| Natasha Romanoff x Y/N Stark |

Chapter 40

*beep* *beep* *beep*

For what felt like the thousandth time, Natasha woke up at your bed in the medbay. She stopped counting the days she spent sitting here, right next to your lifeless, pale body.

And, as always, Tony, Pietro and Clint came by. Everyone just stood/sat there for a few minutes, listening to the machines even noises.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

The tower has turned quite ever since your return.
Everybody was worried when you were missing for two weeks but at least they could do something. Fury sent a few shield agents, including Phil,Maria and Laura, to help them searching. Everyone worked whenever they didn't need to sleep or eat something.

But no one was prepared for your return.
Nobody was ready to see their daughter, sister or friend stumbling in and collapsing right after that.
Nobody was ready to see their youngest team member appear covered in blood and already half dead after two weeks.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

Pietro stepped to the side where Natasha didn't sit and took your hand to place a gentle kiss on it.
"I miss you princessa"
He wiped a tear away and left the room again.
Everyone knew that he would come back in the evening. As he always does.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

After some more minutes Tony broke the silence again as he placed a kiss on your forehead and whispered "I love you honey"
And with that he left as well. And also he would come back in the evening, only some time after Pietro. As he always does.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

Only Clint and Natasha were left in the room.
Usually they'd sit in silence most of the time but today Clint broke the silence.
"Nat-" but the redhead shook her head. "No Clint. I'm not leaving her. I- i can't-" her voice broke and she buried her face in her hands. He sighed and pulled her into his embrace. "It's been almost four weeks. You need to leave this room for longer than 90 minutes, it's not good for you to be here. She wouldn't want you to be here"
He tries to reason reason with her. As he always does.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

"She promised she would come back. She promised Clint" The older man fought his own tears "I know Nat...I know...." "How do you do it Clint? She's like your sister..." Of course Natasha didn't intended to but with that she just reached his breaking point. He pulled the redhead impossibly close and began to cry.
Now both crying and comforting each other at the same time. "I don't Nat. No one really does. I don't remember this tower ever being so quite. I miss her as much as you do, I miss her laugh, her bad jokes I miss her and Pietro chasing each other. I can't remember ever feeling so empty and powerless in the past." After that once again silence fell over them. Again, only the sounds of the machines filling the room.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

"Clint?" he hummed in response, waiting for the redhead to continue "what..." she took a deep breath and started again "What if she doesn't wake up?" The archer closed his eyes and sighed. Everyone has thought about that at least a few times but no one was ready to accept it and neither was he. "Natasha..." But she interrupted him "No. Don't tell me how everything's gonna turn out fine. Last time we believed that we lost track of our youngest teammember for two weeks and when she found her way back-" Her voice broke off and she shook her head, fighting her tears "I miss her Clint. All the times I came to you to talk about wether I should ask her to be my girlfriend or not... I wanted to do it. This whole date you helped me plan...I wanted to make the reservations and take her out once she's back from Mexico. I was so scared she'd say no and hate me if I'd ask her to be my girlfriend but now I'm even more scared that I waited to long. Why was I such a coward? I should've asked her a year ago. When the two of us first had this discussion. But I waited. And...what if it's too late now?" The last sentence was barley a whisper and again tears were streaming down the woman's face. "Nat...look at me" It hurt him to see his best friend like this. Yes she could have - and probably should have - asked you already a year ago. Or some time between now and a year ago. But Natasha was scared and fear was something close to new for the redhead. He knew someone could count on two hands the occasions when Natasha was scared.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

The redhead whiped her eyes and looked at him. "I know how hard it is. Seeing our girl laying there for weeks, looking half dead. But try to look at it that way: What 6/7 y/o manages to escape hydra? She lost everyone in there she tried to protect - she told me about it one night when I convinced her to leave the lab and we ended up talking on the balcony. My point is, even as a 6 y/o girl she managed to outplay hydra long enough to be safed by Loki. She's strong.
She's a fighter. If someone survives fleeing from Hydra for two weeks in Mexico without even speaking spanish it's her. She'll fight to the last moment to get back to us because as you said. She promised. And she's our fighter" Natasha laid her head back on his shoulder before she said something "Guess you're right. If someone can make it it's her. She needs to wake up. She just has to."

*beep* *beep* *beep*

"Come on, you're leaving this room now. Take your shower, eat something, drink something and then - ony then - you're allowed to come back" Natasha wanted to argue with him. As she always does.
But Clint was as stubborn as she was and after he promised that he'd stay here the whole time and a lot discussing he won. As he always does.
It's his only way to get Natasha to leave this room twice a week.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

The redhead returned accompanied by Maria, Bucky and Steve. The three of them followed a smiliar ritual to Tony's and Pietro's. Only that cap would tell the rest of the team most days that your state hasn't changed and how Natasha was doing. Telling those who couldn't see you like this. Tony told Pepper and Steve would tell the rest, including Wanda and also Loki, who has returned to earth to help and find you when Thor told him about you going MIA.
When they were alone again Clint and Nat talked for a while before he left the room as well so she could get some rest.

*beep* *beep* *beep*

This continued for another two weeks. Natasha always being right next to your bed, Tony, Pietro and Clint visiting in the morning, Clint staying for some hours, Steve, Bucky and Maria visiting short before Clint leaves and Tony and Pietro coming back in the evening. The days Clint wouldn't make the redhead leave the room he would leave twice a day to get her something to eat and enough to drink.
The hope in everyone was slowly fading but dared to say it out loud.

*beep* *beep**beep*

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words: 1255

Again early-ish update bc I'm gonna watch superbowl later :)

Love you, remember to stay healthy and eat and drink enough 💚🩵

xxRain