Yeah, I'm doing jealousy a lot because that is something I'm unfortunately very familiar with. I also feel like it is so much harder to write fluff and happy endings for Romanogers, they are kind of sweet but tragic to me.

October 26th: I'm with you

(Post Civil War, pre Infinity War)

Steve was pulling at her hand dragging her along behind him: „Come on... we can't stop." Natasha tried really hard to keep up, but everytime her left foot touched the ground it sent waves of exasperating pain through her whole body: „Trying... my best."

The small group of terrorists they had been watching for days had arranged a deal concerning weapons in the middle of nowhere. That should have been their chance, but unfortunately the group turned out to be much bigger and one of them smashed Natasha's foot. Running away turned out to be the only option left, but that proved to be more difficult than they had initially thought.

Steve heard the terrorists come closer again and saw the flashlights reappear, joined by car-lights. Without thinking he grabbed Natasha and held her tight. They needed to go faster. In both of their earpieces Sam's voice appeared. Wanda also talked in the background, but they couldn't make her words out.

„Steve, Nat. Where are you at? We lost you again on the GPS, this area is shit."

Steve was about to respond, glancing back behind him again, when he felt his foot slip on an edge that should not be there. His first instinct was to wrap his arm around Natasha to protect her from the ground, but the ground didn't come.

Nat was frantically trying to free herself from him to hold onto something when she felt them fall down what seemed to be a hole in the ground.

She had read about natural cave systems in this area, but didn't think about it too much. That was probably not the best thing to do.

Steve quickly grabbed her waist and activated the grappling hook in her belt. The hook shot up trailig the rope attached to Natasha's belt behind it. The cave walls were slippery and clearly not the best environment to use this, but it was the only chance to stop the fall - at least for Nat.

He knew if he kept holding onto her the hook wouldn't find a solid hold in the stone and they would both keep falling. The grappling hook was designed to hold her weight after all and not both of them.

Moments after activating the device the rope stiffened. Steve held on for a moment longer to slow his own fall. He whispered a 'Sorry' in her ear before letting go.

It all went down so fast. A second ago they had still been up there running. Then they had started falling and now she was hanging in the middle of the cave. When she felt Steve's grip on her loosen up she stretched out her hand to hold onto him, but she just touched the air.

Natasha heard herself scream his name several times before cursing violently.

With shaky hands she fumbled for a flashlight in the pocket on her leg. It was so dark in the damn place she couldn't even see what was under her, where the ground was.

Once again she called for Steve, but there was no answer again. Finally she found what she had been searching for.

The little flashlight was light in her hand, but it still produced enough light to see just fine.

Natasha mustered up some courage before brightening the area under her. Sam was calling again, but her priorities were elsewhere: „Guys... we can come and get you, but I need coordinates. Come on... please, answer."

Natasha froze when she spotted what she was looking for. Steve was on the ground on his back. She pressed her lips together and started roping down. It must be at least 90 feet between her and the ground.

When she ran out of rope she fired her second grappling hook directly into the wall in front of her and retrieved the first one, then she continued.

When her feet finally met with solid ground again she nervously detached herself from the rope and ran over to Steve. Carefully she knelt down and frantically searched for a heartbeat. She tried to calm down to make sure she wasn't hearing her own one while putting two fingers to his neck. Two agonizing seconds passed, but then she found it.

A weak motion against her fingertips and a slow rise and fall of his chest. Natasha realeased a breath and muttered a 'Thank God'.

She didn't know if she should try moving him in case he had any damage done to his spine, but the puddle of blood forming under his head concerned her way too much. It seemed to be the only wound that bled so she needed to make it stop.

As carefully as possible Nat rolled him over to his side. She immediately found the source of the head injury. Where he had landed the rocks had an irregularity while most of the structure was smooth from years of exposure to the elements.

She inspected the cut closely, it was deep and still bleeding, but there seemed to be no way it had gotten through to the brain. Natasha searched his pockets for first aid stuff and eventually found a bandaid and a compress. She pressed it to the wound and bandaged around his head which proved to be not that easy.

When she was sure he had no other visible wounds she fished for the cmm on his sleeve and finally responded to Sam.

„Sam, it's Nat. Don't ask too many questions, just be quick! We fell down an underground cave and Steve needs medical attention right now. I am not injured, but he is unconscious and I don't know the extent. I am now sending you the coordinates on you cmm from ours, just remember they are underground."

It took Sam only a moment to respond: „Nat, finally! We are on our ways, I'm bringing Wanda, she can lift you guys up. Just stay there."

Satisfied that help was on the way Natasha focused on Steve again. She was about to check his heartbeat again when he stirred. Steve took a few shaky breaths and tried to turn.

Natasha ran her hands through the side of his hair that was not bloody next to the bandage: „Shh... Steve. It's alright, I'm with you."

His voice came out husky and really low: „Nat... You alright?"

She rolled her eyes: „You are such an idiot... you fall down and almost die and you are asking me if I'm alright."

Steve tried to turn again so he could look at her. Natasha sighed and carefully helped him move so his head wouldn't hit the uneven rock again.

She could tell he was in pain. He was trying to hide it as much as possible, but there was that look in his eyes. Natasha took one of his hands with both of hers: „What else hurts? I mean, other than your head."

Steve closed his eyes briefly, but opened them again to not make her worry even more: „I... I can't tell, really. I can't... see clearly..."

Natasha squeezed his hand: „I called Sam... he'll be here soon and then we can take proper care of you. We have the equipment on the jet."

Steve tried a small smile, but grimaced right away: „I know... it will be fine."

Natasha bit down on her bottom lip before saying: „You shouldn't have let go... why didn't you just hold onto me?"

Steve tried to focus on her face, tried to make out her features in the blurry surroundings: „Not an option... we would have fallen both. And I... I'm more likely to survive..."

Fighting the urge to hit him for his stupidity Natasha raised her voice: „I hate you and your dumb death wish, Rogers... Take care of your own ass, too, not just of other asses!"

Steve chuckled softly: „Sorry, Nat... but I need you alive."

Natasha bit back a whimper, but she couldn't stop her eyes from watering: „I need you alive too! You have no idea how much I worry about you everytime you do something stupid like this."

Steve now closed his eyes: „Oh, I do... it's the same way... I feel when something happens to you."

Natasha softly started brushing her hand over his forehead: „Don't fall asleep..."

That's when she heard someone call her name from above. It was Wanda, thank God! They were here. Natasha looked up, but didn't let go of him: „Wanda! We are here, I have the flashlight on! You can lift us and I'll navigate you!"