Chapter Text
June, 1992
Men were very loud, judging by the two men currently wrapped in each other’s arms. They let go, and continued speaking, their words dulled by the metal frame of the car the two little girls sat in.
“Come on, Yelena. It’s time to go see Mommy and Daddy now.” The older girl climbed out of the car, walking over to the other side to let the toddler out. She walked to the other side of the car, opening the door and freeing Yelena. Yelena sat on her hip and refused to let go.
Natalia- no, Natasha, that was her name now- huffed. She stood awkwardly in the driveway. Dreykov was speaking with Melina and Alexi about something that she imagined was important. And shouldn’t interrupt the adults. But then she remembered their cover for why they came separately.
“Mommy! Daddy! I missed you!” She squealed, running and tripping into the woman’s arms.
Melina laughed. “I missed you too, Natasha! And Yelena! My sweet baby!” She took the baby into her arms.
The blonde smiled. “Mommy!”
Natasha could not imagine how much training it took ahead of time to get Yelena to call the spies her parents already. She herself had only been drilled in Dreykov’s office last night.
“There’s my girls! Did you have fun with Uncle John?” Alexei thundered.
“Yes, Dad,” Natasha groaned, biting down every instinct that said it was disrespectful. “Can I see my room now?”
The man chuckled. “Of course, Natasha. Let’s go see!”
The house was typical of the time and location, Natasha knew. But it was so different than the Red Room. It would be so strange, having only one other girl around, who wasn’t even her age. Not that Natasha spent much time with girls her age, she excelled far too much, but those girls were older than her, not younger.
They got to a door decorated with flower stickers and a sign that said “Natasha.” A desk with books and writing utensils was on the opposite the wall from the door, and there was a dresser beside it. The bed was a full sized mattress, sheets and comforter decorated with princesses. A pink canopy hung from the ceiling over the bed. A second door opened up into a bathroom that she would be sharing with her new sister, Yelena. Her bedroom was almost as fancy as a new Madame’s room, when she had been given special permission to see one.
She barely noticed the adults leave to show Yelena her bedroom. She wanted to stay in this moment of good things forever.
After Dreykov left, Mel-Mom declared that it was bath time. Natasha hadn’t had a real bath since she was smaller than Yelena. Mom got the water running, frequently taking the temperature with her wrist. Natasha wondered where she had learned that. Widows couldn’t be mothers. Madams definitely couldn’t be.
“Will you share with your sister?” Mom asked. “We’re running much later than we were supposed to because of that storm.” Natasha hadn’t know that there was a storm. She nodded in affirmation. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good girl. Can you go get her, please? The tub is all filled up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She entered the toddler’s room to find her playing on the floor. “Come on, Yelena. It’s bath time.”
Yelena followed her to the bathroom. They undressed and got in the tub. Both girls sat awkwardly as Melina bathed them.
The door squeaked. Natasha looked up and got a face full of water. Dad was laughing, water gun in hand. Natasha folded her legs to her chest
“Alexei!” Mom snapped. “It’s not playtime!”
“Says who?” He sprayed her with the water gun. Yelena laughed. Natasha was stunned. She didn’t quite know what to do.
“Give that here, you son of a bitch!” Melina charged him. She wrestled the gun out of his hand and sprayed him with it.
“Language! Fine, girls. If your mother won’t let us have some fun, we’ll have to make some.” He leaned over the tub, turning on the faucet. Natasha pushed herself against the wall. Dad spilled some soap under the running water. It started to bubble up.
Yelena and Natasha watched, fixated as the bubbles spread across the tub. Alexei scooped some up, placing them on his chin. “How do you like my beard, girls?” Yelena giggled. “You’re a tough nut to crack, Natasha.”
She shrugged. She was nervous. She didn’t want to do the wrong thing around him, especially not now, when she was already naked. He seemed about as oblivious to that as he was to her anxiety, though. He kept trying, and soon Yelena had played her way into exhaustion. Natasha dried off and got into her nightgown. He laid down, feeling a little more secure when Mom cuffed her to the bed frame.
Natasha woke, curled onto her new bed, and studied the darkened room. There was a window, but the blinds and curtains were closed, rustling under the breeze from the ceiling fan.
She shifted, feeling the handcuffs nipping into her skin. Mel-Mom had done them too tightly. Oh, well. Nothing she could do about it. The blankets were soft though. That was nice.
Her hair stuck to her cheek, still damp from the bath. She glanced over at the clock again. 2:25AM. She needed to go back to sleep soon. She didn’t know what was going to happen in the morning. What did a typical American morning entail?
There were footsteps outside her door. Heavy ones. They had to be Dad’s. She squeezed her eyes shut, silently begging him to walk past. He stopped. The door creaked. She stayed still, keeping her breaths slow and even. Maybe if he thought that she was asleep, he would leave her alone. He walked over to the bed. Keeping her breathing steady was nearly impossible as her stomach twisted. He stroked her hair back. She felt his hand on her chain wrist and her the clicking of a key. The tightness on her wrist relaxed, giving her room to wiggle it around, if she wasn’t pretending to be asleep.
“I can tell you are awake, my girl.”
Natasha cracked an eye open. Maybe it would be fast. Maybe he only wanted her to touch him. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad the first time with him. Maybe he would be gentle.
The bed sank as he took a seat. “Nightmare?”
She nodded tentatively. This couldn’t be going anywhere good.
“I used to have nightmares frequently as a child. My mother would always sing to me. Much like her, I am a very good singer.”
Natasha couldn’t help but giggle. She had heard him in the living room earlier, when she was sent to bed. He was very bad.
“Oh, you don’t think so?” Dad asked. “Let me get some backup. Melina! Can I sing?”
“If you count the death cries of a pig as singing, sure.”
Natasha really laughed that time. She was so in trouble for disrespect, but it was funny!
“Alright, alright, no lullabies for you, picky-picky. As if you could do better.” He tucked her tighter into the blanket. “You need to get some sleep, little one. We have lots of neighbors to meet and games to play. Maybe Mommy will make us waffles for breakfast. Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Waffles are mission food.” Natasha mumbled, yawning.
“We don’t go on missions, silly.” Dad gently reminded her. “But I’m sure that you can have waffles every week if you want them. Even with chocolate chips.”
“What’s a chocolate chip?”
Alexei translated the words into Russian, but she still didn’t know what he meant.
“Oh, no. We have to fix that! A big girl like you, seven years old, doesn’t know what a chocolate chip is? Mommy and I will have a special treat for you in the morning if you just go on to sleep now.”
Natasha nodded, yawning again.
“Someone’s sleepy.” Dad kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning, darling.” He turned off the lights as he left the room, gently shutting the door.
Natasha’s eyes drooped. She yawned and snuggled into her blankets. She should go back to sleep. Nothing bad had happened so far. Maybe nothing bad would happen. If she went back to sleep, she could live in that fantasy that much longer…