Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Witch and the Widows

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 12:

Eleanor Bishop sat in silence, listening to Yelena Belova explain the events of the past few months that led them here.

The more she heard, the angrier she became.

“Chemical subjugation. Mind control.” she repeated, trying to get her head around how insidious that was. Her business had gone over the SHIELD security dump for intel. That had been the first time she had learned of the Black Widow’s past with the Red Room and was glad the organization had been taken down by SHIELD.

It had not been. Rather it had taken steps to ensure what happened with Romanoff never happened again, brainwashing, abusing innocent children and turning them into playthings, slaves, weapons, disposable tools.

“Dreykov is dead for certain?” she asked.

Yelena nodded. “I saw his head for myself. His top lieutenants as well. The problem is his handlers who were not there and the girls still under mind control. Some are slaves to their handlers whims and others are left with no direction, and their only mission is to kill and avoid capture. We have the antidote, but we need to find them. We don’t have the tools necessary.”

“The Avengers helped you take down this floating base. Stark must have technology that can help. Why not ask them?”

Yelena and Wanda glanced at each other for a second, but Eleanor caught it. One couldn’t be a CEO without noticing details. This one raised her estimation of the girls.

“You don’t trust them.” she stated bluntly.

Wanda shook her head. “We trust certain members of the Avengers, but not all. If we involve one, they will eventually all want in. That brings the interests of all those who wish to control the Avengers for political means.

“It means involving Tony Stark.” Wanda continued. “He helped us, but Tony Stark and Steve Rogers are at odds. It will come to a head one day. Whatever dream Kate has of joining the Avengers will never happen because the Avengers will be gone in five years, maybe less.”

“It is better if we protect our own.” Yelena agreed. “Widows have strong bonds with each other, a shared goal, and no outside influence. We answer only to ourselves. We do not have committees deciding what missions we can go on. As you said, we are not heroes, we are a vigilante hit squad. We don’t deny it.”

Eleanor kept her face blank but liked what she heard. Wanda Maximoff could be a true superhero, soaking up glory, the new face of the Avengers, but did not want that. These girls could grab the same glory Natasha Romanoff had but instead chose to live in the shadows, do what was right, showing no mercy to the lowest scum who would victimize innocent children.

“How do you know about Fisk?” Eleanor asked the one question bothering her greatly.

Yelena smirked. “It wasn’t hard to figure out. You must be more careful.”

“In what way?” Eleanor asked, fascinated, and worried that she had been found out so easily.

“Kate did us a favor when she returned. She had a secure phone and kept us apprised of the Avengers actions while she was in the compound. She told us you left and came back quickly with a lead on Tolliver and were convinced she was safe in the city.” Yelena explained.

“To find a lead that quickly, meant you had an underworld connection, someone who did not appreciate that another criminal, an overseas one at that, was attempting to coerce his source. We did a quick hack of the FBI’s organized crime report, and one name stands out above all others. Wilson Fisk.” she said watching Eleanor closely to see if they were right.

“Fisk was arrested for multiple counts of bribery, embezzlement, extortion, murder, and a host of lesser crimes. He escaped after arrest but was captured by some vigilante, a man who wears black and is called the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.” Wanda continued. “Last year, Fisk escaped prison and has not been seen since, but the FBI believe he is still running all organized crime in New York. If you believe Kate is protected in the city, it is because he will not allow another criminal to take her.”

Eleanor poured herself another drink. She had been in a panic over Tolliver and turned to Wilson Fisk. Fisk had been furious that someone else had it in their mind to use her daughter to control Bishop Security. He found Tolliver quickly and gave the information to Eleanor who passed it on to the F.B.I and Stark.

She had acted rashly, concerned for her daughter, and now had one more debt to Fisk, despite Tolliver’s death benefitting him. She did not regret it, but she had shown her hand to soon. She would have to be more careful in the future, send leads through an anonymous source.

“Are you still talking to Kate?” she asked.

Yelena’s face showed no reaction. “We check in on her from time to time. We did go through the trouble of saving her life. We like to make sure she is still safe. She is a special person who needs protection not only from Fisk but from the world. She is brave, but also naive.”

“Not that I disagree, but why do you consider her naïve?”

Yelena smiled. “After the Red Room was taken over by us, Captain America stayed over for a few days while Wanda healed enough to travel. We spoke of many things. He found out from Secretary Ross himself that S.W.O.R.D. planned to recruit her after college, use her skills as an agent and when it was time for her to take over Bishop Security, manipulate her into giving the agency complete access to the company. They would play on her desire to be a superhero. Kate believes in right and wrong, black, and white. I think we would both prefer if Kate were never exposed to the world we three live in. Her naivety is good. A normal teenager shouldn’t be like us.”

Wanda knew how important this was to Yelena. Kate was her perfect standard. She was to remain clean no matter what. “She has a notion of being a superhero that is not reality. She believes she will be given trick arrows, a costume and fight aliens if they ever attack again, or perhaps fight street crime like this Devil man.” Wanda added. “If Kate goes down that path, she will eventually kill someone or die because she hesitates. None of us want that, do we?”

Eleanor had been worried when they admitted to staying in contact with Kate because she feared they may want to use her. They seemed sincere in their and desire to keep her from being used. It could be a lie, but she doubted it. Her instincts told her they had a genuine fondness for her daughter. Eleanor considered herself an expert at reading people.

Eleanor pushed a bit more, hoping to find out how much Kate would be involved in this.

“Why me? You don’t trust the Avengers with this knowledge. You don’t ask for their help. Instead you come to me, a woman you know is in bed with the biggest crime lord in New York. Is it simply because you are fond of my daughter?”

Wanda sat back and contemplated her words carefully.

“Yelena, would you tell Eleanor how Kate acted when we saved her from Tolliver’s men?”

Yelena smiled. “She was concerned with getting away from her friend so she wouldn’t get her killed. She wanted to fight them all. She wanted to know if we had a bow she could use. She never lost her head, despite seeing people killed in front of her. She never cried, acted frightened or panicked. She even deduced that Wanda and I had our own mission and offered to help.”

Wanda nodded. “She is a strong girl. That means she was raised by a strong mother. A single mother, a widow who runs a large company, works hard to give her daughter everything she wants. You did not choose to work with someone like Fisk. He has something on you. We don’t know what, nor do we care. You have been strong enough to live in two worlds and raise a strong daughter.

“A mother like you would be furious that children, little girls, are taken from their families and put through what Yelena experienced. A mother like you, wants to stop that from happening.”

“A woman like you knows that life is not heroes or villains.” Yelena said. “Most people live in the grey for one reason or another. You are exactly the kind of person who would see the need and be brave enough to help us. We can help you with many of your problems, not only Fisk but ensuring that Kate isn’t manipulated by forces that want to use her for their own gain.”

Yelena paused for a moment and watched Eleanor closely. “The question is, are you the woman we think you are? Can you help us find lost little girls and kill the bastards that take them? Can you help us free our sisters?”

Eleanor sat back and drank the rest of her drink quickly. Her mind had been made up when she learned of enslaved and mind controlled girls and everything she heard since made her happy. These were no children, despite their age.

“You are right. I am that woman.” Eleanor told them. “I’ll give you access to our technology, satellites, and anything else you need. I don’t want to make a move on Fisk now. He still has his uses, and I may be able to use him for information that could assist our endeavor. Where are you located now?”

Wanda and Yelena had a quick silent conversation with their eyes. They needed her, so se she was a part of this, so their secrets were on the table.

“An old HYDRA base in Sokovia.” Wanda said. “The first one I ever encountered the Avengers at.”

“Encountered?”

“Where I fought the Avengers. I trust some of them now, but I spent most of my teenage years wanting them dead. My brother and I both did. That was the only place we could think of on short notice. We suspect it wouldn’t be hard for the Avengers to find us, but we have no idea where to build another base, or even how.”

Eleanor smiled. “Do you expect an attack from the Avengers?”

“Our activities are bloody and brutal. We will not be popular with either side of the law. We must always expect an attack at any time.” Yelena stated.

“A good outlook to have. Luckily for you, the Avengers are unlikely to ever believe I would work with you, despite your connection to Kate. I bought a mansion last year in France. I had thought to use it as a training ground for my private security forces for overseas clients, but the logistics were too costly. It is in a heavily wooded valley in the Auvergne region. The area is surrounded by forests and mountains and the house is difficult to see from the sky. There is only a small village thirty miles away. There are no houses around for twenty miles and those are mostly cabins hikers use. The mansion and acreage is blocked off by a high fence. Only one small mostly unpaved road in or out. The mansion also has thirty six bedrooms.”

“It sounds nice.” Yelena told her, thinking they didn’t need a vacation home and wondering what the point of this was.

Eleanor smirked, guessing what she was thinking. “I bought it from the estate of a very rich, very paranoid man. He built a fallout bunker and the Mansion on top. The fallout bunker has satellite access you can use to hook up to Bishop Security satellites. The bunker is a mile long and wide, with over two hundred bunks, enough space to store provisions and a helicopter landing pad that can rise to the surface with a push of a button. A nice place to store aerial vehicles that would remain hidden until needed. The house and bunker sit on fifty acres of surrounding forest.”

Wanda and Yelena were getting very excited.

“It has its own well. Power is generated by solar panels and wind panes. You may want to look into generators.”

“We have quite powerful batteries that powered the Red Room and power our jets. They have been powering our base. They are not the miracle of clean energy that is Stark’s creation, but they work quite nicely.” Yelena said.

Eleanor realized they were more prepared than she thought they might be. “Do you have a place to stay while in the city?”

Yelena nodded. “A nearby hotel, the Walton. We plan to see the city tomorrow and the next day, then we will watch Kate amaze us with her bow skills. Then we must return to work.”

“Stay here for the night. I will order takeout and you can tell me more. For instance why Wanda has a special look of disdain when Stark is mentioned. Apparently neither of us is a fan. In the morning give me this device you speak of, explain how to hook it up and I will make sure it is done. It would be best if we are not seen near each other at Kate’s tournament.”

“Agreed.” Wanda told her.

“A quick word about my daughter. The less she knows about our involvement, the better. I would prefer to let her think we do not know each other. I also need your word she will bever be told about Fisk.”

Yelena nodded. “You have our word. I want to keep her out of this world, not pull her into it. Obviously, the Fisk issue will never be spoken of. As far as helping us, in the future, you may be surprised at her reaction. I doubt for now she can keep a secret, but she will be proud of what you are doing for us. One day, you should tell her. That is your decision though. She will learn nothing from us.”

“Who likes Thai food?” Eleanor asked, satisfied with the answer. Kate could not keep a secret now. Kate was obviously and had a certain hero worship for the two girls who saved her life. Late on, if Kate found out about her connection to Yelena and Wanda she would be proud. Perhaps she would be as proud of her mother as her mother was of her.

“I don’t think I have ever eaten it.” Wanda admitted.

“Well then, we must change that.”

Early the next morning, while Wanda relaxed in the very large tub of their hotel room, Yelena had made the trek to find Kate.

She arrived outside the Central Park entrance on Columbus Circle and found Kate waiting for her. When Kate saw Yelena, a smile lit up on her face and she ran towards her, wrapping her in a hug and squeezing tightly.

“Ouch. You are strong.” Yelena complained but enjoyed the feeling. She had never been a person that had craved touch. When she needed it, she only trusted Wanda to comfort her.

“I’ve missed you.” Kate told her, pulling back but keeping her hands on her shoulders. “I haven’t seen you in person since Paris and I know I see you on video but it’s not the same. I’ve been worried but I haven’t said anything, but I know what you are doing is dangerous and Wanda got shot and if Wanda can get shot then you can, and I don’t want anything to happen to either of you but… I worry about you… all of you… but especially you.”

Yelena put a finger on Kate’s lips.

“Relax.” she told her quietly. “I’m okay. I’m here. We’ve got the day and tomorrow and maybe we can meet before we fly out on Sunday.”

Kate nodded and waved her hand at the entrance. “Welcome to Central Park. Wanda didn’t want to come?”

“She isn’t a fan of our location.”

“New York City?”

“The United States.”

“I guess that gives us more time alone.” Kate said. “You have never had popcorn or been to a theater. Have you ever been to a zoo?”

Yelena shook her head. “No, I have not.”

Kate took her hand and pulled her through the entrance. “Central Park Zoo is awesome. I haven’t been to it in years. We have so much to do and see. Let’s start.”

For the next six hours, Kate dragged Yelena all over the park. They visited the zoo and Yelena was fascinated by animals she had never seen in person like elephants, tigers, lions, and giraffes. She watched sea lions and penguins eat and marveled over birds of all colors.

“One day I will take you to Africa, Kata Bishop. We will walk the jungles and grasslands.”

Kate thought the idea sounded amazing. “Okay, but I am bringing my bow and some tranquiller arrows. I sort of like having plexiglass walls and bars between us and them right now. I don’t think lions will appreciate us watching them in the wild.”

Yelena shrugged. “Perhaps you are right. We can drive and stay in car. Maybe hire a guide. So what shall we do next? I have seen amazing animals, walked in beautiful park, holding hand of beautiful girl, and eaten hotdogs from a cart. What shall we do now?”

“We have time to go to the Statue of Liberty before it closes for the day, or we can walk the highline, or go to Times Square. We could also go to the top of the Empire State building, but I thought that would be more of a night activity.”

Yelena smiled, thinking of all the possibilities. Choosing was still not her strong suit, nor was it any widows. A night around the big TV made that obvious. When they did choose, they stuck to those choices no matter who may wish differently.

The thought made her think of her sisters back in Sokovia.

Yet they did not go back. While the widows were in Sokovia searching for others of their kind, searching for their captors, Yelena was having the best day she had possibly ever had.

She received a text from Wanda.

Hope you are having fun day. Everything is okay. EB came through. The RW have access and are setting up links. They are packing up and will be moving to new base starting tomorrow, then setting up underground. We will stop in Sokovia to help with the move and then join them in Paris. Enjoy yourself.

Yelena smiled, happy that things had gone as planned and Eleanor Bishop had fulfilled her end. She wondered what Kate would think one day when she eventually found out her mother was helping the widows.

Would she proud of her mother or furious that Yelena had kept it from her? What if she discovered that her mother was involved with organized crime and Yelena never told her?

Would it matter that Eleanor was likely forced into it?

Yelena did not want Kate involved. Kate may well hate her one day for keeping secrets about her mother and Yelena’s involvement with her. There was nothing she could do about it now.

Kate should not have the responsibility of keeping a secret like that. Yelena was very careful in what she told Kate. Kate had a general knowledge of what they did. They fought bad guys. That was all she needed to know.

She didn’t need to know who, or where or how they tracked them and how they failed to track them repeatedly.

Kate didn’t need to know that they tortured some of these men, that they killed them after they had been disarmed. She didn’t need to know what they did to the worst of them, how Wanda would scramble their mind, trapping them in a never ending loop of their worst nightmares.

In Kate’s mind, Yelena was as cool as the Black Widow and Wanda was a superhero with amazing powers. Kate had seen them kill those after her, but she had never seen them unleash their true wrath. If she did, she would understand why Yelena and Wanda denied being superheroes. Eleanor Bishop had described them best. They were a vigilante hit squad. That was probably too kid for their tactics.

Yelena wanted to stay cool in Kate’s eyes. She didn’t want Kate to see the monster underneath her smile.

She craved approval from Kate but knew she would never have it if Kate discovered what she was truly like.

“Yelena?”

“Yes?” Yelena asked, shaking herself from those thoughts.

“Are you okay? You were smiling and then you looked so… sad.”

Yelena smiled. “Of course. Wanda just texted me. She is taking care of some business but wishes us a good time.”

“She could join us.”

“Or we could be alone.” Yelena countered. “Lets find a place for dinner in Times Square. Do you know of many?”

Kate smirked. “I know everything about New York City.”

She took her ripped jeans and black and red Avengers halter top and Yelena wore a simple white shirt with a rainbow on top and faded bell bottom jeans with black platform boots that didn’t seem to bother her feet at all and made her a couple inches taller.

“We look way to cool to change clothes for some fancy stiff place. I’m thinking Planet Hollywood.”

“Eating around the best American culture sounds fun.” Yelena agreed.

After dinner and Kate showing Yelena around Times Square and Broadway, they ended the night on top of the Empire State Building.

They enjoyed the silence as they held hands and looked out over the city.

“Yelena?”

“Yes?”

“Have… have you ever kissed anybody?”

Yelena sighed. “Not by choice.”

Kate groaned. “Idiot.” she whispered to herself. “I should have known that. I’m sorry for bringing it up.”

Yelena turned towards her and placed a finger under her chin to encourage Kate to look at her.

“None of that. You are not an idiot. You can ask me anything. Some things I may not be ready to answer but I will not be upset that you ask.”

Kate took a deep breath. “It’s just… I’ve never been into boys obviously and I’ve never known any girls who might be or might have been interested but I never really cared until I met you and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind. I don’t want you to do it because I never have, but just because I really want to and its beautiful and you are beautiful…”

Yelena stood up on her toes and placed her lips on Kate’s. The two savored the moment, not wanting to let go. Yelena caressed her cheek then pulled back reluctantly, not wanting to stop.

Kate was actually speechless for a moment.

“Wow.”

“I agree.” Yelena told her. “Kissing someone by choice is amazing. I would only do that with you.”

“Yeah… same.”

The two smiled warmly and left the building quietly. Yelena walked her to the door of her friend’s apartment.

“I’m like your girlfriend, right?” Kate asked. “If I’m not that’s cool, its just we talk all the time, and I thought maybe you thought so too.”

Yelena closed her eyes and took both of Kate’s hands. When she opened her eyes she hated to see the look of doubt on Kate’s face.

“Kate, I would be a bad girlfriend. I could not see you often. I couldn’t come over to have dinner with your mom. At your tournament you must act like you do not know me. There is so much I can never tell you about my life. You couldn’t even talk about me to your friends.”

Kate shrugged. “I don’t need all that. I just need to know that when it comes to this we are only like this with each other. I know what you are doing is important. I work hard everyday to get better, so I can fight by your side one day. I know I won’t see you in person often. I just want to know if we can be each other’s.”

Yelena looked to the sidewalk not sure what to say for a moment.

“You have your whole life in front of you. You have two more years of high school then college. You are going to meet so many people. So many women will want you and you will want them. You can’t hold yourself back because of me, Kate. I won’t let you.”

Kate titled her head, upset. “You would take the choice away from me? You would make that decision for me?”

“I would never take your choices away from you.” Yelena stressed.

“Then can’t you let me decide who I want to be with? I love you, Yelena. You are the only one I will ever want.”

“You are only sixteen.”

“So are you.” Kate fired back.

Yelena nodded. Kate was right. In many ways, Yelena was much older than sixteen. In others she was much younger. She had almost squealed when she got to pet a giraffe’s head today. She had for all intents and purposes just had her first real kiss.

“Do you love me?”

Yelena closed her eyes. “Love is for…” she stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say automatically. It had been drilled into her head, over and over in her life.

“Love is for what?”

Yelena turned away from her, but Kate stepped around, so she had to face her.

“Love is for what?” Kate asked again.

“In the Red Room, certain things are drilled into you over and over until you can’t help but believe them. I was told so many times, love is for children. I know it is wrong, but I’m not sure if I even know how to love someone like that. I told you the first night I met you that my soul was damaged. I’m not sure I believe in soul. Maybe I am just damaged. Can damaged people know what real love is?”

Kate shrugged. “I know when I talked to you after Wanda had been shot you were panicking. You looked like you were dying. I am pretty sure that is love. As far as what this is, all I can tell you is how you make me feel.

“You make me feel like I am the most important person in the world to you. You have this mission and have so many lives to save but you take time to ask me about my day. I think of you constantly. When I think of you I get… look I know we are young, and you have been through a lot of shit. But when I think about you, I feel warm inside. I would do anything for you. I guess that’s what love is to me.”

Yelena nodded. “If that is what love is, then I love you too. I am probably not good at it, but I would do anything in the world for you. At least almost anything. I cannot leave my path to go to school with you, but I wish I could.”

Kate acted first this time, leaning down to kiss her with more passion than their first kiss.

“Me and you. No matter where you are or what you are doing, know that I am yours.”

Yelena shook her head. “You don’t know the real me. If you knew the things I did, the blood I spill…”

Kate cut her off. “I’m sixteen, not stupid. I’ve seen you kill, and I know there is worse that you have done. I know Wanda had a lot of darkness in her and I can imagine what the two of you do to people who steal children and sell them. I’m not as clueless as you think. Maybe I do know the real you. Have you ever thought of that? Maybe this side of you is the real you, without all that bullshit the Red Room stuffed in your head. They made you into a widow. They didn’t make you love me. That is all you. So who is the real you? The one who they tried to make or the one who makes me feel safe and loved, even if she doesn’t think she knows how to love.”

Yelena smirked. “You are hard to argue with Kate.”

“Have I ever told you that I love hearing you say Kate? Kate Bishop is cool, but you only call me Kate when you let down your guard.”

“You notice that.”

“I notice everything about you. I’m your girlfriend, right? I don’t have to worry about you hooking up with some hot international spy or a red widow.”

Yelena laughed. “You are so funny. I promise, you are the only one I want to… hook up with as you say. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow we have more tourist stops. I will meet you at the Statue of Liberty entrance at eight AM. Then you need rest. Big tournament, Saturday, yes?”

Yelena kissed her once more and watched until she was safely inside her friend’s house. Not seeing any taxis she decided to take in a bit of the neighborhood before catching a cab.

She had been walking ten minutes when she stopped and shook her head. “I know you are there. Why do you still follow? Come talk to your mladshaya sestra.”

Natasha walked from the shadows across the street to Yelena.

“I had hoped you didn’t notice. It seemed like you were having an important moment and I didn’t want to be suspected of eavesdropping.”

“And yet you did.” Yelena pointed out. “Let us walk to your bike and you can give me ride to hotel, save taxi ride. Taxi’s stink worse here than in Europe.”

Nat began walking in the direction Yelena had just come from. She was not dressed as the Black Widow but with her black jacket and jeans in addition to her flaming red hair, no one would mistake her for anyone else.

“Were you going to say hello while you were in town?” Nat asked.

Yelena smiled. “I knew you would find me. Does anyone else know we are here?”

Nat shook her head. “Of course not.”

“Not even your Captain America?”

Nat shook her head. “The Compound can be very quiet at night. I stay in the city often to stop myself from dying of boredom.”

“So how did you know where I was? I did not pick you up until I was leaving her door.”

“I watch Kate Bishop’s tournament schedule. I knew she was having one in a few days, hacked into her normal phone she uses to talk to friends, and found out she was uncharacteristically staying with a friend for a couple of days before so she could hook up with someone without her mom knowing. You are the only one she would be interested in hooking up with. I followed her this morning, put a tracker in her bag while she was walking the sidewalk to the station and then kept track of you two all day. I saw you were having fun and not in the mood for a third wheel, so I waited for you at her friend’s house.”

Yelena nodded. “Very impressive. Do not hack my girlfriend’s phone again. It is an invasion of her privacy. Now could you explain to me the term hooking up? Does it just refer to going places together or refer to kissing afterward? I do not believe Kate Bishop is ready for more. I do not want to falsely give her hope of hooking up if it means more than kissing.”

Nat snorted. “I wouldn’t worry about that. She is still innocent. Was that your first kiss as a couple at the front door?”

Yelena shook her head. “Tsk, tsk, Natasha. Such a voyeur. There is a difference between being a peeping Thomas and a spy. Lines must be drawn.”

“Yes then?”

“No. It was at the observation deck of the Empire State Building.”

Yelena’s phone buzzed and she replied, assuring Wanda that she was fine and had just left Kate.

“Wanda came with you?” Nat asked.

“We all have a no traveling alone policy. If one widow needs or wants to travel, another goes with her, preferably more than one. Wanda missed Kate too. She won’t admit it, but she does. You are certain no other Avenger know of our presence?”

“You still don’t trust us.” Nat said, trying to mask her disappointment.

“I only truly trust my sisters, my big sister included. So, tomorrow I will regrettably talk Kate Bishop into turning in for the night early so she may be refreshed for her tournament. We can do something then, maybe dinner. I would ask you to hang with Kate Bishop and I, but you tend to stand out. You would bring attention to her and that means attention to me.”

“I could go for a few beers and a steak. What about Wanda?”

Yelena shook her head. “I think Wanda only intends to leave the hotel to see Kate compete. She isn’t big fan of your United States. They did drop bomb on her house and kill her parents.”

Natasha winced but understood.

The two reached Nat’s bike and made their way to the hotel. Once they were at the front, they began walking again, finding a bench under a tree down the block and across the street.

“You could have that, you know?” Nat asked.

“Have what?” Yelena asked.

“Kate.”

Yelena grinned. “Kate Bishop is a that? Harsh, Natasha.”

Nat smiled. “I mean you could have that life. You could date her, go to school with her, hold hands, see each other every day. You could have this life if you really wanted it. You are more than what they made you, Yelena. Wanda would be the first to tell you that. You rescued them. She can lead them. It doesn’t have to be you.”

Yelena nodded. “I could live a normal life, like you, Black Widow?”

Nat sighed. “I’ll quit.”

Yelena raised an eyebrow. “Quit what?”

“I’ll quit being an Avenger. I’ll buy a Brownstone or just a normal apartment. You could enroll in her school or any school. You could do whatever you want. I’ll figure out something to do. Maybe I could be a private investigator.”

Yelena laughed. “You? Like Sherlock Holmes?”

“Maybe I could teach martial arts or start my own business. I’ve given this a lot of thought, Yelena. We could do this. We can have the life we should have had in Ohio.”

Yelena squeezed Natasha’s hand. “No, we cannot but it is nice thought. I wish we could. Natasha, you have no idea how much I wish we could. But we are not those people. You wouldn’t last a week without your Avengers. The first time they called, you would go. I would never let my sisters fight to free the others without me. This is our life. If you want to leave the Avengers so badly, come with me. You have never asked to join us. We are widows. You got your revenge on Dreykov but what of everything else? Why have you never offered to help if you care so much about us?”

Nat said nothing and Yelena stayed quiet, waiting for an answer, and wondering if one would ever come.

“I would never be accepted. I wouldn’t be wanted.” Nat finally said. “When I talked to them after the Red Room was taken down, I could tell. I was the Black Widow. I was the one who got away, became a celebrity while they remained trapped. None of them said it, but I knew they were thinking it. They would never accept me, never trust me. They don’t want me there.”

Yelena huffed. “That is your own misguided guilt talking.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s the truth.” Natasha told her. “They don’t look to Oksana for direction. She was never mind controlled. They look to you because you are one of them and to Wanda because they see her as a mythical figure who saved you and by extension them and nearly gave her life for you. You would never fit in with the Avengers and I would never fit in with the widows. We could fit together though.”

Yelena squeezed her hand. “As you say, Natasha. They look to me. I could not abandon them. I feel guilty that I enjoyed a day with a pretty girl while they work. How could I ever live a normal life while I know the horrors that are out there? I can’t. Would you even want me if I were that kind of person?”

“Yes.” Natasha answered. “I would want you if you were the type of person who thought it was all right to take care of your needs. But that isn’t who you are. No matter how much you deny it, you are a hero.”

“I am necessary.” Yelena countered. “This romance Kate has on her mind, it is doomed to fail. I will never be part of her world. She thinks she wants to be a part of mine and I would never let that happen. I will never let her turn into me. I will selfishly enjoy it while I can. That is all I can do. Find bits of happiness in this horrible world until my battle is over. I should get to bed. Early morning with my girlfriend. Good night, Natasha.”

Yelena kissed her cheek and made her way back towards the hotel, leaving Natasha watching her go with a heavy heart.

Yelena spent the next day with Kate once again and reluctantly parted that night. Kate needed rest and Yelena had plans with Natasha. She had tried to get Wanda to accompany them, but she refused, telling Yelena she should enjoy her time with her sister, and she would be fine in the room. Yelena wasn’t happy but Wanda promised to take a stroll around Times Square that night to get a taste of New York.

On Saturday, the two women sat on bleachers at Kate’s tournament. Yelena regretted suggesting Kate turn in early to rest. It was obvious she need no rest. None of the other competitors could match her. She never missed, hitting the bullseye over and over no matter the distance until she had soundly beaten all challengers.

“She is very good.” Yelena told Wanda. They were both dressed in ballcaps and purple t shirts with the school logo, similar to what the other fans were wearing. Kate had given them to Yelena when she had left them the day before. “It is very sexy.”

Wanda snorted and bumped her shoulder. She had no desire to see America but was glad Yelena was having fun at least. When Yelena was around Kate she was a different person, a more positive person. Wanda had taken a walk around Times Square and the Rockefeller Center but preferred to spend her time working. She had spent much of her time on the phone, speaking to Maria in Sokovia and Eleanor, making sure the system was up and running. She also spoke to Sasha and Oksana about the move, sending them ahead to scout the area and then begin moving operations as quickly as possible.

Wanda also knew Yelena had talked to Natasha and had dinner with her. Wanda knew Yelena wouldn’t leave the Red Widows and since she said nothing, suspected Natasha would not be joining them. It was not surprising. Natasha would be so good for Yelena, but nothing had changed since the Red Room fell. They both had their own paths to walk. Perhaps their paths would intersect in the future and merge. Wanda could only hope so. As one who lost a sibling with no chance of being reunited, she wished for the lost siblings to take advantage of the second chance.

There were times when she wanted to shout to Natasha to leave the Avengers and be with her sister. It wasn’t her place though. She stayed out of it.

The goodbye at the airport was very long since Kate had accompanied them. A part of Wanda wondered if Eleanor suspected something going on between Kate and Yelena. They had admitted to her that they stayed in contact with Kate because they were fond of her but being fond was one thing. Constant communication was another issue. Eleanor was no fool. She had to have noticed over the past months that Kate had two phones but never said anything. Kate came back from France with two phones so Eleanor would guess the phone was from them. She had never said anything to Kate which was suspicious in itself.

Had Eleanor somehow broke the encryption on the phone? Did she know of the true relationship between Yelena and Kate?

If she had, Wanda was certain Eleanor would have brought it up.

After the two sweethearts had several goodbye kisses that were beginning to draw attention, Wanda and Yelena finally headed back to Sokovia.

Wanda wasn’t crazy about Natasha knowing where their base was if she wasn’t going to join them. She was sure Natasha and Clint had already suspected Sokovia and likely the old HYDRA base. Yelena had kept the fact that they were traveling to a new base to herself. No one would know where they were. They would fly at night in stealth mode and leave no clue as to their destination. Oksana had already reported back that the place was perfect. It was time to begin the next part of the Red Widows story.