Chapter 13
Yelena is wary of Wanda. It’s nothing that the young woman has done or did. She is just wary.
She knows that Wanda isn’t a bad person. She knows that Wanda won’t hurt her.
But she also knows that mental manipulation is a big part of Wanda’s powers. Rifling through memories, influencing thoughts, yanking fears that were carefully tucked away into the open, pulling secrets from corners, reading minds, and so much more.
Yelena hated the thought of people going through her mind. Even if it was someone that Natasha trusted to have her back like Wanda.
(Natasha trusted SHIELD too)
Yelena tries to keep her mind empty and blank whenever she’s stuck with Wanda as the others pour over what they’re going to do about Ross. Wanda has been nothing but polite and kind but Yelena still hesitates to get within six feet of her.
As more time passes, Yelena gets tired of going over movies and television shows that Wanda shares with her.
So she started a game. She recently started to pull memories out of the corners of her mind and see if Wanda will pick up on anything.
Nobody knows what she’s doing. While lounging on the couch and pondering about what Ross was doing, Yelena will think of memories. Past missions. The Red Room. Training. Ballet. Dancing.
Wanda never gives any indication that she picks up on anything. Yelena starts going through other memories.
Targets. Guns. Injuries. Restraints. Blood. Crying.
Yelena doesn’t even realize what they’re watching until she glances over at the screen just in time to see a little girl pull a gun and shoot a woman.
Pulling up and settling in old memories along with the scene makes Yelena’s thoughts screech to a halt. She’s sitting up before she realizes what she’s doing.
“Yelena?” Wanda speaks up and Yelena glances at her. “Your mind is being very loud.”
Yelena pulls her eyes from the screen, a very similar memory flashing across her mind. She hears Wanda immediately flick the television off with the remote.
“My mind?” Yelena croaks out, reaching up to touch her head. “My mind is mine.”
“Do you want me to get your sister?” Wanda asked but Yelena shakes her head.
Natasha was discussing Ross with the others. That was much more important than whatever silly memory disturbed Yelena.
“Hey,” Wanda shifts to move closer to Yelena but Yelena shoves herself away from Wanda. “What can I do for you?”
“My mind is mine,” Yelena repeats.
“It is yours. I haven’t--” Wanda frowns. “I’m not going through your mind, Yelena. I don’t do that.”
“You just said that my mind--” Yelena mumbles before cutting herself off. “You can’t poke in my mind.”
“I’m not,” Wanda takes a seat as close as Yelena will let her. “I’m not going into anyone’s mind. Yelena, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not going to go into your mind. I’m not going to influence your emotions, play with your memories, or anything like that.”
“What if I asked you to?” Yelena tightly packs away the memory that is threatening to overwhelm her and focus on the woman in front of her.
Wanda pauses, clearly not expecting the question. “What?”
“I have pieces of memory that I was made to forget. If you found them do you think that you can unpack them?” Yelena doesn’t move closer but focusing on the emotions flickering across the woman’s face helps keep her calm.
“I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like that before,” Wanda admits, tilting her head to the side. “I’d have to look inside your mind to look.”
“I want to remember memories that I forgot from the ages of three to six,” Yelena leans forward, moving toward Wanda slightly. “I was happy then. They tried to take that from me. I wanna know. I wanna remember.”
Wanda looks unsure. “I don’t know…” She shifts in place. “I haven’t really done anything like this before.”
Yelena hated it when Natasha would reference something that happened in Ohio and she couldn’t remember it. She hated the way Natasha’s face would fall when she realized that no, Yelena didn’t remember that.
“Is it hard? Could you just find one memory?” Yelena scoots closer to Wanda.
“I… can try,” Wanda nods her head. “What is it?”
“Natasha said that we went to the fair when I was five. She said that I ate so much candy that my mouth was dyed blue and I promptly threw it all up when I rode the carousel,” Yelena said. “That memory.”
“Are you… sure?” Small wisps of red flutters around Wanda’s fingers.
Yelena glances at the magic, unsure if this was such a good idea. But she wanted to remember. She needed to know. She nods her head, forcing herself not to flinch when Wanda’s fingers brush against her temple.
It’s so warm and comforting. It’s safe in here. She feels at peace.
Flickers of memories pass by her eyes. It’s comforting to be in her mind, to sit back and watch.
Suddenly the memories stop and there are just a few in front of her. Yelena reaches out toward one in confusion, her hand sinking into the photograph as she falls into the memory.
“Cover?”
“Alyssa Daniel, daughter of John Daniel,” Her voice was young and high-pitched.
“Good. This is your second long-term mission. You will be portraying the Daniel’s daughter until it is no longer needed. This mission is your priority. Do not fail it.”
“Yes sir.”
A change of clothes is held out. She reaches out, looking down at the standard-issue grey pajamas she wore. The new shirt had some cartoon character she’s unfamiliar with on the front. The jeans have a hole ripped in one of the knees. The shoes are velcro-strapped.
“Remember your mission. You will not fail.” A hand falls onto her head and she does everything not to flinch. The touch doesn’t hurt. “There we go. You will have to get used to this kind of touch. Go change. Put the flash drive in your shoe. Plug it into the computer at the first chance.”
She changes. She shoves the flash drive into the heel of her shoe. One of the older widows obediently pulls her hair up into perfect pigtails.
She takes a black car to get there. She feels weird as John Daniel buckles her into a child’s safety seat and gives her a bag of candy.
She only eats two pieces and that was when she caught him watching. She sucks on the sweet candy to make it last longer.
The place of her mission is large. There are plenty of people in suits and earpieces as John takes her hand to guide her.
There are a few other children. All of them are much older than her. She’s not good at socializing with other children.
“Daniel, I was unaware that you had a daughter.”
She looks up at who spoke. The man gives her a small smile and offers out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, little miss.”
“Alyssa,” She said, taking the hand slowly, her eyes briefly falling onto the gun on his hip before looking back up at him. “Are you a pirate?”
The man with the eyepatch tilts his head back and lets out a chuckle. “I’m afraid not.”
Her mouth is sweet and sticky from the candy but she’s all too aware of the grip that John has on her shoulder. A warning to not fail. Nausea swirls in her gut, leaving nothing but a sour taste in her mouth.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Alyssa. My name is Director Fury,” He pulls his hand away before he stands. “I’m happy to have you here on bring your child to work day.”
Yelena jerks back to consciousness.
“That wasn’t the right memory. I’m sorry,” Wanda speaks up and Yelena turns to glance at her.
“No. That was…” Yelena can still taste the blue raspberry jolly rancher. “Something. I just remembered… why did they make me forget that?” She mumbles to herself.
“Yelena? Are you okay?” Wanda’s fingers are still pressed against Yelena’s temple.
“Can you find more memories of that man?” Yelena looks up at Wanda but Wanda frowns, shaking her head.
“I’m not comfortable going into your mind again right now. I’m sorry,” She did seem remorseful. “I don’t want to do that. Not without others.”
Yelena huff, not willing to share this newfound information with anyone quite yet. “Don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t,” Wanda quickly assured her and pulls her hand away.
Yelena heads to bed alone that night, Natasha still in whatever meeting about Ross with the others. She lays back on the bed and thinks about Alyssa Daniel. The Red Room made her forget about a long-term undercover mission. She couldn’t remember being Alyssa Daniel.
When Natasha doesn’t come down and it nears midnight, Yelena wraps a blanket around herself and heads up to the meeting room.
The group looks tired. There were holograms and maps spread out on the table.
“You should be in bed, Barbie,” Tony points a finger at her as she passes by him.
“So should you,” Yelena mumbles, watching her sister adjust herself as she anticipated Yelena.
Yelena flops into her sister’s lap, curling up with the blanket. She feels Natasha wrap her arms around her, burrowing into the touch.
Yelena closes her eyes, curling up into her sister as she listens to the conversation around her.
She dozes but doesn’t feel safe enough to fall asleep completely surrounded by so many strangers. Especially Winter Soldier.
They argue some. Yelena shoots upright when one of them slams their hand onto the table in frustration.
“That’s enough, settle down,” Natasha said firmly, pulling Yelena back against her. “We’re tired and cranky and grumpy. There’s no need to yell and hit things.”
“We should call it a day,” Sam said before yawning. “We’re all tired.”
“We need to find Ross,” Tony retorts, pulling up another hologram.
“We need to rest,” Steve said firmly and Yelena frowns when Tony tenses up.
“Yeah, well, we’ll rest when we’re dead,” Tony flaps his hand at them, moving to look at the list of people they have pulled up.”
“I know him,” Yelena shifts, pointing her finger at one of the people listed.
The arguing stops and heads turn to look at her.
“He was killed two years ago,” Tony comments, pulling the file up.
“I know,” Yelena shifts. “I did it. Who is he, why is he important?”
“He was Ross’s daughter’s boyfriend,” Tony comments before anyone speaks up about what she had just said.
Yelena leans back against his sister. “Oh.” She glances up at the map before letting out a yawn. “Why are you looking at Hydra compound bases?”
The room freezes and Yelena shifts to make herself small at the stares.
“These are places that Ross frequents…” Tony replies slowly. “That he’s been to over the past month. Are you saying--”
Yelena takes another few moments to look at the map. “I know the bases. I’m not lying.”
“Nobody accused you of lying, little one,” Natasha wraps her arms around her.
“Are you saying that General Ross is Hydra?” Sam pipes up.
“Sounds like it,” Murmurs of agreement went through the room.
“Great. We have agreed that this Ross is Hydra. I am tired. Can we go to bed?” Yelena asked, glancing around the room.
Nobody seemed to want to argue with a cranky teenage assassin so they nod and slowly start to get up.
“Good. Meeting over,” Yelena turns toward her sister. “Can we go to bed now?”
She enjoys the way that Natasha laughs as her sister wraps her arms around her.
“Of course we can,” Natasha stands, wrapping an arm around Yelena to guide her down to their bedroom.
Yelena curls up in bed, happy that Natasha had finally finished.
“You know, the meeting would have been a lot quicker if I was there,” Yelena mumbles, settling up against Natasha when her older sister lays down.
“It would have,” Natasha nods her head in agreement.
“But you stuck me with Wanda because the others think I’m too little,” Yelena rolls her eyes with a huff. “I am not a little girl anymore. I am not six. This is not Ohio.”
“You’re right,” Natasha’s fingers slide through Yelena’s hair. “I’m sorry for keeping you from a meeting that you had every right to be at.”
Yelena didn’t expect her to just… agree. She thought she’d have to put up some sort of fight or argue about it.
“I want you to just get to be normal,” Natasha continues, stroking Yelena’s head. “But you’re not normal. I know that.”
Yelena rests her head on Natasha’s chest.
“This is your life. I shouldn’t be keeping you out of making choices that impact you,” Natasha sighs softly. “I’m sorry. You deserve to have a say.”
“Thank you…” Yelena was quiet for a few moments, listening to the sound of Natasha’s heart. “For trying to protect me.”
“I’m your big sister, that’s my job,” Natasha presses her lips against Yelena’s forehead gently and Yelena closes her eyes, letting out a hum of content.
She falls asleep not long after that, absolutely exhausted.