Icy Veins
Melina wakes up in the morning to an empty bed. It wasn’t that unusual for Robin to be up by now but she was almost always in the bathroom or checking on the girls and would return within a few minutes.
Melina knew she had gotten up last night but she fell asleep before she returned back to bed. She assumed if there was a problem that Robin would call for her.
Yet the minutes drag by and Melina sits up, pulling her hair back out of her face, and ignores the surge of brief panic that stabs through her.
Melina had heard Robin and Yelena in the hallway last night so she checks the youngest girl's room first. Yelena is fast asleep sprawled across her bed, her sheets in a tangled heap on the ground where she had kicked them off in her sleep.
Melina enters the bedroom, adjusting the sleeping child so she didn’t get a crick in her neck, and retucks her in with the discarded blanket. Robin obviously wasn’t in here which meant she was with Natasha.
While uncommon, Robin would sit in the rocking chair with Natasha in her room when neither could sleep. They’ve fallen asleep there a few times before but usually woke up when the sun shines through the open curtains they used to watch the stars.
Natasha’s room is empty. Not only is Robin not in there but Natasha wasn’t either.
Melina checks the laundry room in case Natasha had wet the bed and they were washing sheets but that was empty. She checks the living room in case they were watching a movie but still there’s nothing. She checks in the kitchen to see if they were making breakfast but still nothing.
Melina combs through the house, even searching the garage, until the last room left untouched was Robin’s office.
The only reason that they would be in there was either Natasha was hurt or was being punished. It was early in the morning, there wasn’t any way Natasha could have done something to be punished unless she tried.
Melina opens the door to Robin’s office and immediately spots the two, the panic in her gut easing up. Robin was leaning back in her office chair, her head tilted back as she sleeps. Natasha is curled up against Robin’s chest, her face tucked against the crook of Robin’s neck. Neither are wearing shirts, telling Melina that Natasha had gotten distressed enough to need the comfort and warmth of Robin’s skin.
Melina approaches them and it speaks to how exhausted they were that they barely stir as she approached. Melina reaches out, gently running a hand over Robin’s hair. “My love?” She asked softly, feeling Robin lean into the touch. Robin sleepily blinks her eyes open and peers up at her, a small smile crossing her face before she seems to remember where she was and shifts slightly. Her hand moves to rub Natasha’s back.
“Hi sweet girl,” Robin rasped, her voice thick with sleep.
“Everything okay?” Melina asked in concern, feeling Robin turn her head to nuzzle into her hand. Robin, tall and imposing, looked so soft and adorable at the moment.
“Fine,” Robin murmurs, her eyes drooping closed once again, telling Melina that it was a long night of practically no sleep for Robin.
“Natasha has school,” Melina reminds Robin, reaching for the dozing child curled up in her lap. “You can sleep a bit more, I can drop Yelena off with Rosalie.”
“It’s not an emergency,” Robin sits up slightly, slowly peeling Natasha away from her. Melina scoops their shirts off the ground and exchanges them for Natasha.
Natasha goes rigid at the feeling of a second set of hands but almost instantly calms down when she sees Melina. “Hi, mommy.”
Melina can’t help the smile that crosses her face. “Hi, big girl.” She hoists Natasha up onto her hip, feeling the girl sleepily wrap her arms around her neck.
Melina then notices that there are files out on the desk that she knows for certain that Robin had filed away and had no reason to be out. Melina reaches out to touch one and Robin peers up at her, having put on her shirt.
“Natasha was looking through my files last night,” Robin tells Melina. Melina withdraws her hand from the stack of files. “I caught her going through my things.”
Natasha buries her face into Melina’s neck, whether from shame or embarrassment that she was caught, Melina can’t tell. “Did you punish her?”
“Swats,” Robin nods her head, standing up and stretching. “And the corner.”
Melina’s eyes immediately go toward the umbrella stand in the corner that still held the broken cane that Robin had used on Belka, as well as the one General Dreykov liked to use on Robin.
“Hey,” Robin moves toward her, reaching up to cup one side of her face with a gentleness that always startled Melina. “We agreed. No more canes.”
Melina had asked Robin to not use the bamboo sticks after Belka. But ultimately, Robin was their handler and it was her choice. She didn’t have to listen to Melina.
Melina doesn’t point out that fact to Robin, merely leaning into the gentle hand on her face instead. Robin steps forward, pulling Melina’s head closer to kiss her forehead before turning to kiss the top of Natasha’s head, pulling away and yawning.
“Let Rosalie look after Yelena today,” Melina tells Robin, watching the woman start to protest. “You’re exhausted.”
“Rosalie’s not a babysitter,” Robin reminds Melina.
“She adores Yelena,” Melina retorts. Sure enough, the soldier had a soft spot for the young girl. She’d never turn down the opportunity to spoil the kid with sweets when the girl would tire out her energetic dog in turn. “Come on.”
Robin must be more tired than either one of them realizes when she folds quickly. “Okay.”
Melina smiles, leaning forward and kissing her gently. “I love you.” She said softly.
Melina will never get tired of the fond smile that crosses Robin’s lips each time she says those three words. “And I love you too, my sweet girl.”
Melina gets Natasha and Yelena ready. Rosalie raised an eyebrow when Melina shows up to drop Yelena off.
“Everything okay?” Rosalie grunts as she reaches out to accept the armful of squirming child from Melina. “Boss alright?”
“Long night.” Melina explains and Rosalie gives a curt nod, peering down at Yelena.
“Looks like it’s me and you today, squirt,” Rosalie says and Yelena grins up at her. Rosalie lets out a whistle and Melina hears Maggie skitter across the steps to come greet Yelena.
Satisfied that Yelena was in good hands, Melina turns back to the car. She drops Natasha off at school and then heads to work.
Coulson was trying to make small talk with her when Melina gets a call on her cell. It’s from the house phone and Melina tries to think why Robin would be calling her.
Melina excuses herself, taking a few steps to the side to answer the phone. “Hello?”
“Don’t come home,” Robin grunts out quietly and a shiver runs down Melina’s spine. “We’ve got company.”
“Is everything okay?” Melina questioned, feeling Coulson’s eyes watching her.
“He’s here.” Robin says instead and Melina instantly knows who she’s talking about. “Spend the night at Rosalie’s.”
“What about Natasha?” Melina could leave work and pick her up to move her to a secure spot.
“Leave her. Rosalie will get her,” Robin says and was quiet for a few moments. “Do not come home until I say so, do you understand me?”
“Robin--” Melina starts but Robin interrupts.
“That is an order, Widow,” She said coldly and Melina freezes. The tone is unlike anything Melina has heard come from Robin’s mouth before. “And if you break it then you will be severely punished.”
Melina wonders if he’s listening in. She swallows hard, collecting herself. “Yes ma’am.” She replies quietly.
Then the phone is hung up. Melina’s left holding her phone to her ear a few seconds more before pulling it down.
Coulson steps forward. “Everything okay?”
Melina has no idea what is going on but remembers Robin’s words about fostering the belief that she could be abusive toward Coulson to secure a safe place for Melina and the girls to go should anything go wrong. “That was my wife.” Melina says, not having to fake the way her hands shake as she slides the phone back into her pocket. “She said not to come home tonight.”
Surprise flickers across Coulson’s face before it’s replaced with concern. “Is everything okay?” He asked and the smile that Melina pulls onto her face feels tight and wrong.
“Just fine,” She said. “Robin’s always been big about her friends coming over.”
She can see Coulson’s brown drawn together as he thinks over her words. “I see…” He says slowly. “Do you have a place to go?”
“I do,” Melina tells him. “Thank you for your concern.”
Melina then politely excuses herself to the bathroom, nausea churning in her gut. She splashed some cold water onto her face, taking a few deep breaths.
Robin would be okay. She had to be. She was Robin.
But Melina had to think rationally. And rationally the General could easily order Robin to be killed and Melina could come home to a corpse sprawled across the floor of the house that had become her home.
Melina pulls her phone back out and calls Rosalie.