A/N: Thank you for your patience with me! Writers block is a bitch and so is my busy schedule. The two together make it hard to get things done with the story!

Now we get into some of Nat's past.

Enjoy!

Another High School Love Story

Chapter 25 The past returns

"Ms. Romanoff, Mr. Barton," Detective Fury greeted them at the door when they arrived at the station. He jerked his head to the left, motioning for them to follow. When they got to his office they all sat down.

"What's going on?" Natasha asked.

"We have Mr. Laufeyson under arrest for the attempted murder of yourself." Fury got straight to the point.

"Attempted murder?" Natasha blanched.

"Yes," Fury said. "It has become clear to us, after his interrogation, that he was trying to kill you with the car. He confessed to borrowing his brother's car that afternoon in an attempt at framing his brother for the accident."

"Wait," Clint cut in, "If he was trying to frame Thor, then why did he confess?" Clint and Natasha were both confused by this.

"That's what we want to know."

Natasha could tell Fury was holding something back, keeping something from them.

"What aren't you telling us?" She accused.

"Not sure what you mean Romanoff," Fury brushed it off easily, but Natasha was smarter than he gave her credit for.

"Bullshit." She stated.

Fury narrowed his eyes in thought, "you're smarter than I thought. And more observant."

Natasha smirked. "It's what I do. I can convince people I'm not a threat, but I'm the biggest threat you will ever meet." Her voice was calm and truthful.

"That's my girl," Fury said, though it was almost too quiet to hear. Natasha gave him a questioning look and glanced at Clint. He had the same look as her.

"What do you mean "my girl"?" Clint asked.

"You don't remember me, do you Natasha?" Fury asked. "Or should I say, Natalia?"

Natasha froze, her skin paled. Her heart rate spiked and she experienced genuine fear. The only people to ever call her Natalia, to even know that was her real name, were dead and gone. They had been monsters, truly evil men. If this man, Fury, if he knew who she was, she was in trouble.

"What did you say?" Clint growled. He knew about her past, the man who raised her, what he made her do as a child. He knew why she had changed her name, no one in her life now knew her real name except for Clint and Steve.

"All I can tell you right now, is that I am not going to hurt you. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am here for you, to help you, whenever you need me." Is all Fury would say. "Getting back to Laufeyson. Yes, you are right, I was keeping something from you. He has requested a chance to speak with you himself."

Natasha's anger bubbled to the surface. "Never," she growled. She hated Loki for how he treated her, how he treated his brother. She refused to acknowledge him every where else, why would she talk to him now after he had tried to kill her?

"That's your choice. I am opposed to you going in there myself. God knows what he has planned if you step foot in that room." Fury said ominously.

"How would he be able to hurt her? He's cuffed isn't he?" Clint demanded. He didn't want Natasha in there either, but it should be safe.

"He is, but he has escaped the cuffs once already. If he does it again and she is there alone, I don't know what will happen. I can't risk her safety. I won't," Fury was dead serious.

"Why do you care so much about me?" Natasha eyed him curiously. Her fear of him had diminished, but she was still weary of him knowing of her past.

Fury sighed. "That is a long story."

"Tell me," she ordered. "I deserve to know." She added quietly. Clint squeezed her hand and hugged her with one arm. She leaned into his body, but then pulled away a moment later. Sitting up she stared down Fury.

"I knew your parents," Fury started. "I knew you as a baby. Just before your parents were killed, they left you with me. Then they vanished. Whoever was after them, got to them before I could help them and he killed them. I had to keep you safe, the man who killed them, was after you. Your parents never told me why. They just told me to keep you safe. I brought you to stay with someone I trusted, you called her Нана ."

Natasha was struck by memories of an elderly woman. Small, yet strong. Her hair had been a graying brown, her face held many lines and wrinkles, but she was still beautiful. Tasha remembered the smell of homemade cookies and tea at night. She remembered feeling safe and loved.

"Нана ," Natasha whispered. "Nana. You left me with her?" She was in a sort of shock. She didn't know how to process any of this just yet.

"Yes," Fury said. "I knew her quite well, I knew she would be able to care for you and keep you safe. I had to leave you, though. I needed to track down them man who killed your parents. I promised myself I would avenge their deaths. But something happened."

"I was taken," Tasha whispered breathlessly. She remembered that day all too well. How the fire had taken over the house, her Нана trapped inside. A man had come and 'rescued' her from the fire. He took her away to raise her. He told her to call him папа , that he would be her new father. He was nice in the beginning, he spoiled her. Then, one day, he started making her do things. He let his friends take advantage of her, he used her and he let them use her. He taught her ways to kill and told her to kill his enemies.

"I never forgave myself for letting that happen to you. I searched for you, I searched for the man who took you. He was the one who killed your parents and your Нана ."

"Ivan," Natasha gasped, fear pulling at her mind. She was breathing heavily, near hyperventilating. Clint reached over and pulled her against him.

"Shh, you're safe," he whispered in her ear. "I'm here, you're safe. You are not with him. You are not Natalia." He stroked her hair, glaring at Fury. Clint could see the remorse in the older man's eyes, could tell it was killing him to watch this young girl breakdown. "You are Natasha, my Tasha. You are safe." He continued to soothe her with his words, stroking her hair, rubbing her back, holding her.

"I'm sorry," Fury sounded so desperate with just those two words. He needed her forgiveness, Clint realized. He hated himself for what happened to her.

Natasha took a deep breath and sat up, shaking slightly. "It's not your fault." She said as calmly as she could.

"It is," Fury argued. "If I had kept you with me, maybe I could've kept you safe." He seemed pained by this.

"You and I both know you would've been killed had I been with you. Pretty sure Ivan wouldn't have stopped until he got me." She grimaced. She hated talking about Ivan, talking about her past. With Clint there, though, it was bearable.

Fury sighed, "yeah. Then, when you were found on the streets, I couldn't believe it was you. You weren't the little girl I knew once upon a time. You had changed so much and you didn't remember who I was anymore. I let you think I was a stranger, I didn't want to hurt you. I wasn't sure how you would react to finding out who I was." He explained.

"Then why tell me now?" Natasha asked.

"Because," he started, "Loki Laufeyson found out about your past, he tracked down Ivan and told him where you were. Mr. Romanoff, Natasha, you are in danger."

Natasha's eyes widened and her face paled. Her world narrowed around her. She felt herself falling, falling. Then everything went black.

A/N: Please Review!