Cardboard mattresses

[Chapter 9]

Natasha looked at her In shock, "Erskine" she repeated, eyebrows furrowed in thought

"Yeah" June said, " I think it's German or Austrian or something" the shock that resonated in Natasha's voice put her on edge slightly, she couldn't quite tell if she was angry at her for some strange reason, she felt like she'd said the wrong thing.

Nat was surprised but not shocked, it was another piece to the strange puzzle that was June and it seemed to be becoming clearer every time she opened her mouth.
"Is your last name from your mom or your dad?" Nat asked, jotting something down on a sticky note

"Uhh dad"

"And your grandparents?... what were they called?"

"Grandparents?" June quizzed, sitting up just enough so that she could now see Natasha "umm I don't know, never met them"

After that a silence followed and June cuddled back into a protective ball, the various monitors and IVs  poking into her and it took a few seconds to get comfy again. She could hear the quiet tapping of Nat typing away on the computer. The air smelt clean and although not an unpleasant smell she missed the damp earthy scent of the forest, the soft mud of the river on her bare feet. She felt homesick for a place that before now had never felt like much of a home.

"What are you doing with all this information" June asked quietly, she still wasn't sure if Natasha was lying to her and was contacting social services, she definitely didn't trust her.

"We found something" Natasha replied, "in your blood"

"You took my blood?" June sat up suddenly, yanking an IV out of her arm, a small trail of blood flowed out of its place and she cringed at the sudden pain.

Nat sighed and went over to place it back in, but June scooted away from her, her knees pulled up to her chest and an angry look on her face, "no, no more needles" she said.

"You're dehydrated, you need it" Natasha said firmly

"I said no"

"June please"

"No"

The girl clearly had firm boundary's and at the moment Natasha was too tired to push them, "well it's your body" she said backing off to the chair again.

The discomfort from the needles finally eased, letting Junes body relax and realise just how exhausted she was, pulling her into a restless half sleep, her eyes flickering shut, images flashing across her mind followed by a dark void. The sleep wasn't restful or refreshing by any means and she was woken by someone coming into the lab.

"Hi Nat, how's she doing" pepper asked a little apprehensively

"She's okay physically" Natasha replied, smiling at the woman, "she's tough"

"I made up a room for her, Tony said if she can walk to take her up"

"Okay i'll do that when she wakes, thanks Pepper"

With one last look at the girl pepper left the lab, she didn't quite know what to do or say, this felt like more Natasha's world so she left her to it.

"Why a room?" June asked sitting up slightly, tilting her head so she could see Nat.

"Oh good you're awake"

"My question...why a room?" June reiterated

"Oh well as I said before we found some things and for now we can't let you leave"

"You can't keep me prisoner either"

"Eh I wouldn't call it that, Tony might but it's for your own safety" Natasha said firmly, clearly not taking no for an answer, however June hated feeling trapped so she pushed back,