Natasha's new mission

"I'm sorry, Steve. I gave in... I couldn't help myself," Natasha lamented, unable to look Cap in the eye.

Steve shook his head. "I don't blame you, Natasha. You held out longer than anyone else I know could have... and you seem to have retained your memories, which is a good sign."

"For now, at least..." Natasha remarked. "The urges aren't as strong anymore, but they're not gone either. I could be a liability to the team..."

"She speaks the truth," Doom said, speaking up. "Our mission is too important to risk the life of every man present, simply because of your unwavering devotion to your allies."

"We don't give up on our own," Steve replied sternly. "Nat's too important to the team to cut loose."

"Yeah... we trust Nat a hell of lot more that we trust you, Victor," Tony added. "If you don't like the way we do things, you can leave. But as long as you're here, you play by our rules... and that means Nat's off limits, got it?"

"Very well... I shall tolerate your naivete for the time being," Doom relented. "But know that I will not hesitate to end Miss Romanova's life should she waver, even if only slightly."

Natasha looked away from the group, worried. Maybe Doom was right. Maybe the Avengers' loyalty to her would end up being their undoing. Seemingly, her mind was still protected; it looked the the Mind Stone had protected her from completely assimilating to this reality. But it wasn't over, and she knew it. Her seductresses -- or perhaps others -- would come after her again. They'd try to seduce her again. And she had no idea if the Mind Stone would protect her the next time around. Would she be able to resist the lure of a gorgeous woman's touch? Or was she destined to become a **** to her lesbian desires?

"So, the Mind Stone worked... what's next?" Tony asked.

"Reed's going to run a few tests," Cap replied. "He believes that it can shield Nat from the effects of whatever's going on. What we need more than anything right now is information, and the Black Widow is our best bet to get it."

"Are you sure about that, Steve? We have no idea how easily I could be compromised... I mean, I very nearly was only an hour ago," Natasha pointed out.

"I know you, Nat. And I trust you," Steve told her confidently. "It's extremely risky, but if Reed's theory holds up, the Mind Stone should shield you from the worst of whatever is going on. And unlike the rest of us, you can actually go undercover."

Natasha sighed deeply. Cap had a point -- being the only woman on the team, she was the only one who could operate out in the open. She had more maneuverability than anyone else on the team. And at this point, she could do operations like this in her sleep. Even if she was at a higher risk of being compromised, she realized she was the team's best chance at figuring out what was happening to her reality.

"Alright, Steve. I'm in," Natasha relented. Resisting her lesbian urges had been incredibly taxing, and she'd already broken once, but her mind hadn't assimilated... not yet, at least. Cap was right -- she had held out longer than most anyone else could have under the circumstances, and now, it looked like she had the Mind Stone to protect her (pending Reed's tests).

She just hoped that it would be enough.