Y/n's cell was a chamber of horrors, and her mind had become a battleground, manipulated and broken by Valentina's relentless torture. The words "Natasha betrayed me" echoed in her head, a mantra she had been forced to repeat until it became her reality.

Back at the Avengers compound, the rescue team prepared for their mission. Natasha, Clint, Steve, and a small squad of SHIELD operatives were ready to strike at Valentina's hideout. As for James he went out his own way last night and hasn't come back since.

Director Fury briefed them one last time. "Our objective is clear," Fury said, his voice steady. "Rescue Y/n and capture Valentina if possible. Move out."

The Quinjet cut through the night sky, the team silent and focused. As they approached the compound, tension filled the air. They landed a safe distance away and moved in stealthily, taking out guards.

Getting around the maze-like corridors of Valentina's hideout, Natasha led the team. They reached the cell block, and Natasha's heart pounded as she opened each door, searching for Y/n, but to no vail she was nowhere to be found; for  a few more minutes Natasha was running out of time and hope, both sides of the team started to open fire, bullets missing and hitting everything in sight. Finally, Natasha released a breath when she found her. Y/n was chained and barely conscious.

"Y/n!" Natasha rushed to her, tugging the chains before pulling her into a tight embrace. "I'm here to get you out." She held Y/n's face to get a clear view of her friends face.

Y/n's eyes fluttered open, filled with confusion and fear. She recoiled from Natasha's touch, her voice a broken whisper. "No... stay away from me. You betrayed me."

Natasha's heart sank. "No, Y/n, it's not true. I didn't... I-"

Y/n shook her head, eyes glaring at Nat's. "You testified against me. You put me in that hell."

"Y/n, listen to me," Natasha pleaded, but the sound of approaching guards cut her off.

Clint and Steve moved to cover them. "We need to move, Nat," Steve urged, firing at the guards.

Natasha looked at Y/n, her eyes desperate. "Please, trust me."

Y/n pulled away, chains clanging by the sudden movements, her voice filled with anguish. "I can't. You betrayed me. I'm not going with you."

Valentina's words had been thorough, and Y/n's trust in Natasha was shattered even more. The guards closed in, and the team was forced to retreat, leaving Y/n behind.

The team returned to the Avengers compound, defeated and somber. Director Fury was waiting for them, his face a mix of anger and concern.

"You failed to bring her back," Fury stated, his voice cold. "Valentina is still out there, and now Y/n is even more vulnerable."

Natasha's eyes were filled with pain. "She didn't trust me." She muttered only for her to hear.

Fury's expression softened slightly. "We need to come up with a new plan as soon as we can. We need to infiltrate Y/n before Valentin uses her as her asset against us."

Clint sighed but he sounded alert. "We need to gather more intel and find a way to prove to Y/n that Natasha didn't betray her."

Steve nodded in agreement. "We need to find a way to get through to her. But we can't just charge in again. We need a solid plan."

A silent demeanor engulfed the place, letting their failed attempt of a rescue et them all up. 

Fury sighed then, nodding, before he head out of the room. As the team dispersed, Natasha's thoughts remained on Y/n. Thinking through where it all went wrong. On how she had ended u in a situation like this.

"This shouldn't be happening," James was in vain, he couldn't sleep as his thoughts was filled by her sister, Y/n.

"Oh, so now you care?" He turned to see it was Natasha. "Where the hell were you?" She was frustrated from everything, now here's James, who God forsaken place he went to. " We were expecting you for the mission and you didn't show up?"

James glared at her. "Well I had to do something because clearly none of you even try. All you do is rely on Director Fury on what to do. It's like you can't move without his permission."

"Did it get you somewhere then?" Natasha replied in the same tone as his.

"What?" He'd understood what she said, he just couldn't believe what she was asking him. "Which one of us failed? Which one of us had to say shit to the jury?" He quipped, his words meaning to hurt Nat.

They both had history with each other, they were even called names like 'winter widow', they were like your classic teenage love team; they did everything together, even after the incident happened, some people say they were like Bonnie and Clyde but in reality they were far from what they had. Bucky and Nat had a relationship of some sort because Dreykov loved pairing two humans together, it entertained him. At the beginning of the relationship you could say that the two were doing great, they finished missions together flawlessly, they were a team. But ever since HYDRA got to Bucky things changed. They both lost contact together. And then eventually they left every thing from the past and moved on.

Now they're here again arguing like a child over a girl that was wrongly judged and claimed guilty of  murder she did not even do. It was not the first time though. It seemed like even then Y/n was always the root of argument between the two; Bucky did not like Nat getting close to Y/n even though she's his sister; he didn't like the bond that Nat and Y/n had, which Nat would always defend for, give reasons that it was just friendship what the two girls had, but unfortunately to Y/n it was more than friendship, but Natasha was too oblivious to notice.

But then again every relationship, and every friendship remained in the past just because Natasha had to follow what Valentina wanted. She dropped everything with the belief that if she followed what Valentina wanted she'd keep Y/n away from Dreykov and keep her untouched behind the bars.

Natasha scoffed. "So this was about the past?"

"What else? Isn't that the reason why we're all in a situation like this? It was your arrogance that brought danger to Y/n!" At this point James was screaming in front of Natasha. "So I won't even wonder why she doesn't want to go with you. Because now she probably realizes that you are the villai-"

"Bucky that's enough!" Steve intervened before James could say any more that could further hurt Natasha. "Before you raise your voice at Natasha, you must know that what she did was for your sister's own good."

"Alright fine, if torture is what you call good then fine! My sister is suffering because it's for her own good. Leave her there then, don't waste your sweat and blood trying to go save her." He didn't give any of them a chance to reply before he was out of the door again.

╼ ⚮ ╾