A few days later, Peter stopped me while we were walking to our next class.
"Sofia. I was wondering if you wanted to do something the weekend after this one. With MJ, Ned and I." Peter asked. "MJ has this cool vacation house on the water and she invited us for the weekend. She said to invited you too."
"I don't know Peter. I need to see if Yelena is around to watch Bella, and I just don't know if she's ready for me to be gone overnight." I replied.
"Ask Yelena. And Bella is a good kid. She can manage without you for one night."
"I just worry..." I saw Peter's desperate eyes, and gave in. "I'll ask Yelena."
"Thank youuuu!" He smiled and hugged me, quickly pulling back. "Sorry." He said quickly.
"It's okay." I hugged him back.
"This... this is nice." He whispered.
I closed my eyes and imagined the chaos of life wasn't going on.
"Break it up, love birds." Ned walked over to us and laughed. I quickly pulled away. "We have to get to PE, Peter."
"See you later, Sofia." He waved at me as he walked away.
I smiled as I watched him leave.
I turned and headed to my next class.
After school, Peter came over to my house. I picked Bella up from school on the way home, and she ran into my arms crying.
"Bella." I looked at her small frame, concerned. "What happened?"
"Talia." She sniffed. "She invited every girl in the grade to her massive slumber party. Except me. Sarah told me that she didn't want to go 'cause I wasn't invited, but her mom forced her to."
"Oh Bells." I said softly. I led her away from the school, glancing back to shoot daggers at a smirking Talia. "This girl doesn't deserve you. You are such an amazing kid, and if she doesn't see that, it's her loss."
"I'm not a good kid." Bella said softly. Peter walked silently beside me. "I'm a trained killer."
"No. Bella." I stopped her, and crouched to her level. "You are not a killer. You are nothing that the Red Room made you, except strong. You have been through so much more than anyone could ever understand, and you are more brave than anyone I know. You have this chance to be a normal girl, live a normal life, and put your... our... shitty past behind us. It's called the past for a reason."
She sniffed.
"Look, what you went through is so horrible. But it's not you. Your trauma doesn't make you. Your mind," I tapped her forehead, "your heart," I tapped her chest, "your soul." Her stomach. "That's what makes you. We have to put the past behind us. We have to use our strength and bravery to push past all the obstacles life throws at us."
"I just feel so stupid." I frowned. "I thought she was my friend."
"The truth?" I asked her.
"Always."
"I never liked her anyway. It's up to you who you're friends with. People come and go." I put my hands on her shoulders, and switched to Russian. "But family is forever."
I wiped a falling tear from her cheek. "I love you so much, красивая (beautiful)."
"I love you too." She hugged me, and we walked on, Peter still awkwardly standing there. "Hi Peter." Bella acknowledged him.

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The Orphan and the Widow
FanfictionSofia and Bella are Natashas adopted daughters. They live in a violence free country and town, but when Natasha is called back by the Avengers, she and Sofia must leave their town, and go fight in the war to save the world. A marvel fan fiction. "Be...