Dancing with Love (a Tom Hiddleston fanfiction) -Book 1-

"nothing"

SONG: I need love - LL Cool J

(Four days later)

Tom walked out of the hospital's cafeteria, balancing a tray with a cup of tea and a sandwich. He was heading back to his room, excitement bubbling inside him. This was supposed to be their last meeting at the Medical Center, but Natasha didn't know that yet. He planned to surprise her with the news today.

With a big grin, Tom pushed open the white door, expecting to see Natasha sitting beside his bed, waiting for him. But as he stepped inside, his joyful expression shifted to one of confusion. The room was empty. He set his tray down and checked his phone for any missed messages or calls, but there were none. His confusion deepened into concern; Nat was always early for their meetings, never late. Where could she be?

Tom's mind began to race with possibilities, each more worrying than the last. Had something happened to her on the way? His heart pounded in his chest, and he felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach. He paced the room, unable to shake the sense of dread creeping over him. What if she was hurt or in trouble? His thoughts spun faster and faster, each one more dire than the last.

Just as he was about to call her, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned around quickly and, seeing Natasha standing there slightly out of breath but smiling, felt a wave of relief. Without thinking, he pulled her into a tight hug, wrapping his arms around her as if she might disappear.

"Thank God you're okay." He murmured into her hair, his voice filled with genuine relief. As he held her close, he breathed in her scent, a soft blend of jasmine and caramel. The warmth of her body against his and the steady rhythm of her heartbeat instantly comforted him, calming his racing mind.

Natasha hugged him back just as tightly, resting her head on his shoulder, her high heels giving her the few extra inches.

"I'm sorry I worried you." she whispered, her voice soothing and gentle. "You won't believe what happened."

Reluctantly, Tom pulled back slightly, but kept his hands on her shoulders, his eyes searching hers. "Tell me." He urged, his concern still evident but slowly easing as he looked at her.

Natasha took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I stopped by my favorite bakery to get you some freshly baked pastries. I wanted to surprise you. But while I was waiting for them, a pregnant lady a few feet away from me went into labor! Her water broke right there in the bakery. I ended up staying with her until the ambulance arrived. But by the time they took her away, I realized I was running late. I sprinted out of the bakery, only to remember halfway to the hospital that I'd forgotten the pastries. They were already paid for, so I ran back to the bakery to explain everything to Veronica. You remember Veronica, right? The cashier. Well, she gave me the pastries, and then I dashed off again." Nat took a deep breath and smiled sheepishly.

Tom's laughter filled the room. "Looks like you had an eventful morning."

"Yeah... I'm really sorry I was late. I didn't mean to make you worry." Nat gave him an apologetic smile and handed him the paper bag filled with deliciously smelling pastries. "Here."

"Thank you, darling. It smells amazing, i'm starving." Natasha turned her back to Tom and went to sit on the bed, trying to hide her blushing face from him.

Thomas took a bite of a chocolate-filled pastry, savoring the rich, sweet flavor as Natasha glanced around the room. Her eyes widened with confusion when she noticed that all of Tom's belongings were gone. She turned to him puzzled. "What happened to your stuff?" She asked.

Tom smiled, swallowing his bite and putting the pastries on a table, before replying. "I've got some good news. The doctor said i'm well enough to go home. They've officially discharged me."

Natasha's eyes lit up. "So this is our last meeting in the hospital?" she exclaimed, her excitement palpable.

"It is." Tom confirmed, grinning.

Without hesitation, Nat jumped up and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Tom, feeling her joy and relief, wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. He spun her around in a joyful circle, both of them laughing. Natasha's hair came loose from its bun, falling around her face, and her laughter filled the room, mingling with Tom's. When he finally set her down, their faces were flushed with excitement.

Tom gently sat Nat down, her hair now cascading around her face. He couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful she looked at that moment, her eyes sparkling with joy and her laughter still echoing softly in the room. Her cheeks were flushed, and the genuine happiness radiating from her made her even more captivating.

For a brief moment, Tom found himself lost in her emerald eyes, noticing the way they lit up when she smiled. The soft tendrils of her hair framed her angelic face perfectly, and the way she bit her lower lip as she looked at him made his heart skip a beat.

"So when can we start dancing?" Nat asked, her arms still around his neck and his hands on her hips.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask the doctor." He said, his eyes taking in every little detail of her face. He noticed a few delicate freckles scattered across her cheeks, and the discovery made him smile softly.

Natasha seeing his smile, looked at him with a hint of curiosity. "What is it?" she asked her voice carrying a mix of amusement and concern.

"Nothing." He said, his voice gentle. In truth, he wanted to tell her just how radiant she looked, how her presence seemed to light up the room in a way that made everything else fade away.

Over the past two weeks, he had grown to admire her more than he had ever expected. But for now, he settled for a soft smile, unable to fully put into words the depth of his feelings.