A/N It's funny, the last chapter had as much visitors as number 19 although the latter is one week longer online. It seems you guys really like the Clintasha friendship. By the way, we've reached a milestone: with the last chapter, one sixth of the challenge is already online. Thanks for staying with me and supporting this little experiment. And as always, if you have some ideas, just tell me.

Unicorn brownies: I'm glad you like it :)

Invader Johnny: No, she isn't. Or she only does so seldomly.

WidowInBlack: Thank you, I'm happy you liked it. Well, in my imagination Steve didn't hear very much. He might have heard that she wants him to love her and that's why she doesn't want to talk about it; she's embarrassed about being so open and being caught in the process. But I imagine Clint with a smug grin on his face he might or might not regret later.

Title: Out Cold (prompt #84)

Characters: Natasha, Avengers family

Word count: ~ 1810

Hey Natasha, Dunno whether you heard what this doctor said but he's goddamn wrong. I know that. You're strong and you're gonna survive this. You understand me? That's an order! Coulson is next door, briefing the boys. They need you. The team needs you, Natasha. You know what'll happen while you're here? They'll start fighting over things like from where to get take-out. You know how Stark is. So, do me a favour, alright? You're working on getting better and I'll find that bastard who shot you so you can work him the way you like. That's a deal? Good. That doc only lets us get in here single-filed. Something about not riling you up. Well, I guess Coulson's done by now. Yeah, Clint's already pacing in front of your door. I'll let him in if that's good with you. Promise, I'll look after you later. Don't tell Clint, but I can't let my favourite agent succumb to boredom or her mental team mates, can I? Oh, and for the next months no missions alone with Rogers. Calling in back-up isn't a weakness.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Hey Nat. Fury and Phil took the others back to the Tower to give you some space. I take it as a compliment that I was allowed to stay. I was with Laura when Phil called me and shall tell you that she wishes you the very best. She would have come too, but Nathaniel's teething at the moment and there was no one to watch the kids. But Lila gave me a picture for you. She really adores you, you know? Please don't hit me, but it might've slipped me you learned ballet once. I know you don't dance anymore and no, I didn't tell her where you learned it. But since Lila daily points out she wants to be like you when she's grown up, she now wants to learn dancing. That's what she drew by the way. You and her dancing ballet. Your hair somewhat bites with the pink tutu, but I'll tape it to the wall nevertheless.

Oh, almost forgot! You remember Cooper's plush toy? The hawk? He told me to take it to you so, and I quote, you don't have to be afraid while you're in the hospital. He knows you hate it. Being here, I mean. He's seen me patching you together often enough in our kitchen just so you didn't need to go and see a doctor. By the way, Banner coaxed your doc into sending him every result of every test, so both he and Cho can take a second look. I bet Tony's already on it to remodel the Tower so you can get better there once you can be moved.

I just… Just please get better, okay? I don't wanna tell my kids that their Auntie Nat won't come to play anymore. And I know that it sounds like only my kids need you, but that's not true. I already told Cap it wasn't his fault you got hurt, but you know him. He's convinced we all should blame him, that he should have been faster and stayed at your side the entire time, but that's bullshit. I know he was fighting at the other side of the building and I also know you're one for stealth mode rather than bulldozing your way in. So you need to get better to kick his ass and tell him he's wrong, alright? Otherwise it'll destroy him…

Hell, I'm tired. Hope you're okay with me crashing on this chair? Just for one or two hours, I'm really wasted. No nightly flights for me any time soon. Goodnight, Nat. Don't worry, I'll keep my hearing aids in, so if something's wrong with you, I'll notice. And I stay here until the next guy comes in, so you won't be alone.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Alright, Natalie, I know we didn't start off the best way but come on. Faking an heart attack so you can avoid me visiting? Bad move, I'm hurt. Either way, I brought you some flowers. I could tell you I picked them, but once you take a look at them you know it was Pepper. And I really don't want to lie to a deadly assassin who might as well kill me in my sleep, even though said assassin might as well doesn't hear me right now. Pepper sends her regards, by the way. She has a lot to do at the company, otherwise she would have brought you the flowers herself. She told me to tell you that you could get your old job as her assistant back as long as you're not allowed in the field again. Don't worry, I know you're Fury's girl through and through. Just like Hill; neither of you did ever work for me. So once Bruce and Cho allow you to get back to field work, you can quit again...

I'm really not good with that kind of visits, you know? When my father was still alive, he continued visiting Aunt Peggy. Bet you didn't know that, huh? I knew Cap's girl, grew up with her as my honorary aunt. Much like you with Legolas's kids. When her dementia started, I hated those visits. I didn't like seeing her like that because I only knew her as a strong woman, kicking ass from dawn 'til dusk. It's the same with you. I never saw you with so much as a cold and it scares the living shit out of me to see you lying here. So, I know we're not exactly best buddies, but I really hope you get better soon. I'd rather have you in the Tower fighting with me over your vodka. And it is fun once in a while, isn't it?

Well, you probably behead me once you're better but I'll tell you either way. This one time I hope the doctors are wrong and you can't understand what I'm saying. Ready? I did it. I took your gear and tinkered with it. I didn't even tell Bruce because he would've run to Pepper, like, immediately. But don't worry, I didn't break anything. To be honest, your Widow's Bites are probably even more powerful now. So once you're better we can test them.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Hello Natasha. I know it's been some weeks already but I didn't get to visit you sooner. Helen and I reequipped the medical wing in the Tower to be able to better care for you once you can be moved. I got the results from your last tests. Your condition hasn't changed since your myocardial infarction and your doctors here think it too risky to move you to another place. I know you can hear me, Natasha, so I'm telling you this only once. You have to want to get better. Maybe this is another one of your fits about not deserving to be alive, so let me tell you one thing: you dying here would destroy more lives than it would may save. Do you understand? Tony's drinking all day long and spends all his time in his workshop to cobble something together to save your life. Thor's been to Asgard to convince his father to let you, a mortal, come to Asgard to profit from the medical care there. I haven't seen him since. Clint shuttles between his farm and the Tower and sleeps even less than before. He tries to be there for his family and at the Tower in case your conditions gets better or worse. He looks awful and Laura already called and practically begged me to knock him out so he gets some hours of decent sleep. And Steve… Well, that man is a mess. He scarcely leaves his apartment and I haven't heard him talk in a long while. He blames himself that he as the Captain should have taken care of you. We all told him it's not his fault, but since you're here for weeks without getting better… I think what he hates most is to be unable to do something. His powers don't help him here and that's what really eats him. And I… I miss having you and your sharp wit around. I try to look into the medical details to find a solution but so far…

So you see, you mean something to some people. Honestly, you mean a lot to all of us. So please, Natasha, you need to want to get better. I think even the Hulk is worried about you. He's more itchier since the incident and crankier. Every time some bad news reach us about you, he stirs in the back of my head, just like he just wants to smash something to relieve him. Since you showed us how to dance, he likes you even more. He's calmer when you're around and I really don't know what would happen if you… Well, you know. So, try to get better. We all want you back in charge at the Tower.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Hey Nat. I uhm… I know I haven't been here yet. I'm sorry about that, I just couldn't… It was my fault you got hurt. I shouldn't have let you go in there. And yes, I know you would have gone either way, but still. The others… Bruce told me to come here. His last visit was weeks ago but he kept track of your test results. He said… He said you're not going to get better. That there is no change in your condition for months now. That we should let you go. Clint and Tony both almost killed him for that, but he didn't say it light heartedly. I don't want him to be right, you know? I want him to be as wrong as a man can be. And I'm sorry I'm a goddamned coward. I should have been here earlier. To tell you I'm sorry all of that happened.

God, I really don't know what to say. I want to thank you. After I got out of the ice, everything was so new. But when I met you on the Helicarrier, you seemed so familiar. You were the best partner I could wish for within SHIELD and even though you jeopardized more missions than I can count, I know I'd never had that much fun with another partner. Although you were kind of annoying when you tried to get me a date. I'm glad I met you and I want to thank you for always keeping my back. No matter whether it was about one of Stark's parties or out in the field. I know you wouldn't want me to give everything up, so I won't. For you. And I'll never forget you. The team will never forget you. We'll see each other again, I promise. And… Natasha? Nat? Nat!