Winter's Widow

Chapter 20: Whistle

I sat up in bed as I heard someone moving past my door at the compound. I couldn't sleep, and anyone moving around at 3 am was worth investigating. I pulled a new hoodie over my head, pulled my sweats on and carefully cracked my door open, inhaling sharply. Natasha. I frowned, moving out into the hallway, staying out of sight until the elevator doors closed before making my way to the staircase and heading down. I peeked as Natasha exited the elevator, bypassing the main living areas entirely and heading straight for the exit. I grabbed a jacket from the hook by the door as I followed her out, shivering instantly against the chill in the air. Natasha was headed towards the woods, and I followed a good distance behind her. The sounds of her footsteps faded after a few minutes of walking in in the trees, and I heard a two-toned whistle echoing back through the forest. I frowned. I had heard that sound before. I tried to move closer, only to have Natasha's voice stop me in my tracks.

"I know you're over there, Winter." I smirked, staring down at my feet.

"I know you know I'm over here." I called back. I heard a soft chuckle to my right, and Natasha's form emerged through the trees, heading towards my position.

"Could be trouble tailing an ex-spy, Winter." She was smiling at me, but her eyes carried an expression that I rarely got to see. She looked haunted. Worn. Tired.

"Can't sleep?" I asked gently. She looked up at me sharply before staring back at the ground.

"That's not it, I just..." She glanced around through the trees like she didn't trust herself enough to continue the sentence.

"What was that whistle I heard?" Natasha looked sharply at me again.

"What?" I pursed my lips together and mimicked the sound I had heard not too long ago. She frowned, and the sudden intensity on her face was surprising and – to be honest – slightly alarming.

"What is it?" I asked, moving towards her. Her scowl deepened.

"You can't ever do that." She muttered, shaking her head.

"Do what?" I frowned, now equally confused.

"That whistle. It's how Yelena and I found each other when we were little." I stared at her, not following.

"Who's Yelena?" I looked over at her, confused and was even more alarmed to see tears forming in her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment. This was not a version of Natasha that I was used to or – to be honest – prepared for. "Natasha what's going on?" She finally let me approach and I put an arm around her shoulder and she leaned in to me. This badass former assassin seemed, for the first time, small to me. Vulnerable. She pressed her face into my chest briefly as she took a few breaths and composed herself.

"Yelena was my sister. Once." I frowned at her.

"You had a sister?" I needed some additional clarification to this new piece of surprising information. She nodded.

"Have, I think." My frown deepened.

"You still have a sister? Where? Where is she? Why didn't you say anything?" Natasha held her hands up, smiling at me.

"We have some talking to do, I guess." I smiled at her.

"Seems so." She wrapped an arm around my waist as we turned in unison and walked back towards the compound.

"Want some coffee?" She asked, hesitatingly as if she was afraid I might turn her down. I grinned at her instead.

"Change it to cocoa and I'll get the marshmallows." She grinned back in relief.