Shatter: A Marvel Fanfiction

Steve

As we ride back, I clean Natasha's bullet wound. She's still conscious so I'm pretty sure it hasn't hit any vital organs. Still, as I apply pressure, she cringes and cries out a little. I apologize so many times during the process. I eventually bandage it up, but I don't let her get up. I want her to lie still. Sleep. Rebekah fell asleep an hour after we loaded up. Natasha falls asleep after I'm finish with the wound. I don't realize it, but I fall asleep as well.

When we land, I get Natasha and Rebekah up. Natasha gets up to walk, but I tell her, "Let me. Too much movement could reopen the wound. Let's get you to a doctor first. Her too." I gesture to Rebekah.

Natasha gives in with an eye roll and lets me carry her. Rebekah follows us out. The Avengers all wait for us out there. Fury waits there too.

"Nat got shot. I'm taking her," I explain too quickly. I think by now they've figured it out.

"No need to explain, Stark already told us," Fury said grinning. "Plus you're a terrible liar." They've figured it out. I look down expecting an angry face, but I realize she's in pain. Fury talks again. "Go. We'll meet you."

I take Nat and Rebekah to the hospital. Rebekah is fine. Her mental state is okay, she's not injured, so we don't have to take any extra measures. Nat lost a lot of blood, so I sat with her as she got more.

"Red," she says. "More red."

I grab the hand that doesn't have an IV in it. "You did the right thing yesterday."

She nods and sighs. "I'm so glad that place has burned down."

"What they did to you was wrong."

"I know."

"Nat," I whisper, "I promise you I will never do anything to hurt you. I will treat you the way you deserve and have deserved for so long. You won't have to be afraid around me. You can trust me like I trust you."

I don't think Nat has ever been made a promise like that before. She looks absolutely stunned. I see her eyes getting big and water forming. She smiles and kisses me.

The Avengers meet up in the lobby along with Rebekah. She has taken quite a liking to Natasha. We need to figure out what to do with her.

"She doesn't have family around here or anywhere. All dead," Nat says.

"We could enter her in the foster system," Stark suggests.

"You want to scar her even more? She's eight!" Nat scolds.

"Well what do you propose we do eh?" Thor asks.

"There's a place we could put her," Fury begins, "it's close to the old SHEILD headquarters here in the city. It's for rescues like her. They used it a lot for wars and raids and stuff."

Rebekah looks at Natasha sadly. She takes a lock of Nat's hair in her hand. "Sestra," she says.

Natasha looks at the little girl. "Always," she responds.

"You'll be able to see her as often as you like, Nat," Fury says. "I'll take you two down there?"

Nat nods and carries Rebekah to the door. Before they leave, Rebekah waves at me and mouths two words. "Thank you."