Endgame is canon except that Natasha came back to life and Steve didn't go back, but stayed with his family.

"Two hot chocolates, please!" Natasha paid for the drinks and waited for the woman to hand them over.

She'd invited Steve to visit the Christmas market near her apartment complex. Steve had adorably tried to pay for everything, but Natasha wasn't having any of it. She had invited him to go with her after all. She thanked the woman for the hot chocolates and carried them over to the bench Steve had found for them.

"There you go." She handed Steve his drink.

"Thanks, Nat." He took a sip. "Mhm, nothing beats a hot chocolate."

Natasha could think of few things that could beat a hot chocolate, especially with the way Steve was licking the whipped cream off his upper lip. Steve Rogers was put on this earth to test her self-control.

She loved and wanted him so much, but she couldn't cross that line. He didn't want her to. She was his best friend (even though James would probably disagree), he'd even called her his person after she made him watch the early seasons of Grey's Anatomy, but she wasn't his lover. She never would be. Steve didn't see her that way and she respected that.

But it would kill her when he eventually would fall in love with someone.

She'd assumed he'd go back to Carter after they defeated Thanos. She'd hoped that Steve would finally find his happiness when she'd fallen to her death.

And when she had miraculously come back to life once the stone had been returned, she'd thought he'd say goodbye to her on Vormir and then leave for Carter, but he'd come home with her.

He hadn't gone back to Carter, but he also hadn't kissed Natasha as she'd longed for after he'd cupped her face, tears in his eyes. He'd kissed her forehead, not her lips.

I was so lost without you, Nat. I can't believe I got you back.

"You okay?"

Natasha smiled at Steve. "Yeah, just thinking. The hot chocolate is great."

They finished their drinks in a comfortable silence, watching the other people. She knew that Steve was looking for threats, but there were none. They now lived pretty calm lives. Steve had given Sam his shield, and Natasha had retired as well. And she loved it. She could do whatever she wanted. She was dancing again. She was volunteering at a community center, offering free language classes. She was teaching English, Spanish and Russian. All kinds of people came to her classes, and she loved that she could help this way. She was still using her skills without any blood shed.

Steve gave her hand a squeeze. "You want to go ice-skating?"

"I'd love to."

"Great! But I'm paying this time!" Steve grinned at her. "I insist!"

Natasha chuckled. "If that soothes your male ego, sure, go for it."

It was quite obvious that she and Steve weren't quite like the others at the ice rink. A few knew what they were doing, but they couldn't compete with them. Natasha took Steve's hand and they raced around the rink. She loved the way his hand felt in hers, how the wind was blowing her hair out of her face and how the lights twinkled around them. It was a perfect night.

"Want me to throw you?" Steve asked and he looked as happy as she felt.

"I think we're already drawing enough attention to us."

People were already watching them, and it was probably only a matter of minutes until the first person was brave enough to approach them. Steve had gone back to his Nomad days look, but he was still a God among men. People noticed him. And Natasha's red hair had always been quite recognizable.

"You wanna get out of here?"

"Yes." It was selfish, but she didn't want to share Steve. No, today was just for them.

They returned their ice skates, Steve winked at a young girl who looked at them with wide eyes, and then they left the ice rink.

"Sorry that I wanted to leave."

Steve offered her his arm. "It's fine. I prefer it when it's just us and I don't have to share you."

She hoped his enhanced hearing didn't pick up how her heart started to beat faster at his confession.

"You wanna go to my place and watch a movie? " She asked Steve, hopefully. She didn't want him to go home yet. "I'm sure Netflix has put out another terrible holiday movie."

"Yes, let's find out how many characters Vanessa Hudgens plays this year!"

They walked to her apartment with their arms linked together. Natasha had to fight the urge to lean her head against his shoulder.

"Do you already know how you're gonna celebrate Christmas this year?"

Natasha shook her head. "No. Clint and his family are going to visit Laura's parents. And I don't want to intrude. I'll probably stay in New York."

"What about Yelena and the others?"

"Haven't heard about any plans. I don't even know where Yelena is right now. And Melina and Alexei aren't that much into holidays."

"So you could celebrate it with me?" They stopped in front of her apartment building. He smiled down at her, readjusting her hat. "There's no one I'd rather spend it with."

Oh, boy.

"What about James?" She asked, her hand moving to rest on Steve's chest. Even through the fabric of his wool coat, she could feel his steady heartbeat. The one sound that had given her comfort in the years after the Snap, when she'd rested her head on his chest, sad and exhausted.

"Well yeah, he'll be there and his roast is actually pretty great, but he's not you. He's not my favorite. That has always been you."

Hope was blooming in Natasha's chest, maybe just maybe, there was a chance after all? The way he was looking at her wasn't friendly. He was looking at her longingly. He looked at her like she was something precious.

Steve's gaze flickered to her lips and when she wet them, Steve's eyes darkened. He looked into her eyes and then...He looked up to the building and narrowed his eyes.

"Did you leave your lights on before you left?"

She followed Steve's gaze. "No, I did not."

Someone was in her apartment.

Steve was already storming into the building, running up the stairs to her apartment. Natasha followed him, getting her gun out of its hidden place.

She couldn't believe that someone was so stupid to break into her place. Really, who would be so- Of course.

"Steve, stop." He stopped dead in his tracks. "I know who's in there. No need to storm in." She walked past by him and unlocked her door. "Yelena!"

Steve followed Natasha into the apartment and she could practically feel how the tension left his body. Yelena came into their view, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and a reindeer antler headband. Her dog Fanny right behind her, also wearing a headband. They looked ridiculous.

"Hey, sis! Guess who's going to have her first Christmas in New York City this year!"