I've Got Red In My Ledger

Chapter Fourteen

Melina leads us inside without saying a word. Natasha holds my hand, and lingers outside before she goes in.
"Hurry up, Natasha." Yelena grumbles as Nat stops outside. "The sooner we are in, the sooner we are out again."
I can see the inner turmoil that's flying through Nat's head, can see how hard this is for her.
But still, Nat takes a step inside. I know that's a big step for her, I know she doesn't trust Melina or Alexei, know she thinks that this is all just a trap.
"Welcome," Melina says as Nat stands in the doorway. Yelena pushes past her, looking around with curiosity lingering in her stance. "To my humble abode. Please, girls, make yourselves at home." Melina sighs. "And let's have a drink."
She lowers the gun and heads through the house and into the kitchen. Natasha is watching absolutely everything. She's watching how Melina walks, she's watching what she's doing with the gun, where she's going.
Nat hasn't let her guard down, not even a fraction. In fact, I think that it might even be taller than it's ever been before.

Melina walks over to the cupboard in the kitchen, which reveals a weapons closet. There was one very similar to it in the safe house where we met Yelena, and I know this adds to Nat's long list of why she can't trust the woman standing in front of her.
"Hey," Nat calls out. "No funny business." I can feel the stress radiating off of her, can feel how she's trying to keep her panic at bay. Other people couldn't see that though, because she's learnt to shield her feelings. It's only because I can feel it. I know she's struggling. But she knows how to hide it better than just about anyone else. So everyone else in the room probably thinks she's just as strong as ever. But this is hard for her.
"I am quite obviously putting away my weapon." Melina answers, leaving the gun in the closet and coming back into the kitchen.
Yelena passes behind me and goes to sit down at the table. She hovers behind her chair for a few moments, and while Nat is busy with Melina, I go and join her at the table.
"Are you okay?" I ask her softly, even though I know exactly what she's thinking.
Nat explained that night to me. It was the last night she ever got to eat dinner around the table with the people that were supposed to be her family. It was the last night where she got to listen to Yelena talking about the bioluminescence in the trees in the backyard. It was the last dinner where they were still a family. It was Yelena's last night where she truly got to be a child. When she still had that innocence about her.

Yelena is thinking about that. About that night, about what happened.
She nods, sitting down. "I need a drink."
I sit across from her, glancing up to see that Nat is still assessing the place, making sure that it truly isn't trapped. "Are there any booby traps around here? Anything we should know about?" She asks Melina.
Melina just glances up at her. "I didn't raise my girls to fall in traps."
Nat scoffs, and I know that comment struck her deeply. "You didn't raise us at all, actually."
Yelena acknowledges what Nat says, her face twitching slightly. She's biting her cheek, and I know she's just trying to make this go as quickly as possible.
"Oh, maybe so. But," Melina starts, and Yelena sighs, "if you got soft, it certainly wasn't on my watch."
Nat finally comes over and sits beside me, her hand rests on my thigh.
"Are you okay?" I ask her gently. "We could go and sit outside for a little bit if you'd like."
Natasha just shakes her head gently, and smiles at me. "I'm fine."
She's not, but I know better than to question her about it here.
"So," Melina says as she sits down, "are you going to tell me who your friend is?"
Nat glares at the table. "No."
"I'm Wanda," I say, resting my hand on Nat's, telling her that it's okay. "Wanda Maximoff."
"Oh, The Scarlet Witch." Melina nods in recognition. "It's nice to meet you, Wanda. How did you meet Natasha?"
Nat rolls her eyes. "Come on. You don't care, it's all irrelevant to you."
"Natasha, I do care." Melina sighs.
There's a period of silence, and I start talking about how initially Nat and I were fighting each other, but then got close when I moved into the Avengers Compound. Both Nat and Yelena are glad to have this time where the pressure isn't on them, and luckily Alexei comes out of the bathroom.
"Let's drink," Melina smiles.
Alexei coughs, making his presence in the doorway known.
The four of us turn to face him, and all of us except Melina look away again.
"Still fits!" Alexei exclaims. Melina whistles, clapping. Nat is sitting frozen in her chair and Yelena rolls her eyes.
"Oh my god." She groans, glancing at Natasha and I.
"I never washed it once!" Melina smiles. "Here, come and drink."
Yelena just stares out the window behind me, and I know that Nat has had enough of it all, and is entirely mission focused.
"Family," Alexei shakes his head in disbelief. "Back together again."
Melina starts dishing out the food. "Well, seeing as our family construct was nothing but a calculated ruse that only lasted three years, I don't think we can use this... this term anymore." She pauses, glancing around the table. "Agreed?"
Nat is about to explode. She leans forward in her chair, and I know she's getting ready to make her business known.
"So. Here's what's going to happen." She starts, her voice firm. She can mask her stress well. If I didn't know her at all, I'd think she was both confident and unfazed by this situation. It's a good thing I know her. I know exactly how to read her.
Alexei scoffs, grunting as he leans forward to dish out food. "Okay... this is not a reunion then, huh?"
I think that my anger must be displayed on my face.
Neither Nat nor Yelena view this as a reunion. They'd have preferred if we could've done this entire thing without them.
"I... uh, I want to say something right off the bat." He pauses, taking Melina's hand. "You haven't aged a day, hm? You're just as beautiful and as supple as the day they staged our marriage."
Yelena stares down at her plate, her lips pressed firmly together in a frown. Natasha doesn't even hide her frustration anymore, and her shoulders are tense.
I wish this was easier. It should be easier than this. Nat and Yelena shouldn't have to feel like this. I think that all of us underestimated just how hard this would be.
Yelena scoffs at Alexei's comment, before taking her shot of vodka.
Melina just laughs. "You got fat... but still good."
Yelena's lips turn into a frown, and Nat's hands get tighter on mine.
"Well, I uh... I did just get out of prison, but..." Alexei pauses. "I have a lot of energy."
This causes Nat to drink too, and I avoid mine. I have never been too much of a drinker and I need to be focused.
"Please don't do that." Nat tells them as she places the glass back down again, rolling her eyes. "So. Here's what's going to happen-" she tries to get her point across again, but is once again cut off.
"Natasha, don't slouch." Melina argues.
"I am not slouching." Nat leans back in her chair and I hold her hand steady.
"Yes. Yes you are."
"I don't slouch." Natasha looks over at me, and I shake my head.
"She doesn't." I reply. It's true. Nat doesn't slouch. Do they think that Dreykov would allow such a thing? Nat always sits upright, always sits with her back straight. Even when she's upset, even when she's mad or stressed. Her back always remains straight.
"You will end up with a back hunch, Natasha." Melina shakes her head.
"Listen to your mother." Alexei sighs. This causes Nat to flinch a little.
Yelena frowns, but still doesn't look at Melina or Alexei.
"Oh my god. This is ridiculous. Enough! All of you." Nat finally explodes a little, and Yelena looks over at her. Her eyes are narrowed, annoyed at the fact she was included in Nat's rage when she hasn't been doing anything.
"What, even your girlfriend?" Alexei laughs, thinking he's hilarious.
"Wanda and I didn't even say anything! That's not fair-" Yelena argues.
"Yes, Natasha. Don't be so rude to your sister and your lover." Melina smiles, but none of us return it.
"Here's what's going to happen." Nat tries again.
"Eat. Yelena, Wanda." Melina interrupts her, realising that Yelena and I haven't touched our plates.
"I don't want any food." Yelena mutters.
"No thank you," I reply.
"Eat a little something, both of you." Melina continues. "Especially you, Yelena. For god's sake!"
Yelena shakes her head, taking another shot.
"Hey." Nat's voice is cold. She's overwhelmed and she's annoyed and she just wants to leave. "You're going to tell me the location of the Red Room."
Silence lingers in the room. It hangs empty and Nat glances at me, taking a deep breath.
"Natasha, tell me more about your relationship with Wanda-"
"No, Melina." Nat snaps. "Tell me where the Red Room is."
Melina starts talking about the childhood, when Nat and Yelena were children.