Winter's Widow

Chapter 32

Natasha's pov:

I was walking around down town, window shopping alone because Clint was visiting home. With a job as a shield agent, he doesn't get to visit the wife and kids often. Bucky was supposed to meet me here 10 minutes ago, so he should be here soon. Probably traffic. I had felt like someone was following me for a while, and I had turned out to be right. I have mirrors on the sides of the sunglasses that I'm wearing, so I can see behind me. It's a tall, pale man with red hair and what looks like blue eyes. He's been trailing behind me for half an hour. He looks familiar, but I can't quite place him. I hope Bucky meets me here soon, because this is getting ridiculous. I'm not sure if he knows that I've noticed him, but he's following about 20 feet behind me. He looks familiar, maybe I should confront him. I stop walking and stare at a window to a shop. I glance to the side to see that he stopped too. I decide to confront him. I star walking again and look in the rear view mirror to see that he's walking again too. That confirms that he's following me. I see Bucky walking towards me on the street across. I turn a corner into a dark alley, hoping the strange red head follows me into my trap. In the rear view mirror I saw Bucky had a confused and concerned expression, almost angry. The redhead appears in the alley way behind me. I walk deeper into the alley way. He follows. I stop and turn around to face him. He continues walking towards me until we are a mere 3 feet apart.

"The lovely Natalia Romanova." He says in a familiar voice.

Now I know who it is, I've gotten a closer look.

"Alexi Shostakov." I respond.

"How have you been, beautiful?" He asks in a smooth voice, taking a step closer.

"What do you want?" I ask. I see a dark figure in my peripheral vision.

"...You. To come back to me, my love." He says.

"Not gonna happen." I tell him.

"You will, actually." He responds, taking out a small box.

He opens the box to reveal a gold ring. It was my wedding ring. He saved it.

"Try and make me." I say.

He grabs my hand, pulling me closer, and puts it on me. He puts away the box, and examines the ring. He looks so proud. It's sick. He releases my hand and looks me in the eyes.

"I will. You are my wife, and I'm taking you back." He lifts my chin.

There is less than a foot of space between us now.

"I am not your wife." I take his hand off me.

"You are, Natalia. Whether you want to be or not." He says sternly.

"Never." I snap.

"Natalia, this is not up for discussion. You're mine, and you're coming with me." He snaps back, grabbing my wrist tightly.

"No, she's not." I hear a familiar voice, and Alexi turns around.

"Let her go." The soldier continues. He looks pissed.

Alexi lets go of me and crosses his arms.

"Well, if it isn't the Winter Soldier." He chirps.

"Yeah, that's me. You can fuck off now." Bucky says, crossing his arms.

"Hmmmmmm, no. You see, Natalia here is my wife, and I'd like to take her back." Alexi explains.

"You can't have her." Bucky says, monotone.

"Really? Why is that?" Alexi asks with a grin.

"She belongs to nobody. If you think she's containable, then you're just as stupid as the rest of them." Bucky responds.

"You'd be surprised what we can do with modern technology." Alexi squints his eyes.

"That still wouldn't be enough. You can't contain her, so don't even try." Bucky cocks his head.

"It's a good thing Hyrda wants you alive, or else I'd have killed you by now." Alexi says.

"Oh really? Why is that?" Bucky asks, monotone.

"First, you're a traitor to Hyrda. Then, you steal my wife." Alexi cocks his head to the side.

"I didn't steal her, she left you." Bucky snaps.

"It was your decision to stick around her. You still could have left her alone." He snaps back.

"Why don't you?" Bucky asks.

"Do you not see the ring?"

"The ring's not a symbol of ownership." I jump in the argument.

"You are mine, Talia. Hydra wants you back, and you're coming with me." He grabs my wrist again, cutting off the blood flow to my hand.

"Let go of her." Bucky growls.

"Make me." Alexi sneers.

"Fine."

Bucky throws a punch that Alexi dodges. He lets go of me to fight Bucky. Next thing I know, They're throwing punches left and right. Kicking, choking, slamming each other into walls. It's just a big violent mess. I never thought I'd have to see two of the scariest people I know fight. The Red Guardian and The Winter Soldier. Bucky throws Alexi across the alley way. Bucky grabs my hand tightly with his metal arm, and he drags me out of the dark alley way. I turn around to see Alexi, a pile on the floor, staring back at me. He flashes the ring he's wearing at me; a reminder that he'll never leave me. Bucky drags me all the way to the car he brought and speeds off.

"Natalia, what the fuck was that? Are you ok?" He asks me, sounding pissed.

"I'm fine. That was my ex husband, Alexi Shostakov. The Red Guardian." I respond monotone.

"Ex husband? The Red Guardian? You were married to that asshole? Why?" He raises his voice.

"It was an arranged marriage. I never loved him, but he felt differently about me." I say, examining the cursed ring on my finger.

He sees the ring and can feel the anger burning inside of him. I take the ring off and put it in my pocket as to not anger him more.

"And now he wants you back? Why the fuck didn't you tell me about this?" He snaps.

"It wasn't important." I reply.

"Wasn't important? He could have hurt you before, and I wouldn't have known!" He shouts, anger boiling in his chest.

"He wouldn't dare hurt me." I try to ease him down.

"I think he would. He was following you, Nat! You went down into the creepy dark alley?! You are so reckless! What if he hurt you down there? Nobody would see! You'd be alone with that creep!" He's losing his shit.

"I can defend myself, Barnes!" I snap.

"I know, I just don't want you to have to! Especially not that guy! He was tough too! It wouldn't have been an easy fight!" He says angrily.

"Barnes..."

"What?"

"It's ok."

"No, it's really not."

"I'm fine, and so are you." I ease the soldier.

"..."

"Don't pull that shit again. When someone is following you, don't go down a dark alley alone. Got it?" He asks.

"Fine. No promises though." I smirk.

"Nuh uh. I need a promise." He shuts me down.

"No."

Bonus:

I see Natasha walking on the sidewalk across from me. I smile at her, then realize she's being followed by some tall red head. She seems to know already. I look back at Nat and see her walking down a dark alley alone. I stop dead in my tracks. Did she really just do that? Goddammit. I watch as the creepy stalker speeds up and follows her down there.

Oh hell no.