Disclaimer and notes: Most of these characters are original characters belonging to marvel. However, some of Natasha's marks and tutors will have been created by me, though that's a matter for the future. I plan on making this a full on origin story, though continuing in her future. Some of the details might be wrong, as my history skills aren't that great, but I'll make an attempt to get everything right and canon. Her name is Natalia in the first chapters for a reason, but it'll change when the story progresses. Hope you enjoy!

Atrocious screams of absolute abhorrence consumed the chaotic environment of Stalingrad, Russia. Reverberations of the consequences of numerous, horrendous citizen causalities audible even up above in heaven. The desperate, hopeless lamentation of the children on the pavements could penetrate even the most merciless human's conscience and devastate them from within. Nevertheless, alas, that didn't prevent the Nazi soldiers from brutally and barbarically murdering children and adults alike. Nor did it stop them from setting countless houses ablaze, including the mansion the young Natalia Romanova and her parents currently inhabited and had inhabited since her birth circa 1928, when Stalingrad was still named Tsaritsyn. It was the 27th of August now and Natalia was none more but a mere teenager, somewhere in between being an adult and a child, and the age of 14. Whereas other teenagers comparable to herself all across the globe had to deal with annoying parents, a tremendous load of homework, pretentious romances and bad breakups, Natalia had to deal with both that and the destruction of the place she once called home. Needless to say, things weren't looking up for her.

She had watched the fight progress since the first day it had begun, even though even a blind person could've seen that the danger had been lurking in the shadows for quite some time. Her parents, her home, her friends: They were all being threatened. Life as she knew it had been endangered and yet Natalia could do nothing but stand there and watch as people died. The hopelessness that consumed her was indescribable, but the feeling only overwhelmed her further as the enemies approached, moving forward like a tsunami with the shots from their guns loud as thunder. Everywhere explosions went off, even despite the government's reassurance that the threat would be neutralized within the first couple of days. The foolish faith people had had in their leaders and soldiers, the underestimation of the situation and the unpreparedness regarding it had eventually lead to their demise. Even her parents, her mum and dad, had not considered the danger of the situation to a full extend.

So now their house was on fire while they were still inside it and her mum was screaming, the stench of burned flesh in the air as the young Natalia maneuvered around the flames the best she could towards her mother. Her world was ablaze, the smoke that emerged from the burning corpse before her and her former home as well as the horrible situation causing tears to well up in her eyes. Somewhere in the distance she heard the most bone-chilling scream ever and it took her some time before she realised the sound had emerged from her, though then her mother had already snaked her arms around her, dragging her towards the window. Natalia struggled, naturally, not understanding of whatever was happening and not wanting to be separated from her father – or rather, his burning remains -, though then neither did she want to be swallowed by the flames. Her mother knelt before her, brushing her daughter's red curlicues out of her face, all while flames engulfed their house and approached them with a rapidness that she had never seen before. Nonetheless, her mother's voice was controlled when she spoke and her expression was compassionate. Natalia saw her own blue eyes staring back at her as she looked up to the last one of her parents standing,

'' Моя дорогая, милая дочь. Я люблю тебя. Мы любим вас и мне очень жаль.'' This was her mother, her dearest mother, talking to her almost as if though this was the end. The thought of that scared Natalia to no end, but she had to strong, would always have to be strong from now on and she knew it too. Her mum said she loved her, they had loved her, which Natalia believed, though the last part she didn't understand. What on earth was she sorry for? It was then that her mother wrapped her strong arms around her daughter's body once again all whilst making a valuable attempt to ignore the flames that were now licking at her heels and threw her out of the window. Glass shattered, swirled around her as the young teenager was carried on the strong wind. For the smallest of moments Natalia floated through the air, then she fell. Her gut clenched together, but not only because of her unfortunate descend towards the ground. No, where her mother had been seconds ago, was now a burning figure, the skin black and unidentifiable. As the burning corpse too fell forward, tumbled out of the window downwards towards the ground, Natalia collided with the surface beneath harshly. Somewhere she heard soldiers scream, though she wasn't entirely sure whether they were enemies or friends, neither did she care. All that mattered right now was the fact that her parents were dead, dead and gone, and that she was undeniably, terribly alone. ''I love you too, mother.'' The teenager that had seen too much whispered in Russian. Then the darkness devoured her. She let it.