One of many stories

Chapter 29

Natasha finally met Steve's eyes. He couldn't understand them. There was something strangely unfamiliar in her eyes. It was too many emotions for him to handle.
Fear? Doubt? Hope?
She suddenly grabbed his hand hard and opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, but no words came out from her mouth.
"Natasha, who did you talk to?" Steve said, feeling fear creep up his spine. She looked devastated but somehow surprised. Maybe shocked was the right word.
"I.. I.." She stuttered before slightly shaking her head. "No." She said firmly. "No." She said again.
"Natasha?" Steve looked at her worryingly.
"Let's go." Natasha said, grabbing his hand and dragging him out of the apartment.
Steve had no choice but to come with her but he kept asking her questions along the way that Natasha didn't answer. She had too much on her mind. She couldn't be pregnant. She knew that very, very well. What kind of sick joke was this? She even got her hopes up for a second. She blamed herself for that though. "Stupid." She mumbled to herself. She couldn't take it up with Steve now. Not before she knew. But there wasn't even a chance. Right?
"You're pregnant?" Steve asked suddenly once they had gotten into the car. Natasha looked at him. His eyes were still wide and stared into her soul. She sighed before shaking her head.
"No. No, I'm sterile." She said with a nod, confirming it another time. She had done it at least 1000 times in her head already.
"Where are we going?" Steve asked her gently as Natasha drove the car, full speed.
"Hospital." She said and focused her eyes on the street in front of them. Steve swallowed hard, too scared to ask any further. He didn't want to hurt her but he couldn't lie about the fact that the mention of pregnancy had made his heart skip a few beats.

• • •

"But I don't understand.." Steve said as Dr. Davis nervously looked through some papers. "But why.." Steve began but Natasha shushed him.
"I'm sterile, Steve." She said again and Dr. Davis looked at them both.
"I'm terrible sorry, I'm not even sure how this happened. It must have been a complication with the lab results." He said and Steve bit his teeth together, standing up.
"What do you mean not sure how this happened?!" He sad angrily. "This is beyond forgivable. How could you even.." Steve began but had to stop talking or other wise he'd start screaming. Natasha touched his hand slightly to make him sit down but he remained standing.
"I'm terrible sorry. But you're not pregnant." Dr. Davis said, looking at Natasha. Dr. Davis walked out of the room to give them some privacy and Steve turned to Natasha who sat still, nodding. "Well, that went quickly." She said, looking up at Steve. She immediately saw his big eyes, filled with worry and concern.
"Natasha?" He whispered gently and she frowned. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Let's get the hell out of here." She said and got ready to walk away but Steve grabbed her wrists. Natasha met his eyes again. "What?!" She asked a bit annoyed and Steve furrowed his eyebrows.
"Natasha, you're crying.." He said and she shook her head. "What I'm not.." She began but as she touched her cheeks, her hands got drenched with her tears. She suddenly felt the overwhelming sadness wash over her and she bit her teeth together, hoping it would disappear but it didn't.
"I'm sorry.." She said as her tears kept pouring down her cheeks. "It's just.. I believed it for a few seconds.." She said, shaking her head at that just to make sure once again that it was really stupid of her. Her voice was clear and she didn't sob or anything, but the tears didn't stop. Steve sighed before hugging her tightly, holding her close. "No." Natasha said again. "I'm fine." She said, pushing him away a bit even though she'd rather have him closer. He looked at her with care before hugging her again. She fought against it for a second but later gave in and let his big arms embrace her aching body.

• • •

Natasha walked through the door only to see Steve in front of her, waving with some piece of paper. He had a bright smile on his face and gave her a quick kiss before eagerly waiting for her to say something. She gave him a weird glance and raised an eyebrow.
"What are.." She began but he interrupted her.
"We're going on a trip!" He said, smiling.
"We're what?" She asked and he waved with the tickets another time.
"A trip!" He said, smiling. "No work, no routines, no.. car crashes.. A trip!" Steve avoided the words around pregnancy, it was still a fragile subject for both of them. It had left them wondering and aching. Why did it affect them both so much?
Natasha just stood there quiet for a moment, looking at him. He suddenly cursed a bit and she looked at him even more confused.
"What?" She asked.
"I made a bet with Clint. He told me this was a bad idea." Steve said and put down the tickets on the kitchen counter.
"It's not a bad idea.." Natasha began, wanting to cheer him up. "But I just got back to work.." She said and Steve nodded. "Yeah I know. I just though we could use some time away. Just you and I." He said, dragging her a little bit closer. "I think we've had plenty of time to ourselves these past weeks." She said with a small smirk, letting him drag her even closer. "Please." He whispered in her ear and she melted as his lips found her neck. "That's not fair.." Natasha mumbled as he sucked a bit on her soft skin. The act sent shivers down her spine. "Please.." He said again and she sighed. Natasha had as hard resisting Steve's offers as he had, resisting hers. And after everything she had been putting him through these past months, she couldn't decline this. "Okay, okay." She said, cupping his cheeks with her hands to direct his eyes to hers. He already smiled before she agreed, full of hope that she might say yes. He gave her a soft kiss and as he pulled away, she looked at him with wonder.
"Where are we going anyway?" She asked and he smiled once again.
"How does Venice sound?" Steve said, his eyes burning with excitement. She smiled a bit before kissing his cheek.
"Marvelous."