Yelena woke up the next day, thankfully on her own accord, before Natasha.
This was more of a chill and lazy day. They spent the day just hanging around, and eventually, Clint asked them to teach their kids about self-defense, to see what they could be taught anything that Clint hadn't taught them yet. They all already knew how to fight thanks to Clint. Cooper in particular was the most naturally talented, and he often helped his siblings if they didn't understand Then, the two talked about weakness. They said that anyone could have physical and mental weaknesses, and they always needed to protect theirs and their friends'. Or use others' weaknesses against them. Lila curiously asked Natasha, "Hey Auntie Nat, do you have a weakness?"
"Often in a fight, you will want to attack people in weaker parts of their body, like the head, stomach, or y'know...there. Personally, my biggest weakness is probably my stomach. Yelena would know that." She said, as she jokingly smacked her sister in the arm. Even if it was jokingly, Natasha always could hit hard. But Yelena, as her little sister, knew that more than anybody else. Nathaniel, being nosy, said "What's Auntie Yelena's weakness?" Natasha paused. "Sometimes a weakness isn't as much a part of your body as it is something that's been damaged. But, uh...that's not important." Yelena paused before continuing on. "If the person is shorter than you, that's good. You can hit them on the head" she said, as Natasha bent down for Yelena to motion an easy head shot. Then, Yelena bent down as Natasha stood up. "If you're shorter, than that makes for another easy hit." She motioned a body punch, and the kids all acknowledged it. Then, Yelena made a serious face, and demanded, "Never, ever use this against each other. Siblings are for protecting and loving, not fighting. Understood?"
"Yes Auntie Yelena." She smirked, as she and her sister had sparring matches, but would never legitimately harm each other. Natasha's statement stuck with Yelena, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. Clint's kids were amazing, and Nat and Yelena were proud to be aunts to these children.
That night, Yelena wanted to know something. "Natasha, today was good, but I need to know something. What is my weakness?" Natasha looked guilty. "Your weakness isn't exactly a weakness, but a part of you that's been greatly damaged" she said, with a shaky voice. She placed her hand on the middle of Yelena's chest. "Right here." Yelena, being confused, asked "My chest?"
"Heart." Yelena looked down, and sadly agreed. Natasha said that they were always sisters, no matter who tried to prevent it. She said that she still feels guilty about not coming to help her, to which Yelena firmly cut her off. "Don't feel sorry about that. Yes, I did feel sad that you never came back for me, but you never knew that I was gone. Dreykov and the others are the ones who tortured you. You got physically abused more than me, but the mental abuse? I took the worst of it. I never knew that my childhood was fake. I was in their much longer, and...I'm so sorry, Natasha. I didn't mean to." Natasha, consumed by guilt, was now crying. She tightly embraced her sister. Yelena hugged back, as she repeatedly patted her back as they hugged.
"I'm your sister, y'know? You don't have to hold back around me."
"I would do anything for you. If I could have us switch places in life, I would. You deserved a life."
"And I have one now." Natasha slightly cracked a smile. "I would give my life for you. without hesitating." This statement made Yelena slightly uncomfortable, but she knew that it was all meant out of love. That night, however was a disaster. Natasha would've never guessed the consequences of saying those words.
"Natasha, no. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you! I can't do this without you!"
"I'm sorry, sweet girl. You have to continue your life without me." Yelena hugged Natasha, as Natasha's body was filled with bullets and other scars. Yelena slowly felt the warmth slip away from her sister's body as her life was draining away. As the faint beating and feeling in her chest slipped away, Yelena gut-wrenchingly screamed, "NATASHA!"
"Yelena." She was just repeatedly denying it while tears fell down her face. "Yelena, I'm here." "No, not her, not her, not her! большая сестра!"
"YELENA! младшая сестра!" She was finally able to snap out of it. She woke up, staring at her big sister. Natasha stared at Yelena. She saw her sister's beautiful green eyes staring back at her. The same as when they were kids. And the sight of these eyes so filled with tears as they rolled down her cheeks...it gave her unimaginable pain. Someone may as well have sliced her internal organs open, that would've hurt significantly less. Natasha embraced Yelena, as she knew what her baby sister needed. For a moment, Yelena pulled a little back. This surprised Natasha, as she'd never done this before. She held Natasha's shoulders and gently put her against the bedframe. She bent down, as they were both sitting on the bed. She put the side of her head on Natasha's chest, as she held her around the ribs. She just needed to hear her heart beat again. She heard those hard thumps, as she emotionally teared up again. Natasha didn't know what was going on, except she knew that her sister needed her more than anyone or anything at the moment. Yelena sat there with her head on her sister's chest for two minutes listening to her heart beating, just to assure that her sister was alive. She kissed Natasha on the forehead, and lovingly caressed her face and gently brushed the ginger's hair with her hand. Natasha loved the affection as always, but this was more than usual. "Night terrors again?"
"Y-yes. This was the worst of them all. You...you were badly wounded and you...you died. I couldn't save you. I held your body, as you left me. You died in my arms. I wasn't there for you." Every word she spoke struck her like a knife to the gut. Yelena had of course cried in front of her before, but her voice never broke the way that it was breaking here. Natasha could tell that her sister was feeling immeasurable pain, but even she couldn't imagine just how bad it was. Clint walked into the room with some water. He told them that he'd give them their time and leave them be. With her hand on her belly, Yelena drank all of the water in one go. Natasha put her hand over Yelena's. "It hurts, y'know? All of this pain, can really affect my body. Body's been aching like hell ever since I woke up." Natasha tearfully agreed. Yelena asked if she was okay. "Yeah." Yelena kept looking at her, being able to tell that that wasn't entirely true. "Okay, I'll be honest. It breaks my heart to see you like this. And I never want you to go through anything like what you just did."
"Yeah. I'll forever feel guilt and pain for the people I killed under the Red Room, but I'll gladly have those attacks for the rest of my life if it means that I'll never deal with this again."
"Yelena, no. Please don't say that. You don't deserve to have any kind of attacks." They lovingly held onto each other. They both secretly loved hugs, but both loved them the most from each other. Natasha joyfully kissed Yelena's hair. She knew that she loved those and forehead kisses the most, as they'd remind her of her early childhood. She was the smaller sister, so she usually got those kisses as it was easier to reach than her face. And now, although Yelena was now an inch taller, she still loved those kisses more than any other. "Natasha...please. Never leave me."
"I won't. And I'll also never let go. Baby sister." She held her arm out in a big motion before tightly bear-hugging her little sister. Yelena couldn't help but tease Natasha about it.
"Poser." For the first time this painful night, Natasha finally managed to laugh in between her sobs. "Oh, you little shit. I love you so much." As she had her arms holding her around her ribs, she slightly tickled her, causing Yelena to chuckle as well. Yelena suddenly tightened her hold and dragged Natasha closer to her. "Please, big sister. Never tell anyone this little weakness of mine."
"Maybe I can say it if Nathaniel asks" Yelena began playfully poking Natasha in the stomach as they were still hugging. "Okay, okay. I won't No point in revealing that you're ticklish if I am as well." Yelena looked up at the ceiling as she still didn't let go of her sister. "Y'know, I may have been the best Widow in the room, alongside you. The others would probably be shocked that I've become so weak. So scared. A total crybaby." She was still speaking with tears in her eyes. "Yelena, no. Don't you dare call yourself that. Look at me." Yelena averted away from the ceiling, back into her sister's watery but powerful eyes. "You are the bravest person I've ever met. Ever since you were a little girl. Far more than I ever was. You helped me fight Thanos without hesitation. You weren't even a little bit scared of him, even after he knocked out Cap. And even the Black Panther! You set out to help out the other Widows despite knowing that they'd try to kill you. You were always the bravest in the room, my Yelena. My sister. If it was in my power to turn it back and help you sooner, I would do it in an instant. I love you so much, сестра."
"My сестра...I love you more." Natasha could've had a love fight with her, but decided not to. But then she changed her mind. "I love you. With all my heart." With her hands on her belly, "and all my stomach, too!" Yelena countered, "I love you with all of both of our hearts, our entire bodies, and all 100 kg of our daddy's weight." Natasha burst out laughing. She didn't even bother to make a comeback from that. "Ah, twice in the past week. I've had to lose to my baby sister. What kind of a big sister am I?" Yelena gave a heartwarming smile and response. "The best one in the whole goddamn universe." Natasha did her secret whistle. Yelena whistled back. They truly were the best of sisters. "Natasha...you are more effective than any medicine there is, but...I probably should use my medication...right?"
"Anything you're comfortable with. But medicine or no medicine, I'll always be right here."
"And we'll be sister's forevermore." They looked at the clock. it was almost 5 AM. They just smiled, and Yelena said, "I guess we skip breakfast tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan." They were beginning to drift off, but still bear hugged each other tightly. "I love you."
"I love you too." Now full of joy, they closed their eyes and finally fell asleep. They wouldn't have to worry about the kids waking them up, as Clint had put in signs all around the house to be quiet or else they'd have to eat nasty meat cereal if they wake up. And he put a menacing Do Not Disturb sign on their bedroom door. They were inseparable sisters. Always had been, and always would be. Inseparable.