The closest thing to a daughter

Season 3 Episode 21

Rain pelted against the window pane the next morning as Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff sat together on the couch in the study room, thinking of a way to free the world of erupting chaos. Secretly they were also thinking about a plan to bring back the disappeared ones, but they didn't find an idea for that yet. With her head resting on Steve's thigh, Natasha was going through some books with notes about the Infinity Stones, just as he was. As he did so, Steve gently ran his fingers through Nat's blond shoulder-length hair, but he was so lost in thought that he only subconsciously took notice.

"First of all, we have to take care of the welfare of the people who have lost someone. Since that's pretty much every single person on this planet, we should focus on the children who now have no one," Natalia began, switching her focus from the notes to Steven's ocean blue eyes. He returned her gaze and nodded slowly.

"You're right. It doesn't do us any good to restore the economy if people aren't even ready for it." A comfortable silence pervaded the room, filled only by the faint sounds of the old record player Steve and she had picked up at a flea market a few years ago. The blue in his eyes matched perfectly the rippling river outside their headquarters as he lost himself in the green of her pupils. It wasn't the right time to talk or even think about their future. But when was ever the right time for that? The thing between them had been more than friendship for a long time and everyone had realized that by now, the only problem was the two of them themselves.

"Any news on Barton and Belova?" Steve quickly changed the subject, breaking the intense eye contact. Natasha sighed and shook her head in frustration, "No still nothing. I'm afraid they've fallen victim to the blip as well." Mourning the two looked up at the ceiling, there was little hope in these times. He didn't need to say how sorry he was and she didn't need to show how hurt she really was. They both understood each other even without words or actions. It was their deep connection that guided them to an embrace. Steve gently lifted her head from his thigh and pulled her onto his lap to give her a long, heartfelt hug. He tried to put all his feelings, which he was not able to express, into this embrace. An opening door made them drive out of their already way too long embrace and look instead to the newly arriving Abigail.

"Sorry I didn't mean to disturb you," she cleared her throat and crossed her arms as she stretched her one leg to the side, inwardly taking pleasure in the scene presented to her. "You're not interrupting," Natasha replied a little too quickly, getting up from the couch to put a little more distance between her and Steve. She felt uncomfortable being seen with him by Abigail, knowing of the plight and her feelings with Danny. Only this was not the case and would never become that. On the contrary, she liked to see her mother happy, or at least the closest thing to it in this situation. Happy was not one of them right now. Even if that person was Steve.

"I'll leave you two alone then." Steve also got up from the couch and was already halfway to the door when Abigail stopped him. "Wait. Actually, I came for you." Irritated, Natasha looked over at the redhead but immediately realized that her intentions were only based on good reasons. Steve was also puzzled but finally pleased that she was willing to talk to him. Natasha pressed a kiss to her forehead and left the room.

"I haven't been entirely fair to you, and I think we really have bigger problems right now than my selfishness."