Family Business

27.

The thing about hospitals is that it's a place where you can either feel immense pain or sigh in relief.  When your loved one is in the hospital, you are plagued with this fear. It's the type of fear that eats you up inside. The hospital fuels this energy to the point where you can't sit still for even a second. But that's not the worst thing. 

It's the feeling where the world stops, where you feel that overwhelming feeling to sit down. Your brain can't function long enough to even take a proper breath. Going through that is one of the worst feelings a person can go through, 

Natasha understood that feeling. Sitting on that cold tile flooring for what felt like days, listening to nothing, in particular, the medical chemicals filling the air. She tried to focus her attention on something- anything, that could bring her back down to earth. She needed that feeling of stability. 

It's been a few days since James discovered the death of his younger sister, days since Natasha has seen her son, days since anyone has eaten a proper meal. Steve sat beside her, occasionally attempting to get her to eat something. He was her rock. He held it together enough for the both of them. 

"babe come on you have to eat something," 

"I can't hold anything down anyways," Natasha mumbled placing her head on Steve's shoulder as he slid down to the floor to be beside his wife.  Steve looked at her with a sad frown lacing his face.  He so badly wanted to cheer her up, to see the smile that he fell in love with. 

She always said she liked listening to him speak- to tell stories to the kids, and that sparked an idea in his head. 
"Remember when we had our first break up," At the start of their relationship there were a lot of complications and no one really thought that they would make it, the number of breaks they had was ridiculous but the pair agreed it made them stronger. 

"What? Why are you bringing that up?" She asked scrunching her nose. Steve let out a soft laugh. 

"Bear with me okay? I swear this has a point to it." He laughed lightly. 

"Okay, yes I remember. I broke up with you after a mission where you pushed me out of the way thus getting yourself shot in the chest." She looked down at the round. "I remember being so angry with you." 

"and I would have felt bad for the amount of worrying you did but I just found it so cute. My point being, as much as you deny it, you wear your heart on your sleeve. You have an endless amount of worry in you, Nat. But the thing is you don't have to worry alone anymore. I know you're grieving over Sarah," Natasha looked away at her daughter's name. "and I know you want to protect James. But you can't do that unless you are okay. So please. Eat something." 

Natasha knew Steve was right. He was usually the sensible one in a situation. So after a minute, she allowed Steve to drag her down to the corner of the waiting room where he had a meal prepared for her. How lucky was she to have him? Maybe it's time she fixes other relationships in her life as well. 

|~|

Tony had done many things in his life, many that leave scars on his heart, yet he couldn't explain why he felt so guilty after his fall out with Natasha and Steve. They've fought before, all the damn time, so why was this time any different? Probably cause lives were lost this time around. 

He had tried to make his way over to their house and explain himself but he couldn't justify bringing them more pain. He lied to them and that's something he could never take back. No matter how hard he tried. He thought he was helping them.