A clap of thunder shook me from my slumber. Observing the room, it was empty and dark.
Vaguely remembering Natasha being here, I wondered if was a hallucination or a dream.
6:53 AM.
The red letters glowed against the stormy weather outside, my stomach was in knots of agony. Looking up at the clear bag of liquid drugs, I tugged the needle out, hissing in pain. Snatching a patch of gauze and applying pressure, I pulled myself to the edge of the bed. My toes touched the cool floor. Using an arm to push myself up, I dropped the pressure on my arm to caught myself, steadying myself of the plastic table. My body throbbed in protest.
"Jarvis, where is everyone?" I asked voice cracked and painful.
"On the floor above you in the conference room, but I insist Miss Murphy that you rest," the familiar voice echoed throughout the room.
Ignoring the British voice, I waddled slowly down the hall using the wall. Stepping outside of the elevator, despite being winded, I kept moving towards the sound of voices.
"He's my friend, Tony," I heard Steve insist clearly upset.
"Do all of your friends aim bazookas at you?" I questioned leaning against the opened door.
The group turned to look at me like I was a ghost.
"Jesus Christ, Rosy!" Tony snapped standing pushing his chair towards me.
Guiding me gently into the chair, he took out a handkerchief pressing down on my bleeding arm.
"Where is Pepper?" I asked seeing everyone including Pietro and Wanda in the room.
"She's at a news station to give a public address at 7," He answered grabbing a water bottle off the table opening it for me, practically forcing it down my throat.
I took a sip, swallowing made the pain worse. I put the cap back on and set it down to have Tony had it to me again.
"Drink all of it, now."
Wrinkling my nose, I shook my head no like a small child.
He frowned at me before looking over at Steve.
"Your "friend" nearly killed Rose. He isn't welcomed here and that's the end of it," Tony hissed eyes cold with anger.
"It was my fault, not Bucky's. I was the one who attacked him first. He was going to kill Steve so I tried to stop him. It's-he's been brainwashed and tortured. God knows what he's been through and you're not going to help him?" I questioned feeling so vulnerable in my hospital gown remembering what happened, throat tender.
Steve looked at me with soft eyes, sending a warm grateful smile.
Tony rubbed his forehead exhausted.
I could see Natasha and Clint exchanging looks on the other side of the conference table.
"Everyone should get some sleep until we make any decisions," Bruce insisted walking towards me, "Let me put back in the IV and if you want to eat something before getting some rest."
"I can't handle any pain medication at all, it makes me sick," I replied making his eyes scrunch.
"I will see what else I have. I'm sure Tony will help you back downstairs," With that Bruce walked out of the room.
Lying back down in the bed made me realize how weak I felt. Steve and Natasha stayed in the room with Tony and I, with both of them pacing around. Bruce reinserted a new IV with we pain medicine and fluids. Tony held my hand, watching Bruce, cringing.
"Could you have someone go check on Hewitt today. He needs to be fed and he's terrified of storms," I asked Tony in a small voice.
"Steve and I can go," Natasha moving to the edge of my bed, her green orbs flickering to mine.
"Now, that's settled, please get some rest," Bruce insisted dragging everyone out the room.
Watching the rain, I drifted into unconsciousness.
Waking up a few hours to the sound of footsteps, Wanda slipped down into the chair beside me with a cup of chocolate pudding.
"Wanda, right?" I asked taking a few painful sips of water.
She nodded with a grim smile.
"How are you feeling?"
I shrugged.
"She likes you by the way. I can practically feel her worry as my own when I was in the room with you."
I blushed, opening the pudding cup and taking a small bite.
"You and Steve," I replied rolling my eyes before hesitating, " I know you don't know me that well, but could you sneak me to the closet shower?"
That, my friends, was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Settled back in bed hours later, a purring weight was on my chest, I ran my fingers over the familiar fur of Hewitt. Natasha sat beside my bed a cup of coffee in her hand, hair frizzy from the rain. She still looked breathtaking.
"Hey," I greeted tilting my head towards her.
"How do you feel?" She asked voice short and businesslike.
I shrugged again.
"Thank for bringing Hewitt and for also, you know, saving my life. I owe you."
"I know how you can make it up to me."
I tilted my heading waiting for her to continue.
"Tony told me you make a mean grilled cheese, maybe you could cook one for me sometime."
"It's a date—I mean on a date in the future."
She smiled slyly nodding her head at me.
A few weeks later, we had grown closer having dates nearly every day. I can't help feel like she was holding back only sharing brief kisses. Keeping whatever we were from our team or her team actually. Maybe she was ashamed of me or afraid of commitment, but I didn't want to pressure her.
Tony soon insisted that Friday nights were for team bonding time. I bowed out, packing up for the day when Natasha slipped in.
"Hey, Nat, how was training?" I asked taking her her freshly showered form.
She boldly placed her hands on my hips shrugging. I pulled away glancing at the door. Natasha tilted her head in confusion at my reaction.
"What if someone came in?" I explained crossing my arms.
"Then I would grab your ass and tell them to close the door," She replied stepping closer, nearly tasting her breath.
Blushing when she moved her hands on either side on me, placing them on my desk. Slowly, she taunted me placing light kisses on my neck.
"Nat-Natasha," I whimpered body going slack from her attention, eyes fluttering shut.
"Miss Murphy, Mr. Stark requests your presence in the dining room," Jarvis interrupted ruining the moment.
Pulling back, I planted a quick peck on her lips pulling her to the door. I guess I would stay after all.
It was hard to not to hold her hand during the movie or not sit close to her. Keeping my eyes on the screen, aware of Pietro's on me, I kept my glances at Natasha discreet. We watched the Terminator with Steve asking way too many questions. Seeing the empty bowl in Steve's lap, I grabbed it to go make some more popcorn. Waiting for it to pop, I grabbed a new can of soda when I felt someone right behind me. Thinking it was Natasha, I didn't step away turning around.
Pietro peered down at me a boyish smirk on his face.
"Hey, I wanted to see if you needed help," Pietro explained before grabbing my soda using his speed and taking a long spit. I raised an eyebrow before grabbing another.
He lingered behind me.
"I was wondering if we could have coffee sometime," He continued.
"Sure, I can make some right now," I moved over looking for coffee filters in the cabinet.
"I mean as a date."
Oh.
The lights flickered the team strolled in saying that they were taking a short break to stretch. Natasha narrowed her eyes of how close he was to me.
"How about tomorrow?" Pietro asked while Clint and Steve recalled the latest baseball score.
"I already have plans but thanks anyway," I brushed it off grabbing the bowl walking back to the couch. Natasha soon joined me with a small bowl of chocolate ice cream. I eyed her ice cream in wanting. She held a spoonful out to me which I leaned forward eagerly. Moaning at the sweet treat, Natasha's eyes clouded with a hazy expression.
"Sorry," I pulled away covering up with Clint's fuzzy blanket.
Natasha took a bite before setting the bowl on the floor curling her finger for me to come closer.
"Nat," I whined, she was making it so damn hard.
Pietro and Wanda walked in sitting between us. Noticing Pietro's arm lingering above my shoulders, I looked over to Nat to see her watching it as well.
A day later Natasha left for a mission with Clint leaving me in a dampened mood. Slinking around the office absorbed in paperwork, I went home late to curl up next to Hewitt wishing it was Nat instead.
A knock sounded the following morning, Natasha looked tired but held coffee and breakfast sandwiches in a paper bag.
Sitting her down on the couch, I lightly went over the bruise on her cheek, planting a light kiss on it.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Natasha blew off taking a sip of the now lukewarm coffee.
Ignoring her response, pulling her close I took her scent in that I missed so much.
"Are you smelling me?" Nat laughed at my antics.
"I missed you."
Natasha pulled me close stroking my hair.
I couldn't stand it. Tony was having another one of his get-togethers also inviting a bunch of young business partners. Pietro sat next to me going on about something while I watched Natasha be flirted with over and over.
"I'm sorry, Pietro, excuse me," I called over my shoulder as I stalked over to Nat.
One of her men placed a hand on her and I grabbed her arm tugging her away ignoring their groans.
Pulling her past the bathroom and into a small supply closet, I slammed the door behind us.
"Is there a problem, Rose?" She asked with baited breath knowing the game she was playing.
Pacing, I couldn't think straight so I did the only plausible thing. Pouncing, our lips tangled heavily in a lip-lock as she turned to press me against the door. Moaning, my hand traveled up the side of her dress.
Natasha's hand didn't stay idle, traveling south to slip underneath my skirt.
Gasping out her name, she continued in her merciless touches. Going limp, I held on to her for dear life when she whispered Russian into my ear, biting my earlobe. Soon, I was gone.
Gaining back my surroundings, I slipped my hand downwards to feel her lacy underwear. She left out a breathy gasp, my fingers glided in like they were meant to be there. Kissing and nibbling her neck, I was rewarded with Natasha's cries and moans of pleasure.
I learned in that moment what my favorite thing in the world—watching Natasha fall apart for a few seconds at my hands.
Natasha composed herself pulling down her dress. I watched her with a sad realization.
"What is this?" I asked sinking to the floor looking up at Nat.
Her eyes wandered to stare at the spare linen.
"You deserve better," Natasha stated refusing to look at me.
"Says the most beautiful, funny, understanding, trustworthy woman that I know."
Staying silent, she crossed her arms turning her back on me.
"You're wrong."
"Most of the time but not about you, darling. I know you have secrets and a past and you don't have to share anything with me. I just-."
She turned to raise her eyebrow at me.
"I just want you to be able to talk me. If you don't want this or someone else—" I continued tapping my feet.
"I want you."
"Then what?"
"I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want to hurt you."
Standing up placing my hands on her hips, I leaned up to pull her close.
"It would be my pleasure to have my heart broken by you, Natasha."
Natasha wrinkled her nose at the cheesy line.
She pulled my face into her hands, looking deeply into my eyes searching for something.
"I killed people; innocent ones."
"That was all you knew then. When you know better do better right?"
Shaking her head, Natasha placed a kiss on my temple.
"I'm sure Hewitt is dying from the lack of attention. We can pick up some of those treats I know he likes. Maybe, we can get some coffee. Maybe I can crash at your place—that is what normal couples do right?" Natasha asked opening the door before offering me her hand.
Beaming, I grabbed her hand nodding like a fool.