Ghost

Chapter Sixty Seven

Nats POV

I'm running back to med bay as fast as possible. My heart is racing and I have a smile plastered to my face, even though I'm not sure I can believe it until I see her.

I stop at the door. The tears are pouring over and I have my hand over my mouth to hopefully subdue my cries.

There she is, sitting up, looking right at me. She's still wounded, she's still healing. But she's awake.

"Hey, love."

I almost jump into her arms that she has open for me but stop short when I see her bandages.

She frowns at me. "You can hug me, Nat. You won't break me. Please."

Her plea gets me and I fall into her.

We just take a moment to hold each other. Crying into her shoulder and soaking her gown. She must be in pain. She must be uncomfortable. She doesn't care either.

We're both just happy to be in each other's arms.

———————

"Nat?"

She breaks me out of my trance.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. For putting you through this. For having to bring me here.."

  I sit up to look at her. The amount of sadness she's holding in her eyes is enough to overflow dams.

"Don't. You don't have to be sorry. You saved my sisters life. You're alive. That's what I care about. The avengers are fine. I'm just so fucking happy you're alive."

She lets out a soft laugh, "yeah, me too. And I'm glad you're here. And Yelena. I know you've both been here by my side, she told me. You didn't have to do that. You could have been doing a lot more exciting things than babysitting me. So thank you."

I feel my cheeks turn a little red. "It wasn't babysitting, Spence. There was no way I was going to leave. And I know I wasn't here when you woke up.. and I hate that and I'm sorry. I just.. I needed a moment."

"It's okay, love. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had left. But I am so grateful you stayed. Yelena and I were able to have a chance to talk, it was good. So don't worry about any of it. We're all here and we're all okay."

"I'm not leaving you, Spencer."

She turns her head away from me and I can tell she's trying to keep her tears in.

After clearing her throat, "I wouldn't blame you if you did. I'm a mess. And now I have holes in my body.. I'm even more broken. So you have an out now, if you want to take it. 'Cause if we keep going.. I won't make it if you leave me later."

Her voice is so soft. I know she's use to people not making her feel worthy and leaving her. But that's not me. I see her worth. And she's more worthy than myself. Which she would kick me for saying.

"I. Am. Not. Leaving. You. Spencer." I say each word as clear as possible so there's no confusion. "You are stuck with me. For good."

And there's that smile that I have fallen for. She tightens her grip on me and whispers in my ear, "thank you. And I'm not stuck with you. I'm just lucky you even like me."

Oh, I like her. I'm quite sure I more than like her. But how's not the time to think on that.

 So we stay just like that; me wrapped in her arms, quietly talking to one another until we both drift off to sleep.