1: The New Red Room Assassin

Chapter 16

Ana's POV

To be honest pool was a pretty easy game to pick up, and it wasn't long before I was sinking the balls every shot. Clint just laughed at the two men who were getting more and more pissed off.

"Clint why don't you come over here and see if you can beat her?" Bucky said annoyed, glaring at the back of the head of the blonde haired male sitting on the sofa

"One I never miss a shot and neither does she, so it would be even, and two seeing her whoop both your asses is too fun" Clint said not even bothering to look up from the darts competition that was on the TV

"How the fuck did she get so good" Sam huffed sitting down across from Clint,

"It's basic trig and physics...all of which she has probably been learning since she was 6" Clint replied shrugging, I smirked to myself. I lifted the pool cue up offering Bucky another game.

"No I think I've had my pride shattered enough Lenkov" he said rolling his eyes and patting my shoulder as he walked past to the others.

I walked over to the huge window in the compound and looked out at the woods, I hadn't been outside for a few weeks now. I understood why, but I did miss it. The woods looked vast, and I could see a lake as well. I smiled at it all, it was so beautiful.

I heard footsteps walking into the room, one set stalked over to me, and a familiar voice broke my trance,

"You miss it huh?" The redhead said,

"Miss what?" I asked confused, not quite understanding her.

"The outdoors, the freedom?" she said, I was still staring out at the trees, but I knew she was watching me, probably a blank expression on her face. But she was looking for any sort of reaction on mine.

"You know that I've never known freedom Romanoff, how can I miss something I don't know" I said shrugging, not really caring. To be honest freedom was scary, so much choice and decision making. I wasn't great with either of those things, I get overwhelmed. I prefer people to just give me orders.

"You'll know it soon" Natalia said, looking out to where I was looking.

"Will I?" I replied, probably a bit too quickly and a bit too harshly, it was now her turn to look confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked. I turned to look at her,

"I mean all of this? This SHIELD stuff, Avengers life, it's not freedom? I'm contracted to work here. I can't leave. I can't live a normal life, have that family and a dog" I said looking away, thinking about our conversation in the hospital room when she was trying to convince me to join. I stared back out into the beauty of the woodland. I loved the woods, being under all the trees it felt so safe. I used to imagine living in a tree house one day, high up so no one could hurt me, or reach me. The trees were so huge compared to me, it made me feel secure, protected.

"I'll spend the rest of my life risking it. I never got to be a kid, and now I'll never get to be a normal adult either" I continued, I didn't want to feel things. I could tell I was starting to feel sad, but I stuffed it deep down inside me, and kept my breathing regulated.

"It's not like that Ana?" She replied softly, I turned to look at her, not wanting her to give me hope, but needing it nonetheless, "when you signed the contract it's not forever? Yes the Red in your ledger may always be there, neither of us may be able to totally wipe it out. Part of you being here, helping us, is about rehabilitation. When you earn trust you'll be able to come and go to the compound when you like. You can visit New York, go on vacations around the world, buy a dog if you want" she said laughing slightly, I didn't stop analysing her, making sure she wasn't lying,