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CHAPTER XLII. A String of Loose Ends
Elina stood in the dimly lit office, her face a mask of stoic professionalism as she listened to Ross. He droned on about the Accords, about lines that had been crossed, and about consequences that were now unavoidable. She wasn't surprised when he brought up Natasha's betrayal.
"T'Challa informed me," Ross said, his voice tinged with frustration. "Romanoff let them escape. She's AWOL, and I trust you'll deal with that accordingly."
Elina clenched her fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. "I already have," she said coldly.
Ross gave her a calculating look but nodded. "Good. We can't afford any more loose ends."
As Elina left his office, her heart felt heavier than ever. Natasha's betrayal was one thing, but the fallout was affecting everyone she cared about. She wasn't sure what hurt more-the fact that Natasha had once again walked away from her responsibilities, or the way Blake looked at her now, confused and hurt.
The conversation with Blake had been tense, to say the least. Elina sat across from her in their shared quarters, the air between them thick with unspoken words.
"You don't have to cut her off completely," Blake finally said, her voice soft, almost pleading. "She made a choice, Elina. We've all made hard choices."
Elina's jaw tightened. "And now we're paying for hers. She let them go, Blake. She betrayed us, betrayed you. And now you're asking me to... what? Forgive her?"
Blake hesitated, her eyes searching Elina's face. "I'm just saying it's not that simple. She thought she was doing the right thing."
Elina's expression darkened. "If you go after her, you'll be a fugitive too. Is that what you want? To throw everything away for someone who's already gone?"
Blake looked down, her shoulders slumping. "No. I don't want that."
"Good," Elina said firmly. But her voice softened as she added, "I'm sorry, Blake. I know this isn't easy."
Blake nodded, but the pain in her eyes was evident. "It's not just about me. It's about all of us. We were supposed to be a team."
Elina didn't respond. She couldn't. The words felt like a knife twisting in her gut. They were supposed to be a team, and now it felt like they were barely holding together.
Days later, Elina found herself standing outside a familiar door in Washington. She took a deep breath before knocking. The door opened, and Celia's bright smile greeted her.
"Elina!" Celia said, her usual bubbly self. But her smile faded as she took in Elina's somber expression. "What's wrong?"
Elina tried to muster a reassuring smile but failed. "We should sit down."
Celia led her to the living room, where she quickly filled two cups of tea and placed them on the table. She sat across from Elina, her concern growing. "So... what's up?"
Elina took a deep breath, her hands wrapping around the warm mug. "Look, Celia... you're not getting married anytime soon."
Celia blinked, her head tilting in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Elina's voice was quiet but steady. "Sam didn't sign the Accords. He helped a fugitive escape, and now he's been arrested. He won't be getting out anytime soon."
The color drained from Celia's face. "W-what?!" Her voice cracked, her hands trembling. "No, that can't be. Sam wouldn't-he wouldn't do that."
Elina reached out, her expression softening. "I'm so sorry, Celia. I know how much this hurts. But there's more. If he tries to contact you... if you help him in any way... you'll be arrested too."
Celia's breath hitched, and she buried her face in her hands. The sobs came fast, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her grief. "This can't be happening," she whispered through her tears.
Elina shifted closer, awkwardly patting Celia's back. She wasn't good at this, at comforting people, but she tried. When Celia threw her arms around her, Elina stiffened for a moment before wrapping her own arms around her friend.
"I'm so sorry, Celia," Elina murmured. "I really am."
And she was. Despite everything, despite her anger at Sam's choices, she cared about Celia. She hated seeing her friend like this, shattered by circumstances beyond her control.
"What am I going to do now?" Celia choked out, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elina pulled back slightly, meeting her friend's tear-streaked gaze. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice filled with regret. "But I'll be here. I'm staying for a while."
Celia wiped at her tears, her lip trembling. "Really?"
Elina managed a small smile. "Really."
Celia's eyes filled with a glimmer of hope, and she nodded, clutching Elina's hand as if it were a lifeline.
The days that followed were a blur of quiet support and shared grief. Elina stayed by Celia's side, helping her through the painful reality of Sam's absence. But at night, when the world was silent, Elina's thoughts drifted back to Bucky, to Natasha, to Blake, and to the fractured team they had once been.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Celia sat beside Elina on the couch, her head resting on her friend's shoulder. "Do you think... he'll ever come back?" she asked softly.
Elina didn't answer right away. Her eyes stared out the window, lost in thought. "I don't know," she finally said. "But if he does, he'll have to face the consequences."
Celia nodded, her grip on Elina's hand tightening. "Thank you... for being here."
