"Thanks." A simple thing to say. But it was all that could be said. She had saved him once again without much effort. It wasn't the first time he said it. Egypt, Kyoto, Vietnam, Shanghai, Budapest. And now the medical bay, shackled to a hospital bed. She was always saving his sorry butt with that look in her eye that never judged him. Never rubbed it in or even have an air of superiority to them. That just looked at him. This time was no different.
She was stronger than him. Everyone knew it. She never said it for the sake of his pride. But she didn't need to. He was constantly reminded of it. Whether it was from fellow agents commenting on the fact while passing in the hall unaware of his presence or her indifferent reaction to torture or pain while he winced and struggled to swallow it. Yes she was stronger than him in every way. From the physical, to the mental, and even the emotional. She surpassed him so far he knew he had no chance of matching her.
That's how she was able to save him this time. When he had become a mindless puppet sent to kill her, the only woman he ever cared about, he didn't hesitate to comply. He had known she had strong feelings for him. That should've been a weakness he could easily exploit. He should've had the advantage. But it didn't work that way. He didn't hesitate to fight her as he expected her to. She showed no emotion as they dueled. They knew each other's strengths and weaknesses inside out. She didn't hesitate to fight him. She knew he was going to get himself into even more trouble if she didn't defeat him. And so she regarded him as a rogue agent and fought with every bit of ferocity as she would've a true enemy.
She overpowered him. Bashed his head against a metal pole. The pain rippled through his brain loosening the madman's grip on it. He began to regain his senses. But the other's presence in his mind was still strong. He gazed at her. "Natasha?"
Unflinchingly, she hit his head once more knocking him unconscious and the enemy out of her partner's mind.
Because of the strength of her emotional control she was able to rescue him. But he...he was shaken. What if their roles had switched? What if it was she who was under that villain's control instead of him? Would he be strong enough to save her? Would he be able to put his feelings aside as she had to truly fight her? And even if he did, would he be strong enough to free her? Would he be able to beat her? To rescue her as she had him so many times. He didn't know. He didn't ever want to find out.
But he knew she'd always be there to save him. No matter how strong he got, she would always be stronger. She'd always be the one to save him.
And he was completely fine with that.