Retnikopf: Widow Of Siberia (old Version)

Chapter 11 - You

The young Avengers split up after the meeting. Vienna and Kate walking off together after everyone seemed a little uncomfortable around her.

"They'll come around," Kate said, swinging her arms a little, "you caused a ruckus, they just need to trust that you're not going to kill them."

"But I don't trust that," Vienna's voice was monotone, and a little flat, "how can they?"

"You know your head Vienna," Kate told her softly, reaching up and holding her face, "you can trust yourself to make the right decisions."

Vienna laughed slightly, lowering her head into Katie's hands.

"I feel like I've been thrown in the deep end of life," Vienna explained, "everyone else has had years to learn how to live on their own, I've had my life fed to me since I was born, I don't know how to do it alone."

"Vienna," Kate said, her voice as gentle as she could make it, making Vienna look at her so they were nose to nose, "You're not alone."

There was a pause as they watched each other, Vienna went to lean in but a noise distracted her. She whipped her head round to see Spiderman doing a little dance as he walked into view.

"Oh hey guys!" he waved as he passed, not stopping to talk.

Vienna watched him leave before turning back to Kate, she gave her a smile and stepped back.

"You going somewhere?" Kate asked, looking a little hopeful as Vienna began to walk away.

"I won't be long," Vienna said, turning back for a second before walking out of sight.

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Vienna walked along a corridor of the compound, her shoes tapping against the floor as she went. She turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks.

He just stood there. Looking at her as she froze. She could feel her eyes welling up as she looked at his face. It couldn't be him. It wasn't possible.

"Hey Red," Eric Killmonger said, exactly how she remembered him, "you alone?"

"You," Vienna stumbled over her words as she glanced at her surroundings before walking towards him, "you died, you left and you died."

"You died for me too," he told her, giving a small wave of his arms as his voice cracked a little, "shot in the face right in front of me, haunts me when I close my eyes."

Vienna frowned, his words not making sense to her overwhelmed brain.

"A portal thing showed up in front of me," he explained, seeing her confused expression, "I was kinda running low on options where I'm from so, I hoped it would take me somewhere else. I thought like space or something but I guess this a different universe kind of thing."

"The multiverse," Vienna whispered to herself, thinking about the machine.

"Yeah, I guess," Eric nodded, stepping closer to her, "and it brought me right to you, it must be fate or something. We both lost each other, it's time to come back together."

"No," Vienna said, making Eric frown and step back from her.

"What do you mean?" he asked, shaking his head as he tried to wrap his head around her reaction, "what do you mean, no? Where we not together here?"

"We were," Vienna told him, smiling a little, "I loved you more than anything when I was with you and you still haunt my dreams but, you left and you died and it was your own fault. The black panther is not something to be hated or taken, I never met T'Challa but I know Shuri is a good person. I trust her. And you need to go home."

"Vienna I-" Eric started but Vienna waved him off.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," she told him, "I'll protect you and hide you until we can get you back through the portal but you do have to go."