Locked Within Their Labyrinth

A Winters Workings

Ever since Peter had been in hospital Bucky had been withdrawn. He'd distanced himself from the rest of the team and often sat in long silences, pondering. He'd requested for Peter's medical file and found the point of his brain hit by the bullet. Something didn't quite add up. They'd captured Hydra soldiers who were being interrogated at a secure Shield facility but Bucky wondered whether he'd be granted access.

His finger hovered over the dial button of director Fury as he debated on what he should do. He knew Natasha, not as well as Barton, but he still knew her. He knew Natalia, they'd been lovers. But most importantly he knew the Black Widow. She never missed a kill shot, or if she did she always followed it up. Yet she didn't kill Peter. She could of let that agent shoot him, he still growled at the thought of him shoving her around, but she made the shot instead and she didn't kill him.

That bullet, as the surgeons had explained, was lodged between the frontal and temporal lobes. In fact the main problem wasn't the actual placement of the bullet, but more the toxic elements it gave off. The worry was that the toxins would infect his bloodstream and cause brain damage or heart failure. The surgeons had whispered how lucky Peter was, they are forever thankful to Dr Strange and his medical gift.

The case was rare, but it was possible. Only people like himself and Barton could make that shot. She'd gotten good. As a teacher he was proud. As a husband he was concerned.

"We've received radio silence from Coulson and May. They've been silent for 72 hours." Steve stood in the doorway. His arms were crossed as he stared down at his confused and muddled friend. "What are these Buck?" He dragged a scan towards him. "Are these Peter's?" He glanced curiously as Bucky rubbed his forehead and sighed in exhaustion.
"Yeah. I thought it was odd."
"We all did Buck. None of us believed she'd actually shoot him."
"No." He shook his head, his finger finding the point of the bullet. "I mean she could of killed him but she didn't."
"A lucky accident Buck."
"No Steve! You know Natasha probably better than I do, but I know the Black Widow. I know Natalia Romanova and she never misses a kill shot, especially not one as easy as this. I think she's innocent."

Steve shook his head. "We want to believe that Buck, we really do, but we need to face facts. She played us, all of us. It's gone too far now and if you're so sure she's innocent then you're going to have to prove that on your own because otherwise, you have to tell the team and I'm sure Tony won't take too kindly to you defending his son's murderer."
"She's not a murderer Steve! Well, not of Peter anyway."
"I'm sorry Buck, but I don't believe you. Show me evidence and I'll be able to do something but until you can produce solid fact then I'm afraid she's a walking corpse. Her death toll is rising and her death knell is ringing." He patted his friend on the shoulder before getting up.

"You're wrong about her." Steve nodded sadly.
"I hope so. For your sake, and for hers. Unfortunately I've got a case I need to get to. We've lost two of our best agents and I think we all know who's responsible." He left and Bucky slumped in his seat, placing his head in his hands and groaning at the complexity of the woman he fell in love with.

Meanwhile, somewhere cold and uninhabitable, Natasha was pacing the bare study, her hands knotted behind her back as she panicked. She'd been praying to every deity she'd ever learned about that her little spiderling would be ok. He was just a kid. Never stopped you before Natalia whispered snidely in the back of her head. Natasha shoved her away.

Word reached her that Ward had a surprise for her. She hoped that it wasn't another awkward attempt at psychotic flirting. He was messed up, but then so was she. You could use him. She shook her head. The Black Widow was mostly silent, leaving the talking up to her two counterparts. As much as they hated it, they needed each other to work. Natasha was compassionate and trying to be good, something that the others viewed as weak and useless. Natalia was cruel and calculating but detested all forms of intimacy, the only exception being James. And finally the Black Widow. She was a seductress, a murderess. She was the one that got her hands dirty but other than the thrill of perfecting a kill, she was completely emotionless, everything an amusing facade to draw in her prey. Together they created her.

Usually she could control this schizophrenic lunacy, but recently she'd been struggling with her identity. Sometimes she was Natalia and sometimes she was the Black Widow. Being a spy meant she could slip seamlessly into her cover and be a completely different person but now her three voices all wanted control. Natasha was the mediator but Natalia had to take over to push her into making the decisions. That shot with Peter had been a rare moment when all three worked in harmony. However, this constant change that she forces herself through everyday often leaves her confused and muddled, leading to battles of dominance between her three personalities. If only she had James, he understood and he helped. He was the calm of the storm, the solid thing that linked and grounded the three women, just as she was for the three men that lived inside him. James was soft and broken, Bucky was charming and devilish and the Winter Soldier was an unforgivable force of steel and ice. Together they created him.

Without each other to anchor them, both were ticking time bombs. As Natasha slipped into the cool corridors and marched towards the interrogation room, she couldn't help but wonder idly on who would snap first. She was pretty sure she knew the answer as she pushed open the heavy metal doors and surveyed Ward's gift.