Chapter 23

What did one wear to meet one's boyfriend's ex almost-girlfriend? Natasha was standing naked after a shower in her closet and staring at her clothes. She probably had enough to fill a boutique but she didn't know what to wear. She wanted to look good but not like she was trying to look good but also chic and then again also casual. She knew it was stupid to feel threatened by an almost hundred year old woman but Peggy Carter led an impressive life and was the total opposite of Natasha. She still couldn't believe that Steve wanted to be with her. He was even going to move in with her next week!

Well, he was already staying mostly at her, soon their, place after she recovered from her gunshot and she asked him to move in with her. But his lease was up officially next week and they would rent a truck to get his stuff. The Red Room taught her that she had no place in the world and would be better off alone and here she was living with the man she loved. She hadn't said it to him yet and he didn't tell her he loved her either but she knew that he loved her. He took care of her while she was hurt and moving in for a man from his era was a big step. She hoped that he knew that she loved him too.

"Doll? Are you ready?" Steve yelled from the living room.

She usually hated it when people called her endearments because she thought they were demeaning but she loved it when Steve used them. She knew that he called her that to show his affection for her. And doll was her favourite. She never felt as close to anyone as she felt to Steve. Not even Clint.

And she thought that their relationship was perfect. They had meaningful conversations that lasted hours, they laughed so much together, they protected each other and their sex life was incredible. She experienced the best sex of her life with Steve pretty much daily. She was beyond flattered that he wanted her so much. She never had that much sex before and his stamina was out of this world. Thanks to Steve she now knew that multiple orgasms weren't just a myth created by Cosmopolitan because they made love for hours. They could be glad that they both didn't need that much sleep. She was tempted to walk into the living room buttnaked to have Steve ravish her all afternoon. And then for the rest of the night because they were both insatiable. But they had to wait because they were going to visit Peggy.

"I'll be out in a sec!" She grabbed a pair of jeans and a silk blouse and slipped into the outfit. She completed it with heeled sandals because it was finally spring and she didn't have to fear anymore to freeze her toes off. She didn't need a jacket because they would take her car and not his bike.

Steve stood up from the couch when she walked into the living room. He looked really handsome in his black jeans and sweater. He was just missing some red and he would be wearing her colors.

"You look amazing, Nat." He was in three wide steps in front of her and kissed her deeply. She returned his kiss eagerly and really wanted to rip his clothes off and let him take her right here and right now.

He pulled away after a few minutes of heated kissing. "We have to go now or we'll never leave."

"Once we're back, I'll handcuff you to our bed to have my wicked ways with you." She leaned up and bit his lip.

He laughed. He was much more comfortable with sex and talking about it with her now. "You sure you can hold me down?"

They both knew that she couldn't and that he could rip the handcuffs easily apart but they both also knew that he had a thing for bossy women.

"You'll see." She whispered and made sure that her hips were swaying in a seductive way when she walked to the door. She knew she was successful when she looked over her shoulder and caught him staring at her ass.

They just go to her car in the underground garage when her phone beeped with a message. She pulled it out of her bag and read the text.

"I'm sorry but I have to meet Peggy another time. Fury needs us." She gave him an apologetic smile. She knew how much Steve was looking forward to have her meeting Peggy. And she was losing her memory more and more to her Alzheimers.

"Okay, we go after we dealt with that." He looked disappointed but switched into mission mode. "What does Fury want?"

"We have to retake command of a SHIELD ship located in the Indian Ocean." She explained and got into the driver's seat.

They were at the Trikelion in no time and changed into their uniforms and met the rest of STRIKE at the Quinjet. She knew that most agents now suspected that she and Steve were together but they kept their mouths shut. Out of respect for Steve and because they feared her.

They boarded the jet and everyone read the files about the mission. Right before they reached the Lemurian and Steve was about to give his orders her phone got a new text. Fury told her to collect data from the Lemurian Star and to keep quiet about it. She glanced at Steve, he was gonna be pissed at her and Fury when he found out about that.

"Alright, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you'll kill the engines and wait for instructions. Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get 'em out. Let's move." Steve ordered and Natasha felt already guilty. She would kill the engines and then extract Fury's side mission.

"STRIKE, you heard the Cap. Gear up!" Rumlow yelled to the rest of the team.

She checked her parachute while Steve was heading to the ramp without one. Show off!

"Did you do anything fun last Saturday?" She asked him with a smirk. She already knew what he did last weekend. Her.

"As a matter of fact I did." He grinned back. They spent the day with her showing Steve how much fund blindfolds could be. He winked at her and then jumped out of the jet.

"Was he wearing a parachute?" She heard Rollins asking.

"No. No, he wasn't." Rumlow chuckled.

She easily made her way to the engines room and shut the engines down. She knew that Steve expected her to wait for his orders but she already had other ones. Funny how much love changed someone. She used to follow Fury's orders without question but now all she wanted to do was to tell Steve about them because she felt like she was betraying him. But orders were orders and they had to be followed.

She could hear Steve telling her through the comms to help Rumlow with the hostages but she ignored him and began to collect SHIELD data on a USB drive. She honestly had no idea why Fury wanted her to do that but she knew that Fury never did anything without a reason.

Suddenly there was a crash and Steve smashed through the door with Batroc. Ah, fuck. She hoped she would have gotten away with it.

"Well this is awkward." She joked and hoped he wasn't too mad.

"Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you doing here?" He barked and walked over to her. Well so much for hoping he wasn't too mad.

"You're saving SHIELD intel." He realized when he looked at the computer she was typing on.

She looked briefly at him and he looked pissed. "Whatever I can get my hands on."

"Our mission is to rescue hostages, Natasha!"

"No that was your mission. Fury gave me another one." He was a soldier, he had to understand that Fury's orders went above his.

She unplugged the USB drive and wanted to leave. She really didn't want to have a fight with him during a mission. But he grabbed her arm to make her look at him. "You just jeopardized this entire operation!"

"I think that's overstating things." She said but of course Batroc chose that moment to throw a grenade at them. Fucking bastard! Steve deflected the bomb with his shield and grabbed her by the waist and ran towards a window. She shot at it and he jump through it to protect them from the blast.

"Okay that one's on me." She sighed in defeat.

"You're damn right." He snapped at her and got up and left.

He was obviously mad at her and didn't talk to her during the flight back to DC. It was already the next day when they arrived and Steve immediately stormed off. Probably to talk to Fury.

She took a shower and waited for him at her car but he sent her a text that he wouldn't stay at her place tonight and that he already left to get his bike.

She knew that their work would sooner or later cause problems between them. She cursed Fury for his ways and Steve for being a stubborn ass.

It was around midnight when her phone beeped with a text. It was from Steve and she hoped that he would tell her that he was on his way and that they would make up soon. But it was nothing like that. She almost dropped her phone when she read the message. Fury was at the hospital and she neeeded to come immediately. She grabbed her car keys and drove like a manaic to the hospital.

SHIELD agents were everywhere and one agent led her to the OR waiting room where Steve was looking through a window. She rushed to Steve's side and watched how they operated on Fury. Steve took her hand and squeezed it.

"Is he gonna make?" She whispered.

"I don't know." He whispered back and squeezed her hand again.

"Tell me about the shouter." She would find that bastard and kill him with her bare hands.

"He's fast and strong." Steve paused. "He had a metal arm."

No that can't be happening. A door opened and Hil came to stand next to her.

"Balistics?" She asked no one in particular. She already knew. They left an impression on her body for life. She never told Steve the full story about her Odessa scar. No one believed her that it was the Winter Soldier.

"Three slugs, no rifling. Completely untraceable." Hill answered.

"Soviet made." Natasha contiuned.

"Yeah." The surprise was obvious in her voice.

And then they watched together how Fury flatlined.

"Don't do this to me, Nick!" She breathed out. He couldn't die. He just couldn't.

They watched as the medical team was trying to revive him but he was still flatlining. This couldn't be happening.

"Time of death 1:03 am."

Steve said something to her but she couldn't hear him. Her whole world was crashing down. Fury couldn't be dead. Where were the hidden cameras? Just two weeks ago she had coffee with Fury in his office where he awkwardly told her that he was happy for her and Steve and that if Steve broke her heart and she had to kill him he would help her get rid of the body. And now she was supposed to bury his?

She was staring at his body and tried to fight her tears back. Fury wouldn't want anyone to cry for him. Tears were for sentimental fools he always used to say.

"Natasha." Steve was suddenly by her side but she ignored him. She touched Fury's forehead one last time. Until we meet again

She stormed out of the room and of course Steve was on her heels. "Natasha!"

She turned around. "Why was Fury in your apartment?" Something was going on and she needed to know what!

"I don't know." Steve replied and she had to fight back the urge to roll her eyes. He was a terrible liar.

Rumlow walked over to them. "Cap, they need you back at SHIELD."

"Yeah, give me a second."

"They want you now!"

"Okay!" Steve shot back and looked at her.

Then he moved forward and hugged her and stuffed something in the back pocket of her jeans. "I'm sorry for your loss, Natasha." He said to her loud enough for Rumlow to hear and she could see how much he meant it despite it clearly being a ruse. Steve nodded at her one more time and left with the rest of STRIKE.

She walked numbly to her car and drove home. Only when she was in her apartment where she was sure that no one was watching her, she pulled whatever Steve slipped into her back pocket . She knew that no one was supposed to know about this.

It was a USB stick with the SHIELD logo on it. Something told her it was the one she used on the Lemurian.

What the fuck was going on?

As you noticed I changed some of the plot from the movie to fit this story. And I will change some other things. Stay tuned.

I just had to have Steve give the USB drive to Nat. He was like okay Fury said not to trust anyone but he clearly didn't mean my girlfriend.

Let me know what you think:)