"You could run, as fast as you want as far as you can, through space and time itself. But no matter what the demons of the past. The ghosts. They will always find you."
"They always come back," muttered Natasha softly staring at the blank vibranium in her hand. Slowly she traced her fingers over the leather straps, searching through the crevices for a trace of the ghost that once held this object. But it was blank. Completely wiped and cleaned, all traces of what it was or whom it belonged to gone.
That was what frustrated Natasha the most, the emptiness of it all. She searched the files, she knew that he had lived on, what he became, what he had done, and how he had fallen. She watched the old tapes and read all the files, there was nothing on what she had done. She stared into his eyes, and there was nothing but passion, kindness, and a willingness to do better. There was no hatred or pain, no wound physical or internal. It was as if it never happened, and she would often wonder, who was actually the ghost?
"Natasha?"
She snapped up to see a questioning look given to her by Clint who finished polishing his bow. They locked eyes and no explanation was needed, he never questioned her. She'd tell him if it was important or only if she wanted him to know.
"We're landing in five." Said Clint with a knowing nod as he got up to check with the pilots.
Natasha always had her secrets, even now years after he found her on the floor injured, eyes dead refusing to reveal the inner turmoil raging inside her very soul. She didn't speak, she didn't fight, she simply moved. Clint still shuddered at the yelling and threats of relocation by Fury before he finally calmed down and told him to let her in. He didn't know the full scale of the conversation that went on in that room, but hours after she came out renewed with a new sense of purpose in life. She became his responsibility as he was the one that vouched for her and if she betrayed the agency he would go down with her. But he had faith, and in the end she ended up being one of the greatest assets to shield and the best damn partner and friend he could ever ask for. He knew more than most would about Natasha, maybe even more that Fury. But nobody knew what her last mission for the red room was, Fury didn't feel the need to know and Clint never questioned it seeing as if Fury never asked. But Clint wasn't just a shield agent with good aim, he was pretty sharp and he could tell that whatever is causing that look in Natasha's eyes probably correlates to whatever happened on that mission.
"We're here Sir." Said one of the pilots as he pressed various knobs and buttons slowly lowering the quinjet.
Natasha snapped out of her deep thoughts and quickly regained her icy composure as she stood up and waited for the ramp to descend. Moments after she found herself face to face with Maria Hill, who was busy talking on a headset, shouting orders left and right.
"I'm saying the munitions always have to be stocked away from the weapons vault! Come on!"
"Oh hello agent Romanoff." Said Maria Hill turning slightly to give her a nod as her eyes flashed to the shield in her arms and she motioned for her to follow while continuing her conversation.
Natasha turned back to look for Clint who was still standing inside the quinjet.
"You're not coming?" Asked Natasha with a hint of despair in her voice.
"No, I'm needed in New Mexico. But tell me all about meeting America's greatest hero when I get back." Shouted Clint as he gave her a small wave right when the ramp began ascending.
"Well, that doesn't make things easier." Muttered Natasha as she sped up to catch up to an irritated Maria Hill who was glaring at her and tapping her foot impatiently.
Maria was still busy directing orders and leading the way that Natasha soon found herself lost in her thoughts again. She was about to see him.
Would he recognize her? Of course he would, he made a freaking sketchbook of her after one day of meeting her.
"Would he be angry? Who wouldn't be?
"Steve."
She shook her head in frustration; as she remained poised and calm while trying to hide her shortness of breathe along with her ever-increasing heart rate.
"It's about time." Came a snarky annoyed voice as a metal door opened and the two women walked in.
"Sir!"
"Hey Nick."
Shaking his head he saw the blank vibranium shield strapped to her arms and she followed his eyes to where a team of scientist were gathered.
"I'm going to need you to hold onto that a little bit longer." Said Fury as he motioned for her to follow.
With a nod to Natasha and Fury, Maria stepped outside still conversing and directing orders.
"Don't know how she does it really. Would have sent them all toe Siberia by now." Mused Fury shaking his head
"She was born for that role." Mused Natasha
"True." Chuckled Fury
"Agent Coulson, please brief agent Romanoff here on our current situation along with her next mission. I have to attend to some business elsewhere.
Natasha looked for Coulson among the groups of scientist and she quickly found him as he was the only one dressed in a suit but also the only one string into the middle giddy with childlike excitement.
"What was that? Oh yes, right away sir." Said Coulson as he beckoned for her to come over.
"Agent Romanoff, Captain America. Captain America, Agent Romanoff." Quipped Coulson with a smile as she introduced them.
"He's frozen."
"Thawing, we're in the process of melting the ice slowly as to not damage his body, although everyone knows his cells repairs itself way faster than the rate of a normal human body I mean... Oh! Is that the vibranium shield used by Captain America!" Rambled Coulson excitedly as he made to grab it.
"Don't touch it." Complained Natasha hitting him lightly with the shield.
"Ow." Complained Coulson rubbing his shoulder
A whirlwind of emotion was twisting inside Natasha as she conversed with Nick and than slowly with each step towards Coulson she felt her heart and head hammering relentlessly. But she remained calm to everyone around; she could never break the act. But luckily to her relief she found him slightly thawed out and still unconscious. Her heart still skipped a beat when she saw him. He looked completely different, well his face was still similar, but his body was unrecognizable. He was different but still familiar. She felt a sense of nostalgia as memories replayed in her head of the good and bad times up until the somber and bitter ending. She shouldn't be here, looking at him like this, holding his shield. No, she shouldn't be anywhere near him after what she's done. But when Coulson reached for the shield she couldn't help but grip it tightly. It was selfish, but she couldn't help it. She needed the light.
"Curve ball, high and outside for ball one."
Light flickered in slowly
"So the Dodgers are tied, 4-4."
Everything was still blurry, but he blinked a few more times.
"And the crowd well knows that with one swing of his bat, this fellow's capable of making it a brand-new game.
Slowly his sense come back to him feel, touch, and hearing as he realizes these things.
"Just an absolutely gorgeous day here at Ebbets field."
He turned his head slowly to the left and than the right slowly surveying the room
"The Phillies have managed to tie it up at 4-4."
Slowly he flexes his muscles and moves his arms for the first time in what seems like forever
"But the Dodgers have three men on."
With a slight grunt he pushed his arms off the bed and made to get up
"Pearson beaned Reiser in Philadelphia last month."
He swung his feet and sat up on the bed as memories and realization slowly cam back to him.
"Wouldn't the Youngster like a hit here to return the favor?"
A questioning expression marred the man's face as he slowly turned towards the source of the commentary.
"Pete leans in. here's the pitch. Swung on. A line to the right. And it gets past Rizzo."
He snapped his head to the sounds of cars outside and then to the radio, something was right.
"Three runs will score. Reiser heads to third. Durocher's going to wave him in."
"Here comes the relay, but they won't get him."
The door to the room opened and a woman with curly hairs and a standard secretary uniform walked in with a big smile.
"Good Morning. Or should I say good afternoon?"
"Where am I?"
"You're in a recovery room in New York City."
"The Dodgers take the lead, 8-4. Oh, Dodgers!"
His ears perked up as he listened closer to the radio
"Everyone is on their feet. What a game we have here today folks. What a game indeed."
"Where am I really?"
Her face faltered for a moment before snapping back to a smile.
"I'm afraid I don't understand."
"The game, it's from May 1941. I know, cause I was there."
A terrified expression came across the face of the woman as she began to slowly back up.
He slowly got up off the bed and began walking towards the women
"Now I'm going to ask you again, where am I?"
"Captain Rogers…"
"Who are you!"
The door opened and armed men could be seen walking in and without hesitation Steve side stepped the woman grabbed the two officers and threw them through the wall.
He jumped out to find himself in a large and futuristic looking warehouse with a cheap-framed backdrop of a building complex in Brooklyn. He was lost and he needed to find answers.
"Captain Rogers wait!"
"All agents code 13, I repeat all agents code 13!"
He ran towards the metal doors and burst it open to find himself in a hallway full of people in suits. As the announcement came over the intercom many began to stare at him and some even began to slowly approach him. She pushed them aside and continued running through the building, down strange moving stairs, and dodging strangely dressed people.
Soon he found himself in the atrium, which was strangely empty. He slowly walked down the moving stairs and towards the front door when he noticed a woman with scarlet red hair leaning on the door blocking his way out.
"Hey soldier."
Authors note: Let me know what you guys think, yeah?