Tony sat at his computer, his temper flaring. Since Steve had left they had discovered where Natasha had been taken with the reluctant help of Russia's junior spy. Vision, Wanda, and Sam had headed out to look into it, and Tony had drawn the short straw, staying back with their young charge. He was not pleased.

"Hellooo I am getting seriously thirsty in here! Got any water? Or Vodka? Vodka would be better."

Tony gritted his teeth, she hadn't stopped talking for hours. Before leaving, Wanda had placed her in a more comfortable containment cell where she would wait while they made sure her intel was truthful. Wanda's power was the safest way to transport her, freezing her until the door was safely locked. She was young, but no one dared underestimate her. Tony took a deep breath and got up, filling two glasses with water.

"Sorry kid, fresh outta Vodka." He placed the water glass on a revolving door and turned it so that she could reach it through the thick glass.

She took a sip and grimaced, "How disappointing."

Tony sat down in a chair just outside the glass walls, studying her with resigned curiosity. She was putting on a tough exterior, but Tony could see the signs of stress. Her face appeared calm despite tensed muscles, the faint circles under her eyes suggesting that she hadn't slept. Sensing his evaluation, Valeria stood and mockingly turned in a slow circle.

"How do you like the view?"

"You look like you could use a sandwich."

Valeria frowned despite herself. Tony regarded her a moment more, kicking his chair back onto two legs. Valeria met his gaze stoically. Finally Tony sat forward.

"Why did you decide to help us? And now that you are on our side, would it kill you to just chill on the attitude a bit?"

Valeria smirked, "I think you like my attitude."

"You remind me of myself at your age actually. I was an asshole." Tony stood up and sighed, "Look, I was serious about the sandwich. I'm gonna make one. What do you want?"

Valeria looked surprised, "Seriously? You're feeding me?"

Tony looked at her incredulously, "What did you think we would do? Starve you? You're helping us. Geez kid lighten up, you're safe. Honest."

When Valeria only stared at him Tony sighed once more and shrugged, "PB&J it is then. Russians man…" Valeria watched as he turned and left the room, heading towards the kitchen. Valeria shook her head, these Americans were much different than she had expected. A sudden motion on the ceiling outside her cell made Valeria jump. Dropping as if out of nowhere, a slight figure landed in the shadows of the room. As she straightened, the woman came into the light, and Valeria's stomach sank at the sight of her.

Exhaling slowly she whispered under her breath as she pressed her hands to the glass, "What did they do to you?" Valeria's eyes travelled up and down the legend that was Natalia Romanova, taking in her bruises, her too thin form and sallow skin.

Natasha stepped closer, her green eyes flashing, "You must be Valeria, widow trainee captured by the Avengers on her first mission? Oh well done."

Valeria stood, her face flushed, and pulled aside her shirt to reveal her Widow's tattoo. "I'm no trainee. They graduated me early."

Natasha regarded her stonily, making Valeria uneasy. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.

"What have you told them?" Natasha's voice was deadly quiet.

"Nothing," Valeria said a little too quickly, her eyes snapping up. Natasha gritted her teeth, slamming a fist into the glass of the cell, "Tell me what you told them and MAYBE I won't send you back for punishment." Valeria's chin shot up in defiance, "What, like they did to you? What did you do to earn that beating?"

Natasha frowned, suddenly noticing her own reflection in the glass. Steve Rogers was responsible for her current physical state, wasn't he? She shook her head, confused. A sudden pulse of pain shot through her head, and she grimaced despite herself, stepping away from Valeria for a moment to recover herself. Valeria watched her, suddenly quiet.

"Your friend told me about Ivan and the radiator," Valeria said quietly, "Seriously harsh. You ever think maybe… We're on the wrong side?"

Natasha's head shot up, "What?" Her head was pounding, and she squinted her eyes to try to ease it. With a sudden surge of frustration, Natasha was at the keypad to Valeria's cell, punching in the numbers to open the door. With a quiet hiss, an opening appeared in the glass, and Natasha was through it and had seized Valeria by the arm before she knew what had happened.

"You just answer my questions, no side comments, no sass. Tell me what I need to know." Natasha's grip was painfully tight, but Valeria knew that was the least of her worries. If natasha thought she was no longer valuable to her, she knew what the protocol was.

"I told them where Darya and Anka took you! They figured out about the shield tech that hides it. Three of them are on their way there looking for you."

"Me? Why me?" Natasha squeezed harder, making Valeria yelp.

"Captains orders!"

Natasha's face darkened. It wasn't enough to kill off her family, but he had to hunt her down like an animal too. Well, at least he was intelligent. She looked down at Valeria, eyes hard.

"This is what you are going to do. You are going to stay in this cell and redeem yourself." Natasha pinned a tiny recording device to the hem of her shirt. "Get them to talk. If you cannot uncover anything useful, or you lie to me, I will be back here before you can blink and I'll turn you over to Anka. She'll deal with you in the traditional way. Do you understand?"

Valeria paled noticeably and nodded. Natasha watched her face for a moment. Satisfied, she tossed Valeria backward into the cell and closed the door. Stumbling to her feet, Valeria called out to her back, "Wait!"

Natasha turned to look at her, the shadows of the dim lighting making her already hollow face look even more dramatic.

"How did you know the code to my cell? And how to find me in the Avengers tower? It's huge." Valeria watched the war suddenly waging across Natasha's face thoughtfully. She rubbed her forehead then looked at Valeria, "I don't know."

"Alright kid, get ready for the best PB&J you've ever-" Tony stopped dead in his tracks. Natasha tensed, her head pulsing, didn't she know this man?

"Natasha? My God, what did they do to you?"

Natasha frowned, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" She quickly crouched low and swung her leg behind Tony's knees. He tripped, caught off guard, landing hard on his back. Like lightning Natasha drove her knee into his chest, a knife at his throat. "Where is Steve Rogers?"

"Take it easy Natasha, we're your friends."

Natasha pressed the knife into the skin of his neck, drawing a thin line of blood, "That is NOT my name. Answer my question."

"He's out looking for you," Tony's watch suddenly enveloped his hand and he twisted from underneath Natasha, knocking the knife from her grip and leaping to his feet. He put his hands out before him in a gesture of peace, "Nat, they've messed with your memory. Things aren't as they seem. Let us help you. Steve didn't do those things to you. Your red room buddies did."

Another pulse of pain shot through Natasha's head, darkening her vision momentarily. She lunged at Tony, but he dodged out of her way, locking her wrist in his armoured hand and pinning her arms to her sides.

"LOOK, take it easy, you know me!" Tony looked at her more closely now, the bruises down her neck and shoulders making him grimace, her body much thinner than it should have been. He met her eyes, "Nat, why aren't you healing?" She seemed to see him for a moment, her expression confused, but another pulse of pain made her squeeze her eyes shut. Tony watched her in concern, but Natasha suddenly kicked him in the groin hard. A strangled whimper was all Tony could manage as he crumpled to the floor, and his grip on her loosened. Natasha wrenched free, and with a final warning look at Valeria, disappeared into the shadows from which she had come.