Stealing Winter

Chapter Eight

A/N: Quick warning, Natasha being Natasha, is going to kill Charlie more than once during this chapters Training cession. Don't like, don't read

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Charlie felt rather uneasy today. The secretary, Anne, greeted her when she entered the tower. And the elevator ride left her nervous. Something was off, and she couldn't tell what it was until she entered the training room. Natasha stood with a sharp blade in her hand, while Clint and Steve were having a hushed conversation off to the side. They all stopped what they were doing when Charlie entered.

"What are we doing today?" Charlie asked as she watched Natasha twirl the dagger between her fingers. She silently swore. "I thought I was supposed to beat Steve in hand-to-hand." She looked to Clint who shook his head.

"You are," Natasha nodded. "But the Winter Soldier happens to be trained in more than just hand-to-hand combat." Without warning Natasha lunged at Charlie with the blade, giving her opponent only a few seconds to duck away from the attack. The blade plunged into her shoulder blade, and Charlie cried out in pain.

"Mother of fucking God!" Charlie cried out. Natasha jerked the blade out, and blood gushed for a few seconds. The wound closed up, and Charlie fell to her knees in surprise while spots began to cloud her vision. Steve didn't bother to tell her to watch her mouth this time, and Charlie thanked the lord.

"Get up." Natasha demanded.

"Can we... Not do that again?" Charlie asked breathlessly, blinking away the pain in her head. "Like, ever."

"Dodge the attack correctly, and I won't stab you." So this is why I shouldn't piss her off. Charlie pulled herself back to her feet. She swayed a bit before she spoke.

"I would," She cracked her back, wincing after each pop. "If I knew how."

"Oh, don't worry." Clint began, pulling a knife reluctantly out of his pocket. Charlie sighed in exasperation. "We're gonna teach yah."

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Charlie's eyes rolled into the back of her head as Natasha dug the knife into her gut - again - and twisted. She fell to the floor, dead and bleeding. After a couple of minutes, her wound completed healing and she woke up with a groan.

"Are you having fun torturing me?" She asked curiously. "Because it's not as much fun being on the other end of the blade." Natasha ignored her remarks and helped her back up.

"You need to stop blocking the knife. You need to block the arm that's holding the knife." Clint tries a different strategy. "Instead of aiming for the blade, aim for the opponents wrist or forearm."

"Fine... Fine." Charlie mumbled. She only lasted a few more minutes, until the the knife impaled her head.

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"I feel like a freaking pin-cushion for knives." Charlie moaned, dragging herself to the kitchen beside Clint and Steve. Natasha had offered to stay behind and clean up all the blood.

"Well you kind of are." Smack. "Ow!" Clint held his cheek loosely, glaring at Charlie. "That wasn't very nice."

"Well, you deserved it." Charlie grabbed the peanut butter from the pantry and started making their sandwich. She opened the fridge. "Grape, or strawberry?" She asked Clint

"Both." He said. Charlie paused for a moment, shrugged, and grabbed both jellies from the fridge. Instead of his usual salad, Steve was having left overs - some of Wanda's homemade pasta. She began making the sandwich slowly, just to taunt Clint.