This is obviously not a romantic ship- it's a cute mother/ daughter bond.

Trigger Warner- Mentions of Child abuse 

Melina, having gone through the red room already 4 times, considered herself to be practical, tactical, and resilient. But nothing could have prepared her for Mission Ohio. On paper it was simple- pose as a family, gather intel, keep a low profile. A standard mission that was way below her 'job description.'  It should have been an easy mission. 

For the most part, it was, easy that is. Alexei and she got along rather well as it turned out. Yelena was a spitfire but Melina found herself smiling at the young girl's little actions. She was only three, she still had an innocence about her that she, and her eldest 'daughter' lost long before her. Melina cherished that and wanted to protect her innocence, even if it went against mission guidelines of attachments. 

Yelena seemed completely connected to her 'father,' if she wasn't following her sister around she would follow Alexei, and it didn't help that their personalities were helplessly similar. Melina suspected Alexei was losing his cold heart touch as well.  Not completely, he was still the asshole who dreamed of glory more than anyone in the house, nothing would change that need for attention and praises. 

No, handling all of that, her 'husband' and toddler 'daughter' were easier to disengage from. Yes removing herself from them would prove to be difficult, but it seemed as though she could handle it with poise. 

It was Natasha. Natasha was an unknown in Melina's life, and Melina didn't do well with unknowns. Natasha was like Melina, trained since birth in the red room. She had her guard up at all times and wasn't like Yelena who craved attention. Melina found herself watching the redhead in this new environment. 

Of course, Natasha handled it well to the seeing eye, she was like any young girl who liked to play and ride bikes, but in the safety and security of their house, she was closed off, obedient, and painfully quiet. 

She of course played the role of the adoring sister, making Yelena feel protected and loved, something Melina would soon realize wasn't all part of her role. But when it came to Alexei or Melina, she was distant, treated them cautiously, and made no move to disappoint them. She was perfect. Never made a mess, never spoke back, did as she was told, and was simply perfect. Melina never saw Natasha's personality. At the rate the red room got to her, Melina wasn't sure Natasha had seen her own personality. 

As Melina was falling into the role of the mother, taking it closer to her heart she felt a bit protective over the girls, she truly wanted them to be happy. She forgot all about the mission at times. Too wrapped up in this odd illusion of family. 

It was a month during December did she realize how far she had truly fallen into this charade. She was at home baking cupcakes- some delicacy that she nor Natasha had ever had- when the phone rang, it was Natasha and Yelena's school. Natasha was in fifth grade while her sister was in Kindergarten. 

Dusting off her hands, Melina answered the phone. 
"Hello?" 

"Hello, am I speaking with the parents of Natasha?" 

"Yes this is her mother," Melina answered.

"It seems as if your daughter got into a fight at school and we need you to come to pick her up for the rest of the day."  

On the drive over there, Melina contemplated how she should handle this situation. Mission accordingly meant she would have to punish Natasha the way the red room would deem fit. She was supposed to be laying low- being sent to the principal's office put her on a list- gave her unwanted attention. 

But Melina also didn't want to do anything that the red room would have done, that Dreykov would have laughed about. She, surprising even herself, didn't want to hurt Natasha. In fact, as she thinks back she has been nothing but loving towards her girls without even realizing it. The moment she stepped into their home she was their mother- not an older widow. 

Natasha walked behind Melina after Melina's talk with the principal. She was suspended for the remainder of the week and was to write an apology letter to the boy she beat up. Melina had to say, judging by the bruising on the boy's face, it was a good hit. She was somewhat proud- even though she knew she shouldn't. 

She could feel Natasha's eyes studying her as they walked to the car, gauging how angry she actually was. Melina watched too, watch the girl make carefully calculated steps, watched as she nicely removed her shoes at the door, made sure she breathed lightly as if her breathing would send her into a fit of rage.  

"I will wait in my room," Natasha said. Her voice lacking any and all emotions. 

"For what?" Melina asked. Although she knew from the look on Natasha's face, that fear she tried so hard to hide, she was waiting to be punished. She believed that Melina would take action according to the mission standards. 

"I disrupted our mission. I was being selfish and bought attention to myself. I put our mission at risk." 

"I would hardly call Principal Franklin a risk," Melina mused. "he's an idiot at best." Natasha fought the childish urge to smirk. Melina knew first hand what it felt like to have to find even a smile. Natasha may not truly be her child, biologically or legally, but she could pretend. She didn't want any child of her to be afraid to be themselves. "I am not going to punish you, Natasha."

"That goes against protocol-" 

"Well, then it looks like we are both going against the guidelines today aren't we." Natasha was unsure why Melina was acting so weird. It was making her even more nervous. She recalled the times where she refused to kill the black kitten that wandered into the bunks one day. She was kicked and shot in the foot. She was thrown out into the snow with only the ballet dress she wore then. She was eight at the time.  She still has the scar from the heel Madam B hit her with. For all Natasha knew this was another trap. 

She wasn't stupid. She knew who Melina was. She was a legend. She completed Red Room training four times and was top of her class. Melina was the spy of all spies. Melina was a force far greater than Natasha ever believed she herself could be. 

"What is your angle?" Natasha asked. Following Melina with her eyes as she moved about the kitchen, continuing to make her muffins from earlier. "If this is some kinda trick, I will not fall for it. I am smarter than that." 

"At times I wish you weren't. Smart that is." Melina sighed. "I wish you were more like your sister." 

"She's not my sister." Natasha interrupted. She thought she knew Melina's trick. She was trying to see if she had fallen into their little charade a little too much. Natasha wouldn't let anything slip, she chose her words carefully.

"No? Then why did you come to her defense?" Melina wondered out loud. of course, she knew Natasha would only jeopardize the mission for Yelena. It was simple math. Yelena was new, innocent, she was everything Natasha wanted to be. She wanted what Yelena had- a free conscious of the red room. Unfortunately, she couldn't be that, so she'd protect it

"It keeps up with our mission. It's all a ruse." 

"Right, so what is your excuse when you two are in private?" She askes, she watches as the girl stiffens. Her red hair falling infront of her face, it was getting long at this point, maybe that's why Yelena wanted to grow out her own hair. "We may be on a mission Natasha, but if you are in this house, beside me, you are my daughter, I will not treat you like them." With that Yelena turned on her heels and walked to the pantry. Natasha was intrigued to say the very least. 

"You aren't my mother. My mother abandoned me. You are a mission. And if this game you playing is trying to get me to mess up or step out of line, let me tell you this, it won't happen." She looked at Melina with confidence, but after years in the program Melina was able to make out the fear behind her eyes. 

"My girl, if I truly was trying to mess you up, than you wouldn't know about it." She said and patted the top of Natasha's head. Melina wants to dye her hair, blue maybe, Natasha watched shows with girls with dyed hair, she seemed to fancy the thought. Melina saw it as a adding a feature that most kidnappers would find unappealing, made her too distinctive. "You can come help me frost the cupcakes." 

"What are cupcakes?" She asked raising an eyebrow. Melina had walked ahead of her into the kitchen. Alexei would have definitely had made sure Natasha understood the consequences of her actions, but Alexei wasn't here. He was at work, doing the "Mans work." Hell if it were up to Melina the mission wouldn't be this long, she would have been in and out in a week. But, she wasn't complaining, she liked this new role. Not that she would ever admit it. 

The two spent the next hour frosting cupcakes, Natasha's were perfect, as was everything else she did. Melina can see why Drykov was so insisted that Natasha be put on the mission, she was the perfect little spy. But that simple fact broke Melina's heart. Yelena was still a child, she didn't know anything but love, Natasha knew everything but love. In the short red head, Melina saw herself. No one could rescue her, but maybe Melina could rescue Natasha. 

"You can eat one." She said to the girl as she stared at the finished cupcakes sitting on the table. Food was privllage, desert was myth. 

"We haven't had dinner." Natasha said, while most kids would have jumped at the opportunity. 

"So? I said you may have one. Go ahead." Melina wished Natasha was a little more stupid, but being smart is what's kept her alive so far. She watched as the young girl carefully unwrapped the cupcake and took a small bite, if her eyes could light up they would have. It was the first time since arriving in Ohio that Melina had seen joy, happiness, even if it was for a few seconds. "You don't have to save it," Melina said when she saw Natasha trying wrapping it back up. "These are all for you and Yelena." Natasha thought for a moment before eating the rest of it. 

"I don't understand you." Natasha said after awhile, Melina only raised an eyebrow. "We... the girls I trained with, we hear stories about you. You are ... they say you are heartless, cold, you're the best widow to come out of the program after Dottie Underwood." Melina studied Natasha's face, and it was odd, did she see admiration? No. She didn't want Natasha to look up to that person, she didn't want her to try and become her, there would be nothing worse. 

"I have been cycled through the red room four times." Melina said, "And it's not because I am that good. It's because I am that bad. I lack... the emotional component of life most people have. I understand numbers more than emotions, I talk oddly, and speak without a second thought. Undercover work is hard for me to do. Dreykov believed that cycling me would "fix" me. But I am just me. I get the job done. These rumors that I am the best is far from the truth and I don't think you should want to be like me." 

"But you are exactly what I live to be- what I have to be. Dreykov said-" 

"I don't give a damn about what that man says." Melina says sternly and suddenly. A small smirk, barely visible appears on Natasha's face. She's trying to push Melina's buttons. See her get angry and be the Black Widow. "I see what you are doing little one." 

"Don't call me that. I am not little." 

"You are. Grown too fast. This is my house, and in my house I will not treat you the way those people did. If you want to be punished you will have to look else where because I will not lay a hand on my daughter." 

"Stop calling me your daughter. I am not your daughter, you will leave and so will I. I will never see you after this mission, and I will be nothing but an assignment to both of you!" Natasha was finally letting out some emotion. 

"Who told you that?" Melina asked. 

"The Red Gaurdian. I...he talks about going back every day, to get his glory, we are nothing to him and you don't disagree with him. Silence speaks loudly." She taken back. How had she not heard Natasha listening in on them? She was already a highly trained girl and that broken Melina's heart. 

"That man knows nothing. His brain the size of a button. "маленький" She began. "You are a kid. You are more than a mission to me. And before you start going off about the mission I don't care. I will train you. When Yelena is asleep because one day this will all end and I can't protect you. But I want you to have the chance at being a kid. Just once." 

"You could get killed. Why would you risk it all for me?" 

"Because Natasha, that's what mothers do, and as long as you are in my house you are my child." Melina sighed. "You are more than an mission." Natasha actually believed her and who knew that is what would bring her the most pain after losing it all. 

| 

"We had our roles but we played them to perfection." Natasha's mouth opened at this. Memories of past conversations coming back. Yelena had left with Alexei following hot on her trail. Natasha did a sad nod. 

"More than a mission huh?" A tear. It fell from her face as Melina looked up at Natasha confused. She raised an eyebrow. "That day, I got into a fight and you told me that I was your daughter, that I was more than a mission." 

"Natasha you knew-" 

"I knew nothing because after you told me that I actually started to believe it. I felt like maybe a family wasn't that perfect little fairytale, maybe it could be true. It's nice to know that this entire time you were playing me. I looked up to you you know. During my missions after Ohio, I thought maybe if I did what I was told you'd come back- Alexei would come back. At the very least I had hope you'd go back for Yelena. She was just a kid." 

"You both were." Melina said. "I'm-" 

"Save it. I'm going to go find dreykov myself." 

"You will get yourself killed." 

"The pain only makes us stronger." Natasha was Melina's greatest mission. But ultimentadly she'd also be her biggest failure. One day she'll find a place in the girls life. Hopefully  life  wouldn't be so cruel and let her do so. 

If only she had done it sooner