And I'm very sorry
The sight of Robin collapsing in on herself is something Melina never wants to see again.
The tall woman is hunched over on her hands and knees, retching, her face pale as she digests whatever the General had just shown her.
Melina keeps her face blank, not once daring to look away from the sight in front of her lest they punish her or the girls for it. She can see them in her peripheral view. Natasha’s jaw was clenched, her fingers curled into fists and her shoulders tensed as she stared at Robin. Yelena was staring at her shoes, tears still on her face as she gripped Natasha’s shirt in seek of some sort of reassurance.
“You have disappointed me, my pretty little songbird,” General Dreykov lets Robin’s face go, pulling away and standing. “I do hope you remember this the next time you grow soft.”
He turns toward the door and he just… leaves.
After a few moments, Melina glances at Belka before she moves forward and crouches down in front of Robin. “Ma’am?” Melina dares to reach out to steady Robin by gripping her shoulders.
Robin is obviously trying to pull it together. Her dark eyes flicker to peer up at Melina, nothing but fear in them. Her chest heaves with stifled gasps. She shakes her head, pulling herself away from Melina before she pushes herself to her feet. Melina glances away toward where Natasha and Yelena were.
“Come here,” Robin points in front of her and Natasha doesn’t hesitate to cross the room with Yelena.
Yelena can’t resist throwing her arms around Robin’s legs, desperate for some sort of reassurance. Robin does pick her up, wincing slightly at the weight of the girl in her arms. Yelena burrows into her, tears starting up again.
Robin holds Yelena with a clinical detachment, simply holding her like it was something she had to do. Yelena wraps her arms around Robin’s neck, burying her face into her shoulder.
Melina and Natasha follow Robin out of the room. They head toward the infirmary and Robin moves straight toward one of the doctors.
He sees her coming and tenses up. Robin balances Yelena in one arm, reaching out to push him up against the wall with the other. “Did you manipulate the results?” She demands.
“I just ran the test!” He yelps, twisting her head to look away from her.
“Run it again. Right now.” Robin demands and he immediately turns to head back into the small lab.
Natasha dares to lean against Robin’s side as they watch the doctor run the test again. As soon as the results are printed, Robin snatches them from his hands and peers down at them.
The relief is palpable on her face, her shoulders slumping as she lets out a breath. “Fuck, Miguel. You scared the shit out of me.”
“I’m sorry.” Miguel tells her. “I’m just doing my job.”
“I know. Fuck.” Robin balls the piece of paper up and shoves it into her pocket. “You owe me one.”
Miguel doesn’t deny this. “Yeah. I know.” He said. “I owe you more than that.”
Robin turns on her heel and leaves. Melina brings up the back as Natasha follows. They stop by one of the soldiers and Robin receives the stack of folders she brought back along with some new ones. Robin walks with poise, airing purpose and power as she stalks through the hallways.
As soon as they’re back at the plane and the girls are seated, Robin swiftly injects the contents of a syringe into Natasha and Yelena’s necks. She doesn’t warn them and they’re both very unsettled by the needle but quickly both fall asleep, already exhausted.
Robin doesn’t breathe a word on the way back. The piece of paper Miguel gave her is back in her hand for most of the flight. Melina can see her chest rise and fall in carefully measured breaths. Robin then sifts through the pile of files and opens the new ones, her eyes scanning the contents.
When the plane lands, one of the soldiers moves to haul the girls up. Robin doesn’t hesitate to grab their wrist, daring them to touch the girls. Robin speaks to them, her tone low and cold and Melina can’t quite make out the harsh Russian she hissed at them. Whatever she said had the soldier backing down.
“Grab Yelena,” Robin orders Melina and the Widow scoops her youngest daughter up as Robin hauls Natasha up. The girl doesn’t even stir, something that unsettles Melina when she knew that the slightest movement usually woke the child up.
They’re allowed to take one car back this time. Natasha and Yelena are settled between the two of them in the backseat. Melina can finally see what the piece of paper says as she glances over the heads of their daughters.
Robin’s thumb keeps running over the same two words, the pad of her finger smearing the ink.
PREGNANCY: NEGATIVE
Melina knew that. They had taken a pregnancy test and it was negative. Melina held Robin the whole time as they waited. The fact Robin had Miguel run the test meant that something had convinced her otherwise.
If the General had convinced Robin that she was pregnant then the woman’s reaction earlier made sense.
Because immovable, unshakeable Robin had come the closest to breaking that Melina had ever seen. The tall and passionate woman had been reduced to a gasping mess on the floor with a piece of paper and the touch of a horrible man.
Robin carries Natasha once again when they arrive. Melina’s relieved to be back to but her confusion, Robin grabs her wallet and keys as soon as the girls are settled on the bed in the master bedroom.
“Where are you going?” Melina demands, trying to keep the unsettled warble in her tone.
“To the store,” Robin reaches out to grip her shoulders. “I’ll be right back.”
“To the store?” Melina repeats in disbelief. “Now?”
“Now.” Robin agrees. “My sweet girl, please.”
Robin’s voice is thick with anguish, her face contorted in distress. That alone is what makes Melina take a step back.
“I’ll be a few minutes.” Robin promised before pulling Melina into her arms, the one thing Melina had wanted more than anything. Melina tries not to sink into the warm and comforting embrace when she knows that Robin will be leaving in a few moments.
The closing of the front door and the disappearance of the tall woman leaves Melina slowly pulling her shoes off. Melina heads upstairs to the master bedroom where their daughters lay sleeping, blissfully unaware. Melina then unlaces their shoes and pulls them off, slowly undoing the ties holding their hair back and gently combing her fingers through the braids until their wavy hair fell loose around their face.
“I’m sorry,” Melina finds herself whispering to them despite knowing they wouldn’t hear her. She hopes that they understand that there was no other choice. “I’m so sorry.”
Melina briefly leaves the room to rifle through their dressers for pajamas. She returns, startled to see Natasha stirring already. Robin had probably given them the same dose and it wore off faster on Natasha.
“Mommy,” Natasha wastes no time in reaching for her. Melina sets the pajamas down, reaching out to hoist the girl up into her arms. Natasha curls her fingers into Melina’s tank top, eerily quiet for a few moments before a choked sob slips past her lips. “I killed somebody, mommy.”
Melina pulls Natasha closer, swaying her side to side. “I know. I’ve got you, big girl. We’re okay.”
Natasha is still barely lucid, limp against Melina as she cries. Once tears dampen the strap of her tank top and her bare shoulder, Melina can feel Natasha fight against sleep.
“I’ll be right here when you wake,” Melina swore, kissing the side of Natasha’s head.
“Where’s mama?” Natasha whispers, suddenly realizing that the tall woman was nowhere in sight.
“She’ll be right back,” Melina tells her. Natasha doesn’t fight her when Melina settles her back down in bed and crawls in next to them.
Robin shows up only minutes after Natasha had fallen back asleep, a plastic bag clutched in her hands.
Melina has to pull away from them to follow her into the bathroom where she watches as Robin dumps four different pregnancy test boxes into the sink, pulling open the boxes and emptying the contents onto the counter.
Melina doesn’t interrupt her as Robin collects the four tests up and then disappears into the small alcove where the toilet was.
Melina waits, torn between waiting with Robin and going to lay next to her daughters again. Robin reappears five minutes later, setting the handful of tests down on the counter, her eyes daring to look at Melina.
Melina moves toward her and Robin welcomes her into her arms. Melina pulls Robin close, nudging her nose against Robin’s neck to inhale the comforting scent of her wife. They don’t say anything, too much to say but too much emotion making them unable to voice it.
Melina can watch the faded pink lines appear on the tests until Robin reluctantly pulls away from her to check them. As soon as she looks them over, Robin leans on the counter heavily and dips her head down. Tears fall immediately and Melina moves forward to look at the results.
They’re all negative.
“Fuck.” Robin breathes out finally, her lower lip quivering as she squeezed her eyes shut.
Melina knew that now that the General saw how effective playing with the prospect of pregnancy made Robin that he would utilize it again in the future. That meant continued assaults of Robin as he leaves her waiting and fearing the unknown each time.
Melina moves forward, wrapping her arms around Robin. “Let us get changed and then settled.” She said softly. She doesn’t mean for Robin to pull herself together, she simply thought having everyone in one place would be comforting to them both.
Robin wipes at her face, pulling herself together once more as she nods her head. Between her and Melina, they strip each child and look them over for serious injuries before changing them into pajamas. There are bruises forming but no broken skin or fractured bones. When the little ones are changed and tucked into bed, Robin turns toward Melina.
At the unspoken prompt, Melina strips. Robin’s hand’s ghost over the damaged flesh that was left behind from her return. When Melina is dressed in her pajamas, she waits for Robin’s turn.
Robin slowly peels out of her clothes. Two of the scarlet stripes prominent on her back have broken the skin. Melina makes Robin wait so that she can clean them up properly. The last thing any of them need is an infection taking them out.
As soon as Robin has her pajamas on, Melina kisses her fervently. Robin doesn’t hesitate to reciprocate, pulling her close.
“I am yours,” Melina tells Robin, her fingers brushing through Robin’s locks of dark hair that was sticking up in the back. “And you are mine.”
“You are mine,” Robin agrees, pressing her forehead against Melina’s. “And I am yours.”
Melina kisses Robin once again before glancing at their sleeping daughters.
“I’m sorry.” Robin said.
“You had no fault in this.” Melina said fiercely, grasping Robin’s face in her hands. “You take no blame, do you hear me?”
“If I had done something--” Robin starts but Melina refuses to allow her to wallow in guilt.
“Get in bed,” Melina orders and Robin doesn’t fight her, climbing in bed behind Yelena. Melina climbs in the other side, moving forward until their daughters are safely sandwiched between them. Melina reaches out to rest her arm over all three of them.
Having them all within her reach seems to soothe Robin. Robin drops a kiss to each of her daughter’s heads, murmuring apologies with them.
Melina thinks back to when Robin had told her that she planned to kill the General. She thinks of when Robin promised Natasha that she would be hers. She thinks back to each time Robin had seemed so sure that they would make it out alive.
“Promise me this is real,” Melina tells Robin, desperation in her tone as the plea slips past her lips.
Robin glances up at her, barely even hesitating as she reaches out to cup her face. “I promise.” She said softly.
Melina clings to the promise with everything she has, closing her eyes as the pressure weighing down on her chest eases.
Because Robin doesn’t lie.