From the Multiverse with Mild Annoyance

Asking for Help

Sonya woke up with only a tingle of a hangover looming from the night of karaoke. There had been a full plate of activities that needed to be accomplished before they packed up the Quinjet and took off to their next destination. Once they finally got Alexei and Scott into bed, she saw Yelena leave the house with Scott's bottle of tequila in her hand. Yelena never handled tequila well so Sonya decided it was in everybody's best interest to let the blonde sleep until they absolutely had no choice but to wake her up. "Not a problem," she quickly got ready before sneaking into the room the Langs had been staying in. "Baby bug?" She shook Cassie's shoulder. "Get up. Much to do."

Cassie groaned, trying to pull her covers over her head, "what time is it?"

"5am. Like I said. We have much to do."

"Clara doesn't have to be at the airport until 11. What do you need me this early for?"

Sonya pulled the covers off of her completely and chuckled at her dinosaur pajamas. "Buttlace would enjoy these. He probably still wears pajamas with feet. Get up. We have a 10 mile run to do."

"We?" She tried to keep her voice down so she wouldn't wake up her dad. "Running is such a solitary sport. I don't think you need my help."

"No. I do not but I was there for your last long run and you definitely need my help. Last time. Get up and meet me outside in 15."

Surprisingly, Cassie completed the run with very little protest and even asked to spar a few rounds with the Widow before they had to drive to the airport. By then, everyone had woken up except Yelena so Sonya gave the orders for them to prepare for departure while they took the rescue to catch her flight, "do you think Yelena is dead?"

Sonya laughed at the question on their way home, "dead? Nyet. In a lot of pain? Most likely. She and tequila have a relationship full of rocks or whatever it is you Americans say."

"Why is she so angry lately?"

"I do not think it's anger. She missed Ekaterina. I think she is lonely."

"She's a little mad though. She thinks Kate went off to find Natasha without her?"

"Intuition doesn't miss with you, baby bug," she glanced at the girl and saw her blushing. "That is what Yelena is thinking and I am not religious but I will be praying for Ekaterina if this is true. Yelena will not be happy."

Silence filled the truck and Cassie was dying to end it so she let her mouth say the first thing that popped into her head, "so were you and Yelena like red room buddies or something?" She immediately slapped her forehead when the words came out.

"Just as much tact as Kate Bishop. I guess you could say that. We were both Red Room graduates. Our matching hysterectomy scars speak for themselves. I would not say we were friends. Widows didn't really befriend each other. We were more like coworkers. We coexisted with the common goal of killing. Then Yelena was freed and she came back for me. After she freed me, she was kind of stuck with me. I do not have any family and her parents just kind of took me in until Yelena and I started our own rescue missions. We have shared experiences that most women do not have. I believe you kids call it trauma bonding."

"Were you also a contracted killer?"

Sonya chuckled, "lots of questions. Yes. And do not judge me. It was a choice that was best for me at the time. Easy money and I'm a trained killer. It is not like I could walk into a bakery and show them my resume. Yelena and I were still rescuing widows and I would do it in my free time just like she did. Then she met Ekaterina and she stopped. Eventually I got roped into the whole avengers thing and then I stopped."

"Do you like this better?"

Sonya shrugged, "money is money. I am good at what I do. Plus, having friends is not so bad."