BlackHill | If only

Chapter 16

Maria's POV:

The tires squealed in protest as I swerved dangerously close to the edge. Nat screamed while firing, "Focus on the road Hill".
I gripped onto Natasha and slammed on the brakes, the car drifted to the right as we watched the winter soldier flung over the side of the cliff.

The entire front of the car screeched as it crumpled under the sheer force at which I hit the wall. I couldn't stop myself, even though I knew what was about to happen it was out of my control.

As the impact jolted through my body I loosened my grip on Natasha. I heard her scream as she was thrown through the windshield, her body slamming into the wall and disappearing out of sight.

NAT!

I jolted myself awake, sweat covered my face and I could feel my entire body shaking with fear. I furiously blinked, trying to clear the haze of the dream. Ridding my mind of the horror. I then realised I was alone.

I flicked my eyes around the room, searching for any sign of Nat. Even listened for the shower running. Nothing.

It felt cold, empty. Like something has been ripped away from the room. I stretched my limbs over the edge of the bed, reaching blindly for my t-shirt flung on the bedside table. Only to curl my fingers over a note.

Ria,

These days with you have been the best of my life,

I couldn't bear for anything to happen to you, which is why I've gone on the mission without you.

Do not try to follow me. The red room is dangerous. Please understand.

All my love
- Nat  x

What the actual fuck Nat. What if something happened to her on the mission. What if that was the last time I ever saw her. If the red room took her and twisted her mind, she would forget everything.

I furiously dressed and strode over to HQ, I yelled at Fury as soon as his face came into view "Fury where is Nat?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Don't you mean Agent Romanoff?" I chided myself for the mistake and tried to collect my thoughts.
"Why are you still here Agent Hill? What distracted you enough so that you forgot about the mission?" I became more and more flustered as images of Nat pinning me to the shower wall flooded my mind.

His tone only became more scathing, "I hope there isn't something interfering with your job Agent Hill". I took in a breath, determined not to let myself slip up again.
"Sir, Agent Romanoff must have gone rogue."

Fury only chuckled, "I suppose it's not unlike her". He returned his gaze to some files "I need you to get any intel about Romanoff's whereabouts. Try to contact Rogers or Agent Belova."

"Yes sir". I turned to leave but Fury's voice stopped me in my tracks. "I know how you feel Hill. She will be fine.

Natasha's POV:

"Bruce?"

He gazed at me with glassy eyes "He's coming."

Steve rushed over, grabbing Bruce by the arm to support his swaying body. "Who is coming Bruce? What are you talking about?"

"Thanos is coming" He slumped to the ground with a crash. Steve checked his vitals, "We need to take him back now."

Yelena spoke up "What about the mission?" I knew then what had to be done.

"Steve you need to take the jet back with Bruce. Get him to Tony and find out anything you can about this Thanos."

Steve opened his mouth to protest but I silenced him "Yelena and I will finish the mission." He took in a breath but looked at Bruce now shivering on the floor and eventually nodded. He picked him off the floor with ease and began to walk towards the jet. He took a final step back and rested a hand on my shoulder "Be safe".

After the jet lifted into the sky, Yelena turned away and ventured further into the darkness. I quickly turned to catch up with her. "Isn't your girlfriend going to be mad you left her behind?" Her voice reverberated around the room.

"She's not... I don't know what she is but Ria will understand. I left a note".
Yelena scoffed "A note! God you really are shit at relationships". Our laughs sounded eerie in the dark, like something empty.

"Shit. I found something".

I moved my eyes to where Yelena's flashlight was pointed and recoiled in horror. Bodies. Hundreds of them. Some large. Some childlike. Some held weapons, tiny fingers curled around triggers. They all bore the mark of the red room. A red hourglass branded into their skin. The same mark scalded into mine so long ago. The smell of vomit reached my nose as Yelena retched somewhere to the side.

These were the victims of the red room. Girls that were not strong enough to continue the programme. The weakest links in the system. S.H.I.E.L.D had sent us to a graveyard.

"Let's go". I rubbed a hand along Yelena's back as she finished ridding her stomach of its contents. She gasped for air "We can't just leave them like this Nat". I propped her up and guided her towards the door all the while my eyes remained on the pile. "Radio Steve, tell him the mission is over. Let me finish this"

I walked back to the pile and set to work. Kneeling to the floor I pulled out my switchblade and began to carve into the stone.

HERE LIE THE WIDOWS

VICTIMS IN LIFE

FREE IN DEATH

When I had finished my work, I pulled some lighter fluid from the gear bag and dowsed it over the bodies until the canister was empty. I stood for a while, still unable to truly process what I was seeing. The sound of a ship whirring to the floor shook me out of my daze. I turned towards the door, flicked a match into the heap and watched the flame ignite with a flash. As I felt the heat of the fire scorch against my face, I let the tears fall down my cheeks and trailed after Yelena already nearing the ship.

I practically fell to the floor as I boarded the ship. But a voice caused me to look up.
"Nat?"

I breathed with relief and a sob racked through my body as Ria pulled me into a hug. Her arms wrapped tightly around me, steadying my shaking limbs. Her familiar scent filled my nose as I buried my face in her hair. I gasped for breath, "I couldn't save them".

"It's ok Nat. Let's go home"