SILENCE THE TRUTH

F I V E

A/N: sorry i forgot to update lol, i was busy 

THIRD PERSON 

Shit. shit. shit. shit. Natalia couldn't breathe under Charlotte's gaze. Natalia has a coughing fit until James hands her a glass of water, she thanks him once she can speak. Charlotte looks Natalia up and down. James thinks, Oh dear god she's checking her out. James had started speaking, Natalia didn't care to notice as she set the glass down on the table. Charlotte stares deep into the soul Natalia tore up and destroyed many years. 

Charlotte sits down and starts rapidly typing on her computer and James drones on about something. Natalia's phone rings and she answers, confused. 

" Hello? " 

" Cool your shit Alyeska. You're a spy, not a fourteen-year-old girl. " 

" Shut up Z. I got this. " 

" You literally forgot how to breathe a minute ago. " 

" Ok, thanks, I got this now. Bye Z. " Natalia hangs up. She notices Charlotte staring at her again but elects to ignore it, now pretending to pay attention to whatever James was saying. Charlotte keeps staring at Natalia, trying to figure out what the hell happened to her. How Natalia grew from the small, yet confident girl who worked as a stripper in a popular club during college to make enough money so that she didn't die in debt. How Natalia lived after what Charlotte did to her. 

The meeting ends and everyone leaves. That leaves Charlotte and Natalia in the meeting room alone, together. Charlotte closes her computer and looks into the green eyes that once were filled with happiness, hope, courage, yet soft sorrow. Now all she saw was scornful sorrow, rage, and fear. 

" Nice to see you as well Miss Wayne, " Natalia says, venom dripping from every word like her voice was soaked in cyanide. 

" Hello, Natalia. I guess drifting apart was useful for you. Have you turned into Natasha yet? " Charlotte asks, knowing Natasha was insane and murderous, but on the run. 

" Have you? " Natalia asks, leaving the room quickly and walking to a bar nearby. Natalia sits in between two men. Natalia downs all nine of the shots on the bar in front of the two men. 

" I envy you, Talia, " James says as he sits next to Natalia. 

" I missed you too Jamesie, I missed you too, " Natalia smiles as James braids her ( natural ) red hair. The duo laughs and talks about life,  Natalia finding it hard to lie to James, but he was drunk so he wouldn't remember anything anyways. James phone rings, and it's Charlotte, probably asking where he is. 

Natalia makes a request before he answers, " Could you run it past Charlotte that I need an office and would like computer access at Wayne Enterprises? Thanks, Jamesie. " He nods and walks off, talking to Charlotte over the phone.  James returns and says that Natalia gets an office. 

The duo breaks up and goes home. Once home Zaira turns on the show      ' Gotham ' and forces Natalia to watch the season five finale with her. They end up fighting over Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska and other things, but overall they had a good time. 

****** 

Very late that night, or very early the next morning Natalia leaves her spot on the couch, changing into running clothes, and leaving. Running calms her down and makes her forget everything. The one thing she was hoping to forget, she appeared at. She walked into Wayne Enterprises, the lights were off. Well, obviously, it was 2:23 in the morning. Natalia walks around the building, finding her office quite easily. She realized it was the office directly underneath Charlotte's. Natalia made the analogy that it was because she would always be beneath Charlotte, even if she did all the work. But she doubted it meant anything, she was overthinking. ANd she wasn't supposed to know the layout of the building. 

Natalia continues to walk around, and she comes around to Charlotte's office. She notices the lights are on so she walks in, not expecting anyone to be there. Charlotte doesn't seem to notice Natalia standing in the doorway. But she's there, God, Charlotte look at me! I'm here!   Natalia walked around Charlotte's desk, looking around at things. 

Charlotte lightly grabs at Natalia's arm, finally noticing her. Charlotte shakily pulls herself up with Natalia's help. Charlotte looked to be angry. Charlotte punches Natalia in the face, and Natalia lets her, after all these years she probably deserved it. Natalia only wipes at her nose to see if it's bleeding or broken, it's neither. 

" What are you wearing? " Charlotte says. Natalia only used to wear formal or nice clothes. 

" Wow, Charlie, after all these years that's all you're gonna say? Actually, why would I expect anything less? " Natalia says, her voice dripping with the chemicals that burned her hands many years prior. 

" What. Are. You. Wearing. " Charlotte repeats, deadpan staring at the person who looks just like a deranged maniac. 

" Running clothes. " 

" Since when do you run? "  Charlotte asks, looking disgusted and surprised. 

" A lot has happened since I last saw you, Miss Wayne, " Natalia shrugs, being her sarcastic self. This whole conversation hurt her, both of them. They used to be best friends, inseparable, but sometimes people change so much you don't recognize them. Charlotte steps closer to Natalia and touches the scar on Natalia's cheek, making her flinch hard. 

" Don't, " Natalia looks hurt and grabs Charlotte's hand from touching anything else. 

" Okay, " Charlotte says softly, making Natalia look even more hurt, and sad, and maybe a tad angry. They stayed like that for a while, Natalia holding Charlotte's hand in the air, neither speaking, both surprised, angry, and dumbfounded.  After a few minutes of silence, Charlotte snatches her hand out of Natalia's strong grip. 

" What the hell are you doing here Alyeska, truthfully, " Charlotte seems to beg, but she stays strong and very serious. 

" I'm not authorized to tell you that, " Natalia mutters so quietly that Charlotte wouldn't be able to hear her, she then goes back to talking at a regular volume and keeping up her facade of the old Natalia Alyeska, " Can't I visit old friends? " 

" What do you want Natalia? " 

" Is there a Natalia here? " 

"Unless you've turned into Marina yet, yes there is. " 

" Then again there was another me too, " Natalia straightens her shirt and looks up and to the left. 

" What are you talking about? " 

" When we were building up Wayne Enterprises. A Time before N'ya. Before this. " 

" That doesn't exist anymore. " Charlotte pushes the thought of Natalia, Oliver, James, and herself working on building the company into what it was years ago and helping during their years apart. 

" How have you been? " Natalia asks, sitting on the edge of Charlotte's desk, sifting through whatever she was doing. Natalia realizes that Charlotte was looking through old blueprints that Natalia and Charlotte had made. Natalia smiles softly as Charlotte stares at her. 

" I've been good. " 

" How long have you been awake? " Natalia sees that there's a large pile of papers on Charlotte's desk. 

" A few days. " 

" I'm taking you home, give me your keys, " Charlotte points to her jacket pocket, Natalia grabs the keys and leaves, Charlotte trailing behind her. Natalia and Charlotte get into the car and drive to Charlotte's house. The rain starts to pour instead of drizzle. Charlotte ran to the front steps, Natalia close behind her.