Natasha Romanoff One Shots

Cold Shoulder pt. 2

AN: the long awaited, and request part 2 to cold shoulder!

Nat and Maria rushed in to find you trembling in the corner with your heart rate erratic as you still had the wireless heart monitor on.

They both tried to get closer to help you but stopped dead in their tracks when you curled in on yourself even more.

You were so use to the cold shoulders and emotional abuse that the only place you felt somewhat safe was against a wall. Because at least this way, no one could hurt you from behind.

"Sweetie" Maria said softly. "You're ok, your safe. I promise no one is going to hurt you" she continued having no idea how the team has treated you.

Maria fully expected you to come out of the corner and get back on the bed. She didn't expect you to start shaking more when you said, "that's what you said last time... but they didn't trust me, I'm not safe here."

That last part came out whispered and it shattered not only Maria's heart, but also Nat's.

You were like her. Forced into an organization, forced into becoming something you so desperately didn't want. While caught in her own head, Nat didn't realize the tenseness that set in the air or the addition of Wanda and Yelena or the glare now set on all them from Maria.

Maria forced her attention back to you before asking what you meant.

"You and Nick said that regardless of individual pasts, regardless of what I went through, this was a team and that everyone was there for one another... that I would be safe here."

Your voice trembled with every word, tears flowing down your cheeks before saying "but I'm not safe here, I never was."

And damn did that hit every one of them in the heart. It was like you quite literally stabbed the four of them in their hearts. They all knew what it was like to feel unsafe, and all they wanted to do was make the world safe.

But they failed one of the most important pieces of being an avenger. And that's making sure that every single one of them was ok and safe.

They spent a lot of time apologizing to you. And for weeks the only one who get close to you was Maria, who almost never left the compound. Wanting to ensure that you felt safe. It was because of her you weren't reassigned. It was also Maria who you forgave before anyone else.

Little by little the other women in the compound were earning your trust.

First it was Wanda. Who sat down and honestly had a conversation with you. She was completely vulnerable to you and asked nothing in return. You had found her one night crying after a nightmare, and hugged her. While it didn't seem like much, Wanda knew your aversion to being touched and knew that this was a huge step for you. She soon came to realize that you were a HUGE physical touch person.

Next was Yelena. You had been left alone in the compound, or so you thought when you found her in the common room with Fanny watching a movie. You were just finishing up making Mac and cheese for lunch and made a second bowl for Yelena. You had grabbed both bowls and hot sauce before making your way to the living room. Without saying a word you set her bowl down with the hot sauce before taking a seat on the other side of the couch. Yelena had never been so touched. When the movie had finished you looked over to find Yelena lost in thought.

"Lena..." you asked, kind of terrified as you had never seen the spy like this. So you tried calling her name again, only this time you put a hand on her face like how Maria does when she's trying to calm your breathing after a panic attack.

"Lena, talk to me." And that was really all it took. While vulnerability wasn't her strong suit, she knew touch to most wasn't yours, which is why she knew from that small act that she could trust you the way you were trusting her. And just like you, she secretly loves physical touch.

The last of the group was Natasha. You had both been walking on eggshells around one another. Nat because she saw you were forgiving members of the team, but because still skittish around her. And you, well... Nat was practically the leader of the avengers (even if none of the guys would admit it) and you still truly didn't think she trusted you or even wanted you here.

The team (minus you and Nat) were about to head out for a mission and the conversation Nat overhead between you and Maria is what convinced her to make the next step.

The next time she had seen you was when she got the alert from F.R.I.D.A.Y that you had gone up to the roof after a nightmare.

You heard her approach and expected her to scold you or something for sitting so close to the ledge. But she didnt. And the two of you sat in silence, her ignoring the tear tracks down your face. You sat there for what felt like hours, when it was actually only five minutes before she spoke.

"Before I worked for shield, I uh well I made a name for myself" the vulnerability in her voice is what caught your attention.

"I have a specific skill set. I didn't care what I used it for, or on. I got on Shields radar in a bad way... clint was sent to kill me, he made a different call." You sat there playing with your rings on your hand. You could feel her eyes on you, but you didn't want her to stop talking if you looked at her. So instead, you shocked her when you grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Urging her to continue.

"When I first came here I was the spy, the one they couldn't trust all because of where I was raised...In the red room we were taught, well raised to be weapons. We learned how to kill with ease and no remorse all while they injected us with their own version of the super solider serums. I was raised to be a monster."

An almost silent sob ripped through her and you went to talk, to tell her she was anything but that. But she wasn't done, and the next part was the most important part to her.

"I used to have nothing. Then I got this. This job...this family... I found you, and I was better because of it. But the fierce need to protect you scared me. You remind me so much of Yelena when we were together in Ohio... and I couldn't protect her. And the thought of not being strong enough to protect you scared me in ways I never realized we're possible"

She chuckled before continuing "Maria tells me that's what a maternal instinct is... I never thought I'd have that, or someone i would care about in that way after what the red room did. I realize that I pushed you so far away and treated you the way shield treated me... like a monster."

She turned to you and slowly went to cup your cheeks, looking for any sign of discomfort or flinching or scared ness before wiping your tears and continuing. "But you маленький (little one) are anything but a monster. You deserve your place here and you deserve to have a team and family that loves you. I'm so sorry we treated you that way, I'm sorry that I pushed you away. But I love you and will continue to prove to you that you are more than worthy of being here, but worthy of our trust, and of love."

When Nat finally finished you sat there looking at her. Looking for any signs of lying or deceit before pulling her into a full hug. You were clutching onto her shirt so tightly that Nat almost didn't hear you say "Tasha, do you mean it."

She only hugged you tighter and stroked your hair before saying of course.

You both sat in the roof a little longer before she realized you had falling asleep in her arms. She gently scooped you up before carrying you to her room. Where she saw a frantic Maria, Wanda and Yelena all about to come searching for you.

All of whom sighed in relief when Nat came in carrying you. She went to lay you down and as they all went to leave they heard you say stay. Of course the only logical thing to do was for all of them to stay.

Safe to say when you woke up the next morning to everyone in your room you truly had never felt safer. You finally had a family and people to love, and that's all you had ever wanted.