Red Widow

Black Widow: Forever Red Alternate Chapter 34.5: Natasha and Alex

Alternate Chapter 34.5: Natasha and Alex
SOMODOROV FACILITY,
YEREBATAN SARAY
JUST OFF THE CISTERNS, ISTANBUL

Ava shoved the piece of burnt metal that had covered both her and Alex.
          She gripped Alex's hand tightly on her own. He didn't look so good. He was pale and his face had beads of sweat on the side of his face. His wounds weren't all that bad if he immediately had proper medication since they were a hit only to his right arm and leg, he should make it through.
          Yet we're stuck here in the rubble of Ivan's madness to conquer the world.
          Without help on the way—
          And the real Istanbul police coming in—
          Probably there to put us in jail first.
           "Hey," Ava nudged Alex, and sat up, coughing against the cloud of smoke and ash. "I did it. The O.P.U.S. is gone. Let's get out of here and we'll get you some help. And maybe a shower."
Alex blinked his eyes open and Ava touched his cheek. It was still warm.
           Good.
          "Bossy," he muttered. "I'm pretty sure you need a shower too."
          "Won't that be nice."
          Natasha pushed away a stray table that had turned over during the blast and made her way to them. "We have to get going, the real police is on their way here and they're swarming the place. I'll take his right side up and you take left."
          Alex chuckled. "Just like the way we've been training."
"Dur! Biz yetkiye sahip," a familiar voice shouted to the incoming police in Turkish. Stop! We have authorization.
          "Well, at least Coulson managed to pull some strings." Natasha said with relief. "Didn't know he could speak Turkish though."
          Ava frowned. "I thought you said Istanbul is out of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s area? Better yet, out of the American government."
           "Well, we are in a whole lot of trouble. S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to have to be involved sooner or later."
Coulson came running in along with other S.H.I.E.L.D. staffs with the police. "Agent Romanoff, why did you have to make such a mess." Coulson said it more as a statement instead of a question.
Medics went over to Alex, pushing any other excess rubble that could prevent them from wheeling him out to safety. Natasha and Ava let go of his arms and gently placed him on top of the stretcher provided. Ava never letting go of his hands just like he did when Ava was in distress if any sort, now she was returning the favor.
"Coulson, that is such an American thing to say," replied Natasha. "At least you got my message."
"Better a little late then never. Now let's get Alex taken care of."
Natasha glanced at her bloodied brother. It was over, no more Red Room for Natasha Romanoff. No more Devushki Ivana. And Ava doesn't have to go through what Natasha did.
"Don't worry Alex. I'm here, and you'll be up and fencing soon." Ava said following the medics wheeling Alex out to an ambulance away from the ashes of Ivan and the O.P.U.S..

"Vitals are clear and he's stable. Should be good to go."
Alex blinked his eyes trying to get away from the blinding white light that seemed to be directly hitting his eyes.
"Yeah I'm good but you know you're going to make me go blind with the amount of light you're shinning on me." Alex grumbled.
The doctor chuckled. "Sorry kid, it's protocol. We kinda need to actually check your pupils for any other signs and this is how this goes." Turning off the mini light she shined in his eyes earlier.
"Yeah I know. Had enough experience when getting sent to the nurses office after beating up a Montclair stuck-up."
Alex sat up and winced, avoiding to put weight on his right arm where he'd been recently shot. Speaking of recently.
"Quick question. How long have I been out?"
Alex figured he was in a hospital or some S.H.I.E.L.D. medical wing of that was even a thing. Stationed inside a room with a bed with white bedsheets, a couple of white cushion for couches for visitors and four white walls with one window open to what appeared to be the New York City skyline at night and of course, a door. Basically the whole place was white. Typical. However in a nearby table he found some cards, flowers and a basket of fruit. Glancing at the tag of the fruit basket he noticed was from Tony Stark.
"Just a few hours. Agent Natasha is currently in a hearing about your situation and your girlfriend is getting some food and a proper change of clothes." A new voice interjected from the door and as Alex turned his head to see it was Tony Stark himself.
"Ah well, babysitting isn't really my strong suit, that's more of Caps, but you know had to have a break from Bora Bora. Had to be here to complete the cute half of the Avengers for support especially since I'm aware of how the QE works. So tada! How you doing kid, last time I saw you I wasn't even aware of your heritage with Natasha. Barely saw the resemblance but it's there."
"Stark, you talk to much. But I'm glad that this time it's not mostly about you." Natasha said, entering the room with Ava trailing behind her with a duffel bag that Alex assumed was filled with clothes, if it were his own, he had no idea.
"Where'd the food go? You know, come to think about it I don't think I've eaten since our flight to Odessa." Alex complained feeling the effects of hunger.
"I've never pegged you as the whiny type Alex. You can hold it a little bit longer. Once we're out of here, then we'll go get some food and sit down for a while with no one trying to track us down. So go take a shower because you stink. Poydem!" Let's go!
Ava said, dumping the duffel bag on top of the bed beside him.

As Alex assumed, even the bathroom had a theme of an all white ensemble. After taking the shower, he felt refreshed. Although he had to be careful because of his right arm and leg being injured. He was happy there was no slipping incidents.
Alex walked out of the bathroom with a content smile, happy to get rid of the hospital gown for regular jeans and a checkered shirt although it wasn't his, but he was happy to find that his fencing jersey was in the duffel bag along with his shoes. He had no idea how Ava managed to get them in her possession but he was glad.
"Good. Now you smell better, now we can eat. I'm starving." Ava grabbed his hand and grabbed a bag that contained all the little get-well-soon gifts.
Alex glanced behind him as Ava dragged him through the door. "Tash, you coming?"
"Yeah and so am I. Let's go kids, my treat, since you know, I've got money with me right this moment that I hope Ava won't borrow." Tony said, walking out of the door followed by Natasha who had a frown marring her face.
"You mean steal? I knew you didn't just earn all those money, so naturally you got it from Stark here who is by the way, very foolish for leaving a thick wad of cash in a book." Tash glanced from Ava to Tony.
"I prefer the term borrow. Though that doesn't mean you have to pay me, that money is long gone."
"What I don't understand is why keep it stuck in a book." Ava said, raising an eyebrow. Her features more pronounced with her cinnamon hair tied back into a high ponytail. Her I ❤️ NY t-shirt from the JFK airport replaced by white blouse and a black leather jacket paired with jeans that fit her and a new pair of sneakers the color of white. Her clothes actually fit right this time, unlike the first time he had ever seen her across the gym at the fencing tournament in Philly. It felt like a long time ago. But even then, he still had the same thoughts: she looked beautiful.

Tony brought them to a shawarma place and Alex noticed Natasha's lips quirk a little as if with small smile.
"Nice to see that this place is still in good condition."
"Well you know it did survive from the very first Avengers mission." Tony led them to a table in the middle of the shop. Nice to know Tony doesn't go for subtle.
"After that first time I tried shawarma I've order in here. Well, Jarvis did but same thing."
Alex probably ate about three shawarma's. And so did Ava. That all took time eating their food and soon once everyone's stomach was settled did Ava speak.
"So what now? I don't really want to go to school."
"So do I. The only people ever really tolerated in Montclair was Dante and his little sister Sofi. My mother doesn't count because she's not really my mother although I'm going miss her nagging at me not to get in trouble." Alex grinned, good old time with Dante. LARPing was always going to be their thing.
"You guys aren't going to regular school. You're going to start your training." Natasha said, smiling for real for the first time in a long time.