A Spyder's Shield

4: BuckyNat

The Winter Soldier was the best thing that had ever happened to me. As the years went on, he barely seemed to age. He would disappear for long streaks of time, but he would come back, eventually.

Our practice had improved. The black widow move was deadly and fast.

However, I was still failing at all my practices in the Red Room. The only thing I was good at was cryptography and ciphers, strategy, gymnastics and shooting. Of course they were essential things but hand to hand combat was more important than all of those. Or so the KGB said.

But after a deadly practice session which ended up with me nearly breaking my neck, I was done.

Done with the Red Room and done with my comrades. I was done with training. I wanted to be out in the world, working for the KGB, finding Intel, helping the government.

A black widow didn't need hand to hand combat. It only took one blow to kill somebody and she had hers. She didn't need this punching and kicking.

I ran out of the red room, my hand throbbing. But my eyes were dry. I ran up the stairs, two at a time. I knew we were underground and I was climbing up to freedom.

Up and up the stairs went. And so did I. I had to make it out. I could nearly see the top.

My heart was bursting with joy. I ran up even quicker when I bumped into someone.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I knew that voice. I'd know that voice anywhere. It was one I hadn't heard in an year. It was the Winter Soldier.

Suddenly all thoughts flew into  my mind. All I could think about were our training sessions, together. About how he'd made me who I was.

And then, about how he'd left. For years. About how I'd had to fend for my own, try to learn how to survive the Red Room. About all the missions my comrades and I had gone on. About all my missions.

I screamed loudly and began to punch and kick him. My punches did little harm but my kicks were causing him visible pain. Yet I didn't stop.

I was trying to cause the pain I'd felt. But I didn't think about how he'd been in pain too.

"Natalia."

I continued hitting him.

"Natalia." He pleaded, his voice,soft. "They'll find us. They'll find me."

I stopped hitting him and looked up into his brown eyes. They looked shattered. His face was set into his usual frown but his eyes were soft.

"What were you trying to do?"

"Leave." I gestured towards the door behind him.

"You were planning on leaving through the front door."

"That's how they send us for missions I thought they wouldn't notice."

"Missions?" He looked confused. "You are too young for missions."

I wish I was. I was happier without them, without the red in my ledger. But once it was there, it couldn't be wiped out. Not here, not in the Red Room.