Rina had the flowers tied in a bouquet by ribbon and was skipping through the Tower towards the kitchen for dinner. She had changed out of her normal jeans and t shirt and into a casual sun dress. She loved the feel of the fabric as she skipped. She had told Bucky she would meet him at the kitchen for dinner with everyone but of course, she was late.

When she pushed open the doors, she was red faced and panting slightly,

"I'm here!" She announced, the flowers hanging by her side as she ran in.

She was greeted by everyone sitting at the table expect for Sam who was still cooking and Steve and Natasha who were setting the table and getting drinks. She bounced right up to Natasha and handed her the flowers, they were a little disheveled and a few petals were missing. Natasha took them, buried her nose in the petals and smiled at the girl,

"Thank you, Rina. What's the occasion?"

The girl shrugged,

"Nothin', I just wanted to give you flowers!" She said with a grin

"Hey how come Red gets flowers and I don't? You know I'm your favorite, kiddo" Sam called teasingly from the stove.

"You really have to get better nicknames for us" Nat teased, putting a plate in front of Rina who was sitting at the table next to Bucky.

Rina looked up innocently at her,

"Papa called you the devil earlier, is that a better nickname?"

Steve had just taken a sip of water and it immediately came out of his nose from laughing so hard. This and Rina's comment made everyone fall into fits of laughter while Natasha stared at James with a death glare, she was a little upset that the girl had gotten so close to him while Rina seemed to keep her at an arms length away.

"Rina it's just a phrase" James whispered to her, trying to hide from Natasha's intense glare.

"Oh" the girl murmured quietly, everyone around her was still laughing.

Peter's face had gone red and Wanda had to hit him on the back after he started choking and Sam almost knocked over the pot he was stirring.

"I'm gonna use that one" Sam said trying to catch his breath

Natasha turned her death glare onto him, making him set down the spoon and raise his arms in surrender.

Rina got up and walked over to the angry red head,

"It's ok. If you're a devil, then I am too" She said grabbing the woman's hand and forcing her to look down at her.

Natasha's eyes looked almost sad as she gazed at the girl with a smile,

"You're so much better" she said quietly before breaking into a smile,

"Hey remember that surprise we had for Sam? Why don't you go and Peter go and get it?"

Bucky watched as Rina and Peter ran off while Natasha watched with a mischievous smile. What was she planning? No body else had heard her but him, Rina and Peter.

Sam was still at the stove when Rina and Peter reappeared, a water gun in each hand. Rina started to squirt Sam with the gun, immediately soaking his shirt while Peter wildly sprayed everyone. Both kids were smart enough to hit everyone but Natasha who was laughing hysterically in the corner.

After successfully soaking Sam, Rina sent a spray at Wanda who laughed as the water hit her skin, the girl then moved onto James who was still laughing at Sam who was still standing, too shocked to move with water falling off of him. He was so busy laughing that he didn't see Rina make her way over and she sprayed him right in the face with her water gun. His smile immediately fell, an angry expression replacing it and Steve gasped, he knew that face and it wasn't good. Everyone fell silent.

Or silent until Natasha broke out laughing at everyone's shocked expressions and the ex-assassin's stony look and the hair sticking to his face from the water. Once she saw his expression, Rina's smile fell and she set both the water guns on the table. And started to back away, not sure what to do until his face broke out into a smile and he grabbed both of the water guns.

Rina squealed as he shot her back, she tried to run behind Nat but the red head was quicker and grabbed the girl using her as a shield from the water gun. Both girls were laughing and squealing as they tried to escape the attack of water being sent their way. Natasha's arms were around the girl's middle as she tried to protect herself while the girl attempted avoid the streams of water but had little to no success.

"Okay. Okay! I'm sorry!" The girl cried out as the water continued to hit her and Natasha silently cursed Tony for making the water guns to have an enormous supply of water.

"They were supposed to get Sam not me!" Nat laughed as her and Rina ran around the kitchen still unable to escape the streams of water.

Bucky stopped his attack and said,

"Yeah you're right" and turned the water gun towards Sam and Steve who were still by the stove.

"Come on, Buck" Steve laughed, grabbing a kitchen towel to attempt to dry himself off

The water guns had finally run out so James set the empty guns on the counter as Nat and Ekaterina reappeared, both were soaked,

"You got off easy" he joked

Nat only scoffed as Rina shivered and tried to warm herself.

"I would have won" the girl said with a slight smile through chattering teeth

"I don't think anybody won that" Sam said, trying to salvage their dinner, there had been a few casualties of their water gun fight.

"We are going to change. We'll be right back" Natalia said as she guided a shivering Rina out of the kitchen.

Peter reappeared with two empty water guns and a soaking wet Tony and Rhody, Pepper followed behind still completely dry.

Tony walked in and saw the mess all over the floor and sighed,

"They got you too?"

Steve nodded

Tony looked like he was about to respond when Friday's voice was heard from above,

"Boss, there seems to be two armed hostiles in the lobby. They say we have something of theirs"

Everyone stood up, ready for action but Tony held up a hand to stop them,

"Let me see Fri" he told the AI.

A screen appeared and showed two figures in the lobby, holding a secretary at gunpoint. One was what looked to be a teenage boy with dark hair while the other was a man of athletic build with blonde hair, he was the one holding a gun to the secretary's head.

"Oh my god"

Everyone turned to see Rina and Nat in the doorway, Rina's mouth was hanging open,

"They are here for me" she said

"Hey, hey we won't let that happen. We will handle it" Nat said bending down to comfort the girl.

Rina's mind was racing, she had to go. Nobody's life was worth hers, she had to give herself over but before she could say anything Nat interrupted her,

"Send my team in and have them take down the threats" she told Steve who was already moving down the hallway.

"Bring me the girl and no one gets hurt" Rina heard Alexi say through the screen.

Rina watched the screen, biting her nail, a nervous habit she was never able to break while Bucky and Natasha stood behind her, eyes glued to the screen.

Alexi hadn't moved, his gun still trained on the trembling secretary while who they both assumed was Maxim made his way around the lobby collecting phones so that no one could call for help.

"I'm growing impatient. Little Ballerina I know you are listening, come out, come out" Alexi called tauntingly.

Rina stiffened and Bucky made his way to the door,

"I can't just sit here, I'm going to stop them" he said

Natasha ran in front of him, pressing her hands on his chest to stop him,

"No, no you can't. He'll kill you" she pleaded

"Why? He doesn't know me" he argued

She only shook her head and avoided his eyes, not wanting to answer his question.

He scoffed and tried to move around her but stopped when she cried,

"Because he knows what you mean to me!"

Her broken voice made him stop in his tracks, his face looked pained and he looked ready to respond when Rina gasped.

On the screen she saw the team of shield agents making their way into the lobby, surrounding the two assailants.

Alexi only scoffed,

"Ekaterina I'm disappointed in you. I've never known you to back away from a fight. What a shame, their deaths are on you"

He looked away from the security camera to look at Maxim before saying,

«Убей их» (kill them)

And before anyone could blink Maxim and Alexi we're back to back shooting at the agents who surrounded them.

Rina screamed as all of the agents fell to the floor.

Natasha brought her hand to her mouth,

"Oh my god" she whispered, eyes glued to the screen, waiting to see Alexi's next move.

Rina had made up her mind. She waited until both Bucky and Natasha were staring at the screen to run out the kitchen door. She didn't look back as she ran down the stairs to the lobby but she heard them behind her.

She threw open the door to the lobby,

"Enough!" She cried, "I am here, let them go"

"Ah, Ekaterina, so glad you could join us" the man said

Alexi looked at Maxim and nodded his head toward the girl. The boy understood and walked over and grabbed Rina's arm, but as he grabbed her he whispered, "I am sorry" and pulled her over towards Alexi.

Once she was standing next to the man Natasha ran into the lobby, hands raised in surrender

Alexi only smiled,

"Ah, Natalia. Of course you would be the one to bring my Little Ballerina back to me"

She scoffed,

"Funny up until a few days ago I didn't even know you were alive"

"Fate is funny that way, I guess"

"Enough chatting, Alexi. What do you want?" She asked

He scoffed,

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked waving the gun around, the other hand still firmly gripping Rina's arm.

Natasha smirked,

"How about a deal?"

But before Alexi could answer, a hit to the back of his head made him stumble forward. Bucky had waited until Natasha had distracted them enough to sneak in unnoticed. The initial hit was enough to break the grip on Ekaterina's arm but not enough for her to run.

Alexi quickly recovered and began returning blows, keeping up surprisingly well despite the other man's metal arm.

"Maxim!" Alexi shouted as he was pinned to the ground.

Rina saw Natasha and started to run towards her, this was really going to work, she was going to make it but an arm around her neck and the feeling of metal at her temple stopped her.

One of Maxim's arms was wrapped around her neck while the other had a gun pressed against her temple.

"Let my father go and I won't blow her brains out" the boy threatened, roughly turning both himself and Rina around so that Bucky could see the position he was in.

"It's ok. It's ok. Just end it now! They won't stop, they-" her words were cut off by the grip tightening around her neck.

Alexi was released from his position on the floor, as he got up he laughed at James who had gone to stand by Natasha,

"Good soldier" he mocked

James started to move forward but the red head pulled him back.

"Let's go Maxim" he told the boy who's gun was no longer trained on the girl but in his waistband,

"We'll have or fun with her"

Natasha couldn't just stand there any longer. She ran full force at the man, knocking him over. Her momentum didn't last long as the man got up and sent a kick which she barely blocked before sending punch that hit its target, her ribs. She stumbled back the air knocked out of her lungs. She tried to fight back but eventually he pinned her to the ground.

Rina started screaming as soon as she saw Natasha start running. Tears were streaming down the girl's face,

"No, no! Mama, no! Don't hurt her!" she desperately clawed at the arms holding her but it didn't budge, she couldn't get free.

Once the woman was pinned, something in the girl's heart broke,

"I'll go! I won't make a sound. I'll be good I promise just don't hurt her!" She cried but Alexi didn't move

A sob escaped her lips,

"I'll be the asset! I'll do it just please!"

Natasha saw Alexi smile through her hazy vision, he released his grip on her throat and stood up. He walked toward the two children.

"Rina! We'll find you!" Nat called as she tried to sit up

The girl looked back, tears flowing down her face, she shook her head,

"No, you won't. Goodbye, mama I love you both"

With that the girl was gone.

Bucky ran over and helped the red head the rest of the way up before running out the door but they were gone.

Natasha looked like she was going to be sick,

"She's.. she's gone. We lost her"

Natasha felt her knees buckle before darkness overcame her .

Oof. That was a long chapter! It was fun in the beginning but the ending broke my heart to write! This will probably be my last update for about a week, I have finals but after that I should be updating more! Anyway, have a good day/night!!
Xo,
Renee