Chapter 20: The End

It's funny how one word can pave the pathway to what you do in your future; who you are, and who you become. Why do people hold so much value to one simple word, no one knows. Perhaps it's because we like to believe that things are better than they seem; that there's more than one meaning behind one word, but not this time. This time it was just one word, but one word was enough.

"She's alive" said the doctor and everyone took a breath in, to make sure they weren't dreaming.

"It was touch and go for a while but we were finally able to stop the bleeding and repair her lung. There's a lot more damage though, but in time that should heal. One of you men can see her if you'd like."

They all looked at Steve. Normally he would blush but all he wanted to do was see her; hold her hand and make sure that she really was okay. Steve got up and almost ran into the room she was in a few halls down.

When he got there he had to stop. Natasha was laying on a white bed, she had a breathing tube inserted in her mouth and a bunch of bruises beginning to fade. He could see that she was bandaged around her stomach. The only sound was of the heart monitor in the background. She looked so small, so fragile.

Steve took a few steps forward and sat down in the plastic chair besides her bed. He took her hand into his and held it ever so lightly; scared that one wrong move would break her. That's when she started to move and her heart rate increased.

Natasha could feel someone touching her hand, snapping her out of a restless sleep. She felt all drowsy and her stomach really hurt, but she couldn't remember why. Panic started to rise up in her, so she tried to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt so heavy, like she had no control. She kept trying and finally was able to open them all the way.

At first she saw only white. But as her vision began to clear a worried Steve Rogers came into view. He looked down at her and she looked back.

Doctors rushed in and took the breathing tube out of her mouth, and Steve got her a drink of water.

"Am I dead?" She asked hoarsely.

He let out a small chuckle and said "No, you're too stubborn to die."

"W-why does my stomach hurt?"
She said, moving her hand down, feeling the bandage.

"You were shot." Steve said with the worry back in his eyes.

That's when it all hit her. The mission, the Red Room, brainwashing, needles and pain, so much pain. She felt sick. Steve noticed her go pale and quickly got her a bucket, in which she vomited in.

He held her hair back and as she finished. Natasha laid her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

"Did I kill anyone?" She asked quietly.

"No" said Steve as she let out a relieved sigh.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, it was you we were all so worried about"

"I'm okay, j-just tired" she said as she slowly fell back asleep.

When she woke up again it was darker and Steve had his head down, with one of his hands still holding hers. He looked up and smiled.

"Good morning" he said.

"It's the middle of the night" she said and tried to laugh but it hurt so she stopped.

"I faintly remember promising you a dance, so before these pain meds wear off, how bout you help me up and we can get on it." She said.

Steve knew that it probably wasn't the best time for this, but he couldn't resist the look on her face so he stood up and lifted her off of the bed, careful not to hurt anything.

Her feet weren't touching the ground, and Natasha didn't think she had ever danced worse in her life but she also never thought that she would be this happy dancing. Her head was on Steve's shoulder and his arms were warped around her gently. She was wearing a hospital gown and he was in sweats, but she couldn't have asked for anything more. Faint music was playing in the background, with the steady beep of the heart machine and Natasha felt like she was flying.

"You told me you didn't know how to dance" she said with her head still on his shoulder.

"I guess I just never had the right partner" he said looking down at her.

She tried to hide her blush and said "Your so cheesy" with a laugh, but then groaned when her stomach moved.

Without a word Steve slowly set her down back on the hospital bed, and sat right down next to her.

Normally Natasha would feel weak, but right now she only felt cared for. She looked up at him as he looked down and he leaned in for a kiss, with is free hand moving to cup her face. It was gentle and sweet but they pulled back when her heart machine started beeping rapidly.

"When i get out of here we are going to have a real dance" she said with a smirk and he laughed.

There was a long journey ahead of them but that was okay because she finally had someone to help her through it. She remembered the red of her past, the red of her actions, but now she remembered something else too. She remembered the red of being wanted and cared for and finally happy. She may never heal 100% but at least now she had a reason to try, to fight.

She looked into Steve's eyes, and he squeezed her hand and that's when Natasha figured it out. She figured out that life isn't a dance nor is death. It's love and if this is what it felt like, she wanted to dance forever.

Not everything has happy ending but it doesn't mean they don't have good times. Times worth remembering and cherishing, times like today.

Thanks for the memories.

This was so fun to write and thank you to everyone for reading. There will be more to come!