Lost Soldiers (Avengers Fan Fiction #3)

Chapter 25

I sidled up against the wall once I heard Natasha talking out loud. She hadn't talked since the battle, and all of us were worried. The team took a hit with Clint's death, but it hit her the most. Clint Barton was her boyfriend. Her lover. The man who changed her life for the better.

And now he was gone.

She stopped talking and clicked a few buttons on her cell phone. The speaker was on, and a familiar voice filled her room.

"...No matter what happens Nat, I will always be there for you. Saving you that fateful day I was sent to kill you was the best thing I've ever done. I-" A loud noise erupted from the speaker and Clint grunted for a second. "Damn it. Stupid Table." Natasha laughed quietly through her pain. "Anyway, I had a whole speech planned, but these voicemails never last long. I just can't wait to settle down with you in a quiet, peaceful place. We'll start looking for one when we get back. I love you, Natasha."

The voicemail ended and she sobbed, "I love you, Hawkeye. I love you. I love you, you ridiculously clumsy man. I have never loved myself, but you, oh God...I love you so much that I forgot what hating myself was like." She sniffled and wiped her swollen eyes. Her thumb slid over to the end call button, but she hesitated as her hand shook. The phone automatically went to the next voicemail.

"Hey, Nat. I found the perfect apartment for us! It's right around the corner from an awesome pizza place. You know how much I love pizza. And there's a balcony and a big bedroom. They even allow dogs! We have to get it. I put a payment down for it already. I mean...I had to sell the farm. You didn't really like it there much anyway. But selling it will be worth it once we're together and settled in. The keys are on the dresser. Once the war is over, we are taking a long vacation together. I love you, Nat."

She pushed the end call button hard, and froze when she saw her phone's wallpaper. Her heart ached remembering where that picture was from.

Budapest.

Her hair was longer and curlier back then, falling down passed her shoulders and hitting the middle of her back. Her eyes had closed as Clint's hand caressed her cheek to keep whoever they were running from from noticing her. Clint's hair used to be blonde at that time, and as the years passed, his hair darkened to brown. His other arm wrapped around Natasha's waist to pull her closer, closing the gap they once had. She remembered she felt so surprised that he would do such a thing, but he said public displays of affection made people uncomfortable, so she went with it.

This was it. Their first kiss.

Clint had argued with Director Fury to get a picture from the camera view from the bank of the event just so he could have it for memories. Later on, Clint and Natasha got together, making the picture more sentimental. Her finger slid over the small picture of his face and yearned to feel the touch of his lips against hers. A silence kicked in and Natasha set her phone down. She wiped her eyes once more and stated, "I know you're there, Lilly."

Damn... I thought and hung my head for a second. I walked into her room and stopped when I saw the flashing white light. My heart skipped a beat and the pain only intensified. Jarvis had installed a system for Clint while we were away to let him know when someone came into the room. That way, when he had his hearing aids out, he would know when someone walked in. I glanced around the room to get my mind off of what just happened.

Some lamps and photos lay on the floor. A chair was flipped over and clothes were strewn about. The gray walls reflected her feelings of gloom and despair, and mixes of water and other drinks stained the light brown carpeting. Natasha's blonde hair wrapped up into a tangled mess and her usual bright green eyes were now dull and blood shot. Her makeup smeared and followed the path of her tears down her cheeks.