Well I know that it took a while for this second chapter, but hopefully future updates will be faster. No promises though, as I'm starting a new internship tomorrow with long hours! Anyways, I hope you like it! While I haven't read any of the comics, I have done some research, and in the end, I've pretty much decided to mix some of the different Black Widow stories to better suit my purposes. sorry if you're a stickler for the originals. :/
Disclaimer: I am not Marvel, or Joss Whedon, or Disney. I am almost broke, and making no money from this.
Tabula Rasa
CHAPTER TWO
He's thinking maybe this was way too easy. She is the Black Widow after all, known to be ruthless and persistent. How could he have swayed such a woman so easily? They're in the warehouse he was using as a safe house, waiting to be picked up by the jet Clint called in from Coulson. Sitting in the chair furthest from the door, she's eying him warily, and standing near the door, he's doing the same. He doesn't know her. What if this entire thing is a setup by the Russians to take down S.H.I.E.L.D.? He's so losing his job over this.
Yet he can't find it in himself to regret his decision. If there's even a tiny chance that he can help this girl, undo what's been done to her, he knows he has to try. He tried small talking with her at first, -she is a teenage girl- but she hasn't spoken since they talked in the dance studio. There's a ragged gash on her shoulder, so he digs his med kit out of his duffel bag and pulls out disinfectant wipes and a needle and thread, pointing at the injury.
"Do you want me to patch that up for you?"
Untrusting, she shakes her head. "Give it here."
Reluctantly, he hands over the medical equipment, and winces as she roughly cleans out the cut. She doesn't even flinch. She tosses the used wipes into the trash bin and strings the needle skillfully before sewing the wound closed with quick precision and no sign of pain, though he's sure it hurts.
"Do you want," he starts. "I can get- a change of clothes?"
She glances down at her torn dress, and nods. All his duffel bag has is a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, both of which will be much too big for her, but he tosses them to her anyways. Clint feels weird watching her undress, but he knows he can't trust her enough to turn away. The Widow, on the other hand seems to have no problem stripping down in front of him, and stares directly at him while he tries to avert his gaze. His eyes flicker towards her only once, but in that second, he can see that she is very beautiful.
Neither of them attempts to sleep, and it's all Clint can do not to just stare at her the entire time they wait. Yet she seems to have no problem staring at the wall blankly, her expression flickering only rarely to reveal thoughts or emotions. Finally, he hears the quiet sounds of the S.H.I.E.L.D. jet landing on the roof, and after picking up his duffel, motions for her to lead the way up. She does so silently, and upon reaching the roof, they are greeted by Agent Hill, and two other men he does not recognize.
"Scan her," Hill orders one of them, before taking Clint aside for private conversation.
"Fury's not happy with you," she quickly informs him. "You and the Black Widow will be facing a meeting with him and the Council, where they will determine whether or not to allow her life."
He only raises an eyebrow. "I promised her a second chance. I won't let them kill her."
She shrugs, and they head back to where one of the men has just finished scanning Romanoff for any bugs or trackers. The scanner beeps, signaling that it has found something, and the man, inexperienced idiot that he is, pulls out a knife. The Black Widow goes into action immediately, ducking under his knife to sweep his feet out from under him. The other Agent attacks, and soon Hill joins the fray. In truth it's the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent's fault, so Clint isn't inclined to join until Romanoff socks Hill in the face. Occupied by the other three Agents, Romanoff still manages to kick Clint in the gut before he's able to knock her out with a sharp blow to the head. She hits the ground harshly and he winces. He turns and approaches the Agent who started the whole mess.
"You idiot! What did you go and pull a knife for? You didn't think she was going to defend herself?"
The man, bleeding from a scrape on his face, takes a step back. "The scanner found a tracker in her neck. She's probably still in league with the enemy! She's leading them right to us!"
Clint rolls his eyes. "Of course she had a tracker! That doesn't mean she was going to betray us!"
Agent Hill interjects before the argument can escalate, turning to the new agent. "Even if she is still in league with the enemy, next time you use your words instead of going straight into attack mode. We do have to get that tracker out though. Before we head back to base." She turns to the other agent Clint did not recognize, the mandatory medical personnel for this mission.
He nods, and they quickly set up a small operating table inside the jet. Glancing at the scanner to find the tracker's exact location, the man digs into her neck with a scalpel, easily finding the tracker and pulling it out skillfully. The incision is quickly sewn up, and the unconscious woman is cuffed and strapped to a seat besides Clint before they take off, heading for the helicarrier headquarters.
Fingers tap her shoulder, and as soon as she wakes, the guilty offender finds her hands at his throat. She quickly recognizes him as the Hawkeye, and pulls her hands back slightly before her view rests on the cuffs around her wrists.
"Sorry," he shrugs. "And sorry about your head."
The tender area in question makes itself known, and she's sure there's a lovely shiner on her forehead.
"I'm also sorry for Agent Happy Knife over there."
"Hey!"
She holds out her cuffed hands. Unlocking the cuffs seems an acceptable apology, and he does fulfill her wishes.
"It's just, we found a tracker in the back of your neck. It makes us suspicious that this is all a setup to give away our location. We took it out."
Her hand unconsciously moves to the back of her neck, which is covered by a bandage, but still sore.
"I didn't know that was there. I might have guessed though. The Red Room doesn't want its property getting away."
"The Red Room?" The Hawkeye gives her a confused look, but she only glances at him.
"Now what?"
"Now . . ." He grasps her hand and pulls her to her feet. "Now we meet my boss. Thank you Agent Hill," he says as they leave the jet. "This oughta be fun."
The man sitting across the table from her is very different from the man who brought her in, the Hawkeye, who is currently sitting beside her. He's large, with a somewhat darker, gruffer personality, and is wearing a patch over his left eye.
"Agent Barton," he addresses the Hawkeye, all the while staring Natasha down. "Please tell me there is a very good reason this woman is still breathing. The Council is not happy."
Natasha stares right back at the man, showing none of the surprise that she feels at them having this conversation with her still in the room.
"Director Fury," Barton stands his ground. "I believe Ms. Romanoff could be a great asset for us. And sir," he lowers his voice, glancing at Natasha. "I don't think she agrees with all the things she's been ordered to carry out."
"That's not true," she interrupts Fury before he can reply. "Everything I've done was necessary and right for the good of Russia. I have no regrets. I was only protecting my country from our enemies."
She says this coldly and apathetically.
Fury raises his eyebrows before glancing at the file in front of him.
"Enemies such as Alexandra Drakova, a twelve year old girl?"
Her expression flickers momentarily before she replies. "I serve my country. Everything I did was for Russia."
"I see what you mean, Barton." Fury's eyes finally leave her, and she frowns deeply. "And you think she has the skills to be an agent?"
Barton gives him a look. "She's better than me in hand-to-hand. If you don't believe me, test her against some other agents. And I know she's got other skills."
"In time," is Fury's only response until at last, he directs a question towards her. "And you are willing to forsake all allegiance to Russia, the KGB, and your former employers?"
Natasha freezes, and glares at him. "I cannot do such a thing. I fight for Russia to my last breath."
"Then why did you agree to come with Agent Barton?"
She shrugs as if it's obvious. "He would have killed me otherwise."
Barton frowns. "But all that stuff you said? About not wanting to be used any longer? And wanting to clean up your ledger?"
She seems bemused. "Was that not what you wanted to hear from me?"
Barton's frown deepens, but Fury interrupts whatever he was thinking. "Miss Romanova, it says here that your parents were killed in a fire when you were five?"
A curt nod.
"And what happened after?"
She hesitates a moment before answering. "I was rescued from the fire by a man who took me to- to the-" she halts. "I'm cannot speak of it."
"Miss Romanova," Fury's voice is harsh and commanding. "If you intend to survive, you will tell me everything I want to know."
She takes her cuffed hands off the table, puts them in her lap, and fidgets. Her stare burns a hole in the floor when she finally speaks. "He took me to the Red Room."
"What's that?"
"It's a training facility." Her voice grows stronger. "The program started in the Cold War, and continues still today. They take young girls who will not be missed, and train us to be spies and assassins."
"And how long were you there?"
"I still am-was. I mean I would have returned there after my mission if he had not interfered."
"Trained your entire childhood," he mused. "Very well, Barton. We'll see what we can do with her. I'll deal with the Council. But as punishment, you get to be the one to deal with her."
"Director?" Barton questions. "How do we stop- I mean how do we- how do we un-brainwash her?"
"I was NOT-"
"Start simple," Fury interrupts her. "You will interrogate her, and find out everything about her. Get a starting point for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s psychologists. When you aren't questioning her, she spends her time in a cell. No visitors and nothing but the necessities until she's made progress.
Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always very welcome! :)