They all wait outside the hallway as the doctor tends to Natasha inside the medical bay. Clint comforts Wanda, "She's tougher than she looks, you know that, right?" Wanda nods with a smile.
Steve and Sam stand, leaning on the wall across Clint and Wanda. Steve's been quiet since they arrived. Bucky tries to read his best friend's emotions but there's too much going on in Steve's head that he can't seem to find the right words to comfort him. So he hangs back. No one probably noticed it, but Bucky deliberately stands a few yards away from the group. Not that he doesn't feel welcome or anything, or he's not interested in everything that's happening, it's just that they all seem to share the same level of understanding and response to Natasha's situation and he, well, he's really just confused about his own feelings about it, about her. So he gives them space or rather gives himself space to process his own.
Maria finally pops out of the door. "You can all see her now."
They enter the room and see Natasha unconscious on the bed, different medical machines attached to her. Bucky stands by the door but even from his distance he finally sees what condition Natasha is in, something he couldn't when they rescued her in the dark and she was too dirty.
She's thin, too thin. Bucky remembers the last time he saw her before he and Steve moved back to Brooklyn. She was toned, her muscles curving at the right places, but now her bones seem to jut out at every corner.
She was perfect, Bucky remembers. Still is. A voice butts in his thoughts but is surprised to realize that it's his own. He watches as Wanda immediately runs beside the bed.
"How is she? Is it that serious?" Wanda asks worriedly, seeing all the tubes, circular electrodes, beeping monitors around them.
"Well," the doctor starts to speak. They all turn to her. "Let's start with those we can see. Multiple track marks on both of her arms. I tried counting but I gave up. Old scarring punctures, punctured over and over again. They were kind enough to alternate injecting her on her arms and toes on her feet." The doctor moves over to Natasha's feet which are also riddled with puncture wounds.
"What's with the ankle?" Clint asks.
"Sprain that was left untreated," the doctor explains. "Along with stress fractures on her toes and metatarsals. With rest and rehabilitation her bones will heal in at least six weeks."
They all watch as Steve touches Natasha's forehead. "She has a fever and her heartbeat is too fast." They all looked at the heart monitor.
"Her temperature is above normal due to severe dehydration and she's also malnourished. So she needs to rebuild her health and we also need to flush all those drugs out of her system," the doctor explains.
Bucky watches as Steve starts to gently stroke her forehead with his thumb.
"Prognosis?" They all turn around and see Fury enter and walk straight to the doctor.
"It's going to be a long recovery but, she's going to be fine," the doctor says. "But I recommend putting her under induced coma."
"Isn't that a little too much? Aren't ice, rest and fluids enough?" Sam asks, alarmed.
"Not for someone like Agent Romanoff," the doctors replies. "I don't have the details how she ended up like this, but I know, based from my experience with most agents, it's most likely due to an operation gone wrong. Now, I don't claim to know her more than you guys, but I'm willing to bet that if we wake her up now, she'll be dead set on going back out there ASAP and finish what she started. Then chances for full recovery will be slim."
They are all silent for a few moments until -
"Doc's not wrong," Clint says.
"She wouldn't like this," Wanda says with a small smile.
"Well, she's physically and mentally compromised to make a sound decision for herself so I need your consent," the doctor says and hands Clint a clipboard with a paper on it that says 'Power of Attorney'.
Clint doesn't hesitate and signs it. "She's going to kick my ass. And yours."
Steve looks up and sees Clint handing him the same clipboard. He's confused.
"Nat knows I have a soft spot for her and might not be able to make any objective decision, especially when her life is on the line. So she added you, because she knows you'd always have the strength to do what's right," Clint explains.
"Like what? Pull the plug?" Sam asks in bewilderment and Clint simply nods.
No one reacts for a moment. They wait as Steve looks at the document, tries to read it.
Know all Men by these presents, that I, Natalia Alianova Romanova, hereby appoint as my lawful attorneys for me and in my place and in my stead Clint Barton and Steve Rogers -
To request, authorize, and consent to any and all medical treatments including but not limited to invasive and experimental treatments -
To instruct withdrawal or cessation of any and all medical treatments for whatever reason they may in their absolute discretion see fit -
Steve's head is spinning. He looks at Natasha and can't help but feel a sense of pride. Natasha has willingly given him that one thing the Black Widow was trained to never surrender at all cost, her trust.
"Cap, we're on the same page on this right?" Clint asks. With a final look at Natasha, Steve nods and signs the paper.
"Good. Now I can go to work," the doctor says and takes the document from Steve.
"How long will it be? And can we visit her?" Wanda asks with pleading eyes.
"Five to seven days then we'll see. Of course you may visit her anytime," the doctor assures her.
From the medical bay, they all proceed to the common area to discuss their next steps. Wanda realizes she doesn't want to be there, discussing strategies and what not. She would have stayed with Natasha.
"It's a shame we couldn't retrieve any intel from that place," Sam sighs.
"We sent a team to the scene and combed it but there seems to be nothing there to tie the place with the Company. That Woman, whoever she is, is smart enough to distance herself from them," Fury says.
"You found nothing? Nothing at all?" Clint asks. Fury nods to Maria, signaling her to take over.
"Not entirely. Our team found weapons, ammunition, a small stash of drugs. And we have evidence to suggest that they held at least a dozen prisoners there. So we thought, the Woman must be in charge of the Company's human trafficking business, using houses like these to groom their hostages before using them for various business transactions," Maria explains. "We can't conclusively tie that place to the Company except for the photos Nat sent us."
They all look at the screen on the wall and sees surveillance photos Nat took of several Company bosses visiting the mansion several times. But Steve knows that the photos can't really prove anything other than the fact that the Woman knows those men. But to what extent, nothing's conclusive.
Then Maria continues, "Now I know it's not exactly good news but it's still a development- after what happened in Austria, we've confirmed that the Company's doubled and tightened security in every base of operations they have left. Including their legitimate ones, big and small."
"Like posting an armed guard in one of their restaurants," Fury chuckles. "Wanna bet they're cooking more than spaghetti and meatballs in there."
Sam sighs. "So what now? We can't seem to touch the them without infringing their rights to cook spaghetti and meatballs and we don't have anymore intel on the Woman to help us make a move on her."
"Yes we do," Steve says, but his eyes glued on the screen. "It's with Nat."
They all realize Steve's right. Natasha's been in that mansion for four months and any info they seem to lack on the Woman, Natasha surely has them all.
"Then we just have to wait for her to wake up," Wanda says optimistically.
Maria nods, "Correct. Don't worry, we have eyes on the Company and we have a team working on the Woman now. We've uploaded her photo on every photo-recognition software we know of and we're connected to almost all of the cameras in the world. Let's just hope we already have info on her to trade with Romanoff when she wakes up."
And so they stayed at the Facility. Steve, Clint, Sam and Wanda easily settled in, after all they used to call the place home. A part of Steve believes that it still is. Bucky on the other hand looks like a lost boy for the first couple of days. Well, he did get lost a couple of times, forgetting which corners lead to which hallways. It's nothing like the Wakandan Palace but it's still nice. He finally gets the hang of it and learns his way to the gym and indoor pool, the kitchen and dining area the next day. Maria sets him in a bedroom adjacent to Sam.
"Steve's upstairs," Maria tells him to comfort him a bit.
In the next several days, they preoccupy themselves with various things - studying the Company, its history, routine, etc, going over Natasha's field reports and surveillance photos, training in the gym, video chatting with Clint's kids, etc. When they're not in the gym training or in the kitchen sharing heartily meals together, they would be scattered around the Facility finding things to amuse themselves. Sam once brought Bucky in the hangar and tried to teach Bucky fly a quinjet or showed off the Avengers cool rides.
"Oh-oh... don't touch that," Sam warns Bucky who seemed to have been enchanted by a sleek motorcycle bike with black leather seat. Bucky looks at him. "I know how to handle a bike, Wilson."
"I know. It's just that Nat would know if some else's butt's been on her ride," Sam chuckles and walks away. Bucky looks at the bike and suddenly finds himself imagining Natasha on it, speeding on a highway, hair way swept back, showing off her face. Bucky can't help but smile.
"Let's go, metal arm!" Sam calls. Bucky snaps out of his daydream and follows Sam.
Clint and Wanda continue their regular training, sometimes inside the gym and sometimes in the Facility's exterior grounds. Maria once joined them which Wanda appreciated. She really misses her hand to hand combat training with Nat. Maria's style is different but she welcomes it all the same.
Meanwhile, Steve mostly kept to himself, sketching at some quiet corner of the Facility where he wouldn't be bothered by recruits lurking and trying to get his autograph. He then agreed to Maria's request to visit the trainees, give a small pep talk in hopes that they would finally stop stalking him.
Maria's been observing their activities from a distance and realizes that they were not doing these things just to pass time, but to actually keep themselves from hanging at Natasha's medical bay all day long, which she knows what all of them really wants to do. Well, most of them. She's not sure about Bucky. He seems to be always hanging back like how he just stood by the doorway when they all came to see Natasha the first time. Maybe he hasn't warmed up to her yet. Like I to him, Maria tries reasoning with herself but not entirely convinced.
When they finally couldn't control themselves, they would go and visit Natasha. They doctor requested that they don't do it in groups but they just can't help themselves. One time, Clint, Wanda and Sam all stayed in the med bay for 3 hours, talking and goofing around.
"She's looking better, I think," Laura says. Wanda holds out her phone close to Natasha's face so Laura can see her clearly from the screen. "The dark circles under eyes are fading. Right, Sam?"
"Yeah, I think even better than how looks from the screen," Sam replies. "We can't wait for her to wake and kick your husband's ass for agreeing to this."
"I know, right?!" Laura laughs. "But you know, I would sign that, too, if it would keep her out of trouble, even for a while."
Sam smiles in understanding. He knows what Clint's feeling, seeing his best friend laying there, bruises all over her and his heart goes out to him, truly.
"Don't worry, Barton, if she kicks your ass -"
"You'll defend me?"
"No. We'll pick you after you fall flat on your face," Sam replies and they all laugh.
Steve comes in every night before going to bed to check up on Natasha. On his first couple of visits he would just sit on a chair beside her, sketching or reading but on the third night he comes around, he puts the gray hoodie jacket on her, careful not to tangle the tubes. Steve stares at Natasha and his heart sinks to see how the jacket looks three times bigger on her now that she's lost a lot of weight.
"Don't worry, I already washed it," Steve jokes and lets out a short, sad smile. He sits on the bed and holds Natasha's hand in his. He could already feel the bones of her knuckles.
"I know you're going to say it's not my fault but let me still say, I'm sorry, Nat. I know you're rolling your eyes right now," Steve chuckles. "You've always been there, when I was at my lowest. When I lost Peggy, when I lost Bucky, when we lost almost everyone after the snap, you were there. When I lost every hope, you held me together. You watched out for me when I was at my weakest, and I don't think I have properly thanked you for that. So, thank you." Steve gives her hand a gentle squeeze and lets his tears fall. "I think you're the only woman left alive I'd ever be comfortable to see me cry." Steve laughs softly. He sniffles and tries to lighten his mood.
"When you wake up, we have a lot to talk about. I'm going to bore you with stories from our travel. By the way, you were right! I brought Bucky to the Grand Canyon and he loved it! Almost cried seeing the place!" Steve laughs a little more loud this time, tears still brimming his eyes.
Bucky smiles hearing Steve laugh. He stands outside the med bay, away from the door. He was aimlessly walking around the Facility and he's just surprised his feet seem to have led him there. He was about to enter the med bay but heard Steve's voice. So he stayed outside and listened.
Back inside the med bay, Steve picks up Natasha's arms and gently traces the track marks on it with his finger. "But most importantly, we're going to talk about how we're going to make you move on from all of this mess." Steve stands up and kisses Natasha on the forehead.
Bucky turns and walks away.
Bucky lays on his bed that night but sleep eludes him. Steve keeps telling him that he's been going great this past year, slowly but successfully integrated himself into the present. Bucky believes it was because Steve was there to hold his hand along the way.
"Someone did it for me before. I'm just applying everything I saw her do," Steve told him once.
"When I came out of the ice, I was as confused as you. I didn't know what to do. Sometimes a part of me wants to thank Loki and his Chitauri army because then I finally had something to do, something I was actually good at," Steve jokes.
"Kicking alien butts," Bucky adds.
"Yeah. Who knew, right? Then after that, I was lost again. I joined SHIELD thinking, 'why not'. And then Fury sent her to teach me a few spy tricks to help with the job. At first that's exactly what Natasha did. But after several months and a couple of missions she went the extra mile and helped me a few tricks and hacks to cope up everything else - internet, vending machines, self-checkout counters, ATMs, Facebook, you name it. I even called her once when my printer had a paper jam."
Bucky remembers that after that story, he became convinced that he's missing something because every time he would hear Natasha's name and her face would flash across his mind, it would prompt certain emotions in him - longing, desire, and happiness. At first he thought it was just a man's natural response when he remembers an amazing, beautiful woman. He bet Steve feels the same. But he's slowly became convinced that it's not that superficial, his reaction to Natasha is rooted deep in his being, especially when he noticed how seemingly trivial things would make him long for and think of Natasha, like moonlight, strawberry ice cream, snow, autumn.
Bucky closes his eyes to get some sleep and does his proven trick to overcome insomnia these past months - think of autumn trees and red leaves.
The next day after breakfast, Bucky decides to finally visit Natasha in the med bay. He oscillates for a while outside her door but finally decides to go in. He slowly walks to her side and smiles a little noticing that she's wearing Steve's gray hoodie jacket. Her swelling ankle is smaller now, her heartbeat is normal, and colors are starting to seep back in her cheeks which now has a light blush on them.
Then her hair catches his attention. It looks dull but Bucky wants to touch it all the same. He looks at the door, making sure no one's there or about to enter and then he reaches for it. Using his flesh arm he slowly runs his fingers on Natasha's hair on the pillow, then scoops out a handful of strands and gently strokes it with his thumb while on his palm.
And then Natasha's eyes flutter. Bucky lets go of her hair and takes a few steps back. He watches as Natasha slowly opens her eyes, but closes them back again after the lights flooded in. Bucky remembers when Shuri let him out of his cryo and how disoriented and disappointed he was to see unfamiliar faces. He wished Steve was there when he opened his eyes.
Should I call Steve? Bucky asks himself. If I was her I would like to wake up to a familiar face.
But it will take him minutes to get someone else and Bucky thinks waking up to an empty room is the worst thing. So he stays and walks closer to Natasha. I don't know how much of a friendly face I am to her, but I'm here. I'll have to be enough, Bucky tells himself.
Natasha's eyes continue to flutter more for a couple of seconds and half opens them. She's still groggy, Bucky observes. Natasha turns her head in his direction so he readies a smiles. When she manages to lay her eyes on him, Bucky sees her face become overwhelm with confusion, her brows furrowed and jaw slightly dropped. Natasha shakes her head then reaches out a hand to Bucky. Unaware of what he is doing, Bucky reaches with his metal arm and Natasha looks up to him, still in a daze.
"James?" Natasha asks soflty. Bucky holds his breath. Nobody's called him James before.
"What? Why? You're here. Didn't they take you? I saw them take -," Natasha stammers as she continues to shake her head and squeezes her eyes shut.
A nurse comes in and breaks into a run seeing Natasha awake. She checks her IV and vitals and looks confused. "She's not yet supposed to be waking up." The doctor comes in and instructs the nurse to up the dosage of sedative.
"Her brain's fighting to wake up. We're supposed to bring her back out by lowering the dosage gradually until she wakes up naturally," the doctor explains to Bucky who is not really listening. Still holding Natasha's hand with his metal one, he looks at Natasha as she continues to mumble random words that don't make sense to him.
"James," Natasha says softly again. "You found me." Bucky finds himself staring at her green eyes. Those green eyes. I love those eyes. Bucky's heart screams in silence. He's about to say something back to her when Natasha falls back to sleep.