fortress | kate bishop

twenty-two.

2024
Manhattan, New York

Yelena entered Nat and Kennedy's home to find everyone gathered in the kitchen making pancakes with an old Christmas album playing in the background. As she stumbles into the kitchen, everyone looks at her.

"Hi Yelena," Kennedy greets with a smile, "Pancake?"

"I miscalculated and now we have a problem," Yelena says.

"A problem?" Natasha asks. Elena, who had been sitting on the counter, reaches over and cuts off the music wanting to fully hear the conversation. Kennedy looks at Reagan and Wanda and they don't hesitate as they each grab one of the triplets, except for Elena, who smiles thinking she's going to hear the conversation.

Wanda flicks her hand and Elena begins levitating off of the counter. Elena begins reaching for the counter, but Wanda forces her away from it.

"No! Wanda! I want to hear!"

"Nope," Wanda says.

When the kitchen is empty, Kennedy cuts the stove off and gives Yelena her undivided attention. She wants to ask why she missed the eighth night of Christmas, but Natasha beats her to the punch.

"What is our problem and why is it, Anya?" Natasha asks.

"Oh, so you already know?" Yelena asks, eyes dancing between the married couple.

"That Anya's been acting differently? Yes," Kennedy states, "She missed the eighth night of Christmas. And so did Kate! And suddenly Anya doesn't want to marry Kate when the two of them are obsessed with each other! What the hell did you do Yelena!"

Yelena frowns at Kennedy's demanding tone, "Why do you assume I did something?"

"You said you miscalculated," Natasha states.

Yelena takes a deep breath, "Right, I just wanted to enjoy the moment before you both hate me." Natasha and Kennedy both straighten up at her words, "Ten Widows were killed in Japan. Among them was a dear friend of ours."

"Karina," Kennedy says and Yelena nods.

"I met your friend, Kennedy. Valentina?"

"She's not my friend," Kennedy states, "And had you told me she talked to you I would have told you not to believe a word that she says!"

"She gave you the file on Ronin," Natasha says in a much calmer tone, "Did she ask for a hit?"

Yelena's eyes narrow, "You knew Clint killed those Widows?"

"What?" Kennedy asks as she looks at Natasha, "Clint would not-"

"Did someone order the hit?" Natasha interrupts.

"You knew and you didn't tell us?" Yelena asks, feeling betrayed.

"It's complicated," Natasha responds.

"Yeah?" Yelena asks, "Well things are about to get much more complicated. You think that you and I had it bad in the Red Room? That was nothing compared to what Anya went through. Dreykov wanted to create a special team of Widows that could not only hunt but could kill. He called it Operation Zaroff."

"After the Most Dangerous Game?" Kennedy asks.

"What's that?" Reagan asks as she enters the kitchen, leaning against the counter.

"It's a story about a man who is hunted by a Russian aristocrat," Kennedy explains, "It's basically to say there is no prey or hunt enticing as man."

"Oh that's a little on the nose," Reagan says shrugging.