Chapter Forty-Three
Alya woke up to someone shaking her quite frantically. She was far too tired to entertain whoever it was, so she just groaned and turned over to get away from them.
She and Wanda stayed up late practicing with their powers in the privacy of their room. Alya was getting the hang of controlling them and she could move some things, but she was nowhere near her potential.
Telekinesis was hard and she would rather rely on hand-to-hand combat. But Wanda told her that she might come across someone who was much bigger and stronger, giving her no choice but to use her powers.
So practice she did.
"Get up." It was her mother and she sounded very urgent.
Hearing the woman's tone of voice, Alya cracked and eye open and looked around the room to find it a bit empty. Wanda wasn't in her bed, it was completely made up, her bag was gone and with it, some of her clothes.
"Come on." Natasha pulled the girl out of bed, shoving some clothes in her duffle bag along with her beloved bow and quiver with all the arrows, even the real ones. "Put your shoes on and get Mischief in her kennel."
Seeing her mother so panicked made Alya's body work on autopilot. So she didn't ask any questions as she shoved her sock covered feet into her boots and threw on her leather jacket before lifting her sleeping cat into the small kennel carrier, being careful not to wake her.
"We need to move." Natasha slung the bag over her shoulder and took Alya's hand to lead her out the room.
"Wait!" Alya pulled herself from her grip, running back into the bedroom, much to her mother's chagrin. "I forgot something!"
"Alya, we need to go!"
Alya ignored her and clambered back onto her bed and grabbed George, hugging him close to her chest for a split second before she raced right back to her mother.
She didn't know what she'd do if she left without her stuffed monkey. Natasha had gotten it just for her and that made it special. If something happened to it, or she lost it, she would be devastated.
When she was within reach, Natasha grabbed her arm and practically dragged her downstairs where Steve, Wanda, and Peter were already ready and waiting.
"What's going on?" Alya asked, already knowing the answer. She hated moving around so much. It was hard settling down when she knew that everything could and would change in a matter of seconds. "Why do we have to go?"
"General Ross found out where we are and he sent some of his men this way." Natasha didn't want to be one of those parents that lied to their kids in order to keep them calm; with everything Alya had been through, that wouldn't work. "Which is why we need to get out of here before they catch us."
Alya looked around the house with a pained sigh. Out of all the places they had stayed (besides Norway, of course), this house was her very favorite. The beautiful living room where they would sit and watch movies together, the basement where she and Mischief would play, the upstairs bedroom where she, Wanda, and Peter would spend hours talking about anything and everything…..she was going to miss it all.
She thought moving was supposed to get easier, but it seemed like it was only getting harder.
Natasha felt the same way. She remembered moving into her first real home in Ohio. She could remember the split-level house with the galley kitchen and the living room with a television that was constantly playing cartoons. Most of all, she remembered being with Yelena and playing with her, laughing with her, and spending late nights talking to her.
She could never forget the night her father came home and told them they were going on an adventure. Not knowing any better, Yelena was excited. She had no idea that night would end so cruelly. Natasha remembered climbing into the car and passing by everything in the neighborhood with Yelena's favorite song playing in the background, 'American Pie'.
Everything changed so fast and it was never the same again.
Just like now.
"Hurry up and get in the car." She pushed all three kids out the door.
Alya knew this was serious because she hadn't told any of them to put on their seatbelts once they got in.
She did it anyway.
She glanced at Peter, who looked scared out of his wits, and clutched George closer to her chest as the engine rumbled in their ears. She didn't like not knowing where they were going to go, or what was going to happen.
It was frightening.
"It's okay."
Alya gasped and looked at Wanda in shock. She knew the girl could read minds, but she had never done anything like that before!
She spoke to her through just her thoughts!
"Your mind is very loud." Wanda smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. She was scared, too. "Everything will be alright."
"How do you know?"
"It has to be." She answered before turning away to look out of the window.
"Mama? Where are we gonna live now?"
"I don't know, sweet girl." Natasha shared a nervous glance with Steve. "I don't know."
"Peter, hold Alya's hand so you don't get lost." Steve instructed, his voice indicating that he was emotionally spent. "Your gates are right next to each other's."
The airport was big and it was loud. Alya didn't like it one bit. There were too many people wandering around, rushing and shoving into each other to catch their flights.
She wanted to go home.
"Our gates?" Peter questioned with a frown.
Were they not traveling together?
"We have to split up this time around." Steve sighed. "Ross is getting too close and it's too dangerous for any of us to travel together."
"Mama?" Alya looked up at her in panic.
Were they going to be separated?
"I'm sorry, sweet girl." Natasha bent down to her height and tucked some of her loose hair behind her ears. She hadn't had time to braid it like she did every morning, so it was out in all its glory. "I'm so sorry."
"No." Alya shook her head. "I don't want to leave you. Why can't we stay together, Mama?"
"Alya…."
"Why can't we go to Baba's house and stay with her?" Her lip quivered as anxiety rose in her chest. "I want to stay with you."
"I know, baby. I want to stay with you, too, but I can't. If I get caught, they'll take you, too." Natasha tried her best to be strong for the girl. "I can't let that happen."
"No." Tears flooded her eyes, but she blinked them away. "No. I wanna stay with you."
"I'm sorry." Natasha sucked in a sharp breath and stood up, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead as a goodbye.
Alya didn't have time to think before Steve pulled her into a tight hug, which somewhat grounded her before she could spiral. "I'm sorry." He apologized, too.
But Alya didn't want apologies. She wanted to stay together. She wanted things to go back to normal.
"It will be alright." Wanda was next and Alya buried her face in her chest, holding onto her as tight as she could. "You'll see."
The twelve year old had a sinking feeling in her gut that things weren't going to be alright. They'd moved before, but for some reason, this time, it felt different. She couldn't explain it, but this was different.
"Don't leave." She sniffled when Peter took her hand, per instruction of her mother.
"Come on, Alya." He tugged gently, after having said his own goodbyes. He was going to miss this little family, too. He'd forgotten what it was like to have a mom and dad, and Steve and Natasha filled that role with ease even if it was only for a short time. Even if they hadn't realized. "We have to go."
"No." Alya shook her head, trying to pull away, but he kept a strong grip. "Mama, don't leave me, okay?"
Her heart began to hammer inside of her chest, so much so, she could hear it thump loudly in her ears.
The very thought of being separated from her mother again sent her into a frenzy.
"Alya…." Natasha'a eyes swam to match her daughter's. She couldn't handle this. "We don't have a choice, baby."
"No." Alya insisted, reaching for her hand, which sent shivers up her mother's spine. "Please?"
"Alya, come on." Peter's breath hitched at how heartbroken she looked. What made it worse, was he was the one who would have to pull her away. "We have to go."
"Mama?"
Why wasn't she listening? Why wasn't she moving? Why wouldn't she just scoop her up and run?
Natasha momentarily closed her eyes. She could see Yelena reaching out for her as they tried to keep ahold of each other's hands when the soldiers ripped them apart.
"Natasha!"
"Yelena!"
"Mama!" Alya tried to dive for her, but Peter caught her before she could leap into her arms.
Natasha didn't realize it, but Steve was the only obstacle keeping her from ripping Alya away from Peter. She couldn't even feel how tightly he was holding onto her because she felt so numb.
It was happening again.
It was happening again.
"Yelena!" An eleven year old Natasha cried out for her little sister, trying to break away from the strong grip of the soldiers keeping her at bay.
It was dark and she could hardly see anything in the chaos of all the screaming girls and the lack of light, but she knew her sister. She always found her sister.
Yelena's hands caught hers and gripped them tightly. Natasha could feel the girl's nails forcing their way into her skin, but she didn't care. She'd tolerate anything just to keep her hold on the girl.
"Natasha!" The blonde's chubby little cheeks were stained with dirt and her tears only served to clean it away in straight lines down her face.
Natasha tried with all her might to break away from the soldier that had her. But Yelena's soldier had an easier time. He simply lifted Yelena up and pried their hands apart, void of any empathy.
Both girls screamed in time with the other, their connection being broken. But Natasha wasn't willing to give up just yet.
She used all her strength to rip herself away from the soldier and ran to Yelena's retreating form, pulling a photo reel out of her pocket.
"Here!" She ripped it in half, handing one to the girl. "Take it!"
She knew there was nothing either of them could do about being separated, but if she could just give Yelena something to hang on to. If she could give her something to remember her by and give her something to look forward to...
Yelena's little fingers reached out for the pictures, gripping them like a lifeline as the inevitable happened.
Natasha couldn't save her.
She couldn't keep her sister from being ripped from her then, and she couldn't keep from being separated from her daughter now.
"Natasha!"
"Mama!"