Chapter 3
"I'm Natasha. This is my sister, Yelena." The short haired one- Natasha informed her cautiously.
Aurelia's senses were on high alert, but she didn't necessarily want to go. They seemed so nice.
"I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm kind of loud sometimes." Yelena said, giving Aurelia a smile. She breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that they seemed more welcoming than angry. Aurelia didn't want to fight again. The adrenaline was starting to wear off and her arm was in more pain than it was before.
"Yeah, especially if you're yelling." Natasha laughed.
"So, um, where are we?" Aurelia asked.
"This is...a safe house of sorts. I live here with my...daughter, Inessa. She's sixteen." Natasha explained. "Yelena and I save widows from the Red Room, ones like you."
"You can stay here, if you'd like, or you could come live with me and my daughters. I have a lot, so you might not be used to them at first." Yelena offered.
"I don't...I don't know what I want." Aurelia admits, slumping in defeat.
"That's okay. You don't have to decide right now." Natasha said. Her voice was so comforting.
"Okay. Can I sit?" Aurelia asked, not sure what else to do.
"Of course. We'll be over there in a few minutes, okay?" Natasha said.
Aurelia walked over to the couch and sat. God, it was so comfy. Just like the bed she woke up on. Doubt still looms over her shoulders. Did they really want her there? They seemed nice, but what if it's just a cover? Aurelia didn't know, so she won't let her guard down just yet.
A few minutes later, Aurelia still contemplated her decisions. If they were who they say they are, she kind of wanted to stay with Natasha. Yelena was very kind, but Natasha felt...better? Aurelia wasn't sure if that was the right word for it, but that's what it felt like. And Natasha only had one daughter. Yelena says she had a lot of daughters, and Aurelia wasn't sure if she was ready for that.
Yelena stood up. "It's getting late, Tash. I've got to get back to the girls, okay?"
"Of course, no worries. Give them kisses for me, okay?"
"I will. Love you, Tasha, I'll call you in the morning. Very nice meeting you, Aurelia." Yelena said sweetly, waving at the pair.
It couldn't have been that nice. Aurelia did poke her with a knife
"Love you too, Lena!" Natasha called after her.
Aurelia warmed at the softness of it all. Their words were sincere, something she wasn't used to. It comforted her. She felt...safe.
"Okay, Aurelia. I need to wrap up your arm." Natasha said softly, sitting down next to her with ice and bandages for the light break.
"Oh, yeah. It doesn't hurt that much though, I could probably do it myself, and-" Aurelia began frantically. If Natasha did this for her, she'd probably want something in return. Aurelia could do it herself.
"I know you can do it, but you don't have to. You don't have to keep doing hard things on your own anymore." Natasha reassured.
Aurelia wants to cry at the statement. Before she could stop herself, she leaned into Natasha.
"Sorry I fell asleep on you earlier."
"Don't apologize. You were understandably exhausted."
"I called you 'mama'." Aurelia recalled, her face flushed in embarrassment.
Natasha laughed softly. "That's okay, too. Can I fix your arm now?"
Aurelia smiled up at her. "Sure, mama."
This felt very nice, very safe, so she let her guard down ever so slightly. Aurelia couldn't remember the last time she called someone "Mama", or if she ever had. She couldn't recall a single time someone took care of her like this. Or if someone ever had.
"Thank you." Aurelia said, choking up.
Natasha was to be caught off guard by the sudden change in her emotions, but quickly regained her composure. "Of course. You're safe here. Whether or not you want to stay here, you're always welcome."
Aurelia buried her face in Natasha's shoulder to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. Natasha pressed the ice along Aurelia's arm and it hurt more than Aurelia remembered from when she'd hurt herself from her training in the Red Room. She assumes it because of the red stuff. She winces and lets a few tears fall, but more from the way Natasha cares for her than the pain. Natasha made it better.
"So, what did the red stuff do?" Aurelia inquired to distract herself, leaning against her shoulder.
"You were under mind control for a while, and it cleared your mind and broke you out of it." Natasha explained hesitantly, probably trying not to freak her out.
"Mind control." Aurelia mumbled under her breath, slightly confused but remembering Natasha's earlier words, "But I don't- I don't remember..."
"I know. That was kind of the point when they took you. It's confusing and scary, but I'll tell you anything you want to know." Natasha said.
"Okay. Were you a Widow?" She asked, sitting up straighter now that her tears had dried.
"Yeah, I was. So were Yelena and her girls, and so was my daughter." Natasha answered.
"Where are, um, my parents? How did you know my name?" Aurelia might've been marching into dangerous territory here. What if Natasha got mad at her for asking?
"We read your file. Your name was one of the only things in it. And I don't know where your parents are. But we can find out once I get your files back from my boss."
"Hmm, okay. Who's your boss?" Aurelia asked.
"Nick Fury. I'm an...Avenger." Natasha responded hesitantly.
"Oh. That's kinda cool. So you see them everyday?" Aurelia asked. This is going much better than she expected. She hoped Natasha wasn't annoyed by her questions.
"I've been seeing them a little less often now that I take care of Inessa, but yeah, they're kind of like family."
"Oh, wow. So, can I meet them?" She was waiting in anticipation, hoping Natasha said yes.
"We might have to wait a little longer for that, okay? I want to get you settled here first, if you're staying." Natasha answered, laughing a little at her eagerness.
"That's okay. When is Inessa coming back?"
"In a few days. Have you decided where to stay yet?"
"With you. If you'll still let me?"
"Of course I'll still let you. Yelena went to the store before you woke up so I could stay with you. I was kind of freaking out because I didn't have much here for you." Natasha admitted.
"Oh. For me?" Aurelia said, her voice breaking slightly.
"Yeah! I want to take care of you."
She wanted to take care of her? She wanted Aurelia to stay?
Aurelia tried to hide her face as the tears came but Natasha pulls her closer.
"It's okay. You're okay" Natasha coos, rubbing her back.
Aurelia wants to speak, wants to thank her again for welcoming her into her home, but she couldn't stop crying.
And Natasha didn't seem to mind.
After half an hour of talking and crying, Natasha showed her to the other bed in Inessa's room and unpacked all of the things Yelena got for her. She silently cursed her sister for getting more Fruit Roll-Ups, Inessa ate one almost every day. She was, however, thankful for the pajamas, blankets, and countless comfy things Yelena bought for Aurelia. She figured Aurelia wouldn't need all of...this, but it didn't hurt to have a few extra things for them. And maybe future Widows?
No. Natasha was getting too far ahead of herself for now, she just needed to focus on the girls and maybe, in the future, she'd think of taking in a few more.
After getting ready for bed, Natasha wishes Aurelia goodnight and goes off to her room.
Although she already expected Aurelia to climb into her bed later that night, it made her heart happy all the same when she did.