Washing the battle away

A\N: My first Romanogers oneshot, I'm really enjoying the Soldier and his Spy.

Natasha groans as she settles down on the bed, not caring right now about getting the covers dirty. She's covered in dirt, blood and sweat and bruises are all over her body. She knows she needs a shower, but she's so tired and so weak.

"Nat?" She hears her husband's soft voice from the doorway of their bedroom where he's leaning against it, watching her. In an instant, her husband's hand is on her cheek. "Hey, you wanna get a shower before getting some sleep?" her loving husband asks softly in a whisper, his thumb moving across her cheekbone, he doesn't grimace as he gets dirt, sweat or blood on it.

"Can't, don't have enough strength to, too weak." Nat mumbles tiredly. She's been up for the last 73 hours without so much as a catnap to tide her over. "You're not weak, Nat, you're just a little bit bruised and tired," Steve says as he swings his wife in his strong arms. "plus, I have enough strength for the both of us." He whispers into her hair, carrying her into their en-suite bathroom.

Their bathroom is small but elegant: heated floors, a double sink underneath mirrors, a large shower/bath combination with a crystal frosted shower door and a self flushing toilet. Natasha is sitting on the closed toilet seat while Steve turns on the shower and undresses her gently, apologising when he touches a bruise. "Come on, Nat, let's get you showered." Steve says as he wraps an arm around her shoulder, leading her into the shower, kissing her temple.

With the hot water streaming down her body, washing away the dirt, sweat and blood down the drain, her husband supporting her so she doesn't slip, Natasha lets the shower water rejuvenate her. While washing her red hair, freeing it from the blood that's gotten there, she leans her head on the wall, tears falling down her face, letting the shower water mix in with them.

It's one of the hardest missions she's been on in a long time and she hated it and not just because she was away from her husband for three days.

"Nat? Babe, let's get you out of here, okay?" Steve says after her tears have stopped falling. She loves how her husband will let her cry without trying to comfort her when she doesn't want it right away, how he'll just watch and stay quiet until he's needed, how he won't comment on her 'weakness.' The assassin nods and feels as her husband turns off the hot steaming water and allows him to wrap a fluffy towel around her body and another one around her soaking wet red locks. Before she can take a step out of the bath, she's scooped up in her strong soldier's arms and carried back into the bedroom.

Natasha lies on her side of the bed, wearing sweats and one her husband's t-shirts, her head on her husband's chest, tears soaking his t-shirt.

"I couldn't save them, Steve, I tried, I really did." Nat sobs into his chest. It kills her when she can't rescue all of the people she's meant to protect. Steve's hand is in her damp hair.

"I know you did, babe, I know you did, but you can't save everyone." Steve tells her as he peppers her hair in soft kisses. "I wanted to save them, Steve." Natasha whispers into his chest.

Steve doesn't respond and continues to hold his wife. After several minutes of silence between the Soldier and his Spy, Natasha's sleepy voice fills his ears.

"Thank you for being my strength tonight, I love you." Steve smiles.

"I'll always be your strength, even when you don't need it. I love you too." The Soldier responds before turning off the lights in the room. Steve closes his eyes, and with his Spy in his arms, falls into a peaceful sleep.

Natasha can't sleep despite her body being exhausted from the four day mission. She prides herself on being a strong woman who can't break and for the most part no one sees her break, not even her husband sees her break very often.

"Nat, go to sleep." Her husband says, his voice full of sleep, Natasha sighs and snuggles deeper into her husband's t-shirt clad chest.

Wrapped up in her husband's arms, Natasha falls into a semi peaceful sleep.

She knows that even though she might not want it, her husband will always be her strength.

A/N:My first Romanogers oneshot, I've got two more oneshot books planned and more Romanogers stories. Enjoy, Angels.