[Natasha has never claimed to be perfect. She makes mistakes. Especially mistakes like this, where she does the wrong thing, or she doesn't tell her CO, or just in general she cares too much. But she did mean it when she said she wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

She shakes her head a little, drags fingers through her flame-bright hair.]

I wouldn't want to go back if I didn't think I could help.

[She wanted to get out, had wanted to get out for months at this point, honestly even before she'd officially talked to Wash about being an active informant. It just seemed like they needed it, but she hated being there more than she let herself admit to. The Cetagandans were just about everything she disliked along with a dose of bad memories.]

I swore to Sonia that I would do everything I could to keep her safe. And Byerly-- I'm not leaving him alone in there.