The night was dark and silent as Y/n, now a trained and conditioned operative, slipped out of Valentina's compound. Clad in black tactical gear, she moved with the stealth and precision drilled into her by weeks of grueling training. Her mind was focused on the mission ahead, and the contained rage that Valentina had so relentlessly ingrained in her drove her every move.

The Avengers compound was a fortress of technology and security, but Y/n knew its vulnerabilities. Information fed to her by Valentina detailed the best points of entry and the schedule of the guards. She bypassed the perimeter defenses and slipped through a service entrance, her movements silent and efficient.

Inside, she moved like a shadow, her knowledge of the compound guiding her steps. She avoided the main hallways, sticking to maintenance corridors and unused rooms. Her objective was clear: gather intel and find a way to bring Natasha to her knees.

Y/n made her way to the operations room, where she hoped to find valuable information. As she was downloading data from a secure terminal, she heard footsteps approaching. She quickly hid behind a large server rack, her heart pounding.

The door opened, and Clint Barton entered, his sharp eyes scanning the room. He approached the terminal, noticing the active download.

"What the—?" he muttered, drawing his bow instinctively.

Y/n stepped out, her hands raised slightly. "Clint, wait. It's me."

Clint's eyes widened in shock. "Y/n? What the hell are you doing here?"

Y/n's mind raced, the training kicking in. "I escaped, now I'm here to help. Valentina's been planning something big, and I needed to get this information to stop her."

Clint frowned, lowering his bow slightly but still wary. "Natasha said you didn't trust us anymore. What's changed?"

Y/n hesitated, the conflicting emotions battling within her. "I realized I was wrong. I know I made a mistake."

Clint nodded, still cautious. "We need to get you to Natasha. She'll want to know you're here."

Y/n nodded, feigning agreement. "Lead the way."

Clint led Y/n through the compound, his presence a shield against suspicion. They reached Natasha's quarters, where she was reviewing mission reports. She looked up, surprise and relief flooding her features as she saw Y/n.

"Y/n!" Natasha exclaimed, rushing to embrace her.

Y/n stiffened at the contact, her mind screaming the mantra drilled into her by Valentina. So instead, she said,  "Nat," her voice steady, "we need to talk. Valentina's planning something, and I need your help to stop her."

Natasha pulled back, her eyes filled with concern. "Tell me everything."

Y/n began to relay the false information Valentina had given her, weaving a story designed to lure the Avengers into a trap. She described a fictitious weapons cache and a planned attack, the details vivid and convincing.

Natasha listened intently, her trust in Y/n overriding her suspicions. "We need to act fast. Clint, get the team together. We move out in ten." 

Clint nodded, leaving the room to gather the others. Natasha turned back to Y/n, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and serenity.

"I'm so glad you came back," Natasha said softly. "We'll stop Valentina together."

Y/n forced a smile, the conflict within her intensifying. "Yes, together."

The Avengers mobilized quickly, preparing for the mission based on Y/n's intel. Y/n stayed close to Natasha, her role as the insider guide ensuring she was always at the heart of the operation. They boarded the Quinjet, flying towards the location Y/n had provided.

As they neared the site, Y/n's heart pounded. She knew this was the moment of truth. The site was heavily guarded, as expected. Natasha and the team prepared to engage, unaware of the trap they were walking into.

As the Avengers moved into position, the ambush was sprung. Valentina's forces attacked from all sides, the element of surprise turning the battle in their favor. Natasha fought fiercely, but the overwhelming numbers began to take their toll.

"Y/n, fall back!" Natasha shouted, protecting her with a series of well-placed shots.

Y/n hesitated, the indoctrination warring with her lingering loyalty to Natasha. She saw Valentina in the distance, her smile one of triumph.

"Remember what she did to you," Valentina's voice echoed in her mind. "Natasha betrayed you."

Y/n's resolve hardened. She aimed her weapon at Natasha, the betrayal complete.

Natasha turned, her eyes widening in shock as she saw the gun pointed at her. "Y/n, no—"

Before Y/n could pull the trigger, Clint tackled her, knocking the gun from her hands. "What the hell are you doing?"

Y/n struggled, but Clint's grip was firm. "She had always been the bad guy Clint, don't you see it?!"

Clint's eyes filled with pain and understanding. "No, Y/n. That's what Valentina wants you to believe. She's manipulating you."

The words cut through Y/n's rage, a flicker of doubt surfacing, but she suppressed it. "Natasha's the one who's manipulating me, Valentina let me see the truth."

Natasha, wounded but still fighting, looked at Y/n with desperate eyes. "No, I only did what I know that will keep you safe."

Natasha's words drifted into the background as the sound of car tires neared the area, which caused the battle to a pause as they all turned to look what or who it was. SHIELD was written on the side of the car with its logo.

"Fuck," Y/n muttered only for her to hear. "Now we've got a problem."

"What the hell is going on here?" Nick Fury was holding a gun on one hand while the other was held up into the air, signaling SHIELD Agents to surround the place. Within a few minutes guns were everywhere, the air thick with tension as everything seemed to stop in eerie.

With this Y/n took the opportunity to tangle away from Clint's arm, standing as far away from them as she could.

"Y/n we meet again," Fury acknowledged her.

"It seems so, what are you here for Director?" She had venom in her words. She doesn't like what was happening, with Fury being here and Valentina unknown, she does not know what to do.

"I'm here for you," he said.

"Sir—" Barton didn't get to finish it as Fury glared at him.

"Alright," Fury sighed. "Listen goons of Valentina, here's my proposal, you can walk out of here alive or fight us till death, it's your choice."

They glanced at each other, thinking it through, while Y/n was clearly convincing them to fight.
"If we walk away Valentina will kill us either way," one of them spoke and others agreed, bringing a smirk across Y/n's lips.

"It's no use, Director, we will not yield," Y/n added, gaining looks from the three. "I've been through so much for all of this to go to waste."

"You know what Y/n," Natasha spoke, making Y/n look at her. "It doesn't even matter anymore." She had enough of this, if she can't get you through words then she'll do it the harder way. "Valentina left you, you're a pawn in her game and you let her use you. You said you wanted revenge then why are you standing on the wrong side of war?"

"Because this is the right way, it's always been you all along. To be frank Natasha, I started to doubt myself that what if I was wrong? That what if I had been gaslighting myself these past few months because you made me believe you were innocent, you are not. This right here only proves that all of you want me locked up." Y/n pointed the gun she was holding at Natasha.
"You're the villain of my story, But in everybody else's, I'm their villain."

Natasha's expression softened, realization hitting her as Y/n's word registered. "Y/n, I never wanted this for you. We were supposed to be a family. We still can be."

Y/n's grip on the gun tightened, her knuckles white. "Family? You took everything from me."

Nick Fury stepped forward, his gaze steady and unwavering. "Y/n, you still have a choice. You don't have to let Valentina control you anymore." But Y/n can't trust him. 

The room grew tense as the standoff continued, each side waiting for the other to make a move. Y/n's mind raced, the conflicting emotions and memories battling within her. She has been fooled for years now, she has been fed up with lies.

Before she could make a decision, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room. Clint Barton stepped forward, his expression one of cautious hope. "Y/n, we've all made mistakes. But we can fix this together."

Y/n's eyes darted between Natasha, Fury, and the others, her confusion mounting. "I... I don't know who to believe."

Natasha took a step forward, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Y/n, listen to your heart. You know the truth. Valentina has been using you, manipulating you."

The tension in the room was palpable, every eye on Y/n as she stood at the crossroads of her decision. The words of those she once considered family echoed in her mind, the weight of her choices pressing down on her.

Finally, Y/n took a deep breath, lowering her gun slightly. "I... I can't keep you taking my justice away."

One of Valentina's lieutenants, a fierce-looking woman named Larisa, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed. "Y/n, you betray Valentina, you betray all of us. Don't be foolish."

Y/n's looked at her, eyebrows furrowed, she knows what she's going to do. She turned to Natasha, her voice steady. "I'm done being her puppet."

Natasha's expression was one of relief and hope. "We'll help you, Y/n. We'll make this right."

Before anyone could react, Fury moved in swiftly, signaling his agents. "Y/n, you're under arrest. For your safety and ours."

Y/n's eyes widened in surprise. "What? No, you can't do this! I'm on your side now!"

Fury's face was unyielding. "It's for your own good. We need to make sure you're not a threat."

SHIELD agents moved quickly, securing Y/n's arms and leading her to one of their vehicles. Natasha, Steve and Clint followed, concern etched on their faces.

Natasha tried to reach out to Y/n. "It's okay, Y/n. We'll sort this out. Just trust us."

Y/n struggled against the agents, her fear and anger bubbling to the surface. "You said we were a family! You said you trusted me!"

Fury gave a curt nod to one of his agents, who produced a tranquilizer. "This is for your own good, Y/n. We can't risk you trying to escape."

Y/n's eyes widened in panic as the agent approached. "No! Please, don't do this!"

The tranquilizer was administered quickly and efficiently. Y/n's struggles slowed, her eyelids growing heavy as the drug took effect. Natasha watched, her heart breaking as Y/n was gently laid in the back seat of the vehicle.

"She'll be safe," Fury assured Natasha and Clint. "But we need to get her back to the compound and figure out how deep Valentina's control goes."

As the SHIELD convoy prepared to depart, Natasha placed a hand on the car window, watching Y/n's unconscious form. "We'll get you back, Y/n. I promise."

The drive back to the compound was tense and silent. Natasha and Clint exchanged worried glances, the weight of their failure pressing down on them. They had saved Y/n from Valentina's immediate control, but the road to recovery and redemption would be long and fraught with challenges.

Arriving at the SHIELD compound, Y/n was taken to a secure medical facility, where she would be monitored and treated. Natasha stayed close by, determined to be there when Y/n woke up.

Clint joined her, his expression grim. "We'll get through this. Together."

Natasha nodded, her resolve strengthening. "We have to. For Y/n."

As they watched over Y/n, a SHIELD agent approached, holding a file. "Director Fury wanted you to see this. Valentina was captured last night. This attack... it was orchestrated by her lieutenants."

Natasha took the file, her eyes scanning the contents. "So it was all a setup. They wanted to break us."

Clint sighed. "Well, they almost did. But we're still standing."

Natasha looked down at Y/n, her heart aching for the young woman who had been caught in the crossfire. "We'll get her back. And then, we'll make them all pay."

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