A.N: This one is a bit longer, as an apology for being so slow with updates. Thank you to anyone still reading.

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DECEMBER 2015

Seven spent the next few weeks learning how to fit in with her new teammates. She eventually got used to sharing a room with four other widows and she could now identify each of their breathing patterns. She got used to the top bunk bed, the thicker bedding, and comfier mattress. She received a jumper which matched the older girls, and the other widows stopped staring at her when she walked past in the hallway.

Viktoria and Anya had started trusting her more, they stopped shunning her from conversations and allowed her to train with them when all the older widows had to train together. They helped her with her ballet, offered help treating her wounds.

Sofia was a harder person to get close to and Seven rarely saw a chip in her hard exterior. However, she was snapping at Seven less and less and Seven often caught her staring at her, eyes filled with curiosity.

Yelena had said approximately thirty words to the girl and Seven had no idea why, she wouldn't get close to her and the other team mates were starting to notice.

"Yel, you spar with Seven, we'll alternate between the three of us" Seven heard Anya speak to the blonde.

She was sat on one of the thinner crash mats, waiting for one of the others to tell her what they were going to do.

"Why can't you do it?" She heard Yelena groan and mutter something else incoherent.

"You have the most similar build," Anya replied, motioning for the other two to start warm-ups. "Plus she's fought all of us at least three times, she needs to know all our styles."

Yelena sighed, knowing that she wouldn't win this argument.

"Fine, только в этот раз. " (Just this once)

"Посмотрим" (We'll see) Anya replied over her shoulder, walking away.

Seven swallowed as the older girl approached her, her expression clearly annoyed. Something about her made the teenager nervous, and Yelena's refusal to get to know her at all didn't help the nerves.

"Вставать" (Get up)

Seven scrambled to her feet, readying herself to fight.

She didn't know how Yelena fought, so her first tactic was to analyze her stance and see if she could get any clues. Seven noticed that the girl must be left handed, standing with her left hand first. She also deemed that she wouldn't be a defensive fighter, instantly proved right as she was lunged at.

Seven managed to dodge at the last second but Yelena was fast and recovered quickly, bouncing on her toes. She went in again and Seven ducked to the left, dodging once more. She was pleased with herself.

The redhead decided to stop merely dodging and threw a punch which was evaded, she tried again and again but Yelena kept on moving out of the way just before they would land.

Seven looked for any weak spots in the blonde's positioning, thinking they would be more obvious after the small time they had been moving. She noticed a slight limp on her right ankle, the look on Yelena's face whenever she would land too hard that side, how all her punches were coming from the left. Seven realized that the girl wasn't actually left handed, merely a smart fighter. She had positioned her weaker side away, attempting to hide it from her opponent.

Seven leapt forward but she didn't attempt a punch, instead dropping to the ground and sweeping Yelena's right ankle. The blonde instantly went down upon contact, hissing at the pain.

Seven grinned, assuming Yelena would want a break. Instead, she was pulled down by her own legs both being swept from underneath her, hitting the mat flat on her back and feeling all the air rush out of her in one breath.

Seven gasped for air but the older widow was already on top, trying to pin Seven by her hands.

Seven shuffled under her weight, trying to flip them. She wasn't strong enough. Yelena gripped the younger girl's arms together above her head and Seven realized there was only one way to get out.

She kicked her left leg blindly and thanked the gods above when it made contact with Yelena's ankle. She jerked and let go of Seven's hands and in an instant the teenager was back on her feet, breathing hard with her fists out ready.

Yelena was getting frustrated now, Seven could tell. She had expected the young widow to go down easily and without much of a fight. She pulled herself up to her feet and was instantly attacking with her right hand, tactics long forgotten.

Seven hadn't been ready for the sheer intensity of the attack and was met with the quickest kick she had ever seen to her ribs, followed with a punch that collided straight with her nose, sending her spiraling to the floor, missing the mat by a few inches.

At the sound of the teenager whacking against the hard-wood floor the other three looked up, rushing over in an instant.

"What happened?" Viktoria asked, watching as the oldest of them crouched to check if Seven was conscious.

"I won." Yelena shrugged.

"Христос" (Christ), Seven muttered, cupping her nose and rolling onto her back.

"She's conscious" Anya announced,

"Yes, thank you for that observation A," Sofia muttered,

"I think I'm okay" Seven blinked a few times as she sat up, trying to stop her vision from doubling. She was currently seeing two of everyone.

"That looks broken," Viktoria said, "Really broken." She offered the girl a tissue and then sat down next to her when she realized Seven was reaching in the complete wrong direction, dabbing the tissue underneath her nose.

"Nonsense," Yelena rebutted, "I didn't hit her hard enough for that."

"It's broken" Viktoria confirmed, feeling the girl's nose.

"I'm fine guys, honestly" Seven shook her head, "It doesn't even hurt."

"God's sake," Anya looked over to the blonde, "What happened?"

"She must've hit it against the floor when she fell." Yelena shrugged, "Я не знаю" (I don't know)

This was the most Seven had ever heard Yelena speak, and every word coming out of her mouth wasn't true.

"You didn't pull your punches" Seven argued, "You punched me in the face!"

"We aren't supposed to pull our punches, this is the red room."

"Yelena I thought we agreed to pull them while she got used to it here." Sofia said, eyebrow quirked.

"You all agreed, I didn't." Yelena crossed her arms.

"What the hell is your problem?" Seven asked, trying to focus on Yelena which was hard, considering her concussion.

"I don't have a problem." Yelena said, turning away.

"Oh please, you don't talk to me, you wont look at me, and every time you do you stare daggers into my skull. You're completely indifferent!"

Yelena was walking away now and Seven pushed herself to her feet, wobbling but finding her balance.

"Don't walk away, what is your problem?"

Yelena spun back, hair whipping around her.

"Okay fine! I don't think you should be on this team, we don't need you! You're a dead weight that we have to train just so you can keep up!"

"Yelena" Anya warned, but it fell on deaf ears.

"I deserve to be here" Seven insisted, "I've worked my whole life to be here! I'm just as much of a widow as you."

"I know that!" She yelled back, Seven had no idea why they were arguing then. "I- I know that"

Seven didn't know what to do with the sudden change of tone.

Yelena sighed. "You really don't recognize me?"

Seven shook her head.

She heard the door close somewhere behind them, guessing the other widows had left, escaping the argument.

"It was almost four years ago." She said and Seven's mind was blank.

"Four years is a long time in here. Maybe you're thinking of someone else, Ivan said I'd never met any of you before" Seven's vision was clearing and she shrugged.

"I'm not"

"But Ivan said-"

"Do you always believe everything Ivan says?" She interrupted curtly, and took a breath. "I met you four years ago, in a supply closet."

"Why was I in a supply closet?"

"You weren't alone."

Seven thought for a moment. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"The showers? That was you?"

"Yeah."

"I try not to remember that point in my life, and the serum makes that even easier."

Yelena made a noise of acknowledgement and Seven sighed.

The two stood in silence, neither knowing how to proceed.

"I did cry in the showers though, so thank you for that."

"Everyone does," Yelena smiled. "I'm sorry for treating you awfully, I guess I was waiting for you to say something about that day and you never did."

Seven looked up at her, waiting for her to continue, "That guard used to beat the shit out of me because of what I'd seen, I blamed you for it. I reasoned that if you'd never been in there then I wouldn't have walked in on something I shouldn't have and then he wouldn't have beat me. It's stupid because it wasn't your fault, and I knew that then and I still know it."

"It was easier to blame me, I get it." Seven nodded and the two began leaving together.

"I never understood why you helped me that day though," Seven spoke, "Things like that were never talked about."

"When I was a kid, I fell off over and cut up my knees. My- uh, Father told me that it wasn't something to cry about and told me to stop." Yelena stopped, not knowing whether to continue, she wasn't used to being open. She decided to extend an olive branch.

My childhood was filled with lots of moments like that, being told not to cry when I fell off my bike, or one of the neighborhood kids punched me in the face, or when I was supposed to abandon my life and my family."

Seven glanced up, but Yelena's eyes were distant and glassy.

"My sister took me into the bathroom and told me to get in the shower and cry after I cut my knees. She cleaned them after and kissed them both better. She did the same thing with the cuts on my face after I was punched, and she told me to do it on my own when she was ripped away from me. I wanted to share it with someone who needed it."

Seven digested all the information, "Thank you, I did really need it. Thank you for telling me about your childhood too, I didn't know you had a sister."

"I haven't seen her in a really long time. I miss her."

"You can talk about her, if you want." Seven encouraged. "What was her name?"

"Natalia." Yelena replied, smiling sadly. Seven didn't push for more.

"Well, she sounds lovely. I've never met a Natalia before."

Yelena returned the smile, finally looking at the younger girl's face. "Oh god! Your poor face. I'm so sorry." She pushed the door open to their shared room. "I didn't realize how much damage I'd done, let me help you clean it up."

The teenager shrugged, "your pain only makes you stronger." Seven muttered and Yelena turned to face her,

"Where did you hear that from?" She asked, voice strained.

"I- I don't know." Seven said, "I can't remember."

At the sound of the voices, the other three looked over from their small table. Seven recognized the outline of cards in their hands. Ivan had dropped them off, insisting that they needed to freshen up on their skills before this mission, leaving them all confused.

"Oooo, poker, Deal me in." Seven sat down on one of the free chairs. It had become a game they played often, the ones who knew how to play teaching those who didn't.

"Maybe you should wait a minute Seven, Your face is still pretty bad." Viktoria said, dealing herself and the two other older widows two cards.

"Nonsense Vik, I'm fine. Look," Seven placed both hands around her nose and cupped it, wincing at the contact. She felt her power stir inside her, flowing through her fingertips and correcting her broken nose. "See, all better" She nodded, taking two cards from the deck. "Yelena?"

Yelena just nodded, eyes fixed on Seven's face. Seven passed her two cards of her own and placed down a white chip, the others following suit. She glanced at her cards, seeing a three of diamonds and four of spades, rubbish.

"How on earth?" Sofia asked, as Viktoria burned a card and dealt three into the middle.

"Did you just fix your own broken nose?" Anya said, raising the bet by two.

Seven looked at the flop, noticing a three and a queen, both of hearts, and a Seven in clubs.

"Yeah," She shrugged, "I'm doing the bruised ribs right now."

Seven matched the bet when it was her turn, pushing a few chips into the middle.

Viktoria dealt the next card, another three in clubs.

"How?" Anya asked, knocking on the table.

Sofia knocked too.

"Hmm?" Seven pushed a blue chip into the middle, receiving curses from the others.

"How did you heal it?"

"I fold," Yelena sighed, sliding her cards towards Viktoria,

"Me too." Viktoria placed her own cards underneath the pile.

"Before the final card? It's only a 10 guys." Seven smiled and Anya put her own blue into the middle, followed by Sofia.

"I'm losing, I can't afford it." Viktoria pointed to her sad stack of chips. She revealed the last card and Seven had to bite back a smile. Four of hearts.

Sofia groaned, apparently the only time she didn't have a poker face was when playing poker.

Anya placed two blue chips into the middle and Seven matched it.

"I fold." Sofia slid her cards towards Viktoria and swatted her hand when she tried looking at them, laughing and calling the brunette a cheater.

"Powers" Seven said, finally answering the question. "I can heal, and hurt."

"That's so cool." Viktoria muttered.

"I thought you could control the elements." Anya raised a brow, raising the bet for the final time.

"I can do both." Seven matched her, "Lets see what you have then."

"You first,"

"I matched you."

Anya sighed and lay her cards down, both a king and ace of hearts. "Flush, in hearts."

Seven threw her own cards down, "Full house." She leant forward and pulled the chips towards her. She couldn't help the wide grin that overtook her face.

"Alright, alright, you win." Anya laughed, "Bed now, we have a meeting tomorrow."

"Okay, winner gets to shower first though!" Seven smiled and took off, injuries forgotten as she swiped her towel and ran into their small, shared bathroom, leaving the other four in a stunned silence.

"Since when can she heal herself?" Sofia asked, accent distinctive.

Seven emerged from the shower five minutes later, hair wet and grin still in place. She rarely won against Anya as she was by far the best player out of them all.

Sofia passed her, on her way to the bathroom and offered her hand out for a high-five. Seven deemed that progress.

"Seven?" Anya beckoned her over to her bed which was below Yelena's.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any other powers I should be aware of?" Her tone was light but Seven recognized the seriousness of her inquiry. This was still a mission.

"No." She shook her head. "Sorry I didn't mention it before, Ivan doesn't even know about that one."

"Ah," Anya nodded,

"you wont tell him will you?" She was nervous.

"No, we're a team now, and that requires trust." Seven nodded, thankful. "We operate for the Red Room but that doesn't mean we like Ivan."

"Even Sofia?" Seven asked,

"Even Sofia. She puts up a hard exterior but she's a softy really." Viktoria added, swinging her head from above where she had been sitting with Yelena, icing her ankle.

"I heard that Viktoria!" Sofia called, emerging from the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel. "Stop spreading lies about me or I'll cut your tongue out." Anya sighed and headed for the shower, too tired to indulge.

The brunette leapt down from Yelena's bed and laughed, "I don't think you would, you'd miss my humour too much."

"I'd be relieved not to have to hear those awful jokes you make!"

"Really?" Viktoria asked, voice downcast, looking away from the taller blonde.

"No not really, I like your jokes." Sofia said quickly, pulling Viktoria back by her wrist.

"Promise?"

"Promise." Sofia pulled her in for a hug and Viktoria began smiling at the other two who were watching,

"See, she's so sappy."

"сука!" (bitch!) Sofia pushed her away, "I am not soft!"

Seven laughed as they took off towards their beds, the merciless teasing becoming quieter as Viktoria headed to the shower, still laughing as she passed Anya.

Seven was pulled from her thoughts as she heard Yelena wince and she pulled herself up, her head popping up to the top bunk. "Are you alright?"

"My ankle," Yelena explained, "It will be okay tomorrow."

They both knew that it would not be better tomorrow, and would probably get worse considering how swollen it was.

Seven swung herself up onto the bed, landing cross-legged.

"Can I?" She asked,

"What are you going to do?"

"Heal it."

Yelena was apprehensive and Seven could tell, "It wont hurt, promise."

The blonde nodded, "You can try."

"о, я "попробую" хорошо" (oh, I'll 'try' alright)

Seven continued to mumble about how that was offensive as she placed her hands to Yelena's ankle. Before she could start healing it, she had an idea and quickly took her hands away.

"What are you doing?"

"Shhh."

Seven realized she had been able to hurt people without touching them whenever she wanted, so why should this be any different? She thought about healing Yelena's ankle and watched as the swelling ceased, taking away the accompanying bruising.

"Move it around," Seven instructed and Yelena did, moving it in circles. "How does it feel?"

"Like normal" Yelena replied, and Seven enjoyed the slightly shocked look on her face, that never got old.

"Enjoy your shower." Seven said, hearing a 'thank you' before hopping down and making her way to her own bed, which she shared with no one. She didn't mind being on her own as she had the choice of both bunks. Tonight she climbed to the top and tucked herself beneath the cover, watching and waiting for everyone to get into bed before they heard the locks click and the lights turn out, a reminder that they were still in the Red Room, under control.

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"Peter come on!" Pepper scolded. She was leaning against his wall, coffee in one hand and a folder in the other.

"I'm coming!" He yelled back, emerging from the bathroom, spider suit to his neck with wet hair. "You look nice mom" he smiled, pecking her on the cheek before continuing to rush around and grab his phone, his charger, and headphones.

She felt some of her anger dissipating. "Thank you Pete, are you ready now?"

"Mhmm," He mumbled, "Wait."

The teenager turned around and disappeared back into the bathroom which caused a lengthy sigh from his mother as she comically checked her watch, muttering about how he was worse than his father.

"Ready." He reappeared with a bowtie fastened around his neck. "Are we leaving?"

"The whole team is leaving in ten minutes, so your ass better be in the car by..." She glanced at her watch again, "Half nine."

"Half nine, got it" He nodded, "Where's Aria going?"

"She's staying here with vision. No one expects the synthozoid to make an appearance tonight."

"Oh okay, Is Dad ready?" Peter asked, knowingly.

Pepper took a deep breath, "He will be." She turned on her heel and was gone instantly.

Peter loosened the tie around his neck and jogged to the kitchen, finding almost everyone in there, some eyes turning to look at him as he entered.

Aria was by his side in an instant and Peter scooped her up, throwing her up and catching her which granted him a shriek from the child and a few warnings from Steve who was nearby.

"Peter?" She asked as he put her down.

"Yeah?"

"Why can't I come? I don't want to stay here on my own." She jutted out her bottom lip and Peter laughed.

"One, it's past your bedtime already. Two, you wont be alone. Vision is staying with you." She followed him as he filled the kettle up with water and turned it on.

"Vision is boring." She whined quietly, hoping he wouldn't overhear. Peter gasped.

"I'm telling him you said that."

"No!" She protested quickly, "I take it back."

Peter laughed, "Vision is fun, he has no concept of bedtime or age ratings so you can stay up as long as you want and do whatever you want."

Aria considered this for a moment. "Fine, but I'm still asking the iron man why I can't come."

"Okay you ask the iron man." She took off running and Peter watched her go.

He turned and grabbed two flasks from the cupboard, placing a green tea bag in one and a chamomile in the other before pouring the boiled water over top.

"Okay let's go everyone, what's the hold up?" Tony yelled from somewhere and Peter could tell he was the hold up by the groans that echoed around the room.

Peter decided on taking the stairs, determining that it would probably be faster and less sweaty than an elevator with so many other people. Apparently Wanda had the same idea as he caught up with her, taking three steps at a time.

"Oh hey Pete," She greeted as he slowed, going down to one step. At nineteen, Wanda was now smaller than him, only by two inches. She looked up slightly to meet his gaze. "Your tie is crooked."

"It's also itchy." He remarked, "See you in a bit!"

"Are you in a hurry?" She asked, before he could sprint off.

"Yeah, I called shotgun but I know none of them will care if I get there after them!" He replied, already disappearing again.

He reached the bottom a minute later, and saw no sign of everyone else. They were taking three cars as Fury and Hill were meeting them there. He wanted to be in the cool car, and he knew exactly where to find it.

He spotted the black Porsche and slid into the passenger seat while slamming the door closed behind him, checking the digital clock and celebrating, giving the driver a fright. She jumped and cursed in a language Peter didn't understand, probably Russian.

"Sorry Nat, its 21:28." He apologized and turned down the radio. "Here, it's green." He passed her one of the two flasks and she took it, cupping the warmth between her hands before taking a small sip.

"How was your last day of school?" She asked, turning in her seat to look at him.

"Alright," he pulled the sun visor down to look in the mirror and fix his tie. "We got to watch nativity and finish early though." He rearranged his hair, even though no one would see it when he activated the mask. "I won't see my friends for a while now though, we don't go back for a few weeks."

"January Eighth, right?" She asked, pulling down her own mirror to check her appearance. She decided not to comment on Peter's unnatural obsession with nativity.

"Yeah." He knew she still had the school app downloaded on her phone by the amount of times she would remind him of something going on with the school, even sometimes reminding Pepper and Tony.

"Well you can always ask them over, I'm sure Tony wouldn't mind."

"Yeah I could do." He nodded, flipping the visor back after catching a glimpse of the others emerging. "I like the green by the way, and the necklaces." He complimented her outfit as the rear doors opened, hearing a small appreciative comment as he craned around to look at who had entered.

Clint had slid onto the right side, dressed in a smart suit which looked foreign on him, Wanda joining him on the left a moment later. She was wearing a long navy blue dress, draped in silver jewellery.

"Cool car" Peter muttered before Natasha turned up the music and pulled out of the garage, he activated the mask on the suit before they saw the sky, making sure no one saw his face.

They arrived at the event first and Natasha pulled the handbrake, grabbing her tea and beginning to chug it.

"I don't want to go." Clint protested, peering out of the tinted windows at the masses of people.

"I know." Natasha deadpanned, taking a break from all the tea.

"I don't understand why we have to be here." He added, crossing his arms.

"It's a Christmas event, Clint." Wanda said, unfastening her seatbelt. "For a charity, might I add." She was by far the most mature of the lot.

Clint groaned and undid his own belt. Natasha went back to chugging her tea.

Peter stepped out of the car first, being sat on the right. He ignored the flashes of the cameras as he walked around the front of the car and opened the driver's door like he had been told to do in media training. (Pepper had told him to earlier that same day.)

"Ready?" Natasha asked as he offered his hand to her, helping her out of the car.

She grabbed her clutch before putting her tea down, sad to part with it. "I think so, are you?" He responded as she handed the keys to the person waiting to move the car. Clint and Wanda had already started walking, not being distracted by tea.

"Pete I've done hundreds of these events, don't worry about me." She smiled, hooking her arm in his as they walked.

Peter saw Tony opening the door for Pepper out of the corner of his eye, spotting Rhodey and Bruce emerging from the back of their car.

Behind them was Steve and Thor, followed by Sam and Bucky.

Other guests were arriving too and Peter and Natasha slipped into the crowd, answering vague questions thrown at them and smiling at the cameras, (Just as Pepper had told them to.)

Peter spotted Hill and Fury and pointed them out to Natasha, urging her to go speak to them so he could save Wanda from an incessant reporter he had seen corner her a moment ago, Clint no where to be seen.

"Spiderman! Spiderman!" He heard called out to him as he made his way over, smiling and waving.

"Hey Wands," He whispered, coming to stand next to her. He squeezed her hand, knowing her anxiety often skyrocketed at these events. She squeezed back, reassuring him that she was alright.

"Who are you wearing tonight Miss Maximoff?" The reporter asked, thrusting a microphone at her.

"Um, I'm not too sure," She said, smiling weakly, "I didn't pick it out, I just wear what they ask me too."

"You don't pick your own outfits?" He asked, nose upturned.

"Not always, only sometimes." Wanda answered, simultaneously asking herself why they thought this was interesting and why the hell she was here. Clint surely wasn't being asked 'who he was wearing'.

Peter butted in before the reporter could ask another question.

"I'm wearing a Tony Stark Original tonight, thank you so much for asking. Now Miss Maximoff and I better be getting inside, lovely talking to you!" He grabbed her hand and led her away, ignoring his name being shouted as the man carried on yelling after them.

He also ignored all the questions being shouted by other reporters, most about who he truly was underneath the mask. Until he heard one which made him swivel around.

"What did you say?" He asked the reporter, a woman wearing square frame glasses.

"I asked where Shadow was tonight, Is she here?" The reporter pushed her glasses up her nose and offered the microphone out for Peter to answer. He opened his mouth but honestly didn't know what to say, Pepper hadn't prepped him for that one.

"She couldn't be here tonight, unfortunately." Wanda spoke, the most confident he had ever heard her. If he didn't know better, he would have believed her. "She had a prior commitment and was very sad to miss this."

The reporter seemed pleased with her answer and pulled back, allowing Wanda to easily lead Peter away from the loud voices and flashing lights. Peter couldn't shake the dampened feeling that had settled upon him.

"Pete? You okay?" She asked once they had entered the building.

He nodded absent-mindedly. "Don't tell Tasha."

She nodded and they made their way towards their allocated table together, taking their seats as the speaker began talking. If anyone noticed his shift in mood, they didn't mention it.

-----------------------------

Seven wasn't invited to the first part of the meeting, only Anya and Yelena had been asked to go. Viktoria had taken the extra time to sneak back to bed, risking being caught by the guards. That's how she had ended up in the gym with Sofia who was placing small bundles of toilet paper in even intervals, the only thing they had available to them.

"Okay." She said, dusting off her hands even though they weren't dirty. "I want you to move that one into my hands."

Apparently they were working on refining her powers.

"Alright." Seven focused on the end bundle, channeling air underneath the paper and directing it into Sofia's outstretched palms. She had made herself fly before, so this wasn't exactly hard.

"Set the next one on fire," She instructed and Seven did as she was asked. They both watched as the next one went up in flames.

"Put it out."

"Air or water?"

Sofia answered instantly. "Water."

Seven watched as nothing happened. She didn't know where she was supposed to be taking the water from. The fire just happened, but this was harder. She cupped her hands and they instantly filled, she began walking over to dump it on the small fire but Sofia shook her head.

"No. From there."

Seven sighed and allowed the water to disappear. She tried willing it to appear but nothing happened so instead she thought about the moisture in the air, and soon enough a bubble of water had formed. She directed it left and let it fall, extinguishing the fire.

"Good." Sofia said, "How can we test earth?"

"I don't know. Earth moves the ground, and walls, and shit like that."

"See if you can make the ground shake, just a little." Sofia said and Seven smiled, she knew she could do that easily.

The ground shook slightly beneath them, even if only for a second.

"Impressive."

"Thank you."

"Now," Sofia had a smile on her face as she turned to the younger girl, "Do it all at the same time."

Seven had had these powers for years, even if they were really rusty. She knew she was capable of this.

She started with air, lifting three separate bundles of paper and holding them in the air between her and Sofia. They shook in the air, being tussled by the air flowing around them before they all went up in flames. Sofia took a step back.

Seven pulled water from the air around her and moved it horizontally, enveloping each bundle before moving onto the next. She began making the floor underneath them shake, making sure to contain it to the room they were in only. Seven continued with earth and then moved the water so it was right in front of the blonde's body, allowing her to reach out and touch it before she made it burst.

The floor stopped rumbling and Seven used the air to wring out each soggy bundle, drying them completely. She pinched them from the air and handed them to Sofia.

"Okay then, I'd say you're good to go on that. Let's move on."

The door behind them opened and both widows turned, posture rigid before realizing it was only Viktoria who pulled the door closed behind her.

"Ivan wants us, Ну же" (Come on.)

Both widows noticed the bruise spreading across the brunette's face and Sofia was by her side in an instant, tilting her head to get a better look. "Что произошло?" (What happened?)

"They caught me Sof," She smiled, dismissing the blonde's worrying gaze. She pulled her hands away from her face. Seven noticed how neither let go.

"Глупый, Was it worth it, at least?" (Silly)

"Yeah," Viktoria's face stretched into a grin, "It was definitely worth it."

Sofia laughed and dropped her hands, allowing Viktoria to leave while waiting for Seven at the door.

"What?" She snapped when she noticed Seven giving her a look.

"Nothing, nothing. You two seem... close."

"Даже не начинай с этой ерунды" (don't even start with that rubbish,) Sofia dismissed, waving her hand at the teenager.

"You were concerned," Seven teased.

"I was not." She argued, "Viktoria is a fool."

"Mhm," Seven said, "sounded a lot like concern."

"I do not care about her, I am not soft."

Seven chose not to carry on, tucking the information away for later.

The two made their way to Ivan's office. Seven had no idea where she was going, but Sofia was confident, weaving between guards and widows through the hallways.

They shut the door silently and slid into their positions, Sofia between Anya and Viktoria, and Seven at the end next to Yelena. Their posture was rigid and eyes stared forward, tracking the man sat in front of them.

"Widows, you are to start your mission tomorrow. You will not fail, you will not deviate." They all nodded. "You have been tasked with a very important mission, it is an honor to work for the Red Room and you will successfully take down the threat of the avengers no matter how long it takes, do I make myself clear?"

It was a rhetorical question and they all knew it, they knew they had no choice but to succeed.

Ivan produced a red vial from his desk drawer and Seven's blood ran cold. Hymenoepimecis.

"This is a new and improved version of our serum. Unfortunately it is not as restrictive as the last one, as we need you to actually be able to think." He said it as if it was the worst thing in the world.

"You will be able to think for yourself, but you are still under the Room's control, just not mine." He continued, "The big boss, Dreykov."

Yelena tensed next to her.

Seven had only seen Dreykov once, come to observe her in the electricity chamber. He had been there for a moment and then gone, the only reason she knew he had been there at all is from the guard's whispers of his name.

"This serum allows us to do things we couldn't even dream of before." Seven swallowed again. "Now, who's first?"

Anya immediately approached, taking the role of the oldest seriously. She stood blankly as he injected the liquid into her arm, before pushing something onto her leg, causing her to wince. The circular disk furrowed beneath her skin and Seven recognized it as a tracker.

Each girl stood silently as they each had their turn, not even batting an eye as the tracker pushed its way under their skin. Seven felt her skin crawl as it moved.

The redhead was most alarmed that she didn't feel at all different after the serum had been injected, she had originally thought it faulty. After a minute a chill settled within her and she knew it was there.

"You are dismissed." He said, "See you tomorrow." He grinned and the door was opened by one of his guards.

"Oh and Subject Seven?" She turned back to face him and her hand reached out to catch whatever was thrown at her out of instinct.

She found a box of hair dye in her hand.

"Wouldn't want you to stick out too much, or be recognizable." Seven thought she saw a flash of uncertainty in his features, as if he had said something he shouldn't have, but it was gone instantly, leaving her deeming it only her imagination. Besides, she had never left the facility. Who would recognize her?

She left in silence.

Seven stared up at her reflection in the small mirror. She didn't recognize the person staring back at her, she had had red hair her entire life, it felt as if she was losing a small part of herself.

She tucked her wet hair behind her ear and stepped out of the bathroom, she was being silly.

She made her way to where the others were sat, playing go fish. Seven ran her finger over the bump where the tracker was sitting, waiting for them to say something as they stared at her.

"It's black." Viktoria stated, bruise no longer present after Seven had healed it an hour ago.

"It's weird." Sofia said, matter of factly, "Red suits you more." Seven heard Viktoria kick the blonde under the table.

"Well I like it," Yelena said, offering a reassuring smile,

"Me too, you look like me now." Anya added.

Seven smiled a little at that, she liked Anya.

The girl reached up to her neck subconsciously, for some unknown reason. She went to grasp something before realizing there was nothing there and retracting her hand. She didn't have any clue why she had done that and she stared at her hand, as if it had moved on it's own.

"I'll get used to it." She shrugged, taking the cards offered to her.