Chapter 3
natasha didn't allow yelena's feet to touch the floor. she wanted her close and as they walked she thought of how yelenas feet were still bare and covered in dirt from the outside.
the group of four continues through the mostly empty hallways and up several flights of stairs. natasha refused to enter the elevator.
they reached a set of double doors labeled "medical wing" and natasha could have sworn she could smell the antiseptic before they even got on the same floor as the wing.
as they stepped inside yelena was almost positive she felt natasha hold her tighter, she made no more to call her sister- mother out on that.
"we will be meeting with dr. helen cho. She's my favorite, i think you'll like her."
natasha shivered, this is wrong, it's all wrong. she watched as a nurse approached barney and lead them to a room.
the nurse explained how she would have to change into a gown. the same pattern, she's seen this before. and her handcuffs are removed. the nurse exits the room followed by clint and barney. natasha sets yelena down on the exam table and makes a quick change of clothes.
as the doctor enters natasha holds her hands behind her back, her posture tense and formal.
“hi, im doctor cho but you can call me helen. before we get started is anything bothering you today?”
“no ma’am.”
“alright, you can take a see up there and then we’ll get started, if you feel uncomfortable with anything just let me know and we’ll figure out how to work around that.”
helen saw natasha nod slightly.
“can you give me your full name and date of birth?”
“natalia alianova romanova. january 1st 1973.”
“you are 22?”
“yes ma’am.”
“no need to call me ma’am, can you tell me when your last period was?”
“i don’t understand.”
“your menstruation cycle? time of the month?”
“i don’t, i don’t know what you are asking?”
“would you like me to look up the russian terminology?”
“да.”
helen typed on her computer and turned it so natasha could read the translator, “менструальный цикл”
“this, when did you have this last?”
“do you understand what it is?”
“нет.”
“it is essentially the shedding of the uterus lining.” she types this into the translator just to make sure natasha could understand her.
“oh, i don’t have that.”
“have what?”
“i don’t have a uterus, i had a гистерэктомия.”
helen allows natasha to type on her computer and freezes a little.
“a hysterectomy?”
“yes ma’am”
“okay, do you know why?”
“i would not like to talk about that.”
“okay, that’s okay, do you know when you had the surgery?”
“i was 16.” she was 13.
“and was this after you had yelena?”
“yes.”
“did you ever menstruate before your hysterectomy?”
“no? i think i heard of some others before but we weren’t fed well.”
“alright have you had any other illnesses, long term injuries or prescribed medication?”
natasha tried hard not to scoff, they would be here a long time.
“no ma’am.”
“alright, i’m going to do a head to toe examination.”
helen took care in explaining everything she did before she did it. she checked natasha’s vision, hearing, height, weight, lungs, blood pressure, pulse, the whole works. as she examine natasha torso she asked if natasha before pressing on her stomach asking if she felt any pain. helen’s gaze never lingered on the scars that littered natasha’s body although she did take note of the think white lines near her abdomen.
once they finished the exam helen scheduled natasha for blood work the following week.
yelena’s examination was fairly similar except she hadn’t been as hesitant and talk constantly to helen. when helen asked if she ever had a long term injury she started to bring up her dad.
“Елена, здесь нет” natasha whispered.
“но мама, она спросила.”
“it’s okay, whatever is said in the room will stay in this room unless there is reason to fear for yours or someone else’s safety.”
natasha nodded reluctantly and yelena went on to explain her dad once pushed her off a swing and she broke her arm. natasha corrected her saying she only sprained her wrist.
helen listed intensely and reassured yelena before turning to natasha.
“are still with her father?”
“no ma’am.”
helen continued on the examination ending in her requesting yelena get her blood work done aswell.
helene allowed them time to change. in the hall helen remains true to her word and says nothing about what natasha or yelena told her, however she agrees with barney, natasha was lying about her age.
barney and clint met the two once they had changed and natasha was cuffed again.
“hey, wasn’t so bad right?”
“i like miss helen.” yelena pipped up from natasha arms.
clint smiled, “she’s my favorite too.”
“why don’t we head to the canteen before i show you your room.”
natasha nodded following barney. clint walked beside her.
“i heard they have mac and cheese today.”
yelena lifted her head at that, “i love mac and cheese.”
“me too.” clint grinned.
barney sat with natasha and yelena at a table and sent clint to get four servings of mac and cheese. when clint returned natasha took the food from yelena and mixed it thoroughly before tasting it. she then handed it back to the girl and did the same with her own. it wasn’t until halfway through the meal that clint pointed out natasha didn’t have her handcuffs on.
“i took them off.” natasha responded, as she spent her day at shield she could see there was no way they were anything like the red room. this didn’t mean she would let her guard down, however she could tell these people were different, softer.
“you did?”
“yes, those things are pointless anyways. they couldn’t keep a child contained their so flimsy.”