Unexpected Romance

Chapter 17

-Next day-

Natasha:
All the days are blending together. I think everyone on the team has come to me with some bullshit about how they're sorry and I should "stay positive". Thor even came back from Asgard when he heard. I'm getting so tired of everyone and their pity. I still haven't talked to Tony, I'm still pissed at him for everything.

I've taken too long of a break from watching the monitor so I head to the lab to sit there all day again. Every minute that passes by is a minute more without her. I've given up on trying to hold back my tears all the time so I let myself cry silently.

-

My phone starts ringing, I look at who it is and see it's Tony. I reluctantly pick up the call.

"What?" I say into it.

"Romanoff. Get to the med bay. NOW!" He shouts at me.

"Why? What's going on?"

"It's Valerie."

I drop my phone to the ground and run to the med bay wondering what could be going on. I barge through the double doors of the medical wing and see everyone standing in the waiting room.

"What's going on? Where's Val?" I demand.

"She's in there." Steve points to a room.

I run into the room and see Valerie. She's unconscious on a hospital bed and she's in really bad shape.

"Oh my god. Valerie." I can't help but cry at the sight.

She slowly turns her head to look at me. I pull up a chair and sit next to her, grabbing her hand.

"Hey, Nat," Val weakly greets me.

"Hey, baby," I say through my tears.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I tried."

"It's okay. Don't apologize," I manage to get out.

"It's time."

"Time for what, Val?"

"To say goodbye." She starts to close her eyes.

"No. Wait. Valerie wait."

"I love you, Natasha Romanoff."

"I love you, Valerie Walker."

"Goodbye," she says as she closes her eyes for good.

-

I jump awake, still in front of the monitor, sweating and crying. I start having a panic attack.

"Natasha. Hey Natasha." Tony notices me and runs over to me.

I'm too upset to hate him so I let him comfort me.

"It's okay. You're okay. What happened?" He asks in a gentle voice.

"I-I had a dream."

"About what?"

"Valerie. I had a dream she died from the mission." I cry even harder.

"I'm so sorry, Romanoff." I let him hug me until I'm calm.

"C'mon, let's get some food in you. You haven't had a real meal in days," he says to me when I finally calm down.

I agree only because I'm too weak to argue with him, plus food sounds so good right now. He leads the way to the kitchen and sits me down. He makes pasta for the whole crew then calls everyone so we can all eat together. It's nice to be around them, I'll admit. Everyone around me is talking and laughing together. They try to talk to me, get me involved but I can't focus on anything. It's like no one else is around and I'm in my own world, just me. I stare at my spaghetti, blocking everything out.