THREE WEEKS LATER

Slowly but surely Katarina was able to sit up, every movement hurt but she pushed herself. Clinging to Steve's arm, shuffling around the medical bay like a child learning to walk.

"Bruce, when can I go back to sleeping in my room?" she asked quietly one afternoon as he took off the last of the bandages.

"Tonight, most of the external injuries are all healed up" she sighed with relief. Taking the pain medication he passed her and throwing the pills down dry.

"What about a shower?"

"I'm not sure you can stand that long on your own"

"Please" her lip trembled.

"Ask Natasha if she can help you and I'll allow it. But you better keep it short. You're still healing". She opened her mouth again but he shushed her.

"Not yet, I can't take it out yet"

"I just want to eat something like a normal person" she sighed.

"I know sweetheart, not long now though" she looked up as Steve entered.

"Good morning beautiful" he said as he sat down beside her.

"I don't look beautiful I look a mess"

"I'll leave you two to it" Bruce smiled and sent Katarina a wink.

"Have you seen Natasha around?" she asked him.

"I think she's out today on some recon for Tony. Why?"

"Bruce says I can only have a shower if someone helps me and I really, really want one"

"I think you mean you need one" he laughed as she pouted.

"She'll be back tomorrow I'm sure"

"I want one now Steve. Please". He hesitated, weighing up whether Tony murdering him was worth it.

"How can I say no to those eyes" he whispered, scooping her up in his arms. She let her mind wander as he carried her through the corridors she felt she hadn't walked through for years until they came to her room.

"Is Loki still in Thor's room?" She asked looking across at the door across from her just as Steve started to nudge her door open with his foot.

"Yes"

"Can I see him?"

"He's resting" he murmured.

"I'll stay quiet. I just want to see him, just for a second". Steve sighed and in one stride was nudging open the opposite door. He manoeuvred her so they were standing in the doorway. Loki lay in amongst the sheets, shirtless, his eyelids fluttering as he dreamed. His stab wound still swathed with bandages, his body covered in scars that glowed white against his skin like cracks in a marble statue.

"Will he be alright?" She whispered. Steve let the door close behind him.

"Bruce said he should be fully healed in the next week or two. He just needs lots of rest"

"Thank you for letting him stay"

"Tony was the one who let him" she could feel the anger radiate off him.

"Steve, he saved me" she looked up at him, hurt that he could despise the man who helped her.

"I know, I just. I know his past"

"People change" she told him as they entered the bathroom. He gently sat her down on the chair, kneeling beside her.

"Enough talking, you need to save your strength for the shower" He turned away from her, adjusting the temperature before turning the water on. He helped her stand and put his arm firmly around her waist before turning his head and closing his eyes. Katarina sighed and slowly pulled her t-shirt off, wincing as her arms went above her head. Then she struggled out of her tracksuit bottoms.

"Steve, this isn't going to work if you have your eyes closed the whole time." He shook his head.

"Steve, I need you to help me shower that's it. Just grow up" she teased and slowly he opened his eyes attempting to keep his eyes focused on the running water. She stepped under the warm water and exhaled.

"This feels like heaven" she breathed. Steve's arms still firmly round her waist, his t-shirt getting soaked from the spray. She lent against him as she revelled in the water, her eyes closed, a look of euphoria spreading across her face. She turned round in his grasp, tipping her chin up so she could catch his eye.

"See it's not so bad" she said, a wicked smile dancing across her lips. She laid her cheek on his chest feeling his heart beating.

"Can you reach the shampoo from where you are" she mumbled into his chest. She felt him move as he reached under the water to grab the bottle, without her prompting him he started to massage it into her soaking wet hair. She leaned into his chest more as he ran his hand through the lengths, before settling her back under the stream of water to wash it out. Once he was sure it was clean he wrapped the other arm around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head, letting the water run over them both. She could have stayed there for hours wrapped in his embrace but he knew they couldn't. Steve backed out of the shower taking her with him, grabbing a towel and wrapping it round her. Slowly he sat her down on the chair again.

"I will be right back" he said, kissing her forehead.

"Don't let Tony see you looking like that" she called after him as he disappeared from the room in his soaking wet clothes. Moments later he was back, a fresh t-shirt and sweats.

"What do you want to change into" he asked standing in the doorway.

"Anything, I don't care" she yawned. He laughed and followed her directions to where a pair of pyjamas were kept. Carefully he helped her change before setting her in the bed.

"And you're sure Bruce said you could stay in here" he asked again.

"I promise" she whispered sleepily. Enjoying the feeling of a mattress beneath her aching body and the weight of the duvet that hugged her. Steve smiled and went to leave the room.

"Where do you think you're going" she said.

"You said you wouldn't leave" her eyes were already closed. He slipped into the bed beside her, her fingers finding his and intertwining them.

Steve woke a few hours later his arms stretched out, his eyes flicked open. The space next to him was empty. He got up, noticing that the bathroom door was open a thin glimmer of light coming from within, tip toeing across the room he opened the door a little more. She stood in front of the full length mirror, her top pulled up, one hand on the mirror to steady herself. Tears were streaming down her face as he watched her eyes flick over her battered body.

"Katarina" he interrupted her. She flinched, letting the top fall back down.

"Steve you scared the shit out of me" she said putting the other hand on the mirror to stop herself from falling.

"I was just…" she started to explain.

"The scars will fade eventually, you'll barely see them" he said bringing her into his arms.

"I know" she smiled to herself that he was innocent enough to believe that was what she cared about it.

"You're still beautiful" he whispered into her ear as he laid her beside him.

"I will be" she whispered back but his eyes were already closed.

TWO WEEKS LATER

"Please tell me that today is the day" Katarina said as she hobbled into the medical bay for her daily check up.

"Could be" he smiled at her.

"I'm very impressed with your recovery," he told her as she sat down on the bed opposite him. He strapped the blood pressure monitor to her arm.

"Breathe in"

"So when can I get back to the gym Bruce" she tried to sound breezy.

"Not for a while, you've only just started walking without help" he laughed as he slipped it off again.

"I just want to feel normal again" she hung her head but he tipped her chin back up.

"Katarina, I've been meaning to ask. Would you benefit from seeing a therapist. You've been through, well a lot" his grey eyes were filled with concern as he watched her pupils dilate.

"I don't think that will be necessary Bruce. The nightmares have stopped" she forced a smile.

"Well if you change your mind, we can always get one in". She nodded. Bruce stood and helped her up leading her over to her least favourite part of each week. She slowly lifted one foot and stood on the scales, waiting for the number to flash up.

"I would want it to be a little bit more before we took the tube out but I'm sure an actual decent meal would benefit you mentally and that's important too" Bruce explained as she stepped off.

"Eating is going to hurt but if you think you're up for it we can take the tube out today" he said, watching her eyes light up.

"Please Bruce, right now". He laughed as she sat back down on the hospital cot.

"This shouldn't hurt but it will feel uncomfortable" he warned her. She nodded bracing herself as she felt Bruce begin to remove it. She closed her eyes as it started to sting a little.

"All done, you can open your eyes now" she blinked them open.

"That's it?" she asked, her throat felt weird. Bruce handed her a glass of water.

"That's it kid. Now don't go ordering a whole pizza for yourself. You're going to want to start with something like soup that's easy to get down" she nodded, smiling and sipping at the water.

"Thank you Bruce, for everything"

"Anytime sweetheart". She left the medical bay and headed for the lab. Pausing in the doorway to watch as Tony worked. It took him ten minutes before he realised she was there.

"So today was the day then" he gestured to where the tube used to be.

"Yep, thank god" she said, slowly moving herself into the room and sitting down at her desk where she hadn't been allowed for weeks, she sat in silence for a while as Tony went back to work.

"Tony, can I come back to work please. Sitting around with everyone feeling sorry for me is growing old and I really want to be able to help"

Tony stopped what he was doing. He knew that he needed her help but he just wasn't sure if she was ready yet.

"I really need something to take my mind off what happened" she said quietly, twisting her fingers. Tony sighed and moved over to where she sat, crouching down beside her.

"Kid, do you want to talk about what happened". She shook her head.

"I just want to forget it Tony" she whispered. He took her hand gently squeezing it.

"Bruce said we could get a therapist in" he started but she cut him off.

"I want to forget it Tony, and the sooner I have something to distract me, the better"

"Isn't Captain America enough of a distraction for you" he winked, Katarina cringed and hid behind her hands.

"Steve can't be with me 24 hours a day" she teased.

"I could write it into his contract" Tony laughed.

"Just a couple of hours a day in the lab is all I'm asking" she said, her tone turning serious again. Tony stood back up.

"Okay, three hours a day to start with but if your tired or you don't feel well or anything"

"Then I'll tell you. I promise"

"You can start next week again, just take this weekend to relax and enjoy yourself" she kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you" she smiled before yawning.

"You need a nap kid?" he asked. She nodded and went to get up.

"No walking when you're tired remember"

"That is not one of Bruce's rules," she said. Tony laughed and scooped her up.

"No but it's one of mine"

"Remind me to write that one in my 300 rules Tony never tells you until you've broken it book" she said rolling her eyes but let him carry her anyway.