Scarlett's POV
With the sudden lead on where to look we were tasked in deciding where the best place was to start. Having been dismissed I remained seated in my chair. The box rested in my lap and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I glanced up noticing Natasha studying me. I gave her a small smile carefully picking up the blue box I rested it gently on the table.
"What do you want me to do with it?" I asked. She pursed her lips in contemplation.
"Leave it here." She said swallowing hard.
"You know what happenned to her don't you?" I asked quietly changing seats so that I was sitting across from her. She gave me a guarded look, one I had used many times myself.
"I can guess." She breathed closing her eyes and resting her head in her hand. I took her free hand in mine and this seemed to surprise her.
"I have a feeling you know what that was Nat. I think you know exactly what that was. I won't make you tell me, I wouldn't do that to you because I understand. Just know that there will be a time when you need to tell us. Don't make this a wild goose chase." I searched her eyes and I could see mixed emotions. Hurt, understanding, hopelessness. All of those were swirling around inside her and it was only a matter of time before she broke. "You know where to find me if you need anything."
With a wink I rested the box on the table and left her alone with her thoughts. As I was walking down the hall I bumped into Tony.
"Oh, there you are. Just asked the others what they decided. Do you want a say in where we start?" I shrugged.
"Any where is fine with me as long as we figure this out and get answers." He nodded passing me by and headed for Fury's office. Sighing I headed toward the training room where I saw Clint and Thor practicing. Clint fired off a round of arrows each of them hitting their respective mark. Thor was busy wacking away at an enhanced punching bag with his hammer. A resounding thud each time he hit it.
Heading to the back corner I knelt on the padded surface of a mat and closed my eyes. Breathing in and out I focused on nothing and everything at the same time. Letting my mind wander I picked up the different energies radiating from the tower. In the room I was in it was filled with Clint's focus and precision along with Thor's quiet power. In the next room was Steve. He was anxious his mind racing. Curious I prodded further into what was bothering him.
After a moment or to I realized he was beating himself up over the girl from this morning. He felt helpless and ashamed that he couldn't do anything after all it was his job to keep everyone safe. Mixed in there though was the cause of his anxiety. He was worried about facing this new found threat. He knew he could do it but the question was at what cost? Leaving him alone and deciding that it was none of my business to prod any further I found Tony and Fury.
Fury was calm taking in everything that Tony had to say about our decision and the events that played out earlier this morning. Tony was full of impatience and eagerness. He wanted to get on the job right away and figured that even if Fury said no he would still rally the team. Fury knew this but still wanted to hear Tony's reasoning. Shifting my thoughts yet again I picked up another set of emotions entirely.
There was sadness, a desperate need for comfort but hating the need for it, a sense suffocation at the burden she was forced to carry, determination and feirceness at wanting to bring justice to who had hurt the girl, and an overall sense of confusion. Getting to my feet it took me a moment to shake off what I had witnessed. That was one downfall to my power when I went poking around in other people's business. Everything they felt I did too. In a way it was a gift seeing as how I had a better understanding of people than most.
Leaving the room I made my way back into the meeting room where Natasha sat with the box open glaring at the objects and clutching the locket in her hand. Pausing at the door despite it being open I knocked. She lifted her head to see who it was and let out a sigh of relief when she saw me. She hated being vulnerable in front of the guys, she liked to terrorize them, and if they saw her like this they wouldn't take her threats seriously.
"Come on. We're going on a walk." She cocked an eyebrow her usual attitude showing.
"Where to?" She asked picking everything up and carefully resting it back in the box.
"I don't know. Let's make it an adventure." She smiled at that and I could tell she was going to make this as interesting as possible.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" She called getting to her feet and skipping out the door. Following her we rode the lift down after changing into casual cloths and making sure no one would recognize us unless they were really looking. After the doors opened we exited the lobby and stepped out onto the busy streets of New York. Easily blending into the crowd we walked the streets aimlessly.Eventually we walked so far that the crowd thinned out and almost no one was around.
I followed her not asking a single question until we came across an unoccupied park. With the cool air pressing against my skin I shivered a little. It had been a while since I left the tower and I had forgotten it was close to winter time. She hopped up the steps of the playground equipment before climbing on top of one of the plastic slide coverings. With perfect balance she stood looking around. She pursed her lips thinking then pointed her finger towards the horizon.
"That's where we're going." She informed me and I followed her gaze until my eyes landed on a worn down apartment building. Again I didn't question her motives. She needed to get out of the tower, to do something instead of letting her thoughts fester, and she seemed glad to be outside.
"Lead on Dora." She laughed over her shoulder at me jumping down flawlessly.
"Does that mean you're boots?" She asked gesturing to the black pair of combat boots I wore on my feet.
"I guess it does. At least I have cool shoes though and not a lame back pack." With a roll of the eyes she set out in the direction of the building.
A few minutes later we stood at its base staring up at the tall looming structure. Walking over to the side of the building where an alley blocked the view of pedestrians she wedged her foot in a break in the brick wall. She climbed up quickly and smoothly while I struggled a bit behind her.
"Where are we going exactly?" I asked while finding another hand hold and squirming my way up.
"To the top Boots, to the top." She said looking down at me from her perch a dozen feet above me with a smirk played across lips.
"This seems a little extreme for Dora." I joked continuing my way up the side of the building. Another ten minutes or so later I pulled myself up onto the roof accompanying Nat. She had a huge smile on her face at my heavy breathing, meanwhile she hadn't broken a sweat.
"So what's the deal? Why this place?" I asked. She smiled genuinely and stepped aside so that my gaze fell upon the unwinding city of New York. I could honestly say it took my breath away. "How long have we been out?"
"We left around three thirty so about two hours." She said pleasantly. The sun was starting to kiss the horizon painting the sky in brilliant hues of oranges and pinks. It was a painting no artist could honestly copy. The light of the sun fluttered off of the buildings making the city seem like a kaleidoscope. From this high up I could see the water glittering its beautiful song. Turning around I saw the tower far away standing like a beacon against the sky.
"Its beautiful." I said resting my gaze on her. She seemed extremely pleased with thoroughly aweing me. Sitting down on the roof she gazed out at the sunset seeming to be lost in her own world.Taking my seat next to her I got lost in the scenery. This was a side of New York I had never seen before. "I've never seen the city like this before."
"Everything has another side but only those who care to look for it will see it in full beauty. Never forget that Scarlett." She gave me a warm smile and I could see the truth behind her words. Why they held meaning to her.
She was often seen as being brash and cruel but there was so much more to her than that. Even I could relate to what had been said. I had been on the wrong side, I had believed Ultron. I could have easily been dismissed as another villain but the Avengers, especially Clint, had seen something more to me. They had cared to look when I hadn't even cared to look myself.
In that moment we had another uunderstanding of each other. A new level to our friendship. We had always been close ,ever since I had moved in she had become my sister helping me through the loss of my brother. She could see what the meaning held for me and I could see what it held for her.
"Thanks for taking me out." She whispered glancing at me for a moment and breaking her gaze from the horizon.
"Anytime sis. I know how it feels, to want to be alone, but desperately need the company. When you don't want anyone to try and fix the problem or fix you. Where you don't want them to prod or talk. When you just need the presence of someone you know cares for you." She squeezed my hand in thanks. We sat in silence for a moment when a sudden realization hit me.
"Does anyone know we left?" I asked.
"Nope."
"Do you know how we're getting home?"
"Nope."