Shared POV:
Iran, Tehran 07/16/2009
After a long talk with and without Mr. Asadi and some time spent in the kitchen, they sat down in front of a generous but at the same time simple dinner. Pita bread had been served with different delicious-smelling dips and spiced vegetables. They all sat on the floor in a circle around the Plates and bowls. Kate nervously waited for them to start so she can understand how to behave since she didn't want to appear rude. Nat on the other hand sat cross-legged next to her, relaxed and smiling at the little girl. Kate had watched her interact with Daria warmly and with unexpected ease. Hands reached over the plates and the dinner began. Kate mimicked their behavior and started with a bite of her pita with some hummus and a grilled but mild chili.
"Can I ask you something?", Maya asked looking at the two women across from her.
"Of course.", Natasha replied, charming as always.
"Why did you choose this job? You are two American women. You had all the choices in the world and yet you chose this. Why?", she asked putting down her pita.
Kate didn't quite know what to say but she knew how this question must have affected her partner. Trying to collect ideas to answer she was interrupted before she even had an answer prepared.
"First, I wanted to serve my country but then I realized that I can instead serve the people. I can keep them safe or at least try.", Natasha answered not too long after the question had been asked. Shaping the truth to fit the presence.
Kate nodded in agreement, internally impressed by the simplicity of that lie. It wasn't too far from her truth either.
"I see.", Maya answered with a kind smile.
"Can I ask you a question in return?", Kate spoke up and the little girl in between her parents giggled when her dad tickled her side.
She nodded awaiting the questions. "Why did you stop?", she stopped but then tried to make her question clearer. "Working for your country, I mean."
The two parents gave each other a loving smile and Maya looked down. They looked like two teenagers in love. "This isn't Kamran's first time leaking information that could save lives. A few years ago a group of Mossad agents, including me, were sent here to delete all files and copies belonging to a hostile project. The weapon design was supposed to be sold to an extremist group dangerous to our citizens. When we were done we were called back home. The deal had been to bring him with us, but our government wasn't as brave as yours is. I stayed behind to protect him. The rest is history.", her husband rubbed her back and Daria put her head down on her legs. That however was a result of fatigue that came over the little girl since the night had already swallowed the outside. With her eyes closed she drifted away into a soft slumber while the adults above kept talking.
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She carefully laid her down on the soft mattress and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. Natasha watched Maya from the doorway. The way her hand caressed the black hair and she put a loving kiss on her daughter's forehead. Mr. Asadi sat on the other side of the bed watching his little girl fall asleep in safety.
Kate stopped next to her, leaning against the wall on the other side. Looking at Nat and then at the family. She saw the desire inside her eyes and pain. Quiet but very deep inside the soul behind those dark eyes. "It must be hard to see something like this.", Kate whispered, and Nat's head snapped around. She was now staring directly at her and not in a way that makes one feel warm and cozy. No, very far from that. Kate swallowed as she followed an off-storming Natasha into the guest room. This was the first time they would be alone since they had arrived, but she felt the hassle coming. She closed the door behind them, and the first hiss flew at her.
"Do not bring up personal topics when we're on a mission and especially not around the people who put their lives in our hands."
"You're right. I'm-", she wanted to apologize.
"I am not done yet. Promising someone something that we can't control, really?! I thought you were supposed to be good at this. Instead, you risk their cooperation with us and way worse you give them hope. In a situation like this, you don't promise. It makes you look unprofessional and will cause more pain than good!", Natasha let all her criticism rain down on her partner who had gone quiet a long time ago. "Understood?", she added not much nicer than before.
"Understood.", she nodded, swallowing the anger reflex inside of her.
"Now, release Hosseini from his shift and switch with me in six hours.", she ordered in her usual, calm voice. She received a nod and watched Kate open the door. "If anything looks suspicious... or feels off. Wake me up. My radio is on the whole time." Yet another nod and the door shuts out all the light.
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The house was as quiet. As were the streets around the house. Kate could only listen to the cars driving far away closer to the center of the city and the occasional bark of a dog or a crying baby. It was eerie to be so alone in an unfamiliar country that made the same noises as the outside districts of NYC. She felt as far away from home as she hasn't in a while. Not even the stars were the same.
In her right ear, she could occasionally hear Natasha turning and if it weren't against her orders she would like to just pull it out of her ear to get her out of her mind. She regretted letting that promise slip and she regretted addressing Romanoff's emotions but her feelings still were hurt by the down talk of her partner. Who is also her superior and yet her partner? How is that even supposed to make sense? If she was allowed to she would also rip that cloth off her head. She didn't mind it when chatting with family and she understood that it was part of a religion this country's laws were built on but that doesn't mean that it didn't influence her ability to see and hear. Or that it was right to force every woman to wear one no matter if they wanted to or not. Plus some women might look extremely gorgeous in them but she definitely didn't feel like she was one of them.
A car drove by, and she followed it around the corner of the balcony. Nothing special. She wrote down the license plate anyway and stepped inside to check the backside of the building. Stepping out yet again on the balcony at the back she nodded towards Hosseini who had refused to rest and stated that he "could at least sit on the balcony without a guarantee". Well, he nodded back and stood up to take on her old position leaving her alone once again. If only she had someone's company then maybe these lonely hours wouldn't feel this lonely. She scanned the bushes and the shadows of the brick walls enclosing the garden. Nothing. No lights in the neighboring houses and no suspicious movement in any rooms or roofs. Satisfied she leaned on the balcony's railing and stared down into the garden. She could see some red and white flowers from the soft light of some fairy lights entangled in the olive tree's branches. The shadows moved in the rhythm of the mellow breeze that had come with the night. She allowed herself to close her eyes for just a few seconds to take in the calming rustling from the leaves swaying in the wind. After hours of switching between the front and back of the house and Hosseini going to bed, she was yet again standing on the backside balcony. The sky was starting to get lighter, and some birds started chirping in the blue morning light. Her eyelids were heavy, but the cool morning air helped her to stay awake. Just a few more minutes and she could wake her partner up. Which Nat would most likely be thankful for since she had listened to her struggle and turn most of the night. Some lights went on in a neighbor's house and she kept her eyes locked on that but she just saw a man getting up and walking to a dresser so, she checked her watch instead. Not her mother's watch. That one stayed in the plane for safety. 4:48 o'clock. She went inside after taking another look around and snuck to the guest room to free her boss from the fangs of her sleep.
The door creaked as she slowly pushed it open. The moment she stepped inside she heard a click that she immediately recognized even though she could barely see anything in the dark room.
Natasha on the other hand could see exactly that she was aiming at a head, just not whose head it actually was. Her finger rested on the trigger of the loaded Glock in her hands, pressing down on it just before crossing the lethal point of pressure.
"Romanoff, what are you doing?", Kate asked seriously confused about this reaction. What she couldn't see was the fright and determination in her eyes that only now washed away.
"Sorry, old habits die hard, I guess.", she apologized as she put the safety back on and the gun away in one of her holsters. Unfortunately for her, she was too focused on her old reflexes to cover her confusion which had been caused by the nightly dreams she drifted in and out of, and Kate didn't miss out on that revealing tone of voice.
"It's fine. I heard you twist and turn the whole night through, so I thought it would be a good idea to wake you up a little earlier.", Kate said looking over her shoulder to check that they didn't wake anybody up.
"Yeah, thanks.", Natasha answered and stretched trying to shake the weariness. "What time is it?"
"A bit before five.", Kate guessed and turned around. "I'm gonna check out the streets up front. You can join me when you're ready."
"I will.", Natasha mumbled as Kate had already left the room towards the end of her own sentence. She didn't like the unease that was very clearly between them since she had talked down on her last night. Uneasy she got up and got ready as she thought about the reason, she had treated her partner like a misbehaving little kid.
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Thank you so much for reading this chapter
The next one will be a bit shorter but it'll be there in the next few days
Let me know what to think of their conflict
Any tips for writing conflict scenes are very welcome
~1805~