The soft tap of cane and slow footsteps echoed down the hall before a door pushed open.

"You know, they told me you were being dramatic but I didn't really believe them" Rina said her arms crossed, her cane resting against her leg.

Maxim turned as soon as he recognized the voice.

"This is all I deserve" the boy said, a phrase he'd said a million times before.

Rina rolled her eyes,

"Again... dramatic" she said.

"We can move on, we can be anything we never thought we'd get the chance to be. We can be good, we can be anything we'd like" Rina said.

"But that doesn't take away what we've done... what I've done" he said, "I'm the reason you have that"

His eyes trained on the walking cane.

Rina nodded.

He was right. It didn't. They'd never be able to take back what they've done. Natasha's words rang in her mind.

"Our hands have made mistakes but they can make better ones. We are free to make our own choices now" She said

"So you can continue your moping or you can step into the light and face it" She said offering him her hand,

"The choice is yours" she said.

Maxims eyes shifted to the door,

"Who's there?" He asked

Rina smiled,

"Come on out" she called

The door pushed open to reveal Darlene,

"Man, I thought I was being really quiet" the girl chuckled.

The room was silent as the girl walked to stand next to Rina.

"You- you were there that night too" Maxim said

Darlene nodded.

"You" Maxim said thinking, "you threw a shoe at me?" He said finally remembering

Darlene crossed her arms,

"Yeah well you scared the hell outta me so I guess that makes us even"

The boy laughed, Rina couldn't remember the last time she heard that sound.

"Yeah, I guess it does" he said.

~~~

"Just one time" Yelena was pleading

Tony scoffed setting his glass down on the coffee table,

"For the thousandth time, no. Nat back me up here" the man said, gesturing with his arms

"What does she want this time?" The red headed woman asked with a smile.

"I just want to try the suit one time... that's it one time!" Yelena explained.

Natasha laughed,

"I got to try the blasters one time" she said dropping down to sit on the couch.

Yelena's jaw dropped as she turned to face Tony,

"I want to try!"

Tony scoffed,

"Why would you tell her that?" He asked Natasha.

The woman knew her sister would never let it go now.

Nat gave a him a smirk and a shrug.

From down the hall she heard soft footsteps and the tap of the walking cane. She turned her head, a soft smile on her face as Rina came into the room alone.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry. We've tried but he just won't change his mind" Natasha began but then she saw Maxim and Darlene trailing behind the girl.

A small smirk formed on the lips of both redheads.

"That's my girl" Natasha said proudly

With a smile Rina moved to sit besides her mother.

"Hello to you too, scary lady" Maxim said with a hint of a smile.

Natasha rolled her eyes,

"Hello, Maxim" she said pretending to be annoyed but she couldn't hide the smile from her face

"So kid, any big plans with your new found freedom?" Tony asked the boy

Maxim looked over at Yelena who nodded,

"Actually... yeah" the boy said

Rina turned her head, confused.

"He's going to join me and Melina in finding the rest of the Widows" Yelena said

Natasha looked surprised as well,

"When are you leaving?" She asked

"Tomorrow" her sister replied

Natasha and Rina looked at each other before turning back to the rest.

"You're leaving?" She asked sadly

The boy nodded,

"My father is locked away- he can't get to us anymore. I have to fix what he broke" the boy said

"Besides", He continued, "I've always wanted to travel and this is my way to do it"

Rina knew in her heart that this was best but it didn't make it any less difficult.

She nodded,

"Okay" She said sadly, "you better send me a postcard- and don't you dare forget me"

The boy chuckled,

"I'll never forget you, Ekaterina"

There was a pause.

"The stars await then, I guess" she said

~~~

"You better come back and visit" Rina said as she hugged Yelena

"You can't get rid of me that easily, little one" the woman said with a smile.

Letting go of the woman, Rina turned toward her friend. The person she had known her entire life. The only person who understood her past.

She hugged him. And it felt like she was saying goodbye to a part of herself.

"I'm really gonna miss you" she said quietly

The boy sighed,

"I know, I'll come back and visit" he promised

They pulled apart but Rina still wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"You're gonna be alright" he said

Rina nodded.

She gave his shoulder a shove,

"Go" she said, "go before I start to cry"

Maxim laughed, a familiar sound,

"Oh that I have to see" he said

Rina fixed him with a stare.

The boy held his hands up in mock surrender,

"Ok, ok I'm going"

He turned his back, walking with Yelena towards where a car was waiting for them.

"The stars belong to you, my friend" Rina said quietly, unsure if he could hear her.

But right after she said it, he turned around and smiled before he disappeared into the car.

The words held a different meaning now- to the both of them- They were once words of desperation but now they were words of hope.

Natasha who had been saying goodbye as well walked over and wrapped an arm around Rina's midsection in a half hug.

"Let's go" she said softly

~~~

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Bucky asked, his tone worried

Rina nodded,

"Yes"

The man sighed and looked over at Natasha who nodded encouragingly.

"Ok then" he said shifting the papers in his hand

The top of the page read,

"Midtown High Application"

The three of them sat at the kitchen table reading and rereading the application until it came time to sign their names. Natasha signed hers under the first guardian slot while Bucky signed his second.

The paper was then passed to Rina.

"You can keep your original name" Natasha said not wanting the girl to feel pressured to change the one constant thing in her life.

But Rina already knew who she was.

She took the pen and slowly wrote out her name.

"Ekaterina Nikita Ivanovna Romanov-Barnes"

It was long but it was hers. Her past, her present and her future. And she wouldn't change it for the world.

~~~

Bright and early on an August morning all three of them piled into a car.

Rina sat in the back seat, a backpack clutched in her lap. She'd been ready an hour early, she couldn't wait for her first day of school.

Natasha had to practically beg her eat breakfast and explain that they didn't have to be there over an hour early.

It didn't help much but Rina did eat most of her breakfast so that made Natasha feel better.

Rina went over her school list with Bucky at least three times to make sure she had everything. He didn't complain, he simply looked over the list each time she asked.

Rina couldn't keep her eyes from the window. She was taken back to her first few months with them when they took her to Central Park. She could remember the car ride and the way the city looked so huge and the people so busy. She remembered the way Bucky rolled over her window so that she could feel the wind on her face.

She guessed he was thinking the same because without any words her window began to roll down.

Rina began to laugh,

"Can you read minds too?" She joked

Bucky laughed,

"No" he said, "But I know you"

Rina grinned.

Soon the car was turning into the parking lot. After finding a spot the car came to a stop.

Natasha turned around in her seat,

"Are you ready?" She asked, "it's alright if you aren't"

Rina shook her head,

"I'm ready, mama" she said

"Well, do you want us to walk up with you or...?" Bucky asked

Rina shook her head again,

"No" she said gently, "I think I have to do this on my own"

She quietly grabbed her bag and opened the car door. She took a deep breath as she stepped out onto the pavement. She shut the door and began to walk towards the school.

Silently Bucky and Natasha watched as the girl made her way towards the school, red hair flowing down her back, hands gripping the straps of her light gray backpack.

The girl had only walked about twenty feet when she turned around and started to walk back to the car.

She stopped in front of the passenger side door until Natasha rolled down the window,

"Honey, what's wrong?" She asked, concerned

Rina's hands were still tightly holding onto the backpack straps. She slowly tapped a finger to her heart,

"Somethings wrong... my heart" she said, "it's beating so fast"

In a moment of understanding the woman couldn't help but let out a small laugh

Rina's face turned into a pout,

"Mama it's not funny- I think it's going to explode. I don't know why it's beating so fast, I'm not doing anything"

Natasha shook her head,

"Ekaterina, I think you're nervous" she said

The girl furrowed her brows,

"Nervous? I have done bigger things than this" she said, "I am not nervous"

But even as she said the words she wasn't sure she believed them herself.

"It's just what if they don't like me" she said quietly, looking down at the pavement.

Bucky leaned over,

"Just be yourself, kid. They'll have no choice" he said smiling

Natasha looked over at him, she knew he was trying to help but it didn't quiet land.

"So what if they don't" Natasha said

This caused Rina to look up,

"What?"

Natasha shrugged,

"So what if they don't" she repeated, "that's the beauty of this- you get to try"

Rina nodded, slowly understanding her words and taking them to heart

"And if you don't make any friends today- there's always tomorrow or the next day. You don't have to be perfect every time" the woman said

"I see" Rina said nodding.

She reached out her hands for her mother to take,

"Thank you, mama. I'm not nervous anymore" she said

"Well, maybe a little" she admitted with a chuckle.

"A little is good" the woman said giving her hand a squeeze.

Rina nodded, her face serious as she turned towards the school once more.

As she walked she looked down at her hands still clutching the straps of the backpack.

She could see the strength hidden beneath her freckled skin. She knew in the blueish veins on her hands ran blood that some people would kill to possess even a drop. Rina saw scared hands that have inflicted more pain and suffering than someone triple her age. But in the sunlight they looked soft, almost kind- no one would ever know what those hands had done.

For a while she didn't feel human, but now looking at the brick building, hearing the chatter of teens her age who would never see half the horrors she had- it made her feel closer, as close as she has ever been.

Loosening her grip, she let go of the straps letting her hands fall to her sides. Taking a deep breath she straightened her posture.

She has been a soldier, a weapon, something to be used but now she was just a girl.

A girl starting over

A girl beginning

A girl, not a soldier

A girl, not a weapon

Just a girl.

And that was new. And it was exciting.

And most importantly it was hers.

Only she got to decide.

Seeing Peter and Darlene by the front doors made her smile. Her even steps sped up into an excited half jog. Stopping when she got close enough.

"Hey Rina!" Darlene greeted pulling the girl into a one arm hug

Pulling away Darlene fixed one of Rina's curls before patting her head,

"Perfect!" She smiled, "Now you're ready for your first ever day!"

Rina laughed while Darlene did a happy dance.

"It's gonna be great" Peter encouraged.

"Yeah" Rina said barely above a whisper as the school bell rang

The girl jumped slightly.

"It's ok!" Peter said quickly, "That just means school is starting"

"Oh" Ekaterina said exhaling quickly, "I knew that"

Her two friends smiled and turned to walk inside.

This was it.

After all the misery and the bloodshed she was free. This was the first step.

With a confident smile Rina stepped through the doors.

And that's all she wrote! I hope you all enjoyed the story! It's been a long time coming! As always I love reading your comments and thoughts!
If you have anything you would like to see me write in the future I'd love to hear it!
Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. Lots of love and stay safe!
Xoxo,
Renee