Widow Sisters and Friends (Restoring Our Broken Hearts)

Together Forevermore

Summary: What if Yelena was there with Natasha on Vormir? What if she had survived the snap and it was her and Natasha sent to retrieve the soul stone? Could she have changed the outcome?

   "He's serious, isn't he?" Yelena questioned softly, and Natasha solemnly nodded as she took in the sight of the cliffside. Yelena felt her heart dropping as she immediately knew what Natasha was thinking.

The two of them had been sent to retrieve the soul stone, everyone knowing that the both of them were the best team to send to take care of anything that needed to be done. Yelena had at first thought that it was going to be easy since she and Natasha could handle anything at all.

However, the wind was knocked out of her as soon as she had found out that one of them would have to sacrifice someone they loved to receive the stone. Yelena was completely bumfuzzled and Natasha was remarkably quiet.

Yelena was not stupid. She knew exactly what Natasha was planning. Natasha had promised the team that she would get the stone. And Natasha never failed a mission. Ever.

"No. Stop. You're not doing it," Yelena informed her firmly, and Natasha turned her attentions to Yelena. Yelena stood firmly against Natasha's soft, sorrowful gaze.

"There has to be another way. A way to cheat it," Yelena expressed, stepping closer to her to keep the being nearby them from hearing her. However, deep down she had a feeling that the being would hear her no matter how quiet she spoke.

"I don't think there is. There never is with these things," Natasha replied, and Yelena felt her stomach twist, knowing that Natasha was right but most certainly not wanting to accept that fact.

"Well... we can go back and fetch Clint and yeet him off," Yelena suggested, trying to muster at least a small joke despite the fact that she could feel the despair setting into her.

"Just because he ate what was left of your sour cream and onion chips doesn't mean he deserves to die," Natasha told her, the barest hints of humor in her voice despite the seriousness of the situation and the pain that was growing within both of them as the situation's gravity weighed down on them horridly.

"Says you," Yelena told her, and they grew quiet for a moment, just standing there and looking at the cliffside awaiting its sacrifice.

"Yelena, I've got to be the one to do this," Natasha finally told her softly, and Yelena shook her head insistently, moving nearer.

"No. You're not going to die. You're not going to jump," Yelena argued.

"Someone has to," Natasha expressed with a sigh as she looked at Yelena. Yelena immediately hardened her gaze as she looked at the redhead.

"I will," Yelena asserted.

"No, you're not jumping. I'm going to do it, Yelena. I've killed so many people, and this is my chance to wipe away the red in my ledger," Natasha expressed, moving nearer to Yelena as she took the blonde's head in her hands. Yelena shook her head, searching Natasha's face.

"I've killed even more," Yelena argued, and Natasha sighed deeply.

"Rooskaya, you were mind controlled. I chose to kill people. I chose to do those things. I've got more red than you will ever have because it was a choice I made," Natasha firmly expressed, her thumbs gently stroking Yelena's face. Yelena quieted, knowing that although Natasha's words were not true, there was no way that she was going to be able to convince the redhead otherwise. She did not have enough time to.

Yelena could feel the tears creeping up on her, desperation gripping at her and almost inducing a panic as she reached up to grab Natasha's arms with her hands. They shared a long silence, the both of them just staring into each other's eyes and silently exchanging countless words.