Chapter 2
The next time Rogers, Barton, and Romanoff were together was the following evening in the common room. Natasha and Steve sat at the table, her reading the news on her phone, him reading a newspaper. She wasn't talking to him, but somehow seemed friendlier. Steve thought that maybe the day before was progress.
Rogers startled when the phone in Romanoff's hand buzzed and moved. She answered it and listened intently. All she said back was "I understand" and hung up. Natasha immediately got up from the table, grabbed her crutches, and walked away, not even looking at Rogers.
"Is it something I said" Steve wonders to himself.
She passed Clint in the hall and whispered to him in Russian "I'm going down to Virginia. She fell again and it's bad this time."
"Call me when you get there." He replied back still in Russian. They both know Steve probably had enhanced hearing, but assumed that he didn't understand Russian.
"Let me know if ther is any change here too..." her words trailing off. She disappeared into her room to pack.
Barton headed over to common room, and saw Steve sitting there looking like he had nothing to do.
"So, uh, Nat is still off of active duty, so she's taking a little personal time away." He started. What the hell was he supposed to do with Rogers now that Nat was leaving?
"Hey Cap, you ever seen Star Wars?"
"What?" Steve said, bewildered. Hadn't they just fought a war with things that came out of space?
"You know the Star Wars movies? There's heroes and shit like that. You'll like it."
"Oh, ok. Sure."
It was easy for Natasha to catch a transport flight from New York to D.C. She had planned to rent a car and drive to the coast, but as she left the transport plane, she was greeted by a youngish looking female helicopter pilot.
"Director Fury asked me to give you a ride, ma'am,"
"Sure thing." Natasha nodded back to her and followed. It was always Phil that arranged things like this, almost like waving a magic wand, and suddenly whatever equipment or weapons you needed would be there. But, Fury did this? Natasha began to wonder what other of Coulson's duties Fury was taking over.
30 minutes later, Natasha exited the helicopter on the hospital landing pad. She swallowed hard, not sure what she was going to find, do, or say when saw Peggy Carter.
What she saw was heartbreaking. Peg had aged so much in the past 2 years. The super serum shot had its limitations after all. Lying before her was a frail old woman. She'd moved to this lovely retirement community near the beach. Natasha felt a pang of guilt remembering that she'd only been there once to visit Peggy. She'd found her on the porch, rocking, looking out at the ocean, as if waiting for something.
Peggy started when Natasha walked up on the porch.
"Natasha, she smiled." "My dear I haven't seen you in forever." She whispered as Natasha bent down to hug her carefully.
Natasha startled awake. She was back in the hospital room, holding Peggy's hand.