Unexpected Romance

Chapter 18

Natasha:
"You can see her now," a nurse says to me, Clint, and Tony.

"Okay, thank you," I say.

We get up and follow the nurse to Val's room. She opens the door and I see my girlfriend lying on the bed, hooked up to a bunch of tubes.

"How's she doing?" Tony asks the nurse.

"She fell into a coma. We don't know when she'll wake up but she's okay otherwise. Her wounds are still severe but luckily we were able to start her treatments before it was too late. She's very malnourished, and that will be the issue that will take the longest to treat, especially with her being in a coma. Well, I'll leave you alone now." She walks out of the room and I walk to Valerie slowly, taking a seat to her right.

Her abs and left bicep are wrapped since she was cut and bruised badly. The doctors put her in gray sweatpants and a T-shirt. I look at her, lying there flat, unconscious and it breaks my heart. I gently take her hand in mine and put my forehead on the edge of her bed. I close my eyes, partly expecting her to squeeze my hand and wake up.

"Do you want us to leave?" Tony asks.

Surprisingly, I really don't want to be alone.

"No... stay. I can't be alone."

Clint:
I take a seat next to Valerie on her left and Tony sits at the edge of the room, away from us. He's been hesitant to communicate with Natasha since we brought Val in here.

"I'm so scared," Nat says with her head down on Val's bed.

"I know. Me too. We all are. I mean, it's a coma. She can still come out of it," I try to reassure her, not doing a good job since I hear her start to cry.

"Should we call the others?" I ask Tony.

He shakes his head no.

"Not yet," Nat responds as well.

-

"Can I have some time with her?" Nat asks through her sobs.

"Of course," Tony responds, leading us out of the room.

Natasha:
I hear the door to Val's hospital room close and lift my head to look at her.

"I'm so sorry, Val. I know if you were awake, you'd tell me not to apologize, and it's not my fault. But I should've known. I should've put the pieces together that the conversation during the movie was more than a love confession. I should've seen it for what it was. But I really hope this isn't a goodbye. No, I know this isn't a goodbye. You're the strongest person I know. I know you'll push through. Don't give up on me. I need you here. I love you. I'm in love with you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." I cry harder as I look at her.

I lift her hand carefully up to my lips and kiss it. I then put my other hand around the hand I'm holding and bring our hands against my forehead and close my eyes. The sight of her like this, looking lifeless... is too much for me to handle. When I didn't think I could cry any harder, I do.

I hear a knock at the door but don't respond since I can't stop crying. I then hear the door open slowly and hear Wanda's voice.

"Hey, Nat..." She takes a seat next to me and puts her head on my shoulder and an arm around me.

I stay with Val and I's hands against my forehead. I feel paralyzed.

Throughout the day, all my friends filter in and out. Each of them staying with me for a little while. It's nice to not be alone and be with them.

-2 weeks later-

I haven't left the hospital since I got here. The nurses offered me a bed of my own to sleep in next to Val's, which I accepted. The chair was getting uncomfortable. My friends have been filtering in and out to spend time with me so I'm not lonely and to give me the things I need. Everyone has told me I should go home and that they will stay with Val but each time, I decline their offers. I want to be here just in case. I want to be the first face she sees when she wakes up, whenever that is. Every night and a little throughout the day, I carefully lay next to her, making sure not to hurt her, and talk to her. I'll say anything from explaining my day to showering her with love and talking about our future. I haven't given up on her at all. My faith in her hasn't gone away in the slightest.