Damn Tony Stark and his insatiable curiosity, Natasha thought to herself as she fell through the portal the mad genius had accidentally created in his lab. As if Ultron hadn't been bad enough, but no; apparently the great Tony Stark was above learning from his mistakes. The portal spat her out in the middle of a street. Landing on her side, she groaned as she rolled onto her back. Usually she'd pretend pain didn't phase her, after all she could handle more than most. But as she was sure she was miles, possibly universes away from her friends she let her cool slip for a moment.
It was Vision's fault as well. She thought as she sat up and tried to take stock of any potential injuries. Vision was the one who'd posited the idea of parallel universes which had of course lead Tony into tail spin to try and find a way to travel to one. Without Steve to lecture him or Pepper to keep him in line, the task of Tony wrangling had fallen to her and judging from the fact that she was currently sitting in the dirt on some unknown street with no way of know where she was, if she was even on the same planet or the same version of the planet, she'd failed miserably. She closed her eyes and got to her feet. No broken bones, no bleeding; just wounded pride. Dusting herself off, she glanced around. She needed information, and, she glanced down at her widow suit, a change of clothes.
"There's been a breach." Cisco said.
"Where?" Barry zipped over to look over his shoulder.
"Star City." Cisco aid. "Weird. It should be here."
"What?" Caitlin snorted. "Does Central City have the monopoly on breaches?"
"Yeah, kinda." Cisco said, defensively. "You don't see us stealing that weird hellmouth routine Star City's got going."
"Can you pull up the footage from the breach?" Barry asked as Caitlin rolled her eyes. Cisco nodded.
"Let me just..." He muttered as he began typing.
"What are you doing, trying to hack in my territory?" Felicity's voice came out of the computer. Cisco yelped and jumped back, his arms flailing.
"Felicity." Barry sighed. "There's been a breach in Star City. We just wanted to make sure nothing dangerous had come through."
There was a pause as Felicity sighed. "How fast can you guys get here?"
"There's a train leaving in 20." Caitlin replied.
"Good, see you then."
"Hello future Mrs. Ramon." Cisco breathed. They were all clustered around the screens in the Arrow Cave, watching the footage from the breach. The red headed woman got to her feet and glanced around before disappearing. "Ow." Cisco said, rubbing his head and glaring at Caitlin.
"Really?" She and Felicity said, in irritation. Felicity frowned at the screen.
"She's gone."
"She couldn't have just disappeared." Barry insisted.
"Well whoever she is, she's obviously been trained to avoid security cameras." Felicity muttered.
"Think she's a meta human?" Barry asked.
"Maybe. Until we know for sure be on your guard." Oliver said.
People were looking for her. People in masks. Natasha had been watching them look for her. She'd been hiding out in an abandoned warehouse, the choice of which this city had in abundance. She sat in the attic, surveying the speedster and the archer through the warehouse window. It was strange, the parallels that this world had with hers. The Green Arrow, as the newspaper she'd stolen called him, and the Flash. She was reminded of Maximoff and Clint. Clint who was hiding somewhere on her earth and Maximoff who was dead. She watched their counterparts with interest. They appeared to be having an argument.
"Felicity said she caught a heat signature here." The Green Arrow insisted.
"I'm just saying we shouldn't rush in there Arrows flying." The Flash replied. He looked behind him. "Vibeing anything Cisco?" Natasha rolled her eyes. Using a person's real name in the field; sloppy. She frowned as the third man approached the warehouse and pressed his hand to the side. She frowned as she closed his eyes. "She's here." He said, pulling his hand away. She needed to move. Ducking away from the window, she climbed higher until she was in the rafters and was about to make her way to the skylight when the door opened.
"Hello?" The Flash entered. "I'm the Flash and I'm here to talk. We know you're in here and that you're...from another place. We just want to talk."
Natasha frowned. "What if I want to keep to myself?" She asked, her voice echoing through the warehouse. The Green Arrow, who'd followed the flash in, raised his bow.
"Put it down." The Flash growled, shoving the bow down.
"She could be hostile." He whispered back.
"As I'm sure you noticed, there's an echo in here." Natasha said. The Green Arrow turned and looked right at her position. Though he couldn't see her because of the darkness, she knew he knew exactly where she was. He was good, she'd give him that much. "I'm not looking for trouble. I just want to be left alone." She heard movement behind her and shook her head in disappointment. "Whoever's back there should really reconsider the decision they're about to make." She said, activating the stingers on her gauntlet. Turning, she blocked a tranquilizer dart. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She muttered, launching herself at her attacker. It was a young woman in a red hooded outfit similar to her Green counterpart. She had decent combat skills, but Natasha had been trained since birth. She easily disarmed the other woman. Speedy pulled a sword from her back, Natasha pulled out her batons, and hit the sword with it, the electricity causing her opponent to drop the weapon. Kicking Speedy in the chest, she caught her before she fell from the rafters and splattered on the ground. "I suggest you leave me alone." She growled as she pulled her back up. "Because next time I won't be so- ah." She groaned and put a hand to her leg. A woozy feeling spread through her limbs. looking down she saw a tranquilizer arrow sticking out of her thigh. It was green. She looked down at the Green Arrow below. "You" She slurred, her vision swimming in front of her. Dizzy and disoriented, she fell back.
"You shot her?" Felicity said in disbelief as Oliver carried the unconscious woman into the lair. "Why would you shoot her?"
"She attacked Thea."
"From what I heard, Thea attacked first." Felicity said, watching as he put her in the lair's cage. "What the hell are you doing?"
"She's dangerous." Oliver said, shutting the door.
"She's unconscious," Felicity hissed "and why do we still have that thing?"
"For cases like these." Oliver said.
"You and Thea jumped the gun. If you had talked to her instead of shooting her, it wouldn't have been necessary." Felicity spat. She walked over to the supply closet and pulled out an extra blanket and pillow. Walking back, she wrenched the cage open and walked in. Checking her pulse, she gently lifted the red haired woman's head and slipped the pillow underneath. Covering her with a blanket, she glared at the others. "What?"
"Get out."
"Don't count on it." Felicity glared, crossing her arms. "I'm going to make sure that when she wakes up she won't think we're all barbaric crazies who shoot innocent people."
"What happens if she thinks you're attacking her."
"She just wanted to be left alone." Felicity said. Oliver sighed and shook his head.
"Well if you're staying here, I'm-"
His words were cut off as Felicity slammed the cage door. "You're staying outside." She said. "And in a place where she can't see you."
Natasha came to on a narrow metal cot in a cage, that wasn't unusual. What was unusual was the pillow and blanket that had been tucked around her with careful attention. She frowned and looked around. There was a blonde woman with glasses sitting next to her, her eyes wide with concern. A quick once over told Natasha that she wasn't a fighter, but she couldn't eliminate the possibility of superpowers. "I wanted to apologize for my teammates they shouldn't have hurt you."
"So what's your play?"
The woman's expression turn to one of confusion. "Play?" She asked.
"Oh honey, I've played this game a thousand times before." She said. "Though usually I'm the one in the chair...and a man's on the bed. I will say the adorable innocent look must work wonders."
Understanding dawned on the other woman's face and she blushed fiercely, tugging on the hem of her dress and clearing her throat. "I'm not...I'm not flirting with you. Though you are dangerously gorgeous, in like a terrifying you might kill me or eat me way...NOT LIKE THAT" she added quickly as Natasha smirked. "I just... My team got a little arrow happy and I wanted to make sure you know that we're not trying to hurt you." She turned even more red as Natasha sat up and propped her head on her hand.
"How?" She said.
"We can get you back to Earth 2." The blonde replied.
"What makes you think I'm from Earth 2?" She asked. "I may not be a scientist, but I did understand enough of Stark's ramblings to know that there is an infinite amount of earths so I could be from Earth 2. Or I could be from earth 25. Or I could be from earth 25,000." She crossed her arms. "There's no way for you to know." She tilted her head. "What's your name?"
"Felicity." She said. "Felicity Smoak."
"Well Felicity Smoak, are you planning on keeping me in this cage?"
"Until we know whether or not you're a threat." Natasha turned to glare at the man who'd spoken.
"Green Arrow?" she said. "I think I prefer talking to her." She motioned to Felicity. "God you are nothing like Clint. I'm not a threat...to her. She didn't shoot me."
"You attacked my sister."
"I wonder what led up to that particular decision." Natasha said. "The only reason I'm letting you hold me in this cage, is because Felicity here seems like a halfway decent person, but you; I'm not talking to you."
"SHE'S NOT FROM EARTH 2." The third man from the warehouse...Cisco, said as he came closer. "I scanned her and she's emitting the wrong frequency."
"English." The Green Arrow growled.
"Everyone on Earth 2 vibrates at a specific frequency unique to their planet. It's why Harry and Jessie created signal dead zones around them." Cisco said. "This beautiful woman isn't vibrating at the same frequency at all." He looked intently at Natasha. She rolled her eyes, completely familiar with the effect she was having on him. Looking at him, she gave him a singular predator smile that had him shivering and looking away from her.
"What's your name?" Felicity asked.
She opened her mouth to lie, but the other woman's honest expression and sighed before saying. "Natasha Romanov." After all she was in another dimension, what could her real name possibly do? Felicity smiled.
"And you're not going to kill us?"
"You I won't." She gave Oliver a cold look. "Jury's out on the rest."
Felicity stood and glared at Oliver. "Open the cage."
"What? She's dangerous."
"We have absolutely zero proof of that." She retorted.
"Actually," A young woman with brown hair came into the lair. "We do." She held up the bag with Natasha's tactical suit.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "On my earth I'm a member of an elite team of Superheroes called the Avengers." She explained. "My code name is the Black Widow."
"We only have your word on that." Green Arrow said.
"You this pleasant to all the people who come to your earth?" She asked, giving him another cold smile.
"Well usually Team Flash handles the welcoming committee." Cisco said.
"Is she awake?" Another woman, this one with long auburn hair came into the lair. "Hi," She said, giving Natasha a small wave. "I'm doctor Caitlin Snow. Is it okay if I take a few samples for medical and scientific reasons."
Natasha looked her over. She didn't seem threatening, but looks could be deceiving; a fact she often used to her advantage during missions when her marks underestimated her. She glanced over at Felicity. The woman nodded. Natasha smiled at Caitlin. "Go ahead."
"Don't." The Green Arrow said, holding up an arm to block the doctor. She frowned at him.
"Oliver." Felicity said.
"Felicity." He growled.
The blonde punched a code into the lock on the cage and opened the door. Turning to Natasha she said. "You can stay with me. I have enough space in my apartment." She turned to Caitlin. "You can run your tests there."
She was probably crazy, she thought as she watched Natasha looking through her book collection. The other woman had been living at the apartment for about 2 weeks. In what she was sure was complete coincidence, the Green Arrow decided that this neighbor hood was the most dangerous in Star City and needed to be patrolled for 2 weeks in a row.
"He's got it bad." Natasha said, her back to the window.
"Who?" Felicity asked.
"The man with the green leather fetish." Natasha said, still not turning around.
"He just has a problem trusting people." Felicity muttered, sitting heavily at the table.
"It's deeper than that." Natasha looked away from the book shelf and sat on the couch, looking intently at Felicity. "He cares about you. There's history there."
Felicity looked at her hands. "We used to be...it's a long story." She grimaced. "So, Barry wants to know if you know someone named Supergirl?"
"Nope." Natasha said.
"What about the Flash."
"The only speedster on my world was Quicksilver."
"Was?" Felicity noted the slight pain in Natasha's eyes as she shook her head.
"He's gone now. His little sister is one of my teammates." She frowned out the window, then blew Oliver a mocking kiss. Outside on the rooftop, Oliver straightened up and ran off. Natasha gave Felicity a half smile. "So. What did my answers tell you?"
"That you're not from Earth 3 or 4." Felicity muttered. "3 being Supergirl and 4 being Jay Garrick flash...or 4 being supergirl and-" She shook her head. "This stuff is amazing, but it's kinda brain melting."
Natasha looked outside. "Where I'm from there's no Star City or Central City or Gotham. Everything is so different."
Felicity tilted her head. "How so? Besides the obvious universal difference."
Natasha's expression was stony and Felicity thought she wouldn't elaborate.
"It's messy." She said. "Aliens drop out of the sky, demi gods open portals over New York City, government agencies turn evil, people create world destroying robots, but..." She let out a half-hearted chuckle. "In spite of all the crazy, all the...horrible things that happen; that people do to each other, it's home."
Felicity recognized that look. Natasha had a tragic past she was concealing. She must have felt Felicity's eyes on her, because she raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry." Felicity muttered, ducking her head down. "I didn't mean to stare."
"I'm used to it." Natasha said. "I was made to be a perfect weapon." She stood, coming to stand behind Felicity. "What are you working on?" she asked, her mouth dangerously close to Felicity's ear. Felicity gulped.
"A...a report for Lyla...um Director Michaels. She's my boss at ARGUS. I'm their superhero liason. It's a new job she made for me as a favor after I was removed as CEO at Palmer Tech. Not that I did anything wrong, I actually tried to do something good, but the board didn't like that it came at the cost of profits and voted me out." She took a breath, she was nervous, but she didn't know why. She just knew that she was hyper aware of Natasha standing a few inches from her back.
"ARGUS?" Natasha asked.
"It stands for..." Felicity frowned. "You know, I'm not exactly sure." She definitely couldn't remember while distracted. "Someone just really wanted the name to spell out ARGUS." She turned, and came face to face with Natasha. She gulped, glancing at her lips, they were really red and really close, however her expression was stormy.
"I used to work for a government agency with a very specific acronym and a very wide range of skills." She said softly. "ARGUS might not be SHIELD, but..." She paused, pushing Felicity's glasses up her nose. Felicity flushed, mortified that they were slipping. Natasha was the kind of beautiful that made others feel inadequate and she definitely felt like an ugly duckling next to her. "Just make sure you know who you're working for." Natasha finished. Felicity nodded nervously. Natasha pulled back and gave her a small smile. "Also," she said, walking towards the stairs. "The ugly duckling became a beautiful swan."
Felicity was well named. Natasha decided. The other woman's presence was comforting. Sure, now that the others had gotten to know her better they didn't think she was going to kill them, but none of them really fully trusted her. None except Felicity. She'd let her into her spare room, she didn't lock her doors at night. She always brought junkfood and complained to her about her day. She was happy when Natasha offered to cook Russian dishes, excited to try new things and grateful for a home cooked meal (I can't even handle the microwave, Nat, it's a curse). She cheered her on when Natasha sparred with one of her team members. Most importantly, she treated Natasha like an actual person.
But Natasha couldn't accept this affection. She couldn't allow the other woman's friendship because even if Felicity trusted her, it was because she had no knowledge of the monster she'd allowed under her roof. There was no Red Room on this Earth. There were no Widows. Felicity didn't know.
"Hey hot stuff." A man sat next to her at the Verdant bar. Thea had reopened the bar in an effort to create a life outside of the team and Natasha had been Felicity's plus one. She glanced at him. He was blonde with receding hair, the beginning of a beer gut and a slightly unfocused look in the eyes that warned of multiple concussions. He'd probably played football and gotten hit in the head too many times. She knew the type; golden boy in high school almost went pro but lost his chance when he injured his...she was betting his knee.
"Not interested." She said, taking a sip of her vodka.
"Come on." He said. "A woman like you shouldn't be drinking alone."
"Yet I am." She said coldly.
"Nat." Felicity came over, grinning. "Cisco's going to try and break dance, you have to come over and witness the humiliation." She put her hand on Natasha's shoulder, causing a rush of warm to go through her.
"We were talking sweetheart." The man pulled Felicity away from Natasha. "Fuck off unless you want to join."
"Big mistake." Natasha murmured.
"What?" He said.
"I said, you could be my big mistake." She purred, slipping easily into seduction mode. "I've had..." She giggled and moved off her bar stool and giggled. "So much of thisss." She held up the vodka. "That I think I might be willing to go out into the alley." She winked over at Felicity who was gaping at her. The blonde frowned, but she understood.
"What about the nerd."
"Leave her she's no fun." Natasha waved at her dismissively. "I want you." She finished the vodka in one swallow and tugged him by the collar out into the alley. Once they were out she pressed the man against the wall. He laughed.
"Eager?" He leered.
"Oh yeah." She kneed him in the legs. As he bent over she flipped him onto his back. He let out a cough as air rushed out of his lungs on impact with the ground. She gave his left knee a slight kick, causing him to hiss. She'd been right about that football injury. "I don't know your name, so I'm just going to call you Cody. You look like a Cody." She grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. "Let's see if you get this in your head, Cody. When a woman says she's not interested, it's not a signal for you to double down. It means you walk the fuck away. There are no mixed signals. There are no gray areas. There are no blurred lines."
"I'll kill you." He growled.
"You can try." Natasha snorted. "Now you'll walk away and if I ever see you near here or my friend again, I'll rip off those two pieces of male ego you think give you the right to harass woman who you think are physically weaker than you." She pulled back. He scrambled to his feet, turning to her, his eyes flashing. "Don't do it, Cody." She groaned, but sure enough he rushed her. She stepped aside, letting him charge past. He spun around and took a swing that she easily evaded. He tried to grab her, but she slipped out of his fingers. "This is getting embarrassing."
He was turning red with anger. She ducked, drawing her leg under his and sweeping his legs out from under his feet. He fell on his ass. He tried to make another grab for her, but slipped. She kicked him under his chin, he fell back. His muscles tensing for another strike. She put her heel on his neck. "Stay...Down." She said.
"Natasha?"
She looked up. Felicity was coming out of the club. "Are you okay? I-" She looked down at the man on the ground. "Oh."
Cody used Natasha's distraction to grab the hem of her dress and yank her down. There was a tearing of fabric as she fell, rolling off, uncaring of the damage to her clothes. She put Cody in a headlock. He squirmed but she held fast. Finally he stopped kick and slumped. She got to her feet, breathing heavily. Felicity was looking at her wide eyed. "Are you okay?"
Natasha laughed. She'd just watched her choke a man to unconsciousness and the first thing she asked was if she was okay. Natasha moved forward and pressed Felicity against the wall. "You have no idea who I am." She said. "I'm dangerous. There's a reason they called me Black Widow. I was turned into something that murders everyone that comes close. I can seduce anyone until they let their guard down, then I swoop in" She moved her mouth closer to Felicity's throat. The other woman let out a small whine. "And go...for...the...kill." She whispered. Felicity's eyes were wide, she was panting, her mouth slightly opened. Natasha couldn't help herself. She pressed her lips against Felicity's, sliding her tongue between hers. The other woman melted into the kiss, bringing her hand into Natasha's hair. For a second, Natasha was unsure if it was a play or if it was a real kiss. She didn't remember her last real kiss. She wasn't sure if she'd had a first real kiss. She pulled away. Felicity's eyes were closed and Natasha noticed that her legs were trembling. She was leaning completely against the alley wall, barely able to stand.
"Nat" she breathed.
Natasha backed away, shaking her head. She moved away, disappearing into the night.
"Sara." Felicity said, smiling as the other woman sat across from her. "Thanks."
"Well you were talking faster than usual." Sara said, looking around the dive bar Felicity had them meeting. "And your linguistic speed is usually tied to your mood. What's wrong?"
Felicity looked down at her cheese fries.
"Uh oh. Grease." Sara smirked. "That spells boy trouble."
Felicity winced. "Not...exactly."
Sara raised an eyebrow. Then grinned. "This is getting interesting." She flagged down the bartender. "We're going to need a bottle of tequila." She propped her elbows up on the bar. "So..." She said, pushing a glass in front of Felicity, "Tell mamma everything."
"You know how I've been sort of babysitting our otherworldly visitor?"
"Natalia, right?" Sara said, nonchalantly.
"Natasha." Felicity quickly corrected. Sara smirked at her annoyed tone. She closed her eyes. "Oh god."
"You have it bad." Sara laughed.
"This was a mistake." Felicity groaned, drinking the entire glass in one gulp.
"Hey. Your mamma is currently getting freaky with my daddy so...that makes you my sista." She gave her shoulder a playful punch. She laughed as Felicity gave her a blank look.
"Never say that again." Felicity shuddered. "Never speak of...them...doing that...ever."
Sara took a sip. "So...tell Doctor Sara all your girl problems." She sighed. "Oh I had dreams where this happened, but...I was the girl." She pouted. "And you wanted to solve our problems with sex."
"Ha ha." Felicity rolled her eyes. "This is serious. Natasha's been avoiding me and she's scary good at it. Like...ninja good and she won't talk to me. I thought she was opening up, but she went all...dark and broody and...oh my god she's the female Oliver."
"Hey. No." Sara said. "She's not. I mean I haven't met her, but I know Oliver. He absorbed all the angst and self hatred in all the universes. There's none left for anyone else." She sighed. "Look, she's probably confused because you tend to throw people through a loop. Plus she's got no one here. You're the most important person in her life right now and she doesn't want to mess it up." She took a sip of her drink.
"You should do this professionally." Felicity said.
"I'm insulted, though." Sara pouted. "I would have thought I would be the one to make you realize this side of yourself."
Felicity snorted. "Hey if things don't work out with Natasha, you'll be my first call."
"I feel like you just made a pity pass." Sara said.
"NATASHA." Felicity called as she walked into the apartment. "I know you're here, actually I don't because you're super sneaky, but I hope you're here because I've got something to say. You're scary and amazing and funny and I like watching when you tear the others a new one during training. I thought it was that I really like you as a friend, but then you kissed me and..." She sat on the couch. "You made me question a lot of things about me. I got drunk with Sara...which was stupid...like really stupid. She's a super assassin and was trained to drink by an immortal assassin's daughter. Long story short, I had a realization. It doesn't matter what the person is, but who the person is...so where ever you're hiding..." She looked around the apartment and drew up her knees. "Can you come out...of hiding. So we can talk."
No response. Natasha was probably out. Felicity leaned her head on her knees, trying to fight the disappointment. She closed her eyes and glared out the window. "Seriously Oliver?" She glared at the opposite rooftop where he was stalking. "It's been a year. If she wanted to kill me, she'd have done it already."
There was a small groan from the other room. Felicity frowned. Stumbling up the stairs she paused as there was another sound. "Please don't be a sex noise." She muttered to herself. "Or be a sex noise...which ever ends up not being awkward and making me happy." She opened the door to Natasha's room. The other woman was thrashing on the bed; having a nightmare. It was probably the tequila...it was definitely the tequila, but Felicity didn't see anything wrong with walking in and trying to snap her out of it.
"Nat." Felicity said, coming to her bedside. Within two seconds she was flat on her back on the bed. Natasha was glaring down at her. "Nat." she gasped out.
Natasha dropped her and sat back. "Felicity...I'm sorry."
"It's okay." She said. "I've had worse. We should kiss and make up."
Natasha covered her mouth and snorted...then she let out a genuine laugh. "You are so drunk right now."
"I had a drinking contest with a member of the League of Assins...assassins." Felicity declared proudly.
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a bad idea."
"Well next time you should come with." Felicity groaned. "You'd win." She looked at the ceiling. "Can I stay here tonight?" She asked. Natasha raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I can make it up to my room. Plus I can scare the monsters away."
"Who's to say I'm not the monster?" Natasha asked. Felicity shifted so she was closer to her.
"I don't think you are." She said. "Can I stay?"
Natasha tucked a stray hair behind Felicity's ear. "Okay."
"We're talking tomorrow." Felicity insisted.
"Okay."
"Cuddle me?"
Natasha laughed and lay back down next to Felicity. "Of course." She murmured, putting an arm around her.