Shatter: A Marvel Fanfiction

Steve

I can't believe what she says. I am filled with a mixture of emotions. Happiness that she returns my feelings. Horrible sadness for what she went through. Fear of the looming battle with HYDRA and the assassins from the Red Room. I smile at Natasha who looks as happy yet afraid as I am.

"So what happens when we get back?" Natasha asks.

"With what? The mission? Or with us?"

"Both."

"Well Fury will want to talk to you for sure. About a lot of things. And about us," I reach over and grab her hand again, "let's run with it. Run with me, Natasha Romanov."

She smiles and nods.

We continue to drive, and for the rest of the trip we end up laughing and joking about everything that had happened recently. She laughs at herself about her trying to set me up with every girl around the block. I laugh too. I want to do this all the time. Road trips with Nat are always pretty fun. Finally, we drive back into the city. I pull up at my apartment building. Since it's really late, I decide to ask her if she just wants to sleep at my place. She agrees.

"We should go on a road trip sometime. You know, when we aren't on a mission," I suggest.

Nat nods. "Sounds fun," she says.

We trudge up the stairs. I'm exhausted from the round trip across the country. I think all the adrenaline from those days is gone. I think Natasha is tired from all of this too. I tell her she can have my bed and I'll take the couch. At this point I don't think she heard me. She walks half asleep up the stairs. I loop one arm around her and help her into my apartment half asleep myself.

"Look who's finally back," I hear a voice say.

"Fury," Natasha mutters.

"Romanov, where exactly have you been?" he asks.

"I left. The girls with HYDRA. They threatened the Avengers. They trained with me in the Red Room. One of them reached me, and asked me to join. If I didn't join them they would have killed you guys, so I left. One of them followed me, and attacked that resort where I was staying. Steve came and got me," Natasha says.

"You ran off right before a mission."

"I had no idea about the mission until Steve got me."

"You have a duty to this country and to this group."

"That's why I'm back."

Fury nods. He's still mad, but I think soon he'll be fine after a while. After a few minutes of Natasha catching up, he turns to me and begins to talk to me about the same thing. Sharon was left to work alone which was unfair of me. I abandoned my duty very suddenly, and while it was for someone who could contribute to the mission, it was impulsive and needed better planning. He was angry, but he let us know that the mission was not compromised so all is well for now. Fury tells me that Sharon had found the exact location of where HYDRA was hiding. He wants us to have a plan tomorrow to attack. He reminds me not to use too much computers and to constantly be checking my surroundings. We never know what might happen.

As Fury and I talk, Natasha falls asleep on the couch. I'm kind of grateful when Fury leaves. I am tired as well. I carry Natasha into my room and put her in my bed. I then walk into my living room and fall asleep on the couch.