A/N: This story was inspired by the song You Promised by Brantley Girlbert. I highly suggest listening to it while reading or before reading. It's a beautiful song!
Disclaimer: I don not own the song or the Avengers-sad but true!
Read and Review-enjoy!
"Marry me!" I said suddenly. Natasha stopped dead in her tracks. She pivoted to face me, a look of astonishment on her face.
"What?"
"Marry me, please Natasha. Marry me!"
"Yes," she whispered. I ran to her and caught her in a fiercely passionate kiss. After a long moment, when we were both out of breath, I pulled back. I took the chain that held a ring from around my neck. This was the ring Natasha had worn on our first undercover mission as a married couple.
I held onto it because I hoped that one day I would be able to give it to her for real. It was a beautiful white gold ring with a ruby in the center and a diamond on either side. Simple, small and perfectly Natasha.
I took the ring off the chain and slipped in onto her finger, then slid the chain into her pocket. She would probably keep the ring on the chain, so as not to lose it or damage it.
She looked at the ring then back at me, a look of realization crossing her face.
"Clint!"
"It's the same one." I answered her unspoken question.
"Thank you," she breathed against my lips then was kissing me again.
"I love you."
"You fucking asshole!" Natasha screamed at him. She threw the book that was sitting on the nightstand at my head. "You can go to fucking hell!" She screeched. She threw the lamp at me then ran crying from the room.
I couldn't find her later that day before I had to leave for my mission. I regretted everything I had said. It felt wrong to leave her after we had a fight. For it to have gotten so bad that Natasha raised her voice then cried was a shock. Our fights were never out of control. In most cases they were a few glares and angry words, never yelling or throwing objects. I'm just lucky she didn't use her knives instead.
I hated myself for what I said. She had just gotten back from a mission of seducing a mark for information. I had already been in a piss poor mood when she found me, I took out my anger on her. I called her a slut. I said she got paid to fuck with men and make them fall in love then rip out their hearts.
Everything I said was me projecting my own heartache. I hated watching her, listening to her over the comms as she seduced her target. I feared one day I would become one. She isn't called the Black Widow for nothing. She seduces her prey then kills it when she is done.
I didn't want that to be me and I told her as much. Though nothing I said was taken that way, nor should it have been. What I said was spiteful and vindictive. I'm not surprised she yelled at me. I am surprised she ran out crying, because Nat never cries.
Right after she left, I felt a whole in my heart. I hurt her. I'd never wanted to hurt her and I had just done it. I ran after her but she was no where to be found. Eventually I was called for my mission. I was half an hour late to it. Nobody asked why, nobody cared.
Now hear I sit, hating myself for the hurt I caused her and not being able to change it.
I stood next to Natasha, looking down at her. She was crying. She was staring down at the stone and yelling furiously. Hot, angry tears cascading down her cheeks.
"You left me! You fucking left me!" She screamed. She pulled the chain with the ring from around her next. "You said you'd never leave! You promised!" She continued to yell, holding the ring tightly in her hand.
She stood there staring at the stone.
"Nat, I'm here. I never left you. I never wanted to leave you. I'm sorry!" I tried to tell her, but she couldn't hear me.
"You promised," she whispered, staring at the stone.
The stone read:
Clint Barton
Fierce Warrior
Beloved Friend
"I'm sorry."
I watched over her. On missions, around base, everywhere. She stayed to herself most of the time. If it weren't for the team, she would've holed up in her room forever. They helped her through the months, trying to help her move forward.
Eventually Pepper got Natasha to go on a date with a friend. Someone who worked for Pepper or with Pepper. Natasha had been better recently and was okay with it. She went on her date, but at the end of the night, alone in her room, she pulled the thin chain from around her neck. She held the ring, staring at it.
"You never should have left me." She whispered to no one. I watched her thumb and index finger gently caress the ring for a while. Eventually she fell asleep, the ring tucked safely against her chest.
She was in her room, staring at her reflecting in the mirror. She looked like hell. She had just come back from another mission. The ring was hanging from her neck. She stared at it for a few moments.
"It's time," she whispered to herself.
She took the chain from around her neck and folded into her hand. Walking across the bedroom, she opened the closet door. She reached around to the back of the closet, to where she kept her safe. She gently placed the chain, with the ring on it, into the safe. Locking away.
"No!" I cried.
She walked away from the safe, back into the bedroom.
"I'm sorry I can't be hear for you! It's okay for you to move on, but I will always love you," I whispered to deaf ears, "'cause I promised."
