against time.

CHAPTER SIX || it wasn't real

CHAPTER SIX, it wasn't real

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

IVANNA TRAILED AFTER Natasha, who followed Melina into the small home. She could not believe what she was doing. They entered the home, it was small and simple, nothing Ivanna would've expected after she learned who Melina truly was. Melina had always made sure that Ivanna, Natasha, and Yelena's childhood in Ohio had always been made into something enjoyable. She tried to ensure that her girls would always remember every part of their childhood with her.

Ivanna inspected the place, checking it for any traps or signs of Melina already betraying them.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Melina spoke while Natasha and Ivanna continued following her, "make yourselves at home. Let's have a drink."

Ivanna watched her open a secret room and Natasha stepped forward, holding a hand out warningly, "Hey, no funny business."

Melina glanced up, looking between both women, she gave them a look as if it was obvious what she was doing, "I am putting away my weapon."

Natasha's mind was racing. She was scared of being betrayed and traps being set. Ivanna sighed and looked around the kitchen, inspecting every inch of it for a sign of a trap. Ivanna stepped toward Natasha.

"You need to calm down," she whispered. Natasha only looked at Ivanna and shook her head, turning back Melina behind Ivanna.

"Are there any booby traps around here? Anything we should know about?"

Ivanna side-eyed Natasha, shaking her head no. Natasha pushed her lips together and looked back to Melina,

"I didn't raise my girls to fall into traps," Melina informed the girls and started gathering things around the kitchen.

Natasha scoffed and helped herself to a glass, "You didn't raise us at all."

"Oh maybe so," Melina spoke and turned her attention to Ivanna. It was as if she noticed how Ivanna had changed over the years, and even the cause of the change, "but if you got soft it wasn't on my watch."

Ivanna's heart dropped. Of course she had gotten soft. She wasn't being trained to be emotionless when it came to every kill she did anymore. She had grown to devote herself to protect and help one man after being used and a pawn for The Red Room for years. Ivanna had been able to connect with someone who didn't hold her past against her, that wasn't just Natasha. She felt, she cried, and it hurt her even more hearing Melina and Natasha's words.

She turned away from the two women and started searching for Yelena, only to find her already sitting at the table and looking around the room.

"Hey," she smiled at Yelena and Yelena barely returned it, but she did.

"Hi,"

Ivanna's smile fell briefly, "It's too familiar, all too surreal. Isn't it?"

"You could say that,"

"I didn't have to," Ivanna sighed and rested her hands on the table, "you remember that conversation we were having earlier? When you asked about wanting kids?"

"Of course I do," Yelena slowly nodded.

"And of course I've wanted kids, but..." Ivanna trailed off no longer knowing what she wanted to say, then she sighed, "I imagined it. What it would be like to have my own family. But after the Red Room, it all became a fantasy, but then there's that part of me that is thankful for it. Because I wouldn't want my children to risk having to feel the pain we did. Especially when I thought I'd never get out of the Red Room."