So I've recently started getting back into the MCU and had this idea floating around in my head. I don't know the exact details of how the soul stone works, or if this would be possible, so suspension of disbelief might be necessary for the story to work! After watching Black Widow and Hawkeye, I really started missing Nat and wished that her and Steve had been given a chance at being happy in the present. So pretty heavy on the Nat/Steve pairing, was never a fan of Bruce/Nat. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

New Year's Eve 2024

Brooklyn

Lucky's Bar

Steve sat at the bar nursing a whiskey as he looked over at the empty seat next to him, a tightness filling his chest as he imagined Nat sitting there, sipping on a drink. Her red hair was down in waves, falling just past her shoulders, with a single braid on the one side. She was wearing something casual, a pair of jeans partnered with a jacket, and her green eyes were sparkling mischievously.

"Here, try this." She'd say as she passed him a small glass filled with an amber liquid and he'd look at it apprehensively.
"What is it?" He'd ask, looking over at her as her mouth twitched to the side in that trademark smirk of hers.
"An old fashioned." She'd reply as he'd break out in a laugh.
"Touché Romanoff." He'd reply back, holding out his drink to hers as they'd clink glasses.
"Happy New Year Rodgers." She'd reply softly, the two of them smiling at each other before slowly leaning in and kissing...

Steve blinked as her image slowly disappeared and he was left, once again, on his own.
Swallowing thickly, he took a long swig of whiskey before setting his glass back down on the counter, throat burning.

They'd frequented this bar so many times together during the snap. Whenever one of them was having a rough day or the reality of the snap was getting to be too much, the other would drag them out for a night out to try and take their mind off of things if just for a moment. Even when busy running missions and and leading what was left of the Avengers, Nat always made sure they kept in touch and kept checking on one another. It was hard to believe it had been over a year since. . .

Letting out a shaky breath, he took another sip of his drink, closing his eyes briefly as he thought back to the last New Years they'd shared . . .

New Years Eve 2022

Avengers Compound

Living Area

"Alright Steve, what have you got left to cross off your list?" Natasha asked him as the two of them were standing side by side in the kitchen.The counter was covered with a smorgasbord of takeout food and alcohol as Natasha grabbed a beer and cracked it open.

"Okay, let's see." Steve replied as he pulled his notebook out from his back pocket, hesitating for a moment as he saw that she was grinning at him.

"What?" he protested.

"It's adorable that you still carry that thing around with you." she said, taking another sip of her drink.

"Don't you be making fun of the notebook." he warned.

"Still afraid of technology huh?" she teased.

"I like it, I just. . don't always get it. Besides, it's much more satisfying physically crossing something off the list instead of making a note in your phone." he argued as she laughed.

"Sometimes I forget you're over a hundred years old. Okay, alright. Well what are we working with? We're in the eighties now right? We did the seventies last year?" she asked, peering over his shoulder as he nodded his head.

"Let's see. . ." she trailed off as she began to scan the list quickly.

"Breakfast Club. . .oh you wouldn't like that one, too much swearing." she said, smirking at him as he made a face at her and she laughed, continuing to read off names.

"Ferris Bueller. . .so good."

"Star Wars. . . I mean, the fourth one was '77 but close enough and really Steve? You've had more than a decade here and you still haven't watched any of them?" she made a tsking noise as he looked at her sheepishly.

"I watched episode one but. . " he stopped as she was now looking at him aghast.

"You started with the prequels? No, you have to go four five six, then one two three, then seven eight nine." she explained as he looked confused.

"What? How does that make any sense." he argued.

"It's how they were shot and it's how they were meant to be viewed." she retorted..

"No, they should be done in chronological order." he argued back.

"Okay, agree to disagree. Not watching Star Wars tonight then. Let's just continue on. . ."

Indiana Jones… a LOT of Nazi's in those so maybe not the best. . ."

"Goonies…not my favourite but not bad . . ."

"Dead Poet's Society… miss Robin Williams. . ."

"Top Gun…eh . . ."

"Princess Bride…"

"There is no way you've seen all these movies. When did you find the time?" Steve interrupted as she went quiet for a minute, biting her lip as she looked to be wavering on the verge of telling him him something.

"I. . .when I was kid. . .when I wasn't being cycled through the Red Room and was living in Ohio with Alexei, Melina, and Yelena pretending to be part of a family, I got really invested in watching movies. Kinda used them as a distraction from the fact that I wasn't. . .that it wasn't real." she said, giving him a tight smile as he saw the pain in her eyes.

"Nat. . ." he said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder as she covered it with hers, nodding her head in appreciation as she cleared her throat.

"It's. . .it's okay. I just. . it's funny how things turned out. Now I. . .I just miss them. Glad I got a chance to reconnect with them before this happened but it just. . .it wasn't enough time, you know?" she said as he nodded his head.

"Time can be a funny thing. Always think we have more of it than we do. Important thing is what we do with it now. . .and if that means stuffing our faces and drinking more than we should while watching movies that are thirty plus years old, then so be it." he said, getting a smile out of her as he worked to lighten the mood slightly.

"Sorry for bringing the mood down." she said as he shook his head sideways, giving her shoulder another reassuring squeeze.

"Hey, you never have to apologize to me. Okay?" he said as she nodded her head and he removed his hand from her shoulder.

"Right then. Movie. Do you have a favourite one out of the bunch?" he asked.

"Definitely The Princess Bride." she said, happy to have the distraction back as he looked slightly surprised.

"Sounds like a pretty romantic movie. You secretly a romantic Nat?" he teased.

"It's more of a comedy than a romance movie." she said defensively as he grinned at her.

"Uh huh. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." he replied as she rolled her eyes.

"Just shut up and grab some food."

A few minutes later. . .

The two of them were sitting on the couch in the lounge area, drinks and food on the table in front of them as there was a large 70 inch TV mounted on the wall, a fireplace under it.

"At least Tony doesn't mess around when it comes to an entertainment system." Steve remarked.

"You hear from him lately?" Natasha asked, taking a swig of her beer.

"Nope. Seems to be pretty content living off the grid." Steve replied as he took a bite of his pizza.

"Good for him." Natasha said as he could hear a bit of a wistful tone in her voice.

"You ever think about that? Quitting all this?" He asked as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'd be lying if it didn't cross my mind every once and again but I don't think that life is for me." She said, turning sideways to look at him as she cradled her beer in her hands.

"This. . .is my life. I've made with peace with that. Family life . . .I don't think it's going to happen for me but if what I do ensures people like Tony and Pepper can be together raise a family in peace. . .then it's worth it." She replied, taking another drink.

"That. . .is remarkably selfless Nat." Steve said softly as she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah well, I blame you for turning me into this, you've been a terrible influence." She said as he chuckled.

"Some of my finest work." He replied proudly as she rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, I'm not completely alone. I've got you. Spending New Years with Captain America isn't all that bad."

"Appreciate the insult and then bringing it back around with a compliment." Steve replied.

"Anytime. Now, be prepared for one of the best movies ever." Nat replied, grabbing the remote off the table and aiming it at the TV as she pushed play.

A few hours later. . .

Steve looked down to see Nat had fallen asleep, curled up against his side as her head was resting against his shoulder. They'd finished The Princess Bride about two hours ago, which he'd really enjoyed actually, and had moved onto Star Wars. He'd caved and they'd started on episode four but they'd only made it an hour in before she'd passed out.

Suddenly there was a beep from his watch as he looked down to see it had struck midnight.

2023.

He didn't gave the heart to wake her, knowing how hard she'd been working lately, and so he just shifted so that his arm was now around her shoulders and she let out a contented sigh, snuggling up closer to his side.

"Five more minutes. . ." she mumbled in her sleep.

"As you wish." He said softly before kissing the top of her head.

"Happy New Year Nat."

Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to begin to drift off to sleep, thinking about how 2023 might not be so bad...