A/N: Thank you for pointing out my upload error, Asuka and James. I have no idea what happened there. Haha! Anyway, the problem is now corrected!
After HYDRA has been exposed and SHIELD's secrets now dumped on the internet, Natasha has a meeting with government officials on Capitol Hill and later, parts ways with Steve.
Natasha ran into the hospital and didn't stop until she reached Steve's room. Once inside, she saw him lying on a bed, chest moving up and down steadily. His face had taken a beating and there were pink marks and bruises marring the flesh. Steve's skin was healing rapidly, though, which made her smile. He'd probably be right as rain tomorrow. Thank goodness he wasn't an ordinary man.
The redhead turned and closed the door before walking over to a chair next to the bed. She seated herself on it and took Steve's hand, brushing her thumb against the knuckles gently. "You'd better get well soon, you hear me, Rogers? That serum needs to work its magic fast because we have a lot to talk about."
After the last time they were together, Natasha knew there was no going back to the platonic friendship they'd grown accustomed to. Unfortunately, she only had a brief moment to be with Steve. She had a meeting to go to and it wasn't mandatory.
Three days had passed since the fall of SHIELD and HYDRA and the politicians on Capitol Hill were looking for someone to blame. Not that Natasha was surprised. Politicians were always pointing their fingers at people and complaining about anything and everything.
"Why haven't we heard from Captain Rogers?"
"Well, let's see. He's recovering from his injuries and is currently not available to sit here and Iet you attack his character for something that was going on behind the scenes, right under your nose which was ultimately beyond his control."
She didn't say that. She wished that she had said that, but this was her response. "I don't know what there is left for him to say. I think the wreck in the middle of the Potomac made his point fairly eloquently."
"Well, he could explain how this country's expected to maintain its national security now that he and you have laid waste to our intelligence apparatus."
Honestly, politicians could be so one track minded. Did she have to spell the obvious out for them? The restless feeling Natasha had gotten since sitting down in that chair was growing more by the minute. "HYDRA was selling you lies, not intelligence."
"Many of which you seemed to have a hand in telling."
"Agent, you should know that there are some of this committee who feel, given your service record, both for this country and against it, that you belong in a penitentiary. Not mouthing off on Capitol Hill."
Ah, of course. Here we go. Defaming one of the people who helped save your sorry asses from a terrible fate possibly worse than death. Natasha had a feeling that these people had never heard of the term 'let sleeping dogs lie'. Yes, she had done terrible things for and against this country, but that was all in the past.
They didn't see it that way, though. To them, her ledger was still gushing red and nothing she ever did would wipe the slate clean.
Without the fall of SHIELD and the truth all over the web, she was exposed, a sitting duck. Dumping that information and been the hardest thing Natasha ever had to do. Now there was certainly an even bigger target on her back and here, they were looking for someone to point their finger at. How typical.
Natasha had been sitting here for three hours and forty-two minutes and she was sick of it. As the men spoke, she cocked her head to the side and looked away for a moment before replying with a strong statement. "You're not gonna put me in a prison. You're not gonna put any of us in a prison. You know why?"
"Do enlighten us," came the response and the look on his face said that he doubted whatever she had to say. Not that she gave a shit what any of these politicians thought.
"Because you need us. Yes, the world is a vulnerable place, and yes, we help make it that way. But we're also the ones best qualified to defend it. So if you want to arrest me, arrest me. You'll know where to find me."
She watched the expressions on each of their faces and already knew that they wouldn't follow through with their threats. They knew she was right. The police, the military, none of them had the power to fight the dangers that had begun to arise on the planet. Only people like she, Steve, Sam, the Avengers. They were the ones who made it safe so ordinary people could go to sleep in peace.
Pushing back from her chair, she stood and walked away from the room and the row of government officials, ignoring the many reporters and cameras in her direction with people asking for a statement from her.
A tiny smirk appeared on her face as she made her way out of the Capitol building and down to her mustang. After all of that, she felt the need to go for a drive. Then, she would go see a certain young soldier in the hospital.
Natasha took a thirty minute drive to let off some steam after that unpleasant meeting at Capitol Hill - well, actually, there was something she had to get for Steve first then she headed back to the hospital where Steve was residing.
It really shouldn't have been a surprise to her when she got to his room, opened the door and he wasn't in the bed anymore. He'd healed up a lot faster than she thought he would. What a shame, though, because she had brought a couple boxes of Thai food for them to share. Now, she'd have to eat alone.
After finishing her meal, Natasha went to Steve's apartment and knocked on the door. "Hey, soldier. You in there?" She waited for thirty seconds, then picked the lock and opened the door with no problems. A quick sweep of the apartment let her know that he wasn't home.
A small beep chimed from her phone and she picked it up and saw that Steve sent her a text several minutes ago.
I'm at the cemetery. Can you meet me?
She smirked and replied quickly. Be there in ten.
By the time she arrived, she saw Fury talking to Steve and Sam as they stood at Fury's grave. It didn't take much for her to hear what he said to them. He was going off the grid and probably going to look for some of the HYDRA leftovers in different parts of the country.
She heard Fury ask Sam and Steve if they'd care to join him and both declined. She knew why, of course. Bucky. Steve had made a close encounter with his once-thought dead best friend a few days ago and he wasn't going to give up searching for him. Sam seemed to have decided on partnering up with him. Good choice, she thought as she approached.
The last words Fury said before walking away were, "If anyone asks for me, tell them they can find me right here." He motioned to his grave, shook both mens' hands and took his leave.
"You should be honoured," Natasha called out. Steve and Sam turned when they heard her voice. "That's about as close as he gets to saying thank you."
Steve walked over to her. "Not going with him?"
She smiled and said, "No."
"Not staying here." There was a sound of reluctant acceptance in his voice as he said this and it wasn't missed by Natasha.
Her face softened. As much as she wanted to stay and be with him, helping him look for Bucky, Natasha knew that right now, she needed to be out of sight for a while. She had to figure out what step to take next. It was time for a hiatus.
"Nah," she replied. "I blew all my covers. I gotta go figure out a new one."
"That might take a while."
"I'm counting on it." Natasha looked at him, their eyes locked on to each other. She could feel her heart slamming against her chest. She hated to leave him, but it was for the best. Whether she liked it or not. She held out the folder to him as she said, That thing you asked for. I called in a few favours from Kiev."
Steve looked down at the file. His jaw was clenched and there was a resoluteness to his features. Natasha couldn't help but smile at his determined stare. Deep down, she hoped he would find Bucky because his life wouldn't be complete if he didn't have the man who was essentially his only living family by his side.
That devotion was foreign to Natasha only until recently, when she realised how deeply her feelings for Steve ran. Maybe someday they could find the right time to see where their connection would lead them. Unfortunately, with the country in an uproar over the fall of SHIELD, the public eye would still be on her. Disappearing was her best option at the moment.
"I don't want you to go, Nat," Steve said in a low voice, just loud enough for her to hear.
A sharp pang struck her in the heart at that and she stepped forward, taking his hand in hers and clutching it tightly. "I won't be gone long, Steve. I promise. This isn't forever. It's just...goodbye for now."
He touched her cheek tenderly. "It's not fair."
The pain in his voice nearly crushed her, but she forced herself to hold together. She had to. "When is life ever?" She covered his hand with hers and moved closer. "Hey, don't look so down. You're just going to make it harder for me to leave if you do that." Her voice had taken on a playful tilt as she was trying to lighten the mood.
"I'll do my best. Where are you going?"
"I'm not quite sure yet, but...here." She pulled out a small, burner cell phone and gave it to him. "If you ever need to call or you just want to hear my voice, use it. I'll always pick up."
Steve nodded and placed the phone in his jacket pocket. That was a touching gesture from Natasha. Back when they first started partnering up for SHIELD missions, they had an inside joke that if either of them had to leave the country in a hurry, they would leave a cell phone behind so the other could contact them. For important purposes or personal ones.
Neither of them imagined that there would come a time where this would actually happen. Reality was setting in and she was a bitter mistress.
"Try not to miss me too much," Natasha whispered to him with a slightly shaky smile.
There was such raw torment, watching the different tics of his face as he tried his best to keep himself calm as well. They both knew they had started something, an intimacy that neither would put out of their minds. Being separated from each other would do nothing to change that fact or ease the burden of the distance between them.
Steve entwined his fingers with hers and squeezed them. "That's impossible."
"Then this is for until the next time we meet." Natasha leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was soft and gentle at first, then it gradually grew more heated with her fingers gripping his shoulders and his hands drawing her waist against him.
A moan slipped from her lips as Steve's thumbs brushed under her shirt and grazed her bare skin. Their bodies were fight against each other and the friction between them made Natasha's head spin. Her hands went from Steve's shoulders to his hair and she nibbled on his bottom lip with fervour.
Eventually, they withdrew so they could take in deep breaths. Steve placed a kiss on Natasha's forehead and held her to him. "When you come back, I'm gonna take you out."
Surprised, Natasha pulled back and chuckled at his sudden words. "Oh?"
"Yes. Because you are coming back and when you do, I'm going to wine and dine you, Natalia Alianovna Romanova. And I'm going to ask you to be my best girl, so be prepared." The confidence resonating from him made her beam in pleasure.
"You really want me to be your best girl, Steve? After everything that's happened, you're willing to do that?" She could scarcely believe her ears.
Steve kissed her hand and smoothed his thumb over the soft knuckles. Chills ran down her spine and she shivered from the warm rush that ran through her body when he touched her so.
"I told you I'm always honest. Remember? And yes, I want you to be my best girl. I've wanted you to be my best girl ever since that day in New York when you jumped on my shield and onto that Chit'auri craft."
Natasha couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth then. "My finest moment."
"I second that," Steve replied, then he reached into his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a necklace. He handed it to her and placed it in her palm.
She looked down at the necklace and realised that he hadn't handed her a necklace, but his dog tags instead. Emotions danced across her features like an elegant ballet and she gasped and fingers the tags. The name Steve G. Rogers was on them along with his stats. "Why give this to me?"
"Because I want you to keep it safe with you until you get back. And...because sometimes, when I look at you, I see that little guy I used to be inside of you. You may not think you're worthy and people may say that too, but I believe in you. I trust you, Nat and I always want you to remember that, okay?"
"Okay..."
Steve put the dog tags around Natasha's neck and smiled in approval. "Now you look ready to take on the world," he said proudly.
"Maybe some day I can do that, but right now, I just need to get lost for a while."
"Don't we all?" Steve took Natasha's hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Bye, Nat..."
"Bye, Steve." She caressed his cheek once more before turning and leaving the cemetery.
For years, Natasha had gotten used to walking the road alone, but now, things were different. No matter where she went or what she did, she was not alone anymore. Not by a long shot. The dog tags around her neck were a reminder that Steve was with her, but more than that. He was now in her heart.
Poor Steve and Nat. Having to separate after realising there was something special between them. That won't be the case for too long, though. Everything will wrap up nicely in the epilogue and yes, there will be fluff~!❤️
