The World Will Fall

So Damn Close

Natasha glared at Alexandra. "Killing him was unnecessary. Were trying not to leave any clues of our wereabouts." Alexandra focused on her driving rather than give Natasha's lecture any mind. She couldn't understand what was going on in the woman's head. She looked young, but Natasha knew that age was nothing. Her youthfulness masked a troubled personality. However, Natasha was very similar. "He thought we were sisters."
"We both have red hair." Alexandra said, not at all surprised.
"I'm honestly surprised that you held your temper as long as you did...I would not have killed him...But I don't think I could last as long as you. You know he wanted to fuck you?'"
"You must think I'm some fucking idiot. I don't give a shit to what he wants." Alexandra snarled. "I won't let anyone fuck me without my consent." She grabbed a can of root beer and popped it open, ignoring Natasha. This was becoming increasingly difficult. Natasha grabbed the emergency break and forced the car to stop. Alexandra glared at her.
"Where the hell are we going?"
"A safe house where I have a plane and we can go to Austria."
"Austria...why Austria?"
"That's where he died. That's where he became the Winter soldier. Fuck Bucky. He's an idiot half the time, chasing pretty women and hoping to get laid. My brother won't want to, but he'll eventually have to face what I had to face. He's a man who cheated death and to find some semblance of peace, he'll have to come to the place where he died and try and figure out how it happened."
"He'll have to go to that ravine where he fell of the train." Natasha said. "When you died...what happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Alexandra said.
"If you want to get to Austria there's a better way than old rust bucket left over from the war."
"I hated those death traps."
"They're not that bad. No different from the car or ship or train. You've turned this car into the most dangerous vehicle on earth. So we can go to the nearest airport and take a real plane to Austria."
"Were close to the border and we're no where near any town. What we are near is a fucking old Howling Commando's base that has my plane and few other items that might be interesting or fucking useful."
Natasha released the emergency brake. Alexandra started driving again, in silence. Natasha fumbled with the radio until she found an upbeat station to pass the time. Alexandra probably didn't need sleep, but Natasha hadn't slept for a while. Not since she bailed Alexandra out of the prison in Jasnur. She glanced at the driver before shutting her eyes and letting sleep overtake her.

Sleep always came with nightmares.
She remembered the red room.
Twenty eight girls dancing in circles, as if they were puppets on strings. Madame barked orders and they followed like machines. Natasha focused on her turn. Keeping her legs straight and her toes pointed. She glanced up at her hands. She was strong and they had turned her into an assassin and yet she danced and danced. Spin, leap, land. She danced like that was all there was left in the world. Dancing helped her forget the nightmare she lived in...

Natasha woke up with a sudden start. Her heart hammered in her chest almost like a machine gun. She realized that her car was stopped. She immediately looked for Alexandra who was gone. As were the keys. Natasha got out of the car and looked around. She was on a deserted dirt road and probably miles away from civilization. She slammed her fist on the dashboard, "fucking damnit!" She screamed in rage at the top of her lungs before falling back in the seat. She thought she might actually be able to find Yasha. She was so close.
Natasha curled up into a ball and let the tears fall down. She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face. She had been so damn close. So damn close.