It was late in the night and Pepper was awake. She simply could not sleep. Tony was off for a 'boys night' with Bruce, Steve, Clint and Thor and Jane was back in New Mexico for a week, so Pepper and Natasha were the only ones left in the tower.
Pepper sat up. There was no sense in trying to sleep again. Tonight … every time she closed her eyes, she saw Tony falling from the sky or dying of poisoning or something like that. Even though it had been a few month since the battle of New York now, sometimes it was really difficult for her to sleep. Usually, Tony would wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was alright. But Tony was not here.
Deciding to at least try to do some work, Pepper got up and walked into the livingroom. Suprised she saw Natasha sitting there.
„Couldn't sleep either?" She carefully asked.
Natasha turned her head towards her and smiled sadly. „Nightmares?"
„Yes" Pepper answered.
They sat together in silence for a few minutes. It was a comfortable silence. Even though Natasha had not said it, Pepper knew that the other woman had nightmares, too. Pepper briefly wondered about what the assasins nightmares revolved. Probably Clint getting hurt or killed. Pepper was pretty sure there was more between the two partners than just friendship.
„It's feels like that night, you know. The night I met Clint." Natasha suddenly spoke up. Pepper did not know what to say, she had the feeling that Natasha not usually shared such things.
„It was in Kiew. A cold day, cloudy, grey. I was on the run. Had pissed of a few pretty rich and important people that sended hired guns after me. Nobody who could beat me, but … so many I could not take them down all at once. I took out a few of them, then hid in an empty warehouse. I was wounded. Bullet in the arm, a few bruises here and there, a broken ankle. I was out of weapons. When he stood in front of me, an arrow pointing to my heart, I really thought that was it. That I'd die. But then he suddenly put the bow down and offered me a hand. Told me his name was Clint. Asked me for my name. I still don't know why, but he decided not to kill me. Instead he gave me a chance for a new life, a life on the right side. And I looked into his eyes and … I trusted him. I don't know why, but I did and still do. Sometimes things are illogical, I think. Just as illogical as me thinking of that day right now."
Pepper knew it was an honour to hear this story, that it was a symbol of how much Natasha trusted her. She had started thinking of the other redhead as her best friend since she moved in, but it only now occured her that Natasha thought the same of her.
Silently, they both looked into each other eyes.
„What are you nightmares about?" Natasha asked.
„It … Tony dying of that Palladium, Tony dying when he fell out of the portal, Tony dying on a mission … tonight seems to be the nightmare night." Pepper smirked.
„And both our boys are out." Natasha said.
They ended up staying in the livingroom, none wanting to spend the night alone. Both of them were happy to have a friend to talk to.
AN: An idea that popped up in my mind. I think that Pepper and Natasha could be such great friends, really a shame that there was no scene between the two in the movie. What do you think? And, as always, ideas are very welcomed!