Lost Widow

Silent Roads and Shared Shadows

The drive stretched on in silence, the road unfolding beneath them for three long hours. Hawkeye, her friend and partner, had a safe house, and that's where they were headed. Thoughts of her imprisoned team lingered in Natasha's mind. She vowed to return for them, to break them out, but the timing wasn't right. Hydra was in pursuit now, and she couldn't afford to risk it. Glancing at Nadia, she noticed her picking at her wound.

"Hey, stop that. It could get infected," Natasha cautioned.

"I can't help it. It itches. Besides, it'll heal soon enough. I'm a widow, remember?" Nadia replied, settling back in her seat.

"If you keep messing with it, it'll take longer," Natasha responded, a tinge of irritation in her voice. She fought the urge to blame Nadia for the predicament she was in. If only Nadia hadn't attacked her, she could be enjoying a peanut butter sandwich right now. But she reminded herself it wasn't Nadia's fault; it was Hydra's.

Nadia sighed, withdrawing her hand from her arm. It wasn't itching; she was just nervous. She wondered what would happen if Hydra got their hands on her again or, worse, if they captured Natasha because of her.

Natasha interrupted Nadia's thoughts by parking near a gas station.

"Coming?" Natasha asked as she got out of the car.

Nadia followed her into the store. Natasha headed straight to the freezer, pulling out a tub of raspberry ice cream.

"What do you want?" Natasha asked.

"Nothing. I'm not much of an eater," Nadia replied.

Natasha, accustomed to trying everything on missions, understood the difference in their eating habits. In the Red Room and Hydra, food was limited; Nadia ate only what and when she was told.

"Suit yourself. More snacks for me," Natasha said.

After paying for the snacks, they hit the road again. Natasha, disliking the silence, turned on the radio. Recognizing the song instantly, she began to hum along to "American Pie" by Don McLean. Nadia looked up at Natasha, surprised. That humming-it sounded familiar. But Nadia couldn't place where.

"What, you don't like the song?" Natasha asked, noticing Nadia's surprised expression.

"No, it's not that; it's just...nothing. Never mind," Nadia said, gazing out the window.

"Kid, if we're going to be on the run together, we should probably learn to trust each other," Natasha suggested.

"I don't trust anyone. And I'm not a kid," Nadia stated.

"But you're not an adult either," Natasha retorted.

"I was just like you. Trained and conditioned to have no emotional attachments. I didn't trust anyone. After I escaped from the KGB, I served in the Russian army during World War II and met someone. Someone special. Over time, I learned to trust him and eventually fell in love with him," Natasha shared.

Nadia, now intrigued, asked, "What was his name?""Nikolai," Natasha smiled.

Natasha sighed, "He was killed in the war. I felt like it was my fault somehow and wanted to punish myself. So, I turned myself back over to the KGB."

Natasha wasn't sure why she was revealing so much. Initially planning to share just enough to gain Nadia's trust, she found herself confiding more than expected.

"After I progressed into the Black Widow program, I earned the title. But I defected, joining S.H.I.E.L.D, and eventually became an Avenger. I think you already know the rest from the file Hydra has on me," Natasha spoke.

Nadia looked down, fidgeting with her hands. "I was born in the Red Room. My mother was a Black Widow too." Nadia paused, finding it difficult to discuss her mother.

After taking a deep breath, Nadia continued, "They took her away from me when I was five. I can't remember anything about her. Dreykov was associated with Hydra, and when you killed him, they took over," Nadia said. Natasha had shared so much, and Nadia felt compelled to reciprocate.

Natasha appreciated Nadia's decision to share. She knew how challenging it was for widows to discuss their past. The two shared a nod of understanding, and a few minutes later, they finally arrived at the safe house.