Newfound Family

I'll Say it Again, I Love You

Nat walked hastily down the hallway; her mind distracted by Wanda's words. It was definitely past midnight, and Steve was probably asleep, but she needed to talk to him.

Wanda's words from earlier had put a whole new perspective on her relationship with Steve.

She knew she loved him. She always had, ever since she joined the Avengers all those years ago, but she never would've admitted it to him if she thought that he could hear her.

Nat liked to keep her thoughts and feelings to herself. Everybody knew that. It's why she always came across as distant and cold, but really, she just had a hard time trusting people.

Never in a million years did she think that Steve had feelings back. She wanted to know for sure.

Hell, she was an Avenger. She could do this, right?

Natasha strode down the hallway, making her way to the hospital wing from the hall lights giving off a faint glow.

Taking a deep breath, she entered the wing, only to find that Steve was wide awake. He was sat up against the headboard, scrolling through his laptop.

"Doesn't that hurt your eyes?"

Nat leaned against the doorway, and Steve smiled at her. He closed the laptop, placing it on the bedside table.

"I heal fast. I was just looking at the file from that mission." Steve said, slowly swinging his legs off the side of the bed so he was facing Nat. She sat beside him.

"I didn't think you could even use a laptop." Her lips turned up, giving him a slight grin.

"Funny." Steve rubbed the back of his neck. His face fell slightly.

"I can't believe that was a set-up from HYDRA. Did you and the rest of the team figure anything out?"

Nat shrugged. "We tried, but we were more worried about you."

She paused, staring at her hands. Why did she feel so awkward all of a sudden? It was just Steve.

"We missed you." She looked up. "I missed you."

Steve wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him.

"What was it like, the coma?" Nat asked him.

Steve stared at the ceiling. He didn't really know how to put it into words.

"It felt...strange. I could hear everything, but I thought my brain was making it all up until Wanda said you guys weren't."

Nat listened intently. Steve continued.

"It was dark, and I tried to yell back to you and Wanda, but obviously you couldn't hear me."

Nat sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest. She waited for him to continue, unsure of what to say. She was never good with words.

"I didn't know how to get out until Wanda helped me. I thought I was never going to see you again."

Nat stared at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"I thought I was never going to see you again."

"Well, we're both wrong, aren't we?" Steve laughed. "And I'm really glad about that."

"Me too."

A moment passed where they enjoyed each other's presence, something they hadn't done in a long time, until Nat broke it.

"You...You said you could hear everything?" Чёрт побери, Nat. Could you be any more obvious?

Steve rolled his eyes. He knew where this was going.