Trapped in her own Web

The Hospital

Clint sat in the plastic chair by Natasha's bed. All the best SHIELD doctors were working on her and so Clint wasn't too concerned. It was day 3 and she still hasn't woken up. All her minor injuries were healing and the burn on her arm had receded nicely. The only problem appeared to be her head.

Several different machines were attached to her. Some reading brain waves, others Clint had no idea. He sighed as the nurse came round to check her vitals and take samples. For a top notch assassin he still got squeamish around needles, so he got up and headed out the door. He planned on getting a coffee refill and something edible from the vendors.

As he manoeuvred around other people in the busy corridors he spotted a familiar black dude with a buzz cut. "Hey Sam, wait up." He turned around and grinned as he let Clint catch up.
"Yo, what's up my dude?"
"Could ask you the same thing, pretty weird place to meet up am I right?"
"You assassins sure are paranoid."
"You didn't answer the question."

Sam laughed as he got a latte. "Coffee?" Clint nodded.
"Black with sugar and cream." Sam looked at him curiously.
"When's the last time you got any sleep?"
"A couple hours here and there in the past three days."
"Dude, even I know that's not healthy."

Clint shrugged, he didn't really care. "So you gonna tell me what your doing here?"
"Yeah, ok. You heard of Caps buddy right?" Clint nodded. "Well, turns out we found him. Doctors giving him a checkup as we speak. You wanna come with."

Clint thought about it. He could do with something to get Natasha off his mind, and besides, he'd have to tell the team about her anyway. So he nodded and followed Sam.

They reached the same wing as Natasha but continued further down. Bucky or whoever he was, was in a ward at the very far end of the hospital, close to an easy exit. Sam pushed the door open and introduced Clint. Cap greeted him and showed him to Bucky. He nodded politely before sitting himself down.

"So, how'd they find you?" Bucky looked a little startled at being addressed. He looked at Steve for help who gave him a comforting smile. Steve then proceeded to launch into a long and boring tale on how they found Bucky at a market in Romania. When he finished Sam and Bucky were on their 5th game of Go Fish. Clint nodded, his exhaustion catching up with him.

"Hey you ok?" Steve looked at him in concern.
"Just fine Cap, finished a mission 3 days ago, haven't slept since."
"That bad huh."
"Yeah."
"Hey wasn't Romanoff with you?"
"Yeah, she took a hit." That caught Sam and Steve's attention.

"You said 3 days right?" Clint nodded again.
"Is she ok? I assume that's why your here." Clint sighed.
"Not really, no. I mean yes that's why I'm here but she's not doing so good. She got caught in an explosion, hasn't been conscious since. She took quite a nasty head injury."

Steve was on his feet. "Can we go see her?"
"Sure, I suppose. She's just down the hall." Clint got up slowly and beckoned for Bucky to come as well. "You look like you could use the exercise." He gave a non committal shrug and joined them.

Clint led them back down the hallway and towards her room. He looked through the window and found a man bending over her. The man noticed Clint and stood up, he opened the door and made to leave. His blue eyes stared right through Clint as he ruffled his chestnut hair. "Everything appears to be ok. Mr Barton I assume?"

Clint eyed the man warily. There was something like jealousy in his eyes and when he caught sight of Bucky there was a definite flare of anger. Either way he gave a tight smile and moved to let them pass. "I'm doctor Shostokov. Alexei Shostokov. I'm sure Ms Romanoff will be fine." He continued on his way down the corridor and the guys all piled into Nat's room.

She was the same as when Clint had last seen her. Her fiery red hair in stark contrast to her pale face and white sheets. The monitors remained unchanged, the only new addition being the yellow drip which Clint saw the nurse prepare. Steve was openly distraught, but he always wore his heart on his sleeve. Sam was also upset but did better at hiding it. Bucky however, was closed off and withdrawn. Clint found it hard to get a read on the guy.

Steve was at Natasha's bedside looking down at her and inspecting her wounds. Sam was at the monitors and trying to understand all the different numbers. Clint went back to his seat and closed his eyes. Bucky drifted towards Steve and looked down at the face of the petite red head. Steve smiled gently at him and told him about Natasha and the things they'd done together. He remembered her from on the bridge, and from before when he'd shot her in Odessa. That brought it up to twice he'd raised a gun on her.

His metal hand brushed against her shoulder and Steve looked curiously at him. He felt the bullet scar underneath her hospital gown and clenched his fist. He looked away and Steve placed a hand on his arm.
"Hey, hey. It's ok, it wasn't your fault that wasn't you ok."
"I hurt her Steve."
"Trust me, if you really hurt her then when she wakes up your gonna know." He snorted slightly and Steve went off to talk to Sam.

Somehow Bucky found himself playing with the end of her red tresses. His fingers, the real ones, were twirling her hair around and he found the red so enticing. He brushed the few strands off her face with his metal arm. She looked so peaceful and that arose some sort of feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Several monitors started beeping and Bucky backed up. Clint's eyes snapped open and he leapt to his feet as numerous doctors and nurses entered the room. They were all ushered out and the door was slammed in their faces. Clint rounded on Bucky. "What the hell happened." Bucky just shook his head, he had no idea.

Steve tried to guide him back to his ward but Bucky just shrugged his hand off. He sat down in one of the chairs and watched as Steve and Sam held some sort of silent conversation. They both sat down on either side of him and only Clint remained standing. He crossed his arms and chewed his lip before pacing up and down. Steve started tapping his foot and Sam just closed his eyes.

After what seemed like hours, but that was probably because of sheer boredom, doctors emerged and let them in. "She's awake, but we're not sure what type of condition she's in so be careful." Clint immediately stormed in followed closely by Steve and Sam. Bucky hung shyly in the back and tried to hide behind the others. It didn't work, obviously, and Natasha spotted him almost instantly. Her heart monitor picked up but slowed down almost immediately. She was good.

Clint was the first to speak up. "What the hell Tasha? You knew those bombs were gonna go at any minute, what the hell were you thinking?" She let him rant a bit before grabbing his hand and squeezing his fingers. He cut off abruptly and winced. He still glared at her but got the message. Steve approached cautiously before wrapping his arms around her carefully in a bear hug. Sam just nodded and gave her a grin, which she returned.

"Nat, this is Bucky."
"We've met Steve, I was there at the bridge remember?"
"You shot at me." It wasn't accusatory more like an observation. She quirked an eyebrow at him and grinned.
"You shot me twice."
"Not with explosives." He raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed.
"True, but we're still far from even."
"Ooh better run mate, Nat's got a mean uppercut." Steve clapped him on the back.
"Nah it's the legs you wanna watch out for." Clint said.
"Hey don't go giving away all my secrets."

The rest of the afternoon consisted of easy banter and light teasing. Sam phoned up the rest of the team who all arrived bearing gifts for Nat and curses for Clint for not telling them. Bucky slipped away after introductions and it was only Wanda who seemed to notice the subtle change in Natasha. She eyed her suspiciously and noticed Clint doing the same.

Conveniently they both went for food at the same time. Wanda pulled him aside and told him her observation. He nodded along and in return told her what actually happened during the mission, instead of the cover up they were using. They came up with possible theories. Both wanted to help their friend but decided it would be in all of their best interests if they acted like nothing was wrong when around her but then did some digging when she was away.

With that they headed back to the room and carried on talking to the others and engaging in easy conversation. No one noticed the shadow watching them.

A/N Ooh things are getting better, well I hope so anyway. The Winter Soldier is an all time favourite film of mine so yay. Fun Fact: the winter soldier's theme music is actually Bucky's screams as he falls of the train digitally altered to represent how he's practically a robot since he's under Hydras control.