A Spyder's Shield

9: Dancing Lights

"Are you cold?" He asked.

I sat there sulking. Steve had won the argument, a first, and we were both watching the fort from another parallel hill.

Despite hiding between the trees, we had a clear view of the fort, which was why I was scared that they'd already noticed us.

It wouldn't matter if I had to use plan b...

"Natasha." He asked again.

"Shut up Rogers, do you want to bring them down on us?" I readjusted my binoculars.

We had been here for six hours at the max. The binoculars had night vision enabled in them, perfect for the dark tundra days.

There was absolutely no sign of activity. The dark, snow covered fort had a dark, mysterious feel to it, you could almost felt that something was going on, you just couldn't see it.

"Where do they get their supplies from? Cmon tell Natasha." I smirked as I waited for some sign of activity.

"I know you're not dormant, where else could HYDRA go? Lovely desolate mountains on a frigid hill. Perfect. "

"Natasha... Stop whispering to yourself." Steve commanded.

I curled my lip, as I shifted my position a bit. The ground wasn't hard, we were sitting in a pile of hardened snow. Our freezing butts were protected only by our warm thermals and layers of woolens. Needle like pines lay all around us. The snow has been falling gently for an hour or so, the only motion in this silent town.

"We should get sleep." Steve suggested.

"And let them sneak out? No thanks. Besides I'm not sleepy."

"We'll take turns Natasha. You need rest." He said placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I shook it off. I was no longer interested in flirting with Steve Rogers. Most men would die to have the black widow wrapped around their finger, but Steve Rogers wasn't even interested.
My mind went back to the conversation we had on our journey to the first HYDRA base we took down...

He'd just wanted me to be a friend. And six hours in this dreary woods was testing my friendship.

"We'll take turns." He smiled. "I can go first."

"Sure." I readjusted my binoculars.

He looked at me expectantly.

"What, you need a lullaby?" I asked.

"No but you sure do." He replied. "I'm taking first watch."

"Like hell you are.." I muttered but I put away the binoculars and put my head on his lap.

"I'll wake you up if something happens."

"No. Wake me up only if something leaves the place. " I did need the sleep, especially if we had to use Plan B.

"Natasha?" He asked after a pause. "What if we can't penetrate the fort?"

"We'll destroy the trigger, don't worry." I muttered sleepily. "I have a plan. You need to trust me."

And then I slowly drifted  to sleep my red hair fanning out on his lap, my head buried in the soft jacket he wore.

I woke up, four hours later. The landscape was still dull and dreary but the steady snowfall had stopped.

"What happened? Did I miss anything?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and siting up.

"God no." Steve sighed. "Absolutely nothing. I honestly wish they'd send some sign that they're still functioning, you know."

I smiled, but my eyes were still roving around the landscape— looking for any signs he'd missed any small tracks. But there was absolutely nothing. No sign that a nazi science division even operated here.

"Doesn't matter, they'll send someone out." I said patiently. Although I was feisty, patience was something I'd learnt the hard way, and it was something I didn't intend to forget.

"Are you going back to sleep?" He asked, after a while. "You could, you know."

This was getting boring and I didn't want to be up with a cranky Steve Rogers. I grunted and settled back down onto his lap, my head resting in the crook of his neck.

I had barely dozed off, when he shook me awake. I looked  to see him gazing at the sky. And when I looked up, I understood why.

The sky cast an eerie glow on the earth with bands of light dancing across it. The purple, yellow and green all took turns in lighting up the forest around us.

I glanced sharply at the fort but it did not participate in this phenomena. It sat there as lonely and sinister as it had been.

"Look." Steve whispered his eyes round with amazement.

Instead, I looked into his eyes, the blue hue reflecting and refracting the light creating a palette of wild colours.

The sky continued its dance as if to tell us of what we were missing while going on this pointless quest of ours.

And at that moment I knew what to do. But how could I break it to Steve?

Almost responding to my question Steve put an arm around me and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

Impulsively, I turned my head to look at him and my lips crashed into his.

He pulled away almost immediately, even before I could make out what had just happened.

"Natasha." He said his tone apologetic.

But I had figured out what I needed to.
"Go to bed Steve." I murmured without turning my head to face him.

"We both have a long day tomorrow." I whispered under my breath.