look after you × winterwidow & oc

I. how's my favourite agent?

Natasha's brow furrowed in anger. "Distract me from what exactly?"

"It's not my place to-"

"I was so scared, mama" Maria was cut off by Katya speaking up for the first time. She leaned her head back a bit to look at Natasha. Her eyes were glistening. She looked into these eyes not even an hour before. They were identical yet so different.

"Oh, sweetie." she crouched down to her level, so the girl could wrap her arms around her neck and rested her head where it met the shoulder. Natasha kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, you are safe. That's why you're here, so we're sure nothing happens to you."

"But what's happening?" Katya's voice was muffled. She lifted her head slightly. "Did they find me? Is someone going to take me away from you? I thought I won't see you-"

The door opened quietly as Maria was about to leave "Don't say anything to Rogers." Romanoff ordered. Agent Hill nodded and left the room to give them some privacy.

Ignoring the pain radiating through her whole arm as the painkillers haven't started to work yet, she picked the girl up and walked to the bed. She sat down and put the girl in her lap. Katya rested her head in the crook of Natasha's neck and pressed a little bit too close to the wound. She didn't manage to hold back a hiss of pain and that caught the girl's attention. Her brows furrowed and she leaned away. Then she noticed the dressing.

"Are you hurt?" her eyes were full of worry. "What happened?"

"Nothing, it's just a scratch." Natasha forced a smile and pulled the girl closer, back to her previous position. "I promise you, I'm fine and you are safe. Nothing is going to happen to you. It's all just a precaution. Some things went wrong, and we found out about some bad people that we have to stop and I assure you we will. And then you'll go back home."

"What if you get hurt again?" Katya asked, almost whispering.

"I won't. I'll be more careful this time."

"You promise?"

"I promise, malyshka."

Natasha caressed the girl's white hair before planting another kiss on top of her head. She started to sway gently from side to side, knowing this will successfully calm the girl down. They sat in silence, cherishing each other's presence and the feeling of security for the first time in a while. For both of them, it was days and Natasha knew they won't have it for long. At least she won't.

Romanoff knew she can't spend much more time with her daughter. Fury was waiting and the sooner they talk, the sooner she and Steve will get back to work and it will all be over. And going back to work will take her mind off these intrusive thoughts because Natasha still couldn't believe herself.

She fought the only person who connected her to Katya not an hour ago. The person for whom she risked her life to take this girl away, to give her a normal life. No. She fought someone who had his face, who happened to look and fight like him because there wasn't a trace of the man she used to know inside him.

And yet somehow, she was alive. With a hole only in her shoulder, not her skull.

That thought haunted her all the time since Maria saved their asses.

The Winter Soldier does not miss. That's what everyone used to say.

Unless it was his choice to do so.

Well, maybe there was one more hole. In her heart, to be exact. Deep and still bleeding, not planning on scarring any time soon, but it was there for so long that she got used to it. It was shaped like him. Natasha would never admit it but she knew that he was also the only person who could ever close it.

She stopped in the middle of an empty corridor. She exhaled loudly, her neck bending backward, so she was looking at the ceiling. Natasha shook her head before the closing distance between herself and the nearest wall. She leaned against it, her forehead touching the cool concrete.

"Chert tebya poberi, Yasha," she muttered, trying to recollect her composure before facing Nick again. "Why did you do that?"

"You okay?"

Maria walked out of the corner, her voice startling Romanoff for a split second. Natasha straightened her back and discreetly wiped off the single tear from her cheek before the other woman could notice it. And just like that, a completely neutral expression was back.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she nodded and caught up to agent Hill so they could walk together to where Fury was waiting.

"How's my favorite agent?" Nick tilted his head when Natasha came back. He was sitting at a table, with Maria on his left, Steve and Sam were standing nearby.

The chair scrapped the floor loudly when Natasha pulled it back so she could sit down. "Terrified and confused, but otherwise great."

She didn't even try to hide her displeasure. Her expression was grim. She noticed Steve's confused look.

"Who are you talking about?" he stepped closer, looking between Natasha and Fury.

"Someone that doesn't concern you," she said firmly.

"Seriously?" Rogers looked back at Fury, hoping for some backup.

The man shrugged. "That one's her call."

"Oh, really?" Natasha turned to him. "It doesn't really seem like it since I've just found out about that decision."

"I was just protecting her." Nick was unmoved by the sudden change in her mood.

"But I had a right to know. She's my-"

"Romanoff." he cut her off, his tone a warning. She almost let it slip.

She bit her lip, took a deep breath, and just like that, her composure was back, the look on her face completely neutral. "We'll talk later about this."

"As you wish."

For the rest of this impromptu meeting, Steve couldn't help but wonder what on earth could've concern them both and result in Natasha having more to say that Nick Fury himself.

translations:

"Chert tebya poberi, Yasha" - "Damn you, Yasha"

"Malyshka" - "baby girl"

next chapter in 2 days :)