A rosette of red
It’s not too long after Rosalie leaves that Melina enters the bedroom carrying Natasha. She sets Natasha down onto the bed next to Robin and Robin immediately notices the way Natasha leans away from her.
“Hi sweetheart,” Robin greets her, gently reaching out to set a hand onto her head. Natasha leans away from the touch and Robin lets her. Yelena, despite not getting ready to take a nap, has her thumb in her mouth, curled up against Robin’s chest.
Natasha leans against Melina when she takes a seat on the bed, glancing anywhere but Robin.
Robin lets out a small sigh at the action but doesn’t hold it against her. “This outcome was the best outcome.”
Natasha’s head jerks to finally look up at her. “What?”
Robin doesn’t think Natasha’s ever actually been angry with her before. “You all did what you could.” Robin looks down at Natasha. “But next time you cannot speak up on my behalf.”
Natasha’s mouth opens and closes as she searches for the right words to express her feelings. “He hurt you!” She said. “How is that the best outcome?”
Robin lets out a sigh. “Because the three of you are safe.”
“And you’re hurt,” Natasha repeats, reaching out to poke a finger at the wound on her back. Robin jumps at the finger and sharp jolt of pain as Melina grabs Natasha’s wrist. “I could have stopped that.”
Robin looks down at her. “No, you could not have.” She knows the General better than that. “And I never want you to try.”
Natasha clenches her jaw, looking down at her lap. “Why do you get to protect us but I can’t protect you.”
Robin reaches out to gently grip Natasha’s chin and pull her head up. “Because you and Yelena are children. You shouldn’t have to make choices like that.”
“I’m not a child,” Natasha said, shaking her head. “I’m a Widow. Melina’s a Widow. One day, Yelena’s gonna be a Widow.”
Yelena’s eyes flickered to look at Natasha when she said her name, observing quietly as she sucked her thumb to soothe herself.
“But right now, I am your mother--” Robin starts but Natasha interrupts her.
“No. You’re my handler. The General just showed up on the doorstep. He can come back any time that he wants,” Natasha said. Robin hadn’t realized just how deeply his sudden appearance impacted Natasha. “He can come and take us away and you pretending to be our mom doesn’t mean anything.”
“I’ve told you this and I’ll tell you again,” Robin said. “You’re mine. You will always be my little one no matter what happens.”
“You promised me that I will be yours again. You’re just lying to me, aren’t you?” Natasha demands and Yelena lets out a soft whine.
Robin glances away from Natasha to settle Yelena down. She lets out a gasp when Natasha grabs her arm.
“Look at me!” Natasha said, using all the strength she can muster into gripping Robin’s arm. “Robin, look at me!”
Robin looks back at her. “Let go of my arm, Natasha.”
“Are you lying to me?” Natasha demands and it’s the look of betrayal on her face that makes Robin swallow hard.
“No.” Robin replies as Melina pries Natasha’s fingers from her arm. “I don’t lie to you.”
Natasha stares up at Robin for a few moments. “I don’t believe you.”
Robin tries not to feel hurt by her words. She knows that it’s not Natasha’s fault she thinks that way. Hell, General Dreykov showed up on their doorstep and beat Robin up in front of them. He did it just to prove that he was still in charge, not Robin. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll do what I can to prove to you that I intend to keep my word.”
The door opens up downstairs and Melina is reaching for the knife in her nightstand before a voice calls out.
“I’m back, captain!” Rosalie calls out. “Got what ya wanted!”
“Why does she call you captain?” Melina raised an eyebrow. “And what did she get?”
“She calls me captain because she can. And she picked up a new cake for Yelena,” Robin glances down and runs a hand over Yelena’s head gently. Yelena’s head rests on her chest as she just observes them interact. At the mention of cake, however, she perks up slightly. “Yes, little one, you heard right.” Robin can’t help but chuckle slightly, even if the movement makes her ribs ache. One spot aches more than the rest and Robin briefly rests her hand on her upper left side before smiling down at Yelena.
Rosalie does end up staying for a piece of cake but only because Yelena wanted Maggie to stay. Rosalie doesn’t even get upset with Yelena for holding her frosting covered fork under the table for Maggie to sample.
Yelena gets a few small presents for her birthday. A few books and a toy, nothing much. Despite the day they’ve had, Robin watches as the others smile slightly or enjoy themselves.
Robin’s too nauseous for cake. The pain lingers in the left side and it won’t fade away, even with the painkillers she’s on. She doesn’t even realize she’d zoned out until Rosalie nears her. “You okay, boss?”
Robin peers up at Rosalie. The woman is looking down at her, a hint of concern on her face. “Yeah…” She’s not sure how convincing she is. “Just… just an ache.”
She knows where the ache is at and she knows that it could very well be a problem but she prays to every god out there that everything is fine.
She wants to stay up and soothe her little family but she’s so exhausted and the pain in her side isn’t going away. She’s not doing a very good job hiding it either, Melina ushers Robin off to bed and tells her that she and Rosalie will finish up.
Robin’s too tired to argue, heading upstairs and not even bothering to change into pajamas, just slipping out of her clothes and under the covers.
She’s so exhausted that she falls asleep almost immediately. She doesn’t stay asleep, though.
Robin wakes up because it’s hard to breathe and the pain in her side is so extreme that it makes her dizzy. She knows what’s wrong and she grits her teeth before reaching out to grab Melina’s shoulder.
Melina jerks up at the touch, glancing over at Robin. “What’s wrong?” She asked immediately when she sees Robin’s face screwed up in pain.
“He-- I--” Robin pushes the covers down to reveal the angry red-purple coloring spread over her side. “I need a hospital.”
“You can’t go to a hospital.” Melina states because there was obviously something wrong with having a name cut into her back being discovered.
“I-- I have to go back--” Robin has to go back to the Red Room. She’s bleeding internally and she needs surgery.
“No.” Melina rejects immediately before realizing that they had very limited options. “You can’t go back.”
“Melina-- sweet girl, please!” Robin grits her teeth in pain. “Get me the phone.”
Melina is torn before arguing more or obeying Robin.
Robin squeezed her eyes shut. “Widow, get me the phone!” She orders. She’d come to regret it later but at the moment she didn’t have long to wait.
Melina fetches the phone for Robin and Robin calls the General.
He’s not happy about being woken up in the middle of the night and he makes that very clear.
“You ruptured my spleen,” Robin tells him, her teeth gritted in pain. “I need surgery and I need it now. You need to pick me up.”
He lets out a long sigh. “Fine. I’ll send someone and make room just for you, my pretty little songbird.” He hangs up before Robin can say more.
Robin turns to look at Melina. “They will send a new handler to cover for me while I am gone. I shouldn’t be gone more than a few days. A week at most. Do not leave the girls alone with them. Try and arrange something with your work to leave early to pick them up. But you cannot--”
“I know,” Melina reaches forward to cup Robin’s face. “I’m sorry.”
Robin shakes her head, leaning forward to briefly press their foreheads together. “You did nothing wrong. Promise me that you’ll try to keep safe. And Natasha’s testing boundaries lately--”
“I know. I’ll look after them,” Melina pulls away briefly, her eyes meeting Robin’s. “I meant what I said at the very beginning. I can’t do this without you.”
Robin’s breath hitched in pain before she nods. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
Melina helps dress Robin before helping her downstairs on unsteady feet. Robin feels like the room is tilting side to side and she’s so dizzy that she stumbles over her own feet. They’re obviously not very quiet based on the way that Natasha shows up as Melina is pulling shoes on Robin’s feet.
“Where are you going?” Natasha demands, peering up at Robin. “You can’t go anywhere.”
“Robin has to go back… home for a little bit,” Melina explains as Robin’s in too much pain to explain, doubled over and clutching her side.
Natasha glances between them. “I didn’t mean what I said.” She tells Robin. “I’ll be good. I’ll be better. I’m not really mad at you, I promise. Don’t leave.”
Robin shakes her head. “Not your fault.” She grits out. “Get upstairs before they come.”
Natasha clearly wants to argue but Melina glances at her and Natasha retreats back upstairs. Robin knows that she’s still lingering at the top of the stairs though, peering through the slats at the top to watch the door.
The same group of four soldiers show up and they not so gently get Robin into the car outside. Robin can’t catch a glimpse of the replacement handler from her spot.
Robin barely remembers the ride there but Miguel and one of the other doctors, Thomas, is there when she arrives. Thomas doesn’t bother to ask her anything, shoving her shirt up to reveal her torso and grimaced before she’s carried back into one of the very few operating rooms that they had.
Miguel pressed a mask over her face. “I’ve got you.” He whispers to her. He owed her a lot. So Robin’s not concerned about going under. Miguel would protect her while she was unconscious in order to repay his debt.
The last thing on Robin’s mind was the feeling of Miguel sliding her wedding band off of her finger and dropping it into his pocket.
Then she succumbs to the darkness.