Inescapable

Ch.42

Authors Note: I'm so sorry for taking so long to give you guys this chapter. Life has been complicated this past month with a lot of different things. But I finally got this chapter done. And I'm already working on the next one! I hope to keep the pace up! I hope you enjoy!

You wake up feeling more refreshed than you have in a while, and laugh as you hear Clint groaning, trying to pull his arm from underneath your leg. "Move your leg... coffee... I need coffee." Clint moans and groans, he's not himself until he's had at least his first cup. You chuckle and lift your leg, letting him scramble to his feet and race off towards the kitchen in search of glorious coffee. You stretch like a cat and groan at the thought of having to get up. Mid-strech a body plops down next to you. You peek through your closed eyes to see Natasha lying beside you. You close your eyes and just lay there beside her quietly, but Nat doesn't let the quiet linger. "Thank you сестра."

You turn your face towards Nat and open your eyes, slowly blinking the sleep out of them. "What for Nat?"

Her face is soft, a small smile creeps at the edges of her lips. "For being there for him." She glanced back towards the kitchen, where you could both hear Clint impatiently tapping his foot waiting for the coffee to brew. "For helping him feel something other than pain." You let a long sigh out and stare up to the ceiling, a newfound pressure in your chest taking over the lightness you felt when you first woke up. "I wish he didn't have to feel pain at all Nat." You don't have to turn to look at her to know that she's staring at you. You can feel her gaze. She doesn't say anything back, but her hand does come out and reach for yours. You both lay there, hand in hand, letting your statement weigh on the both of you.

-.-

The holidays passed, and the new year rolled around rather uneventfully. After that morning with Clint, you tried to keep a light face in front of your family. But you were struggling with guilt and depression. It was Steve who took you aside and sat you down to talk. Day by day, talk by talk, you worked through your guilt and depression. Sometimes it was just you and Steve, sometimes Nat joined. Sometimes Clint. There were various times Tony was there, working through his own demons while trying to help you with yours as well. You had heard Steve one day in passing, talking to Pietro, and you hoped one day he could find it in his heart to forgive you.

One morning, you got an unexpected visitor.

"Ma'am... there is someone here to see you." JARVIS called out as you were getting dressed to head out for a jog. Surprised, you pause as you were putting your jacket over your shoulder. "There's someone here to see me?" You called up to JARVIS, confused. You shrug on your jacket as he replies. "Yes ma'am, he's waiting for you at the entrance. I tried to invite him in, but he seems reluctant." Even more perplexed, you start walking towards the entrance, "got it J... thanks."

"None needed ma'am."

When you open the front door, there's no one there. You step out into the cold air, closing the door behind you. Determined to either find the guest or continue on your earlier goal of a jog. When you take a couple of steps forward that's when you spot him. "Logan!" You call out surprised. "Is everything ok? Are the X-Men ok?"

He turns, a cigar in his mouth, and a scowl on his face. "Depends on your definition of ok, bub."

You sigh and turn away from him, leaning against the wall in a running stretch. "What is it, Logan? I'm going to assume it's not an emergency since your response was so cavalier."

You hear him sigh and toss the cigar; in the recesses of your mind, you laugh knowing how Tony would be bitching at him for that. You finish your stretch and turn around to face Logan, who is looking at you softer than he was originally. "I can't stay at the school... surrounded by the memories... surrounded by her grieving."