The Third Black Widow

Driving In The Getaway Car

I wake up and Yelena isn't next to me. I go into panic mode. She's gone already. I get up and look around a few rooms and they're empty. I go into the kitchen and what do I know? Yelena is sitting at the table casually drinking coffee.

She notices me and smiles as she sets down her coffee. I dash over to her and jump onto her lap and a few tears roll down my cheeks.

"Lizzie, what happened?" asks Yelena, concerned. "I thought you left me," I say. "I'm not going anywhere ever. I think we both learned our lesson from that last night in Ohio," says Yelena. I nod and I bury my head deeper into the crook of her neck.

"Lizzie, you're shaking," says Yelena. "I am? I didn't even notice. Sorry," I say. "Lizzie, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere. There's nothing for you to be sorry about. You know, I missed this. You on my lap, snuggling into me. Or even you on Natasha's lap and me snuggling into both of you. I miss those days. I'm just so happy I have you back," says Yelena.

"Me too. All I've been thinking about is those days. What's going to happen to us now? We're basically dead if a single Black Widow finds us and reports us. To avoid that, we'd have to go completely off the grid," I say. "You are one intelligent six-year-old," says Yelena. "Thanks. Credits go to Dreykov. For the past two years since I've been unfrozen, he's been training me like I'm 25 which is how old I'm supposed to be. Training includes adult vocabulary minus bad words, lots of Ballet on pointe, and shooting guns in a lot of different ways. Plus going on countless missions. Oh, and I can't forget the brutal private training lessons from Madame B," I say. A shiver runs down my spine as I think about training with Madame B.

"SHE HAS YOU ON POINTE?!" screeches Yelena. I cover my ears from the sudden racket. "Yes, I've been on pointe since the day after I was unfrozen," I say. "Next time I see her, I'm gonna kill her. A six-year-old on pointe! That should be illegal!" says Yelena.

"The Red Room doesn't care for the law so good luck with that. But, wait, next time you see her? Are you taking me back there? Please don't. Please. I'm scared of it. For example, last year, I fell out of a Ballet routine on pointe and I had to redo it 100 times so the instructor could be satisfied. Then he made me do it one more time and I fell out of that one and earned myself a lecture from Madame B and another 101 times, messed up feet, oh, and a training private lesson, before training with my group. Everyone says I'm Dreykov's favorite but, I don't think so given the way I'm treated. He probably only likes me because of you and Nat. But, please, I'll do anything. Just don't send me back there," I say.

"Oh, Lizzie. That's horrible. But, I'm never, ever, going to send you back there or bring you back there unless it's to kill Dreykov or Madame B for what they did to you," says Yelena. I nod and smile.

It's been three days since we got here and Yelena has been doing renovations like crazy. It's mid-morning and Yelena and I hear a little clicking noise.

"Lizzie, go into the closet and stay there," whispers Yelena. "Why?" I ask. "It's nothing bad. It's just Nat. I need to sort things out with her," says Yelena.

I smile and nod. Natasha's here! I hug Yelena who kisses my head and then I run into the closet and shut the door.

I hear Yelena say "I know you're out there." Natasha's slightly muffled reply is "I know you know I'm out here." I hear the front door open and close and I get a little excited.

"Then why are you skulking about like it's a minefield?" says Yelena. "Cause I don't know if I can trust you," says Natasha. "Funny, I was going to say the same thing," says Yelena. "So, we gonna talk like grown-ups?" asks Natasha. "Is that what we are?" says Yelena. "You two are, I'm not," I mumble to myself. "Put it down, before I make you," says Yelena. Oh, that's right. They're using guns against each other.