Natasha
Natasha hurried out of the car, running unto the porch with Maya. The rain had gotten worse. Instead of a light drizzle, it came pouring down. Like someone emptied an entire swimming pool on their heads.
Inside, they shrugged off their muddy shoes and damp jackets, and moved to the kitchen for something to drink. Maya silently sat down at the counter. She hadn't said much in the car, ashamed of her behavior. She wondered what Katya would have done in this situation. Something told her she would have laughed at it, receiving a glare from her wife in return.
''So, what do I have to do?'' she eventually asked, drinking the glass of water Natasha placed in front of her.
Natasha furrowed her eyebrows, warming her hands with her coffee mug. ''What do you mean?''
''Mom, I hit a girl,'' Maya reminded her dryly. ''What is the consequence?''
Maya was obviously used to getting some sort of punishment for making a mistake, and Natasha wondered what that punishment at the orphanage had been. Probably something like no TV or staying in the bedroom for a day. She didn't want to be that kind of mom. ''You need to set the table tonight,'' she said casually, taking a sip of her coffee.
''I already do that every day,'' Maya reminded her, confused to the bone.
She hummed. ''Exactly. There is no punishment because you already said sorry and that it wasn't going to happen again. I trust you on that. You knew you were wrong. I don't have to tell you that again.'' Maya's frown turned into a surprised smile. Natasha mirrored that and added teasingly, ''But you do have to get your ass upstairs and do your homework.''
Maya giggled, nodded and disappeared upstairs with a beaming smile on her face. Natasha watched her go, letting out a breath after she heard the bedroom door close. Parenting was not easy, but Maya made it feel easy. She was so smart and honest.
The rain hit the kitchen window, making the house feel cozy. It was silent except that sound, only Maya's desk chair upstairs rolling back and forth over the floor once. For Natasha, rain was always welcome. She loved the sun, but there was something about sitting in a warm house and watching the grey world outside that made her feel content.
Instead of to Katya, her mind traveled to her daughter, and what those bullies must have said to get her mad. Maya had thick skin, but family was a sensitive subject. Natasha could come up with some things, but couldn't think about it too long. The idea of Maya getting bullied in school made her so angry that her hands shook.
She hadn't realized her mind had drifted that far off, so when her phone rung loudly, she jumped a bit. It was easy to let her guard down in her own home.
The number on the screen wasn't an unknown number. It wasn't Katya, which caused Natasha's heart to sink a bit. It had been hours since a last sign of life. But no news could be good news.
''Hey man.'' She accepted the call and threw the phone on the counter, too lazy to hold it by her ear the entire time.
''That was fast,'' Clint replied surprised. They hadn't heard each other's voices in weeks, but nothing would ever change between them.
Natasha leaned against the counter and crossed her free arm over her chest. ''Waiting on news from Kat.''
''Right. Heard that. You doing alright?''
She hummed quietly. People kept asking if she was fine. Which was kind, but also annoying. ''I'm fine. Just a bit worried.''
''But not only about her,'' he quickly picked up, hearing how short and absentminded her answers were. Her head wasn't there. ''What's going on?''
A short silence fell. One where Natasha had to choose the right words to say. ''Have any of your kids ever just... punched someone out of anger?'' If she could go to anyone for parenting advice, it was Clint.
''You got a fighter, huh?'' he joked half-heartedly, but Natasha wasn't in the mood for jokes. Not today.
''Clint, I'm serious. She's not like that at all. She would never hurt someone on purpose. Yet this happened.'' She paused, voicing what had gone through her head since she got the call from school. ''Do you think Kat and I are a bad influence on her?''
''Honestly, I don't think that has anything to do with it. Sometimes, people just snap. It happens to the best of us. And from what I heard, she's a smart girl. She knows it's wrong.''
''Yeah,'' she breathed, not entirely convinced. Her fingers played with the small spoon in her mug.
''You need to stop doubting yourself, Nat. You need to stop blaming yourself for every little thing. You're doing an amazing job; I just know that.'' She didn't answer, and he knew it was hard to talk her out of something like this. So he changed the topic to try and take her mind off it. ''So, when are you visiting again? Lila can't stop asking when she can see her cousin.''
It worked, because Natasha scoffed lightly. ''You are forgetting that I don't have a Quinjet in my garage anymore. But I'll see if we can arrange something over the holiday.'' The idea of going to Clint's, seeing Laura and the kids again, made her happy. But she shook her head, rinsing her mug and placing it in the dishwasher. ''Enough about me, why did you call?''
''Do I need a reason to call my best friend?'' He didn't see her skeptically raised eyebrow. ''I just wanted to see how you were holding up with Kat on the other side of the world, with Zemo.''
''Like I said; I'm fine and so is Maya. I trust she is coming back, so all I can do is wait and keep things going in the meantime. Try and keep my daughter from hitting more people,'' she chuckled. It sounded a bit lighter than before.
It stayed quiet on Clint's end for a while, even though she suspected a laugh back at her joke. ''It's still so surreal to hear you say that. I'm so happy for you, Nat.''
A smile flashed across her face. ''It feels that way for me, too. I wake up every day, expecting it all to be a dream. But it's not, and I keep asking what I did to deserve this.''
Before Clint could answer, Maya appeared in the doorway, a book and notebook in her arms. A bit shy, she asked, ''Mom? Can you help me with math?''
Natasha's smile widened. '''Course, give me a second.'' Picking up her phone, she brought it to her ear while watching Maya lay out all the stuff on the counter. ''Duty calls. So you can save whatever speech you were going to give me.''
''Good. I get tired of repeating them,'' Clint chuckled, but there was truth in his words. ''Keep me updated.''
''Will do.'' She ended the call and stuffed her phone away, giving Maya her undivided attention. It wasn't often that the girl asked for help with her homework, but the teachers put her on an advanced track and the exercises finally got challenging for her.
Maya glanced at Natasha when she sat on the stool next to her. ''Who was that?'' She had a guess, fueled by the faint happiness in her mom's eyes. Only people she truly cared about could achieve that.
''Clint. He wanted to know when we were visiting again.'' Maya perked up a bit, excited at the idea of going there, which caused Natasha to laugh. ''So, what exercise is bothering you?''
Katya
The commotion from the bar disappeared into the background and made place for almost a vacuum of silence. The trip to Selby lead them through the back rooms of the bar. They were dark, musty, and most of all filled with money and drugs. It seemed those were the two things dominating Madripoor's export business.
The people working in the open spaces, which were only separated by thin fences, didn't spare them a second glance. Shady people must walk these halls every day.
Katya didn't feel at ease at all. Her eyes darted through the rooms, establishing possible exits and threats. She found enough of the latter, but no doors or windows. She felt a strong need to be more careful, because she had more to lose than ever. Every small movement got her head whipping in that direction and her hands itching to grab her gun.
Nobody noticed any of her unease or restlessness. They probably just thought she did her bodyguard duties.
The trip ended in a fancy office. Completely different than the rooms from before; a couch made of snakeskin, beautifully decorated walls, some expensive decorations -but not too much. Someone of power lived here, someone with money and status. Although Katya pictured a completely different person than the woman greeting them without greeting them. She was probably in her forties, had high cheekbones and white hair that was shorter than Bucky's.
''You should know, Baron. People don't just come into my bar and make demands.''
Again, she scanned this room, and was both happier and less happy. The first because the office had glass walls and a couple doors that provided enough escape routes. The latter because the two guards along the left wall carried rifles. However, like the guys in the bar, they were no match for her quick skills. And Katya was sure she could put in a bullet in them before they could aim their weapons.
She took place next to Sam, along that left wall. Bucky stood opposite them, with Zemo and Selby in the middle, on the two facing couches. Selby's gaze stayed on her a little longer, and while her heart stopped for a second, thinking she recognized her, she quickly looked away. You could cut the tension with a knife.
''Not a demand. An offer.'' Zemo could talk his way out of everything, and even though Selby acted all tough, she looked interested and surprised to see him.
''A lot has changed since you were here last.'' Which must have been, what, seven years? ''By the way, I thought you were rotting away in a German prison. How did you escape?''
Katya refrained herself from glaring at Bucky, especially when Zemo smiled mysteriously. ''People like us always find a way, don't we? I'm sure you've already figured out what I'm here for.'' Jeez, he was so arrogant, and it wasn't just a facade either. At least her stuck-up attitude was fake.
Instead of answering him, Selby looked up at Sam, who stood only a foot or two away from her. ''You're taller than I'd heard, Smiling Tiger,'' she said like she knew something was up. If they had met before, she'd know for sure Sam wasn't him. But after she purred, purred, the conversation turned back to business. ''What's the offer?''
Katya did her best to look indifferent and uninterested in anything but Sam's safety, but her feet started hurting from these damn heels and she had a harder time standing still from the anxiety.
''Tell us what you know about the supersoldier serum.'' Zemo stood up, all eyes following him closely as he laid his hands on Bucky's shoulders. ''And I give you him, along with the code words to control him, of course. He will do anything you want.'' Bucky didn't react at all, not even when he touched his face. His self-control was admirable, despite the fear he must be feeling.
Katya clenched her jaw when Selby smiled in delight. ''Now that's the Zemo I remember. I'm glad I decided not to kill you immediately. Yeah, you were right to come to me. Arrogant, but right.'' She took the deal easily. It wasn't that hard of a decision. Just a piece of information for what she thought was an amazing killer. It was sick, really, trading a man like he was one of the pieces of art that littered the room.
''The supersoldier serum is here in Madripoor. Dr. Wilfred Nagel is the man you wanna thank. Or condemn, depending on what side of this you're on. The Power Broker had him working on the serum, but... things didn't go as planned.''
Despite those alarming last few words, Katya felt a spark of hope. Finally, they had a location and another name. And not something as vague as 'the Power Broker', but a real name. Selby could have lied about this, but she looked like the kind of person who honored a deal. Otherwise she wouldn't have been sitting here.
Katya also made the connection between the Power Broker and the serum. It wasn't a surprise. Anything that happened in Madripoor went through the powerful leader, like in every dictatorship. And nobody who toyed with that serum had anything good in mind.
''Is Nagel still in Madripoor?'' Zemo asked eagerly. She hoped the answer was yes. She wasn't looking forward to another long flight in that jet.
But Selby pulled an exaggerated pouting face and got up from the couch to walk around, lingering next to Katya. ''Oh. The breadcrumbs you can have for free, but the bakery is gonna cost you, Baron. And before you get all cute, don't think you can find Nagel without me.'' In the middle of her power-hungry speech, something abruptly started buzzing. Loudly. Whose phone buzzed that loudly?
Everyone turned to the sound, which came from Sam. Katya was able to suppress a defeated sigh and her fingers only twitched instead of rolling into fists. Selby - with her limited people reading skills - never saw anything change in her demeanor. Sam, on the other hand, looked like a deer caught in headlights. And out of anyone who could possibly be calling him, it was his sister, who would definitely not understand the situation.
Selby's mouth twitched into a predatorial smile, like she knew she was about to expose them. ''Answer it. On speaker.'' She gestured to one of her guards, and the man stepped closer to Sam as a threat. Katya was quick to snap her eyes to him, narrowing them in a warning, but didn't do anything else. If she went for her own gun now, it would make things worse.
All she could do was wait for the inevitable: a fight.
Sam seemed to have accepted that, too, pressing the green button and putting it on speaker. ''Hello?'' he asked neutrally, praying Sarah heard his weird tone and would understand, but she stared talking without noticing anything.
''Hey, um, we need to talk about this situation. It's been drivin' me nuts.'' Her voice was soft, guilty almost. Like they had a fight about this before and she regretted it.
''What situation exactly are you talkin' about?'' Sam asked, in a harsher tone than he would ever use with her.
''Are you high? You know what situation, it's the only situation me and you have.'' Katya had to hold in a chuckle. You didn't mess with that woman. She could handle Sam perfectly.
''What situation, Sarah? Say it,'' he demanded, and Katya felt second-hand guilt for the way he had to talk to her. But she didn't catch it, she didn't understand someone was listening in. Because Selby was listening, circling around Bucky knowingly.
''The damn boat. And watch your tone. Okay? I let you slide at the bank.''
''The bank. Yeah,'' Sam laughed sarcastically. He could never be a spy, his acting wasn't good enough. ''Laundered so much... Yeah, they'll come around.''
''If that was the case, then why'd they dog you out, Big Time?''
''Yeah, you damn right I'm Big Time. You'll see when I have that banker killed.'' His tough demeanor fell through quickly.
''Cass! What'd I tell you about the Cheerios? I don't have time for this! Sam, I'm sorry. I'll call you back.''
That was it. Katya finally allowed herself to drop her head, closing her eyes as she let out a breath. Even the guys' shoulders dropped in defeat. But they stayed tense, knowing what would come now. Her hand crept to her gun, ready to pull it out.
''"Sam"?'' Selby quoted, her head whipping from him to Zemo and back, she seemed shocked, so apparently their covers worked better than they thought. ''Who's Sam?'' Finally, she realized the imposters she brought into her home, and, as expected, yelled, ''Kill them!''
But before Katya or the guards could click their safeties off, the window shattered. And not because of something that happened inside, but because of external force. That force being a bullet. A bullet that lodged itself into Selby's back, killing her instantly.
It was so unexpected and sudden that everyone froze. Just for a second, but it happened, staring at the bleeding woman on the expensive carpet. It didn't last long though, Katya snapping out of it first. She elbowed the guard behind her in the face and hit him over the head with her gun. He went out like a nightlight, Sam snatching the gun from his arms. Bucky did the same thing to the guard on his side, also grabbing the gun.
Sam pressed himself against the door next to the broken window. ''They're gonna pin this on us,'' he breathed. Katya's heart pounded in her chest. Not because of fear, but because that familiar rush of adrenaline flowed through her body. Shit, she had missed this. The feeling of being alive, but walking on the edge of that knife.
''Yeah because you didn't leave your damn phone in Germany like I did!'' she growled at him in annoyance, because after all, he was the reason they got busted.
''We have a real problem now, so leave your weapons and follow my lead,'' Zemo calmed them down. He always had a plan, and since he also got them the name of Nagel, Katya trusted him a bit more to get them out of this. Let's just say that for once, she wasn't protesting.
So she dropped her gun - his gun - on the floor, and followed the group out. Of course she knew what his plan was. Problem was that they would never make it out of town, like he thought they could.
People stared at their phones - all of them. Then up to the group of four as they passed, then back to their phones and last but not least, to their weapons. Katya felt the sweet tension of a brewing fight. A gunfight.
Her heels crunched the dirt and tiny rocks under her feet as she hurried away. But she knew by now that she couldn't outrun a bullet. Learned that the hard way.
But when the shooting finally started, not even 200 feet away from the bar, running was all she could do, naturally sticking with Sam and Bucky, even if Zemo split off. He was the least of her worries at the moment.
The citizens of Madripoor who weren't interested in the bounties that were on their heads, hid inside their homes as the trio sprinted through the streets, Sam loudly complaining. ''I can't run in these heels!''
''Then why can I?'' Katya yelled back over the deafening noise. Honestly, running in heels wasn't that hard, but she had years of training.
Two men on motorcycles raced after them, and they would have caught up with and shot them, if their guardian angel hadn't appeared. Like before, the mystery sniper's bullets found their targets easily, successfully bringing the hunters down. The trio skidded to a stop, eyes shooting everywhere. It was only when Katya relaxed her arms that a sharp sting shot up her right one.
She hissed but simply clamped her hand around it for now. She had been hurt in so many different ways in her life that she knew exactly what each kind of pain meant. This obviously came from a bullet, but it had probably only grazed her, judging from the amount of pain and the burning.
Bucky and Sam didn't notice, because they were too busy spinning in their spot to find the sniper. They revealed themselves at the same time Zemo joined them.
''Well, this is too perfect.''
Katya never forgot a voice. Ever. So when this sarcastic but calm voice reached her ears, she knew who it was before they dropped their hood.
Sharon Carter.
Honestly, she had forgotten all about her existence, which was quite shameful. After all, she was the reason they got out of that UN building in Berlin, years back. She was the reason Steve got his shield and Sam his wings to fight.
Katya had completely forgotten about her and what must have happened to her life after betraying the government. She didn't look happy to see them at least.
''Drop it, Zemo,'' she ordered, aiming her own gun at the criminal.
Bucky stepped forward, and for the first time this trip, his face showed evident emotions: pure confusion. ''Sharon?''
They backed up some more, raising their hands slowly when it proved she had no intention of lowering her weapon just yet. ''You cost me everything.'' She was about to shoot Zemo, and Katya would have let her, if Sam hadn't jumped in front of him. Why did he even do that? They didn't need him anymore.
They already had the Doctor's name, and if Sharon did live here, she would know where to find him, too.
''Sharon, wait. Someone recreated the supersoldier serum and Zemo has a lead,'' Sam argued with her, trying to talk some sense into her. Katya had no idea why she would want to help them with this. They had nothing to offer. Maybe they hoped that that SHIELD agent was still in there somewhere?
Sharon sighed and seemed to relax a tiny bit. ''That explains why you guys are here. And Selby's dead.''
''So what are you doing here?'' Bucky asked. He was still confused, but Katya had figured it out long ago.
''She's an enemy of the state,'' she chimed in, looking at the woman with a pity she was sure she didn't want. Katya's guilt or shame wouldn't make up for letting Sharon fall so easily. And even though she had been on the run too, with Natasha and Sam and Steve, she should have done something afterwards to clear her name. But she was too depressed about losing to Thanos to think about that one woman who helped them two years prior.
Sharon nodded at her as to say: 'what she said'. ''I stole Steve's shield, remember?'' she reminded Bucky, her voice pissed and impatient. ''I also took the wings for your ass, so that you could save his ass from his ass.'' Her gun pointed at Sam, Bucky and Zemo respectively before she lowered it. ''And unlike you, I didn't have the Avengers to back me up. So I'm off the grid in Madripoor.''
Katya eyed her up and down, subtly, analyzing her. She looked good, like she didn't belong in this part of town. Her long leather coat was in pristine condition and fit her perfectly, like it was made for her. The rest of her outfit was black too, but the high-quality holster around her waist with the extra gun told Katya the most. Sharon might be off the grid, but she wasn't poor.
''Hey, don't blow that smoke. We were on the run, too,'' Sam once again argued, actually getting a bit pissed now. If Katya had stood next to him instead of Bucky on the other side of the group, she'd have nudged him to keep his mouth shut.
''Was. Is. Big difference. I don't speak to my family anymore. I can't. My own father doesn't know where I am.''
Since none of these guys knew how to persuade her, Katya stepped forward, Sharon's eyes falling on her instantly. For some reason, the woman seemed less hostile towards her. ''Listen, Sharon. I'm sorry we forgot about you, and that we didn't help you gain the same privileges after Tha- Wakanda.'' The name of the purple alien was unable to come out of her throat. Even after all these months. ''I truly am. And while you might not be able to come home yet, I have a wife and a daughter praying I will return in one piece. So please, we could really use your help, and then I promise I'll try and fix this for you.''
Sharon didn't look surprised at the revelation that Katya had a daughter. Apparently, this kind of news reached Madripoor as well.
She studied the brunette, weighing her options. It felt like a lifetime until she nodded once, relaxing completely. ''This isn't over,'' she said for good measure. ''I have a place in High Town. You should be safe there for a while.''