The Spark That Never Dies Part: One

Chapter Thirty-Four

Three days.

Seventy-two hours.

Four thousand twenty minutes.

Two hundred and fifty-nine thousand two hundred seconds.

That's how long you've been by Natasha's bedside while the heart monitor beeps, telling you she's alive, but giving you no indication of whether she'll stay that way or not.

People have come and gone, leaving flowers for when she hopefully wakes up, and offering you any comfort they can.

You lean forward in the chair next to the bed, elbows on your knees, crying into your hands.

The first time Tony came in, barely an hour after Bruce personally settled her in, you screamed at him. You yelled profanities, not even sure if you were coherent, and you didn't know why he let you. You punched his chest, but he only held you afterwards, letting your tears stain his suit. You needed him, you needed his help, but you weren't done being pissed at yourself, at SHIELD, for letting this happen.

When your hands turned into fireballs at the mere sight of Fury, he promptly turned around.

Everyone knew by now not to mess with you.

You were with her all the time, barely breaking for the bathroom or to eat something. When you had ventured down to the vending machine, only about thirty feet from her room, you saw Tony slip into the room, but you let him. It wasn't his fault and you desperately needed him, not knowing how to go about it.

You were in a tee shirt, a zip up jacket that you pulled from her closet, needing her smell, and some jean shorts. The socks on your feet didn't match, but you couldn't be bothered with shoes.

Your cheeks were stained with tears that always threatened to spill at any given moment if the flick of a bad thought crossed your mind and your hair hasn't seen shampoo or a brush since the morning before everything happen.

Again, you couldn't be bothered.

Wanda and Bucky came in and sat with you for a while, missing both of their friends. They were quiet, having heard the stories about your yelling when asked about what happened. They didn't want to push, so they just sat there in case you needed them.

On the fourth day, Bruce told you she was making improvements, she could wake up soon. You smiled for the first time in all of this and looked to her with hope.

Tony came in the fifth day when your hope started to deplete again. He didn't say anything, just sat across from you on the other side of her bed and read her chart.

"Since when're you a doctor?" You teased and he smiled before even peering up at you.

"Studied this stuff last night," He sniffed, and you glanced in his direction, seeing the dark circles under his eyes that were bloodshot, "Bruce wasn't lying, she is showing improvement."

"I'm sorry I got so angry with you." You mumbled and a sad smile took over his features.

"I don't blame you for being upset, your girlfriend is-"

"Fiancé." You corrected so softly he almost didn't hear you.

"Oh my god, really?" He smiled, covering it as he wiped a hand over his mouth, and looking down.

"Almost two weeks now." You nodded, the tears threatening to spill again.

"She's gonna wake up," He said more confidently almost like if she didn't soon, he'd invent some type of cure for comas, "But I asked around and besides Fury and Maria, I'm the only one you seem really pissed at."