Disclaimer: Do not own Marvel or The 100

Warnings for child abuse, reference to training a child to seduce full grown adults, murder, scarring and violence

Recognizing the inevitable

Clarke recognized the inevitable moment that she would forgive Natasha, maybe not now, but one day, the moment she and Natasha crashed into the hallway of the new Red Room, up in the sky, while it was collapsing and the two of them saw Antonia, Dreykov's daughter, locked away in a cell.

Clarke lifted herself up, and looked instantly at Natasha, fearing for her safety.

And she saw Natasha look at her, green eyes inspecting, making sure Clarke was safe. Natasha then turned and looked at the cell to her right and to Clarke's left, as the two of them were facing each other.

Behind the glass or thick plastic door of the cell, was the Taskmaster. Antonia.

"Antonia," Natasha said, sounding tired.

Clarke looked at Natasha, thinking about grabbing the redhead and pulling the older woman away from the door, to keep her from going near the brainwashed killing machine that was Antonia.

But she didn't, and Natasha stepped closer to the door of Antonia's cell.

Clarke almost lunged for Natasha, when Antonia slammed her squeezed fist against the door of her cell.

"No!" Natasha said, her voice soft and trying to be reassuring, "Shh, it's okay."

Clarke stared at Natasha, getting closer to her lover, looking at Natasha's face.

Natasha was staring at Antonia with pain and regret and just so much compassion.

Natasha leaned against the door, the slab of glass or thick plastic, the only thing separating Natasha from Antonia's wrath.

"If I let you out," Natasha said, "You're going to come after us."

Natasha looked at Clarke, clearly trying to weigh her options, but knew that she had to do this.

Natasha knew that Clarke would survive whatever Antonia did. She was an unstoppable being, and Antonia was little more than just a superpowered human.

Clarke nodded to Natasha, confirming to the older woman that it was okay.

Clarke knew that she would protect Natasha no matter what.

However, what struck her, as Natasha turned back to the cell door, and continued to look at Antonia with such compassion, was Clarke's realization of just how inevitable her forgiveness for the older woman would be.

Seeing all this softness that Natasha was showing Antonia, realizing that she was the reason why Antonia had come to be seen as expendable by the young woman's father, and that this young woman was in such a vulnerable position, Natasha was just bare, raw and human.

Clarke almost chuckled in resignation. She knew already…

She was going to forgive Natasha for what happened with the Accords.

She might not be able to now, but she would one day.

For what happened with the Accords? Natasha taking the side of Thaddeus Ross, for the split between the Avengers?

Clarke knew she would give forgiveness to Natasha, regardless of how much she tried to fight it.

Clarke stared at Natasha as the compassionate older woman regarded Antonia, Natasha clearly wishing to protect someone she deemed as a victim, an innocent, who needed protection.

Clarke just didn't understand it. How could someone be so good? How could someone be so selfless as Natasha was?

How could someone as inherently and endlessly compassionate as Natasha, exist?

She didn't understand it. She didn't know how it was possible that someone like Natasha, someone so innately good, could exist.

How could Natasha be so good after everything she had been through? How could Natasha still be so selfless after she was stolen from her birth mother, given to Dreykov after Melina and Alexei had given them up, physically and mentally abused, brainwashed, conditioned to be a weapon and to seduce full-grown adults at a young age, disillusioned when she discovered that the faction she took orders from, were a Nazi faction and targeted for assassination by SHIELD until Clint spared her?

How could someone like Natasha exist? How could anyone be so good and selfless after all that?

But Natasha did exist, and because of it? Clarke was devastatingly bound, unable to do anything else but stand there in awe at the very existence of Natasha.

Because how could someone so good exist? But she did. And Clarke could do nothing, except stand here and behold the unimaginable goodness embodied in human flesh before her.

Clarke had always accepted that Natasha was a goddess. A divine beauty who all that saw her, were graced simply for having witnessed her existence.

And Clarke, she knew she was unworthy of Natasha's presence. She may not forgive Natasha yet for what happened during the Accords, but she knew nonetheless that she was unworthy of Natasha.

And yet, Natasha had chosen to marry her.

Why? Clarke didn't know. Natasha said that she loved Clarke so much. So desperately.

But how could that be possible? Clarke just didn't know.

How could someone like Natasha, love someone like Clarke?

Clarke, she knew she'd be a fool to not accept Natasha's love, so she had never questioned it, even if she often questioned her own sanity, questioning whether or not her marriage to Natasha was real or not or if she hallucinated the whole miraculous union.

But through some madness or miracle, Clarke had yet to discover which, Natasha chose to be with her.

And then the Accords happened.

Clarke still was reeling from it, still hadn't forgiven Natasha.

But she knew now, without question that she would. She had always known that she wouldn't be able to not love Natasha. It was impossible for her not to love Natasha.

It would be like asking her to be able to live without air.

And she was positive that she'd be able to sustain life without air, but not without Natasha.

And now she was more than positive that her forgiveness would be given to Natasha one day. Sooner rather than later.

It didn't matter how resentful she still was against Natasha for Natasha siding with Ross's Accords over her, Natasha's wife.

She knew, looking at the soft and compassionate expression Natasha was giving Antonia, someone who Clarke knew Natasha believed she had failed, that Clarke would in fact forgive Natasha.

It didn't matter if Clarke tried to hold onto her anger. She would forgive Natasha, one way or another.

It was as inevitable as Clarke continuing to love Natasha more than life itself.

And it wasn't a surprise in any way to Clarke, as Natasha opened up the cell of Antonia's cell, giving the two of them a chance to save Antonia's mind and life.

Author's note

Please excuse my attempts to be overly poetic in this story.