Thanks for the support guys! I am so glad you are enjoying this story, I know I am! Here's another chapter for you!
Natasha ran until she was well away from the Avengers tower, ducking into an alley only when the pounding in her head grew unbearable. She crouched, her back against the brick building, her head in her hands as it pulsed and throbbed.
"Your friend told me about Ivan and the radiator… You ever think we're on the wrong side?"
"Natasha, why aren't you healing?"
Natasha massaged her temples, but her head kept pounding. What was happening to her? She leaned her head back against the wall, struggling to overcome the pain and sort through her thoughts. She looked at her wrists, smooth and free from marking. There was no way her memories of Ivan could be real. If they were, she would have scars. Why aren't you healing? Natasha frowned. Had she been a quick healer before her head injury? Why would an Avenger care if she was healing? She ran her fingers along the back of her neck and felt the scabs there. How had she gotten those? Anka and Darya had said she received a blow to the head, but blunt force wouldn't have cut her up like this. A pulse of pain brought her head back to her hands. Very real memories of Steve kissing her brought tears to her eyes. His gentleness, his kindness overwhelming her, distracting her from his true purpose.
She stood suddenly, her head clearing slightly. She slammed her fist into the wall angrily, a new realization dawning on her. She still loved him. He still had that power over her. The thought enraged her. How could he be doing this to her? She kicked the dumpster in front of her, and an old mirror fell off the top of the pile of trash and shattered at her feet. She looked down into her broken reflection and watched as her expression went from pained and angry to resolved. He couldn't live. Even if he hadn't killed her brother, her niece and nephews, he would still have to die. She couldn't do her job if she was compromised. It had to stop. However he had done it, she would end it. Two could play at this game, and she had had a lifetime of training to do just that.
Natasha's head had eased. She turned to look out of the alleyway, the Avengers tower stretching to the sky in the distance. It was getting dark. She made her way deftly through alleys and back roads until she came upon another motel. She paid for a room in cash, then settled in, throwing her backpack on the chair. Steve Rogers wanted to find her, and she would give him exactly what he was looking for. But first, she needed a few hours sleep. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. She wasn't herself, she could feel it. She shouldn't need this much sleep. Just an hour or two, she thought to herself, and laid her head on the pillow, falling instantly asleep.
"Dang it!" Steve opened his eyes, frustrated. "Everytime I get close to her in her dreams she suddenly 'remembers' that she hates me and that's it!" Steve paced angrily, his eyes roaming over the Barton Ranch, empty now, remembering all that Natasha had been through. Almost as soon as they had set out for the "Widows Lair," as Tony had begun to call it, Steve felt Natasha leaving it. Clint had been able to convince Steve not to use their connection unless she was asleep, reminding Steve what she had done to Vision in their training, "He was completely incapacitated Steve, and she was holding back. She can literally cause you pain just by thinking about it. You can't take that risk, for her sake."
Steve had reluctantly agreed. They had been tracking Natasha via Steve's connection, but only once Steve was certain she was sleeping. Steve, Clint and Bucky had gotten no closer to bringing her in than when they started. Steve was having trouble connecting with her to track her without opening his mind to her while she was awake. Asleep he only got a vague impression of where she was. They had returned to Clint's farmhouse in an effort to retrace their steps.
Clint kicked a rock, "So I guess it's safe to say that if she sees you in person, there won't be a conversation."
Bucky was practically pulling his hair out in frustration."Of course not, this is what I have been saying all along. Take it from someone who knows! Her reality is entirely changed, you won't "love her' out of this one!"
Steve scowled at Bucky, about to respond when his phone lit up, it was Tony. Steve waved Bucky off and answered.
"Tony. What's happened?"
"We have a problem, and it's more than just you and your brand new temper. My jaw still hurts by the way. When this is all over I owe you one."
"Tony get to the point."
"Natasha was here." Steve froze, taking the phone from his ear and put it on speaker for the others.
"How did she get in?" Steve's voice was tense.
"That's what I want to know. If they wiped her, how does she still remember how to get in here? Their technology cannot be so honed that they can pick and choose memories. Steve, I think she's remembering certain things."
Steve sat down on a log, exhaling and rubbing his face. Tony continued, "There's more. I spoke with her, granted she was holding a knife to my throat but still. She doesn't look good. She's been…" he hesitated, "mistreated. And she's not healing at her usual super speed."
Steve clenched his jaw listening, "Ok. Why did she break in? What did she want?"
"She was looking for you Steve. She didn't seem too fond of you either."
"I'm hunting her and she's hunting me." Steve rubbed his temples, "Ok. New plan. Send a team to the Widows Lair, I still want the people responsible. I'll send Clint back to you to watch over Valeria. Maybe he can get more information from her." Steve glanced at Clint, who nodded grimly. "Bucky and I will lure her in. She's hunting me, I'll make myself easy to find."
"Ok Cap. Let's hope this works."
"Thanks Tony. And.. I'm sorry."
"Whatever, I still owe you one." The phone cut off with a click.
The three men looked at each other in silence. Finally Steve broke it, "I've never been bait before. Should be fun."
Bucky shook his head, "That is not a good idea. You can't be the first person she sees when she gets here."
Steve shrugged, "I'll do what I have to do to get her back."
"Ok let me once again break this down for you," Bucky began in exasperation, "She hates you Steve- No don't get all pissy, it's true. She will attack you on sight and she must have a plan to bring you down because let's face it, Natasha always has a plan. You can't confront her, we don't know what murderous plan she has in place. That leaves me. I will go. I volunteer! Just please God, let's finish this. Let's cuff the woman and bring her in!"
"No cuffs!" Steve burst out. The other two looked at him strangely. He frowned, defensive, "I see her memories, she has had bad experiences…"
"She doesn't remember them! She's a new Widow! Until we capture her and fix her scrambled brain, she is not herself, only a body will lethal killing powers that the Red Room is controlling. Steve, let me bring her down." Clint raised an eyebrow, "You would be an idiot to underestimate her. That would be a mistake. A hilarious and amusing mistake, but a mistake."
Bucky gave him a withering look, "I've gone up against the Widow before and she came away with a bullet hole through her stomach." Steve tensed but Clint cut him off, "The moral of the story being that you shot her through the middle and she still got away. Today we need to do it without hurting her!"
"Enough! I can't listen to you two any more!" Steve stood, his fists clenched, pacing the farmhouse yard. "She's somewhere in the city, in a motel. We have time to think this through." An incoming call lit Steve's cell a second time. He glanced down at it quickly, then answered, "T'Challa. Thank you for coming on board. I'm putting you on speaker." Steve held out the phone for the other two to hear and they gathered together around it. "Go ahead T'Challa."
"Captain, I am sorry to hear of what has become of Ms. Romanoff. I will do anything in my power to help her, and you, to right this wrong. I have brought Dr. Nanali Hytta with me, you remember her I am sure."
"Of course I do, she saved Nat's life after what Ross did to her."
"She also has done extensive studies on your connection, and has continued to do so via the data Natasha gave her while she was here in Wakanda. She has something to tell you that I think you will want to hear."
"Put her on." T'Challa handed the phone to Nanali.
"Hello Captain."
"Doctor, thank you for getting involved in this. I'm very grateful."
"Of course captain, Natasha and I grew to be good friends. I am afraid her luck in life isn't so good. But I have news that may make a difference."
Steve shifted anxiously, "Please, what is it?"
"Her DNA is not what we thought."
A sudden rush of anger and fear that was not his own made Steve lose his breath. Looking down at his necklace he suddenly realized with horror that he had forgotten to turn his shield back on.
Natasha don't be frightened, this can all be explained.
Get out of my head!
Steve winced as the words sliced through him, her terror and confusion soaking every syllable.
I'm sorry Natasha, I love you. I will fix this. Steve quickly put his shield up.
"Steve? Steve are you ok?" Bucky was shaking him by the shoulder, and Clint had taken the phone from his hand. Steve shook himself, "I left my shield down. She heard me thinking about her. She's panicking." Bucky and Clint stared at him for a moment, grave. Steve grabbed at the phone, Nanali? Nanali I missed that last bit, what have you discovered?"
Nanali spoke in a rush, "Natasha's enhancements are directly tied to you captain, and her proximity to you. When you are not close to her she loses the gift, at least, that is my theory."
"Are you saying that just by being close to her, I heal her?"
"Not quite, being close to her helps her own enhancement to work better, helps her to heal herself."
Steve breathed out slowly, then spoke into the phone, "Is there a chance that by being close to her I could help her mind to heal?"
Nanali was quiet for a moment, "It is possible, but I am uncertain how long it would take. She is dangerous Captain."
"Thank you Doctor, for all your work here."
"Of course Captain. Good Luck."
Steve looked at Bucky, fire in his eyes, "We're doing this my way. I'm the bait."