Above it all (I'll always love you)

3

Maria startles awake at the feeling of someone shaking her, and when she pries her eyes open, she comes face to face with Natasha. The girls eyes were wide and wary, almost as though she expected Maria to scold her for coming into her room, and the woman frowns in concern as she sits herself up.

"Natasha? What is it? Are you okay?"

"Yelena." Was all Natasha says, her voice raspy from lack of use. It was only now does Maria seem to hear the sound of terrified screams coming from just down the hall. Eyes widening, Maria climbs out of bed and quickly heads towards the sound. Yelena was writhing on the bed, her covers on the floor and her tiny body glistening with sweat.

"Shh, you're okay Yelena. You're safe." Maria sits herself next to the squirming figure and rests a gentle hand on her back. She had no intentions of waking Yelena, because she knew the girl would likely be disoriented and confused, and may take longer to settle down and go back to sleep. With how long it had taken to get her settled in the first place, that was the last thing Maria wanted.

Yelena let's out a quiet whimper as she claws at her sheets, and Maria takes the tiny hands into her own and trails the pads of her thumbs over the soft skin. She continues with the soft soothing. "I've got you. Natasha's here too. You're okay. You're safe."

Much to her surprise, Yelena's eyes blearily flicker open and make contact with her own. Her bottom lip trembles, and it takes everything in Maria to not scoop her up and hold her close in fear of upsetting her further. Turns out that thought was unnecessary, because Yelena let's out a small sob as she scrambles into Maria's arms. The woman lifts her onto her lap, pressing a kiss to her head as she begins to rock the little one back and forth.

From her peripheral vision, she see's Natasha eying her sister in concern, and on the off chance she'd allow herself to be comforted too, Maria pats the spot next to them where Yelena's feet were resting.

Natasha eyes her warily, but her concern for her sister obviously overpowers her fear as just seconds later, she climbs out of her bed and sits down next to Maria, Yelena's legs now resting in her lap.

Yelena holds out her hand, and Natasha quickly takes it.

"Can I wrap my arm around you?" Maria asks, and Natasha tentatively nods her head. The woman wraps her free arm around Natasha's shoulder, and she grazes the pad of her thumb over her pyjama clad arm.

"Good girls." Maria murmurs, giving them both a soft squeeze. Yelena sniffles, her free hand clinging to the woman's shirt and Maria presses a kiss to her head as she trails a hand up and her back.

"You're okay baby, we've got you, haven't we Natasha?"

The blue haired child looks up at her with a surprised look on her face, and Maria sends her an encouraging smile. Natasha nods in agreement as she gives her sisters hand a soft squeeze.

"Yeah. It's okay lena." She whispers hoarsely, and Maria has to refrain from smiling at the sound of her voice. She had no time to take it in earlier due to her urgency to get to Yelena, but it was definitely refreshing to hear after a whole day of silence.

*

Maria smiles as she leans against the doorway of the girls bedroom. It was a little after eight in the morning, and both girls were still snoozing away. Yelena was sprawled out on her front, pants nowhere to be seen with her thumb in her mouth and Natasha was curled up small, blankets clutched to her front.

The difference was startling. It told Maria that Yelena was comfortable with her surroundings, but Natasha was still very wary and unsure. No worries. They'd work on it.