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31 : TIME OUT*

The first night away from one another was very rough for both of them. They kept the news about their separation away from everyone. Steve stayed at his apartment in Brooklyn while Natasha locked herself in her quarter, avoiding everyone.

Natasha cannot sleep without the warm and safe embrace of her soldier protecting her during the night while Steve woke up to a cold sweat, screaming , haunted by nightmare.

This was only the first night, they didn't want to imagine how bad it would be if they've separate longer than this.

She stepped out of her room the next couple day. She was sitting alone at the rooftop before dawn, looking over the Manhattan skyline, thinking about one person that she want him to be here with her.

She poured Absinthe into a small shot glass, took her time with all the delicate process of drinking it. At least, it helped her took her mind away from Steve. She lighted the liquid on fire before quickly place her palm over the rim completely to extinguish the fire. She loved this method because it is the most dangerous one.

Everyone knew she loves vodka. She will drink it when she truly happy but Absinthe, this one is use especially for drowning her sorrow.

The sun appeared over the horizon when she heard footsteps, hoping that whoever was Steve. The man popped down next to her and he was Clint Barton.

"Morning, partner" He greeted with a smile before munching his sandwich.

"Hope you in the mood for drinking" Natasha said and poured the green liquid into another shot glass.

"Yeah, what do you have?"

"Absinthe"

"I have to remind you this 6 am in the morning" Clint said, concerned.

"And it's never too late or too early to drink, Clint"

"Isn't it illegal in US?"

"Let's just say Russian can provide you with anything you want if you have enough money"

The archer took the glass and shoot the whole glass down his throat. He frowned.

"This is stronger than the usual" Clint remarked

"The best money can buy."

"What are you doing up here?" Clint got to the point "You only drinking Absinthe when you were in a negative mood."

"I came up here to thinking about a really deep stuff" she replied "and yes, I'm not in a good mood"

"What's on your mind?"

"Steve and I-uh- we need some time out, you know, to think about what we want and how we feel about one another. Take a break from this relationship"

"So…you guys break up?" Clint asked, still confused about everything. "Because it sound like a break up to me"

"He needs some time to think. It must be because of the insane crazy jealous bitch act I pulled on him the past two weeks"

"You have every right, Nat" Clint patted her shoulders and took another shot "You're his girlfriend after all but I have to say Sharon crossed the line this time"

"I already gave that bitch a lesson"

"You really hate her, don't you?"

"Yeah, one of the person I hate the most"

The two friends continued having the conversation until the bottle of absinthe was half way gone and Pepper came up here to get them for a breakfast.

"Had anyone see Steve?" Pepper asked

They were sitting in the fancy restaurant down on 5th avenue and it was the fourth day of the separation. Everyone was there except the captain. Tony called him but he didn't pick up his phone. Everyone wanted to ask Natasha but Clint just signaled everyone to keep their mouth shut.

"Maybe he has a mission" Clint told and made a signal again for everyone to change the subject.

Everyone could notice Natasha's eyes was red and had a dark circle. She was paler than she usually be. Most of all, she wasn't happy at all.

Tony pulled his wife a side to talk to her in private when they were back at the tower

"Honey, your girls take care of Natasha, alright? We will go check out on out dearest captain in Brooklyn" The billionaire said "Try to get every detail out of her"

"Got it" Pepper replied

Pepper assembled her girls and went to Natasha floor while Tony and the guys went to Steve's apartment. Tony used his spare key and got in. Everyone could see how messy it was. There were drawing papers laying around the living room, bottle of beers, dirty dishes, and dirty clothes.

"I can get sick just being in this room" Tony muttered and picking up one of the sketch paper, it was a sketch of Natasha.

"Over here, guys!" Clint called from the bedroom,

They found Steve laying on the bed, sleeping with his sketchbook in his hand. Tony pulled it out but the firm hand gripped it. Steve was awake.

"Capsicle, we thought you were dead" Tony greeted.

"Hey, guys" He replied tiredly and looked like he was about to slip back to sleep.

"How are you doing, cap?" Bruce asked

"Good, I think" Steve lied

"What happened to you, Lord Steven? Why are you apart from Lady Natasha? I thought you and her already resolve your dispute"

"This is hard to break the news to you guys but I kinda broke up with her"

"What?!" Bruce, Thor and Tony asked in unison except Clint who already heard the news from Natasha herself.

"I told her I need some time to think so did she." Steve replied "She has to be able to trust me again. I have to be able to convince myself that I'm good enough for her love, that I'm not gonna hurt her again. We decided to spend some time apart. It's for the best. I don't want us to just get back together and ended up with I hurt her again."

Everyone didn't what to say even Tony. It was sad to see their close friends, one hell of a couple broke everything up because of one misunderstanding

"You know what? We all should going out tonight to celebrate the returning to bachelor hood of Capsicle" Tony suggested excitingly.

Steve frowned because he knew where this one going.

"We will take you to the club tonight!"

"Yeah, cap. I can't remember the last time five of us men have sometimes away from the girls"

"Whatever guys" Steve said "But I don't feel like partying right now"

"Shut up, Capsicle" Tony said "Tonight, we will not rest until we find a new girl for you! I will have the best of the best line up for you to pick"

"I don't know, Tony. I feel like I'm cheating on Natasha if I done what you say"

"It's fair game, man" Tony replied with a smirk "You two agree to take some time off, find someone else. The quickest way to get over lost love is to find the new one right away"

"No!"

"Yes!" The four men said in unison.

Pepper, Betty, Bobbi, Jane and Darcy were gathering at Natasha's quarter and waiting for the spy to emerge from her bathroom.

Natasha was in there like forever. Pepper and Darcy were the two who get impatient and marched in.

They were shock when they saw Natasha on the floor, curling herself, buried her face to her knees, crying.

"Sweetie, what happened?" Pepper asked and put her arms around Natasha.

"I missed him so much" Natasha said and sobbed heavily

"Why don't we take you to your bed, Nat?" Pepper suggested

Natasha silently nodded. Darcy and Pepper helped her out of the bathroom and put the spy in her bed. The rest of the girl followed in and sat around the room.

"Are you ready to tell us what's happen?"

"I kinda broke up with Steve" Natasha replied "He broke things off"

"Where the hell is he?" Darcy growled furiously "I will kill him!"

"He didn't hurt me, Darcy" The spy told "In fact, I'm the one who hurt him"

"What do you mean? I thought you say Steve breaks thing off with you"

"We decided to take some time away from each other"

"I don't understand. I thought you guys want each other back more than anything" Jane chimed in

"He wants to make sure that I fully trust him again"

"I can understand that" Betty said "It happened with Bruce too. He didn't want me back in his life because he afraid of hurting me again until I ensure him that I trust and love him more than anyone in this world"

"I told Steve the same thing but he insisted we should stay away from one another"

"Maybe he need to be sure. He didn't want to lose you again by any little thing again" Jane said

"Can we please get out of here?" Natasha pleaded, buried her face into the pillow "I don't want to stay here anymore"

Pepper looked at her girls and they all understand each other.

"Pack your bag. We are going to Long Islands"

Tony and the guys managed to get Steve up from the couch and took a shower. Dressing the Captain up nicely. Steve stepped out of his bedroom and saw Tony texting with his phone.

"Cap, you can stay at the tower tonight" The billionaire told, not taking his eyes from his phone

"No, I don't think so" Steve quickly declined

"Natasha is not there tonight"

"Where did she go?" Steve asked worryingly, his body tensed up

"Somewhere"

"Where is she?!" The captain grabbed Tony's shirt, demanding the answer. He was afraid that anything might happened to her.

"She went to Long Island with the girls! Geezz, Rogers just get back together already"

Steve let go of Tony's shirt "Sorry, Tony" He still looked worry "How is she?"

"I don't know"

"Give me your phone" Steve didn't wait for a permission and snatched Tony's phone.

The Captain scrolled up and down the chat between Tony and Pepper.

Pepper: She's not looking good, Tony. Nat is like a zombie. Eat very little. Sleep very little

Tony : Same here but cap is more subtle.

Pepper : this is bad for both of them

Pepper : we need to do something

Pepper : this separation is killing them both. I have to take her out of the city

Tony : Where are you now?

Pepper : ur house in Long Island

Pepper : do something quick. This is really bad. She doesn't stop crying since she arrived here

Tony : Sorry, hun. I'm busying distract capsicle from Tasha too.

"I'm surprised you can use my technology" Tony sarcastically commented

Steve gave him a glare "Nat taught me all of it"

Pepper : Where are you taking him?

Tony : Partyyyyyy! We gonna find him a new girl

Pepper : Don't you dare! I will come down there myself and kill you!

Tony : What? They broke up! It's a fair game

Pepper : Whatever

Pepper : I gonna go now, sweetie. Tasha locked herself in the bathroom again

Pepper : She's not stop crying and now she is puking

Pepper : Gotta go now, luv u

Steve handed the phone back to Tony. He looked guilty about his decision and the news about her make him feel really bad and regret this decision.

Maybe he should stop this

Tony took him to his favorite, high-end night club. They got in right away and the host showed them a way to the Avengers' table. Girls looked at them and gave them seductive smiles.

"Okay, ladies! Our cap here needs a company tonight" Tony announced with a hoard of hot girls behind him "Help him out of his sorrow please"

And they were surrounded the captain. Everyone was talking to him at the same time but Steve didn't exactly pay any attention to them.

Bruce noticed the anxiety in Steve's gesture. The captain always looking around, mostly at the front door, tapping his feet and fingers. Bruce knew why but he couldn't do anything because it was their choice.

Eventually, Steve stood up.

"Sorry, I gotta go now." The captain said "I need to go somewhere"

Pepper and the girls managed to drag Natasha out from the bathroom and force her to eat some food but soon as food settled in her stomach, her body forced it to come out.

They decided to make her a soup. This time, her body accepted it.

"Guys, I'm too tired but I cannot sleep" She confessed, curling herself under the sheet. "My head was about to explode too."

"Take this. It should help" Bobbi handed Natasha a pill

The spy took it and lower herself onto the bed.

"Try to get some rest, sweetheart. If you need anything, just let JARVIS call any of us"

Natasha nodded and closed her eyes. Pepper draped the cover while Jane slowly turned off the light.

They spy started the drift in and out of her consciousness. Finally her body cannot withstand all the exhaustion and suddenly, he appeared in her dream and his warm embrace enveloped her body.

"Oh, Nat why are you doing this to yourself?" He whispered, his blue eyes looking at her worryingly

"I missed you" She murmured, avoid making eye contact with him "Don't leave me again. It's too much I cannot handle"

He grabbed her chin and made her look at him "I'm here now and I will never leave you"

"I love you so much, Steve"

"I love you too"

He kissed her passionately to tell her how much he missed her. His hands were roaming all over her body. She was melting under his touch. Her body was arching to meet the heat of his body. Steve whispered all the sweet thing to her

"Please…" She pleaded "I need you"

"Not tonight, my love. You need to get some sleep"

"Then don't leave me"

Steve held her tightly in his arms as she rested her head on his chest, arm wrapping around his waist.

"Sleep now, my dear" He whispered and kissed the top of her head "I'm here now"

Natasha woke up again around noon of the next day. She was fully rest for the first time in week, thanks to her dream last night. It was too real. It actually felt like Steve was here with her.

But he wasn't

Natasha found herself crying again. This break up was a real torment, worse than anything she ever expected.

Maybe it is time for her to move on.

AN:

- Thank you to my proofreader, RushmanNatalie!

- Please kindly leave a review!

- Next chapter: How to handling with the break up