Pain Is Power

19: Almost

Nat was sleeping as I drove, Yelena had made some distance last night and we needed to gain it back so a lot of our day would be driving and stopping at gas stations to fill the tank up. "You want me to drive for a bit?" Nat asked with her eyes still closed. "No, I'm good," I say blinking a few times before reaching for my coffee and taking a sip. "You've not slept properly and you probably have a concussion." She still kept her eyes closed which told me she was just asking so she can say I told you so if I mess up.

"I'm good for a little longer you rest," I tell her taking the exit. "We're nearly there,"  I tell her glancing at the GPS. "Then let me drive." "You need to rest," I tell her. She stopped talking so I assumed she went back to sleep. I pulled up at a cabin in the woods, the old car was parked out front. I look over at Nat and she was still asleep. I got out of the car and went to scop the area. She was inside cooking unbothered by her actions yesterday. 

I walk into the house. "Didn't you get the message when I threw you out of my car?" "Oh loud and clear," I say closing the door. "Where's the traitor?" She asked looking around. "You shot her where do you think she is?" I asked not giving her a direct answer. "Is she going to come around from behind and stab me in the back... seems to be her go-to move." "Yelena you shot her, you left her bleeding out in the hotel room she's not here. No one is here but me." Her face fell and I knew she was still in there I just had to get her to crack a little more. "She's not dead." "Didn't say she was I just told you what you did yesterday." "She was going to shoot me." "Her gun was empty," I tell her flatly. "You're her sister. She wouldn't have shot you and you know it." "Do I? Because she literally ran away from me when I was hanging onto the ledge of a building." "She wouldn't have shot you." 

"So what are you doing here?" She asked putting the knife down on the counter. "I wanted to talk." "Talk?" "Talk Yelena, you know the thing normal humans do when they have a problem. They talk it out and come up with a solution." "We don't talk." "Stop going on like you've been brainwashed by that place! You seem to forget I've been working with you for months now. Helping you." She looked guilty. So she should. "You threw me out of a car. I'm trying to help you. So you don't get yourself killed. And as much as you hate to admit it Natasha was helping you too. She's worked for months to get you that deal with Fury. She didn't give up on you no matter how horrible you were to her." I tell her. "You have picked a side that is clear." "I haven't I'm on my own side. I don't care about Natasha or her wants and needs. I couldn't care less she's selfish and she is manipulative and she broke my trust and it's going to take a lot more than getting you a deal and a mission to fix what she broke. And you. well, you're not who I thought you were. So I'm not on either of your sides. You're as bad as each other. But I guess it runs in the family." "Like being a self entitled bitch runs in yours?" I raised an eyebrow. "Insult me all you want. You're hurting and you're scared I get that. I was scared too but if you just take the deal I promise it will all be okay." "You're weak." She narrowed her eyes at me. "You rely on daddy to fix your problems with money and power. You got through the red room because you were implanted with something from space that made you valuable. You're nothing. Even with them, You are so weak you couldn't even save your own sister. Is that why you're so set on helping me?" I tried to show no emotions just like we were trained. She was lashing out. I remind myself not to take what she said to heart. 

"You sat and watched whilst your sister was beaten to death... You didn't do anything. She was pregnant and you let them beat her until she just died." "You wasn't there you don't know what happened," I tell her. Stay in control. I pushed the memories of her laying my arms slipping away out of my mind I couldn't deal with that right now. I take a deep breath. "See weak." 

We began to fight she used the knife and I caught it the blade was cutting into my palm as she tried to hurt me. she wouldn't do permanent damage just enough to slow me down so she could get out. I got control of the knife and threw it away from us. "Just listen to me." "So you can play your little mind games with me. No way." "I want to help you," I tell her blocking her punches. "I've risked it all. Everything I have to try and help you. You're still here, you won't leave that's on you! and you want to know why you won't leave? Because you're scared to be alone. You're scared to be without Natasha." She stopped fighting. Bingo. "So cut the act, Lena. It's me. We're trying to help you."