Paper Rings; M. Hill (on hold)

Twelve.

2007
Location: SHIELD Headquarters

"You're going to have to talk at some point."

Adelaide sat across from the red-haired assassin, her arms resting against the cool metal table. Natalia wouldn't talk, about anything. Whenever Adelaide thought she had made a break, Natalia would change the subject. 

"Do you ever sleep, Agent Laurence?" Natalia studied the blonde's appearance, subtly over the last few days her face grew more tired. 

Adelaide sighed, "You're starting to sound like everyone else."

The redhead made note of the emotion that flashed across Adelaide's face when she said about everyone else telling her the same thing. 

She took note of the way the blonde seemed to have the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"You said you brought me here to give me a choice, and it's starting to look like that choice just involves becoming a sleep-deprived field agent." Natalia quipped, wondering how probable that would be to get a rise out of the woman across from her.

The blonde inhaled deeply, trying to ease the frustration that the redhead was causing, "I'm just trying to help you, Natalia."

"So you've said." the redhead crossed her arms, "But how do I know that I can trust your helpfulness?"

"I'm gonna walk away before I say anything mean or rude," Adelaide murmured mostly under her breath, "Let's take a break."

The blonde stood up from the metal chair and walked to the guarded door, "Look, I get it. You don't trust me, or anyone else here. And I'm not going to say we're on the same side because in these parts were all sort of on our own sides, but trust this Natalia. I wanna help you, and I want the organization you came from gone."

Natalia really did listen to Adelaide's words truly trying to make complete sense of them, maybe her helpfulness was genuine.

Without saying another word Adelaide exited the room, "I'm doing everything I can." she whispered to Clint, "I know. You're doing well for the circumstances, Laurie."

The blonde sighed, "I'm going for a run."

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Clint arched an eyebrow at her, and she rolled her eyes, holding up a protein bar, "I've got this, I'll eat lunch later."

"Laurie-"

"Bye Barton!"

Adelaide ran at a fairly fast pace trying to drown out everything around her and all of her issues.

"Agent Laurence," the voice was muffled by the loud music that played through her headphones, "Agent Laurence!"

"Huh?" the blonde pulled off her headphones slightly slowing her pace on the track. A smile tug at her lips at just the sight of the brunette woman beside her.

"She's ready to talk," Maria informed her, a sense of worry falling over her at the sight of Adelaide's disheveled state.

"What?" Adelaide stopped running abruptly, "What changed?"

"We have no idea," Maria shrugged, "But she said she'll only talk to you."

The blonde nodded, "Okay, I'll be right there."

"Addy?"

"Yeah?" she turned to face Maria and was met with the brunette's concerned gaze.

"Are you alright? In the nicest way possible, you look like shit."

"Thanks, Ria." the blonde's tone was meant to be sarcastic but in reality, it came out just sounding tired.

"I don't want to overstep but after you talk, you really need to sleep," Maria spoke, not mentioning the nickname that slipped out of Adelaide's lips.

"Yeah, I know."

"Okay." Maria nodded, offering her a smile, "I'll see you around, Agent Laurence."

"Yeah, you too, Hill."

Adelaide stood on the other side of the double glass looking at the red-haired woman, "And you're sure she wants to talk?"

"Positive, Agent Laurence." a man nodded. 

The blonde ran a hand through her hair, "Okay. Let's do this."

She pulled the door open walking into the room, "I heard you wanted to talk."

Natalia nodded, and Adelaide lowered herself into the metal chair across from her, a slight wave of dizziness falling over her.

"You already know my name, but what you don't know is that the organization you're looking for is known as the Red Room." Natalia spoke, "And I think with your help that we can take it down."

"Wow, very right to the point, I appreciate that Natalia," Adelaide said, "So, what do you know about the Red Room?"

"What don't I know about the Red Room?" Natalia countered, "I've been there basically my entire life."

"Okay," the blonde nodded, "What do I need to know to help?"

Adelaide noticed that she was hesitant to talk, so she wanted to offer some information to maybe comfort her a little. 

"I know that you might've put two and two together, that SHIELD was my chance to get away from my past. Become a new person, or my own person I guess. You can do that too Natalia."

"Okay."

Natalia talked to Adelaide telling her a lot, the blonde of course knew it wasn't everything. After all, what reason did the redhead have to trust her, the entire time Natalia's been at SHIElD, she's been locked away. 

"It's been a week Nick, she's talked," Adelaide spoke, "She needs to not be confined to the interrogation room anymore."

"She's an Assasin, Laurence. I can't just give her, her own room in my organization."Fury deadpanned.

Adelaide sighed, "What if she agrees to join SHIELD, and she can even room with me. I can keep an eye on her."

"I just don't know if it's a good idea."

"Please." Adelaide spoke, "Don't you trust me, Nick?"

"I trust you, Adelaide, it's her that I don't trust." the man stated, and the blonde sighed, "I can handle myself, let me do this. Please."

"Maybe. Talk to her, and measure her reactions to joining SHIELD first."

Adelaide smiled, "Okay, fair enough."