look after you × winterwidow & oc

I. how's my favourite agent?

italics indicate russian, all translations can be found at the end

2014

"GSW, she's lost at least a pint."

"Maybe two."

"Let me take her."

"She'll want to see them first."

Natasha gave Maria a confused look as they continued leading her down a long corridor. She was starting to get a little bit groggy due to the blood loss and seeing Nick only added to her disorientation. He started explaining, listing his injuries as Natasha's wound was being taken care of. None of this made sense. She was hurting, not only physically. Part of her felt betrayed. Fury's words about not knowing who to trust echoed through her head over and over again. One of the first people that showed her trust in years, now made her feel worthless. Again.

It was Nick's voice again, which brought her back to reality, away from these miserable thoughts.

"There's one more person I think you'd like to see." he grimaced while adjusting his position in bed "Probably even more than me. Maria will take you."

Fury nodded at the said woman. She answered the same way before gesturing to another corridor. This time the way was much shorter and Natasha was starting to feel better, yet the moment Hill opened a door, she only saw one thing.

A petite figure sitting on a low military bed spun around, the rapid movement creating a halo out of her hair. Her eyes widened in recognition and before Natasha even had a chance to think how in the world did she get there, Katya was wrapping her arms around her waist.

"What are you doing here, sweetheart?" she pulled her closer and put one arm around her back, the other hand caressing the girl's hair, despite the sting of pain in her wounded arm.

Natasha turned her head to look at Maria, looking for some answers.

"Fury contacted Barton the moment he was able to. Explained everything and then send me to take her away." Hill explained. "You know better than anyone how much risk she was at. It's a miracle Hydra hasn't found her earlier."

Natasha knew she was right. They were protecting the girl, getting her as far away as possible from her past. But that didn't change the fact that she was mad. Extremely mad that they made such an important decision without letting her know. She was at Nick, at Maria, at Clint and Laura. Of course, they all wanted what was best for her.

But it was her child. No one else's, but hers.

Well, aside from her biological father who just shot Natasha.

Then it struck her that she was the one to fail her the most. Because she didn't think about it. She just assumed she was safe at the Barton's like she always was. Only then she started to realize that since Hydra was infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. for decades, they could've known about Katya all this time. That she was alive all this time. But if they did why didn't they use that knowledge? Or was Fury just that good? Would he put so much effort into protecting one child?

And the Project Insight. With all her abilities and strengths, Katya must've been on the list. As terrifying and even nauseating as that thought was to Natasha she knew that in the wrong hands, this child could've been even more dangerous. God, she could've been like him. After all her planned pseudonym wasn't accidental. Winter Widow. It doesn't get more obvious than that.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Natasha asked. Hesitation flashed across Hill's face, she avoided Romanoff's gaze. "Why, Maria?"

"Fury didn't want to distract you even more."