Chapter Text
Natasha and Yelena had been living in the compound with the rest of the Avengers. Since then they of course started rescuing widows with the help of the other Avengers. Tony even set up a compound for Widows where both older and younger widows stayed. Whlie for the younger widows they searched for their biological families or families looking to adopt or foster.
Of course, all the Avengers knew about Natasha and Yelena was that they were sisters put on a mission together that ended 3 years later. But they hadn’t told them about Melina and Alexei, the people who posed as their parents, which made the Avengers meeting Melina and Alexei all the more awkward, stressful, and nerve-racking.
“Where the hell are you taking us Red?” Tony said they had been on a mission and it went sideways in more ways than one and now they needed a place to stay low. Lucky them they were so close to Russia and had enough fuel to make it to St. Petersburg.
“Somewhere safe?” Was the only response Natasha gave Tony she knew Melina’s farm was safe, and that although she didn't have a lot of trust in Melina and Alexei she knew the farm would be safe.
“Do you think they’ll be happy to see us?” Yelena asked from where she sat at the copilot seat,” I don’t know Lena it’s been a year since the last time we saw them.” It had been a very long year and ever since the first family reunion they hadn’t tried to get in contact with Melina or Alexei. Although from what they heard from Antonia Melina did want to see them again she never pushed or contacted them so they could visit her farm.
“I guess we’ll find out,” Yelena said as they got ready to land the quinjet just outside the outskirts of Melina’s farm,” We're here. I'll warn you when we get close it's going to stink but you’ll get used to it.” Natasha made her way to the opened quinjet and everyone else followed suit.
“Where are we exactly?” Sam asked as he followed Natasha down the grassy path,” On the outskirts of St. Petersburg.” Yelena answered, walking just a little ahead of everyone she wouldn’t admit it ever but she was a little excited to be back on Melina’s farm. She had missed the woman and wished that she could sometimes visit. But she was happy in New York with Natasha and the times she did wish to visit her parents but then she remembered all the things that happened and that urge to see them went away.
“Jesus Red you never said this walk would take this long,” Tony complained from behind them he and Wanda were the only ones walking slower than everyone else,” Oh calm down where here already,” Natasha said as they got closer and closer. The closer they got the faster Yelena walked and if Natasha hadn’t been with Yelena for a year she would’ve thought she was eager to see Melina and Alexei.
Yelena was practically running by the time she made it to the gate of Melina’s farm. She thought she would see her mother waiting for her and her sisters with a smile on her face and her arms wide open and welcoming. would see Widows wandering around the property, maybe even see Alexei attempting to fix something or build something (she heard for Antonia who visited her parents more frequently than she did that Alexei built a separate place for the widows to sleep in the ones who chose not to get to the facility Tony had built.)
But instead, she was met with ash the little house had been burned down and the pig pen as well nothing was left except burned wood (and dead bodies if Yelena got closer but thinking about that made her stomach turn to a messy string of knots she didn’t want to see that. She didn't want to think that),” Yelena! Yelena! What’s wrong-” The words seemed to die in Natasha’s throat as she saw what Yelena saw and her heart dropped, and the world seemed to pause, the air in her lungs seemed to have evaporated and her throat felt like it had been closed with super glue and her ears ringed as if someone triggered a bell.
“This doesn’t look like a safe house.” Tony's words seemed to snap both sisters out of their trance since they both took off in the direction of the burned-down farm. Their confused teammates were not far behind them.
“Can you guys tell us what’s going on?” Sam said once they had all reached the burned-down cottage (or what he thought use to be a cottage) and watched as Yelena circled it finally entering what was left of the home.
“Red? You okay?” Tony placed a hand on Natasha's shoulder. She just seemed to be looking out into space,” Tasha, do you hear me?” It wasn't Tony touching that snapped Natasha out of her trance but it was Sam's next words," Is that a pig?" That seemed to snap the redhead out of her trance.
"Alexei?" That seemed to make the pig have some sort of reaction since it practically ran toward Natasha.
"You made it," Natasha said as she crouched down to the pig and petted him. It wasn't missed by anyone on the team the way her voice cracked.
"The people who used to live here do you think it was a hit?" Steve asked Natasha, who was still focused on the pig," Yeah most likely." Natasha patted the pig one more time before she also made her way into what was left of the burned-down house probably in search of Yelena Alexei the pig not far behind her.
When they found the blonde she was sitting on the floor next to the bed where 2 dead bodies were. She didn't even acknowledge their presence; her eyes were fixed on the dead bodies.
Silently Natasha sat down next to her sister with her right hand finding Yelena's left hand. Tony was the first to indicate that they should leave the 2 sisters alone. It was clear that these people meant something to them and they needed a moment.
"They're dead." Yelena finally spoke after minutes of silence. Her throat burned as she said those words, her lungs felt as if they were short of air and her chest felt as if someone had put a weight on it and all she wanted to do was take it off.
"Yelena-"
"Someone killed my mama. My mama is dead.'' Yelena said as violent sobs wracked her body.
Natasha pulled Yelena into a hug she wanted to cry to but she didn't. She needed to be there for her sister. She could break down later. Right now she would hold her little sister close.
Natasha didn't know how long they had been sitting there but it must have been long enough. Since Yelena's crying had been reduced to sniffles.
"Hey, just checking In. The cabin that meets this one has bunk beds and Tony cooked. If you guys want some food or sleep?" Sam said as he appeared in what used to be a doorway.
"Yeah I just have to call somebody," Natasha said as Yelena uncurled herself from her older sister, wiping the tears off her cheek as she followed Sam to where Natasha was sure Antonia and the other widows were staying or had stayed.
When Natasha was sure Sam and Yelena were out of earshot, she dialed a number she seemed to call more often than she used to.
"Hello," Mason's voice came through from the other side of the phone just the sound of his voice made her chest feel a little lighter than it was a couple of minutes ago,” Hey.” Natasha could hear her voice cracking; it wouldn't be long before she started to cry and she would rather cry in Mason’s arms than by herself.
“What’s wrong? Did Yelena get injured on a mission? A nightmare?” Concern immediately laced Mason’s words; it was rare for Natasha to call him on the verge of crying,” Yelena's fine or as okay as she can be.” Because who would be fine after discovering their dead parent's bodies?
“Are you okay? Is anything okay at the moment?”
Natasha smiled,” We’re okay. But everything else is hell. We had a mission and things went sideways and we need a place to lay low and we had enough fuel to get us to St. Petersburg we were going to lay low on Melina’s farm,” Natasha could feel her lips tremble and her throat close up as the tears she didn't want to shed escaped from her eyes and rolled down her cheek,” Everything's ashes and they’re dead.” The words came out in a rush of air and a sob soon followed.
Mason let her cry he knew she didn’t need reassurance she just wanted him there beside her holding her but at the moment he couldn’t hold her so him being on the phone would do just fine,” I didn’t know this would’ve happened. If I did I would’ve called you when Melina asked me to pick up some stuff from her cabin.” Mason said when he knew Natasha had let out all the tears she had to let go.
“Wait, she called you? When? What did she want? Why didn’t you tell me?” Natasha attacked Mason with question after question,” She wanted me to pick up some stuff in a box she said to give it to you and Yelena when the time was right. Like 6 months ago. I didn’t tell you because she asked me not to. She also wanted me to bring some kids to you, said you would keep them safe and that she would contact me when I could come to get them but she never called.”
“Kids? Do you mean younger widows?” Natasha hadn’t known that Melina was keeping younger widows but maybe her and Yelena not coming around made her want to replace them.
“Yeah, there were 2 of them… no 3 there was a baby inside. And she looked scared, she also had bruises on her arms.” The bruises were probably from a mission but Melina being scared was something different,” Why? Was anything strange?” Maybe Mason saw something that would leave Natasha to the people who killed Alexei and Melina and the 3 widows they had been taking care of.
“I don’t know if she just gave me the box of stuff and talked to me for 5 minutes before she was rushing me out the door.”
“Okay, can you drop the box off and some fuel for the Quinjet.”
“I’ll be over in a couple of hours.” And that's all Natasha needed. Mason was coming and she would be able to find out what happened to Alexei and Melina and hopefully, there was a clue on who had killed them.