The Assistant

Part 73

Nat POV-

It had been 3 months since the bombs, only one had detonated whilst the rest had been contained.

I sat at the front watching along the shoreline as other Avengers took their seats, all wearing the outfits which conformed to the dress code sent.
Wanda rustling the papers on which her speech was written in preparation for what was about to come.

The day drifted through, many of my thoughts left behind as I was swept up in the events.
It was time for my speech, short and sweet was all I could manage.

Nat- Thank you for all being here today, it really does mean the world to me. You are all my family and I couldn't be doing any of this without you.

The glass of alcohol quenching my thirst as Wanda made her way to the front, the nerves written all over her face as she did so.

"Wow hey everyone, I don't know why I'm so nervous considering I see all of you everyday.
When Natasha asked me to do this, I was surprised but grateful, I've always been close with Y/N so I knew I could do this."

Her words forming into one, tears welling in my eyes for what felt like hours.

"What can I say about Y/N? She taught me how to accept myself and how to love. She gave Steve a love of Taylor Swift which we all regret because he doesn't stop singing Shake it off"

A gentle hum of laughter breaking the odd silence as Wanda continued.

"Bucky accepted his past whilst Tony agreed not to kill him, all from Y/N's help. None of us would be where we are today without her.
Our love for Y/N is beyond explanation, a person we all truly love.
Cheers"

Glasses were raised and the toast was complete, tears in my eyes as I thought back to the day that has stuck in my mind.

*Flashback*

Y/N abandoned the car in the middle of the estate, fleeing the scene as the bomb ticked down.
The ripple of destruction following behind her as she hit the floor.

Shield Agents rushing to the scene, Maria Hill the first to arrive.
Pushing others out the way, Hill entered the blast radius, debris covering the streets as flecks of ash filled the air.

Technicians covering every square inch to search for the women who'd risked her life once again, murmurs between the men stating there was no way anyone could have survived.

Hills anxiety increasing by the second, her best friend was no where to be found and the avengers couldn't help, they had elsewhere to be.

"Everyone be quiet" screamed Hill as she stood in her tracks, a noise catching her attention.
Hill ran towards a storm drain, the cover slightly ajar, the now distinguishable noise coming from inside.

"Help me get this off" yelled Hill as two agents ran over, crowbars in hand as they lifted the cover sliding it to the side.

Y/N just laying there, rubble around her body, cuts covering her face as a puddle of blood to the left of her stomach.
'We need to get down there, now!" called out the medic, a ladder being lowered down.

Maria wanted to go down but couldn't, she wasn't allowed.
Y/N wasn't conscious upon returning to the surface. The medics doing everything they could to stabilise her.

Natasha appeared as the doors to the ambulance slammed, the fear on her face, the unknown in front of her.

"She's going to be okay" spoke Clint gently but he didn't really know, nobody did in fact.

*Present Day*

The speech was done and everyone clinked their glasses, the precious laughter I loved filling the air as I looked at Mila. Her arms wrapped around the love of my life, the one I now get to call my wife.

Y/N- thank you all for making this day so special, I know this the end of a part of our lives but now, I can't wait for our next adventure to begin together.

We'd agreed the day she woke up to both leave our jobs, we weren't going to put ourselves in danger anymore.
Teaching jobs for shield, a nice home in the countryside and that was it.

I couldn't wait to spend the rest of my life with Y/N, the world would have to find someone else to protect it.