2-3 years later and I've finally updated... I'm soooo about about delay but hope you enjoy the penultimate chapter. I'm writing an epilogue so no stones are unturned.

P-P-S

He saw everything out the corners of his eyes, never fully focused on her. Her red hair a blur in his peripheral vision as he took down person after person.

He saw her take down Anna, saw her pause, saw her fall on the floor.

Gaining closer and closer, the growing green veins protruding up her neck were enough to stop his heart from beating. There were wounds littering her arms, bruises practically everywhere. The scene became so overwhelming he forgot to look at her face, noticing her eyelids drifting towards being closed. His mind was screaming at him and the worst part? He was helpless. Practically useless. Everyone else were fighting for her. She always said she was alone but only if she could see them now. Glimmers of Tony's suite and hulks skin remained in the corner of his eyes as Clints arrows and Thor's lightening shot past him at attackers in a blur.

'G…Gamma…Steve I.. I love.. you…'

Gamma poison? Love?

Nice one Natasha, tell me you love me for the first time on the most stressful day of my life.

Steves heart was racing, his mind well… his mind was racing fasting than his heart ever could. His large hands on her petit shoulders he was practically shaking her in an attempt to wake her up. Realising it was doing nothing, his one hand went to his ear peace knowing that he needed to do something to help.

'Bruce, Tony? Someone, fuck, anyone please any get your ass over here. Hawk and Thor you cover the rest of them, make sure no one comes over here.'

Renditions of the word copy echoed in his ear, as he saw blurs of his team huddle around Natasha.

'... she's so pale...'

'...is she breathing?...'

'...looks like gamma poisoning...'

'...pulse is thready...'

'...need to get her out of here...'

As Bruce, back in his normal form, scooped up Natasha he could only stand and watch as her limp form was carried through a sea of bodies on the floor.

Everything seemed to go by in slow motion, getting on the plane, when Natasha stopped breathing, the cpr the occurred for a long gruelling 5 minutes, her spontaneous return of circulation and their quick landing in which she was taken off by a group of doctors and nurses.

This was yet another shit day to add onto his ever-growing list of shit days.

...

Yet again the avengers (minus Bruce who had entered with the medical staff and was yet to return) sat in the waiting room of yet another hospital. Each avenger had a worried look on their face, it had been practically hours and there had been no update even on whether Nat was alive or dead. To say they were worried was an understatement.

If they had a nickel for every time they sat in a hospital wait room worrying for Natasha's life, their total would be at 2. Which in hind sight didn't seem like a lot but should never have happened twice.

Hours passed which is all honestly felt like days, until a tired looking Bruce Banner walked through the doors bearing a small smile on his mouth. The fact that he was smiling made Steve let out a breath he didn't even realise he was holding in.

'Everything is seeming okay at the moment, she's alive and she's fighting. They injected her with some sort of gamma toxin which was changing her cellular epidermis structure.'

'English?' Clint asked

'So basically, they gave her a drug to make her skin impenetrable, it was the same toxin that can be found in the hulk and is why bullets don't affect the big guy. We've managed to transfuse her blood but I'm not sure if its going to work and what's occur in the future. Shes being heavily sedated and ventilated just for some extra help while she heals from her extensive set of injuries. We can go see her but she's gonna be here a while.'

Wordlessly, the guys followed Bruce to the dimly lit room where Nat was lay. Multiple wires protruded out of her body while the soft and steady beat of the monitors and ventilator contributed their symphony. To Steve it was the most joyous sound in the world as it proved she was alive.

His Nat, still fighting another day.

….

It was coming up to a week of sedation when Steve was informed that the treatment was going to be stopped and Natasha should could wake up when she was ready. He was overjoyed as he wanted the wires and tubes be removed, leaving the lovely red head looking peacefully asleep.

Throughout the week, Steve had remained a constant sitting at Natashas bedside. Clint and Thor had taken up the role of guard, taking it in turns to patrol Nats hopsital door and question any new faces. Tony and Bruce would visit everyday, then go back to the avengers tower and study culture samples of Nats blood, attempting to figure out the possible damage that may have occurred. Even Nick Fury had popped down to check up on Nat and to update Steve that SHIELD had demolished the formed red room base and there were no survivors.

The week alone for Steve gave him alot of time to reflect on how much Natasha meant to him, and how when she was better they were going to throw the best birthday party ever for her. He also managed to teach himself basic Russian phrases, hoping to impress Nat and maybe lead her to reveal some facts about her past. Especially since he currently believed she was over 70 years old.

The hours ticked by and Steve succumbed to sleep deprivation, falling into the abyss of slumber with his head rested over Nats pale hand.

….

For Natasha, waking up gave her the biggest sense of de ja vu ever. As her eyes adjusted to the light she managed to feel little stabs of pain throughout her body, the discomfort was immense but liveable. Before moving she wanted to assess her surroundings. She was admiring (or despising) the whiteness of the walls when she saw the flash of golden hair and immediately recognised the pressure on her hand. She couldn't help but blush as she tried to remember whether she said 'I love you' to Steve. How embarrassing if she had and he didn't feel the same way, but also, he wouldn't be present if he hated her. Her mind was racking itself, trying to piece together what occurred to end her up back in hospital. Her waking up must have stirred Steve as he lifted his head to see the most glorious sight of all.

Nat was staring straight back at his blue orbs showing a wide smile.

'Privyet' smiled Nat, not realising she was speaking in her mother tongue.

'kak ty sebya chuvstvuyesh?' Asked Steve.

'derʹmo' Breathed Nat

The snarky reply made Steve chuckle, at least Nat hadn't lost her spark.

'Your pronunciation could be better. When did you learn Russian?' Smiled Nat, turning her head to stare at Steve. He looked like he'd hardly slept, his face was growing a considerable amount of stubble and he was wearing a oversized Iron Maiden shirt which was definitely Tony's.

'Learnt it while you were sleeping, at least I can understand what you are saying about people behind their backs now.'

Nat chuckled. 'How long have I been here?'

'A week… the guys have been filtering in and out and I'm sure they'll be happy to see you awake.'

She was struck by the revelation that she had been out of it for a week. It was the longest amount of time she had spent asleep and in a hospital.

'So what's the damage? Am I going to live a long happy life doctor Rogers?' Smirked Nat, adding the sarcasm to hide the fact that she was genuinely concerned about what had happened.

'Well… Miss Romanoff the list goes on, adding onto your various bullet wounds for earlier in the week, you've got deep lacerations to your arms, multiple bruises and you were injected by some gamma poison that Bruce can explain. They managed to transfuse most of it out of your body but Bruce said it's make your skin really strong. But.. at this moment in time your healing nicely. Although you did scare the absolutely shit out of me Nat, you died and I couldn't do nothing about it. Couldn't even tell you that I loved you.'

At the revelation the two both acted like school children, avoiding eye contact. A blush spread across Nats pale face.

'You really love me? Don't bullshit me because I'm in a hospital bed because I can and will still kill yo….'

Nat was cut off by Steve's lips pressing onto hers. His hands lacing around the back of her head, showing all of his passion in this one act. The kiss was enough to let her know his love for her, it made her feel safe and relaxed.

It could've lasted forever, that was until the guys were wolf whistling at the door, promptly causing Steve to stop and blush profusely.

Surrounded by her friends and the one she loved most, she realised how with time everything was going to be okay. With her past was now behind her, and the red in her ledger cleared, the future was finally something worth looking forward to.