Fighting The Past - Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Chapter Two

The flight back to the compound felt painfully long, Natasha had attempted to sleep but the horrors of her dreams had put a stop to that. Instead she had sat quietly, trying to process what Yelena had told her. There had to of been a mistake, whatever intelligence Shield had gathered it had to be wrong, there must have been an error. Maybe this was just someone pretending to be Y/N for some sick and twisted reason, but deep down Nat knew that wouldn't make any sense.

"Okay the whole silent thing is starting to freak me out now. Are you going to pull yourself together because we're only five minutes out? The whole team will know something is up if your face stays like that" Yelena said as she wandered round to come and sit beside Natasha.

Nat let out a long sigh and rubbed her face, she knew the team would have a lot of questions and right now she was not ready to answer them. Not when she didn't have all the facts herself, this briefing from Fury and Hill better be a good one, no hidden agendas or information purposely left out.

"Are we ever going to be free of the Red Room?" Nat asked looking at her baby sister, it always seemed like it would be a permanent shadow over their lives.

"I think we're as free as we are ever going to be Natasha. At least no other girls will be subjected to what happened to us and the thousands of others we were able to free" Yelena said with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Yelena placed a hand on Nat's leg comfortingly, she knew her sister carried many regrets from her time as a widow and also the guilt for getting out whilst so many including herself were left behind. For a long time Yelena had been angry about that, seeing her sister leave them behind so easily but after finding one another again Yelena had grown to understand the choice that Nat had been faced with.

"We're home ladies" Clint called over to them as he guided the Quinjet down onto the landing pad outside of the compound.

The ramp to the Quinjet dropped down and bright sunshine filled the cabin. Nat blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the sudden wave of light. Then as her eyes focused she saw Steve and Wanda both standing on the landing pad waiting for them.

Wanda offered her a gentle smile, no doubt the other avenger had already sensed the warring emotions inside of her. Though Natasha always appreciated that her close friend tried to be as respectful as possible and not pry even when she did without meaning to pick up on the feelings or thoughts of other team members.

"Welcome back Romanoff" Wanda said as she hugged her friend tightly.

"It's only been a week Wanda, there's no need to squeeze the life out of me" Nat teased with laugh as she hugged Wanda back, trying to keep her mind clear so that Wanda wouldn't pick up on the lingering memories of Y/N.

"Shut up, it's felt like forever" Wanda smiled even more as she let go of her friend, noting the cuts and bruises on Nat's face. She understood that not all the missions were suit to her abilities but it didn't make it any easier seeing her friends hurt when she could have so easily stopped it with her powers.

Steve nodded at Natasha, his face was set in its usual stern and serious expression. She was sensing that whatever Fury and Hill had sprung on the team last minute had irked him as well.

"So Little Red, you only missed Natasha? I see how it is, clearly you have your favorite" Yelena said faking an offended look as she teased Wanda.

"Natasha doesn't call me names, so yes I prefer her" Wanda shot back a playfulness flickering across her eyes as she looked at Yelena.

Yelena smirked more and as she made her way past Wanda, she purposely let her fingers brush against the back of Wanda's hand, a small gesture that none of the others on the landing pad picked up on. The imminent briefing was occupying their minds.