Disclaimer: Do not own Marvel or The 100
Warnings for child abandonment, child abuse, torture, brainwashing, self-loathing and threats of torture and murder.
Avenging her Widow
After the Avengers had dealt with an irritating but weak enemy in the city and had dispatched it, Natasha decided to take Clarke with her to Melina's house for a while. They could lay back a bit there.
The two of them went to Melina's home in Saint Petersburg and the two of them and Melina and Yelena and Alexei spent a few days there.
The other Widows, who had been freed by Natasha, Clarke, Yelena, Melina and Alexei, were now working with different parts of SHIELD all over the world, to help free other girls and young women who had been targeted by HYDRA to be captured and brainwashed.
Which meant that Natasha, Clarke, Yelena, Melina and Alexei had the place to themselves.
Clarke, however, was ever ornery around Alexei and Melina, even with Melina trying to get closer to Clarke and Alexei trying to be cheerful with her and trying to be sort of a buddy to the soulmate to his daughters and to the woman who had pretended to be his wife.
Clarke Griffin had learned what Alexei and Melina Vostokoff had done to Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova, and she knew now that she was going to kill Alexei and snarl at Melina, and she could only yell at Melina, as Melina Vostokoff was only one of her romantic partner soulmates, so she couldn't do more than that.
She had learned what the fuckers had done soon after meeting them, before she, Natasha, Yelena, Melina and Alexei had gone to the new Red Room in the sky to free all of the Widows and kill Dreykov for good.
Alexei and Melina had been trusted by Natasha and Yelena; they had seen the both of them as their parents. And what had Alexei and Melina done?
They had given Natasha and Yelena to the fucking Red Room!
They had allowed two little girls that had trusted them, to be trained, brainwashed, abused and used to Dreykov's desires and the rest of his lowly Red Room.
It was only because Melina Vostokoff was Clarke Griffin's romantic partner soulmate, that she couldn't hurt the older woman. But Alexei? That was another story.
Alexei, Clarke could actually kill. She tried to stop herself before from doing it, as she knew Melina, Natasha and Yelena cared about him, for reasons she couldn't possibly understand.
Alexei? He was a pig. A sack of shit. Who only cared about himself.
He only saw himself when he thought about who he cared about.
Natasha and Yelena were just extensions of himself. That was all he saw them as. He only saw them as proof of his own accomplishments.
Alexei was truly a lowlife.
Melina? She had also sold Natasha and Yelena out, and it was only because of her soul tie to Clarke, that Clarke couldn't hurt the older woman, as much as a part of her wanted to.
But Alexei, she would hurt as much as she wanted to, and that would be so much fucking fun.
She would kill him this time.
So, when Melina had gone off to bed, and Yelena had as well, and Clarke was sure that Natasha wouldn't be back for a few hours, that was when Clarke made her move.
She went to Alexei's room, and stood by his bed, leering down at his unconscious, disgusting body.
She was going to make the pig pay for what he had done.
Clarke moved fast, controlling her strength enough to not take the bitch's head off, but enough to punch him hard enough that he wouldn't wake up when she started moving him.
He grunted out just like a pig, blood shooting out of his punched lips and nose. She heard his breathing come out weakly, but steadily. Which told her he was unconscious.
She grinned and leaned down, scooping the pig up off the bed, and carrying his weight out of the room and carried him out of the house and away from the property. She had grabbed the toolbelt filled with tools before.
Those tools would be useful in dispensing the justice that Alexei deserved to receive.
Clarke reached the further part of the forest, propped the pig up against multiple trees, grabbed the chains she had stored away under a root of the tree, and wrapped them around Alexei, chaining him to the trees as he sagged there, unconscious.
She then pulled out her toolbelt, unwound it in front of her on a tree stump, and pulled out the first of her tools, the hammer and she turned to Alexei, waiting for the Red Pig to wake up.
Natasha returned from her trip almost an hour later and locked her motorcycle by the house, put her helmet down onto the seat of the bike and she headed to the house.
She pulled the house keys out and unlocked the front door, walking in and closed the door behind her, locking up. She pocketed her keys and walked further into the house and as soon as she did, she knew that there was something wrong.
Normally Alexei would be asleep by now, which meant that she'd be hearing his deep, heavy snoring.
And what was more? Clarke would have greeted her by now, wouldn't she?
Natasha went down the hall, and listened close to one of the doors, hearing Melina's soft snoring. Natasha peered through a slightly open door, allowing her to see Yelena under the covers of her bed, her headphones on, listening to her music as she slept or got close to sleeping.
Natasha stepped back, frowning.
Clarke wasn't here. And Alexei wasn't here.
What did that mean?
Natasha had a very, very uncomfortable feeling that she knew exactly what that meant. She had thought Clarke wouldn't lay a hand on Alexei, if she saw how Natasha and Yelena still loved him, but if she believed that there was more to gain by punishing him, then…
Natasha quickly turned on her heel, went down the hall and got to the front door of the house and unlocked the front door, got out, pulled out the keys and locked the door up, pocketed her keys and headed to her bike again, pulling out her bike's key.
She got on her bike, put on her helmet and started up the bike and took off down the dirt pathway, following the footsteps she was able to make out with the multiple lights hanging from the occasional telephone pole.
The footsteps were pressed into the dirt and mud, and recent. Natasha followed them, right along the path with her bike, heading for the forest.
Natasha held her breath as she moved, her stomach turning as she thought about what Clarke was going to do to Alexei if she didn't get there fast.
Natasha knew that Clarke hated Alexei, she knew that. But Natasha and Yelena both had asked Clarke not to lay a hand on him. Because they loved him. Clarke had reminded Natasha and Yelena of what Alexei had done, giving Natasha and Yelena up when they were children, to the Red Room people, and had allowed them to be tortured, brainwashed, trained, dissected and had their ovaries and uterus removed, experimented on and so on. Alexei had allowed that.
And Natasha knew that Clarke would never forgive him for it, and would never allow him to get away with it.
The only reasons why Melina wouldn't be harmed in any way, except emotionally, was because Melina was another one of Clarke's romantic partner soulmates and because Natasha and Yelena loved her.
The only two reasons why.
But Alexei? Oh, Alexei was doomed, and Natasha couldn't believe that she hadn't seen this coming.
She shouldn't have allowed Clarke in the house with Alexei, unsupervised.
Natasha powered on into the forest, following the set of tracks, with drag marks behind those tracks, telling Natasha that Clarke most likely had dragged Alexei across the dirt.
Alexei eventually bobbed his head, till he woke up weakly, groggily grunting and opening his eyes as he lifted his head.
He suddenly realized that there were big, thick and incredibly uncomfortable chains around him, binding him back.
He gasped, struggling against those chains, but the chains didn't budge. He looked around and his eyes fell upon the young woman holding him captive, grinning at him, with a hammer in her right hand.
Clarke Griffin-Wanheda. She had strung along some lights to the trees, turning them on and allowing Alexei to see her perfectly, most likely to terrorize him even more with what she was planning on doing to him.
Alexei gasped, shaking his head, head swimming with agonizing pain.
"You're…what are you doing, girl?" He asked, staring at the woman.
Clarke grinned at him, showing off her fangs as her eyes turning from blue to black.
"What am I going to do to you?" Clarke asked in a singsong voice, "Oh, old man, you don't want the answer to that particular question. But don't worry, I'll give you the answer, anyway."
She raised the hammer and waved it around for Alexei to get a good look at it.
"This hammer," Clarke said, "Is the first of the tools I'm gonna use on you. I'm going to beat you with the hammer, again and again and again. Then I'm going to use the wrench," Clarke nodded to the wrench in the toolkit on the mossy stump. "And then I'll use the screwdriver. Then the pliers. Then the garden shears. Then the knife, to cut into your gums." Clarke turned to Alexei, her grin widening, "Then I will be satisfied by what is done to you and the things you allowed to happen to Natasha and Yelena, will be avenged."
Alexei groaned fearfully, trying to back away, but just ended up ramming into the bark of the trees he was chained too. Clarke cackled. "Aw, scared are you, 'Red Guardian?' Too bad. Maybe you should have thought about that, before you handed two little girls off to a bunch of butchers, manipulators and abusers, you sack of shit."
Alexei grimaced, looking away.
Clarke nodded, stepping closer, leaning in and staring at him, "You know you're going to die, don't you, old man? And what's more, you know that you deserve it, don't you?"
Alexei shrunk back even more. Yes. Dammit, he knew he deserved this. He did know that he deserved it.
He hated how right she was. He deserved to be cut apart, beaten and tortured on and on.
It was what he deserved.
For what he had done to Natasha and Yelena. For giving them up. For leaving them. For never breaking them out.
Yes, he deserved this. All of this.
"Yes," He whispered, voice pained, nodding, "You're right."
There was silence then, then Clarke whispered, "What the fuck did you just say, old man?"
Alexei gave a weak laugh, "You're right." He nodded and lifted his head, looking at Clarke, his face riddled with pain and self-disgust.
"I never tried to help Natasha and Yelena." He said quietly, "I gave them up to Dreykov. I deserve everything I get today."
Clarke's eyebrows rose up, seeming startled. "So," She remarked, sneering, "You admit it."
Alexei snickered wryly. "Yes, I do," He admitted, "I know what I deserve. I gave my little girls up," He whimpered, eyes closing as he felt the tears start, "I know what I deserve. You're right. Everything you've ever said to me is right. I'm a coward. Weak. Stupid. I don't even deserve to be called the 'Red Guardian.' I'm no father. And I deserve to suffer for what I did to Natasha and Yelena."
Clarke was silent for a second, before she chuckled, "Well, then," She said, "I'll admit, I didn't see that one coming."
Alexei chuckled wryly, "I gave up two little girls that trusted me. Gave them up to Dreykov. I deserve whatever you're going to do to me."
Clarke smirked. "Well, then," She said, amused, "I guess you do have a little integrity. Not much. But some, I suppose."
She then held onto the hammer and pulled it back. "Time to break your fucking right knee."
She then added, snickering, "You're going to suffer unlike anything else today, Alexei," Clarke said, "You are going to suffer horribly for what you did to Natasha and Yelena."
She raised the hammer and aimed for Alexei's right knee, when she froze and her eyes widened.
She heard the rumble of a motorcycle only a couple of miles away. She cursed under her breath. Fuck. She had thought Natasha would be getting back later rather than sooner.
She hissed, lowering the hammer, looking over her shoulder. She heard a startled grunt from Alexei. Alexei didn't have nearly as good ears as she did, so he most likely didn't hear the rumble from Natasha's motorcycle.
"Shit," She growled, looking through the darkness of the forest, "What the hell is she doing back this soon?"
She heard the rumbling of the motorcycle coming closer and she huffed, lowering the hammer and waiting for Natasha to arrive, knowing that the redhead would be able to follow all the tracks here.
She heard the motorcycle coming closer and it got close enough for Alexei to hear, as his attention got turned to the direction of where the noise of the bike was coming from.
Natasha and her bike emerged from between four trees, the lithe, muscled figure in leathers, bearing a black helmet zoomed up alongside Clarke, and the bike was turned off the rumbling cutting out.
Natasha came off the bike and stood before Clarke and the bound Alexei, pulling her helmet off and her dark glossy red hair flying free.
Natasha placed the helmet onto the seat of the bike, and stared at Clarke, her eyes never breaking from their gaze on Clarke.
"Clarke," Natasha began, her voice low, the light strung on the trees, illuminating all three individuals perfectly, "What were you about to do to Alexei?"
Clarke sighed, nodding to the hammer in her hand, "I'm just going to give him what he deserves. Nothing else, Nat. I'm going to torture him to death."
Clarke then turned to Alexei, smirking, "Didn't you just say that you deserve it?"
Alexei lowered his head, nodding, a despairing look on his face.
Clarke turned back to Natasha. "There," She said, grinning, fangs sticking out still, eyes still glowing red, "You see? He just admitted that he deserves to be cut apart. It's all he deserves. He should suffer. For what he did to you. For what he did to Yelena. He deserves everything I'm going to do to him."
Natasha's expression didn't change at Clarke's proud snickering, wanting to torture Alexei.
"I can't let you do that, love," Natasha said softly, "Please take the chains off of him."
"Why?" Clarke snorted, "So that he can make a new excuse for how he acted? Say that he's proud of you for killing so many people? When he's the one at fault?! Him and Melina?!"
Natasha held up her right hand, in a placating manner. "Clarke," she started, voice soft, "He's trying to change. You can see that, can't you?"
Clarke shook her head. "You know?" She sneered, "No, I can't see that. And what is he gonna do? After he supposedly "changes," Nat? Go on and brag about how much good he does? Natasha, listen to me," Clarke's eyes became full of conviction as she spoke next, "People DON'T change, alright? They just don't."
Natasha lifted her eyebrows, "And is that what you would have said, when I left HYDRA and joined SHIELD?"
Clarke shook her head, eyes for once softening and becoming blue again. "That wasn't your fault, Nat," Clarke said, voice now soft as she tried to soothe her beloved, "None of that was your fault, baby. You were raised and brainwashed to see the Red Room as the good guys. And when you found out the truth? You left and sided with SHIELD. And again, what happened afterwards, when we found out that SHIELD was actually HYDRA, that wasn't your fault." Clarke nodded to Natasha, knowing that the whole subject of SHIELD actually being another faction of HYDRA was still a tender subject for the two of them, "You didn't change, Natasha. You were always a good person. You thought you were doing the right thing each time. And always tried to do the right thing. You were always good. There was no change that needed to be made."
Clarke added, nodding to Alexei, "And him? He'll never change. He'll always be a disgusting piece of shit that sold you and Yelena out, who gave you up." She snickered, "When he was locked up in the Red Room, when we went after Dreykov," they had gone after Dreykov and the new Red Room, the one far off in the sky, and they had brought it down and had killed all those that had enslaved the women of the Red Room, Clarke went on, "When he was locked up there, what did say about when he and Melina gave you and Yelena up? What did he say? He said when the two of you were 'taken from him,' not when he gave the two of you up," Clarke shook her head, disgusted as she glared at Alexei, "Even when he realizes he fucked up, he can't take responsibility. He's not like you and me. He'll never take responsibility. He should die."
She grinned hatefully at Alexei, "And he knows it," she said with finality in her voice.
Natasha sighed, putting her helmet down on the front of the bike and got up off the bike and walked around it to get to Clarke.
"I'm not letting you kill him," her voice was firm in that way that Clarke recognized and that made her stiffen a moment. It was the voice that Natasha used when she expected to be obeyed. Natasha stepped closer to Clarke and said, still speaking firmly, "You will not kill him, Clarke. No matter how much you feel he deserves it," she then said softly, looking at Alexei, "Look at him. He's already learned his lesson."
Clarke eyed Natasha. "Has he?" She asked curiously, "Well, then, let's ask him," She grinned then, "Alexei, what would you do if you were assigned with handing over two new little girls to Dreykov and he promised you that you'd return to your former glory as the Red Guardian? What would you do? Because I have an idea about what you would do."
Alexei weakly shook his head. "I wouldn't-I wouldn't," he started weakly, but Clarke cut him off in a rage.
Her eyes became black again with rage as she screamed, "You fucking liar!"
She stepped forward, claws out, fangs unsheathed, but Natasha moved quickly.
Clarke was faster than anyone, but she simply walked over to where Alexei was bound, and Natasha ran.
She quickly stood between Clarke and Alexei, holding her arms out at her side as she blocked Clarke from Alexei and stared at Clarke with all the intensity in the world. "Clarke," she said, "No! I won't let you kill him. You want to hurt him? A little? Will that calm you down a little? Then do it. But that's all you can do."
Clarke paused, eyeing Natasha, "Or what?"
Natasha stared at her. "What do you mean?" She asked.
Clarke emphasized, "What is the punishment if I don't listen to you? What do I have to gain by listening to you?"
Natasha's eyes widened in realization. She realized she and Clarke had reached a point where they couldn't go back on this. Natasha would have to put a line in the sand here and now, unless she wanted to see Alexei get brutally killed.
She had to offer up a reward or a punishment, for if Clarke killed Alexei or didn't kill him.
Or both.
Natasha almost smiled. Almost.
She could work with that.
What was more, unless Clarke was playing a game right now, which Natasha doubted, Clarke asking her that, meant that she was willing to be flexible, as long as Natasha laid out a few guidelines. As long as she made it clear what lines weren't to be crossed.
Natasha nodded to Clarke in understanding.
"Alright," she said, "Here's what will happen if you don't kill him. I will make it worth your while. I promise, malyshka,"Clarke shivered at the tone in Natasha's voice when she said that.
"And if I kill him?" Clarke said, snickering, "Will you break up with me?" Clarke dreaded the answer, but she seriously, seriously doubted that her darling would break up with her over that fucking pig she had chained against the trees.
Natasha sighed, shaking her head. "No," she answered, "I won't. You know I could never leave you. I love you. So much."
Clarke gave a small whimper, losing her snicker as she felt her heart leap at Natasha's words. No matter how long they had been together, no matter how many times Natasha had told Clarke that she loved her, with words, with actions, with caresses and kisses and embraces-Clarke would never get used to Natasha's declarations of love. Never.
She wondered how much of that had to do with what her life had been like before Natasha had found her in that tree in the Ice Nation when she had been twenty, or how much of it had to do with how amazing Natasha was. Or maybe both.
Natasha continued, "I would never leave you, I promise," Clarke swallowed, hearing that promise as Natasha spoke again, "But I also promise you that if you kill Alexei; in front of me, or ever, it will hurt me. It will. It will hurt Yelena and Melina too. I know you don't care as much about Melina as you do me and Yelena, but I know it will hurt her. If you don't care about her, at least think about how much it will hurt Yelena. And how much it will hurt me."
Clarke hesitated then, mouth parting slightly, but said nothing.
Natasha added, her emerald eyes never leaving Clarke's gaze, "And even if I'll never leave you and I'll never stop loving you, I don't think I'd ever be able to trust you again."
Clarke froze, her eyes wide. She searched Natasha's face for evidence of a bluff. But she saw none.
A slight whine left her throat.
And she nodded. Because obviously, Clarke had to do as Natasha asked.
Because Natasha was her weakness. Probably her biggest weakness, besides the Barton family.
If Clarke lost Natasha's trust, it would destroy her.
Clarke sucked in a breath and nodded. "Alright," she said at last, "I'll do as you ask. I won't kill him. But please let me hurt him."
She added, "Please."
Natasha nodded, sighing.
"I'll let you do that," she assured Clarke, "But only hurt him a little. Alright?" A smile crossed her face causing Clarke to almost whimper again, warmth spilling into her chest.
Natasha moved out of Clarke's way, her eyes never leaving Clarke's as she said, "But promise me you won't kill him."
Clarke nodded. She knew she needed to keep that promise. Because she always kept her promises. Always.
But also, she knew that she needed to if she wanted to keep Natasha's trust.
Clarke stepped closer to Alexei and raised one of her claws to his face.
Alexei cringed as her claws began raking down his chest and he screamed.
"That's right, cunt!" Clarke howled at him, grinning, "Scream like a little bitch!"
When she was done cutting into the pig, she felt a hand grab the back of her shirt and pull her back, making her gasp quietly.
"That's enough," Natasha said softly, "You've had enough, my love. Now let's just leave him in the cold for a while. Like he deserves."
At both Clarke and Alexei's startled looks, Natasha said, smiling coldly at Alexei, "I don't want you to die. But I'm not going to pretend that you deserve anything except being alone in the cold. Regardless of how much you regret it, you still are the reason Yelena had the life she had. Clarke might be the angriest about how my life was, but for what you did to my little sister…..," Natasha shook her head, "The life that my sister has had, because of you and mama? You get to suffer. I won't let Clarke kill you. Because that will be easy. That's too easy. And you're not getting off easy."
Clarke stared at Natasha, giving a weak and impressed laugh.
Apparently, Natasha had a score she needed to settle with Alexei.
Clarke grinned at Alexei as Natasha took her hand in her own, her bloody claws in her own, guiding Clarke away from the bound Alexei.
Clarke giggled, grinning at Natasha. "You know, if I had known you were going to do that," she said, "I wouldn't have planned to kill him, just let you chew him out. That was hot, Nat."
Natasha smirked at Clarke as she led the younger woman back to the house. Natasha had lied to Clarke. She was relieved in that Clarke hadn't been able to read her lie. She had lied when she had told Clarke that she wouldn't be able to trust her ever again if she killed Alexei. She could never deny her beloved her trust. She would always trust Clarke. No matter how much harm Clarke might have done to Alexei.
Clarke could have killed Alexei and Natasha would always give Clarke her trust. But she knew what she had to say to get Clarke from killing him. Natasha would have trusted and loved Clarke no matter what the younger woman did to Alexei, but she had needed to stop her from killing the moron.
Because a moron or not, Natasha still cared about him.
And even if she didn't? She would do it for Yelena. For Yelena's sake, as the younger Widow still loved him.
But Natasha's trust and love for her Clarke would never waver.
Never.
Natasha turned to look at Clarke and smiled at her tenderly, squeezing the younger woman's hand, as she walked. "I told you that you'd get a reward for not killing him, didn't I?" Natasha said, smiling slyly at her beloved.
Clarke grinned, her fangs flashing and Natasha found it in no way frightening or unsettling. She found it the opposite. She found it adorable.
A light blush touched Clarke's cheeks.
Natasha meant her words. She was going to reward Clarke for having not killed Alexei.
Natasha wanted Alexei to still live, but she had meant her anger when she had talked to him like that. Because Yelena had suffered at the hands of Dreykov too.
But Clarke hadn't killed him. So, for that?
Natasha was going to give her darling a reward. Just as she had promised the younger woman.
Natasha smirked as she looked into her lover's eyes. She meant her words about the reward for Clarke not killing Alexei. And she would make it very, veryworth Clarke's while tonight.
That night, while Alexei stayed sagging against a tree in the cold, Natasha Romanoff made love to her beloved Clarke Griffin. And she made love to the younger woman again and again and again and again and again and again.
Afterwards, when they were both sated and Natasha held her beloved in her arms, pressing her forehead against Clarke's, she asked tenderly, "Aren't you glad that you did what I asked, malen'kiy?"
Clarke nodded, sweaty and smiling tiredly as she rested against Natasha.
"Thank you, mommy," she said quietly to Natasha, "For stopping me. I wouldn't ever want to lose your trust. Ever."
Natasha smiled and lifted her head, gently laying a kiss against Clarke's forehead as she whispered softly, "Good girl."
Clarke whimpered quietly in pleasure as she pressed her forehead against Natasha's neck. They lay together, tangled together, as the redhead held the blonde and Natasha held Clarke as they both drifted off to sleep together.
Author's note
I figured the tools in the toolbox were as good as any tools to threaten Alexei with, thanks to one of Valpolyto's vampire stories.
If anyone thinks I don't like Alexei, it's not that. I thought of this since I figured that Clarke would really hate Alexei for abandoning Natasha and Yelena, and since using violence against what Clarke sees as enemies is how Clarke shows her love? I just figured it made sense.
And I figured that Natasha would still be pissed at Alexei too, because of how protective she is of Yelena and she likely had to watch Yelena suffer, growing up as a Widow, for years.