The Widows Sting

Happy Valentine's Day Gotham Part 1


LOCATION: Bat Cave


"It's hopeless Natasha" Barbra says with as much sadness as I felt, like watching a faithful dear friend clinging to life but losing the battle 


 We both look down at the destroyed Widows stingers on the table.


They had been badly damaged in a brutal fight with Ras al Ghul last week 


<and by the way that wound on my shoulder still hurt,>


 However the stingers no longer worked like they used to.


Yesterday when I tried to shoot out a grappling hook I nearly took my own arm off and when I tried to shoot a Widows bite at a criminal yesterday it back fired and struck me instead 


<it was all very embarrassing, not my finest moment>


"Is there nothing that Bruce Wayne could do?" she asks hopefully as she carefully picks up the golden gauntlet being extra careful as not to damage them however they were badly singed and the electric casing on the shell was cracked wide open, as the gauntlet delivers Barbra as small electric shock she abruptly puts it down 


"uh ow" she mumbles as she inspects the small burn on her hand.   


I shake my head,


Although I had asked him not to I knew Bruce Wayne had spoken privately to some scientists and engineers over at Wayne Tec and they had said they didn't know where to start with the unique Russian technology they were made especially for me therefore irreplaceable 


I felt a deep loss as I look at the charred remains of my stingers on the table I've had them since my career as the Black Widow began I could never leave them behind 


<and that's not for a lack of trying>


"Is there another pair somewhere in the world or I don't know the blue prints on how to make new ones?" Barbra asks hopeful because Black Widow without her stingers well it was just wrong, My wrists felt bare without them


"Yeah there is locked up inside a maximum security bunker in Siberia surrounded by guards twenty-four seven" I reply


Barbra looks at me like why haven't I gone to get them already as we both know for me it would be easy as pie for the Black Widow 


<but I do have my reasons> 


"If I even so much as step a foot on to Russian soil ARGUS will hand me over to Russia quicker than I can blink it's part of my deal with them so that's a no go for now I'm afraid" I enlighten her on the terms of my 'self employment'


Barbra shakes her head in frustration I felt the same frustration


"Face it Barbra the stingers have bitten their last" I say sadly and toss them in a nearby bin they land with a loud clutter I resist the urge to look back at them.


Trying to change the subject Barbra loudly clears her throat and asks "You know what day it is tomorrow don't you?" I look at her knowing what she was getting at


"Yes it's Tuesday, February the 14th" I reply sarcastically she looks at me in disbelief 


"It's Valentine's day Black Widow the day off love and romance" a sour look appears on my face 


Ha Valentines day more like spend money on a holiday that has been twisted by Capitalist gifting companies for the purpose of financial gain as people spend tons of money on cards, flowers, chocolates and other such crap


<Careful Romanoff your communist is showing>


 <Hey Give me a break I was born and raised in Soviet Russia some of that idealism is still buried deep down>


"Not a fan of Valentines day huh Natasha?" Barbra asks,


I shake my head and smile which is properly the best way to put it Firstly my love life was not something that I like to think about too much after all I'm a 94 year old ex assassin doesn't look great on a dating profile dose it as Secondly well I pretty sure I covered my point above.


"Well I'm not up to anything if you want to have a singles night in to contemplate our lonely lives we could watch a film grab a take out" Barbra says in a very hopeful voice


I understood her meaning,


 Dick obviously hadn't asked her to do anything this Valentine's day and she didn't want to be alone,


I on the other hand had no problem with being alone on Valentine's day and honestly I hadn't given my love life to many thoughts over the years so I spent most Valentine's days alone


"Sure could be fun" I reply as I pop on my motor bike to make my nightly patrol.


"Yay! You get the snacks I'll get the movie" she cheerfully claps her hands in excitement 


I partly laugh and partly groan "Ok what ever just nothing romantic" I reply as I lift my helmet over my head and start up the engine 


She sarcastically salutes "See you tomorrow"


LATER: GOTHAM


Overall my night was very dull I stop a hold up at a gas station that wasn't too far from my apartment and put an end to an assault in crime alley however every little helps at the end of the day.


I climb back into my apartment through my balcony doors 


<I know I could easily sneak through the main lobby but it was a hard habit to break> 


I soundlessly enter my quiet apartment, 


<I really should tidy up in here>   


I pick up a black hoodie that lazily sat on the arm of the sofa, as I begin to pull off my chunky leather boot I notice how worn they are and even stained with a dark brown substance that i'm a hundred percent sure is blood 


<Damn even my super strong shoe polish wasn't going to get that stain off, oh well> 


I throw my shoes over to the general area where most of my shoes sat when something catches my attention


  A white envelope roughly the A5 size and it had "Natasha" written on the front with neat hand writing and the ink was sure from some expensive stationary 


I open the envelope and a giant smile transpires across my face as I see a Batman themed valentines day card I had seen stores across Gotham selling them I had briefly considered buying one for Bruce 


<I know, I know what I said earlier but I do have a sense of humour>


However it looks like he beat me to it, the black symbol contained a red heart in the centre but my smile widens even further as I look at the words inside


"You're super to me!"


<Very funny big guy very funny>


  I place the card in the centre off my coffee table, damn now I better get him something 


LOCATION: NATASHA'S APARTMENT 


Beep, Beep, Beep....... 


I painfully wake up when my alarm goes off at 7AM 


Batman's nemesis is the Joker, Superman has Lex Luther, Wonder Woman has cheetah, The flash has the Reverse Flash and me well I have my alarm clock the most evil of them all


I briefly recall what the date is  


"Ugh!" I say to myself as I bury my head in my pillows maybe I am getting bitter in my old age.


I eventually find the will power to roll out of my bed and the cold morning air hits my bare legs causing goose bumps to raise all over my body I reach for my favourite hoodie that I borrowed from Bruce and never really gave it back since it had sort of become a security blanket 


<It even sort of smelled like him> 


I quickly dig out some civilian clothes dark grey jeans a black shirt a leather jacket and my blonde wig


But I find a minuet to gulp back a mug of hot coffee in record time, I quickly inspect the fridge and cupboards but they were pitifully empty I very rarely had guests I should stock up for tonight otherwise I sure hope that Barbra likes frozen pizza because that's all I know how to make


<Huh in the many years that I've been alive you would think that I would find a second to pick up a cooking book>   


NATASHA'S POV


LOCATION: STREETS OF GOTHAM


I head to the nearest supermarket to get some stuff for tonight as I drive my bike down a street which mostly contained local business I notice something well not out of the ordinary but very unusual because today it was littered with hanging baskets of roses strange a little too cheery for Gotham I think to myself. 


However pessimistic I may be about Valentines day I always had a soft spot for red roses 'dangerous but beautiful' blood red like my hair  


I quickly get to the local supermarket I had gotten to know the old man that runs it quite well he was also a Russian and had lived in St Petersburg for most of his life until the constant terrors of the KGB had sent him to America looking for a quieter life with his family I suppose I could relate.


Unfortunately the store was closed which was very unusual


I look around the street only to realise that there isn't another soul in sight it's too quiet for rush hour in Gotham my Widow's Instinct is on high alert 


That's when I hear a deafening scream of fear and a short blonde woman still dressed in her night clothes comes running towards me 


"HELP please help my boyfriend he- he's not breathing I think he's dead!" she yells with tears running down her bright red face,


I run towards her "Show me where he is" I tell her


 I was always willing to help civilians in need.


The girl nods and pulls me in to her house where on the floor in the living room was a young man on the floor,


I get him into the recovery position I feel his pulse he is breathing normally definitely not dead 


"He's still alive" I tell her as she visibly flops against the wall 


"Sir can you hear me" I yell at him but there is no response


"Ring 911" I tell the young lady she nods and leaves the room to do so.


I always knew that scared people just needed to be given orders sometimes because the fact that someone has a sense of control is comforting to them, but for the life of me I can't figure out what is wrong with him, 


Suddenly I feel my cell phone ring and vibrate in my pocket the screen displayed a picture of my good friend, it was Barbra


"Now really isn't the time Barbra" I tell her


"Oh I know Natasha just trust me and turn on a TV if you are near one" Barbra says she sounds pretty shaken up,


 I reach for the remote control on the ratty sofa and turn over to the news


"This is Summer Gleason reporting live from Gotham City where it appears every man in the city has fallen into a deep sleep and will not wake up we urge you all watching to remain calm" Summer reports so this was not a single incident, but how? 


"Damn it we should have never moved to Gotham City" the young girl says as she slowly renters the room and stares at the TV screen.


If this had affected all men then that meant 


<oh no Bruce!>


I stand up sharply and take off my blonde wig revealing my long red hair


"You're the- the" the young girl stutters in awe as she immediately recognized the 'infamous' Black Widow, I was always amused at others reactions to meeting me like meeting a celebrity if they'd met me 10 years ago I would hardly get the same reaction 


"Keep an eye on your boyfriend and lock the door I'm going to find out what's going on" I tell her she nods silently and watches me ride off into the ghost town streets of Gotham city.


Apologies for the short chapter it was mostly about introducing the next story some fan favourite characters are going to be appearing very soon I urge you to keep reading and to leave a comment below Thank you for reading chapter 17. xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx   


Songs for Chapter 17


-"Salute" by Little Mix




-"Me, Myself and I" by G-Easy, Bebe Rexha




-"Sk8er Boi" by Avril Lavigne




-"Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston




-"If I were a boy" by Beyonce


Click on the external link below for the playlist available on Spotify 



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