AN: Hey! Remember when I said that this chapter would have Bucky and Laura time... well, not yet. Next Chapter! I promise!

For now, let's see what Nat was getting on about, shall we?

Enjoy :)

Chapter 11 - Beyond the door

The cold air tugged at them as they trudged through the late lunch crowd. Hats and scarfs kept the cold from nipping at them and also hide the faces of the three women as they made a B-line towards the café Tony had rented out. Pepper and Natasha traversed the crowds expertly as Laura followed. The dark-haired woman often felt somewhat distracted in crowds. So many sounds and scents. It could all easily overwhelm her but she'd learned to cope. Learned techniques to help deal with it. When faced with so much pointless information she merely had to focus on a single person. Their scent, their face. It helped massively when it came to tracking a target.

But she had no target so chose the next best thing. The Black Widow's scent was sharp and clean, like a dry old wine or cold blade. Everything the clone knew about the assassin told her that Natasha should be wary or even hostile towards her. Laura was an unknown variable, a risk, the very thing most people avoided. But the deadly red-head had yet to threaten her and it put her on edge. This was the Black Widow, the thing that had frightened the monsters of her past. Nothing was more terrifying than the predator capable of killing your predator.

"He's recovering." Laura actively flinched as Natasha spoke, realising that the woman had met her stare with cold eyes.

"Everyday. He's trying to find the pieces of the man he used to be. It may not be happening fast but he is recovering his humanity." Natasha's cold exterior melted as she committed herself to this course of action. "It hasn't been easy for him or Steve or any of us but we've tried our best to easy him into it. Even when he's pushed us away." She sighed. Natasha knew that Steve wouldn't approve to her meddling but she wasn't the type of person to see a problem and leave it to fix itself.

"Why are you telling me this?" Laura broke eye contact as she avoided bumping into people effortlessly. This Information was personal, scratch that, it was vulnerable and Laura couldn't see why someone like Natasha would display a weakness.

Natasha huffed slightly at Laura's cluelessness "Because the day he remembered you was the day he actually gave a damn about something. He came to us for help, opened himself up, and made himself vulnerable. All because he cared about you."

Laura frowned deeply. She debated if what Natasha was saying could be true. All he remembered was Belem and not even Belem, just the introduction. "He shouldn't." She failed to see how she had create such a positive impression. Her time at hydra was hardly a positive time in her life. She tried to convince herself that they hadn't even been that close, how could two ghosts be anything more than strangers to each other? But she knew the answer. It was one of the few things she did truly know. She shock the thought away. "The person he remembers, I'm not her anymore. I stopped being her a long time ago."

"And that's why you're the best person to help him." Natasha watched as Laura went from reluctant to downright disbelieving. Her response almost made her laugh. Laura fascinated Nat, never had she met someone who reminded her so much of her past self. But Laura was far from being the Red Room's pet and was nowhere near the Avenger she was today. She was stuck in the between stage. Committed to the good path but doubtful in her own abilities.

"Steve's a good man but he's stubborn and stressed out of his mind. He's good for Bucky but not in the same way you are." Pepper reassured as she lead them around a corner and onto a much quieter street. She wasn't exactly sure on what specifically she could help with, but she believed that the only person who could figure that out would be Laura. The dark haired girl was the only one who knew the full story.

A lot was going on in Laura head. Her doubtful mind twisting and turning her current situation over and over again. Guilt and pity wallowed in her stomach along with something much more dangerous, determination. A part of her was adamant that she should drop everything and leg it back home but that determination stuck strong. It grounded her here, demanding that she help him. But the question of 'how?' kept stopping her. She had to get over that hurdle, bridge the gap that divide them. It left her with serious doubts that she could achieve those things. "I want to help him, I just don't know how to".

Nat nodded at the response "Good. Now we're on the same page."

"What?" That hadn't been what she was expecting. But Laura found herself not really knowing what to expect from the former Agent anymore. Everything she thought the infamous Black Widow would be like appeared to be false.

Natasha chuckled "I don't expect you to have all the answers, Laura."

"It's enough to know that you're willing to help him." Pepper backed Natasha up, smiling brightly with positivity. It was something that her new bodyguard seemed to lack.

They lapsed into a small silence and Laura got stuck in her thoughts, processing everything she had been told. "Fortunate as well, I wasn't looking forward to beating you up." Natasha's cocky tone brought her back to reality to find the assassin smirking away to herself

"Natasha!" Pep scolded but failed to keep a straight face, giggling softly at her friend.

"I...can't agree more..." In all honesty Laura was still struggling to relax. This red haired spy didn't act like a spy or at least the spies that Laura had could in contact with. "Fighting you seems...daunting." She watched with intrigue as the smallest hint of surprise flashed in the Black Widow's eyes. "Your reputation is loud" And just like that the flash vanished and was quickly replaced with an air of tension.

"You've heard of me" Natasha's tone hide her true emotions well, managing to appear inquisitive but Laura was positive that the master assassin was holding back in her questioning.

"Just whispers, nothing more." Laura replied casually, trying to disperse the tension that was slowly build around the trio. Admittedly she knew this topic was a tad bit too close to the bone for both Natasha and her. So ending it quickly was probably best which was why Laura refrained from lying. Natasha would see through that.

Nat's eyes narrowed slightly. Despite the Hydra leak, her information wasn't exactly freely plastered on public billboards. You had to go looking for it, which Laura obviously hadn't. Her cryptic little statement peaked Natasha's interest greatly. "Funny 'cause I haven't heard anything about you."

She just shrugged in reply, choosing to keep her response in the confines of her head. 'You weren't meant to.'

"We're here, guys." Pepper's happy and bouncy voice didn't convince either of them but it did managed to distract from the somewhat awkward conversation. The three women found themselves in front of a charming little café. A couple of small sets of stairs lead down, a level past street level.

Even Laura had to admit that the place was pleasant looking, not big or bold and so not what she'd expect Stark to pick. "Great..." Laura sighed knowing that Stark and his annoying face were most likely just beyond that door.

AN: So how was that? I could really do with some feedback. I wasn't terribly confident about this chapter.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please fav, follow and review!

Feedback will help my confidence. Hopefully.

See you next week!