In Their Hands ✧･ BARNES ✔

𝟏𝟑| тринадцать

   THEY WERE BACK AT THE LARGE BUILDING that wasn't too close to Clint's home. They had flown for a while and it was getting boring, so Zola was happy to be outside again. She liked the cold feeling in the air and she liked getting to walk around freely. For now, she didn't have to worry too much about the people back in Russia. Right now, her home was where Clint was keeping them.

   She held her mother's hand as usual, even when they took a seat before the Son of Coul and the Director of this all.

   She wasn't scared of them, but she looked like she was. Somewhat intimidated by them, maybe. Clint sat on one side of her, looking over papers, and he mother sat on the other side, investigating the room.

   Maybe she was looking for a weapon, just in case they attacked her, or just in-case the Red Room had in fact come after them already. She knew that they would find them soon. They had to be looking already. They couldn't lose their best assassin.

 Natalia really didn't want to work for them anymore. She was stuck in a hell that she didn't deserve to be trapped in, and now she was getting a chance to escape. She was getting a chance to save her baby girl, too. And if that meant running forever, and risking their lives, then she would do it. 

   The first step: changing their identities.

   "Audrey, I need you to sign this. Napishi svoye imya." Clint instructs, passing the papers over to the young girl. His big fingers pointed to a small line with an "x" beside it. Zola's small head lowered to stare at the line in confusion. She understood what he was asking her to do, but she didn't know how to do it. She was never taught how to write her name. Write your name.

   "How?" Zola asks, turning to look up at her mother curiously. Natalia nodded her head with understanding. Her newly dyed blonde hair hung in her face, so she pushed it away behind her shoulder. 

   "Kak vy videli eto na vashey dveri." Natalia responds quietly and hesitantly. She didn't know how else to explain it to the young girl. She was sure that Zola had seen the sign multiple times. She had to have remembered part of it after all of the years that she was stuck there. As you saw it on your door at home.

  Zola tried to remind herself that Clint was here to protect them. She tried to remind herself that they couldn't hurt her anymore, even if she didn't know that it wasn't true. She tried to tell herself that they were safe and that she didn't need to worry about it anymore. She took three deep breathes like Clint had taught her to when she was scared.

   She moved the paper so that it sat comfortably below her arm and she picked up the pencil from the table. Zola looked over the pencil before Clint slapped it our of her hand. He pointed to the pen that laid right before Fury's folded hands. 

   "Always sign in ink. Vsegda v chernilakh." He tells her, pushing the pen closer to her hand. His Russian accent wasn't perfect, but it was still  great enough for her to understand. She knew he didn't mean to hurt her. He wouldn't hurt her, she knew.  She simply smiled and picked up the pen instead. Always in ink.

   She remembered the zig zag of the first letter that she saw when they threw her in and out of her cage. She scribbled it down shakily, but tried her best to remind herself that she was safe. They would't hurt her even if she didn't understand that they still could. 

   She remembered the round circle that followed, and scribbled it down. She remembered the way the superior's lips would part into a circle shape when he spoke her name.