protected || natasha romanoff [DISCONTINUED]

oh god, they know my name

i blink again, and wake up to the sound of an engine. i close my eyes again, acting like i'm still asleep, and try to figure out where i am. even though i want to tear everyone i've ever met apart limb by limb. and i could kill them all if i wanted to. i'm probably on the jet, because i can hear the agents talking. my arms are tied behind my back and my feet are tied as well, but my injured leg is in a cast. i'm lying on my stomach, which is bandaged.

"we have reason to believe that this is the black widow," bobbi morse is telling someone.

"who agent barton was supposed to track down and kill?" someone with a british accents retorts. probably the lady i heard earlier.

"well, yes," clint says.

"she's listening right now. why don't you ask her?"

how did she know? someone shakes me and i roll over. i open my eyes, a disgusted expression on my face. there's a six people. a pilot and a copilot, two people in front of me- morse and clint, who i'm assuming is agent barton, and two people sitting across from me- one is asleep, the other is cleaning a weapon.

"see if you can get some basic information out of her. i'll clear my schedule and see you when you're in new york," the lady says over the comm, and hangs up.

morse turns to me. she's bandaged her leg and shoulder. "who are you?"

"the black widow," i say coolly, sitting up.

barton rubs the back of his neck with his good arm. "i thought she would be older. she doesn't look a day over seventeen."

he's close. i smile at him. "are you trying to avoid charges?"

morse grabs his hand. they must be more than work partners. "how old are you?"

"barton is close enough."

"we've kept you alive this long. we don't have to keep it that way."

"then kill me," i say, shrugging. "it's not the worst threat i've heard."

she rolls her eyes. "what's your real name?"

"i've been called a lot of things," i say smoothly. "can i go back to sleep now?"

"you'll stay awake for as long as we need you too," morse snaps.

i blink at her calmly. she stomps away, but she doesn't really get that far, since we're in a jet and all. barton hides his smile.

"wow, she's really getting under your skin," one other agent says, looking up from cleaning his gun with a smirk. "we should keep her."

"shut up, rumlow!"

"you just want more eye candy," the only other girl says from the copilot's seat. she's the oldest by far.

their banter seems... friendly. i've made a couple of friends over the years of being an agent, but it's always been under the radar. we definitely didn't act friendly in front of someone we had just captured.

the other woman steps over and someone else takes her seat, pulling a headset on. she presses one of my own knives to my neck. "who are you really?" she pushes the blade in a little deeper when i don't respond.

"i've already told you that i don't feel very threatened," i say, dropping the act.

"i wouldn't joke with the calvary," rumlow says, but he sounds like he's joking.

"does anything threaten you?" barton asks sarcastically.

"naps," i say with a blank smile.

the 'calvary' walks away, settling next to rumlow with her legs crossed. "this is pointless. wait until we've landed."

it turns out, neither agent barton or i like loosing staring contests.

eventually, though, we land. rumlow and morse untie me, but they put handcuffs on. they push me roughly out of the jet and onto the cement of the landing bay. i try not to wince when i put weight on my injured leg. i'm led to what seems to be an interrogation room, with a lady sitting behind a wooden desk. once i'm seated and cuffed to the desk, she smiles at the agents. "thank you, but we'll be fine."

they both nod and i watch them leave. i turn back to the lady. she must be who i heard talking earlier. i wonder who's behind the glass.

"you're lucky i didn't make you wait. i'm director carter. who are you?"

"the black widow," i say coolly. so i'm important. she doesn't want to leave me alone in a cell.

"no, really. what's your name?" she presses, starting to sound annoyed.

"it's classified," i tell her with a smirk.

"we can do this the hard way, that's what you really want."

"that's not really up to me, is it?"

she stands up angrily and storms over to me. she grabs my jaw and twists. "i'm not going to ask again."

i hear a tiny pop. shit, she's strong. i nod and she lets go. i don't want to tell her, but i don't want to show her everything i can do quite yet. i don't think SHIELD's director is someone who's going to underestimate me, but i can do my best. i guess my name isn't the worst thing for SHIELD to know, if they've already put a face to the black widow. it's dangerous, for a spy to be known...

"natasha romanoff."

"an english name for a russian assassin," she observes, stepping back.

"it's the anglicized version, but yes."

"so what's the russian version?"

"natalia alianovna romanova," i admit.

"thank you, natalia," she says. it reminds me of my handlers.

"so, why are you keeping me alive?" i ask. "i'm not important to you."

"unfortunately, agent barton and i have a soft spot."

i tilt my head.

"i've been to the red room. i can't imagine... trust me, SHIELD is much better than the KGB. i believe you may have some good in you, and i'm willing to give you a second chance. prove me wrong, and i won't hesitate you kill you."

"that's reassuring," i say sarcastically.

"we'll see if you survive all the testosterone," she continues. "since you're injured, we'll give you time to heal first, and time for everyone to get used to you."

"thank you, ma'am," i say, wincing a little inside. has she survived the red room? what's with the accent, then?

she doesn't answer me. instead, she types something on a pager. "we should've gotten you to a doctor first," carter mutters to herself.

"really, i'm fine," i insist. but there are already two agents entering the room. one is new, and the other is from before- the cavalry, i remember they called her.

"natalia, this is melinda may."

"hello," may says drily. i give her a fake smile.

"and no, we don't make you kill any of your fellow agents during training," carter says with a smirk.

may sighs, grabbing my arm, and i just smile a little wider as she heaves me out of my chair. i have to get out of here.