Natasha giggled as she stood in the back of the theatre with her friend Wanda. "How does she think she can sing?" She whispered, earning an elbow to the small of her back from Wanda's mother- their ballet teacher.

"She gets paid." Wanda mumbled, stretching her muscles before they had to go on stage. She leant her head against her friends' shoulder before shoving her fingers in her ears as the lead soprano- Sharon- got to one of the high notes.

"Ladies!" The conductor, Phil, called from his place in the pit.

The ballerinas began to dance onto the stage, twirling around. One girl bumped into Sharon, who turned angrily. "Careful of my dress." She scolded angrily.

Natasha tried to stifle a laugh as she saw the rip in the half-sewn dress.

"Gentlemen please! I am trying to rehearse!" Phil shouted, face palming. He cursed angrily, his face reddening as three men walked onto his stage.

"As you can tell, we are well under way with rehearsals for our new production of Hannibal." Alexander Pierce said as he led the two gentlemen he was with around the stage.

The girls stopped dancing and stood in their uncomfortable ballet shoes as their boss showed the men around. They all giggled quietly as their conductor shouted at the men.

"I would like your attention!" Pierce shouted and everyone turned to look at him. "I assume by now you have all heard the rumours of my retirement and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all that they are true."

Groans and small laughs echoed through the theatre. Even the people cleaning the seats snorted, covering their faces with the clothes.

"And I would like to introduce to you the two men that shall be taking over my opera house; Monsieur Nicholas Fury and Monsieur Holden Radcliffe." Pierce said, sweeping his hand towards the two men standing awkwardly in the middle of the stage.

"Hello, and we are very pleased to introduce to you, our patron- the Viscount of Moscow." Fury said as a handsome dark-haired man stepped onto the stage.

Natasha took in the man, her eyes scanning up and down his body. Her mouth fell open before she snapped it shut, thankfully before anyone could notice.

"My parents and I are very happy to be able to support the arts, especially the famous Opera Populaire." The Viscount said, his eyes bright as he looked over the stage- his eyes not once landing on Natasha.

Sharon walked, or rather pranced, over to the four men. She held her hand out for the Viscount to kiss, smiling wickedly. Her blue eyes lit up.

"Viscount, Monsieur's- Sharon Carter- our lead Soprano for at least five seasons. And her husband, Bruce Banner." Pierce introduced the leads, both of whom smiled as the Viscount shook their hands.

"I'm sorry Monsieur, I do believe we are keep you from your rehearsal." The Viscount said. "I shall see you tonight." He announced and pushed past the girls, not noticing Natasha.

Wanda grabbed her friends arm as Natasha took in a deep breath. "Are you ok?"

"That's Bucky." She whispered sadly, rubbing her arms.

"Bucky? THE Bucky?" Wanda laughed, her face reddening.

"Yes. We were childhood sweethearts. And he didn't even recognise me." She said after a while, her eyes filling with tears. Why was she crying? She'd gotten over the boy a long time ago.

"I'm sure he just didn't see you Nat." Wanda said reassuringly, snapping her mouth shut as they were ushered back on stage.

"We take exceptional care in the training of our ballerinas, monsieur's." Madame Maximoff said as she showed the men around the stage as the opera continued to rehearse.

"I can see, especially that brunette. She's a beauty." Radcliffe said, his eyes following Wanda around the stage. He felt a sharp pain in his foot and looked up to see Madame Maximoff's eyes glaring at him.

"That is my daughter, Wanda." She hissed, a ghost of a smile forming on her lips as Fury chuckled at his college.

"And that beauty, no relation I suppose." He said as Natasha spun around the stage, ignoring the conversations going on around her.

"Natasha Romanoff, very promising ballerina." The Madame said and her eyes shone with pride.

"Romanoff. Did I hear that right? No relation to the Russian pianist?" Fury asked for once genuinely curious in the young girl. He had once been friends with the great Ivan Romanoff, when he was still alive, and before he was married.

"Yes. His only surviving child. She was orphaned at seven due to a fire in her family's house. She then came to live and train with me in the Ballet Dormitories." Madame Maximoff said whilst correcting one of the dancers foot positions.

"Did you say she was an orphan?" Radcliffe asked, his face betraying his true feelings.

"Off limits." Fury whispered, knowing full well what his partner was thinking.

"I think of her as a daughter and I believe Wanda thinks of her as a sister." The Madame said and glared Radcliffe.

"The Viscount is very excited for tonight's gala." Fury whispered into Madame's ear.

They all stopped walking as the singing stopped. They heard Sharon grumble and she crossed her arms and sighed.

"He is not looking forward to the gala!" She huffed, "He is more interested in the half naked dancing girls; like our new manager."

"And that means?" Coulson asked and was wary as he watched Sharon remove her head piece.

"I shall not be singing! Goodbye dancing girls! Goodbye!" She shouted and stormed off the stage.

"What do we do?" Fury asked.

"Plead? Beg? Anything. We need her to stay." Radcliffe whispered back and they ran after the girl.

"Princess of Song."

"Goddess of the world."

"And pretty." Sharon added with a smirk. She wasn't planning on leaving but she wanted to see how far these two grovelling idiots would go.

"Coulson, I do believe there is amazing solo for Sharon in act three of Hannibal." Pierce said, trying to keep the soprano in the opera- or the two men would surely back out of the deal.

"Yes?" She turned, raising an eyebrow.

"If my diva commands." Coulson said with a sigh. He raised his hand and the band began to play the start of the song.

Natasha sat on the floor of the stage next to Wanda. They rested against each other and stuck their fingers in their ears.