Saving Natasha

PART 114: WHISPER

STEVES POV

A quiet smile played across my lips as I poked my head around the door. I could see Natasha sleeping soundly, and a little head poking up from under her....wait a minute...thats my jumper. I chuckled and shook my head, of course its my jumper. I stayed quiet in the doorway, watching the two sleep peacefully together.

"O thank God I found one of ye, have you seen Avery I can't find her anywh-"

"Shh shh shh" I closed the door over and walked down to meet Rylie. She looked taken aback by my adamant shushing.

"I cant find Natasha eit-"

"Shhhshshhhh" I hushed her again.

"Avery is napping" I whispered.

"No I just checked the nurse-" jeez does this woman not know how to whisper.

"Shhh shhhhhhh be quiet" I led her down the hall, away from the door so she wouldn't wake them up.

"She's napping in our room with Natasha" I explained once I was sure talking at a normal volume wouldn't wake the pair.

"Oh" she looked back down the hall towards our room. She turned and walked down the hall.

"Where are you going" I whisper yelled.

"O, it's fine I'm just going to check on her"

"No no no! Natasha is a light sleeper" I yelled down the hall, but she either didn't hear me or just ignored me. She pushed the door open and peeked into the room.

"Oh, hi, sorry, I just wanted to check on Avery and Steve said you were in here" I groaned in the hallway and walked down the hall as Rylie stepped into our room. I quickened my pace when I heard more muffled conversation and loud cries from Avery. When I reached the door, Rylie was on her way out, holding the screaming child. She smiled at me and sauntered down the hall while Avery did her level best to get out of the woman's hands and run back to Natasha.

I walked into the room and sat next to Natasha. "You ok?"

"What..yeah, I'm fine"

"Natasha....."

"Ok...ok fine...I'm not ok. I- what am I supposed to do Steve!" She stood up and paced the floor in front of me "poor Avery is sick and all I want to do is run to her and make her feel better, but I can't, because that's not my job. I can't just sit here! I can hear her crying and all I want to do is help. My poor baby has a fever and I can't help because her mother is too proud to let me help"

"Natasha, she'll be back"

"I know she will, thats the problem! What happens when they leave Steve?! What's going to happen then, Rylie wont be able to just run down the hall and get me to help with Avery because God knows where they'll be" she sat back down beside me and leant her head on my shoulder.

"I-I just want her to stay here, where its safe, with us, with me"

"I know darling, I know" I pulled her into my arms and hugged her while Avery cried in the distance. The sound broke the both of us. Attacking our paternal instinct.

After around 20 minutes, Avery stopped screaming. Natasha slowly pulled her head out of my neck, she stood up and walked out the door, I walked after her. She slowed her pace a few feet from the nursery door. She walked quietly to the door and peeked around it, then she left, walking off down the hall. I looked in and saw Rylie cradling Avery in the rocking chair.....it looked wrong....that was Natasha's place. Rylie looked up and saw me.

"Hey look, I think I'm going to take off" I nearly fell "she's got a bit of a temperature but I think she'll feel better after I get her home" she stood up and lay Avery in her crib.

"O-ok" I walked down the hall after Natasha.