Target (Romanogers Fanfic)

Chapter 19

A couple of hours later Steve was walking around the compound and then made his way to Natasha's room and leaned against the door, the wood prepped with holes from all the knives she chucked at it for idle target practice.

Natasha was in her room listening to the radio. Facing away from him. Staring into nothingness.

"They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these. What legal authority does an enhanced woman with a criminal record have... to operate aside a tough man like Captain America?"

Steve knew Natasha couldn't bear to listen anymore so he walked over and shut off the radio. "You okay?" He asked. Natasha nodded. "Uh-huh."

Steve scoffed and sat down beside her. "What's going on?" He asked. Natasha stared at him for a moment. "When I first joined the SSR. I thought I was going straight. And that I wouldn't have to fight idiots like HYDRA. But it turns out that I just traded KGB for HYDRA. How many more jobs. How long will it take? I don't know if I can do it. Even if I could forgive myself, this is what I am now. And you'll never know who I was before."

Steve nodded. "I thought I knew who's lies I was telling. I guess I can't tell the difference anymore." She sighed.

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business for that." Steve joked. Natasha chuckled softly. "We have to kill Red Skull." She suddenly said. Steve nodded. "I know."

Natasha shook her head. "No. We. Have. To. Kill. Him. He's not going to stop after this. I've had the chance to kill him more than once and he's manipulated me more times than I can count. And I've always become frozen. He's going to find a weakness in you." Natasha said. 

"Yeah, well I don't have weaknesses. The serum took care of that. I'm Captain America. Period."

"Steve this is serious. He's going to find a weakness. And you're going to freeze. Don't. Don't be like me. Promise me you won't freeze." Natasha said. Steve looked down. "I promise." He whispered.

Natasha relaxed. And stared at the window. "It's my fault." Steve shook his head. "You know that's not true."

"Turn the radio back on," Natasha asked. "They're being very specific."

"It's not your fault." Steve began. "No. It's on me. I shouldn't have been stupid and miscounted that fucking HYDRA agent." Natasha grumbled.

"No. It's on me. I wasn't planning on everything that went down. People died. Our people and HYDRA's people." Steve explained.

"It's on the both of us." Natasha compromised.

Steve looked down. "This job..." He began. "We try to save as many people as we can." He paused. "Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody." He looked her in the eye. "But if we can't find a way to live with that. Then next time... maybe nobody gets saved." Steve explained.

Natasha nodded. They stared at each other for a moment. Peggy then walked in. "Peg! we talked about this," Natasha said.

"Yes, but the door was open. So I assumed that..." Peggy trailed off while pointing at the door.

"Uhm," Peggy shook her head. "You wished to know when the Colonel was arriving," Peggy said. Natasha nodded. "Thank you. We'll be right down." Natasha promised.

Peggy took the hint. "I'll leave now," Peggy said and walked to the door. "Oh, and apparently, he's brought a guest," Peggy added.

"Do we know who it is?" Natasha asked.

"Senator Bradley," Peggy confirmed and left.

Natasha sighed. "C'mon Rogers we'd better see what that nimrod wants."

—————————————————

"Five years ago... I had a heart attack. And dropped right in the middle of my backswing." Senator Bradley explained. Twelve chairs made a U around a table to which Senator Bradley was talking to an extremely  Natasha, Steve, Peggy, Bucky and everyone else gathered in the SSR main compound.

"Turns out it was the best round of my life... because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass... I found something 40 years in the army had never taught me. Perspective." He winked at Natasha.

Steve glared at him. "America owes the SSR an unpayable debt. You have fought for us... protected us, risked your lives..." The Senator was cut off by Natasha.

"Senator if you don't mind can you please cut the bullshit and tell us while you're here?" Natasha snidely asked. The Senator cleared his throat. "But while a great many people see you as heroes. There are some. Who finds it odd that a former Russian spy fights beside an all-American crew. And not to mention she's a woman. Some would prefer the word, 'vigilantes.'"

Natasha leaned forward in her seat. "What word would you use, Mr. Senator?" 

"How about dangerous?" The Senator offered. Natasha scoffed. 

"What would you call an army of U.S-based, enhanced individuals who ignore the sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose, and who, frankly seems unconcerned about what they leave behind? " The Senator asked.

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "I would call that a party."

The Senator glared. "I don't mean to intrude but I looked at your file. And I'm sorry but this is a war to be fought by men. Not a former ballerina with red in her ledger."

Natasha grit her teeth. "I am not a ballerina. And if you looked at my file you should see the more reason I should fight this war."

The Senator laughed. "Sweetheart people consider you the enemy."

Natasha gripped her knife that was strapped to her belt. "Do. Not. Call. Me. Sweetheart." She spat.

The Senator leaned in. "Fine. Sweetheart."

Natasha glared at him.

The Colonel noticed that shit was about to go down. "Senator, are you suggesting that Agent Romanoff shouldn't be fighting the war?" He asked.

The Senator nodded. "The people aren't ready for a woman with your background to be fighting a big war like this."

"I'll have you know that Agent Romanoff is one of the most deadly assassins in the world. And she has more talent than any man here combined and if you think otherwise, well, you're no better than Nazis." Peggy spoke up.

The Senator sighed in defeat. "Alright. But no reasonable man is going to want to fight with a woman like her."

"Anyway, we have a plan. One team, one shot." Colonel Phillips explained and stepped away, revealing the board.

Everyone's eyes stare at the tangle of lines connecting to two locations.

"Natasha?" Colonel asked. Natasha's eyes flickered up. "Why don't you take over."

Natasha looked up and began,

"We lost. All of us. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves." She paused. "But today we have a chance to take it all back." Natasha looked at the file in her hand.

"You all have your team and you have assignments. Find what you're looking for and get back here. One round. No mistakes. No do-overs." She gripped her file. "Most of us are going back to places we don't know. That doesn't mean we know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. Improvise, if you have to." Natasha looked around. "This is the fight of our lives. And we're going to win." She promised.

"Whatever it takes."