Finding Home

Chapter 21

Waking up alone the following day was strange. I knew it was bound to happen, but that didn't change the fact that I missed his presence.

After getting dressed, I make my way down to Natasha and Wanda's floor. I didn't bother knocking on her door because there was no way she'd respond anyway. So, I open the door and walk-in.

She is still curled up in her bed, sleeping peacefully. She looks just like the beautiful, deadly angel she is.

I know the best and most dangerous way of waking her up is to simply, well, jump on her.

Walking quietly and carefully up to her bed, I pounce, landing on my knees just behind her while driving my hands into her side. Not enough to injure her, but hard enough to knock the breath out of her momentarily.

"What the hell!?" She yells out.

"Язык, Наталья, (Language, Natalia,)" I laugh as I run to the door, pressing my back against it. Not trying to leave, but just being out of her reach.

"Тень! Ты сука! Я убью тебя, пока ты спишь! (Shadow! You bitch! I will kill you while you sleep!)" She scowls, trying to hide her smile.

"Продолжай мечтать, сестра. (Keep on dreaming, sister.)"

Looking at her clock, she groans. Natasha never was a morning person.

I walk back to her bed and take a seat. Crossing my legs under me, I wait for her to wake up enough to have a conversation.

Sitting up, she pulls her knees to her chest. Anyone who didn't know us would probably think we look like a couple of middle school kids about to gossip over boys.
Well, I suppose they'd be partially correct in that thought.

"Что это, Петрова? (What is it, Petrova?)"

"You were right last night, Natalia."

"What do you mean?" She looks at me, concerned.

"I do need to talk to someone. This - This feeling? It's destroying me, Natalia, and I don't know what to do."

"First things first. Coffee."
She rolls out of bed, and I can't help but laugh.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt."

Unlike my floor, Nat and Wanda don't have a mini kitchen on their level. So the two of us make our way to the central kitchen. I start the coffee while Nat finds something for herself to snack on.

She settles herself onto one of the stools at the island, and I make her coffee just the way she likes it.
I know I'll need a little extra to get through this, so I add a small amount of bourbon to my cup.

Who am I kidding? I add a couple of shots worth of bourbon to my cup.

Setting her coffee in front of her, she smiles as she inhales the sweet steam. Sighing, she finally looks at me and says, "Okay, now you can talk."

I laugh and take a couple of small sips of the still-burning liquid in my hands. Leaning against the counter on my forearms, I take a deep breath before starting.

"Well... " I pause, not sure where to even begin the story.

"Start at the beginning. It'll be easier. We were at the Academy - is that where you met him?"

I knew she was trying to help. Frustrating as it was. I have to keep my calm.

"I wasn't a Widow, as you know. My program was -- Well, it was basically --" I struggle to find the words.