Finding our way back

Part 12

Joseph got their room cleaned and Natasha took Steve in. She got his wounds dressed and then settled him in his bed, taking her place beside him.

He put his head on her lap and hugged her belly. He looked up at her innocently, holding her shirt.

"Go on" she said, brushing his hair gently with her fingers.

He lifted her shirt, exposing her belly and placed a gentle kiss on her smooth skin. He had started doing it when she was pregnant with their second child, and did it ever since.

"I love you, Nat" he said.

"I love you too" she said and kissed his forehead, "Go to sleep now. I am here. I am always here for you"

He closed his eyes, and she kept brushing his hair until he fell asleep.

____

Steve woke up to find his head resting on Natasha's chest. His arms wrapped around her waist, his leg over hers.

The moment got Natasha to wake up as well, and she greeted him with a wide beautiful smile that he had always loved.

"Hey, good morning " she said, kissing his forehead again.

"Nat? " he was hesitant, but she silenced him with her fingers on his mouth.

"Shsh! I am here, with you, forever. Don't apologize about it. Just forget everything that happened, Steve. I am yours and you are mine. I love you and nothing else matter. Just you, me and our kids. Its all I want" she said.

"But I" he tried to speak again.

"Steve!! You don't even remember what happened. Do you love me? You do, right? Stop doing this. A mistake doesn't define you. And.. I will break without you. I already had, I love you. Nothing matters other then that " she said.

She pulled him back to her chest and hugged him, calming him down.

_____

When Steve was asleep again, she took a bath, dressed up and left the house. Joseph inquired calling her.

"I need to meet someone dad" she told him.

She reached Sharon's house and she was shocked to find Natasha at her house.

"Natasha? I, you.. Come in" she said.

"You destroyed his life. How could you plan on something like that? What kind of a woman are you? How can you purposely do that to someone? To a husband who loves his wife madly? To five children? " Natasha blasted her.

Sharon started crying.

"He tried to suicide!! Twice!! All because of you and his step mother. You separated us. You took him away from his children. You didn't even feel any guilt when I was pregnant again? How could you? " Natasha shook her holding her shoulders. She was never angry like that before.

"I am sorry, Natasha" Sharon finally spoke,  "I just.. I thought.. He.. He really loves you. Even in that drunken, lost state he only took your name. Nothing ever happened between us. He didn't touch me that night, or any other. He hasn't even kissed me once. He flinched everything my lips touched his cheek. He loves you too much"

Natasha slapped her hard, "and even after knowing all this you didn't utter a word. Let us go through so much pain? You are a disgrace to woman kind"

"Now, come with me, and tell him everything. Tell him about you and your filthy plans, tell him he is guilty for something he never did. Put an end to his misery, or he would suffer all his life" Natasha said, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Sharon agreed to tell Steve everything and apologize to them all. And Natasha left her house.

_______

Natasha returned home to find Steve surrounded by their kids. Even the triplets were in his lap and weren't crying. Tashia was giggling and Max was smiling, while Nicole had her milk.

She smiled, seeing her family so happy.

"Mommy! " James shouted, "See, daddy lost in ludo again "

She walked in, "he won't loose again" she said and kissed Steve's cheek.

"Yeah, I won't now. My luck is back with me" he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

She sat down beside him, taking Max in her lap as he raised his arms for her. Nicole smiled at her and Steve brought Tashia close to his chest. He kissed her cheek.

Steve won the round and he was happy like a kid.

"I won, Nat. I won" he said enthusiastically.

"We won, Steve. We keep winning " she told him.

"Can I.. Paint you? And the kids? " he asked innocently.

That made her feel guilty and sad for burning his sketches that he had made with so much love.

"Steve, I have a confession.. I.. Am.. " she was so guilty and feeling pathetic on doing it.

"Mom, lets put all those sketches back in the art room" James said, sensing her worries.

She eyes him curiously and he smiled. She nodded and they all walked out. Natasha held James back to ask.

"I saved them Mommy, replacing them with other useless paper. I knew you'll feel bad later. You love dad and his drawings so much" he said.

Natasha hugged him tight, "Thanks, sweetheart " she said, "I  so much more proud of you today"

They joined everyone in the art room where Steve painted and Natasha sang.

*******
Finally, Sharon told the truth.
Now she needs to tell Steve.
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