The Raven

COMING HOME - TWO

After a quick trip to the crappy motel Sofia had been staying in, Where Natasha waited anxiously in the car as Sofia went to gather up her single duffle bag worth of clothing, Money and snacks.

Natasha then silently drove them to the waiting Quinjet in the middle of nowhere, There's so many things both of them wish they could say to the other. But they're both far too consumed with guilt and grief to even know where to begin.

Imagine sitting next to someone whom used to know you better than you knew yourself, And not being able to recognize them at all...

Natasha was warned by Mason about how finding the location of her lost loves death changed something inside of her — He witnessed it happen before his own eyes. Still, Natasha would be lying if she said a part of her wasn't expecting her sister to run into her arms when she arrived.

And the failed expectation has left a deep ache in her chest.

As Natasha parks the car she stole earlier in the clearing, Breezing up to the side of the Quinjet, She enters in the nine digit code and holds still for the retinal scan. The female AI system greets her by code name Black Widow and the bridge door lowers down at which point she promptly strides inside.

Sofia inhales an excruciatingly sharp breath, Unable to believe she's about to return to the life she hoped was long behind her.

A small piece of her worries it could be a trap, A brutal lie to lure The Raven into a cage.

But an even larger part of her hopes that theory might turn out to be true, Because at least then Natasha would be lying. And when they arrive at whatever Shield base Natasha plans to bring her to, Clint would be there waiting for her.

Unfortunately, Sofia has always been able to read her sister like an open book, And she believes with every fiber of her being that she wouldn't lie about something as serious as the only father figure Sofia has ever known — being in danger.

I wasn't able to save Bucky...

But I can save Da.

I have too. She tells herself as she forces her stoic expression into place.

Charging confidently onto the Quinjet and dropping the bag containing her belongings to the seat beside her.

Every cell in her body is screaming, Begging her to run.

Except she can't do that. She would never be able to forgive herself if she did, And the list of things she'll never be able to forgive herself for is already far too long as is.

"Here," Natasha finally breaks the suffocating silence between them, Holding out a folder marked with Shield's logo and reading CLASSIFIED. "Get acquainted with our team."

Sofia takes the thick folder into her hands, her long stiletto nails dragging across the crisp paper as she flips it open.

The first page is a detailed information packet on Tony Stark.

"Stark?" Sofia calls out, glancing up to find Natasha taking the pilots seat at the front of the jet. "The same man you were sent to masquerade as' Assistant?"

"A lot has happened with him since then, Sha- Sofia." Natasha clears her throat, trying to tread lightly, "You can read while I fly."

"You're flying?" Sofia asks cautiously, She knows her sister to be many things but an excellent pilot has never been one.

"I don't see anyone else on board." Natasha sighs, Flipping a series of switches to bring the engine to life. "We have one more stop to make, But it's about ten hours out in Kolkata, So go ahead and get comfortable."