The sun came up, warm and bright, filling the bedroom with golden light.
For the next few days, Sam and Natasha didn't train.
They just spent time together. They cooked simple meals, walked in the garden, and sat on the balcony watching the stars.
For Natasha, it was the first time she felt like a normal human being.
She wasn't holding a gun. She wasn't running from the past. She was just a woman enjoying life with the man she loved.
Every time she moved, she could feel the thick, rushing river of Qi inside her.
She felt alive.
But in a world filled with monsters and heroes, peace never lasts forever.
One afternoon, while they were drinking tea in the living room, Natasha's secure S.H.I.E.L.D. phone began to buzz.
She looked at the screen and sighed. The soft, happy look in her eyes changed back to the sharp focus of a spy.
"It's Fury,"
She said, picking up the phone.
"Yes, Director."
There was a pause. Natasha listened to the voice on the other end. She frowned slightly and looked at Sam.
"He doesn't want to give me a mission,"
Natasha said, handing the phone across the table.
"He wants to speak with you. He says it is very serious."
Sam put his teacup down. He took the phone and put it to his ear.
"Hello, Nick,"
Sam said calmly.
"Are you calling to check on my boss's heart? Tony is doing just fine."
"I know Stark is fine."
Fury's deep, rough voice came through the speaker. He didn't sound angry today. He sounded tired, but very focused.
"I am not calling about Stark, Sam. I am calling about you."
Sam leaned back in his chair.
"I am listening."
"The world is changing faster than we can handle,"
Fury explained.
"We have men flying in iron suits. We have giant green monsters breaking cities. And we have people like you, cutting through war machines with glowing swords. S.H.I.E.L.D. alone cannot protect the earth anymore."
Fury took a deep breath.
"I am putting together a team. A group of remarkable people. The goal is to bring them together to see if they can fight the battles that normal soldiers never could. It is called the Avengers Project."
Sam looked at Natasha. She was watching him closely. She already knew about the Avengers idea, but it was still just a secret file on Fury's desk.
"You want me to join,"
Sam said. It wasn't a question.
"I need you to join,"
Fury corrected him.
"I know you don't care about the government. I know you only care about protecting your people. But soon, the threats will be too big for one man to fight in his backyard. I want to formally recruit you into the Avengers. Not as a bodyguard, but as a core member."
Sam sat quietly. He knew exactly what Fury was talking about.
He knew about the aliens, the magic stones, and the war that would eventually come from the sky.
If he joined the Avengers, he wouldn't just be Tony's bodyguard or Natasha's secret boyfriend anymore.
He would step into the light. He would become a shield for the entire world.
Sam looked at Natasha again. She gave him a small nod. She would follow him wherever he chose to go.
"A team, huh?"
Sam finally said, a small smirk appearing on his face.
"Who else is on this list?"
"I have a few names in mind,"
Fury answered slowly through the phone.
"Stark is one of them. You already know the Widow. There are others... some you might not believe."
Sam smiled to himself. He knew exactly who was on that list. He knew about the super-soldier frozen in ice and the man who turned into a green monster.
"Alright,"
Sam said, his voice calm but firm.
"I accept. I will join your Avengers Project. But we need to get one thing straight."
"I'm listening,"
Fury said.
"I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D.,"
Sam stated. He looked at Natasha, who was smiling proudly at him.
"I will not take orders like a normal soldier. I have my own life. I have my own training. I am not going to fly across the world just to stop a bank robbery or play bodyguard for a politician."
Sam let his Qi hum just a little bit, enough that Fury could almost feel the pressure through the phone line.
"You only call me when it is a global threat. You call me when the world is actually ending. Do we have a deal?"
There was a long silence on the other end. Nick Fury was a man who liked to be in control of everything. But he was also a smart man.
He knew that having a cultivator on his side—even a stubborn one—was better than making an enemy out of him.
"Agreed,"
Fury finally said.
"Global threats only. You get to keep your freedom, Sam. But when I push the panic button, I expect you to answer."
"I'll be there,"
Sam promised.
"Now, do you need to speak to your agent?"
"Pass the phone back to Romanoff,"
Fury said, his voice turning back into the strict boss.
Sam handed the phone back to Natasha. She put it to her ear, her face turning serious again.
"Yes, Director,"
She said.
"Your vacation is over, Widow,"
Fury told her.
"We have a situation in New Mexico. Something fell from the sky and made a massive crater in the desert."
"A meteor?"
Natasha asked.
"No,"
Fury said, sounding confused and frustrated.
"It's a hammer. Just a metal hammer. But nobody can lift it. We tried pulling it with trucks, and it didn't move an inch. The locals are treating it like a tourist attraction, but the energy readings coming off this thing are off the charts."
Natasha's eyes widened slightly. A magic hammer?
"I need you to go down there and investigate,"
Fury commanded.
"Set up a perimeter. Find out where it came from and what it does. Take whoever you need."
"Understood,"
Natasha said, and hung up the phone.
She looked at Sam. He was already drinking his tea again, looking completely relaxed.
"Did you hear that?"
Natasha asked.
"A magic hammer in New Mexico. Nobody can lift it."
Sam chuckled. He knew exactly what it was. Mjolnir. The weapon of the Thunder God, Thor. And he knew that if the hammer was here, the god wasn't far away.
"I heard,"
Sam said, putting his cup down.
"It sounds like a perfect place for you to test your new strength. You are at the peak of the Qi Gathering Stage now. A little field trip will be good for your foundation."
Natasha smiled, her eyes flashing with excitement. She felt so powerful, and she was eager to see what her new body could do.
"Are you coming with me?"
She asked, walking over and sitting on his lap.
Sam wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I told Fury I only step in for global threats,"
Sam smirked.
"Right now, it's just a heavy piece of metal in the dirt. You go and handle S.H.I.E.L.D.'s business. I need to stay here and finish my own training. But... if a giant metal fire-breathing robot shows up, give me a call."
Natasha laughed and kissed him.
"You always know something that I don't,"
She whispered.
"I'll pack my bags. I'll be back before you even miss me."