Covert Affair | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 46: The Queen

AN: Get the tissues guys. (If you saw published before.... No you didn't)
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As the room cleared out, Natasha and Jenna found themselves alone in the quiet of the Avengers compound. Jenna glanced over at Natasha, her eyes betraying the turmoil of her emotions.

"Hi," Jenna began casually, her voice breaking the silence that had settled in the room.

Natasha managed a small smile, though her heart felt heavy with the weight of what she needed to confess. "You had me worried there for a moment," she admitted, her tone soft, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Mmhm," Jenna murmured, acknowledging Natasha's concern, but there was an underlying tension in her voice.

"How are you feeling?" Natasha asked, genuine concern lacing her words, though she dreaded what might come next.

Jenna hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering away before returning to meet Natasha's. "Can I ask you something?" she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah" Natasha's voice trailed off, sensing the gravity of Jenna's inquiry.

"How can you still stand there and lie to me like you actually care about me?" Jenna's voice cracked, the pain evident in her words, her eyes searching Natasha's for answers.

Natasha's gaze fell to the floor, unable to meet Jenna's eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, Jenna. I was just following orders."

"Orders?" Jenna's voice rose, her disbelief tinged with a bitter edge. "Is that all I am to you? Just another mission to complete?"

Natasha's voice quivered as she desperately tried to explain, her heart heavy with the weight of Jenna's accusation. "Please, listen to me. I know it seems impossible to believe now, but our plan to leave, to disappear—it was me trying to find a way out. I did it for Fury, but the moment I realized my feelings for you, I wanted out. I wanted to leave all of this behind, with you."

Jenna's eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling with hurt and anger. "Then why didn't you tell me?" she cried out, her words echoing with the pain of betrayal. "You kept lying to me, Natasha. Do you know how much it hurt for me to find out? Do you know how I found out? I found out trying to save you!"

Natasha's heart shattered at Jenna's words, the realization of the pain she had caused crashing down on her like a tidal wave. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to lie to you. But I was scared, I was... I was afraid of losing you if you found out."

But Jenna's gaze remained cold, her walls closing in around her as she struggled to come to terms with Natasha's betrayal. "You were afraid of losing me?" she repeated, her voice hollow with disbelief. "Natasha, you've already lost me. You lost me the moment you chose to keep secrets from me, the moment you chose to betray my trust."

The silence stretched between them, heavy with the weight of unspoken words and shattered dreams. Natasha's throat tightened with the pain of Jenna's accusation, the weight of her own guilt threatening to crush her beneath its suffocating embrace. "I was scared," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "Scared Fury was going to doubt my loyalty again, but it was never about Fury. It was about you. I realized that my loyalties were with you; and it will always be. But it hurt, especially after Fury faked his death and thought he couldn't trust me enough to tell me, but then I was scared of losing you if I told you. But I've already lost you, haven't I?"

Jenna's heart felt heavy ,"But what about me, Natasha? What about my trust, my feelings in all of this?" She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing, "Fury disregarded your trust, but I didn't. I believed in you and gave you my trust, Natasha, despite everything. And what did I get in return? More secrets, more lies. And now, you invloved Mabel and Lily and that crossed another line than trust. History is repeating itself. You say your loyalties lie with me, but actions speak louder than words, Natasha. And right now, your actions speak of betrayal and deception. You, Nick, Maria don't trust me, Natasha. And maybe, just maybe, you guys never did." Jenna's gaze was cold, her expression hardened by the weight of Natasha's betrayal. "So tell me, How am I supposed to believe anything you say now?" she whispered, her voice barely audible above the pounding of her heart. "You were supposed to be the one person I could trust."