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Chapter 10

She called in any favor and offered new ones to her contacts in exchange for information on Yelena's whereabouts. Natasha had killed a lot of people in her life, she had no idea how high her kill count for and against this country was but she never wanted to kill anyone as bad as Yelena. Not even Madam B.

Fury drove her himself and she was more and more convinced that there was a mole within SHIELD. How else could Yelena know that Natasha loved Captain America? She had looked into the camera to tease her, to make sure that she was going after her. If it had been about Steve, she wouldn't have shown her face to make sure no one would come for him. Yelena was using Steve as bait. Natasha knew she was running into a trap but she didn't care. She would find him and save him no matter what it cost her. She should have killed that bitch years ago. Yelena who thought she was a better Black Widow and wanted to take her place because everyone knew who the rightful Black Widow was -Natasha and she would make sure that Yelena would experience firsthand why she was the best at this game. She would kill her slowly, maybe let her bleed to death over the course of a few days. Natasha smirked to herself. She would make Yelena beg for her death. Did she really think she could take the man that Natasha loved and get away with it?

Fury drove the SUV into an underground garage and led her through a tunnel to an underground base. She had a feeling Fury also suspected that SHIELD had a mole because only a handful of agents were here and this was definitely not the New York Office. So who was the mole? Who knew about her relationship with Steve? Fury and Clint did but she knew that they weren't the leak. Hill and Coulson probably also knew about them but they were loyal to SHIELD. Sam knew about them but she didn't think he had any connections to the Red Room. Did anyone else know about them? She racked her brain but couldn't think of anymore names.

Clint, Maria and Coulson were waiting for them in a windowless conference room. Tracking programs were running in the background and she prayed for a miracle that they would find Steve soon.

"Hey, Tasha." Clint gave her a small smile and she nodded at him.

"No suspicious planes have left New York since Rogers' disappearance, Sir." Coulson reported. "We don't think they left the city with him."

"No, she wants me to find her. She's still in the city." Natasha could practically feel Yelena's smugness thinking that she had the upper hand. She would make sure that little bitch would feel her full wrath. She looked at her colleagues. "SHIELD is compromised."

Hill nodded. "Yeah, we already got that."

"No one outside this room knows about your... relationship with Captain Rogers, Natasha." Coulson said uncomfortable. "We can't explain how Belova knew to take Rogers to get to you. Your relationship never made it into the official files and SHIELD wasn't hacked. We checked."

"Is there anyway she could have been spying on you, Tasha?"

"No, I would have noticed if someone was watching me." She closed her eyes to concentrate. Who could it be? Who would betray SHIELD, put Captain America in danger and wouldn't mind her getting killed? Oh God, she should have realized that sooner. "Rumlow! It's Rumlow. He's the mole. I saw him when I was on...when I was on a date with Steve, I was sure he didn't see us but maybe he did. Or he had a suspicion and Steve quitting and my transfer to Europe confirmed it."

"He also seemed jealous of Cap's abilities and body." Clint agreed. She knew she could count on him to back her theory up. "And he was jealous that all the ladies at SHIELD were drooling over him."

"Not all the ladies!" Maria huffed.

Clint rolled his eyes. "Fine, 99,9% of the ladies. And I think we were all aware that Rumlow wanted to fuck Natasha pretty much since the day she started working here."

"A hurt male ego?" Fury asked. "Rumlow is a former Navy Seal."

"He's an asshole." Coulson suddenly said. "Maybe he didn't do it out of pettiness because Captain America had the woman he wanted to-" Oh God, was Coulson going to say fuck?! "Sleep with but for other reasons. Money is always a compelling reason and Rumlow likes a certain lifestyle."

Fury clenched his jaw clearly unhappy that one of his men betrayed him. "Fine. If you're right you can do with him what you want, Romanoff."

She nodded knowing that Fury gave her the authorization to kill Rumlow. She just knew that he was the mole. There was no doubt in her mind. He was the mole and he would pay for it.

That conversation distracted her briefly from Steve but now she was focused on him again. God, they could be torturing him right now or Yelena could force...No, don't think like that. She needed to find Steve fast. She knew that she would locate them soon because Yelena wanted her to find her but she needed to know NOW were the love of her life was. She sat down on the table behind her at that realization. That was the first time she referred to Steve as the love of her life but that was what he was. She knew she would never love anyone else. It didn't matter that he didn't love her, her heart would always belong to him.

"Nata-" Coulson began but then his phone rang. He picked up. "Aha...I see...Thanks, Fitz." Coulson ended the call and looked up with a frown on his face. "A pair of magnetic handcuffs has been taken from the armory at the Triskelion four days ago. By Rumlow."

Natasha growled and kicked the chair in front of her. Rumlow didn't just leak information, he was actively helping Yelena. What did she promise him in return? That she would sleep with him so he could at least fuck one Black Widow? "I'm gonna kill him."

"You have my full support." Maria mumbled and looked concerned. "We need to find Rogers, sir."

Fury was giving out orders to Coulson to interrogate the rest of STRIKE to find out more. Her phone in her hand vibrated and she opened a text from Matt.

I think I found your friend.

Another text followed with Matt's location. He was at an empty warehouse in Hell's Kitchen. The perfect place to hide someone. She walked outside the room to the hallway until she found what she was looking for. Her suit and gear were in another room and she quickly changed.

Clint was waiting for her when she was done and walked into the hallway. "You know where he is?"

"I think so."

"Okay, I'll be ready in five."

"No." She shook her head. "I'm going alone. This is my fight."

"No offence but you'll have to face Belova, Rumlow and probably their goons. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Rollins is with them. You need backup."

"Matt's there."

"You sent your ex-lover to find your boyfriend?" Clint laughed.

"He's not my boyfriend anymore." She grabbed her best friend's arm. "All this happened because of me. If I didn't love Steve, Yelena would have never taken him. I have to end this. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"Tasha, I love you but you're a fucking moron thinking you can go in there alone. This is clearly a trap and they are waiting for you."

"I know."

"Look, I know that love makes people blind but you need to think. You need me to watch your back." Clint smirked. "Murdock can't do that, he's blind!"

"Fine."

She made her way to the SUV where Fury was waiting for her. "An ops team will follow you and stay close by." He opened the car door for her. "Make sure that you're not in one of the body bags. Or Rogers."

She nodded and climbed into the driver's seat.

"Give'em hell, Natasha."

She gripped the steering wheel hard when she parked the car a street away from the warehouse. Rage was coursing through her veins and she never felt a bigger urge to spill blood than today. Whoever was in that warehouse and wasn't Steve would die today.

"Okay, you gotta chill!" Clint said from the passenger's seat. She forgot for a moment that he was with her in the car. "As much as I enjoy Tasha going on a killing spree, you gotta get your head in the game. I know you're out for blood but you need to clear your head. For Steve."

She took a deep breath. "For Steve." A thought crossed her mind and she grabbed Clint's arm. "No matter what happens inside promise me that you'll get Steve out."

"Tash-"

"Promise me that you'll chose him if it comes to that."

"I can't do that,"

"What would you do if it was Bobbi?" She knew that Clint still loved her and hoped deep down that they would get back together.

He sighed. "I would die for her."

She gave him a little smile. "I knew you'd understand."

"Don't let it come to that, Natasha."

"I try not to." She planned on walking out of that warehouse alive after killing Yelena and Rumlow. She didn't want to die but if it came down to her life or Steve's...There wasn't really a choice to make.

They got out of the car and moved in the shadow until they reached the property of the warehouse. Matt was waiting for them.

"I'm counting four including Captain America." He told them and she was so thankful for his heightened senses.

"Thank you for finding him, Matt."

He nodded and continued. "I think Rogers is drugged. His heartbeat is very slow and he's barely talking and when he does then he only tells them to go fuck themselves." Matt tilted his head. " They're asking him about you. How far you'd be willing to go for him. He doesn't think you'll come for him."

That hurt but she wasn't surprised. She knew that he hated her and didn't believe that her feelings for him were real.

"I think the third person is Rollins." Clint said mostly to distract her. "It's a trap, so we don't have to be sneak in. But having Daredevil with us might be a surprise."

"Clint's right." She agreed. He was the ace up their sleeves. "You stay in the shadows in case we need you."

Matt didn't seem happy about it but agreed. She would walk in alone while Clint would be entering through a back exit and waiting for her signal.

She didn't bother to be quiet and walked right into the warehouse and soon found him. She stopped herself from wincing when she saw Steve. He was handcuffed to a pipe and battered and bruised. Blood was soaking his white t-shirt and he was unconscious. She had never been so furious in her entire life. She wanted to run over to him but she needed to find his captures first. She looked around but she couldn't see Yelena and Rumlow. They could be anywhere.

Rollins suddenly came into her view and before he could react she pulled her gun and killed him. One down, two to go. She decided against killing Yelena and Rumlow slowly, she would put two bullets into their heads and then leave with Steve to get him to medical attention.

"Rollins is down. Anyone got eyes on Belova and Rumlow?" She whispered into her comm.

"Negative."

"They're here. I can hear their heartbeats." Matt paused. "They're upstairs."

"Copy that." She quickly ran to Steve and checked his pulse and body. His ribs seemed to be broken and Yelena had branded an hour glass on his neck. She had claimed him as her own. She got so livid she could barely think straight. The only thing calming her a little was the fact that the serum would heal everything.

Tears were streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Steve. I'm so sorry they did this to you. I make them pay, I promise." She tried to uncuff him but nothing happened. Right, the handcuffs could only be unlocked with the fingerscan of the person who cuffed him. Had it been Rollins? No, Rumlow or Yelena.

Steve began to stir and blinked his eyes open. "Nat?" He rasped out. God, he probably hadn't had water in days.

She cupped his face. "Steve? Can you hear me? I'll get you out of here!"

He closed his eyes again and his head dropped on her chest. She tried to put him into the most comfortable position as possible when she suddenly heard a high-pitching sound so loud she thought she would go deaf. No, they knew Matt was here! They were overstimulating his senses!

"Matt?!"

No answer. The line was dead. Fuck!

"Clint?"

No answer. She left Steve alone with a heavy heart and went looking for Yelena and Rumlow. She didn't know what happened to Clint and Matt but she knew that she was now on her own. She got her Glocks out and walked up the staircase itching to finish this once and for all. She hid behind the wall next to a door and looked around the corner. No one was to be seen but she knew that they were waiting for her. She took a deep breath and walked into the hall. A shot was fired and hit her shoulder before she could move out of the way.

"Finally you're here, Natalia!" Yelena's voice echoed through the hall. "I've been waiting for days!" She sounded like a child.

"Show yourself!"

"Shh!" Yelena giggled. "You're ruining my entrance! I gotta hand it to you, Captain America is a really handsame man. So big and strong. But I still don't believe Brock when he says that you love him. Love is for children, Talia. You and I know that. But maybe I'll keep the American as my toy. I haven't looked yet if everything of him is big. Did he give it good to you?"

She didn't answer and scanned the room. The bullet had entered her high on her shoulder meaning that the shooter was above her. She was so angry that she didn't even feel the pain. She only felt rage and how the blood was running down her arm. There was small movement on a platform above her and she fired without thinking. A deep voice cursed in pain. So Rumlow shot her. That fucker! At least she knew where he was and fired again. His body fell to the ground and he didn't move. He was soon surrounded by blood. It looked like she hit his carotid. Good.

"Hey!" Yelena yelled and she tried to locate her voice. It sounded like she was in the back of the hall. "I liked that guy!"

Natasha rolled her eyes and moved closer to the back of the hall. "Just come out, Yelena. This is what you want, isn't it? Let's settle this once and for all who's the one true Black Widow."

"You don't deserve that title!" Yelena shrieked. "You betrayed Mother Russia and then you're fucking Captain America? God, what happened to you? You were a legend in the Red Room. We were looking up to you and you threw everything away! How could you have fallen so far?"

"Then come." She threw her guns away. "You want to be Black Widow?" She tugged on her hour glass belt. "Then come and get it."

"I hope you're ready to die, Talia." Yelena moved around a corner and dropped her guns on the floor. Natasha didn't think she had more on her. She wanted to win that mantle with honor in her twisted mind. Yelena was running towards her and she blocked her attack and kicked her in the stomach.

"All that trouble and Karpov's not even around anymore to hear from your death." Natasha mocked and punched Yelena in the face. "Did you know that he always called me his pride and joy?"

Yelena got angry just liked Natasha wanted her to be. Yelena threw a punch but she dodged her by grabbing her arm and twisted it until she heard a cracking noise. The blonde yelled in pain. Good. Her unhurt arm grabbed Natasha's shoulder and her fingers dug into her wound. God, that hurt! She headbutted her and Yelena stumbled back. She had to kill Yelena so she could get Steve out of here and find out what happened to Clint and Matt. She used Yelena's disoriented state, stepped on her thigh to give herself a boost and jumped on her shoulders. She grabbed the pipes above her and and then moved her legs to the side snapping Yelena's neck. She released her hold and she fell dead to the ground. Natasha jumped down and looked around. She needed to find something to cut off Yelena and Rumlow's hands to figure out which fingerprints would open the handcuffs. She found a handsaw and got to work. She ran with the hands under her arm back to Steve who was still out and tried Yelena's fingerprints. Nothing. She pressed Rumlow's thumb on the scan and the handcuffs opened and she supported Steve so he wouldn't fall to the ground. It was over. He was safe.

Steve would be okay. They were at the hospital and the doctors were flushing the drugs out of his system and had to break his ribs again because they didn't heal back together correctly. He was dehydrated and had internal bleeding but he would fully recover. Not even a scar would be there. Natasha was watching him through the window. She had no right to be in his hospital room. All of this happened to him because of her. She was the reason that he got tortured. She wouldn't be surprised if he hated her now even more. She had caused him so much pain. How could she ever think that she was good enough for him? That she could be worthy of him? Yelena went after Steve because Natasha loved him. She had to let him go. She finally understood it. Even if he had forgiven her for lying to him for months, they couldn't be together of who she was. She took one last look at Steve who was sleeping in his hospital bed and swore to herself to stay away from him. He didn't deserve anymore pain because of her.

She turned on her heels and walked down the corridor when Coulson came into her view. "Where are you going?"

"Rome. I have an arms dealer waiting for me." She fought the urge to scratch her bullet wound on her shoulder. It was treated and her arm was in a sling but the wound was throbbing and itching.

"Don't you wanna stay here? Talk to him?" Coulson asked softly.

"I'm the last person he wants to see, Phil. Don't even tell him that I was in New York."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you want us to lie to him again? I'm sorry but I can't do that."

She sighed, he had a point. "Fine, then don't. Just tell him...tell him that I'm sorry and that I'll make sure he never hears from me again or gets in such a situation like that again because of me." She promised herself to find out if more people knew about her feelings for Steve and wanted to use that against her. She would kill them before they could even think about coming for Steve.

"I gave him the reports, you know." Coulson suddenly said. "The ones you wrote about him for Fury."

"Okay?" She didn't know where he was going with this.

"He seemed surprised that no real personal information about him had been in there."

So he knew that she wasn't a complete liar and tried to betray him as less as possible? "It doesn't matter anymore. See you, Phil." She nodded and paid Clint and Matt a brief visit in their hospital rooms to thank them for helping her.

Fury was waiting for her in the garage. "Leaving so soon?"

"I'm needed in Rome, remember?"

"You can stay here. Wait until he wakes up."

"No." She walked to a car but Fury blocked her way.

"He still has your letter and file. Maybe he's willing to forgive you." Fury said in a fatherly tone and she knew that he used it to manipulate her. "Why don't you stay to find out if he's willing to give you a second chance?"

"Don't you mean if he's willing to give SHIELD a second chance?"

"That too."

"No, I have to let him go, Nick. I know that now. I have to stay away from him. I'm no good. He's got hurt enough because of me."

"Natasha-"

She got into the car. "I'll let you know when I took out Kirgis in Rome." She closed the car door and headed straight to the airport to return to Europe.