The third Chapter is here! Thumbs up for a little Mayday Parade reference. Let me know if you pick it out! Enjoy!
"I'm okay, Nasha," Czarina promised the red head after she had vomited.
"We need to get you help," Natasha said.
"I feel better," Czarina said.
"You need medical attention," Natasha replied strictly.
"I don't want to," Czarina squished her brows together, pulling a grumpy kid face.
"Czarina," Natasha said. "Вы больно. Мы спасем тебя." (You are hurt. We will save you.)
"Нет, Черная Вдова. Я сильная," Czarina replied. (No, Black Widow. I am strong.)
"Ты ребенок." Natasha grumbled. (You are a child) "Пожалуйста, царица" (Please Czarina)
"Ты не семь, когда вы присоединились, Наташа? Я буду бороться до конца."
(Were you not seven when you joined, Natasha? I will fight to the end.)
"Вы не должны действовать таким образом. Мы не в Красном зале." Natasha shook her head. (You don't have to act this way. We're not in the Red Room.)
"Я понимаю. Я хочу спать." Czarina said. (I understand, I want to sleep.)
Natasha sighed. She knew that Czarina was a warrior, a fighter. She would not accept help from strangers. She sighed, "Идите вперед, любить."
(Go ahead, love.)
Natasha watched sadly as the girl plodded over to her chair. Natasha sat on the edge of her bed, head in her hands. She sighed heavily.
Czarina was only 7. She was too young. Her head hurt, her stomach burned and she knew she was dying. What came after death, Czarina did not know. What she did know was that it was often seen as relief from the girls in the Red Room. They could fight and shoot and stab but they wore down over time. Death was like a welcomed friend, a break from the real world. When she had woken up, Clint had returned. She sat on her cozy armchair and watched as her heroes talked quietly. She thought that they were as close of a mommy and daddy as she would ever get. Clint was strong. He had a kind face and he was warm like a dad should be. He cared about her and that was the best part. Czarina smiled weakly. Natasha was nice as well. Natasha understood her and tried to be a mommy. She wasn't very good at it, but Czarina had to admit she loved her anyway. Czarina was glad she had met the two assassins. She had never met two people as cool as them. She smiled a weak smile and turned over, sleep taking her in it's grasp.
Clint and Natasha glanced at the girl, constantly making sure she was breathing.
"We need this storm to clear up, Clint," Natasha choked. Clint had not taken the news of Czarina's illness well. She knew that he wouldn't, but watching him break down was heartwrenching. Being her only anchor in life, he kept her grounded. He unraveled and she did too.
"We cannot wait!" Clint's desperation was raising. "We need to call SHIELD now."
"You can try, Clint." Natasha looked down at the ground, her heart sinking. "We didn't get a signal a minute ago."
"I will do everything in my power to save that little girl," Clint got a look in his eyes, ageing his face by years. "Oh, Nat. Nat.."
Natasha took his face in her hands. She took a shaky, breath and began tried to put him back together. If she did not do it, no one would. Clint fell into pieces, and she fell into him. "Clint, we will do everything in our power to get her out."
Clint leaned into her hands, nuzzling closer. He breathed steadily and looked Natasha in the eyes. "Tasha."
"We will get her out." Tasha's eyes had the Black Widow behind them. She looked strong and broken all at the same time. "But we must keep her safe for now."
"You would make a wonderful mother," Clint whispered.
"I would make a terrible mother," Natasha let out a strangled choke of a laugh.
"Maybe." Clint chuckled breathily.
"You know it." Natasha managed to roll her eyes.
"I do," Clint smirked half heartedly, "But I love you."
Natasha muttered a response into his chest as he turned on her communicator band. He would try again and again. After an hour, he finally got a patchy connection.
"Fury, thank goodness." Clint sighed into the mic.
"Barton, where the hell have you been?"
"Russia. Where the hell else?" Clint growled. "Get us out. We have a sick girl."
"Are you going to pick up a girl everytime I send you to Russia?"
"She is seven years old." Clint released a string of profanities. "Get. us. out."
"We'll be there in four hours,"Fury answered gruffly. "Get ready to go."
Natasha hummed sadly and kissed him lightly on the nose. "We will get through this."
"Like Budapest." Clint said.
"And Bhali."
"And Tokyo."
"Or San Francisco."
"And our first date."
Natasha lost it at the mention of their first date. She started laughing like she hadn't in years. Maybe if she were more sane it wouldn't have come out choking and gasping but Clint did not think anything of it and joined in, desperate for a little light.
The night was not funny, but rather it summed up their crazy and maniacal life together. It had started with a mission as most everything does. They won, the extraction team came in for the bodies, and they fled the scene. Natasha had specks of her own blood and maybe someone else's covering her left cheek. Clint's right arm was dislocated. They limped onto a Chicago street, the street lights making them look as pale and washed out as they felt. Clint took her hand in his and looked at her. He cleaned a speck of blood from the corner of her eye with his thumb. Light blue met emerald green.
'Want to go get a bite to eat?' Clint asked her suddenly.
Natasha looked at him as if he were the dumbest butt known to mankind.
'I'm hungry, I'm tired,' Clint sighed, 'And you manage to still look beautiful.'
Clint would have sworn she had blushed, but maybe it was the faint glow of gore on her face. Clint shrugged it off and took her hand in his. 'Shall we?'
'Clint,' Natasha sighed, 'Where will we go, all torn up like this?'
'I was thinking a bar,' Clint replied with a grin.
'Oh, classy,' Natasha rolled her eyes. She snuggled up on his side as they walked, anyway. She would insist it had been to support him on his aching legs.
There was pizza. They fought over something then there was beer. Soon after came some very sloppy kisses received by Clint. And then came the Russian Vodka. After that, the night went extremely well for the pair. Members of society within hearing distance of theirs may have complained but they were pretty happy. Natasha fell asleep, injuries forgotten, in Clint's arms that night. It was the first and most definitely not the last time.
Natasha giggled mercilessly into Clint's chest. Her giggles were turning into sobs slowly. Clint pulled Nat to his chest securely. He rubbed smooth circles around the small of her back. He could hear her uttering in Russian. When Natasha was at her weakest, she would cry in Russian. Clint pressed her lips to her head. "We should wake her."
Natasha wiped at her eyes. "Yeah."
"Come on." Clint offered her a numb smile. She took his hand.
It took ten minutes to wake Czarina. She was lethargic in sitting up. Her muscles were weak. She looked at them as if she were in a daze.
"Mommy, Daddy," Czarina groaned, "I'm not doing so good."
Natasha choked on her words. "Wake up, sweetie."
"We have doctors coming." Clint promised.
"Stay awake." Natasha cried.
"I... can't." Czarina said.
"Don't you leave..."
"Nat.." Clint tried to stop his distraught partner.
"No!" Natasha yelled. "Her life has been bad. She can't just leave. We- you promised her a chance. We could have gotten her a family. We could have gotten her out!"
"Not yer fault." Czarina looked Natasha in the eyes. Her eyes were strong, she was a fighter.
"No, it is..." Natasha cried. "It is. I was their model student. I was... It's my fault."
"No." Clint said firmly.
"What.. daddy said." Czarina mumbled again.
"It's okay." Czarina whispered. "I'm okay to die with you as my mommy and daddy."
"You-" Natasha stopped.
"You'll be okay." Clint finished for her.
"It's okay, Mommy," Czarina smiled. "Don't cry for me."
Natasha placed her hand lightly on Czarina cheek. "Don't talk like that."
"S'okay, Nasha," Czarina blinked away her sleepiness.
Clint placed a hand on Natasha's back again. He was uncharacteristically quiet.
Czarina closed her eyes again. "It's so warm."
"Please." Clint whispered.
"I feel better." Czarina choked out. "It's nice."
Natasha buried her head in Clint's shoulder. She would not watch this deterioration. Clint kept his eyes fixed on the little girl.
"I love you, mommy," Czarina rasped. "I love you, Daddy. I'm glad I got parents for a little. I'm so happy."
"Sleep well, my love," Clint said softly. He brushed her cheek with a kiss.
Author's note: I'm sorry. Really, I am. It's uh, sad times... One or two chapters left. Hope you stick around. Let me know what you think!