Buckynat Oneshots

A Mothers Instinct

Post mission, exhausted but thankfully alive. Together they gathered up their travel bags from their secure location, and got ready to get the hell out of the Ukraine before anyone decided they had overstayed their welcome.

Natasha sat across from James in the airport lounge, her eyes scanning the crowds of people for any signs of unusual activity, keeping her expression calm but alert in case they had to move fast. On the second row of metal chairs behind James, an older woman faced her, emerald green eyes flickering a small glance towards her until she did a double take, her eyes staring into Natasha's.

Something sent a tingle down Natasha's spine, but it wasn't an alert of danger or alarm, it felt different, shocking.

Their flight to a safe house in Poland, where they would change appearance and identities before heading home, announced it was boarding passengers causing a flurry of individuals around them the rise from their seats and make their way towards to gates. The former assassins stayed seated, waiting until the initial rush had dispersed before moving. James rose from his chair and began lifting bags, noticing how Natasha now had her eyes wide and staring straight ahead at the unknown woman, watching her movements.

The woman's hand had reached up to grip an old locket that was secured around her neck. Natasha's lips parted slightly at the sight of the woman's hand, a mess of burn scars across her skin that tightened as she gripped the locket in her fist. Her eyes flickered up to her face where she gave Natasha a soft bewildered smile, her auburn hair greying at the roots, but framing her delicate features as strands had escaped from the low bun she had styled it in.

The memory hit Natasha in a burst of light, herself sitting on a lap as she pointed at the locket that was open, two small family pictures of four people inside. Her small legs dangled as she rhymed off the names of each individual in the small photo, "Mama, Papa, Alexi, Natalia." The woman cooed in delight and leaned to kiss her cheek, her strands of hair tickling her nose and making Natasha gleefully giggle as she cuddled closer to her chest, small hands snapping the locket closed and holding it tight.

Her throat was constricting as she tried to stop a cry, or a gasp or whatever noise was threatening to come out of her mouth, eyes starting to get wet to the point it was noticeable to anyone watching her. The woman's expression seemed to mimic Natasha, but unlike hers she had no doubt. No confusion or loss. She knew far more than Natasha did, and she was still angry, hurt and bitter as to why it was her family that had to be broken apart.

"Nat." James murmured with concern, his hand sliding onto her shoulder as he followed her gaze for a moment then looked back down to her. "Natasha." He tried again when he got no reaction, but this time she looked up to him and stood quickly.

"Let's go." She cleared her throat, realising how quiet her voice had come out, and pulled her bag up onto her shoulder before stealing a glance back to where the woman had been. Except the spot was now empty.

"ангел." Came a husky voice from behind them, both turning sharply to face the woman who now stood before them. Angel.

She was slightly smaller than Natasha, but stood with just as much fierceness, head held high. Up close she had far more scars, covering both hands and wrists until the skin was hidden by a blouse, yet the scaring still managed to creep out at the collar and onto the skin at her neck faintly. James lightly gripped the back of Natasha coat, ready to pull her out of harms way and communicate his unease to her all at once, but he needn't be anxious.

Natasha inhaled sharply at the nickname but said nothing, her lips forming a tight line as she listened to her heart thudding in her chest, staring back at the woman. Slowly she raised her hand to Natasha's cheek, ignoring James shifting defensively beside her and lightly stroked her thumb across her cheek, catching a tear Natasha hadn't felt coming, an involuntary reaction as her emotions got the better of her. The woman smiled softly at her, motherly, and nodded once as it answered her question, and Natasha's. She turned her smile onto James, but narrowed her eyes slightly with another nodded before stepping back from the pair.

"мы встретимся снова, возможно, в другой жизни, Наталия " She said firmly, letting her smile fall once more, eyes flitting around the room quickly like she'd already revealed far too much. With a final look, she turned and began walking away. We will meet again, perhaps in another life, Natalia.

James slipped his arm around Natasha to guide her to the gate, sensing her distress as her hands balled into fists, holding onto the end of her sleeves. He could see her mind working, weighting up their options.

"That-" she began, but abruptly stopped as she pushed the tears from her cheeks and adjusted her expression to calm and unfazed once more. The initial shock had passed, and she could control herself now.

"I know..." he said to her, watching her carefully. "I don't understand it, but I think it's who you think it is."

She cleared her throat, looking up to him with a completely different expression. Calm, collected, emotionless. "Let's never mention this again." She said defiantly, flashing her boarding pass as she headed to the plane, James following close behind her in the tunnel leading to the cabin.

"But Nat, this might be-"

"No." She told him firmly, eyes glaring straight ahead as she walked in front of him. "That could have been anyone ."

"Or it could be your Mother," he stopped behind her in the small queue that was forming and heard her sigh angrily through her nose, keeping her back to him.

Another lie. Another mystery. Another twisted hold her past had on her.

"I'm not the daughter anyone would want, it makes no difference." She hissed quietly to him, watching him drop his head to hide his eyes from her. He got it, of course he did, and if it was him in the same position he'd say the same. "Drop it."