A very old and small town in Belarus waited below for both Russians, who scrunched up their noses at the idea of having to spend more days and nights of their lives in old and run-down places. However, they also knew Sam and Steve were down there somewhere, which is probably the only reason why Natasha didn't make a wide turn to someplace warmer and prettier.

''Yeey, I am so excited,'' Katya said dryly, getting up from her seat to lower the ramp door as soon as they touched ground. 

''Remind me to take you on a honeymoon to someplace warm as soon as we can,'' Natasha called over her shoulder, busy landing the jet someplace incognito.

They still hadn't had a real honeymoon and that bothered both of them more than it maybe should. They weren't exactly a traditional couple, but some traditions, they valued.

''No,'' Katya shook her head with determination, staring at the back of Natasha's head with her hand on the big red button by the door. ''No, I said I would take you someplace warm and sunny. Don't try to claim my idea for yourself.'' She wanted to do this one thing, surprise Nat. The honeymoon was hers to organize.

''What country did you have in mind?'' Natasha tried, nevertheless. The jet shook lightly, and before she could shut off the engines, Katya already pushed the button, daylight pouring in.

''Nah-ah,'' Katya tutted over the loud hiss. ''Control, remember? Leave it to me.''

''Fine,'' Natasha grumbled, stalking out of the jet with big steps, but not before stopping by Katya, bringing her lips to her ear. ''Make sure it's private so I can hear your pretty moans.''

The butterflies in Katya's stomach went crazy, and heat rose to her cheeks. She got caught off guard too much to come up with a snarky comment.

Was something in the wine last night that got Natasha so horny or what? 

But fine. She wanted to be a tease? Two can play that game. 

Katya rushed after her, down the ramp, feeling the smirk radiate off her. But Natasha jumped in surprise when Katya slapped her ass. The fact that she rarely did that made the surprise even bigger - Natasha wasn't a huge fan of it.

Katya didn't stop and wait around for her retaliation, speeding up her steps while forcing her smile down. No doubt that Natasha's smirk had turned into a scowl now. 

''Dangerous grounds, Katya!'' A loud voice called after her. ''Dangerous grounds.'' 

Oh, shit. 

Katya chuckled when Natasha managed to catch up with her, right when the first houses emerged in the distance. ''Ah, there you are, darling. Thought I lost you back there.'' She got a nasty side-eye in return, but Natasha's voice was as calm as ever.

''You're laughing now, but you just wait.''

''Promises, promises.''

The motel the guys stayed in was small, old, exactly like one of those creepy buildings in the drama or horror movies. Luckily, it was light out.

The office was small, and they saw the bored manager behind the desk through the glass in the door. The only thing they needed from him was the correct room number, which was in the huge book on his desk.

Katya stopped in the middle of the parking lot, turning to face Natasha with her hands on her hips. ''So, you want to do this the fast way or the kind way?''

One eyebrow raised on Natasha's face. ''What is 'the fast way'?'' The kind way, she could picture, but the fast way didn't sound very friendly.

A smug smile appeared on Katya's face, and she took the gun from her thigh. ''I use this bad boy to threaten the manager, and you go through the book.'' When Natasha stared at her dryly, Katya's smile fell, and she stuffed her gun back where she got it from. ''Kind way it is.''

She zipped her top further open, tugging on her bra to push her boobs up more. Natasha stared at it in a trance, until she grasped what the plan was, swatting Katya's hands away to pull the zipper back up. 

''No.''

With furrowed eyebrows, Katya looked up. ''No?''

Natasha shook her head firmly. ''Absolutely not. You're not gonna slut your way to the information.'' She sighed and shook her head with a chuckle. ''Why does your mind go from threatening people to pushing your boobs into someone's face.''

''Well, what were you gonna do? Talk to him?'' Katya joked, crossing her arms over her chest. She expected some teasing answer back, but Natasha's answer was very unexpected.

''That's exactly what I'm gonna do.''

''Oh.'' Katya's face fell and she felt quite stupid now. What was the fun in just talking to people though? Threatening the man or seeing his eyes gloss over by her seduction tricks was so much more fun.

Natasha chuckled and patted her shoulder in sympathy. ''Stay here.'' With determined steps, she marched towards the office, ready to get what she wanted. Because Natasha Romanoff always got what she wanted.

Katya spun around, calling after her. ''What happened to giving away control?''

''Don't get ahead of yourself, honey!''

''Yes, ma'am,'' she mumbled, waiting until she was inside to lean against the wall of the office. Behind her, Natasha was working her magic on the man's willingness to work along and give away private information of his guests. It was impossible to make out what was said, but the tone of their voices was calm. Barely five minutes later, the door opened. ''And?''

''107. Got us 108.'' Natasha smirked proudly, heading for the stairs. When Katya stayed silent, she raised an eyebrow. ''What? No snarky comment?''

Katya shrugged, their boots clanking on the metal steps. ''Nah. Gotta support my girl.'' 

Silently, they walked down the outside hallway, a small metal railing on their right stopping them from falling down. The numbers on the doors were a bit faded by the weather and wind, but eventually they found number seven. 

For some reason, they didn't immediately knock, like they needed time to prepare. Hesitantly, they stared at the door. As soon as one of them knocked, that was it, no going back to hiding with the two of them.

Katya was nervous, but a good nervous. 

''Here we are.'' She raised her fist to knock, throwing a questioning glance at Natasha first, making sure she still wanted this and was ready. After a short nod, Katya knocked, clearing her throat. ''Room service.''

Natasha barely stopped herself from bursting out laughing. ''Seriously?''

''Shut up.''

Immediately, they heard the men quietly arguing behind the door, asking if the other ordered cleaning service. It was too funny.

The blinds of the window got pulled apart, Sam's careful eyes peeking through. They widened in surprise, and not even a second later, the lock turned and the door swung open.

''Katya?'' He couldn't believe what he saw, pure shock written all over his face.

She grinned, a rush of joy flowing through her body. ''Hi loser.''

''Oh, finally, someone with humor.'' He scooped her in his arms, spinning her around once, which she didn't like in the least. He had the widest smile on his face when he put her on her own two feet again. ''You look like absolute shit.'' True. Her body still hurt everywhere, and the side of her face was blue. He glanced at Natasha, who shut the door behind her. ''And your hair is... blonde?''

''Don't remind me,'' Katya sighed, her eye falling on Steve in the doorway to the bathroom. She had to blink a couple times, but he did truly have a thick beard, and his hair was longer than it had ever been. It looked... great. ''Captain. Love the beard.''

He smiled widely, closing the distance between them. ''Petrova. No, wait- I realize my mistake.'' She chuckled when he hugged her brief but tightly. ''It's good to see you. I'm happy to see your leg healed nicely.''

''Oh, right.'' In a reflex, she looked down at her once broken lower leg. It had the worst scar ever, but what was one more? ''I completely forgot about that. That was years ago. I have new injuries though,'' she smirked. Her ability to get hurt on every single big mission had turned into a joke amongst the members of the team.

''Of course you do,'' he chuckled. Like Sam, he studied her intently. ''You look happy.''

Katya's smile softened. ''I do now. Hasn't been easy on our own.'' He had caught her on a good day, but she could see it hadn't been easy for him either. That hope she had gotten used to in his eyes wasn't completely there. 

They flickered to Natasha for only a split-second, watching her greet Sam with a brief hug. ''I never expected anything else but to see you two walk through that door together.''

His words were strangely comforting. If, and that was a very big if, Katya ever lost hope in her relationship, literally everyone around them would have so much faith.

''Hi Steve.'' Natasha had a content smile on her lips, bringing the Captain in for the same hug she granted Sam with. In general, only Katya got hugs longer than three seconds. 

Steve perked up at one of his best friends. ''Nat.'' 

''So, what are you guys doing here?'' Sam cut to the chase. He didn't understand why they were here and why now. After all, they decided to stay apart for safety reasons. 

Katya looked at Natasha, because honestly, she had no clue where to start or what to tell. Luckily, Natasha summarized it in one simple sentence, as if that explained everything. ''We blew up the Red Room.''

Sam's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. He had never heard them speak about it directly, let alone mention that name. ''That place you grew up in? I thought that was gone years ago.''

''So did we, but we stumbled into some people who opened our eyes.'' Natasha hesitated, glancing at Katya, but she decided not to elaborate on who those people were. Not yet. ''It was a mess, just trust me on that. But we realized how important friends are, so we came looking for you.''

Steve sensed that was all she wanted to say, so he didn't pry. He knew Natasha didn't talk about her past. ''Well, I am happy you did. Everything is all good now?''

Katya was quick to shake her head, a flash of pain crossing her face. Nobody missed it, but nobody commented. ''Not everything, but we'll get there.''

''I don't doubt that for a second.'' Sam was always so kind, had such a big heart. He cared about others and was not afraid of talking faith into them. 

If she wanted, Katya could sit down with him for an honest conversation where he wouldn't judge anything she would tell him. And it was so, so nice to have such a friend.

She cleared her throat, quickly changing topic. ''Did you guys run into Ross at all?'' She and Nat were spies, they knew all the tricks to stay out of his hands. And sometimes, it had gotten pretty close, which is why she was impressed that Steve and Sam were still out here and not back in the Raft.

Steve looked at Sam, shaking his head as he did so. ''Not really, no.'' What? That was unfair. Were the Russians worth more to Ross or what?

''Huh. I don't know if we should be honored or not. We had a chat with him a few days ago.''

''Maybe it's you,'' Natasha perked up from her side, smiling slyly to herself when Katya's sharp eyes landed on her face, slightly offended.

''No, it's definitely you. You're always getting on his last nerve,'' she argued back, the guys getting ready for some very familiar Nat/Kat banter.

''He hates you. You called him out on the nuke on New York thing.'' Natasha crossed her arms calmly, swallowing her chuckles as the crease between Katya's eyebrows deepened. She was so easy to taunt, her reaction only making the whole thing better.

''Yes, after he practically yelled at me saying I should be in jail serving a life sentence!''

Natasha shrugged. ''To be honest, you should.''

''Natalia!'' Katya continued muttering Russian profanities under her breath, which only made Natasha laugh. She was right, of course, but... really?

Steve decided to jump in, interrupt it before it lasted another half hour. That had happened before. ''You saw him? And he let you go?''

''Took some convincing, but here we are,'' Natasha smirked, very proud of her own skills.

They chatted until it got dark. Two years is a very long time to summarize for the other duo, and every time, they remembered something else. It seemed Sam and Steve had done the same as them, hopping from one country to the other, mostly by car. 

Katya zoned out after a while, leaning against the wall next to the window, watching the parking lot and the street behind. This town was dead, so there was nothing interesting to see, but she stared anyway, absentmindedly picking her nails and turning her ring around.

''I can get some dinner,'' Natasha suddenly offered. ''Seen a diner or something in town?'' 

Sam thought hard. ''Did see a Chinese place.''

Natasha's voice audibly softened. ''Kat, your usual? If they have it.''

She nodded, throwing a somewhat convincing smile in there. But as soon as Natasha was gone, she excused herself and trailed down to the dirty swimming pool behind the motel. 

The water was more green than blue, but she wasn't planning on swimming anyway. No, she sat down at the edge, pulling her knees to her chest.

She had no idea what she was supposed to feel. The happiness of meeting up with her friends started to wear off, so now it was the positive thoughts of Yelena and destroying the Red Room, versus her terrible secret.

She wanted to feel happy, but couldn't entirely get there. It was very frustrating.

That fly she told Natasha about, that zoomed in the background, being annoying? That was that nagging feeling in the back of her brain and on the top of her lungs. The weight of that secret.

On top of that, she hadn't been alone with her thoughts for weeks. Natasha had always been around. Which was nice, of course, but Katya lived for private moments. Sometimes she took them, but not often enough.

Now, she sat outside, in the dark, for maybe fifteen minutes until soft footsteps approached her. It wasn't Steve. It was Sam.

Silently, he sat next to her. Katya knew he left her an option: start talking herself or simply sitting there in silence. At first, she wasn't sure, until the words poured out on their own. Maybe an objective opinion on this was a good idea.

With her chin on her knees, she spoke, ''I have very conflicting thoughts raging in my mind. They're both there, and it's driving me absolutely crazy.''

He studied her face, which he could barely see because of the poor lighting. ''I can see. I'm guessing you don't want to tell me what they're about?'' She shook her head, but that didn't bother him. He had gotten used to her secrets. ''That's alright. Does Nat know?'' This time, she nodded. ''Then you don't have to do this alone. Talk to her.''

''That's the thing. I don't want to talk about it. I want to bury it.'' She lifted her head, meeting his kind eyes. ''She was so bad, Sam. And I couldn't help her.''

''She's still alive, isn't she? And she's smiling. She looks happy,'' he pointed out, noting her change of subject. ''But she worries about you. I think the worst thing you can do it shut her out and deal with this on your own. She wants to help you, just like I do, and just like Steve does.''

Katya shot him a thankful smile. ''Thanks.'' She wasn't sure what he could do to help her, or Steve for that matter, but she appreciated his offer. She leaned into his body, and an arm wrapped around her shoulders in comfort. Pain shot through her ribs when it did. ''Ow.''

''How much of your body is blue?'' Sam teased, looking down at her.

''I'd say like sixty percent.''

His body shook with a quiet chuckle, and Katya couldn't help but laugh at her own misery. 

When Natasha came to call them for dinner, they sat in the exact same position, and she hated to break up this intimate moment. Sam was right, she did worry about her wife, but knowing they had amazing friends who were there for her when she wasn't, made her very happy.

Before she could say something, Katya whipped her head around, having sensed her presence.

''I got dinner.'' She lifted the white plastic bag to clarify. 

Sam jumped up and took it from her, disappearing quickly to give them some space. Very subtle. Katya wasn't so fast. She joined Natasha stiffly, and despite feeling a bit better, her smile still wasn't entirely convincing. 

So Natasha took her face in her hands, stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to her forehead, pulling back to see Katya's smile melt into a real one. ''Let's get some food in you.''

They spent dinner reminiscing the good old times in the Compound and the Tower, recalling jokes, parties, and embarrassing moments. Katya joined them this time, but she also listened silently, content about where she was for now.

''Oh, before I forget.'' She perked up when almost all the food was gone, going through the pocket of her jeans. ''Here.''

Steve accepted what she gave him, but didn't get much wiser from it. Earplugs. ''What am I supposed to do with these?''

Natasha laughed, and even Sam lit up when he got it.

Katya innocently stuffed the last of her food into her mouth. ''You'll know.''

Steve stared at them confused, turning them around in his hand like that would cause it to make sense. They could see the gears in his head running.

''Nat has some making up to do,'' Katya smirked, watching his face to make sure he got it. Which he didn't.

Sam groaned. ''Oh my god, man. They're gonna have loud sex.'' He chuckled and shook his head, slapping Steve's shoulder playfully when he grew bright red. ''I am amazed by your innocence sometimes. But, eh, good for you guys, go for it. At least some of us are getting action.''

Natasha's gaze shot to him. ''Yeah, you're fine with it?'' Oh no, she had a plan, her eyes betrayed her.

Sam raised his hands jokingly. ''I'm not gonna stop you.''

''Okay.'' She stood from her spot on the floor, extending a hand to Katya, who grinned and pulled herself up.

Surprise grew all over Sam's face, and Steve's eyes widened. ''Wait, right now?''

''Yes, you said you were fine with it.'' Natasha acted all innocent and dumb.

''We just had dinner,'' he exclaimed, gesturing to all the empty boxes on the floor. Katya pressed her lips together to smother her laughs. His face was priceless.

An even wider smirk pulled on Natasha's lips. ''Yes, and I am getting desert.'' 

If disgust was an expression, that's what grew on Sam's face. ''Oh god. No. No, no, no. I wish I could unhear that.''

She laughed and tugged Katya out the door, only to drop her hand right outside. Neither of them was in the mood at all. The looks on the guys' faces were just too priceless, and Natasha saw an opportunity for a joke.

''I think you scarred them,'' Katya chuckled, throwing the door of room 108 behind her in the lock, closing the blinds while she was at it. 

Natasha dropped the keys on the small desk, still very proud of her own joke. ''That damage was done years ago.''

Katya went off to the tiny bathroom to wash her hands and splash some water in her face, while Natasha pulled her vest off and threw it on the bed. But her eye got caught by something.

She tugged on the folded piece of paper that was in one of the inside pockets. She knew what it was before unfolding it. ''Kat,'' she breathed. 

The tap stopped running immediately. Apparently, her voice sounded a tad too odd. ''Yes? Is something wrong?''

With the towel in her hands, Katya walked out the bathroom. Interested but also confused, she joined Natasha's side and looked down at what she had in her hands. 

It was the other half of the strip of photobooth pictures, with Yelena and Natasha's wide smiles frozen forever on that paper.

''Where did you get this?'' Katya tossed her towel on the bed to take a closer look.

Natasha nodded towards the vest but without looking away from her hands. ''It was in one of the pockets.'' Yelena must have put it there. Maybe as a reminder not to forget her.

Carefully, Katya took the picture from her, smiling at the girl she once knew. ''I can't believe that's what you looked like when I met you. Back then, I thought you were so tough, but look at how cute you were.''

''I was tough,'' Natasha chuckled.

Katya playfully rolled her eyes. ''Okay, yes, you were also tough, but look at her,'' she handed the picture back, ''isn't she adorable?''

That was hard for Natasha to judge. All she saw was a girl about to lose that tiny piece of happiness she had found in a fake reality.

''You know, I have a mental image from when you were eleven. First time I saw you. Only person in that dancing room who still had a soul.'' She gripped Katya's chin and turned her head to face her. ''The whole side of your face was blue from a fight days prior, kinda like you have now. Maybe that triggered something.''

Katya mirrored her soft smile. ''Me and my injuries: a love story.'' She placed a quick kiss to Natasha's lips, glancing down at the picture once again. The eyes that stared back at her were the exact same as the ones she just looked into, they had just seen a lot more, but that hadn't taken away that joyful sparkle.

''I can't wait to have our own family sometime,'' Natasha muttered. The taste of the suburban life was enough for her to know she wanted that again, but this time with her as the parent. And the home she would offer her kids would be real, safe.

Every time she talked about that, butterflies soared in Katya's stomach. She wrapped an arm around her wife's waist and tugged her into her side. ''I know. I haven't forgotten about your wish.''

Natasha hesitated. ''But you have never given me a solid answer.''

Katya's face fell. Hadn't she made it clear enough that she wanted that too? Had she left her in insecurity for too long? ''I thought you knew? I wasn't clear enough then. Do you need to hear it?'' Hesitantly, Natasha nodded. ''Okay. Natalia, as soon as the time is right, we will start that family. Buy a house in the suburbs and adopt a kid. Or, as many as you want.''

A huge smile grew on her lips, excited for that next chapter. She settled into Katya's side more, looking down at the kid she used to be. ''I can't wait.''

Little did they know that their whole world would fall apart in a few weeks time.

~~~~~~~~

A/N: okay, now it is time for me to get emotional. This book has been such a joy to write. I love how vulnerable Nat is in both this book and the movie. We saw a completely different side of her and I think also of their relationship. Thank you so much for reading and going on this journey with me <3 Also, your comments always made my day!

If you came here from chapter 77 of Forgotten Ghost, have fun reading the rest of that book! You can obviously continue from chapter 78 :)

If you came here after reading in a completely random order, I am hoping to see all of you in Chasing Ghosts! That is where I will continue now! New update will be next Monday because I am so extremely busy with school and it will only get worse. Updates will therefore only be on Mondays.

And I have mentioned this before, but there will also be a prequel! It will describe the start of Nat & Kat, how they met when they were kids, and their time in the Red Room, up until the moment they were torn apart. I will start that one after Chasing Ghosts ends.

Make sure to follow me so you don't miss any updates and messages concerning all those books. I know it's a bit confusing haha. Don't be afraid to DM me or ask me questions on my profile if anything isn't clear! 

Hope to see you all again!