Natasha's Thoughts
(Steve/Natasha POV)
As Steve gets into the car he looks back at his bride one last time. He notices she has not moved from where he left her, continuing to watch him leave. He's sad to leave her on their wedding day but his smile won't leave his face, thinking how lucky he is that he just married literally the woman of his dreams. He looks down at his new wedding ring and can't help but spin it around his finger. "How was it?" Natasha asks with a smile.
"Beautiful." He smiles, "I wish you two could have been there."
"I know...me too." Natasha could only say.
Natasha is so happy to have her best friend back! Yeah Clint and her have been best friends for a long time but Steve had really become another best friend. They have been through so much together and she was truly heartbroken when the CIA lied and told them that Steve died. Those four months she blamed herself, thinking she should have followed him or insist that she go with him that night and when he came back, she couldn't believe it. She wanted to strangle the CIA for lying to them but she also understood why, they couldn't let Ross know Steve was alive. She was really glad she didn't have to deal with him not remembering anything. She already had to go through something similar when Loki brainwashed Clint, she didn't know if she could have gone through that again with her other best friend. She still wasn't sure how Iris coped with it, Steve didn't go into detail but it sounded like it took about a week for him to remember her after they reunited.
When she first met Steve she could see how sad and alone he was, she tried everything she could to get him to ask a woman out but nothing worked. She finally gave up trying and never really thought he would ever be truly happy and then somehow he luckily met Iris and she immediately saw his whole personality change...he smiled, joked and had a life other than looking for the next fight or mission. She had always wondered what he was like before he took the serum, had he always been this serious? Has he always been this wise, inspirational and perfect? Almost God like? And through seeing him with Iris she saw how human he was. More then ever did she see that when they had to leave for those two years, it was heartbreaking seeing him change so much from the man she's known to how different he had become. He was always the one to lift everyone up and give them hope and inspiration and then to see him so broken...it was very difficult to watch him self-destruct, sometimes she thought he was going to get himself killed somehow...I guess he almost did by sacrificing himself.
When Iris tried to end things with him after they came back, she was not going to let that happen. She had to play bad cop and tell her how it was, she knew Steve was going to be mad at her but also knew it was best for both of them and she was glad she did...they are married now and he couldn't look happier. She just hoped that they could finally find Ross and they could all go back to their lives. "I never thought we would ever go back to Sokovia." She said after awhile of silence.
"I know...me too. I thought that building was destroyed when Ultron attacked the city." Steve mentions.
"I thought so too but it turned out it was right outside the limits where Ultron brought it up." Natasha explained.
They're all nervous to go back to Sokovia from what happened. It's going to be difficult to relive the damage that Ultron caused and it didn't help that the people of Sokovia still blamed them, were still suffering and that was killing Steve more then anything. They don't know why Ross was going there and as they are driving to the jet Steve's phone rings.
"Yeah?"
"Have you got to the plane yet?" Lewis asked.
"We're just arriving." He answers as they get out of the car.
"Good, I just hope you won't be too late." He replies with annoyance.
"Don't worry, we'll get him. I'll inform you when the mission is done." Steve responds just as annoyed, he hangs up with conviction.
Steve knows Lewis hasn't been happy with him lately, from leaving Germany without a word, risk being exposed because of a "woman" to not leaving immediately when he told him to but Steve didn't care if Lewis was mad or not, he was not going to let anything or anyone stop him from getting married. Ever since he found out about Ross being Hydra Iris has had to take a back seat and she never complains, she is always supportive and manages to keep herself together despite how disappointed or sad she is. He was for once going to make sure that she knew she came in first before anything.
After he got his memory back he hadn't been too happy with Lewis either, he's been taking advantage and using him, he lied to him, Lewis had said he didn't know very much about him but that was bullshit. The only reason he kept working with him now was that they still have the same goal, to find Ross and end Hydra. They hop onto the jet and strap in and as they got closer and closer to their destination Steve takes out of his pocket a picture of him and Iris at Christmas, it was his favorite picture. He grabbed it before the wedding when he went back to his apartment to get supplies and saw it on his side table next to the couch, he had taken it out of the frame and brought it with him, he just needed a picture of her.
Natasha instantly notices and grins at seeing him look at her so lovingly. "Don't worry, you'll be back soon." She leans in and speaks softly.
"I know." He could only say with a smile, "I just want this to be all over."
"Me too..."
"I don't know how much more I can take leaving her...knowing she worries about me...terrified I won't come back."
"Hey...we'll get him..." She said confidently as she pats his shoulder.
"Thank you Nat for sticking with me this long...I know it hasn't been easy." Steve replies with a sweet smile.
"Well...you would have done the same for me..." She spoke softly, "and it's the least I could do after all the times you saved me..." Natasha couldn't stop feeling guilty for going against him and not trusting him with the accords, especially after all they have been through together and despite all that Steve sacrificed himself to save all of them, "I just still can't believe I fell for his lies and signed those stupid accords...I am suppose to be the ultimate spy...see past peoples lies and bullshit...I guess I really can't tell the difference anymore."
"You thought you were doing the right thing...and that's all any of us can do." He told her patting her shoulder.
"Yeah...but I should have trusted your judgement..." She spoke quietly with a sad tone.
"No, don't trust my judgement...trust yours." He said with conviction, "always do what YOU believe in, even when everyone is against you...plant yourself like a tree." He smiles remembering Peggy's words that had stuck with him so much and would always stay with him.
"God do you always have a pep up speech ready?" She jokingly asked.
"Yes." He chuckles.
"...I'm glad your finally happy Steve...you deserve it..." She softly said changing the subject.
"Thanks...you'll find someone too Nat...he just might be around the corner." Steve points at Sam who was a bit farther away in the jet.
"Sam? No, we're just friends..." Natasha denied.
"...That's how it started with me and Iris...just friends."
"Yeah right...it was never "just friends" with you guys." She rolls her eyes.
"Yes...it was." Steve lies a little bit.
"...No...you weren't, how many times do I have to tell you that your a terrible liar Rogers?"
"Fine, so you have a point, there was always something more with us...and it's the same with you guys too...I was with you for 2 years on the run and I know I was a bit out of it most of the time but I saw it...I wasn't blind."
"...Let's just focus on Ross for now..." She had to change the subject again.
"Whatever you say." He smiled as he sees her looking over at Sam then quickly looking away when Sam turned his head, when Natasha saw Steve grinning she elbowed him in the ribs, "Ow." He mouths with a chuckle.
Ever since Sokovia when Bruce disappeared and turned away from her Natasha was terrified to put herself out there again, afraid of rejection and having her heart broken but she couldn't deny feeling butterflies in her stomach when Sam would look or smile at her. She and Sam were very different people with completely different backgrounds but it never stopped them from being friends, allies, teammates and they always trusted each other and of course were also very attracted to each other. She had been developing these feelings for over 2 years now when they fled to Germany. They had to lean on each other for comfort, they were all each other had. Wanda was always gone and Steve was so emotionally distant that they rarely ever saw him until they would go on a mission. Then 4 months ago when they found out Steve had "died", they both took it really hard. For Sam, he lost his best friend and mentor, someone he had always looked up to for guidance and inspiration...even before they officially met. He respected and loved Steve so much and it was losing Riley all over again...again losing him when he couldn't do anything about it. He was the only one that understood what Natasha was going through and they comforted each other.
Natasha completely believed that Steve was dead and that he was never coming back but when it was revealed Steve had leaked the evidence to the CIA Sam was convinced that he was alive and he wouldn't stop looking for him, Natasha just thought he was in heartbroken denial but couldn't bare to take that hope away from him. They didn't dare tell Iris what he thought...they knew they couldn't give her false hope without more evidence first but he never did find it until Steve stood at his door and told them both what had been doing.
As Natasha is reflecting all of this Sam looks back to them, smiles right at her...again there goes those butterflies and as she is thinking that Steve might be right about putting herself out there again and take a risk Sam says, "We're here."
Steve and Natasha stand up and both look out the window at the damage Ultron caused that was still there after all this time. They're both having flashes of seeing the people screaming and terrified as the ground started to rise to the sky, Pietro dying, ready to give up their lives just to make sure that not one person was left behind...Bruce disappearing...it was getting very overwhelming for both of them but like they always do they brought their minds back to the task in hand.
"Are you ready for this?" Steve asked patting her shoulder.
"...Yeah...I'm ready." She softly answered with a appreciative smile.
"Let's do this then." He takes a deep breath as all three of them got their weapons ready and they all had a good feeling that they were finally going to finish off Ross and Hydra once and for all
I wanted to show more of Natasha's point of view with everything and showcase her and Steve's friendship more as well. I never intended for Sam and Nat to become an item, it just sort of happened. As I kept writing I just couldn't stop thinking "man they sound like a couple" lol. So I hope you like that, I haven't seen that many Nat and Sam pairings so I thought it was a nice change, plus he flirts with her all the time in the movies, lol.
