Pain Is Power

23: 'P'

"Have you managed to connect to the tracker yet?" Natasha asked me. "Nope, not even close." "Maybe Mimi could help you. Two people it'll go faster." "She's not left her bed since we got home nothing is getting her up." Even if I wanted Mimi's help she's in no state to give it right now, she's not moved from her bed at all not to eat, I think she's been sleeping pretty much the whole time. I was worried but Peppa was being the parents and I was trying to track down this stupid spaceship school with very little information to protect my girls. Once we find the second location will find the rest of Dreykov's team and Dreykov. Mimi wasn't up for helping right now.  "Not even Morgan?" I looked down sadly. "No not even Morgan." I sighed. "I know you've wanted me to stay away but I could go talk to her." I was shocked at her proposal. "You hate her." "I don't. We just don't always see eye to eye all of the time." 

"Dad?" I looked up towards the staircase. My daughter stood in her three-day-old PJs her hair in a knotted bun. "Yes, baby?" I tried not to seem too shocked or excited to see her. "Could I go for a walk? Or drive?" "On your own?" "I'm tired of listening to thoughts I just need quiet for 30 minutes to just not think of anything." "I can take her...I've gotten pretty good at stopping the girls from getting in my head." Nat offers. I look at my daughter for approval with Dreykov out I didn't want her to be alone. Was sending her with another widow who has a target on their backs the best choice probably not but it was better than her going out there alone. Mimi didn't even react to Natasha's proposal. "Mimi?" "Yeah?" She zoned out for a second. "Can Natasha go with you?" She looked at Natasha and then at me, she looked tired, borderline sick. "Yeah, as long as I can leave the house." "Why don't you try and get something to eat baby. You look awfully pale." I tell her. "Sure." She walks off not saying another word. "I'll find somewhere for us to eat." Nat assured me. "Please keep her safe Natasha." "I will." 

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"She's not in her room." Peppa came down to me. "Nat took her out for food. I think she's going to try and talk to her." "Oh... Oh, that's good." "We'll see you never know what you're going to get with them two." "I think it's more complicated than we think." She tells me with a knowing look. "What do you mean?" "I think there's a lot more to their story than we know." "Why?" "Wanda slipped up... She told me it's something to do with Nat's sister." "Yelena?" If Mimi knew Yelena well enough for her to affect her relationship with Nat then that could explain why she's been so hesitant to capture Yelena in a forceful way... Not just because she doesn't want to hurt her because of all the pain she's previously been through. "What about her?" "They all knew each other well. They were on missions together... that's all she said." "Don't say anything to her, let her come to us," I tell her. "I wasn't going to bring it up with her Tony, she's a mess as is never mind pulling her past up with it all." 

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NATASHA'S POV

We drive quietly into town, I put the radio on to fill the silence I knew she needed just a few quiet minutes. The closest town was 40 minutes away so my plan was to talk to her when we arrived there and give her quiet time now as she needed. I couldn't imagine what it was like for her. I was scared seeing her body laying there I couldn't picture it being Yelena and how I might feel after that. 

"Thank you, for offering to take me." She says as we pulled up in town. "I know what it's like when you need quiet." She nodded I found a parking space and swung into it swiftly. "Any idea what you want to eat?" "I'm not really that hungry." "You've not eaten in three days you need to keep your strength up." 

She got out of the car. "Mila?" I followed her and we walked the streets. "If I keep my strength up he'll want me more, if I'm weak he won't and that means he won't come looking for me. You know as well as I do he's watching us and he could take us at any point." "So you're starving yourself?" I asked her shocked she was deluded. She didn't answer. "We're getting a cheeseburger," I tell her hooking my arm with hers. "Not seriously." "Mila, please let's eat and talk about this. I know you need someone to talk to." "I don't need to talk to you." "Please."