Ghosts Of The Past | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 1: Not The Honeymoon They Were Hoping For

Natasha hummed and smiled, turning away to grab some paper towels to dry her face, and partly to hide in them. ''I'm fine.''

Her phone was next to the sink, because they were waiting for something to happen on screen. Consequences of a trap they had carefully set a while ago. Katya's brain was exhausted of coming up with new tricks every day to stay out of Ross' hands.

''Are you sure?'' she asked, but she didn't receive an answer. It was a useless question, but for some reason, she kept asking it. ''I miss them too,'' she whispered, seeing how Natasha looked up from her hands. Some tears that she had blinked away previously, returned. Her face looked so pale in this lighting, and Katya wanted to hug her tight.

''I'm glad you're here,'' Natasha admitted softly after studying her face. Her beautiful long hair was pulled into a really messy and loopy bun at the back of her head and dark circles laid under her eyes. The only part of her that looked the same was the muscles in her bare arms that peeked from under her tank top. They kept up with their training, because a fight was unavoidable. 

Katya dared to smile a bit. ''Me too.'' She reached out and quickly touched her arm, her gaze flickering to the arrow necklace around Natasha's neck. Finally, she got a smile in return, although a sad one.

''Did that dickhead show up yet?'' Katya changed the topic, glancing at the phone on the counter. It showed camera footage from inside a train station they left hours ago. If Ross really thought they would stay that long in the same place with the trackers in their belt, he underestimated them more than they thought. They were literally in the middle of the ocean.

Natasha turned to the counter, peeking at the screen and shaking her head. ''Still waiting.'' Ross and his troops were undoubtedly grouping together in front of the building. Surrounding it, covering all exits. Like that would stop the two spies from escaping if they wanted to.

''I have to admit, I admire his perseverance.''

Natasha glanced over her right shoulder to look at the woman behind her, a faint smirk on her face. ''And you enjoy seeing him fall in our traps.''

Katya chuckled. ''And I enjoy seeing him fall in our traps.'' She never said it wasn't fun to think of new traps. It was just very tiring. 

As if on cue, troops entered the station. Heavily armed troops. The best of the best. The guns in their hands made it questionable if Ross wanted to shoot them on sight or take them in. 

Natasha hummed and picked up the phone, the footage showing the situation from above. ''Speak of the devil.''

''He's hardly the devil. More like an annoying government lapdog who can't let go of the bone he so desperately wants.'' Katya crossed her arms and leaned with her right hip against the sink, her whole body turned in Natasha's direction. The boat swayed lazily, and Katya prayed she wouldn't get seasick.

Natasha raised an eyebrow, momentarily looking away from the phone and to Katya on her right. ''That's a weird comparison.''

''Yeah.'' Katya shrugged. ''I don't have my best day either.''

They both turned their eyes back to the screen when a very familiar and annoying voice rung through. ''Natasha Romanoff and Katariina Petrova are in violation of the Sokovia Accords. They assaulted the king of Wakanda. Make an example out of them.'' 

Ross stood in the terminal, the same damn mustache on his face he had years ago. Simply the sight of him summoned murderous tendencies within Katya. She could recall the speech he had given them that day at the Compound and how he had turned against her. But back then, they were the helpless ones. Right now, he was. He simply didn't know it yet.