Red Room

RR31 Stowaway

Present time

Not too long after the Winter Soldier showed up to help them find Natalia, the team consisting of Steve, Clint, Tony, Thor, and Bucky set out into the freezing snow together to try and find her.

The team had no idea where they were going. All tracks were for sure covered up by now and it was starting to get dark. They were relying on the Winter Soldier and his tracking skills to get them to their destination, wherever that may be. Trying to find Natalia out here was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

They were surrounded by nothing but white. All conversation had ceased, even Steve's constant pleas to get Bucky to talk to him. It was clear he only wanted to find the Black Widow, but the team did not know that he had other plans in mind for her. He was sure that she would kill them the first chance she got. He was just like her, at least back when they trained together. James had never fought another person that could match her stamina and agility. He only hoped the team would come to their senses and help him, he couldn't do this alone.

You see, James did not know Natasha, he only knew Natalia. He just can't seem to understand why Steve and Tony are so hell bent on rescuing her. Anything he may have heard about Natasha Romanoff was not present in his mind; it had been taken from him. The only reason he was there was to protect Steve from getting killed. He owed him this favor and then he would disappear again, his debt repaid. Red Room and HYDRA had stolen his life from him, and he believed that Natalia willingly stayed with them to continue its mission. He had been dragged away and kept on a short leash. There was no forgiving her.

It seemed like hours had passed the team by, but they finally found where they thought Natalia was. Up ahead, they saw a green glow coming from a snowbank beneath a massive waterfall.

"They have got to be in there," Steve said worriedly as he looked to Tony. The hopeful look on his face as well as the groups made him push on.

The only problem was that they couldn't find a way in; the entrance was completely iced over. It only took a few pounds from Thor's hammer though, and they were in. The green glow illuminated the dimly lit space and what they saw before them was terrifying. Loki and Natalia were kneeling in the center of the cave. Loki had his hands over each side of her temples, and whatever energy Loki was using was causing the bright green glow that they had seen. Each of their heads was thrown back with an expression of pain written on them. It was taking everything Loki had to keep his hands still, but Natalia's arms were stretched out from her sides as the strange energy coursed through her body. The blue jewel from her wristband was flickering angrily and causing burns to appear on her wrist.

"Loki!" Thor yelled worriedly to his brother.

Loki's eyes opened and instead of meeting his green gaze, it was replaced with blue.

"The crystal has a hold of him! He cannot let go!" Thor was about to pull his brother away but was stopped by Steve grabbing onto his arm.

Steve didn't know what would happen if Thor touched them, so he stopped him. The team didn't have a chance to figure out a plan before blue lightning exploded from Natalia's wrist with a deafening crack.

The stone had had enough, and finally died. The memories Loki was giving back to her were fighting against the stones energy. It was changing and reshaping her mind, and the stone couldn't fight back. It layed shattered in its metal casing still on Natalia's arm. Natalia was knocked unconscious but Loki remained alert, but obviously tired from the battle he had endured in her mind. Tony, Steve, and Clint, rushed over to the red head and Tony picked her up into his lap, inspecting her for injuries. Thor helped Loki to his feet and gave him a strong pat on the back and offered him one of his big goofy smiles. Loki just looked at him with sadness in his now green eyes and then left the cave without another word. Tony looked up in time to see Loki leave and Thor rush after him. He was then left in the cave with Steve, Clint, and a very angry looking Bucky.