"Listen, soldier, we are almost there. Not much longer."

Theresa tried to seem comforting, but what's the deal? Why be comforting, when there is no reason to comfort the tense male beside her, his gaze fixed against the wall of the moving truck they were in.

She couldn't give comfort, when she was the one in need of it.

James turned his head ever so slightly to look at her, study her features.

"You know, you shouldn't throw around those words when I have no use of them."

The Stark offered a weak smile, her hand twitching, followed by a slight violent twitch of her neck which she couldn't hold back.

One could tell that it had been a while, since the soldier had last been wiped, as a notion of concern etched onto his features.

"What was that?", he asked, voice low and soft, as if to avoid eavesdroppers. Even though they were alone in the back.

The woman shook her head, smile long gone, as she returned "Nothing. It was nothing."

"I am not dumb, Theresa."

The way he said her name woke memories. Memories of a time, where things were still easy, despite a war going on.

"I did not imply that."

"And yet, you claim that that was nothing just now, while it clearly was something."

Theresa glanced at her hands, her tongue running over her bottom lip, before her lips pressed into a thin line.

"What is it?"

She knew it was easy to approach the subject at hand, but changing it seemed way easier to her.

"You know, I find it interesting that I am the first thing you remember when your last wipe was too long past."

Though it was a touchy subject, him being wiped, she approached it nonetheless, in hopes of distracting him. She didn't feel like explaining her situation, knowing he'd worry, knowing he'd forget after his next session anyways.

"Well, you do make it easy for me."

His response put a small smile on her face. Since she was tasked to supervise him and his wellbeing, she was around him almost all the time, unless he was sent out on missions. She herself was last sent out on a mission was fourteen years ago, during the beginning of the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

After that, they thought it better to keep her hidden, having figured she was too valuable for the battlefield.

And now, with the Soviet Union having fallen into pieces, she and James were transported somewhere else. Now, apparently, they were in the states. Not far from their new deployment.

"You're in pain, aren't you?", James asked, hitting the bullseye.

Theresa glanced up at him again and nodded slowly.

"When did you get your lost shot?"

"A day or two before we left Moscow."

"That is far too long."

"I know."

"We need to get you a new one as quick as possible."

"I know."

James let out an exasperated sigh, tilting his head at the woman beside him. Then he raised his hand, laying it gently in the back of her neck and pulling her close, resting his forehead against hers.

"I will make sure you get one as soon as we arrive. Try to sleep."

"You know I can't."

"Yes you can. I am here, after all."

Theresa smiled softly at the man before her.

"Thank you."

Theresa awoke with a gasp, her head shooting up so fast, one might fear she get a whiplash.

The lights were dimmed, as if to make sure she wouldn't turn blind upon opening her eyes. She figured that she sat in a cell, if her hands cuffed behind her back were not proof enough. Although she doubted how useful those cuffs were supposed to be.

She couldn't find out, however, where she was supposed to be. This did not look like a cell of HYDRA, so she guessed this might be S.H.I.E.L.D.

The lights turned a tad bit brighter as a figure stepped close to the door of her cell.

"Karen Nelson?"

The questioning sound of her false name was enough to tell her that this person doubted her, as well as the truth behind her name.

"Or do you respond to Theresa Stark?"

A weak smile fought its way onto her lips as she tried to make out the figure before her cell.

"Use whichever you feel more comfortable with using."

The woman raised a brow and as the lights got just a bit brighter, she was sure of who was standing before her.

"Black Widow. Or do I say Agent Romanoff? Or just call you Natalia, right off the bat?"

"The entirety of S.H.I.E.L.D as well as the world thought you died back in 1945 during an invasion of a British war camp."

"A lot of people died back then, you would think a person like me with no reason other than being a doctor would not show up in those statistics."

"Oh please, you were the youngest doctor with four PhD's in that time and age, as well as Howard Stark's genius sister, of course you'd show up on the tabloids."

Theresa huffed a laugh "Should I feel flattered? Also, if I might correct you, I have six PhD's by now. I had a lot of time on my hand, after all."

The Romanoff watched the Stark with crossed arms.

"How did you survive?"

"How did you?"

Natasha was quick to catch on to what the woman wanted to achieve. She wanted to dig up the wounds of her past, just like the Russian tried herself.

"Your files state that you worked with HYDRA on the Winter Soldier project back in the beginning. You were sent to the Soviet Union with the Winter Soldier to continue supervising him there under the lead of Vasily Karpov, until you were sent back to the States after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992. Until now, you've worked under Alexander Pierce and continued with supervising the Winter Soldier."

Theresa said nothing, waiting patiently for the agent to finish with her little speech.

"What made you work under those monsters like some obedient dog?"

Theresa smiled softly.

"What made you work with the soviets in the Red Room?"

"I don't suppose our objectives were the same."

"You're right, they weren't."

Natasha furrowed her brows, not getting the things she searched for, apparently. Not that Theresa bothered.

"Let me ask you something, Natalia. Do you have something, anything, in this world that you deem worth protecting, no matter the cost?"

Natasha watched the Stark, considering to what extent she should say the truth. But for now, she decided a simple answer and question response should suffice.

"Yes. Why?"

"I have the same. I would do anything to keep them safe. Even if it meant letting HYDRA scientist turning me into the person I am today. Even if it meant working with those who killed people precious to me."

"You mean your brother, Howard."

"He was important to me, yes. But all I did was for a different reason."

Natasha slowly looked like she was catching on. But, before she could push on, Theresa changed the subject.

"Did you give me Carfentanyl?"

The Widow shook her head "No, morphine. Should be good enough."

"If I were you, I would look for a way to get some Carfentanyl on hand ASAP, before I wreak havoc like in the World Security Council's office. And let me tell you, that was only the tip of the iceberg."

"And if we don't? If we just let you suffer like this until you talk?"

"Then I am sure you should run. Because if no one triggers me, I sure as hell know how to do it myself. And you do not want to be here if I should explode."