A/N Okay, so I decided to give you the whole thing from Steve's point of view, too. I hope you like it. Since you reacted quite positively to this experiment, I decided to dig up an old challenge from the German version of this website and rewrite everything for Marvel. Some time this month I will start another story consisting of (eventually) 120 Oneshots, titles given by the challenge. The will probably be Natasha-centric, but all other characters have a chance to appear, too. Just have to write a thesis first ;)
riml: Shouted the same at my TV at the end of Winter Soldier, but he just doesn't listen, does he?
Liberty2577: Keep looking for the next story, there will be more of it ;) And thank you for your praise, I'm really glad you like it. Don't worry about your mistakes, English isn't my first language neither. I make mistakes, too.
Agent Dawn Fire: Thank you very much. As promised above, there will be coming more.
Black' Victor Cachat: No Brutasha in this little piece, I fear, but within 120 Oneshots there will certainly be some Brutasha, although not everything will be fluff and cuddle. We're talking about the Black Widow, after all.
Got two hours in town. Care to join me for a drink? -N
It only took those few words for his stomach to take a flip. A smile played on his lips, only to be ousted by a concerned frown. Was she alright? Needed she his help because someone was on her heels? Only because she helped Bucky and him escape… Steve had to see her. Had to be sure that she was alright. Or as alright as it was possible under these circumstances.
"I'm gone for a while. Don't worry, I'll stay under the radar", he called out.
Sam gave him a knowing smirk. "Say hi from me, will you?"
Steve rolled his eyes and put his baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses on before he went into town. He did wonder where she got his number from. After all, he only had this phone for what? Three weeks? He didn't even know the number himself by heart!
He stepped onto the market and scanned the people as inconspicuous as possible. And there she was. Natasha sat in front of a café, sunglasses shielding her eyes against the blazing sun. Her shorts were short enough to let him feel the heat creep up his neck. They showed off her long legs in a very admirable fashion and her top hugged her curves in all the right curves. He gulped against the sudden lump in his throat. He quickly took a second glance around until he made his way towards her.
There was a cup of tea in front of her which Steve considered with a surprised frown. "That's what you call a drink? I thought of something… different." He chose the chair beside her so that his back was against the wall to keep track of their surroundings.
Natasha smirked her trademark smirk. "Since when does our Cap drink alcohol in the bright day?"
That wasn't what he meant, but Steve decided to play along and shrugged. "Some coffee will also do. What are you doing here, Natasha? Does Tony need something already?" He remembered having send Tony a burner phone in case the Avengers needed their lost half. Although Tony wouldn't have send Natasha, right? Not after she changed sides during their fight on the airport.
"Paying you a visit. I thought it appropriate to say goodbye before vanishing off the radar again. T'Challa told Ross I'd let you escape, so let's just say Tony wouldn't tell me if he needed help with anything. And by the way, he can kiss my ass." She eyed him sympathetically before adding: "I heard what happened in Siberia. I'm sorry."
"Well, it was just a question of time when Tony would find out, wasn't it?" Steve's answer sounded absent as he scratched his neck. She wanted to leave? When? And to where? How long would she be gone? "I should be the one offering help to you. If you hadn't stopped T'Challa… I don't know if Bucky would be still alive by now. I owe you one." And he meant it. Technically, he owned her more than one.
"You owe me way more than that", Natasha answered as if she had read his thoughts. "And trust me, it's not going to get any better. But let's get to that later. I'm glad you got a place to stay. The others all okay?"
Of course she would ask about the others. Clint was her oldest friend and he had been the one to pull him into this whole mess. Steve sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, they're fine. I'm just worried about Bucky; he wants to get himself into a cryogenic tank so he's not a danger for anyone. Couldn't you… talk to him? There has to be a different way." He didn't want to lose Bucky. He just got him back, how could he watch him being frozen like some slice of beef?
"No, no way." Natasha held up her hands. "Most members of your team think I'm still on the other side of this stupid war and I really don't think T'Challa appreciated being shocked by my Bites. No, it's better if I stay away. I would only cause more trouble. And concerning Bucky… Let him do it if he thinks it the right thing to do. You don't know what it means not being able to trust yourself, Steve."
She was probably right. Still, it was a hard time accepting the truth: that she would not stay here and that she wouldn't (or couldn't) help him with Bucky. "Fine." It was silent between them for a while, both eyeing the crowd for potential dangers. When Steve didn't find anything, he asked: "What about you? Do you have a place to go to? A plan on what you're doing next?"
Natasha shrugged as if it didn't matter. Maybe it didn't to her. "No. Yes. Maybe. I'm not sure yet. I brought Laura and the kids to a safe place. You can tell Clint as much, but I won't tell you, where exactly they are. Not because I wouldn't trust you but because one can never know who's listening. But they are safe, I promise. I left them with someone I would trust my own life with. You may know him. Older guy, only one eye… He's great with the kids." She tried to hide her smile but failed miserably.
Steve needed a second but then he stifled a laugh. Fury was babysitting Clint's kids? He really needed to see that. "You got the director to babysit? That's just great! Clint will love that story." His smile faded and his look became more serious. "But you're avoiding. Is it something you can't tell me about? Some sort of… mission?"
"Rather a personal mission, really", Natasha admitted. "I need to dig up some new identities and I thought I might start in Asia, asking an old friend of ours why he chose to hide cowardly when we could have needed him. There's no way he didn't hear about the Accords or at least the fight at the airport. Or did you hear something of him?"
Steve knew instantly of whom she spoke and his heart gave a painful twang. Wanted she to try it again with him? Although he had left the team behind? Had left her behind? "Of Banner? No." Then her words stirred something. "Wait. You want to kick the Hulk's ass without your gear, backup or whatsoever? That's mental, Nat!" The American hero seemed honestly shocked.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "It's cute you're worried about me. But unnecessary. I don't want to kick the other guy's ass, just maybe punch the doctor in the face. Or somewhere else. Haven't decided yet." She flashed a smile at him. "As I said, Rogers, personal business. Don't even think of talking me out of it. Or worse, accompanying me. You have your hands full of stuff to do and to organize and I'm a big girl, I can handle this."
"So she said before a big green guy showed her otherwise." Steve shook his head but when he was honest with himself, he didn't even want to stand anywhere near Natasha when she took him to task. "Fine. But you will tell me when you're safe and back, alright? Captain's orders."
Natasha simply rolled her eyes at him. Again. "Only if you call Sharon. She asked me to tell you she's still interested although, I quote, 'you're a goddamn bullhead and your next getaway car shouldn't be a Bug if you want to get away the fast way.'"
"Well, Sharon doesn't seem to know that to run away you have to walk", Steve quipped with half a smile, thinking of their episode in Washington, D.C. two years prior. "Why did she contact you?" Wanted Natasha still to set him up with other girls? Why couldn't she see? And why was he too much a goddamn coward to tell her and ask her out?
"I contacted her. Needed her help to get some stuff I thought you could use." She reached under the table and pulled a bag on her lap only to shove it to him. "Here. A bow and some arrows for Clint I got from Laura, Sam's beloved Red Wing, Wanda's picture of her brother and some energy bars for this Ant-Guy. Didn't know what to get him, but I couldn't leave him out, could I?"
Steve was agape for a moment before he recollected himself. Then he tried his puppy eyes as Sam referred to them. "But you could leave me out?"
"Don't play puppy. You're worse than Cooper when he finds out Lila got one cookie more than him." Smilingly she shook her head, then lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Since you're in the one country with natural occurrence of Vibranium, I figured you could use a new shield. I couldn't get your old one since you left it to Tony – stupid move by the way – but I got a copy of Howard Stark plans of the shield. And before you protest, listen to me."
Steve had already opened his mouth to ask, to protest but he closed it again.
"You didn't kill his father and we both know it would have changed nothing if you told Tony about his parent's death. Howard made this shield for you so you could fulfill your part. You're gonna need it. So stuff your pride and stubbornness."
"Am I allowed to speak now?", he asked in a mockingly serious tone.
"Don't test me, Rogers. Just because I spent time with the Mini-Bartons doesn't mean my patience is any better than before." Maybe she was pissed but Steve could still see the smile in the corner of her lips.
"I just wanted to thank you. Really, Natasha. I don't know what you had to do to get your hands on this stuff, but I appreciate it. If there is something I can-" But again he cut his word.
"No. Take it as a goodbye gift. I'll be off the grid for a good while and I don't want to worry about you guys. Just don't let yourselves be caught, alright? Or killed." She took a second bag she had hid under the table and stood up. "I need to go, catch a plane. Be careful."
Why wanted she to leave so suddenly? He was not ready for this. He needed to talk to her more, to make sure she didn't do something stupid. To let her know that he would be there for her, if she needed him to be. To help her through all of this. No one would come near her to hurt her. "Natasha?", he called her back, grabbing her hand and standing up himself. Steve knew he was treading thin ice; he could almost hear it crunching beneath his feet. "Don't be a stranger. If you want to, there will be a place for you. If not, that's fine, too, but don't let us worry too much about you." Please, stay. I need you here. But the words never left his mouth.
Was he mistaken or had the smile on her lips a sad touch? Natasha hesitatingly turned around and laid her free hand on Steve's cheek. "Goodbye, Steve."
He started when her lips touched his ever so slightly and was still too stupefied to react when she gently wrested herself from his grip and simply walked away. His lips still tingled an hour later.
Thank you very much for reading, I hope I'll see you again with my other story, soon.