Natasha woke slowly without opening her eyes. Her body felt useless, as if she had been immobile for days. She stifled a groan, every fiber of her muscles were burning with stiffness as she lay crumpled on her side. Her mind felt numb, and she struggled to remember something important. Suddenly she heard Steve in her head, a wave of crippling grief accompanying his words.
I'm so sorry Natasha. I'm so sorry I failed you. I love you…
Natasha gritted her teeth against the pain he was feeling, his grief cutting her to her core. She began to call out to him in response but a voice from her past chilled her and stopped her mid thought.
"Valeria says that Rogers is stopped for the night, accompanied by the other enhanced. We need to send someone after him to bring him in."
Natasha's mind was suddenly inundated with the memory of the last few hours. As a wave of guilt threatened to crush her, she reached her fingers to her bracelet, blocking herself from Steve. He thought she was dead, she realized. If he knew she was alive, nothing would stop him from coming for her, and he would walk right into the arms of his own assassins. She doubted Darya had plans for her to survive for very long anyway, no need for him to mourn her twice. There was too much to feel. She knew that by putting up her shield against him, her odds of ever seeing him again were very slim. She scrunched her eyes shut tight against the pain. Ok Natasha, you have ten seconds to feel.
She slowly tried to straighten herself from fetal position, but couldn't stop a groan from escaping her lips as her muscles protested her motion. Darya's head snapped up and a grin crossed her face. Natasha lay helplessly on a gurney, wrestling with the grief and the hatred rolling through her.
"Good morning sunshine! You were out quite a while! I don't imagine you feel very well do you?"
Natasha pressed her face into the thin mattress and didn't respond, Darya's voice conjuring nightmarish memories.
"Let's take a look at you," Darya reached for Natasha but Natasha struck out at her, missing Darya entirely, her arm didn't seem to be working well. Darya laughed, "Good girl. But let's get you healed up before you try to fight me. At least then it will be fair. Let me help you."
Natasha rolled painfully to her back and spat in her face, "You killed them. You killed Clint, his wife, his CHILDREN!"
"Yes," Darya said calmly, wiping her cheek, "He should have known better than to steal something of mine. He should have known you were not worth the price."
Natasha threw herself forward in an attempt to attack Darya, but her body would not cooperate. She caught herself up on the sheet and fell heavily off the bed and to the ground. She lay still there for a minute at Darya's feet, tears streaming down her face."I hate you," she whispered into the cold tile, venom in her voice.
Darya smiled, "You're starting to sound like your old self. Anka? Come help me with her."
Natasha stared at her in sudden recognition. Flashes of memories shot rapid fire behind her eyes, her childhood friend Sasha rising above them all. Anka had been her Sasha's handler. Bile rose in Natasha's throat.
The two Widows lifted Natasha up from the floor and back onto the bed. She struggled, but their iron grip did not loosen. They strapped her wrists and ankles to the bed frame tightly.
"This wouldn't be necessary if you were a little more compliant," Anka said pointedly, tightening her bonds.
"Go to Hell," Natasha spat. Anka shrugged and left the room. Wordlessly, Darya began working out the knots in Natasha's body, digging her fingers into the muscles of her arms. Natasha strained against the unwanted touch, but the bonds held firm. Darya spoke as she worked, "You will need time for the poison to work itself out of your system. After that you will be able to move normally. Massage will speed that along."
Natasha grimaced as Darya dug her thumb into her shoulder, but felt her muscles begin to loosen. She narrowed her eyes at Darya, "Why are you doing this? Why not just kill me?"
"I told you. I need you back. It will all be clear later. For now just rest." Natasha's head throbbed, the muscles in her neck sending shooting pains into her skull. Every time Darya touched her she jolted unpleasantly. Darya noticed and frowned. Carefully she placed a face mask attached to a tube over Natasha's mouth and nose. "Just relax Natalia. It's all going to be ok now." Natasha held her breath for as long as she could, but finally breathed in the gas. She was instantly drowsy, and in another few seconds had fallen deeply asleep. Darya smiled softly at her, "I'm going to make you the pride of Russia once more," she said as she fingered a strand of Natasha's iconic red hair for a moment before she continued to work the knots out of her body.