All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

5.5

                                         Marzda

I'm dead.

I know I am, I have to be. Nobody survives a pulse like that. But if I'm dead, then why can I hear Natasha? She's calling me, over and over. I don't know what she's saying but I follow her voice, back to myself. Back to her.

Opening my eyes, I try not to cry- everything hurts.

"Hey baby," she says as she holds me in her lap, cradling me gently. "We're going home, just hang in there for me."

Home, that would be nice.

My eyes close and the next time they open, I know it's been a while. My body doesn't hurt anymore and my throat is dry. There's a window across from me and a soft breeze is coming through it. Asgard's moon shines brightly, full and round. It had definitely been a few weeks then, it was only a half moon when we had left.

Breathing deeply, it took everything I had to move my head, looking for someone to answer my questions. Of course I should have known that I wouldn't have to look far, Natasha was curled up in a chair next to my bed. Her forehead was scrunched like she was having a bad dream. "N," I try and say her name but I manage is a croak. She stirs slightly at the noise but doesn't wake up, "Na," I manage, slightly louder.

Her eyes snap open and land on me. I expect a wave of emotions to come from her, but I don't feel any. She gets up from her chair and crawls in beside me, squeezing me tightly for several minutes. Her shoulders starts to shake and I press my head into hers, I can't move my arms so it's all the comfort I can give her right now.

"You can't do that to me," she sobs. "You can't leave me again."

"I'm... sorry," I croak out. "Had... to save... you."

She pulls away and sniffles, "I'm not talking about when you shoved me onto the Bifrost. Marz, you died. You died, again, and we almost didn't get you back."

Realization settled into me, "I can't... feel you."

She nods, "your sister said that you probably wouldn't be able to when you woke up." Her eyes are guarded when she says this.

"Tell me."

"She said you might never get the Bond back... or, your powers." I struggle to breath, trying to absorb what she told me. Everything that makes me me is gone. "Baby look at me," Natasha commands. My eyes find hers and she holds my face gently, "you are more then your powers. They are only a small part of you, and given time, they'll probably come back. And if they don't, it makes no difference. You're still you, you are still loved, and that will never change."

I nod and she pulls me close again. This time I can raise my arm and hug her back, but when I see my blank skin, I stop. "What... where are.?"

"You Quaked so much that you dislodged the ink from your skin and it all bled out. All your marks are gone," she says into my shoulder softly.

"All of them?" She nods and I feel a sense of relief- the marks of my 'masters' are gone from my face forever.

We stay together all night and eventually fall asleep, waking up to the door slamming open and a small body jumping into the bed with us. "Mommy wake up!" Olympia demands.

Natasha groans and mumbles, "five more minutes."

I chuckle softly as she turns her attention to me. Her little eyebrows furrow and, just like on the ship, she pulls out the picture of me, looking between us. After last time she seems hesitant to ask so I answer first, "it's one of my better pictures. I was in the mountains, Montana I think, and the sunset was absolutely gorgeous. All I could think of was how I wish we could all be there together."

Her eyes never leave me as I talk and when I'm done she puts a hand on my arm, "mommy?"

I nod and she throws herself onto my chest, scooting Natasha over, who groans louder and puts an arm over both of us. I hold them close, and watch the moon sink and the sun come up, bringing the promise of a new day and a new life.