BEAUTIFUL CRIMES ▹ Mama!Nat

SIX. in which tensions are high

"Because you want to talk to her as much as I do. Now shush and let her answer the question." The boy looks to the Asian girl, awaiting her response. Adelina almost answers honestly, but quickly remembers that there are cameras everywhere. These could be little agents testing her. So, she lies.

"Because I wanted to." She tells him before letting her gaze fall onto the nervous Wanda. "You don't have to be scared, Wanda. I have no intention of killing you..." She lets the anxious silence marinate for a moment. "...yet."

Adelina watches the color drain from Wanda's already pale face. "Aw, c'mon! She's not gonna kill you, she's in the fence!" Pietro shakes his head. Adelina can tell that she shook him up too. She holds back a smile.

She also can't help but notice the faint red glow that occupies Wanda's forest green eyes.

"Well, Pietro," Her head cocks to the side. "Fences are capable of breaking. Do you know what else is capable of breaking?"

"What?" He swallows.

She lets a sinister smile pull at her lips,

"Skulls." She whispers into the tense air.

Now, it's obvious that both siblings are scared shitless. They leave just as quickly as they arrived. Adelina smirks as they scramble to leave.

She's alone again. No stimulation, no comfort, and she drove away the conversation. So, she begins to braid. She braids repeatedly, each plait more complicated than the last. It's muscle memory for her. She can't even see what they look like; she doesn't need to. Adelina knows they look like the embodiment of perfection. If she were in the Red Room, she'd be executed if they weren't.

She's braiding mindlessly when Natasha approaches her. She's in the middle of the last half of her second French braid when Natasha's voice pulls her from her trance. "Let us help." It's almost a demand.

Adelina continues to braid, but looks to the angry redhead. Her cheeks have a light splash of pink on them, and she carries anger on her person. It dawns on Adelina that it must've been hours since she last talked to the siblings. She has no idea. She ignores this and focuses on the redhead before her.

"Look," Natasha's trying — and failing — to compose herself. Failing is a relative term; to the naked eye, she's as calm as she can be. But to Adelina's trained eye, Natasha is struggling. "I know you're angry. I know how you feel. But you are pushing and hurting all of these people, and this can't keep going on. You've insulted Hill, me, Fury, the twins- you are above this! I mean- you're too smart to resort to this kind of behavior! You know it. I know it. Adelina, your window is closing, and it's closing fast. You're about to be handed to the government, the U.S government, and it's not looking good for you!"

Adelina lets her finish her little rampage. "You and I both know I've been through worse, Natalia." There's a pang of sadness in her voice that makes Natasha sympathize with her. She's fully aware that Adelina can handle a government. She just doesn't want her to do it at all, especially alone.

"I really hope you answer us straightforwardly soon." She says quietly, honestly. Natasha walks away before Adelina can get another word out. The girl sits there for a moment, pondering over everything, before returning to the braids.

⧗ ⧗

They sit in front of Fury's desk, awaiting his final verdict. They all hope that Fury is patient, that he'll give Adelina another chance. They know that his patience is running thin, however. This is the time to start praying to whatever God is up there.

"I'm tired," He begins slowly. "Of my agents being burned by the verbal fire that is spewing from this girl's mouth. Romanoff, before you say anything, I know. I know she's hurting, I know she's a victim, I've heard it all. And I do feel for her, I really do. But people are getting hurt, and not just her. If we keep her here, she could seriously injure us all. And of course, there's still the possibility that this is planned, that Dreykov is sitting behind her eyes and taking it all in. I'm sorry. I am. I understa-"

"No." Natasha shoots up from her seat, placing all of the attention on her. She usually doesn't like being in the spotlight; she'd rather be the power supply. But that doesn't matter right now. The only thing she cares about now is Adelina. "No, you don't understand. Sir, with all due respect, you're looking out for your agents. That's your job. But that girl in that cell is not a ruthless killer, she's not some spy! She is a pained teenage girl who is carrying the world on her shoulders, and I want to take off some of the weight!"

"Romanoff-"

"Let us help her." It's so close to a demand. "Let us take the weight off her damn shoulders, like you did for me. You were so much more understanding when Barton took me in like the stray I was. You trained me and deprogrammed me and gave me a chance. What's the difference between me and her?"

"The difference is that, I hate to admit it, but Valieva is worlds stronger than you!" He's trying not to yell, but all efforts are about to be futile if Natasha doesn't sit down. "It's not your fault, the Red Room must've used a stronger serum or whatever they did to the poor girls! If we let her go where the civilians are, more people will die. More parents, more siblings, hell, more pets may die at her hands. Is that a risk we want to take, Romanoff?"

"Yes!" She takes in a deep breath before continuing. "Yes, it is! If we take her in, take off some of the pain, we can stop those kills before they even happen! Would you rather have a little girl executed for crimes she was forced to commit or help her, and in return, help the lives of hundreds of thousands of people?"

Fury stops. Natasha does too. They seem to be at a standstill. Steve, Clint, and Maria can only watch as Natasha and Fury stare at each other intently.

"Romanoff, if I have reports of this little girl trying to retraumatize my agents-"

"Then I'll get her out of your-" She almost says 'hair,' but stops when she sees Fury's unamused look. "...Triskelion."

"You better fix this somehow, Romanoff." His eye narrows. "Dismissed."

{ AUTHOR'S NOTE }

Mean Adelina >>>

- V