Winter's Widow

Chapter 55

Natasha's pov:

Falling.

Falling.

I feel myself slowing down rapidly.

He caught me.

As Tony slowly lowers us to the ground, I can't even think straight. I'm trying to process what just happened. He's carrying me bridal style, being as gentle as possible. I guess he realizes how fragile I am right now.

"Are you ok?" Tony asks me.

I can't bring myself to say anything. All I can do is stare at something nonexistent.

"Natasha?" He calls to me.

I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in the metal plating of his chest.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. You're alright. Don't do that shit again, though. Scared the shit out of us." He huffs.

I cling onto him for dear life. I still feel like I'm falling. I'm still shaking. It's a feeling you'll never forget.

He starts walking towards the doors of the tower, but I keep my head buried in the metal chest plates.

"Natalia!" I hear people running towards us.

"Nat, are you ok?" I recognize Clint's voice.

"How's Natasha?" I hear Steve.

"She hasn't spoken a word. She's really messed up. I don't think that she really meant to." Tony says.

"What do you mean?" Sam asks.

"I mean, I don't think she actually wanted to jump. I think she changed her mind mid fall." Tony answers.

"Oh my god, Natalia..." I hear Bucky breaking down.

I still can't let go of him.

"Let's take her up. Bucky, you stay with her awhile." Steve orders.

"Brave of you to assume I planned to leave her side in the first place." Bucky sighs.

"Good. I can help out with that too." Clint adds.

I feel Tony walking, and I hear the others footsteps.

Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice.

"What happened?" I hear a concerned Pepper.

"...She jumped from the roof." Sam informs her as we continue walking to the elevator.

"Oh my god, is she ok?" She asks worriedly.

"Sorta. Physically, yes. Mentally, no." Tony answers.

"She needs help, but she wont let us help. There's our conundrum." Bucky speaks up.

"Why does she hate the help of her friends?" Pepper asks.

We stop. I think we're in the elevator.

"She prides herself in needing little to no help. She likes being independent. She forgets that needing help is part of being human... All of this enhanced human stuff gets to her head. She forgets she's only human." Bucky answers darkly.

I hear the elevator doors close.

I hear the whirring of the elevator going up.

The doors open with a ding. As they walk forward, they walk down some stairs. Tony glides down them fairly quickly. I feel the falling sensation again. I hold on to him tighter like my life depends on it. I bury my face deeper in my arms and the metal suit.