Hey guys! As promised this chapter introduces a Black Widow storyline! However I'm tweaking it a little bit since I used the comics Alexi and not the one from the movie and I don't want it to be confusing. So this will be set after the Black Widow movie (hence why Natasha was so surprised to find the version of the Red Room Rina was in) buttt there is no movie Alexi/ Red Guardian (only the villain/comic one you see in this book). Melina was stationed in Ohio with the girls undercover for the KGB as a "single mom and her two daughters" (kinda sad about erasing him but it's fine ☹️). I will go more into it later! This is set after the Black Widow movie but will NOT go into Infinity War/ Endgame, it will branch off into a different story (the TVA gonna come after me but it's fine lol).

"What?" Ekaterina asked,

"What is it?" She asked again.

But when neither Peter nor Darlene answered her, she got worried.

She reached her arm out to grab the file but both of her friends pulled away from her.

"Guys, what is it?" She asked, concern laced in her voice.

Peter and Darlene looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say and do.

Peter shook his head 'no' while Darlene nodded her head 'yes'.

Gently taking the file from Peter, Darlene held the file to her chest looking Rina in the eyes,

"This is going to be strange for you" the girl warned, "just let us know what you need. If you need us to leave, we will. But if you need us to stay- we'll do that too" Darlene said kindly before handing the file over, her many bracelets jangling as she did.

Hesitantly, Ekaterina took the file. She looked up at her friends, Darlene was smiling an encouragingly soft smile while Peter wouldn't meet her eye.

Looking down, Rina read from the beginning. Even though it'd been read for her, she needed to read it for herself. Muttering the words aloud as she read.

It was just as she expected until she hit the name of her parents.

"Name of father: James Buchanan Barnes" she whispered awestruck.

Rina's hands began to shake as she held the file, looking up she met the gaze of her friends with a smile,

"My father" Rina said barely audible. Her voice was so soft and amazed.

Darlene immediately broke into a grin at Rina's reaction, nearly bouncing with excitement in her seat. The girl's heart was so genuinely happy for her friend.

Peter almost felt guilty in a way, he felt like he should have known. There was no way he could have possibly known but he couldn't help the feeling in the back of his head. But despite that, he was just as shocked as Ekaterina but also so happy in the way that things had turned out. Fate was a funny thing.

"But how?" Rina asked

"Keep going" Darlene encouraged talking with her hands

"Okay, okay!" Ekaterina chuckled.

"Name of mother: Natalia Romanov-" The girl was so surprised that she couldn't finish reading the last letter.

Rina's eyes widened,

"Wha- what?" She stuttered.

She grabbed the file from her lap and held it closer to her face as if she'd read it wrong. But when she saw that she'd read it correctly and set the file back down, staring blankly at Darlene and Peter.

"But how? How are they my parents?" Rina asked.

Peter looking awkward looked towards Darlene,

"Don't look at me! I don't wanna be the one to give her the talk" the boy said quickly.

Darlene rolled her eyes,

"That's not what she meant Pete" Darlene sighed, "the time line doesn't add up, Mr. Barnes and Ms. Romanoff had both gone from the Red Room by the time Rina was born" she explained.

"Oh thank goodness" Peter exhaled.

Rina mouthed a 'thank you' to Darlene before flipping the page of the file.

The file went on to describe the details of Rina's birth. She had been the product of genetic testing. The 'perfect' combination of Hydra's favorite victims. The ideal weapon.

In the beginning of the file had been a few pictures that Darlene had set aside.

Gently she picked them up from where they were lying beside her.

"I think you might want to see these" Darlene said softly as she held the photos out to Rina.

Hesitantly, Ekaterina took the photos.

The first photo was of Natasha, the woman could not have been older than her mid to late twenties. Her red hair was pulled up into a tight bun, the signature style of the Red Room. She was looking straight into the camera lens as if it were a professional headshot.

Rina couldn't help but smile at the photograph, tracing her finger along the outline of the woman's face. 'Mama' she thought fondly. She'd called the woman that before but it felt different now.

As she looked at the photo, she wondered how she hadn't put the pieces together before now. All the pieces were there. In stubbornness and strong jaw lines, all the signs were there.

She flipped to the next photo. It was Bucky before the war, the photo was grainy and in black and white. But it looked like him nonetheless. In a way he looked younger but not just in age. The glint in his eye had dimmed just a little, he wasn't the same person he used to be. How could he?

"Look at the next one!" Darlene encouraged, breaking Rina from her thoughts.

It was now Peter's turn to smack Darlene, payback for earlier,

"Don't rush her, she's got a to work through" he chided Darlene.

Rubbing her arm where he'd hit her,

"Ow" she said in a monotone voice making everyone laugh,

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm just so excited" she apologized.

Listening, Rina flipped to the next photo.

She gasped.

It was her.

She'd never seen a baby photo of herself before. She didn't think any existed.

She couldn't have been more than a few months old with wild, red curls struggling to sit on her own but not giving up. Doctor Miranda was just inside the frame, his hair still dark with youth. The man had known? Ekaterina had once thought that he was on her side but he never was. Just another betrayal.

"You were so cute!" Darlene cooed looking down at the photo.

Rina looked up at her.

"I mean you're still cute now but look at your little face!" Darlene said

Rina continued to look at her friend.

"Okay, I'll shut up now. I'll be supportive in silence" Darlene said.

Peter snorted,

"Yeah that'll last long" he said sarcastically.

Darlene just glared at him.

Flipping to the next photo, she was a bit older. Around seven years old, her hair a bright shade of pink while a dark haired boy stood next to her. Her face was in a bright smile while her companion looked less than thrilled to be there.

Her thumb gently ran over the photo, as if she were trying to feel that moment again. He was there for all of it. The good, the bad, all of it. Even when she had nothing, she had Maxim.

Gasping, Ekaterina gathered all of the photos, holding them tight as she scrambled to her feet, running for the door without saying a word. Opening it and running into the hall leaving a stunned Darlene and Peter behind.

Rina didn't know what had caused her to run out the door. But she knew there was something she was meant to find.

She stared down at the photos in her hands as she walked. In her hands she held memories of the past, however sad and tragic, still beautiful in their own way. In her hands she held the history that shaped her.

Ahead of her, she heard a door close. Looking up, she realized what she had been looking for.

Ekaterina took off in a run,

"Papa! Papa!" She called

Still running, she extended her arms and jumped. Her arms wrapping around her father's neck in a much needed hug.

Bucky had looked up as soon as he'd heard Ekaterina's voice. He had not slept at all, the evidence in his disheveled appearance and bloodshot eyes. But he forgot all about that when he saw the girl running towards him. Immediately he was concerned but Rina didn't look upset, if anything she looked happy. He barely had time to process what was happening when the girl threw herself at him as if he'd disappear if she didn't hold on.

The man easily caught her, holding her in the air in an embrace. He held on tight, swaying back and forth slightly. He held her with one hand while the other moved to support the back of the girl's head. He stroked her hair softly, he hadn't realized how badly he had needed this simple human connection. To hold someone real and tangible.

He quickly realized that he wasn't the only one who had needed it. As he continued to hold her, not ready to let go quiet yet, he heard a soft crying.

Rina's head was tucked into the side of his neck as she held onto him but she was not crying. She was laughing. It was a soft, uncontrollable laughter. The type of laughter that can't be helped or contained.

Bucky realized this and couldn't help but chuckle,

"Do you mind sharing what's so funny?" He asked as he lowered the girl back down so her feet could land on the ground.

Finally letting go, Ekaterina took a step back,

"It- it's just I'm so happy" she said, trying to explain how she felt.

Even more confused, the man tilted his head. What did she mean?

Above Rina's head, Bucky saw Peter and Darlene exiting Rina's room. Peter was holding the file with the SHIELD logo visible and mouthing 'she knows' while Darlene was smiling and giving a thumbs up.

She knows? What does she know?

Oh.

She knows.

Ekaterina was grinning, "it was real" she said almost wistfully.

Bucky was confused.

"What was real?" He asked.

Rina shrugged, chuckling, "all of it" she said, "from the moment I met you both. You felt like my parents" she said emphasizing the word 'felt'.

"Because it was real, Katie. Even if I didn't know, it was real to me" He said.

"It was real to me too, it just felt like a dream I would wake up from almost too good to be true. But it isn't you're my real father and Nat is my real mother" she said aloud, as if experimenting with the idea.

She laughed again,

"This... this is all I ever wanted. I used to have nothing and then I got this family and it's everything I ever wanted and more" she said, shrugging not sure how to put her feelings into words, "I just don't know how to act" she said.

"It's a lot to process, nobody saw this coming. I certainly didn't and I said a lot of things I didn't mean" he said honestly.

"To Nat?" She asked.

"Yeah, I was pretty cruel to her" he said.

Rina shook her head,

"We have a bad habit of that, don't we?" She asked, remembering what she had said to the woman.

Between the two of them, they had really put Natasha through hell and back.

"Yeah" Bucky said, quietly.

"Have you talked to her yet?" She asked, "I saw she was back in her old room, it was that bad, huh?" She asked.

The man shook his head,

"Not yet, I need to" he took a deep breath. Why was he talking about his love life with his child?

He chuckled, reaching out to ruffle the girl's hair,

"Hey, don't worry about it, kiddo. It'll all work out the way it's supposed to. I'll be alright" he said, but he wasn't sure if he said the last part for her or for himself.

She nodded,

"I know it will" Rina said beginning to walk away,

"Besides" she called behind her shoulder, "you two have been through worse, you'll get past this" she encouraged.

"Where are you going? Have you eaten yet? Did you sleep well? Katie!" He called, shouting her name when she continued to ignore him.

Rina was already halfway down the hall,

"Я в порядке. поговори с мама!" she shouted. ("I'm fine. Talk to mama!)

And with that, the girl disappeared.

The man shook his head, chuckling.

He stood in the hallway for a moment, what should he say? Would Natasha even want to talk to him?

He figured he had to take the leap first.

He quickly found himself outside the woman's door. He knocked softly. When there was no answer, he turned preparing to leave.

With his back to the door, it opened revealing an obviously tired Natasha who looked like she had just woken up. Which she had. After her emotional talk with Rina, the only thing Natasha had wanted to do was take a nice, long nap. And she had fell into a dreamless sleep until the knock woke her.

"Oh, were you sleeping?" Bucky asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Yes, but I'm awake now" the woman said, "did you need something?" 

An awkward feeling hung in the air, they had not been like this in a long time. They hadn't walked on eggshells around each other, they had never needed to until now.

"To talk" he said.

Natasha opened the door wider and gestured for him to come inside.

~~~

Ekaterina was nearly skipping she was so happy and content. She was humming softly as she walked with no real destination in mind. She was absentmindedly playing with the necklace around her neck, the charm was a small metal circle with a daffodil and her name stamped on it.

She suddenly felt a pull to go towards the roof.

She couldn't really explain it. She just felt like that is where she should be. And it was small enough that it didn't alarm her.

So that's where she headed.

She opened the door to the roof, she was struck by the feeling of the sun on her skin, warm and calming and the breeze in her hair. She closed her eyes just enjoying it. Rina breathed a happy sigh, she wasn't sure what had called her to come up here but she walked forward a ways.

Her eyes were still closed when she heard the door shut.

She hadn't closed it.

Immediately turning around she fell into a fighting position, her fists raised.

A melodic whistle came from behind the corner.

She knew that whistle.

It couldn't be.

Carefully and quietly Ekaterina moved towards it.

Aware of her surroundings, she kept glancing behind her shoulder to not be caught off guard.

She quickly pressed the charm of her necklace twice. The necklace activated, spreading a suit slowly over her body until she was dressed in a black suit much like Natasha's. However, Rina's suit covered her neck and was made out of the same material as Peter's. The necklace and suit had been a gift from Tony, he'd never say it aloud but he had felt so guilty keeping the origin of her birth from her. Ekaterina understood why he'd done and she had no negative feelings towards the man but she did think the suit was pretty sweet.

It made the sound of footsteps nearly impossible and had lots of other cool gadgets that she'd yet to discover all of them. The suit even came with its own AI which she had not named yet as the thought of something talking in her ear really freaked her out.

"So are we gonna talk about this like grownups?" Rina asked sarcastically as she continued to cover more ground.

A voice from behind the corner scoffed,

"You are not grown yet, Ekaterina" the voice responded, the Russian accent even thicker than Rina's.

When she rounded the corner, she came face to face with a gun.

"Guess not" Rina sighed.

With her forearm Rina knocked the gun away from her face, swinging with her other arm. Making contact with her opponents neck, twirling them around into the wall.

A grunt came from her opponent as their face came into contact with the wall, Rina's hand still gripping their neck.

Her opponent elbowed her in the stomach causing her to loose grip on her opponents neck so she grabbed for the closest thing- her opponents long blonde ponytail.

Rina grabbed the ponytail and pulled hard causing the woman she was fighting to let go of her.

"You are a little old for hair pulling" the woman chuckled.

"I thought you said I wasn't grown yet?" Rina countered.

They were a few feet apart, waiting. Seeing who would make the first move.

The woman laughed her loud laugh and tucked the gun away and Rina knew that sound to be a truce.

"The first time you see me in years and you try to kill me!" Yelena said in her dramatic way, rubbing her jaw from where it had hit the wall.

"You pointed a gun at me!" Rina exclaimed

The older blonde rolled her eyes,

"такая заноза в заднице" ("such a pain in the ass") Yelena groaned.

"You missed me" Ekaterina fired back.

The older woman groaned and stuck her tongue out at the girl,

"Yes but don't tell anyone" Yelena joked.

They just looked at one another for a moment, they hadn't seen one another in years and a lot had changed.

"My god, what are they feeding you?" Yelena exclaimed, "you are so tall, you fight much better, stronger too" the woman noted.

Rina chuckled,

"A lot has changed since we last saw each other" the girl said, leaving her words vague.

Yelena sighed,

"Yes, well that wasn't either of our choices was it?" She said.

Rina frowned slightly, it wasn't her fondest memory but she pushed it aside.

"Why are you here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, I am. It's just... why" Ekaterina asked.

"Come on, little one- does a mentor need a reason to see her favorite student?" The woman asked

But Ekaterina still wasn't sure.

The sound of footsteps was heard as Natasha pushed open the door to the roof, a gun in her hand. Before Ekaterina activated the suit, she pressed it three times sending the signal of her location.

"Yelena? What are you doing here?" Natasha asked not yet lowering her gun.

"Hello to you too, Natasha. Can't a girl can't visit her big sister in the big city?" The woman asked.

Ekaterina took a step back, surprised,

"Sister?" She repeated.

Natasha gave her a look that only a mother could saying 'not now'.

"You know, you could use the front door. It works I promise you" Natasha said.

Yelena shrugged,

"More fun this way" she said

Ekaterina scoffed,

"More fun?" She asked, "you pointed a gun in my face, that was a lot of fun" she said sarcastically.

Natasha scoffed,

"You pointed a gun in her face?" She scolded Yelena.

The woman merely shrugged,

"Had to be sure it was her, could've been anyone " she said but saw that Natasha did not look convinced,

"Don't worry, she slammed my face into the wall so I'm pretty sure we are even now" Yelena said.

Natasha had wondered about the fresh bruise on her sister's face.

"Seems like you deserved it to me" Natasha said but all three of them knew she didn't mean it.

"So I'm gonna ask you again, little sister, why are you here?" The redhead asked.

Yelena clicked her tongue,

"It seems we both have a Red Guardian problem" the woman said casually,

"Plus, I know something you don't- so you need me" Yelena said with her signature smirk.

Finally, Natasha lowered the gun.

"Then enlighten us" the woman said.

Yelena chuckled,

"I think all your friends might wanna hear this".

Sorry for the wait! I just moved back into school and it's been a wild few days, probably won't be able to write much but I'm going to try! Don't have much to say this time but I hope everyone's doing well! I love you all and stay safe!
Xoxo,
Renee