the doorstep
“Maria? Hey hey wake up,” Natasha shook the brunette, who was crying in her sleep, “Maria wake up, it’s just a dream, wake up!”
“Fuck! No!” Maria sat up quickly, her breathing labored.
Knocking quickly came from the door, “Maria? Are you okay hun? Can I come in?”
Maria nodded but it was obvious Nick couldn’t see that from the spot behind the door. Natasha jumped out of the bed to go unlock the door for Maria’s adoptive father.
Fury didn’t notice Natasha, instead he moved towards his daughter’s bed.
“Hey sweetheart, You okay?”
Maria shook her head no and opened her arms asking for a hug. Fury immediately understood and bent down to hug her.
“What happened? Bad dream?”
Maria nodded and held him tighter, a few tears slipped down her face.
“I’m sorry sweetheart, can I get you anything?”
Maria shook her head but also didn’t loosen her grip on her dad.
Natasha took in the scene, how Nick acted as a caretaker and how Maria allowed and trusted him to care for her.
“I’m okay, I promise, I’m sorry.”
“Hey,” Fury took a step back, “You never have to apologize.”
Maria smiled despite her shaking body, “I know, thanks Dad.”
“Goodnight sweetheart.”
Fury kissed her forehead before exiting the room.
“Natasha? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, you?”
Maria nodded and patted the bed, “I’m sorry for waking you up.”
Natasha shook her head, “don’t worry about it, I know what nightmares are like.” She joined Maria in her bed again, Maria immediately threw an arm around Natasha and the redhead found herself curling into the brunettes side.
Maria wakes to a crash and a thud.
“Nat?”
“Sorry! Im really fucking late, fuck!”
Natasha pulled on her tights and sneakers, then her t-shirt before running to quickly brush her teeth. While Natasha did that Maria got changed and checked to see if Nick was awake, thankfully he was.
“Can I drive Natasha home? she said she’s late.”
Nick nodded, “I’ll drive though, your car still needs to be reinspected.”
Natasha rushed out with her bag, “Thank you so much for having me.”
“Nat we’ll drive you don’t worry.”
Nick nodded and put his coffee cup down, “Just tell me where to turn okay?”
Natasha nodded, “Thank you very much Sir.”
“It’s not a problem.”
The three made their way to Nicks truck, Natasha sat in the middle seat of the back. Natasha told Nick when to turn and in five minutes they were outside the house.
Natasha quickly realized that both Nick and Maria got out of the car along with her.
“We’ll just walk you to the door, it’s polite.” Maria bumped her shoulder.
Natasha quickly knocked on the door, it was opened almost immediately. Madam B stood behind it, she opened the door all the way and classical music came filtering to the outside.
Madam B held out a pair of pointe shoes that Natasha took dutifully. Madam B motions for Natasha to join the others before turning to Nick. Natasha runs off after saying thank you. Maria watches as Natasha changes out her shoes for the pointe shoes. She then looks at the girls who dance in the very back of the house. One girl stops moving and locks eyes with Maria, she stays on pointe. Her face is contorted in pain for a brief moment before she masks her features. Another girl notices her movements had stoped and pushes her to continue. When the pained girl turns her back Maria sees her do an odd motion with her hands she places a hand holding a thumbs up on top of her other palm and slowly raises the thumb into the air.
Weird.
The next thing Maria knows is the door being shut in her face and Nick pulling her along back to the truck.
Maria was trying to think where she had seen that hand motion before when Nick sighs heavily.
“What?”
“Nothing honey.”
“What do you think of Natasha?”
“She seems like a really nice girl… I need to ask, since I am your care taker I need to know- is there anything going on betweeen you two?”
“Ugh Nick!”
“What?! I am just concerned that you are growing up too fast and need to know if I need to report this matter!”
“Stopp, I don’t want to talk about this.”
The rest of the car ride was silent.
—-
He sat with his head in his hands, “I am just getting a really bad feeling something strange is going on there. That lady is just so odd. She didn’t greet Natasha she just held out their ballet slippers and shooed her off. And just- you saw how she was here- poor thing was scared half to death by simply talking.”
Carol sighed and pat nicks arm, “I agree, Monica fell off her lap and she immediately curled into a ball, like her head in her knees and her hands protecting her head.”
“Oh god.”
“Nick I think something is really wrong there.”
“I agree, no one should be that scared of missing dance class.”
“What can we do?”
Nick sighed, “there isn’t anything we can do, we have no solid evidence that there is abuse, unless Natasha herself tells us or we have teachers documenting physical marks on her and other students from that house. I don’t know- I wouldn’t want to make a report and them not find anything- that would just effect the girls negatively.”
“Why don’t we talk to Maria?”
Nick nodded and poured himself and Carol more coffee before filling another mug for Maria who was called over.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that? What happened?”
“take a seat, we need to talk.”
“Is this about Natasha?”
“Yes sweetie.”
“Look I’m sorry about the kissing thing I just didn’t want to talk to you about that but I get it you want to know what’s going on in my life-”
“Maria honey I have no idea what you’re talking about- This doesn’t have to do with kissing.”
“Oh.” Maria flushed and took a sip of her coffee
“I need you to tell me if you have noticed anything odd with Natasha, any weird behaviors or- I don’t know how to put it.”
“Signs of abuse?” Carol forgot to put her filter on. Again.
“Yeah, Yes. That.”
Maria looked down at her coffee and shrugged.
“Sweetie please I know it’s hard but I need you to talk to me.”
Maria took another sip, “Sometimes she doesn’t bring food or lunch money, She was limping for a good half the day yesterday, um- She- she threw up in gym on uhm Wednesday and they went to call Mrs. Bievel and Natasha just freaked out and she kept saying she was fine and stuff and then she had like a panic attack I think and passed out.”
“Jesus, has there been any signs before this week?”
Maria thought for a minute, “She always flinched when the lockers close no matter what or how hard she tried to not show it. She hates when people get close to her besides me, Pepper and sometimes Clint. Oh and Bucky, he’s also in a group home so I think they have bonded from that.”
Fury rubbed a hand over his face, “Thank you sweetie for telling me.”
“I keep asking her if she’s okay but she always is says she’s fine and stuff. Do you think she isn’t safe?”
“I don’t know what to think yet honey, it’s a very real possibility- just don’t tell her we were talking about this please.”
Maria nodded, “Oh I almost forgot, yesterday when Monica fell- she um ask me if she was going to be punished.”
Fury sighed, “I’m going to talk to May and Phil about this.”
He shooed Carol and Maria away to call up Melinda May.
“Hey Melinda it’s Nick.”
“Yes Nick I have caller ID, what’s up?”
Nick sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Do you have a student named Natasha Romanoff?”
“Yes I do, she’s quite close with your Maria.”
“Yes, we had her over yesterday and- Mel I’m really worried. She acts like Maria did when she first came to me.”
“Oh, I do have to say I’ve notice some odd behaviors in her and some of the other girls from there as well.”
“Can you tell me about that?”
“Well I’m assuming Maria told you about Wednesday?”
“Yes she did.”
“I’ve noticed she often has a limp while running or moving around the gym, sometimes it’s very subtle, other times it’s not. I’ve asked her a few times if she’s okay and she insists she’s fine. I also met that head of the house lady. You should have seen how Natasha flinched when she was close. I just- I don’t know- I’ve never seen any physical marks on any of them.”
Nick sighed, “I don’t know what to do Mel, somethings not right.”
“Why don’t you get Maria to invite her over more often, that way she can build some trust with an adult as well. That way she’ll know she has someone to turn too. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if I see anything out of the ordinary.”
“Thanks Mel, I appreciate this.”
“Of course, You should come over sometime, bring Maria and Carol if she’s around.”
“How about you come here- i’ll have Maria invite Natasha.”
“We’ll next be free on Tuesday night.”
They said their goodbyes and Nick called Maria to tell her to invite Natasha over again on Tuesday.
—
Natasha stood between Olga and Sofia once again, dancing steadily to the classical music. Olga berates her for being late and Sofia questions her.
“You’re getting sloppy. They’re gonna eliminate you if you don’t get your shit together.”
“Fuck off.”
“It’s the truth, even though Madam loves you-“
“Love is for children.”
“You’re breaking- everyone can see it, I bet even Katya will rank higher than you on Sunday.”
“Marble does not break.”
“Maybe you are not Marble then.”
“Fuck off Olga.”
“No you fuck off, you think you can just run around skipping classes because your Madam’s favorite?”
“I am not her favorite.”
“Oh shut up! She loves you.”
“Love is for children!”
“Yeah and I bet you just love to be childish with her, you love getting attention from her, staying late in her room, don’t you.”
Olga and Natasha were facing each other now, everyone continued to dance as they stared each other down.
Natasha grabbed Olga’s jaw with one hand.
“Shut the fuck up.”
Olga ripped her hand off.
“Don’t fucking touch me.”
Both were so busy glaring at each other they didn’t notice Madam B coming up to them.
Madam B place a hand behind each of their necks and squeezed them firmly.
“Widows, with me.” Madam B pulled them out of the room and into her own, “Strip, both of you.”
Natasha started immediately but Olga was more hesitant- not as used to Madam B’s individual treatment.
“I said strip Widow!”
When both of the girls had stripped fully Madam moved to Natasha, her hands roamed her body and Natasha stood rigid.
“Now grab me my switch.” Olga rushed to get it and hand it to Madam.
When she turned back she saw Madam B had begun kissing and sucking over Natasha’s body. Her hands groping her ass and under her thighs.
Madam broke away and turned Natasha around to grope at her breasts.
Olga stood still, not sure what to do. The Madam took the switch from Olga and pushed Natasha away from her, to the ground.
Madam whipped at Natasha’s stomach and chest without warning. Natasha cupped a hand over her mouth to stop from crying out, she involuntarily curled up, trying to protect her stomach.
Madam B stopped, “Olga darling, hold her down.”
Olga came up to Natasha and pinned the girl down with her arms and legs.
“I’m sorry.” Olga whispered to the redhead.
As the constant hits tore through Natasha’s skin it got harder and hard for her to stay conscious.
“Natalia, darling, you’re not even half way done. Your lack of respect is disgusting. I care for you, feed you, train you, and you dare to treat me like this. You are disgusting.”
Natasha’s entire torso was covered in a layer of blood by the time she was done.
Madam B then moved to Olga, she pulled her off Natasha by her blonde hair.
“You, jealous is not tolerated here, If you need to be jealous that means you are not good enough.”
Madam B gave her maybe five lashes before throwing the switch at Olga, “Get her out of here.”
Natasha’s eyes were open but just so. Olga tried to get her to move but it was clear Natasha wasn’t capable of that at the moment. Olga gathered their clothes and threw them over her shoulder before pulling Natasha over her other shoulder in a fireman carry. The second she got to the dorm she was commanding the other girls to help her.
“Katya get a towel from the bathroom and Vera get a some wet washcloths, Sofia get the kit, Alina some of her clothes.” Katya quickly came back with the towel and spread it out on the ground as Olga instructed, “Galina help me put her down.”
Galina and Olga got her to lay on the towel on the floor together. Olga ran off to get herself clothes and by the time she got back all the girls were kneeling around Natasha. Sofia near her head, talking softly and trying to keep her conscious. Katya was cleaning the blood off her body and Vera was putting pressure on the the wounds that hadn’t stopped bleeding yet. Alina was busy working a pair of underwear and sleep shorts onto the redhead, Galina helped lift her hips to get the shorts on all the way. Olga came over quickly and helped with cleaning the blood.
When they had gotten the blood cleaned and disinfected Natasha seemed to be a little more lucid. They placed small bandages on each cut and helped her to sit up after. Vera pulled Natasha’s arms and Sofia pushed her back so she was sat up. Alina then helped her into a shirt.
Galina and Olga then put her into her own bed. Sofia sat near Natasha’s head on her bed.
Natasha tried to lift her head up but Sofia tutted softly and pushed her head back down.
“maria?” Natasha slurred out in question.
“It’s Sofia, Natalia.”
“Where Ria?”
“Probably at home, go to sleep Talia.”
“cant”
“Yes you can.”
“Want to call her.”
All the girls knew about Natasha’s phone. Just like how everyone knew about Olga’s stash of money, Galina’s bag of edible, Alina’s hidden photograph, Nika’s digital camera and Katya’s stuffed penguin.
Sofia looked to the others for help.
“I’m pretty sure they are dating, It might help her sleep?” Alina suggested.
Galina shrugged, “Might as well.”
Olga sighed and grabbed the phone from Natasha’s hiding spot. Galina opened it, she knew the password since Natasha would let her use the phone to contact her dealer.
She clicked on the ‘maria h’ contact and let the phone ring next to Natasha’s ear, she left it on speaker though.
“Hey Nat what’s up?”
“Ria?”
“That’s me. Are you good?”
“I’m seeing two.”
“What?”
Olga sighed and spoke into the phone, “This is Natalia’s roommate she’s not really feeling well but she wanted the talk to you so…”
“Oh okay, is she okay?”
“m’fine, my stomach hurts.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“mmhm..“ Natasha began giggling but stopped when it began to hurt her stomach, “I missss youu, and kisssing youuu.”
Maria laughed into the phone, “how much medicine did you take?”
“none! I just misssss you, and your kisses- your so much better than Ma-"
Olga snatched the phone away and Alina covered up her words by literally screaming in the background while Sofia slapped a hand over Natasha’s mouth.
“What is going on? Are you okay?”
“She’s fine, just really loopy, I think it’s time for her to sleep now, I’m sure she’ll call you tomorrow, bye” Olga hung up immediately and turned the phone all the way off.
“Okay so that was probably our worst idea.”
Alina nodded with Sofia. Sofia moved her hand from Natasha’s mouth.
“Maria is a better kisser than Madam B.”
“Yeah I bet, though thats not that hard.”
“Ria’s a good kisser.”
“Go to sleep Natalia.”