Strange Start

Chapter 16

Ice cold.

Steve's P.O.V.

Her voice is colder than her usual. When the jet steadied, I unbuckled my seatbelts and sat on the seat next to hers.

"Nat, you don't have to go there alone." I said as she faced me icily.

"And I am not supposed to even be going there, am I?" she asked, coated with so much frost that made me furrow my brows.

"What do you m-" She heard us. I panicked inside but regained my composure. "How much have you heard?"

"Enough."

"It's not what it looks like, Nat."

"It is what it looks like, Steve."

"Look, that decision was to protect you."

"Protect me from what? From robots? I am capable of protecting mys-"

"That's it! I am protecting you from yourself, damn it!" I bursted. "Now that you know that Ivanov wants you in exchange for James, look what you've done. This is exactly what I've been preventing you from doing! I can't afford losing one for another, Nat. Especially you!!"

"Wants me in exchange for James?" I heared her whisper. "I-I don't understand." my features softened then went to being anxious. She doesn't know. Well, I don't have a choice but to tell her.

"The night James was kidnapped, Ivanov left a letter for you." I sighed. "It says that if you wanted him back, then you should go to the exact place that we're going now, alone. Ivanov wants you to lead the new KGB and build another Red Room. He says that you're the only one that's capable of doing so."

The quinjet fell into silence. She couldn't say anything, just looking at me.

"Y-you. . ." she sniffed then closed her eyes. I tear escaped then she looked away. "You should've told me still."

"Then you'd sneak out of the facility and handle things on your own? Nat-"

"How would you know, Steve?"

"Because I've been with you for the past years and-"

"And in those years you haven't even noticed my efforts to protect you!" I was confused. Why would she bring this up?

"You've always been protecting others, Nat. That's why I made that decision to not let you know."

"And how about you, Steve? You've always been protecting me like I'm some fragile little girl-you've always been like that to everyone-but I let you. I let you protect me as I protect you. But that decision was still unfair, Steve. So unfair. You've chosen that choice to protect me. . . but, you should've also given me a chance to protect my son." I sighed, then I touched her cheek to wipe her tear. It is only now that I understood why she felt that. I've known her for years of fighting by my side, and on the other side, but I never really knew this part of hers, the motherly part.

"I understand. Thank you and I'm sorry, Nat." then she moved her face away then stood up.

"Get ready. We're almost there."

Nat's P.O.V.

There is so much things to take in right on this moment, that it made my tears fall. Right, I am a monster, that should be kept away even from myself. But I'm gonna protect my son even if I have to use that monster in me. I have decided, after saving him, I'm gonna stay away from everyone; the Avengers, SHIELD,. . . and even Steve.

The control beeped as we neared our destination. I got up to prepare and handed Steve a small arm.

"I'll get one when I need one." he declined, then I went back to preparing.

"The last time you were so confident, you were shot right through you and was down for 2 weeks." I smirked. When I looked, I saw Steve's bright face. I rolled my eyes as I walked past him. "We're still not okay."

We landed not too far away from an abandoned submarine facility. Not long, we got off the jet. I admit, it's kinda cute seeing Steve in a hoodie. It's hard to stop myself from teasing, but It's just not appropriate at this situation.

As we reached the facility, we saw two lying robot soldiers. Although it may seem suspicious, we proceeded to the docking area. Three robot soldiers were guarding the area. Steve took care of the one coming to us while I walked in while throwing widow bites at them.

"I specifically told you to come alone Miss Romanoff." We looked at the owner of the voice and see Ivanov standing while his hands in his coat's pocket.

"Ivanov." Steve acknowledge him as he walked to my side.

"Mr. America. I'm surprised you're still up after. . ."

"We're not after your stories Ivanov. Where's our son?" I asked, a bit tensed.

"Oh! Yes yes. I uhmm. . .eehh. . . I might have silenced him a bit." he playfully said while scratching his beard.

"What did you do!?" I know he said that to distract but I couldn't help it.

"Aw, don't you worry. The baby's fine." then he added a teasing laugh. "Natalia, you know everything will be easier if you'd just come with me."

"Don't listen to him, Nat." Steve
reminded. Ivanov laughed.

"They will never understand Natalia. You're meant to lead the KGB. You betrayed you're country for atonement, but you can never be clean. You can never clean the blood from all the innocent you've slayed off your ledger. That's what made-" then a round of gun shots was heard. I looked at Steve and saw him holding an arm pointing to Ivanov. He ushered me to throw a widow bite at Ivanov and I did. He was down but I know it wasn't for long. He struggled to get up but still managed to laugh, his voice sounding robotic.

"You're tough." Steve walked towards Ivanov and hit the gun to his neck that cut it. He took a deep breath and stood up. I saw him clench his hand before facing me.

"That's it for a warm up." another of Ivanov's dummy entered with a troop of robot soldiers. "I know you'd want the harder way."

The soldiers aimed fire and we took cover. "What now?" Steve asked.

"You're the captain, why don't have a plan?"

"I came here unprepared, without my shield and I'm wearing a hoodie." I am quite sure the plan was to attack. We waited for timing then fired, but we were quite surprised to see just 3 robots standing and a man with his back facing us. The rest now were lying. When the enemy's down, he faced us. And it was ridiculously shocking to see a dead old friend standing there, completely healthy.

"Phil!?"

___________
This took me a lifetime.