Well I wasn't going to write tonight as it has gotten late and I'm kind of tired, however I feel like I owe you all a chapter. So for all of those who have followed and favourite this story. Especially to those who have reviewed, this one is for you.
Natasha's shout was drowned out by the sound of the building collapsing around them. Her hands reaching for his wounds, trying in vein to stench the bleeding from his abdomen. Pulling the torn uniform edges together, she pressed against his midsection as hard as she could and yelled again.
"Need some help here people. Someone get Banner now!"
The sound of the gun wiring around lining up a second shot sounded so loud in her ears that Natasha felt like burying her face in Steve's neck. For the first time in what was probably forever, Natasha was scared, not only for her own life, but for the man currently in her arms. The world could stand to loose a dangerous criminal like her. Even if she was good now, but him, the one shining beacon in this world full of hate and darkness. Steve Rogers was not going to going to die on her watch.
"Cap, Cap you got to get up." Natasha shouted, but he did not stir. His eyes remained closed and his breathing remained shallow and uneven.
"Dam it Steve get up solider, I can't lift your heavy ass." Natasha shouted at him yet he still did not stir. The gun had stopped moving now and she heard it cock back preparing to fire. Natasha decided to do the only thing she could. Jumping in front of Steve lying between him and the gun, Natasha used her body, and his shield to cover him with. She took a look back at him seeing the pool of blood forming underneath him, and she wondered for a brief moment if her sacrifice would even make a difference. Shaking herself a bracing against Steve's shield she took in a deep shaky breath and prepared for the final blow.
She must have shut her eyes, because in the next second the ground was shaking, but she felt no pain, no flash of heat, no life flashing before her eyes, just the shaking. She wondered if this was what dying felt like. Just nothing, just the world moving below you. Chancing opening her eyes Natasha was stunned for a second as the Hulk took the blast full in the chest and forced his way towards the gun, finally ripping it apart until there was nothing left bigger than the size of the hulk's hand.
"Stark get us the hell out of here." Natasha shouted, quickly regrouping and grabbing hold of Steve's wound and dragging him out from behind the wall.
"Calm yourself sugar lips we heard you the first time." Stark replied as he swept down from above them, and was quickly joined by Falcon. It was the first time Natasha had looked up, and it was only now she saw the massive hole in the building. The sky was dark now, the snow flakes falling in earnest, and landing in cold droplets on her cheeks, melting on her hot skin, they now fell and landed on Steve's face below her.
"Nat, Natasha let go now we have to get him out of here." Sam said to her his hand coming to rest on her shoulder. She quickly drew herself backwards, self-conscious of how close she had been to him. Looking down she could see his blood on her hands, wanting to rub it on her suit she quickly grabbed hold of her guns and pointed them at nobody in particular and turned her head from side to side.
"All clear, lets get out of here, I don't think they are going to be able to rebuild any time soon." Natasha said getting right back to work, as Sam hoisted Steve on to his shoulders and swept him away.
It wasn't until much later that Natasha stood under the shower, washing off Steve's blood, her hair hanging in her eyes, as the water ran down her face into the drain that she began to sob. Long dry heaves that shook her body but produced no tears. Her ability to physically cry was not something they had removed in the red room, but she had not done so since the day she had graduated. Now her body didn't seem to remember what to do. It just shook, forcing her breaths to come in short hitches that made her chest hurt.
"Pull yourself together Romanoff." She almost shouted at herself, slapping the wall in front of her, enough so it hurt. Then punching the solid tiles until her own blood joined that of Steve's running away down the drain.
"Christ. I'm sorry Nat, shit I thought." Sam stuttered from the door way, as her naked back faced him and she turned her face around to look at him.
"It's ok, nothing a thousand people haven't seen before." Natasha replied with only a slight hint of regret in her voice, as she watched Sam face the wall and force his hands in his pockets.
"Umm thought you might like to know. He's awake."
At first all Steve could comprehend was the ringing in his ears. The world was dark with spotted lights, until voices began to cut their way through the ringing, and the spots of light began to clarify into bigger images. There were no faces at first, only voices, and a stark white expanse above him. Then Tony's face drifted into vision, and he seemed to be looking down at Steve.
"Looks ok to me, man's got a hard head." Tony said and Steve wanted to say something, but he found his voice wasn't working right now. Then Banner pooped in for a moment, the frown on his face had Steve concerned, but he was gone before Steve could make any effort to talk.
"I don't think it's his head they are worried about, the large open wound in his stomach is more of a problem right now. Has any one told Nat yet?"
Steve did not miss the mention of her name, it was like a shock to his system, rebooting everything. He felt his fingers flex, and his eyes flutter, and finally the burning pain in his stomach.
"Hey." He managed to croak out, as all the faces now came into view. Banner, Stark, Sam and Clint were all there, but she wasn't. For a moment Steve panicked that she was injured too. They had been together, and that blast had been huge. His face must have changed somehow because Clint reached down and touched his arm.
"She is fine, just went to grab a shower, she was umm a bit dirty." Clint stated trying to be cautious as to how much he should tell their injured Captain. Tony was less diplomatic.
"She was covered in your blood so had to go wash it off before she scared all the kiddies. Probably saved your life though."
Steve breathed in a sigh of relief before attempting to sit up to a chorus of no's before scumming to the pain and flopping back down.
"I'll go get her, I'm sure she will want to see you." Sam said then leaving Steve's field of vision and leaving him with Tony's face as he pulled up a chair.
"What happened?" Steve asked his voice still a little gravelly but it didn't hurt quite so much to talk.
"Guy had this big assed weapon probably adapted from the power supply of the staff weapons, but on like a cannon. You took the brunt of the blast, then Nat called a code green and the rest was history." Tony said winking at Banner who just shrugged and placed his hands in his pockets.
"Glad everyone is ok." Steve managed before having to close his eyes again as sleep took over.
It was dark when he finally opened his eyes again, and he was alone, he wasn't sure whether he was happy about this or not. He loved his friends, but sometimes, especially Tony, they could be a little overbearing. It was just then that he realised he was not as alone as he had first thought. Tensing his muscles, and ignoring the pain in his abdomen Steve listened for any movement coming from inside his room.
"Relax solider it's only me." Natasha's voice was low and smooth, and Steve relaxed almost immediately.
"Nat." it wasn't a question it was a statement, and his breath of relief made Natasha rise until she was stood by his bed. Her face hanging over his as her hand touched his cheek. It was so soft that Steve wasn't even sure if her hand was there at all.
"I'm here, gave us all a scare back there Cap." She said her hand now sliding through his hair and making him feel even more relaxed.
"Have to work on dying better I guess." he said a slight smile on his face but he quickly paused when he saw the sadness in her eyes.
"Really thought we'd lost you this time, I was already claiming your shield." Nat replied, quickly recovering, not wanting the situation to turn sad and awkward.
"I see, better update my will, I was going to leave it to Tony." Steve said with a small laugh before reaching for his stomach and trying to hold on to his painful cry.
"Careful now solider I expect you up and around as soon as possible, I can't be taking out all the bad guys on my own now can I." Natasha said reaching down and taking hold of his hand, gently placing it over his heart as it beat faster in his chest.
"Wouldn't want that, a lady should never have to go out on her own." Steve whispered as Natasha bent down and placed her lips close to his ear.
"Get well soon Steve." her whispered words sent a shiver up his spine, and when her warm lips met the slightly chilled skin of his cheek, he felt his whole face flush hot as she lingered there.
She stood up and moved away far to quickly, but for the first time Steve felt hope for them, that kiss had been real, not forced or friendly, but one of true caring. He lifted his head slightly so he could watch her as she walked towards the door, pulling it open slowly and slipping out without making a sound. Steve wondered, as his body began to succumb to sleep once more, if she was supposed to be here this late. A faint smile touched his lips as he slipped back into painless oblivion.
There had been no more late night visits from Natasha after that. She had been there when the rest of them had come to see him of course, but no more one on one chats. Now Steve was starting to go stir crazy, having been in hospital for the better part of a week, he couldn't wait to go home tomorrow. The doctor had been very clear about the rules if he were allowed to go home.
"No lifting, no running, no fighting, no strenuous activity's and defiantly no saving the world." He had said as Steve nodded, having only some intention of disobeying his doctor. He briefly wondered if kissing and getting over excited when a woman touched you on the face, came under the strenuous activity's category, his wonder only increasing when Natasha alone came to pick him up.
"Hey has anyone seen the dishonour exhibit I'm here to pick up one of their relatives." Natasha said with a bright smile as Steve just lifted an eyebrow at her and picked up his small overnight bag.
"No no no, the doctor said no lifting, give it here." Natasha said practically wrestling the bag off his shoulder and throwing it over her own.
"Your hilarious." He quickly fired off before following her out of the room and down the corridor before walking out into the bright sunshine. It felt good on his skin, the warmth, the soft breeze and he felt himself already starting to feel better.
"Come on you have to see what we have done." Natasha said throwing his bag into the boot of her viper and getting into the car.
"Oh god do I even want to know?" Steve said sceptically, but her smile was infectious and he couldn't help but smile back.
"We have moved your stuff into the old weights room. Moved all the old stuff out of course, so that you are right next to the living room. You can wobble across whenever you like and not become a social hermit lying in your room all day." Natasha said looking pretty pleased with herself, and Steve had to admit, trekking all the way down from his room everyday would have been a huge effort at first.
"Thanks I guess my social standing won't suffer now, one less thing to worry about." he replied with a rye smile as Natasha turned to him.
"Oh your social standing can only go in one direction anyway." she replied looking only at the road ahead but Steve could see the glint in her eye as she drove.
"I will assume you mean it can only go down, and please don't correct me if I'm wrong." Steve said looking for any hint that she was about to make another joke at him expense but she remained silent.
Natasha parked her car and made no move to get out, Steve wondered what she was waiting for, but he knew whatever it was must be important. The black widow never shied away from anything, yet something was giving her pause.
"I'm glad your home Steve, things haven't been the same without you." Natasha finally said, finding the words to express her feelings falling somewhat short in the end, but the look of happiness on his face was enough to let her know she had done ok.
"I'm glad to be home, I miss you guys too." Steve replied knowing both of them wanted to say more but perhaps now was not the time. Both of them climbed out of the car by some unspoken signal and Natasha collected Steve's bag. Offering him her arm he took it gratefully. Walking slowly to the elevator they stepped in, both content in their silence, for now.
TBC... Will Steve and Natasha ever manage to sort things out, or has the moment just been lost. Please let me know what you think any comments or suggestions welcomed. Thank you for reading XxX