26

A warm smile spreads across my face, although it feels forced as I watch her deep in thought. She bears a striking resemblance to the Widow from a popular movie, an actress with a name that escapes me at the moment. Suddenly, she seems to have noticed my presence on the other side of the room.

"Hello Natasha," I greet her with a polite nod, my voice echoing through the empty room. "My name is Joel, and I am from a different timeline. May I ask why you are here and not in your own?" I tilt my head slightly, curious to hear her answer.

The Black Widow's eyes narrow for a moment before she flashes me a sly smile. "Well, that's a new one. You'll have to explain that line to me later."

I continue, undeterred by her teasing tone. "You see, in our timeline, the Black Widow's name is Natalia Romanoff and she was born just two years ago. It seems like you might have accidentally traveled to the wrong timeline."

Nodding slowly, Widow's expression turns more serious. "I'm not sure where or when I am anymore. I keep having these flashes of the future, and it's all very disorienting. Are you the one responsible for undoing my plans to avoid what I see?"

I shake my head emphatically. "No, no, this is the first time I've taken any actions regarding you. It was actually Peggy Carter who foiled your plans." My words are matter-of-fact as I try to help Widow understand her situation.

I catch the fleeting look of confusion on her face, a flicker of disbelief and doubt that she quickly masks. "You're going to have to explain to me why she would do that, I refuse to believe she is" she says, her lips forming the word 'Hydra' silently as if afraid to speak it out loud.

I pause for a moment, considering everything she has just described. She's right, there is no logical reason for Peggy to do anything to aid Hydra. Unless...unless she was being controlled or had knowledge of the future and needed to take action.

A realization hits me like a bolt of lightning, causing a wide grin to spread across my face. "I've got it," I announce triumphantly. "She did it for love."

The Black Widow's piercing eyes bore into me with a mixture of confusion and disbelief, her perfectly shaped eyebrows furrowing as she tries to make sense of my sudden change in demeanor. She scans the room, likely realizing that no one else has reacted to my loud statement.

With a small smile and a nod, I clarify, "You are the only one who can see and hear me. And anything you say will not be heard by anyone else."

Widow lets out an exasperated eye roll and sighs, "You could have told me that earlier. What do you mean she did it for love? Steve is still under the ice."

"I may have some insight now, but do you remember what you were doing before you ended up in this timeline?"

Widow leans back in her chair, her gaze drifting upwards as she recalls the events leading up to their time-traveling mission. "Tony and Banner had found a way to go into the past and retrieve the Infinity stones. The moment they activated the machine, I was transported to New York in 1941 as a young girl. I knew how I got there, but all my memories of the future were gone. As time went on, I started getting fragments of memories back and used them to secure myself Super Soldier serum just a few weeks before Steve received it. Then used the deserted laboratory a year later to inject myself. I continued to use my knowledge of the future to try and change things, but someone kept undoing my efforts."

A confident nod escapes my lips, the weight of what I am about to say heavy on my heart. "In your original timeline, you do acquire the Soul Stone," I begin, my voice steady and measured. "But at a great cost, you give your life for it. You truly are an incredible woman, Natasha." As I continue, the gravity of the situation settles over me like a thick cloud. "The Avengers gather the stones and use them to bring everyone back, but a past version of Thanos arrives and chaos ensues. It culminates in a final battle where Tony sacrifices himself, just as you did in your own timeline." My gaze shifts to Natasha, noticing the redness in her eyes and pausing to allow her to process everything that has been said.

As I pause to let Natasha process the information, my gaze shifts to the distant horizon. The setting sun casts a warm glow over the city, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. I take a deep breath, my eyes now focused on her as she nods for me to continue.

"After they won the battle, Steve was chosen to return all the Stones. He should have left and returned within a few minutes, but he never did. It was then that they noticed an old man sitting on a nearby bench. As we approached him, they realized that the old man was none other than Steve himself, who had decided to remain in the past."

Realization dawns on Natasha as she connects the dots. "Steve is the one who wants things to stay the same, and he's with Peggy. That's why she's helping him."

I nod in confirmation before grinning mischievously. "What do you say we give them some payback? If I'm being honest, I'm a little annoyed at how selfish they are."

Natasha looks taken aback. "How do you mean?"

"They both got their happy endings while other in this ear suffer, but what about everyone else? Tony didn't get one and neither did you. No-one did what they did for a reward." I shake my head in frustration. "And if Steve has chosen to stay in the past and let bad things keep happening just to secure his own future, that's not cool. The moment he made that decision, things changed."

Natasha considers this for a moment before questioning me with a hint of concern in her voice. "You're not going to harm them, are you? I mean, they just want to spend some time together."

I shake my head and reassure her. "Not physically, no. But I do think they need a wake-up call. And have you noticed how Peggy's behaviour is very reminiscent of Hydra? If you had found out on your own, how would you have reacted?"

Suddenly, my senses pick up a hushed conversation happening nearby. It's only one-sided, but I can hear enough to piece together what's going on.

"She's just sitting there, not speaking or even looking around. I'm starting to think she has an endless cup," the voice says, sounding frustrated and confused. "Wait...now she's checking her weapons covertly. I think she's made up her mind. You need to come see this, that look in her eyes...I think we made a mistake. I told you we should've talked to her first."

I stop listening, that the scene Peggy saw earlier was actually part of my illusion. "Peggy was monitoring you," I explain to Natasha. "I made it seem like you had made up your mind about her being Hydra. We'll go together, but I'll remain hidden. You confront her and I'm sure our hero will come running."

Natasha tilts her head, trying to process everything I just told her. "You did what now?"

A sly chuckle escapes my lips as I propose an offer to Natasha. "You have the Super Soldier serum in you right? How would you like to be a true Black Widow? Remember Spider-Man?" Suspicion creeps into her tone as she asks, "What's the catch?"

With utmost sincerity, I reply, "I want you as my ally, not just for this mission, but for the long term. You possess a unique nature that I find invaluable in my plans for the future." 

As I continue to lay out my proposal, Natasha's eyes widen with surprise and intrigue. "We're talking about enhanced abilities far beyond what you saw in Spider-Man. Flexibility way beyond his, heightened senses that allow you to detect sound at any frequency, adaptability to all forms of toxins and radiation, and a deadly venom blast generated from your own bio-electricity. And let's not forget your ability to control pheromones that can elicit fear or attraction in others, as well as the power of gliding for long distances."

Natasha's expression turns to one of disbelief. "Who are you? How is it possible for you to grant me all these abilities?"

With a mischievous grin, I reveal my secret. "I am a mutant, one of the most powerful on Earth in this timeline. And I am currently building a country where mutants can live in peace. And your welcome."