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1996
Natasha POV
This is something that twelve year old girls should not go through, but I am not allowed to think like this. They won't allow me to think like this. My only saviour is Maya Smirnoff, sixteen years old, brunette, Hazel eyes. She took me under her wing when I first got to this shitty place, she had already been here for four years, a scar down her right eyebrow and eye, right down to her jaw. She was very striking, the other girls were scared of her, for the scar and hard looking face, but this made me very drawn to her, she instantly took a shine to me, instantly calling me her маленький (little one).
I would love to say things were going great but in The Red Room, every day was hell, in six months I had been here I have had to kill three girls. Maya was proud, so was Madame B. The former lit a fire in me, Maya smiling for the first time I had known her and it was because of me, the latter dampened my fire, extinguished it, seeing the smirk on Madame B's face was enough to make me sick, especially when I see a look in Maya's eyes, worry. I knew I had to continue to be the best of the best, my mama was a student in The Red Room, my sister will be in The Red Room, Maya is in The Red Room.
Even though we were handcuffed to the bed at night, this didn't sop Maya from pick locking out of her cuffs to come and lay in my bed. It was a habit, since I first arrived, I was scared and sad that I was away from my parents, Maya took pitty on me, she was the bed beside me. She used the knife that was always placed in her sleeve to get out of the handcuffs and curled her body around mine, whispering stories of two girls escaping the bad men and living a life together, happy and free. It always calmed me but always in the back of my mind, I knew it would never last. I knew that, the first time I was brought to The Red Room, I knew that as soon as I found out my parents were not my parents and my sister was not my sister. After this big reveal, my heart hardened, I would push Maya away from me, making sure she knew not to even try to help me anymore.
I was in the ballet studio, tying my slippers tightly against my legs. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Maya leaning against the wall, watching my every move. I tried not to shrink under her gaze, she was always able to make my body feel something with a look. She was my chaperone, since she was four years older than me. At first it was a blessing but after I found out my whole life was a lie then I pushed her away. She was a lot harder on me, pushing me to my limits, there wasn't a night I was in the bathroom tending to bruised ribs or a cut thigh.
I stood up straight to walk the barre, ready to do some warm up exercises, looking Maya in the eye and giving her a glare, to which she just raised an eyebrow and a little lift of her lip, almost smirking. I watch as she quickly pushes herself off the wall and straightens her stance, I look at her confused until I hear;
"Smirnoff, it is time." She stated, matter of fact.
I look up to Maya with a questioning look, she looks at me and quickly shakes her head, she moves quickly towards me, her hand goes to mine, pushing a paper inside of it, against my palm.
"Я люблю тебя малышка" She whispered, turning on her heel and walking towards the door, straight past Madame B. Head held high, though I watched her hands, that were folded behind her back, at a closer look, I saw that she was shaking. In that moment, I was terrified.
---------------------------- 2002 Natasha's POV
I sit in a S.H.E.I.L.D quinjet, blood dripping down my face as I look at the S.H.E.I.L.D officer that spared my life, that helped me leave my wretched life, one that I would never forgive myself for.
"Here," Agent Barton said, thrusting some gauze in my direction, "You should really clean that wound up."
I take a gauze and stick it to my head, using the tape, that Agent Barton, provided. After securing it down, I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket.
маленький, I am sorry, for the hurt I caused you, I know you think I knew everything but I can promise you I did not know about your family. I hope you will be able to find a way out before you're sixteen, it is something you can never get over. I will fight for you, for every girl in here, but know I will always fight for you. Hopefully one day we will reunite, I have faith. твой единственный
A voice pulled me from my memories as I put the letter back into my pocket.
"Agent Barton, report."
"Ma'am, you will be happy to know that the target was acquired." Barton responded, giving me a side glance.
"Excellent, Agent Fury will meet you when you land." The female voice responded, "Oh, and Barton, not a word."
"You have my utmost trust, Ma'am."
"Who was that?" I asked, looking up at him threw my eyelashes.
"One of the heads of S.H.E.I.L.D, and probably your guardian angel." I think he was supposed to whisper the last bit of his sentence but I heard it loud and clear, and it made my anxiety spike.
---------------------- S.H.E.I.L.D Headquarters
"Your name is?"
"Natasha Romanoff"
"Your real name, Miss Romanoff"
"Natalia Alianovna Romanoff"
"Year born?"
"It's rude to ask a lady her age."
"What year were you born, Miss Romanoff."
"1984"
"Is there any worries on your behalf, about your soon to be ties with S.H.E.I.L.D?"
"Sir, I was in the KGB, I have been on missions to steal Intel from Stark Industries, I have a lot of enemies, even my own sister is an enemy. I hope you know that helping me and letting me serve in S.H.E.I.L.D as your agent, that there will be a lot of people against me or even trying to kill me."
"You don't have to worry about that, Miss Romanoff, we will protect you."
"It's not me you have to protect."
-------------------------------
I follow Agent Fury through the Headquarters, taking a note of everything. Something that was trained into me, I have to know everything and I will find out everything.
"I will show you where you are staying, as we will have to get all your documents sorted and get you off the red list in all countries. We will also make sure that we have an alias for you, is there something you would like to be called?" Agent Fury asked, while frog marching me down many corridors.
"Natalie Rushman and Black Widow."
He nods and we come to a halt, standing in front of a door. "I will see to it, Miss Rushman. Here is your room, there will be a credit card given to you in your name and identification, this might take a week. We do have a canteen, so you wont be without. Any questions?"
I present my palm to him as he drops a key into my hand and nod, "Just one question, do you have a superior?"
I watch as emotions fly through Agent Fury's eyes, wondering why I want to know, probably, "I do." He replies shortly.
"And will I be meeting them?" I question, watching the man's face for any signs.
"It might be a possibility, though I will tell you one thing, do not piss her off." With that he turns and strides down the corridor, jacket billowing behind him, I watch as people push themselves to the walls to get out of his way.
