Learning

Courage

Fury held the little girl close as the sound of footsteps sounded outside the door. Natasha silently jumped by the door as she activated one of her widow bites.

"Find the agents. Kill them, and get me that file." Natasha stayed still, hearing that voice. That was Yelena.

Her sister....

Natasha heard them pass by. She glanced out and saw Yelenas blonde hair. She wanted to reach out for her sister, but, now was not the time.

Natasha went over to Alex and moved a piece of rubble off his leg. He groaned in pain as he laid there. "His leg is broken..." Natasha whispered

Ann walked over and rubbed her fathers head, holding back her tears. She was a strong little girl for sure.

Alexander's eyes opened weakly. He gripped his arm and realized how much pain he was in. He teared up in pain.

"P-papa..." Ann said quietly. Alex look at her and held her cheek. "Y-you're alive... thank god..." he said  painfully.

Natasha noticed he was bleeding on his side, but he forced a smile Anyways for his daughter. "A-are you going to be okay..." Ann said quietly.

"Of course..." he said almost in a mumble. "I'll always be okay..." Alex never wanted his daughter to see him like this. Never in his imagination. But, now that she was, he needed to stay strong for her.

Alex looked at Fury. Fury frowned and nodded. Alex looked back at his daughter. "Ann, this man behind you, his name is Nick. He's gonna take you out of the rubble okay. He's gonna keep you safe." Ann looked at fury and then nodded at her father.

"What about you..." she said as she wiped her tears away. "I'll be out of here soon... I got the strongest lady in the world to protect me. Okay?"  Ann nodded as Fury picked her up.

He ran out of the room holding her. Alex's facade immediately faded. He leaned his head back and held back tears. "T-this hurts more than usual...."

Natasha started to treat him the best she could. "Well yeah, a cement part of a building fell on you." She said as she dressed his head wound. "You okay... Natasha?" He said quietly.

"I'm fine... don't worry." She carefully pulled him up against the wall. His head hung as he tried his hardest to stay awake.

She carefully held his cheeks and lifted his head up. He looked at her, his strength fading from him. She could see it. She teared up seeing him this weak.

"Hang in there okay..." he took a few deep breaths before he nodded. She rubbed his cheek before continuing to take care of him.

She looked at his leg and noticed it only slightly broken. All she would have to do was pop it back into place, but... that will hurt.

A lot.

"Alex..." she said as she looked at his leg.

"Yeah..." he said quietly. "Your leg is broken, and if I don't pop it back in place, I can't get you out of here." He groaned and leaned his head back.

"Why are you even bothering with me, Natasha.." she frowned at that.

"What?"

"Why are you trying... so hard to get me out of here. You know I'm in a critical state, my rib is cracked, and I can hardly breathe..." he said, the desire to give up, lacing every word he said. Her fists clenched as she looked at him.

"I can't lose you..." she said. He looked at her as she said that.

"I-I.... I can't lose another person who is important to me. And your daughter can't lose another parent, now, can I pop your leg back in place and get you out of here?" She asked.

"You know I'm going to scream... and yah know, Hydras gonna come running." He said with a weak chuckle.

"A risk I'm willing to take." She smiled. He sighed and nodded. "Go ahead." Quickly, she adjusted herself as she held his leg.

"On one... three... two-" she popped it back into place. He cried out pain. She quickly pulled him up and took him to the back part of Fury's now destroyed office.

She locked the back room door and laid him on a couch. She sighed and sat by his side and pulled out her phone looking for Bucky's number.

Her hands were shaking. For the first time in a long time, her hands were shaking as she held the electronic.

She was scared. She was terrified for the lives of everyone in this building...

Natasha was about to say something when she heard a groan on the other side of the room. The sound of her widow bites being actives filled the room.

She walked to wards the sound and suddenly saw Maria on the ground. Her eyes widened as she described her bracelets and ran over to Maria.

"Are you okay?!" She said panicked. Maria was mostly fine. Her arm was bleeding but that was about it.

"Natasha? Yeah... yeah I'm fine." She got up slowly but she was alright. "Building blew up, Fury is out of the building, Alex is injured and I'm trying to call my team."  Natasha said as she went back over to Alex,
Continuing to treat him.

"Okay... keep trying to contact Cap and Bucky. Make sure to text, no calling. They could be monitoring calls. I'll go looking for an SOS, and see if I can call Carol in... we need her big time." Maria said as she loaded her gun.

"Got it." Natasha looked at Maria worryingly.

Maria smiled softly and walked over to her and flicked her head. "I'll be fine, focus on keeping him alive. Alright?"

Natasha felt a bit more confident in that. "Understood."

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit. My knock will be four knocks, a pause, and then a fifth knock." Maria said as she loaded extra ammo into her pocket.

"Alright... see you in a minute."

Maria smiled softly.

"See yah".