Joy as she giggled.

"Alright Princess, fine, but don't be stingy like your Aunt Lulu, she never shares with me" said Dom as he shook his head.

"Aunt Lulu says that sharing is for people who don't know what something is worth" said Joy as she giggled.

"And that's why I am not going to leave her alone with you again princess" said Dom as he shook his head, he wondered when Lulu would grow up, maybe when she reached his age, she would, he really hoped so.

"But Aunt Lulu is fun daddy" said Joy.

"Yes I know that princess, I know" said Dom as he smiled and he took another one of her potato chips.

…

Later that day.

Dom sighed as he sat down on the couch, he had just tucked Joy in, and she was fast asleep, Dom rubbed his eyes, he was just so tired.

"Hello, Hello" said Charlie as he walked into the room with a smile.

"Hmm, Hello Charlie" said Dom as he sighed and he looked at Charlie who sat down beside him.

"Hey, why are you looking so glum?" asked Charlie as Michael walked into the room with Nine behind him.

"You know what, hold that thought, it seems like it will be a very long story, wait, let me get some snacks" said Charlie as he stood up with a smile.

"Don't raid my kitchen Charlie" said Dom as he gave Charlie a warning, he ate too much.

"Trust me I won't, I will only raid the snacks, trust me, some sugar will do you some good" said Charlie as he smiled and he walked away as Dom sighed hopelessly at him.

"What's wrong?" asked Michael as he and Nine sat on the other couch together.

"I'll tell you when Charlie comes back, I don't want to have to explain it to him all over again" said Dom.

"And I am back" said Charlie as he smiled and he walked back into the living room.

"Cookies for you" said Charlie as he threw Nine cookies and he caught it wondering what was wrong with this friend of his.

"Cheese puffs for you" said Charlie as he threw Michael a bag of cheese puffs.

"Some ginger snaps for you" said Charlie as he threw them to Dom and Dom caught it.

"And of course some crackers for me" said Charlie as he smiled.

"You do know that you switched our preferences right?" asked Nine in annoyance.

"Yes I know, bear with it, it's good to switch it up a bit" said Charlie as he smiled.

"Give me my crackers Charlie, unlike you, I don't want to be overweight" said Nine.

"Well you should consider it, you are too thin, all skin and bones" said Charlie as he shook his head in a disapproving manner.

"I would rather be like this than be like you" said Nine.

"You really should want to be like me Nine, after all I am…" said Charlie as he was cut off.

"Hey, hey. Stop this we are not here to argue" said Michael as he shook his head.

"Anyway, Dom, what's wrong?" asked Michael as he looked at Dom.

"It's Natasha…" said Dom as he sighed.

"Oh what a surprise" said Charlie in a sarcastic tone as Michael shot him a cautioning glare.