The Visitor
“I’ll make sure she’s safe,” the Commander was suddenly no longer angry, all it took was hearing Natasha’s voice, “are you okay?”
“Uh, yeah,” the Russian sounded less out of breath, “fine. But I have to go.”
“Check. In. Romanoff.”
“I will, promise. Okaybye.”
Maria carried the bandaid back into the living room where Ellie continued to run around in circles, not caring that the blood on her leg continued to drip. She couldn’t help but feel as if she was making a mistake by letting someone from the girl's past come here now, after all of the progress she had seen.
“Come on, Bear,” she wrangled the child for just long enough to put the bandaid on, “how do your eyes feel?”
*Good* Ellie signed and then took off again, running into Maria’s room and then back into the kitchen several times.
“We’re going to get you out of the house, get some of that energy out,” the Commander sighed and shook her head.
She collected her tablet from the coffee table and started a new list of items she wanted to do before the newest widow was in her home. Trying her best to remember how Natasha was when she first entered SHIELD and what she needed. The brunette then looked at the child who was fairly close to wearing herself out and tried to remember what she had needed on the Helicarrier.
To-Do: Version 3_Widow_July2012
-Grocery shopping (Carbs, veg, protein, meal replacement, hideable food, pre-packaged)
-Laundry (Tasha’s clothes, towels, bedding)
-Lock up work (weapons, files, computer)
-Visitor pass for the gym
-Clean floors
Ellie continued to run as Maria looked at the drops of blood that were still on the hardwood floors and underlined the last item on her list. There would be enough time to get it all done, but only if they started now.
“Alright, let’s get ready,” she announced to the child who stopped in her tracks, eyes wild, “we're going out.”
“Out?” the child questioned.
“Out,” Maria confirmed, picking the girl up on her way into the bathroom and putting her on the counter to add more eye drops.
The two got ready for the day, the Commander left out the reason why they were grocery shopping on a day that wasn’t Sunday which didn’t seem to go unnoticed by the child who eyed her as they brushed their teeth.
“Try your best not to touch your eyes… or really anything else,” Maira watched as Ellie rubbed her eyes. The girl was no longer contagious but still, it felt like they should be careful.
They arrived at the same grocery store they always went to and although the curly-haired girl had made significant strides in her progress, the store was an area she never seemed to be comfortable in. Such was the case now as she clung to Maria’s hand tightly, eyeing every person who walked by with a stony face.
“Want me to pick you up?” it would be difficult to push the cart at the same time, but worth it if it made Ellie more comfortable.
The girl shook her head and wove her fingers into the lattice of the basket, it was always hit-and-miss on what the child wanted inside the store. Maria recalled the first time they had gone, how Ellie had sat in the cart like a scared animal. Things had improved since then, if only barely.
They continued walking slowly down each aisle, Ellie keeping her fingers on the cart the whole time until she saw the blighty-colored oatmeal packets, then she took off towards them, racing towards the end of the row. At the same time, a man had turned his cart, causing Ellie to bump into the side and stumble back.
“You need to watch where you’re going,” his voice was old and gruff as he looked at the girl, “where are your parents?”
Ellie stared at the man, narrowing her eyes, “you move without looking.”
“Oh great, the kid doesn't even speak English,” he boomed, “do you even have parents, or are you just here to steal?”
Maria reached out and guided the girl behind her as she walked up, “she has a parent, a parent who would like for you to apologize for running into a 5-year-old child.”
The man had to crane his neck slightly to look at Maria, he glanced around at other shoppers who were now looking at the man who had caused a commotion.
“Tell your kid in whatever language it is, that she needs to watch out and not run into things,” he glanced around again, nervously.
Maria went for the kill, “Don't worry, she understands English just fine, so she’ll be able to understand perfectly when I say that you need to apologize before you get even more embarrassed.”
The tension was palpable as he muttered “sorry,” and went to push past the Commander. She didn't move.
“What was that?” she looked down at him.
“I said sorry!” he yelled before storming off.
Maria crouched down next to the girl who still had her eyes locked on the man, “you okay?”
Ellie nodded and looked at another family that had stuck around during the altercation.
“Okay, how about you grab that oatmeal and hang out in the cart?” she motioned to the oatmeal that had been long forgotten.
“You two alright?” the woman called out from where she stood with a man and two children.
“Oh, yeah,” Maria gave a tight smile, “thanks.”
“People these days,” the man sighed, “no concept of what's right and wrong.”
The Deputy Director chuckled, “tell me about it. Thanks again.”
The family walked away and in one fluid motion, Maria picked Ellie up and placed her in the basket with the rest of the groceries. The girl was frozen in the spot she was put in, clenching her fists tightly and looking around nervously, clearly shaken up by the man.
“How about I give you this and I tell you which items to cross off when we get them?” Maria held out the list to the girl who eyed the paper and then scooted over to pick it up, she had only ridden in the basket once before but had liked checking items off.
That was all it took for things to change, Ellie’s new sense of freedom to move around the cart, along with the new vantage point, made the grocery trip much more enjoyable. The child moved from one side to the other, crossing off items and helping Maria organize the items in the basket. By the time they made it to the register, she had a small smile on her face as she helped the bagger who handed her the items.
“Such a good helper, out for summer then?” the woman behind the register asked, she looked as if she spent the majority of her time running after kids.
“Daycare for now,” Maria answered politely.
“I do not miss those days,” the woman gave out a bark of a laugh, “always coming home with some type of cold or bug. Bless your heart. Just the one?”
“Just the one,” Maria nodded, still getting used to calling the girl hers.
Ellie finished loading the last of the items and then started pointedly at the bagger who was clearly a new worker, in for the summer.
“You can ask,” Maria chuckled, hoping to help the girl find her voice but knowing she would ask if it looked like it would be too much.
“Do have… do you have once sticker?” the child tapped her fingers together and looked at her shoes.
“Oh um- do I?” the bagger asked the woman at the register who smiled and handed over a stack of stickers.
Ellie’s eyes widened as she saw the stickers.
“Here,” the bagger handed a sticker over, “have a good day.”
The child immediately handed the sticker to Maria to help her put it on, holding still as the adhesive clung to her shirt, proclaiming her “A valued Wegmans customer”. It was the same sticker she always got, but still, the lopsided grin returned as the two made their way back into the heat and humidity of the summer.
From there, the day flew by with Maria trying to get everything ready while keeping the 5-year-old entertained. Which meant she let Ellie watch way more TV than she normally did while she cleaned and put together essentials for the Widow set to arrive. She made dinner and put a plate to the side, knowing that it would most likely not be eaten because it wasn’t prepackaged, still, she wanted something home cooked to be available.
“Not even very tired,” Ellie rubbed her eyes as she lay in bed.
“I think you might be if you try closing your eyes,” Maria was still sitting with the girl on her bed, the story they had just read in her lap.
“But might not,” the child used her hands to push the brown curls out of her face. It was only at the end of the day that her hair was down, much to the annoyance of Ellie who preferred it out of her face.
“But might be,” the blue-eyed woman smoothed the girl's curls.
Ellie huffed and then tried her very best not to yawn, but in the end, she couldn’t stop it and smiled up at Maria before looking past her and at the constellation that was pressed into her ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stickers.
“I’ll come to check on you in a little bit, okay?” she told the girl the same thing every night.
<ok> the girl nodded.
“Goodnight, little bear,” she kissed the top of the girl's head, “sweet dreams.”
The door closed behind her with a click, and she was right back into work mode. While normally this meant pulling out her tablet and reading reports, this time it was putting together a box of items she could leave for the visitor. She changed the sheets on her own bed, figuring that she would want a door with a lock, and added toiletries to the bathroom, prepackaged food, and a change of clothes to the bedroom.
From there, she paced and cleaned, and chewed gum to try and help fight nerves before pacing and cleaning more. The commander locked away all weapons and files in her desk, more for her own peace of mind, she was aware of how little widows needed to cause damage. She then continued to pace, and clean. It was all she could do while she waited.
She spit out the piece of gum that had lost all flavor before replacing it with another, the strong mint bringing her out of her own head momentarily. Natasha had said “tonight” but looking at the clock that read 1:45am, the Commander wondered if the Russian had meant “tonight” in a different time zone. She then worried about transportation, maybe the flight had been delayed, maybe she didn’t have money for a cab, maybe-
Her head swiveled quickly to the door as the knock, once, twice… then a third time. She let out a deep breath and steadied herself before opening the door, unsure of what would greet her on the other side.
“You’re not as tall as Natalia made you seem, Maria Hill,” the blonde eyed her.
“Everyone’s tall compared to her,” Maria shrugged and opened the door more, “come on in.”
She glanced around the empty hallway once before closing and locking the door. The girl was alone, girl being the first word that came to the woman’s mind as she looked at the blonde who tried to mask that fact with makeup. She was slightly taller than Natasha but thinner and rougher around the edges, she moved like a cat, silently, cautiously.
“You can take a seat on the couch,” Maria gestured to the dark piece of furniture in the room and watched as she hesitated before taking a seat, “what can I get you, Yelena?”
“A first-aid kit if you have it,” her accent was thicker than Maria had recalled Natasha’s ever being, “and alcohol.”
“How old are you?” Maria squinted, sure that the girl wasn’t older than 20.
“Old enough, and it’s for disinfecting… mostly,” the blonde held her shirt up to show a number of abrasions on her torso.
The Commander went into the bathroom and pulled out the large first aid kit, this wasn’t her first rodeo. She then went to the kitchen and got the bottle of shitty vodka that Natasha also claimed to use as a “disinfectant”, along with two beers. It was clear Yelena had tried to cover up the bruising on her face with makeup, however, it was still somewhat visible along with her slightly matted hair and black marker that ran past her right ear and into her hairline. If anyone needed a drink, it was the blonde who was scanning the apartment from the couch.
“Here,” she handed the beer over, “there’s also a shower down the hall to the right, I can help patch you up after if you want.”
She didn’t mention that her room was the door in the center of the hallway, and she made absolutely sure not to mention that Ellie’s room was the door on the left. She trusted Natasha, her freshly released widow sister was another story. The brunette didn’t know if Yelena even knew Ellie and she wasn't planning on finding out if they had history any time soon.
Yelena eyed her suspiciously, “I can clean them alone.”
“Suit yourself,” Maria nodded and raised both hands, “just figured you’d probably need a shower. Two birds, one stone.”
“I do not have clothing,” the young woman took a swig of the beer, keeping her eyes on Maria the entire time.
“There’s a fresh towel and some of your sister's clothes in there already,” she had washed all of Natasha’s clothes the day before in anticipation of this situation.
“I- I do not have money to exchange but if you would like for me to pay in other ways...” the blonde scooted closer to Maria on the couch.
“No,” the Deputy Director put her hand out to stop the advancement, “no, you don’t need to pay. You’re Tasha’s sister, you never have to pay, kid.”
“Tasha,” Yelena rolled the word around in her mouth and raised an eyebrow, “you know her well enough to call her that? Do you make her pay with her body?”
“No,” Maria shook her head, “no one is paying for anything with their body, she's just- she’s a friend and we look out for each other.”
Again the blonde stared at her as if she was trying to decide if Maria was telling the truth or not. However, the Deputy Director had an advantage, she had done this before and knew to keep it as casual as possible. She had learned not to push anything with girls who came out of the Red Room, letting them come to her. Once again, she was reminded of a cat.
“Listen, shower, don't shower, it’s your call. I just know after a mission it’s the first thing I want to do, it’s the only reason I offered it. No other motives,” the brunette took a swig of her own beer and looked at the young woman next to her.
The shirt she had on was a size or two too large, the pants barely covered her ankles and the shoes she had on were… well actually her shoes were probably the only thing that seemed to fit her well. Maria knew the signs of second-hand clothes, she personally knew that shoes were the most useful to get right, nothing was worse than trying to run away in shoes that didn’t fit. She thought about Ellie and how her shoes had been too big and too tight when she arrived in the Carrier.
“How many days ago did you get out?” The Deputy Director hadn’t seen anything come up on her radar yet and knew it couldn’t have been more than a week from the video Natasha had sent her.
The blonde continued to eye her, opened her beer, and took a drink, “it came down three days ago, Natalia needed to cut a few leads and it took me time to buy the ticket to come here.”
“How many times have you eaten since then?”
Yelena shook her head, “the ticket was most important, I needed to get out.”
“I have leftover spaghetti from dinner,” she thought about the plate in the fridge.
Maria got up to heat the meal when she saw the blonde look at the bathroom door, “go ahead, I’ll have food ready when you’re out. Take your time, the hot water doesn't really run out in a building like this.”
She knew from the hours she spent sitting in the spray after missions gone wrong or nightmares that lingered into the waking hours. She also remembered how Ellie was unaware warm water could come out of the tap and wanted Yelena to know without outright telling her.
“Thank you,” it was barely audible as the young woman walked into the bathroom, holding her side and limping slightly.
It was only after the door clicked into the locked position that she let out a breath, trying to keep her composure. The apartment was now full of trained killers, two of which didn’t know about each other, one that was coming down after a lifetime of abuse, one that was just learning to trust, and Maria, who was trying desperately to help both. She pulled the plate out of the fridge and listened to the sound of metal (most likely small weapons) hitting the tile flooring in the bathroom.
The shower lasted just long enough for Maria to worry. There was no telling exactly how injured Yelena was or if she needed help. The brunette had just resolved on giving the girl 2 more minutes before she would knock when she heard the water shut off. She pulled dinner out of the microwave and placed it on the island with a glass of water, unsure of what else to do. She had just gotten an extra napkin when the door to the bathroom flew open.
“You drug her?” The blonde’s voice was full of anger as she held up Ellie’s metabolism stabilizers and her prescription of eye drops, “The widow in your care? You drug?”
“No- no she has to take those to keep her from losing weight because of the teleportation and she’s just getting over a case of pink eye,” she shook her head.
“She is a killer,” Yelena eyed her, “You could use her for your own advantage because she will take what you give her.”
“No that’s not at all-”
“You turned a Red Room assassin into something even more deadly and expect for me to just believe that you do not use that as an advantage?” the blonde scoffed.
“First of all, I didn’t turn her into anything. I wasn’t involved in any of that, I’m just trying to help,” Maria approached the young woman slowly.
“Do you even understand what you have in your possession? What you could be doing with a girl from the Red Room?” Yelena furrowed her brows and shook her head.
“She’s a child I-”
“You don't know! You do not know what we- what she went through!” Yelena raised her voice which began to waiver.
“Yelena, I’m just here to try and help,” Maria kept her voice low and even.
“You do not know!” the Russian yelled, throwing her hands into the air.
The blonde had made enough noise to wake the sleeping child in the room she stood next to. Maria stepped forward and braced herself as she watched the doorknob turn slowly.
Ellie stood in the dim light of the bathroom, one hand clutching her flashlight, the other rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She blinked once and squinted before her eyes widened as she took in the sight of Yelena. Maria took a step to separate the two, unsure of what history lay between them.
“Elizaveta?” Yelena took a step back on unstable legs as she took in the sight in front of her, shaking her head in disbelievement.
The child looked back and forth from the widow to Maria over and over, unsure of what was happening.
“Don't want go back,” she had tears falling as she begged Maria who went to pick her up but before she could get there Yelena started talking quickly in Russian.
The Deputy Director knew enough words to understand what was being said, even if she didn’t she would have understood as the girl stopped crying rather quickly and listened to everything the blonde said, eyes wide.
“It’s gone, no one will ever go back again Lizochka,” Yelena repeated over and over as she brought the girl into her arms.
Ellie clung to the material of the hoodie Yelena wore, not letting go even as the blonde stood up. The two stayed pressed into one another for well over an hour, Maria listened as the older girl continued to talk to the younger even after she had fallen asleep in her embrace on the couch.
“Natasha didn’t tell me who-” Yelena looked at Maria who sat on the other side of the room in an armchair, “I think she figured I would not have known someone this young.”
The brunette nodded, she had assumed the same thing.
“I apologize for my anger, I have not had the ability to feel my emotions in a very long time,” the blonde swallowed, “I did not mean to scare or offend you.”
“I know you didn’t,” Maria gave a small smile, “let me get that dinner for you.”
She walked into the kitchen and braced herself on the sink, it was nearing 3 in the morning and all she wanted to do was take Ellie in her own arms and go to bed. It was a feeling she couldn’t quite place, fear and jealousy swirled with a protective edge that sat uncomfortably in her stomach. She washed her hands and brought the food into the living room, placing it next to the blonde who she assumed wouldn’t actually end up eating it.
To her surprise, Yelena picked up a piece of garlic bread and ate it quickly. The blonde was clearly hungry enough to risk potential poisoning, a thought that caused Maria to force herself from frowning.
“We have more, just let me know what you need,” she sat back in the chair and tried her best not to watch the girl wolf down the food while keeping Ellie in her arms the whole time.
The widow ended up eating two plates before she was full, or at least until she was full enough to stop. It was always hard to tell with Natasha in the beginning too, if she was full or if she had been forced to be hungry for so long that she didn’t know what she felt anymore.
They sat in silence, Maria didn’t want to push anything but could see the fatigue running deep in the girl's face. Finally, after Ellie moved around, she spoke up.
“I think it might be best if we go to bed,” Maria nodded her head toward the child, “I have my room set up for you. The lock works, there are snacks and more clothes for you as well.”
Yelena tightened her grip on the girl, “I can sleep here.”
“I know you can,” the brunette agreed, “but I think you’ll find more comfort in the room. And unless you want to be up in a few hours with that one, she should go back to bed.”
Ellie was an early riser, it never bothered Maria but she figured Yelena would appreciate the extra hours. Apparently, the blonde felt the same way and relaxed her grip.
“I’ll carry her, you let those cuts heal,” she got up and gently scooped Ellie out of Yelena’s arms.
The walk back to the child’s room wasn’t far, but Maria still cherished every step, hugging the girl once more as she tucked her in. By the time she was out of Ellie’s room, the door to her own room had been closed and locked, Yelena really was like a cat in her ability to stay silent.
Maria made the couch into a bed and laid down, too exhausted to think, she slipped into sleep quickly.
“Ria,” a little finger pushed her cheek in.
The woman sat up quickly, she couldn’t remember the last time Ellie had woken up before her, “hi, little one.”
The child held out her tablet that had parental locks in place, “please.”
“Not before breakfast, you know the rules,” she stretched her arms above her head and rolled out her shoulders before making her way into the kitchen where Yelena’s dishes still sat in the sink.
Ellie climbed up the side of the island and took her spot at her regular stool, watching as Maria made coffee and oatmeal.
“Are you okay? I know last night was probably a little scary for you,” she wasn’t sure how to approach the subject.
“I do not have to go back?”
“No Ellie, no one is ever going back. It’s all gone now,” she poured coffee and watched as the child nodded slowly.
“Forever?” Ellie stared at her, eyebrows pushed together.
“Forever.”
Then, the curly-haired girl stuck out her pinky finger.
“I promise,” Maria interlocked hers, “no one is ever going back there. Natasha and Yelena made sure of that.”
She wasn’t clear on the details but knew that the redhead wouldn’t leave any possibility of The Room opening back up, not again. Ellie nodded, then pushed her tablet across the island.
“No you little gremlin,” Maria laughed, “food first.”
The girl did end up eating first and then getting ready for the day before she finally sat on the couch and watched space-related shows on her tablet. Maria sat at her desk and worked, trying her best not to worry about the other girl who had yet to make an appearance. In fact, it wasn’t until Ellie had gone back to bed that night, that the blonde finally came out of the bedroom and ducked into the bathroom.
Maria waited quietly in the living room, she had music playing on the TV as she texted Laura and tried to make it look as if she hadn’t seen the young woman leave the bedroom. She wanted the blonde to feel as comfortable as possible and that she had full control, or at least, that’s what Laura had continued to urge over text. To her surprise, Yelena came into the living room after she finished in the bathroom, she stood awkwardly until Maria realized she needed an invitation to sit. A realization that made her stomach coil.
“Come on over, take a seat,” she gave a small smile, “what can I get you?”
Yelena fidgeted and eyed the hallway, Maria remembered Natasha’s advice with Ellie: don't give her too many options, it will overwhelm her.
“We had chicken casserole but I think there might be a serving of spaghetti from last night if you’d rather have that,” she stood up and made her way into the kitchen, Yelena followed.
“Do you have the bread from last night?” Of course, she loves carbs, just like Tasha.
“Yeah, how about I make you a plate and you eat what you want?” Maria asked, pulling out leftovers. She took the lack of a response as a yes and heated up the food.
“I had not slept in some time,” Yelena dug into the food in front of her.
“I’m glad you could catch up on some sleep then, growing bodies need extra sleep,” Maria commented watching as the blonde ate like a teenage boy, “The bed was comfortable enough for you to sleep?”
Yelena laughed, it was raspy and quick, “Yes. The bed is… yes, very comfortable.”
“Good, good, sorry if Ellie woke you up, she..” Maria smiled, “she likes to sing when she’s in the shower and I know the walls can be a little thin.”
“It is not a problem,” Yelena glanced at the hallway again, “I am glad she finds enough comfort to do such a thing.”
The two sat in silence as Yelena finished eating, again having two plates of food before stopping. The blonde continued to look at the hallway and it wasn’t until Maria had finished cleaning the dishes that she figured it out.
“You want to see her?” she dried her hands and watched the young woman give an embarrassed nod, “I’ll bring her into the living room, you can sit on the couch.”
She walked into the girl's room and ran her hands across the sleeping child’s peaceful face. Ellie stirred for a moment as she was lifted but didn’t wake up fully, even after she was placed in Yelena's arms. The blonde stared at Ellie for a long time, memorizing the details of her face if Maria had to guess. Finally, she spoke.
“She had a…Тре́нер? I do not know the word in English,” she ran her hand over the girl's hair, “Kyra.”
“A handler,” Maria filled in the word, having known what the woman did for Ellie.
Yelena nodded, “She was a year above me. I remember the first day she was told to train this little mess of a first cycle, she had told us all that hers was going to make it. There were only 2 other widows in Kyra’s class, their first cycles were so much larger than this one, no one thought she’d survive.”
She paused and stared at the girl in her arms, as if she was going to disappear, “Kyra would come back from missions with her and you would hear her crying for hours down the hall until a madame would hit her and she stopped. None of us understood how she kept going, she was so small and she would cry and cry. We all called Krya crazy for saying the girl would make even one more cycle.”
Maria’s stomach coiled as she listened, trying to keep her face neutral and allow the girl to keep talking.
“Then one day when we were training, we passed one of the smaller rooms and saw her in action. She was cowering in this corner listening to Kyra, she handed her the knife on her belt and the girl's face went blank, and I- I’ve never seen a four-year-old do what she did. It was like she did not have control over herself, she moved like one of the seventh-cycle girls. She was ruthless and we understood why Kyra would say that she knew this one would make it,” the blonde blinked a few times, “and then they didn’t come back. Everyone assumed that they were killed for being too good, that she had become only loyal to Kyra.”
“We found her in an old abandoned building,” the brunette spoke up.
It was information Yelena didn’t have, but clearly wanted, “tell me.”
And so she did, recalling the area of Russia, the building, the portal, the God, all of it. They once again sat in silence until Yelena finally asked the question Maria had anticipated.
“She was alone?”
“She was, we did multiple sweeps of the building but other than two drunks on the first floor, she was the only one in it,” Maria nodded.
Yelena looked deep in thought as she absentmindedly braided Ellie’s hair for close to an hour before her eyes looked tired as they had the night before.
“I’ll take her back to bed,” Maria stood up and collected the girl.
She kept Ellie in her arms a little longer that night before putting her to bed, Yelena had confirmed the terrible suspicions Maria had of the child. The brunette rocked back and forth for a few more minutes before laying the child down and returning to the now-empty couch.
It was the same routine for the next two nights, Yelena would stay in the room (either sleeping or afraid to come out during the day, Maria wasn’t sure) until Ellie was in bed. Maria would make her food and sit with her on the couch as the blonde held the child and gave small amounts of information she felt like talking about.
The Commander had learned that Ellie had the flu when she was four and it almost killed her, that she was fluent in 5 languages, and that she was left-handed but forced to use both in everything most importantly when it came to the use of weapons. It was shocking how much the blonde had known about the girl, but it became less shocking the more that Maria learned about Kyra and how Yelena saw her as a sister.
She had made macaroni and cheese their third night, Yelena was currently on her third bowl and Maria made a mental note to buy more, it was clearly a favorite. They made their way into the living room where the blonde still needed an invitation to sit down but was getting more comfortable with the space. Maria brought the sleeping child out and placed her in Yelena’s arms, interested in what they would talk about tonight.
The younger woman began braiding the curls that framed Ellie’s face, “she has always been the most beautiful, even as a very small girl. It was when I first started going under subjugation, only my second time when I woke she was there with others.”
She hadn’t talked about subjugation before, it clearly made her nervous as she braided faster.
“It was how they controlled you?” Maria offered, Yelena’s eyes locked with hers as she nodded.
“You could not think for yourself, not act for yourself, making memories but they… they did not only belong to you,” she was quiet for a long time after this, “but I do remember her, I remember the first time seeing her. She was taken from Rostov Oblast.”
Again she was quiet, this time it was obvious she was trying to recall a memory that was just out of reach, “She, her family… they were travelers, Romani. But forgive me, I cannot recall anything else right now.”
“That’s more information than I had, thank you, Yelena,” Maria gave a soft smile. Any new information she could get about Ellie was a treasured gift, “do you know anything about where you’re from?”
“A little, I was-” the blonde started but then stopped and tensed as a knock rang out from the door. Once, twice… then a third time.