black widow movie | dear violette romanoff,

chapter twenty five | miss you already

As I stand up, my legs are greeted with an excruciating feeling.

Natasha swings my arms around her shoulders before I can collapse.

Yelena helps to navigate the three of us through the burning field until we see Melina and Alexei hobbling to the flat ground in the distance.

I let out a breath of reassurance. The entire world has gone silent, and this family we call family is deafening but no longer defeating.

Melina turns her head; she is hurt and in visible agony - as shown through the much-needed physical support from Alexei - but smiles through her pain as her eyes meet mine.

She lets go of Alexei and does her best to run toward me, clenching her wound but determined to hold me again.

Her face is decorated with dirt and newly smudged eyeliner, but she is still astoundingly beautiful in the way that mothers always appear beautiful to their daughters.

Melina's head buries into my neck, and her arms wrap around my waist. "You fell without... parachute," she states, disconcerted. "How is this possible?"

"The bodies cushioned my fall," I explain to her, excited to let myself hug her back. It has not been this way since I was a child.

"Oh!" Melina lets out a soft, muffled cry into my shoulder.

"You thought me dead?" I ask, trying to comfort her.

"Yelena, too," Alexei corrects me, holding Yelena tightly. It shocks me more that she allows it.

Melina holds the ends of my hair. "This hair -- it won't do, will it?"

"We've had this discussion before," I remind her. "I told you it was the Red Room's doing, remember?"

"Yes. They've done a horrific job - bits and pieces of brown and blonde everywhere." She takes certain parts of the fringe holds it between her fingers. "I'll get it back to the blonde I know. That ladybird blonde." She gives me a reassuring smile.

Ladybird blonde. She called me Ladybird when I was young.

"Everybody good?" Nat asks somewhat sarcastically as she stares at Melina's severe injury, letting go of me with absolute caution.

Melina groans and huffs, "I am clearly injured."

Alexei stares at Natasha, looking unlawfully guilty.

"You got something to say?" Nat asks him.

"I'd just mess it up," he decides. He puts his hand out for her to hold.

She takes the apology tearfully but remains serious. Physical touch means more to Natasha than a verbal apology anyway. One must learn this to understand her.

Yelena leans her head on my shoulder, allowing a moment of vulnerability between all five of us.

The sound of vehicles approaching interrupts the momentary silence, and the action commences.

"Here comes the cavalry," Nat remarks, as cars from either side of the field charge in on us.

I walk away from the group to get a better view: Secretary Ross is leading the pack.

"So, what's our plan?" Melina asks.

"You guys go," Nat says. "I'll stay."

"That's insanity," Alexei shouts. "We fight. We'll fight with you."

"I'll hold them off," Nat explains.

A series of neverending complaints from the four of us follow:

"Natasha, we fight."

"You can't fight without us."

"We can't split up."

"You're so pigheaded."

"You guys go," Nat settles us.

"Oh, my God."

"Besides, if it can work out with the five of us, you know, there may be some hope for the Avengers." Nat closes in her fingers. "Little bit."

Yelena exhales and starts to remove her vest. "Okay, well, if you're leaving, then I guess you should take this." She hands it to Natasha. "I know how much you like it."

Nat takes it and smiles. "Shucks. It does have a lot of pockets."

"Very handy pockets. Yeah."

Nat looks at Yelena and hands her the serum. "He had widows implanted all over the world. Melina will need to copy the formula, but you should be the one to tell 'em it's over."

I wait for my name to be mentioned.

Nat looks up at me, intrigued, and she puts a hand on my arm. "What do you think of an internship?"

"Really?" I stare.

"Sure," she offers. "Having a sidekick could be fun."

"What? In case you need someone to bust you out of jail?" I smirk, shielding my face from the sun.

She laughs and turns to me comfortably. "You never know. You never know."

"Ooh. I don't know," I murmur. "I don't think you'd want anyone one-upping you."

"Yeah, okay. I'll take the odds of that happening."

A jet engine whirrs, and everyone looks up to the sky.

The jet lands and the ramp drops, releasing at least a dozen freed Black Widows, frightened for any thought of the future.

Yelena charges forward to greet them. "You came back for us."

"Мы бы не оставили тебя позади," ("We wouldn't leave you behind.") a widow states.

Yelena looks honored, as though she belongs. "Thank you." She walks forward, touching each of their hands as she passes them on the way to the jet.

Nat smiles. She is happy to see Yelena happy.

Melina turns around. "Hey. You take care of yourself, okay?" She holds Nat's hand.

"Don't worry. I got this."

"I know," Melina smiles and lets go of Nat. "And you; you are under strict instruction to fix that hair." Melina kisses my forehead and walks away toward the jet.

"Miss you already," Yelena shouts at me from the side of the vehicle.

I blow her a kiss. "Miss you already, big sister."

Nat touches my hand and tilts her head toward the ever-increasing cars coming for her.

Yelena whistles a long, familiar note from behind us.

Nat whistles back the same tune as Yelena boards the jet.

She puts her arm around me as we watch the jet take off, and she shakes me a little before starting the walk.

Police sirens blare, and I catch up to her.

I shrug. "Could be dangerous. You and I together."

Nat shrugs, too. "Oh. Definitely. Could be fun, though," she quotes.

"Could be fun," I repeat.