Uptown Girl

f o u r t e e n

The boys never saw Natasha again since the day Steve reluctantly let her go.

He shouldn't have, and he regretted it so much now, constantly blaming himself.

She didn't pick up her phone, refused to come out even when they went straight to her house.

They were so worried but none of them could come up with a viable solution to help her. They were just as helpless as she was.

Everyday Natasha hid in her room, her phone in hand, listening to all the voicemails from her friends.

Clint: Tasha, please, I know you need us, so don't hide from us. I'll be waiting for your call, just know that I'll always be there whenever you need me.

Steve: Natasha, we're all so worried, we'll find a way I promise, just...let us be there for you, please Natasha.

Bucky: Babygirl, you were there when I needed help, to encourage me and make everything all right, now let me - us, do that for you. Stop suffering in silence, by doing so, you're making us suffer with you too, do you know that?

Kate: Natasha, you don't have to face this all by yourself, we're here to face it with you. You can't let that jerk win!

Natasha hid her face behind her knees and let the tears fall. Everyone wanted to help her, but she knew that no one could, there was simply no way out of this. She had resigned that the 'best' thing to do was what her parents and the Shostakovs wanted, at least everyone would be appeased. As for herself, it didn't matter anymore.

Natasha felt her tears sting the fresh cuts on her wrist. She knew it was a stupid thing to do, but she needed a temporary relief from all this emotional pain.

Suddenly, Natasha heard the door open and froze.

She lifted her head and saw that it was her fiancé that had walked in. She hurriedly hid the green bear that she was cuddling under her pillow.

"So, are you still in contact with those hooligans? I hope not." He asked, voice low with threat.

"...no."

"Good, you've finally learnt to be obedient." He smiled sinisterly, licking his lips.

Alexi walked over to her and grabbed her wrist. Natasha cried out in pain and struggled to pull her hand away.

"What is this?! How dare you? You belong to me and I didn't give you permission to hurt yourself!" He yanked her off the bed as Natasha whimpered.

This wasn't kindness, this wasn't care, it was far from it. Alexi only got angry because she was ruining her image, his reputation.

"Alexi, please, don't hurt her!" Natasha saw her mother by the door, wringing her hands nervously.

Alexi turned and glared, and Mrs Romanoff was clearly intimidated.

"You've given her to me, all those years ago, so what I do to her is none of your business. You've lost all right to care for her!" Alexi sneered, and slammed the door right in her face.

Natasha's heart plunged now that she was alone with him in the room.

There weren't any customers at the cafe then so Clint and Steve took a rest at one of the booths.

"I just can't accept that there is nothing we can do." Clint said, slamming a hand onto the table top.

Steve sighed, looking out the window worriedly. He pictured Alexi abusing Natasha again and his heart shattered.

"You know what, we should just go to the police and have that jerk reported for all the abuse, yes we should just do that!" Clint concluded, bringing a fist into his palm.

"Are you a moron? Natasha would've done that, the only reason she didn't is because of her parents!" Kate came from behind and slapped the back of Clint's head with a magazine.

Clint scoffed at her.

"So what, you're saying there really is no way out?"

"Seems like it to me." Kate sighed and pushed Clint into the booth so she could take a seat.

"The only way is if Natasha's parents are willing to pay for their mistakes." A fourth voice added.

They looked up to see that it was Bucky who had come to visit.

"How can we convince them? Parenting 101? Yup, 'cause that would be the first rule: never sacrifice your daughter to cover up for your own mistakes!" Clint huffed.

Steve moved inwards so Bucky could have a seat.

"Maybe you're right, Clint. We get the police, not to Alexi, but to Natasha's parents." Bucky said.

"That's as good as turning them in, Natasha wouldn't want that either." Kate supplied.

"No, we get them to turn themselves in." Bucky replied, a sly grin on his face.

"What? How?" Steve asked, beginning to take interest instead of just brooding.

"First of all, we need to discuss this with the police, and possibly a lawyer."

A week later, after the cafe was closed, two men arrived and were let in.

"Thanks for coming, Coulson! And you too, Mr Murdock." Bucky shook hands with the both of them.

They took seats at a large table.

"So James and friends, will you explain the situation to me and Matt?"

The boys and Kate spent the next hour explaining Natasha's situation.

"Hmm there indeed seems to be no obvious way about this." Coulson said, touching a finger to his chin.

"So can you do that kind of 'bargain with the underlings in order to catch the mastermind' kinda thing?" Clint asked.

They all looked at him.

"What? They always do that in movies and dramas."

"It's...not really an underling and mastermind thing...this is...so much more complicated." Matt supplied, "I guess we could do a little bargain with a shorter jail term...but that's about all."

"In addition, appeal to their humanity, or...whatever's left of it." Kate shrugged.

"Don't worry, I'll look them up and try to present it in a way that everyone benefits, except Alexi though, he's definitely secured a place in jail." Coulson smiled.

Everyone nodded, hoping it would all turn out okay.

After Coulson and Matt left, the three friends looked at Bucky, impressed.

"Wow, I didn't know you had such connections." Steve smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Remember that time I got caught for taking revenge on those boys who beat you up on your behalf?" Bucky asked Steve, "Well, Coulson was in charge of that case and he's a really good man, that's all I would say. I knew he would help."

Steve chuckled and nodded.

"What about that blind lawyer?"

"I bumped into him one day and he happened to drop his business card so..." Bucky smiled sheepishly.

"Ever the resourceful one, Barnes." Kate smirked.

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