LRS-Episode II: Black Widow and Hawkeye

Chapter 17

YELENA'S P.O.V.

As Yelena held onto her namesake, she dropped her batons in shock and stared mouth agape at the woman in the truck. She looked the same as when they'd last seen each other, after the aerial Red Room had crashed. Same long coppery hair, slightly thin-faced, and she had the exact same green eyes...

"Eto ya, sestra," (It's me, sister) she said, standing up and walking over to step out of the truck. Yelena was completely silent, trying to find her bearings again amidst the dying chaos. The younger woman reached out and stroked her red hair and cheek with just the slightest tug, making sure it wasn't a second wig. Neither would budge, which shocked her even more.

For the briefest moment, Yelena had wondered if this was just another veil and wig. But she remembered those. Only one of those veils could fit at a time. A second one would fall off her face. Plus, in order to imitate the face and voice, a DNA and voice sample from that person were required. So if that was still true...

"It's really me." Natasha said with emphasis. "And you have to get Lena out of here."

Yelena looked over her shoulder at Kate as she also tugged her night-vision goggles off. The helicopter lay grounded at the far side of the glade, away from the wreckage.

Looking back at Natasha, Yelena saw the older woman smile again.

"You must be Kate. I see you've been taking care of my sister."

The archer nodded hesitantly, seeming at a loss for words. Not nearly as much as Yelena, but still a lot since she was the type who actively followed Avengers news and had sympathized with the others like Clint who lost her.

"So it's... it's really you?" said Kate calmly, more confused than anything since Yelena wasn't striking. "You're back?"

"Mama's here." little Lena smiled. Yelena put the child down gently as a smile formed on her big sister's war-torn face.

SMACK!

"Yelena!" Kate scolded with distress as the hard slap flew across Natasha's face. Little Lena squealed and hid behind Kate, clearly more confused and scared than any of them.

The older sister stood there not bothering to resist Yelena's physical expression of grief. There was a look of understanding in her eyes, as if she were expecting her to do just that. She didn't even bother touching the new red welt on her cheek. She could take a punch easily.

And for right now, Yelena despised that about her. "You... YOU POSER!" she exclaimed, full of anger and grief. "They told me you were dead."

"I was." Natasha nodded.

"How is this possible, then?" Yelena asked loudly.

Her hands and voice shook as she remembered visiting the tombstone with little gifts surrounding it; incense, different flowers, pictures like Jesus or Mary, candles, even small teddy bears. The Black Widow symbol was etched into the tombstone too. So many people had paid their respects to Natasha, and it turned out she wasn't dead!

"How are you here? Why didn't you come back for us? For HER? There's a tombstone back in Ohio, I... I put that gravestone there myself! I MOURNED for you, Natasha!"

"And I hate myself for putting you through that. You, Clint, my friends... my little girl..." she said sadly. "But I couldn't come back. Clint Barton watched me die and told the others what happened. When I was brought back, I had to keep it that way. There's too much at stake here."

"Oh, so would you have shown your face at all if she hadn't been taken?"

"I can't afford to. Not if it wasn't my kid's life on the line. But you and Kate Bishop?" She looked at Yelena and Kate, a proud smile on her face. "You tracked her down on your own. You didn't even need my help. Plus, I'm still technically out of the picture." Natasha laid a reassuring hand on her sister's shoulder. She said fondly, "Yelena, I chose you for a reason. Clint was a strong second when I picked who her next guardian should be. I only wanted his family to bring her up long enough to find you. It was always supposed to be you, moya sestra." (my sister)