An Impervious Few // KateLena Apocalypse AU

Capital Punishment

"Do you trust me?" Natasha asked her urgently, fire in her expression. "Look at me, Yelena. Do you trust me?"

Yelena flinched, festering wound on her thigh aching more intensely with every passing second. "Of course I do."

"Good." Natasha peeked out the grimy window of the gas station the two ducked into, her narrowed eyes tracking the small squadron of Black Widows patrolling outside.

The redhead made a move for the door, but was stopped by her younger sister's hand on her shoulder. Yelena's expression was panicked, eyes wild as she desperately clung to Natasha's sleeve, terrified for whatever brash plan she formed.

"You said you trust me," Natasha whispered, hand covering Yelena's. "I've got this."

"What are you going to do?" Yelena asked, voice quivering.

The elder sister sighed, slumping back down momentarily. "Lena, you need meds, and those Black Widows have them. If we don't get you help soon..."

"I'll be fine! It's just a cut!" she pleaded, but Natasha shushed her, one achingly gentle hand stroking her hair. Yelena had broken into a feverish sweat, and Natasha knew she did not have much of a chance if left untreated.

"I can't just let you die." Natasha kissed her on the forehead, pulling back to draw her revolver, examining the metal with unfeeling eyes. "I'll do whatever I have to do. I would do absolutely anything, do you understand?"

Captivated by her sister's commitment, her bravery, and her unshakeable love, Yelena nodded dumbly, watching with bated breath as Natasha made herself known to the band of Widows.

For a moment, the commotion outside reminded Yelena of one of the many horrible foster homes they'd been placed in, with Natasha instigating to take the brunt of whatever violence awaited them. Just like back then, Yelena sat momentarily frozen, eyes closed, wanting to cover her ears to muffle the sound of fist hitting flesh, blood spat out on the ground.

But she was different now. She was not a scared child, she was a survivor. With a great amount of effort, she stood, nearly collapsing as she put weight on her injured leg. The sizable gash on the back of her thigh was a cruel reminder of her incompetence, her inadequacy compared to Natasha.

It was careless of Yelena to climb through a window so recklessly. Of course she should have kicked in the rest of the jagged glass, but she was overconfident and aching to impress. She only wanted to scavenge and explore as capably as her older sister, to show her worth and her pull her weight. She yearned to care for Natasha just as Natasha cared for her.

Limping outside, Yelena drew her own gun, exercising a great amount of restraint in not immediately shooting the Widow who had her sister pinned to the concrete, crimson gushing from her cheek. Instead, Yelena shifted her aim to the two standing Widows, breath surprisingly even and hands stable.

"She wasn't lying," said the Widow with short black hair, eyeing Yelena's visibly infected flesh wound. "Put the gun down, blondie."

Yelena did not move a muscle, staring down the barrel of the Widow's gun. "Let her up."

The three Windows looked to each other, considering. Seeing as Natasha had already been disarmed and beaten, they obliged, and the redhead staggered to her feet with a wheezing cough. Yelena lowered her gun.

"So?" Natasha asked, inching back to Yelena's side, hands raised. "What do you think?"

"I..." The black haired Widow sighed, rubbing at her brow with her free hand. Her black jacket was ripped on one sleeve, a clean cut just under her four star patches. The other sleeve donned tens of hourglasses in perfect little rows. "You actually want in?"