Natasha surveyed the rundown bar, calculating possible exits and threats. Even on her night off, she couldn't shake the job. She sighed before pulling up a stool. She motioned to the bartender.

'Give me your strongest Russian vodka, leave the bottle.'

She paid and accepted the slightly dusty bottle from the man. I am getting drunk tonight, she thought. Barton had missed 3 extractions on a mission. He had been declared MIA. It's not like this hadn't happened before, he probably just blacked out in a motel or something. Even so, she was getting drunk, and it was times like this where she hated her high alcohol tolerance. She took a shot, and then another, relishing in the burn down her throat.

Skye hated the 3rd of December. Ever since she was a child. Back then, she would lock herself in her room, and cry and scream at the world. Now, she would drink. Today, was the anniversary of when she was left at the orphanage. They didn't know when she was born, so they used today as her birthday. every year, the nuns would force her to celebrate the worst day of her life.

Skye walked around New York, searching for a cheap bar, till she found a shabby, hole in the wall. She walked in and straight to bar.

'Hey, can I have a double shot of the strongest alcohol you have.'

The bartender gestured to the woman two seats down, a red-head.

'That would be what she's having. Hey, lady, you mind sharing?' He asked the redhead.

She shrugged, and pulled up a chair. The two women sat there in silence for 5 minutes, before Natasha got curious. She had just watched the woman down 4 straight shots, without so much as a wince.

'What happened? Rough day?'

Skye fiddled with her shot glass, before replying,

'More like, rough 20 years... It's my birthday.'

She said the last words sarcastically, hating the words before they had left her mouth.
Natasha nodded, and Skye continued,

'Well, not really, today is the anniversary of the day I was dumped on the doorstep of an orphanage, without so much as a name.'

Tasha felt sorry for the girl. She wished Clint was here though, he would know what to say. She had never been good at comforting.

'What about you? You don't seem like one to drink for the taste.'

Tasha sighed and went with the truth...partially.

'I'm in the army. My partner went on a solo mission, and hasn't come back. He was declared MIA today.'

'Shit I'm sorry, that sucks.'

'Yeah, it does.' Natasha agreed.

They continued to drink, steadily, and Skye began to rant about how fucked up life was, and Natasha couldn't help but agree.

'Today always reminds me of what I could have had, you know, a family, a home, a normal fucking life. It's all one big slap in the face. How do you live with the fact that your own parents gave you away like a piece of trash? It makes me feel worthless.'

Natasha only nodded, unsure what to say. She had felt like that, a million times over, except she wasn't given away, she was taken.

Tasha tensed, as a few seats down, she heard two men talking.

'The brunette looks ready to go. With what she's been drinking, we won't even have to knock her out.'

The second man chuckled,

'Yeah, but slip some in the redheads drink, she's not even tipsy.'

Tasha's mind was racing. She had to help this woman, she was completely wasted, and it was clear what these men wanted. She watched the men approach them, and as one started to talk to Skye, the other nocked in her, dropping a pill in her drink as he passed. She pretended to drink, as she saw the first man pull Skye out the door. She followed, pretending to sway, as if drowsy. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the second man follow her out. Perfect.

She saw the first man pull Skye down an alley way, and began to hear Skye protest.

'No, get off... Get off me.' She said feebly.

Tasha turned around on the spot, suddenly, and the second man was only a few feet behind her. She ran at him and swung her fist in his face. He groaned, before she jabbed him in the stomach. As the man doubled over, she gave him a hard blow to the back of his head, and he dropped like a weight.

Skye was terrified. Of one time she got drunk, in the past couple of months, she had to run into this guy. She struggled against the vice grip on her wrists, but he didn't budge. She felt him press himself against her, as he backed her hard against the wall of the alley. Her mind, buzzing from the copious amount of alcohol she had drank, did not register as she saw someone slink up behind the man. She heard a bang as the man dropped to the ground, having just been hit with a metal pipe.

Finally, Skye registered who it was, the redhead from the bar.

'Hey, we should get you home.'

Skye nodded, and pointed to her van that was parked down the road.

'Na uh, you are not staying in there, in your state, I think I saw a hotel down the street.'

She pulled a swaying Skye down the street, and into a hotel, and say her down in the waiting room, and went up to the reception desk.

'Hello, can I have a room for two, deprecate beds, please, for one night? Great, thanks.' She paid and got the key card from the receptionist.

Getting Skye into bed was easier than expected. She just pushed her down and wrapped the covers round her, and she was gone. She moved round to the mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of water and some aspirin, putting it on Skye's bedside table. She smiled briefly, as Skye mumbled in her sleep, something about Iron Man.

Natasha was confused. She didn't do friendly civilian encounters, yet here she was, tucking one in. She chose not to dwell on it, ignoring how relatable she had felt listening to Skye's story, and got into her bed. She shut of the lamp and closed her eyes, easing into sleep, slowly, than all at once.

When Skye woke, her head was pounding. She didn't know where she was. She looked around her, and saw an empty bed beside her. Was she in a hotel?

She looked at her bedside table and saw water, aspirin and a note.
Grabbing the aspirin and water, she soothed thee headache, before picking up the note.

Hey,

Just wanted to meek sure you are okay. I don't know if you remember much of last night but I didn't want to leave you alone in your van. I hope the hangover isn't too bad. Sorry I have to leave, I just heard from my partner, the one who was missing. I hope you have a happier life.
Tasha, the redhead from the bar.

Suddenly the night before came rushing back to her, the vodka, Tasha's partner...the alleyway...
Skye couldn't help but feel grateful the Tasha, a complete stranger.
It was then that she promised herself, she would never be helpless again.