Long Term
Natalia Alienova Romanova
~~~
"Repeat after me Nova, Здравствуйте," Natalia says and looms at Nova who starts to open her mouth.
"Здравствуйте," Nova repeats and smiles.
"Good job my sweet. Now tell me what does that mean?"
"Hello in Russian," Nova chirps and beams. Natalia has been teaching her Russian in their free time. A knock at the door makes Natalia groan. "Come in."
"Natalia the Madams wish to see you," James announces after stepping into the room. Nova shudders and rubs her arms on instinct. It's been a month since she was tortured so she is mostly healed but the scars remain.
"Nova you just stay right here, I'll be right back," Natalia says and kisses Novas forehead fondly. With a small frown upon her face she follows James out the door.
~~~
"You have a new mission Natalia," Madam Grin states and Natalia scowls.
"I just returned from a mission Madams," Natalie objects politely.
"And you have another end of story," Madam Knox snaps and Natalie silences herself.
"You will be gathering intel on Count Drakov," Madam Grim informs and slides his profile across the table. Natalia takes it and starts skimming through. Natalia's hearts starts to sink, intel missions are long term.
"This is a long term mission so you'll be dying you hair and wearing contacts to change your eye color. You'll go in as his daughters nanny and stay for as long as we wish," Madam Knox orders and places brown hair dye and several pairs of brown contacts on the table. Natalie resists sighing and or screaming at the Madams and instead takes the hair dye and contacts.
"Is that all?" Natalia asks in a perfect, smooth, and polite voice. The Madams purse their lips and shakes their heads.
"You may go," Madam Grim says and Natalie leaves promptly.
~~~
Once out of earshot Natalia crumples against the wall as covers her mouth to muffle a sob. She has to leave Nova.
~~~
"Natalia! Look I drew James and his Punk," Nova exclaims when Natalie returns. Nova is holding up a picture of James and his soulmate holding hands. James soulmate is very short, scrawny, has blonde mussed hair, and the brightest blue eyes. James seems to be about a foot taller than him.
"It's a very good drawing Nova," Natalia complements and kisses the smaller girl on the forehead. She won't tell her soulmate, not now.
"I was braiding James hair again when he started talking about him. I kept all the descriptions in my head and drew him," Nova explains excitedly. She's jumping on the balls of her feet.
"It's a very good picture you must have a perfect memory sweet Nova," Natalia murmurs. Behind her James is slumped against her bed dozing. It's odd that he has fallen asleep so easily. He must trust Nova.
"James fell asleep when I was braiding," Nova whispers when she sees Natalie looking.
"You must be very soothing to him for that to happen. James has never fallen asleep around me," Natalia remarks and leads Nova to sit on her bed. Natalia keeps one eye on James and stands alert. There is a chance he could wake up in a rage.
"It's cause you don't know how to braid," Nova teases with a giggle and playfully pokes Natalia in the side. Natalia laughs and retaliated by tackling the younger girl and tickling her frantically.
In the midst of the tickles and giggles Natalia forgets all her troubles and focuses solely on her sweet Nova.
~~~
James wakes up abruptly to their loud laughter minutes later.
"Shuddup punk," he grumbles making Nova and Natalia go silent. "S-Nova? Natalia?" James looks shocked to see Nova and Natalia across from him instead of this "punk."
"Sorry James he isn't here," Nova says tentatively. Natalia cautiously steps out from the bed and holds her hand out to him. James takes it and let's her pull him up.
"You fell asleep when Nova was braiding your hair," Natalia informs. All their actions are quiet and slow. James could snap at any moment.
"I thought I was back home, I thought he was having one of his coughing fits again," James utters with wide far away eyes. His eyes are clouded with a thousand unshed tears and seeing his little blonde boy. "I thought I was with him again. I wish I was with him."
"James," Nova cries and launches herself into his arms. "I'm so sorry!" James doesn't return her embrace for a moment but then gives in and hugs her wholeheartedly. Nova cries into his shirt and clutches him. "I'm so sorry."
"S'not your fault," he mutters as tears of his own start to slip down his cheeks. Nova relents her grip on James and pulls Natalia in so that they're all embracing each other.
Natalia isn't sure when she starts crying too or when they all collapse to the floor sobbing together. All she's sure of is that she can't let Nova go.
~~~
"Rena I need your help to dye my hair," Natalia mumbles at breakfast the next morning.
"Sure Natalia! What color?" Rena asks with a grin. She somehow manages to stay positive despite it all.
"Brown," Natalia sighs. Nova is obliviously munching on cereal and listening to Dolly as she regales her with stories of all the bad guys she's caught. The stories are of course revised for younger ears.
"A long term mission then," Rena concludes sadly. "I'm so sorry you have to part from her. But do know we keep our eyes on her."
"I appreciate that I do I just hate leaving. This mission is so far declared indefinite by the Madams," Natalia responds somberly. She hasn't told Nova yet.
"Oh Nat I'm so sorry. Have you thought about sneaking a cellphone to Nova? I have one hidden and so does Dana. We could lend you each one." This makes Natalia perk up and glance at Dana who's sitting at the head of the table. "The phones are programmed to only call each other."
Dana and Rena have a complicated relationship. They love each other but being in the Red Room makes it really hard to love. So they just be what they can.
"If we could that would be amazing! But I don't want to cut off contact for the two of you." Dana waves her hand and huffs.
"Please my klepto over there will get two new ones on her next mission," Rena jokes and Natalie smiles widely.
"Thank you so much Rena. You'll never know how thankful I am for this!" Natalia hugs her friend tightly who's just chuckling.
"Just do me one favor, look up Rena Callaway if you can get to a computer. I kinda wanna know if my family still misses me."