A/N hey guys. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Cold As Ice. Disclaimer: I own nothing
Chapter Two: Black Widow
My feet crunch down on the ice, sending little chips of the substance skittering in different directions. A cold breeze blows over the bare landscape and I pull my jacket tighter around me. Of course Loki had to choose the coldest freaking place on earth to set up camp. I shake my head and shove my hands in my pockets trying to warm them up. Cap and Iron Man are still at the front of the pack, leading the way. Every now and then they'd change course start heading off in a different direction. After the third time of doubling back and changing directions I've had enough.
"Do you even know where you're going, Stark?" The billionaire turns to me and puts one metal encased hand on his chest in mocked surprise.
"You would doubt me, Widow? Of course I know where I'm going, this tech is top of the line. It will show us exactly where they're hiding out, the snow is just making things a little more difficult." I roll my eyes and he resumes his journey across the tundra, only this time he's making sure not to take as many twists and turns in the process. The snow, which was only a small sprinkle at first, is now raining down around us. The frozen rain pelts our backs as we trek through the white substance. Soon it's up to our ankles and we're soaked from head to toe. Suddenly Captain America stops in his tracks, nearly causing Tony to trip over him.
"Geez Capsicle, give a guy a little warning next time." The man grumbles. Steve puts s finger to his lips and motions out in front of us. At first it just looks like more snow and ice, but then I see it. A small building stands no more than two hundred yards ahead of us. "That has to be it. It's exactly where it should be." Tony says gesturing to the red dot on the holographic screen in his suit. Steve nods before taking a tentative step forwards.
"We'll use the snow storm to conceal our entrance. Split up into groups of two and spread out. We'll move in from the sides and work our way to the front." With his orders given the Captain takes off across the ice with Iron Man in tow. Obviously I pair up with Clint and Thor is left with Bruce, who is starting to look a little green around the edges. I take the first few steps towards the compound and look down at my feet. Something's off. Instead of feeling somewhat sturdy ground where there was actually dirt underneath the layers of ice, Antarctica isn't just one big sheet of ice you know, it was just ice. I could almost see the water running underneath my feet. It only took me a moment to realize where we were. Immediately I threw an arm out and stopped Clint. He gave me a puzzled look.
"What's wrong?" He cocks his head at me.
"We're standing on just ice, we've got maybe four inches between us and the water underneath." He takes a nervous breath.
"Well that should be enough right? I mean four inches is the minimum of a thickness for people to stand on when they're ice fishing and stuff." He gives me a hopeful look. I shake my head.
"That's only for new, clear ice. The stuff we're standing on is called white ice, it's only half as strong, the minimum to walk on is eight inches." He lets out a sigh.
"Of course it is. Why is it that we always have the worst luck?" I look behind us, we're about twenty feet from more solid ground. If we are careful we may be able to make it there without cracking the ice. Slowly I turn to Clint.
"If we take it slow we can make it but we've got to be careful, otherwise we're gonna end up in the water." He nods at me and I take a tentative step back towards the way we came. A quiet crunch sounds under my feet and I freeze. I wait a few moments before taking another step and another and another. I'm fifteen feet from shore when I see Thor and Bruce about to walk out onto the ice. My heart stops as the giant Asguardian goes to place his foot on the surface. "Thor, no!" My plea comes too late and his shoe lands on the ice. At first nothing happens and I'm about to continue walking. Then a loud crack erupts underneath us and I watch as the ice begins to shatter under his feet. Thor reaches out and grabs Banner before flying into the air. The ice continues to crack and the stuff beneath me is about to give way. I turn to Clint and take off at a sprint. "Barton, run!" I scream at the top of my lungs. He hears my plea and starts to run the other direction. I finally start to put some ground between me and the death trap behind me when my foot slips and I go crashing to the ground. I turn to see the freezing ocean looming just a few feet behind me, and it's getting closer. My hands claw at the slick surface trying to get a grip to pull myself up. Suddenly a pair of hands grabs me by the arms and hauls me to my feet. I glance up to see my partner pulling me along away from the water. My legs finally decide to cooperate and I sprint with him. Steve and Tony have finally become aware of our situation and are standing just twenty feet away on thicker ice, they don't dare come any closer in fear of breaking the ice in front of us also. We're gonna make it. I think to myself. We're ten feet away from them now. The water is lapping at my heels. The back of my boot slips into the liquid and I start to fall. Suddenly I'm being flung forward and I land at Steve's feet. I turn just in time to see Clint falling into the freezing water, his body slipping beneath the waves. Immediate I try to go back and get him but Tony stops me. I keep fighting him, but I just can't get loose.
"Natasha you'll freeze!" He screams at me. I break away from his grip just in time to see Steve reach down into the water and pull my partner up to the surface. Clint is barely conscious and he's shivering. His lips are blue and frost is already starting to form in his hair. Cap pulls off his jacket and places it around my partner's shoulders, to which he gratefully accepts. I sit next to him and wrap my arms around his trembling form. After a few minutes he's stopped shaking and I help him stand to his feet. Everyone makes sure he's ok before we start to make our way to the compound, our mission no longer forgotten. Tony glances back at the now visible ocean behind us.
"Well, so much for stealth."
A/N well that's the end of chapter two, sorry if it's kinda short. I hope that you enjoyed it though. I would love some reviews if you don't mind. Also I'd like to remind you that I'm accepting requests for stories if you have any ideas.