'Hey.'

Several heads looked up at Maria and Tasha.

As if they were all synced, a chorus of 'dibs' ran round the room. Maria laughed, and Tasha gave a smirk.

'I think we will manage without the Dibs,' Tasha quipped, 'wouldn't wanna let down all the other ladies.'
A couple of the inmates laughed, before looking at them, curious.

'You want top or bottom?' Maria asked Tasha, only to receive a suggestive eyebrow raise.

'Shut up, you know what I mean. You're as bad as Clint.' Maria grumbled.

Tasha laughed. 'No one is as bad as Clint. I'll take the top.'

This conversation raised a few heads from their cell mates. 'You guys know each other from the outside?' One of the woman asked, 'Not many people come in together.'

Maria nodded, before Tasha spoke. 'We had some pull with the judge, he owed me a favour.' This only confused their inmates more.

'Well, I'm Chapman. That's Diaz, over there is Rosa, and up on top is Nichols. She just got back from the SHU, two weeks.'

Tasha gave a nod of sympathy to Nichols. She remembered the days before her deprogramming after she got caught by Shield. Weeks on end, staring at a blank wall, knowing people were watching on the other side of the double glass, yet so alone.

Chapman was just about to explain how to arrange their beds, but stopped as she saw them both lie over their sheets. Guess they got the memo.

'Is this your first time in prison?' Diaz asked, curious.

Tasha sighed. 'No. It wasn't as nice as this one.'

Maria frowned. They had both been on multiple missions that lead to capture. No, they definitely weren't as nice.

Chapman was just about to ask another question, when she was interrupted.

'Enough with the third degree, Chapman.' Nichols spoke for the first time. 'You always let your mouth run faster than your head. Not a good trait in here.'

Chapman glared at Nichols.

'Fine, whatever, get stabbed in your sleep. It's your choice,' Nichols retracted.

Tasha smiled slightly, before she lay down on her bed, listening to the sound of Maria's humming. It was becoming a habit, on both their sides.

They reached the front of the queue to the lunch line just as a guard approached. Tasha had slight satisfaction, seeing the guard, a tall man with a moustache, tighten his grip on his baton, as he passed them. Tasha nudged Maria, just as he strode into the kitchens.

'What shit are you serving up today, Red?' The man grinned maliciously.

'You call it shit,' a woman replied in a thick Russian accent, 'yet you come back for more everyday. Do you enjoy eating shit?'

The guard growled, and grabbed a handful of nuggets, before stalking off.

'чертовски мудак,' the woman grumbled, in Russian. (Fucking dickhead.)

'попробуйте удалить голову от задницы , вы можете расчесывать ваши борода лучше.'

(Try removing your head from your ass, you can comb your moustache better.)

Tasha laughed, causing the redhead to look at her.

'You speak Russian?' She asked, curious.

'Россия моя родина,' Tasha replied. (Russia is my mother country.)

Maria remained blank faced during their conversation, feigning ignorance to the language. Truth be told, she had learnt Russian, not long after Tasha had joined shield. She had often been assigned guard duty, and she had been curious to what Tasha muttered about in her sleep. She wished she hadn't found out. She never told Tasha she learned, it felt like an invasion of privacy, now she understood her ramblings.

The cook returned to serving, and they moved along the line.
Maria just looked at Tasha. 'Making friends?'

'She's the head cook, and Russian to boot. We don't want to be on their bad side. Besides, it's nice to speak Russian in a nonthreatening environment.' Tasha shrugged, picking up her tray and leading Maria to an empty table.

Maria snorted. 'How bad did we end up, that prison is a non threatening environment.'

Tasha chuckled, before sitting down.

'Well, nobody is shooting at us.'

'Yeah, well, after all the reporters, I kinda missed the bullets.'

Tasha laughed, throwing her head back.

'Really? I would have thought you thrived on that stuff.'

Maria shook her head.

'Nope. I may have been a pencil pusher, but that's not how I got there. I worked the same job as you.'

Tasha frowned, suddenly. 'No. Not the same, never. Not even Clint did some of the stuff I did for work.'

Maria looked at Tasha, sensing her vulnerability. It was like whiplash, the way her emotions had changed on a switch.

'Hey, that's over. No ones making you do anything. No killing. I promise.' Tasha looked up into Maria's eyes. In one fluid movement, she stuck out her little finger.

'Pinky?' Tasha was completely serious.

Maria laughed, sticking out her finger, and wrapping it around Tasha's.

'God, you child.'

Tasha grinned at Maria. There it was again. The whiplash. It made her wonder if any of it was real.

They sat in silence, munching on their food. They ignored everyone around them, sharing a silent conversation with their expressions. It was a game Maria had showed her. They were trained to read expressions, body language. They needed it to analyse a target, so Maria had made it into a game. They would try and tell stories through their expressions. Neither one knew what the other was trying to say, but that was the fun of it. It was different for every person. After Maria made a rather funny face, Tasha raised a single eyebrow, causing Maria to burst out laughing.

'You lose,' Tasha dead panned, before grinning.

Maria raised her hands in defeat. 'How could I not, it's you I was playing,' she replied.

'Wow, inflate a girls ego much, Hill?'

Maria laughed. 'Oh no! It's already big enough,' Maria paused, before looking down to her food. 'Are you done?' Maria asked, gesturing to Tasha's tray. Tasha nodded, and they both rose, taking their trays to the trash can. Once they had deposited them, they made their way back to their cell room.

It was the first time they had been alone since they had gotten there, and so, they both settled, side by side, on Maria's bed.

'How long are we staying?' Maria asked.

Tasha shrugged. 'I don't know, as long as we feel like.'

Maria nodded, although still not completely understanding why Tasha wanted to be there.

'You got a plan to get us out yet?' Maria asked with a grin.

'Please. I had an exit as soon as I set foot in this place.'

Maria gave her a shove. 'Cocky much? Although, I made a plan too. One that probably involves less danger and action.'

'Well, where's all the fun in that?' Tasha asked teasingly, before musing, 'Although it does raise the question as to why they placed us in such a low facility prison.'

Maria nodded, before answering, 'Well, I actually had a few theories on that.'

'Shoot.'

'Well, firstly, all the high facility prisons are filled with Hydra. They were probably worried we would kill them... or join them.'

Tasha nodded, prompting her to continue.

'Before all the hydra went there, we had a hand of bagging half those criminals, sometimes killing their comrades in the process. Putting us into a high facility prison would be giving us a death sentence. Even the black widow couldn't take on hundreds at a time.'

Tasha snorted derisively, but Maria ignored her. 'You were right when you said they will need us. They know it, and so they need us alive.'

Tasha nodded, 'You've put a lot of thought into this, huh?'

Maria shot her a look. 'Well yeah, that's my job... was my job. I have two other theories.'

'Oh, I'll get comfortable then,' Tasha teased, before moving around in the bed, till she was right next to Maria. She placed her head against the pillow and looked at Maria.

Taking her cue, Maria spoke. From this angle, Tasha could watch her talk, count the freckles on her nose. What? She was observant! At least, that was what Tasha told herself.

'The court views us in one of two ways. They might see us exactly as we are, a couple of badass spies who don't need orders to get things done. They would know we could easily break out. They wouldn't want to risk others breaking out, or us damaging their high facility prisons, so they send us here, where we can do minimal damage. They know we will escape, and when we do, the press will paint us exactly as they want them to, as a couple of criminals.

This or, most likely, they think we are women. Feeble, and slow. They are misogynistic old men who think we can only do anything productive when it's given to us by Fury or Captain. We are just the puppets to a man's game. They would believe that without the men, we are nothing, and powerless to escape, therefore, no need for max facilities.'

Maria let out a chuckle. 'They will have no idea what hit them.'

Tasha was just about to respond, when a bell rang out through the prison. Tasha and Maria sat up, as their cell mates joined them in their room.

'Quick, get up. Stand by your bed!' Maria and Tasha shot up, and did as they were told.

On cue, two guards came strolling in. Maria recognised the man from the lunch queue.

'Well, ladies, a little birdie told us that the inmates have been naughty.' Tasha rolled her eyes, seeing how the man got off on the 'power' he had over them.

'Room search.' The other guard said. He was the guard from their admittance. The one with the prosthetic leg.

Maria observed the annoyance on the other woman's faces, but none of them looked guilty.

The guards ransacked their cell, leaving a mess every where they touched. The second guard, at least, showed some restraint. Finally, the moustache dick declared the room clear and they left.

'Ugh, what a douche.' Maria grumbled.

Tasha snorted. 'Understatement much.'

The women set their rooms back to order in silence, and by then, it was lock down. Everyone had to stay in their rooms.

With a sigh, Tasha lied down on the bottom bunk.

'Hey, short stack, that's my bed.'

'You sound like Clint,' she shot back.

'Mmm, I was hoping it would annoy you enough to move.' Maria joked.

'Well, I know your master plan, now. I shall never leave this bed if it means victory,' Tasha teased back.

'Oh, move over.' Maria shoved Tasha to one end of the bed, and sat on the other.

'Interesting first day, huh.'

'Yeah.'

They were mostly whispering now, so as to not be overheard.

'Pepper is gonna be pissed. I had just signed up for a job.'

Tasha laughed. 'Well, better make her you first call.'

Maria laughed. 'Please, you know as soon as they can, they will be down here. You're family to them.'

Tasha hummed. 'That's a dysfunctional family if I ever saw one. It's all I got though. Tell me about yours.'

'Well, if were on the subject of dysfunction...'

Maria woke up early. Years of practice had permanently wired her biological clock that way. She looked around the room, and saw Tasha lounging against the wall.

'Hey.' She whispered, not wanting to wake the others.

'What time is it?' Maria asked, rubbing her eyes.

Tasha shrugged. 'No clock. I usually wake at 5, and judging by the sun, I've been up for half an hour.'

Maria nodded. Things didn't really get going till 8, but the doors opened for those early risers at 7. Perfect to grab a shower before it got crowded.

'I don't know how I will survive without my morning runs. I'll probably go stir crazy.' Tasha admitted.

Maria laughed. 'Guess you didn't think that through. This isn't a holiday resort, you know.' Maria teased.

'Okay, I get it. This wasn't one of my best ideas, it rarely is. But I'm nothing if not persistent. I will see this through.'

Maria looked at her for a second. 'See what through, exactly?'

Tasha grinned. 'You'll find out soon enough.'

'Uh oh, I do not like that look. Level one agents run from that look.'

'Well, you're hardly a level one agent, are you?' Tasha joked.

They talked away the early hours of the day. They had never really had the opportunity to get to know each other, further than their jobs. They would have plenty opportunity now.

'So, what do you think that cell search what about?' Maria asked.

Tasha shrugged. 'Probably something to do with the little birdie.'

They heard a click from the lock on the door, and so, Tasha and Maria grabbed their shower things.

Setting off towards the showers, they continued to muse about what happened yesterday. Once they reached them, they were grateful to find it empty. Maria hated all the scars she donned. They were reminders of the ones she, herself, had inflicted, and would probably raise the attention of the other inmates. It would be better, for now, to keep some anonymity amongst the other prisoners.

Tasha seemed to have no such problem, shedding her towel and stepping into the shower. Maria did her best not the stare, but could not help the occasional linger of her eyes.

Brushing off those thoughts, she too shed her towel and entered her shower. The pressure was crappy, and the hair wash cheap, but she was grateful for the warmth of the water. She pitied those who slept in. They stayed in the showers till people started to arrive, after which, they promptly left. There seemed to be a underlying tone of anger in people's moods, and they were not keen on being present during an argument.

They quickly returned to their cell, and changed. The light at the end of the hall signalled that they were free to go to the food hall.

Again, tensions seemed to be high, as everyone went to get their food. Maria shrugged it of to being early in the morning, and did not mention it.

Once they received their food, they decided to join Nichols and Chapman, who were sitting with the inmate who had shown then around the day before, and some others they didn't know.

'Hey,' Maria greeted, as they sat down.

'Hi, Romanov, Hill, this is Vause, you know Morello, and that's Yoga Jones.' Nichols introduced.

Tasha nodded to them, before asking, 'what's with all the doom and gloom? It seems like it's a little more than just being here.' Maria perked her head up. She hadn't been the only one to notice.

'Didn't you hear?' Vause asked. Those cell searches weren't as fruitless as yours. Someone has been smuggling in drugs. A few people got sent to the SHU for a month. They didn't find the supplier, and the guards are on a warpath.'

Maria frowned. This almost seemed like life as usual. Maria was just about to make this comment to Tasha, when she heard someone call, 'Hey! Romanov, Hill.'

Tasha looked at Maria pointedly, before turning to whomever had called them. Maria did the same, and saw a group of 8 or 9 inmates.

'Yes.'

'We lost 4 people to the SHU last night.' The leader growled.

Tasha rolled her eyes.

'How incredibly unfortunate for you. Maybe you should talk to them about having contraband items within a prison.'

Maria groaned. 'Tasha. It's our second day.'

Tasha just rolled her eyes.

'I think the real issue is that someone told the guards. It's a bit of a coincidence that this happened when you arrived.' The woman continued, the insinuation clear.

'Yea, well that is rather damning evidence, isn't it?' Tasha smirked.

A mutter rose through the group. They had earned the attention of the other inmates now, but the guards were oblivious.

'No one in your cell was affected, were they. See, that seems like a bit of a far fetched coincidence, don't you think?'

Tasha laughed, much to the annoyance of the group opposing them.

'I guess we will never know. Maybe we should ask one of the guards, they will be sure to tell us all.' Tasha smirked again.

'Oh you cocky bitch.' The leader muttered, before she swung her fist at Tasha. She easily dodged, and laughed.

'Is that it?' The woman charged her with a shriek of anger, drawing the attention of the guards.

Maria watched, a mix of annoyance and humour. This was so typical of Tasha. She looked as she saw her evade each of her attacks, till she sensed the air shift next to her. Moving on instinct, she spun, blocking a blow, and kicking out the feet of her attacker, leaving them crumpled to the ground, but they were replaced by another. She quickly unbalanced those who approached her, keeping her eye on Tasha as she went. She seemed to be toying with the leader.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw the guards approaching cautiously. Just as she was going to grab Tasha away from the fighting, she caught a glimpse of something metal in an oncoming attackers hand. They swung it at her, and up close, saw it was a crudely fashioned knife. She met the attacker head on, quickly disarming them. Apparently Tasha had seen the shiv too, and she was furious. Suddenly she was in front of Maria. She punched out, and felt a rib crack. She was in a frenzy, lashing out against three more attackers that had joined the fray. Maria stood there, unsure.

'Tasha.' She was ignored. Maria knew what happened when Tasha got this angry. The last attacker was on the floor now, and Tasha was towering over her. She aimed to take a blow, but felt a hand hold her back.

She immediately recoiled, and spun around. Her eyes were ablaze with fury.

'Tasha.' She repeated. 'You promised me no killing.' Her voice was calm, but iron clad.

'That's not exactly how I roll, Hill,' Tasha near growled.

'That's an order, not a request.' Maria commanded, ignoring the stares from those around them. Who could blame them. There were 9 inmates groaning on the floor.

'You're not my boss any more.' Tasha ground out.

'Yet you don't know how to cope without one. Let me help, before you kill someone.'

Tasha's face turned to stone, void of all emotion.

'You're not my handler. I don't need a baby sitter.' She spat out before striding away to the exit. None of the guards moved to stop her.

Maria was fuming. It seemed to get the better of her emotions. As Tasha reached for the door handle, Maria lashed out, whipping the makeshift blade through the air, and embedding it in the door, inches away from Tasha's hand.

She stopped at the door and looked back to Maria.

'Dont you dare, Natasha Romanov. не смей оставлять меня.' (Don't you dare walk away from me.)

If Tasha was surprised by the Russian, she didn't show it. Instead, she just opened the doors and left.

Hey, here's a longer one. A little bit of angst, but i can guarantee there will be oncoming fluff.

Send a review with what you think :)