a/n - yes yes, i have not been punctual. too many assignments and tests, school is on the mission to kill me ;-; also no typo check whoopsies. 

also uh gore? trying out some stuff, trying to make this stories better. let me know if it is good or bad, dont need to hold back. also this shit is hard to edit on this app (i'm on comp), like it is so laggy and for what?

2nd September 2012

"Jesus," Irmina exclaimed as her face scared the shit out of her, being plastered on the TV. It seems like people just found about her little date with Natasha, not that it is their business anyways. Marlene chuckled, switching to another channel as they sorted through paperwork. "At least this is better than in the forties."

"How so?"

"Alan Turing, the man that decodes the encryption of German Enigma machines and yet was chemically castrated because he loved men." Irmina stated, head buried in paperwork as Marlene could see the frustration. "He was a hero and still treated like a dog because he was different."

"The forties sucks no?"

"Yeah—well, there was a war, that threatened everyone's livelihood."

Marlene chuckled, watching Irmina break into a small smile after her very small joke. It wasn't a joke that works with everyone but she doesn't exactly have great memories in the War except for some days.

"So our kids."

"What about our kids?"

"Anna have been bringing Max's grades by a long shot and they are dating."

"Yes and you have a problem?"

"No, not at all, I was thinking about your thoughts about them."

"As long as Max don't do anything stupid, I'm fine. He is a good kid, so I am not complaining."

Irmina picked up another phone call, looking out of the window to see her soldiers marching and singing a cadence. She was talking to the President about the new development she placed and also about the Memorial, which will bring all the veterans together, especially the one from World War Two.

"I'll provide with the alcohol, I know what they like," Irmina chuckled, finishing the paperwork and handing it to Marlene. A knock on the door interrupted the two of them, Irmina nodded at Marlene, allowing her to answer the door. Adelaide walked in with lunch, smirking as she surprised Marlene with another box of lunch.

"You two needs to get out of this office. I know its cosy and all, you need the base to see around and about."

Irmina chuckle softly, packing up her paperwork as Marlene pulled the chair for the Colonel. The Lieutenant General have been really wondering if she should promote the Colonel but she isn't sure if Adelaide would like to do paperwork only which would bore her to death.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Thinking of promoting you, Colonel—to Brigadier General. Don't you ever think of being a one-star General?"

"God no!" Marlene laughed at the Colonel's response and Irmina was taken aback. To anyone else, people would love to be promoted. More pay, easier workload as compared to being an actual soldier fighting for their lives. "No action! I have to stay put! I mean look at you, three-star General!"

"Hey! I do whatever I want!"

"I like being away for months and come back."

"Well, you are still here."

"No shit, you haven't gave me an assignment, except training the KSKs."

"Darling," Irmina said, putting her finger up and a headache just hits her as another phone call she received. From an Admiral, which is very strange. It is quite rare to have the Navy calling her, something special or strange must be happening. "König—Admiral! This is something different."

A laugh slipped from her lips as she continued with the call while Adelaide and Marlene looked at each other, quite confused. Never once, Irmina had a work call and a genuine laugh escaped from her mouth. The Colonel urged her to eat her lunch, knowing that it will be forgotten if Irmina continued to prolong the call.

—.—

"Well, good evening," Natasha chuckle as Irmina crawled onto her the moment she tossed her keys on the coffee table and bag on to the carpeted floor. The Redhead was comfortably sitting on the sofa, reading some files that Irmina ignore because she couldn't care less. "Should I order dinner?"

Irmina grumble on to her chest, arms slipping behind Natasha's back. The two moved around a little to make sure that both are equally comfortable. The younger woman laughed at Irmina's grumbling before hearing the words, informing that she already ordered them food. Natasha fixed that messy helmet hair as Irmina shuts her eyes for a quick second.

They enjoyed the comfortable silence before Anna and her lovely boyfriend entered the apartment. Irmina let out a groan while Natasha laughed when Anna apologetically apologised to her mom, lying on top of her and crushed Natasha.

The door bell ran and Max got up.

"I got it."

"D-dad?" Max stuttered and Irmina immediately got up. Anna walked up to Max, holding on to his arm. Irmina stood in front of the kids, glaring at the man.

"You are not supposed to be here," Irmina greeted through her teeth, pushing Max's father away as he tried to step inside the apartment. "How the fuck did you even find my apartment?"

Natasha took the kids away as Irmina stand her ground, not inching from her position as the absent father tried to make his way in.

"Bastian?" Marlene's voice echoed through the hallways as she found her ex-husband, who was very angry and drunk. "Have you been following my son?!"

"I want my son back!"

"You left him for his entire life! You don't get to demand when you want him back!" Marlene shouted, Irmina took the food from her hands and helped with the jacket.

Once Irmina came back, she caught Bastian's arm.

"You dare lay your hands on my Captain, Lieutenant?" Irmina whispered, pulling Marlene behind her. She grabbed on to her shirt and pulled him in. "Do you want your career to be gone in an instant? If you must, I'll do it."

"Who the fuck are you? This whore doesn't deserve anything!" He spat in her face, trying to break free from Irmina's grip, which only tightened.

"Maybe you should remind yourself of who is running the fucking Army, Lieutenant Stein."

"Generallautnant König, everything okay?" An off duty Military Police echoed as he got out of his apartment, hearing the commotion. The soldiers like to surround themselves with other soldiers to feel a sense of belonging. The rent is cheap too. "Captain Ackermann?"

"W-what?"

"Arrest Lieutenant Bastian Stein," Irmina ordered while the Military Police ran into his apartment to get his gear. "Danke, Winter."

Bastian tried not to resist, knowing the consequences could be dire as he already disrespected a three-star general with witnesses. As he was dragged away by a couple of her men, Marlene fall to the ground, hyperventilating, and Irmina went to her aid within seconds.

"Captain, it's okay," Irmina whispered, her hands went to her face, trying to make Marlene focus on her. "Marlene, darling."

"Mama?" Max whispered, kneeling in front of the very woman that did not abandon him no matter what. Not even a helicopter crash can separate the two of them.

"What should we do about the Lieutenant?" Another one of her MP voiced, standing a good distance away not to crowd around his comrade. They knew how it felt, no matter what their experiences might be. How different they were, most soldiers understood each other. Irmina, the only person alive, to know how it felt and truly understand their traumas.

—————

A chuckle left Natasha's lips when she found her lovely girlfriend propped by her hand, asleep in her office. Her hand still holding the pen tightly as she soundly slept. Natasha assumed that Irmina fell asleep as she wrote whatever she was writing.

Irmina woke up to the sound of knocking on her door frame. Her tired smile, her sea blue eyes trying to focus and she stretched while Natasha watched every little detail. The way Irmina's brows furrowed together when the stretching hit the right spot. The slightly opened lips, the tilted back head and the soft grunts, Natasha couldn't think anything innocent about this scene when Irmina was exactly the same in another, nothing innocent about that.

"I find it offensive."

"Hm?"

"You have an extremely attractive in your very soft bed, nothing more you could have ask. Yet you are here, in your office, sleeping umcomfortably. I'm warmer than usual."

"Sorry Darling—"

"We can sleep on the floor," Natasha voiced, surprising Irmina. "You always sleep better in the most uncomfortable places and positions."

"No, no, I'll join you in bed."

"I'll be on the couch and I'll be fine. Come."

"Are you sure, Princess?"

"Yes, so come." Natasha reached out her hand, waiting by the door for Irmina to take it. The older woman let put a soft chuckle as she packed up her stuff and quickly joined Natasha. Irmina laughed, seeing that Natasha already prepared where they were going to sleep. Her coffee table was pushed forward to have more space. A folded blanket and two pillows on the carpeted floor.

"Oh you know me so well," Irmina teased, rearranging the pillows for Natasha to be more comfortable on the sofa. Natasha still standing there, uncertain if she would like to be uncomfortable on the sofa or uncomfortable on the floor with Irmina. "What?"

"Second thought—" Irmina smirked, letting out a deep exhale, patiently waiting. "I'll join you on the floor."

"Do not complain if your back hurts in the morning."

"I'll indefinitely complain."

—..—

"Nat?" Anna said, behind the couch, to see her mom adorably cuddled in Natasha's arm while Natasha was reading a book. "What do you want for breakfast? I'm making it."

"What can you make?"

"Pancakes, eggs, bacon and smoothies."

"Pancakes and eggs, a smoothie is good too. Please and thank you."

Anna nodded, with a slight wink and headed to make breakfast. Natasha shifted her position as Irmina tucked her head under chin, like a little puppy. The Redhead could hear yawning as a door open, she presumed its Anna's door since Max stayed over. Marlene sleeps in whenever she has the chance to, the woman will wake up at 4 in the afternoon when Max is in school.

"Do people in this family wake up this early?"

"Yes, we do," Natasha chuckled, seeing the bed hair. "Sometimes, we don't."

"Anna? Can I help?" Max turned to his girlfriend as he tried to fix his hair.

"Shower first."

Max let out a deep sigh and nodded, trotting to Anna's room and take his things for a shower. Anna informed Natasha will be done in ten minutes so she could maybe wake Irmina up soon. Her hands, abandoned the book, running through her soft hair that is due to be washed soon. Soft kisses onto her forehead. A soft groan slipped from Irmina's lips as her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Morning, Baby," Natasha whispered onto her skin and Irmina's eyes barely opened as her skin felt the heat of the sun. "Mina, your daughter made breakfast."

"Hm—I do not mind a cold breakfast."

"My back hurts."

"I told you," Irmina mumbled on to her collarbone. Natasha just laughed in response, running her hands on Irmina's back as she let her to take her time. The older woman let out another deep exhale before slowly got up, completely confused with everything.

"Why do you look so confused every time you wake up?" Natasha teased and received a soft scoff from her girlfriend. Irmina lightly smacked her thigh as she slowly stood up and noticed Anna, quickly plating their breakfast.

"Morning Max."

"Gud Morgen Mina."

Irmina went to check on her dear captain first before washing up. A chuckle slipped out under her breath when she found Marlene cuddling a pillow and a blanket wrapped tightly around her body. She slept like a baby and Irmina did not want to disturb her in any way.

Anna slapped her boyfriend's hand when he started his breakfast without everyone at the table. The boy scowled at her, grumbling under his breath and waited patiently for Irmina. The Redhead kicked Anna's shin and she received a big pout from her.

"Jesus, we are hitting each other before breakfast now?" Irmina sighed, letting out a yawn and joined the table beside Natasha.

Between bites, Anna shared an absurd story about her dream about being chased by zombies. They laughed at her its because she always watched those apocalypse movies and shows. Eventually she will dream about them or perhaps, in another life.

The room filled with conversations that seamlessly flowed from one topic to another, creating a tapestry of connection and love. Irmina made sure Natasha properly ate, Max hopelessly in love as he stared at Anna—his first love. It may be young love, but one he hoped that he has the chance to spend his life with Anna in it. Anna doesn't show it but she hoped that too.

"Man, I missed eating pancakes," Kaiser voiced as the other shadows agreed before they roamed around the neighborhood. Aki let out a deep sigh and they seem to notice.

"Is it bad that I feel jealous of Natasha?"

"No," Spritz replied, understanding her. "You would have spent the rest of your lives together if you could."

"But sucks to suck, we died and she needs to move on," Wolf voiced, laughing at a kid that just fall flat on his face. Aki slapped his biceps as if he could still feel pain. "Oh! So painful!"

"Actual child."

"Hey, that is no way to spesk to your elders, young lady!"

"Please we are the same age, I died later."

"I got seniority in that."

"Eh."

Irmina turn away to sneeze and of course Natasha laughed because when Irmina sneeze, the look on her face is always adorable.

"Are you sick?"

"It is impossible for me to get sick—you know that, Sweetheart."

"Um—Mina, why is it you can say all those pet names easily?" Max asked since he always felt weird of even thinking of calling anyone pet names despite how confident he is.

"I am from the 40s. Don't people use them anymore?"

"We do—mostly creeps," Anna answered before pursing her lips, hiding her laugh when she saw the slight panic in her mother's eyes.

"I'm not a creep, am I?" Irmina turned to them, trying to justify herself and panicking. No one said anything to her about it. Fits of laughter filled the room when no one answered Irmina. "Romanov?"

"Oh, you are a creep."

"W-what?" The older woman exasperated before a phone ringing interrupted their breakfast. She went to get her phone while Anna and Natasha continued to laugh, bullying Irmina. They heard stuff scrambling around in the background as they continued with breakfast.

Natasha sighed, knowing full well Irmina is being called in. Anna was very annoyed—why is it that her mother is always called when there so many other three-star general?

"I am so sorry."

Irmina equally annoyed as she out on her uniform, remembering where she was going.

"I am afraid this is a S.H.I.E.L.D problem. I—" Irmina took another deep breath, "The King of Wakanda wants King dead."

"What?" Anna whispered, slowly standing up. She can't lose anyone else or she will go down a spiral. Irmina could see the panic in her eyes and she didn't want to leave but it was for Anna's sake. Maybe she could sweet talk the King but what she did decades ago could not be forgiven.

"I will do everything I can to come back to you."

"But—"

"If I do come home, dead, my dear daughter, I never meant to leave you. Alone in this forsaken world." Irmina whispered, slowly pulling Anna for a hug—that could probably be the last. The teenager broke down in Irmina's arms while Max stood away, not knowing what to do til his mom hugged him.

"Are you going too?"

"I am ordered not to go."

"Sorry."

"It's okay—I wanted to stay," Marlene said, running her through her son's hair. He was relieved for the most part. Irmina managed to calm Anna down, before Natasha headed to their room to get her gear. With a heavy heart, Irmina placed a kiss on Anna's forehead and went to get her katanas and gear. "She will be fine."

"She told me once about Wakanda. They were the only ones managed to almost kill her."

—.—

A shaky leg, trembling hands, and uneven breathing were all that could be seen from King. Natasha sat beside the Assassin, worried for the two of them. Just like Anna, she cannot lose Irmina—not after everything. The usually calm and composed King is now completely terrified as they were closing onto Wakanda's lands.

Natasha and Maria would be accompanying the King as they waited to be picked up by one of the tribes, that were in charge of Wakanda's borders. Immediately, the subdued the masked woman and the other two agents couldn't do anything but to stand and watch as they were ordered—by Irmina herself.

There were a lot of stares as the continued to walk to the throne room, Irmina wasn't panicking—she was guilty that her death might be out of her hands. The Dora Milaje stood in formation as they waited for Irmina to be in their possession before dragging her to the Council.

"My King! The Assassin has arrived!" Okoye announces, glancing at her sisters as a signal. Two of the Dora Milaje brought down their spears and blocked the two Agents following Irmina. "Remove your mask."

Irmina hesitated as her hands frozen in place. She shuts her eyes, taking a deep breath and slowly removed her mask.

"You dare to continue your life when you took our General."

"I had no control," Irmina tried to explain while the King took a step closer. "I was forced to."

"Was there anyone to help you? How did you even managed to infiltrate our lands?" The Border tribe elder voiced, as they were blamed for years for the death of their General.

"No one—your people are loyal till the end and no, I do not recall how I infiltrated your lands."

"You dare to lie, King?" Okoye said to her, knocking the back of Irmina's knee with her spear and made her kneel down in front of the Tribal Council. Her spear pointed at Irmina's throat, piercing the skin slightly. Natasha stepped forward, only to be pushed back by Okoye's right hand.

"If you do not want to die, I suggest you stay where you are," she whispered but the fear in Natasha's eyes wasn't for herself. The raised hand from the King scared her more than anything in her life.

"Fight back! You are King—the worst of all killers!" Okoye bellowed when Irmina only dodge the attacks. It was clear that Okoye will only kill her when she fights back. The General might be the only warrior in the entire world would hate Irmina more than anything else. She was a student directly under the former General, who took her under her wing. She was the closest thing Okoye had to a mother.

Irmina spoke in Xhosa—the Wakandans were taken aback, realising she could have understood everything no matter what. Maria and Natasha were forced to watch Irmina only defending herself. They could not win with four of the Dora Milaje holding them on a leash. Irmna's shadows wre hooked in place to only protect the two agents and nothing else. 

Not even to save her life. 

The Assassin was out of breath as she let them kick her, taunt her as they pierced through her armor which could almost be on par with the technology of this secret nation, which she made by hand and not much help. Irmina only fear was leaving Anna behind but there is nothing she could do. If she fights, 20 highly trained Dora Milaje could take her out but if she keeps on defending, just four highly trained Dora Milaje could kill her.

Even worse, if they put her into ice, forcing her to lose the life she had. Because to anyone who was taunted by nightmares as a killer or warrior, could tell that she had accepted her death—for a very long time.

They were running out of patience while Irmina running out of will to keep standing her ground.

"Fight back!" Natasha shouted, Irmina turned to the Redhead with a weak smile. "Fight for your daughter!"

The King and his council were in disbelief to hear such a killer to even have a daughter—to care for a live when she took more than she could be forgiven. However, they did not stop the Dora Milaje—Okoye could not care less about the child. Maria's hand inching towards the hidden knife in her sleeve, figuring out any way to pass it to Irmina.

They confiscated the katanas and their weapons upon their arrival.

The General stopped her sisters, noticing Irmina shuts her eyes and recollecting her calm. She realised Irmina will fight back—no hesitation to let Irmina to completely take all the time in the world. Her breathing quicken when Irmina easily caught her spear. Their eyes locked—the dull eyes of a terrifying killer staring into the angry eyes of a grieving daughter.

However, Irmina has no intention to kill any of them but to subdue them. She made a promise that she will not walk out of Wakanda, if she did, with any blood on hers hand unless it was her own.

The Woman made sure she did not step too close to the Council, if not her head would have been on the ground faster than she could have comprehend.

The Warriors could feel their sore and tensed muscles, the exhaustion in their limbs as blood pounded through their body while Irmina just getting started to attack. Their sweat dripped from their head—the taste of salt in their mouth. Hands laid on the Warriors were quickly rid off as a spear went for the Assassin's neck.

The sea-blue eyes flitting all over the place, trying to keep track of each of the women who's mission is to kill her. The clanging of spears of hitting one another, the adrenaline made them shaky with their hits—tiring them out. The smell of blood and sweat filled their nostrils whenever they go too close to one another.

Irmina had made them bleed and tired as the only task her brain accepted was to survive. Okoye slit her Achilles, forcing Irmina to fall on to her knee. With a war cry, Okoye brought her spear with full force on to Irmina's calf, pinning her leg to the ground. Ayo tossed her spear to Okoye, with everything she had—jumping off the platform, the General brought the spear through Irmina's chest.

Okoye stared into Irmina's eyes—in shock, driving the spear deeper while her warrior retrieved the spear from her calf which the older woman didn't even realise. Irmina coughed up blood, being held in place by Okoye, she tried to stopped the spear to go any further but her arms slowly went limp.

Natasha couldn't control her emotions this time—her tears fell on the ground as she screamed for Irmina. She tried to push through the Dora Milaje, only to fail. Maria felt her throat tightened with her gasping for air, frozen in place.

They both watched the blood seeped out of Irmina's body as she fall to the ground. The panic Irmina felt when she laid in her own blood and blurry figures of the Dora Milaje watching her life slowly slipped away from her grasps. The pain in her throat, coughing out more blood—finding air for her lungs while she continued to choke on her own blood. Rapid, wheezing breaths were all they could hear before Natasha's pleading.

"Please! I beg of you to show mercy—"

"When she killed our beloved General?" Okoye spat, eyes trained on Irmina losing the strength to fight.

"Show mercy to her daughter," Natasha cried, slowly tiring herself out against the women warriors. "Her name is Anna—she is the only thing the kid has! After all of her family died—please I beg of you, to save Anna from going down a spiral that I am afraid she will never recover. She is only 15 and at 15 she had just lost her parents, grandmother, her life in a span of three years."

The King sat in silence, reminded of a bad decision he made in the past—a secret he will hold for a very long time. The Tribal Council expressed their voices of letting Irmina continue to bleed out to he death. He looked over to the silent Commander before returning to his attention on Natasha—they both love Irmina till their dying breaths.

Conflicted thoughts were all that he had—the memory of hearing the news of the death of his closest friend, the thought of his children losing their father upon hearing about Anna. Does he want Irmina to die? No—he wanted King to die.

But they are the same person.

The same question that was among the crowd of his thoughts.

'Is the woman more of a monster or a survivor?'

"Okoye," his voice beamed through the throne room as he stood up, "Forgive me, General. Bring Lieutenant General König to the our doctors."

"But my King! We finally, just finally, could have brought justice for her death—we have King in our hands."

"She is not King." T'Chaka voiced, no room for them to debate. "She is Lieutenant General Irmina Koing. We will not kill a woman of high ranks of the German Military and a mother."

"But—"

"Do you want to disobey your King? She is not the assassin we thought she was. She is not the mindless killer we have witness. She is not King of Hydra."