Another Life, Another Time: A Romanogers Fanfic

Epilogue

Date: April 28th, 2024

Natasha awoke to the sun streaking through the shades, she buried her face into her pillow and nuzzled the soft cloth against her cheek. She took a deep breath and her eye lids snapped open. This wasn't Steve's bed! No! No, no, no, no! She was back in the present! She'd failed, she'd failed Steve! The last thing Natasha could remember was sitting by his side in the hospital then as she was slipping away, she heard the heart rate monitor go flat.

Natasha sat up and took in her familiar surroundings, the pale blue room with the grey shades, but her pictures of James were no longer on the walls. James! Where was he? What had happened to him while she was gone? Natasha began to spiral down into an uncontrollable feeling of panic. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and nearly stubbed her toe on a box packed tightly with clothes. Where did all these boxes come from? I don't remember packing or even deciding to move. Natasha thought to herself as she awkwardly maneuvered around the maze of boxes.

When she finally reached the door, she turned the brass knob in the palm of her hand and stepped into the hallway that was unusually free of toys and little boy's clothes. Something was definitely wrong. Natasha knew she'd remembered to pay all the bills, (that was not an issue for her). But what had happened while she was away, and how long had she been gone? Natasha was snapped out of her daze when she heard James' distinct footsteps thundering down the hall.

When he turned the corner, Natasha's breath was caught in her throat. There he was, her little boy, his messy head of blonde hair and bright green eyes. He wore his monster truck pajamas that he couldn't part with even though they were a size too small. His cheeks were rosy and red from running around the apartment. "James," Natasha sank to her knees and opened her arms to him.

James grinned and ran as fast as he could into her, knocking the wind out of his mother who hugged him tighter than she's ever done before. "Morning kiddo, oh my god I missed you so much." Natasha's eyes began to water as she kissed his cheek and stroked his soft hair. She'd missed him so much, she hadn't realized it until she'd seen his smiling face.

"Momma? How could you miss me? We just went to sleep." James pulled away, giggling at his crazy mom. But then excitement refilled James' mind and he decided to get some help from his mom in his game. "Mommy, can you fight off the monster in the kitchen? He's trying to hit me with a spoon."

Natasha smiled down at her son, his imaginative games was something she'd missed dearly. "Of course I will, no monster will attack my little boy."

"Yay! Now shh, we've gotta be quiet, he's really sneaky." James hushed his mom who covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing out loud at his antics.

Like spies, Natasha and James crept down the hallway, peering around corners and hiding in the shadows of the morning light. As they neared the end of the hallway something caught Natasha's attention, the smell of bacon being cooked and its greasy sizzling sound splurged from the pan.

Now she was curious, her senses heightened and were on high alert, James' game might not be a game after all. The pair stopped at the end of the hall, Natasha peered around the corner and her stomach dropped when she the back of a man's grey shirt. His blonde hair was tousled from sleep and he was busy trying to cook the bacon on the sizzling, popping pan.

Natasha emerged slowly from behind the corner, her mouth open agape. That's not possible, Steve is...he died. She watched his heart stop in the hospital. He couldn't possibly be standing here, in her kitchen! She took a few more cautious steps closer, her heart pounding with disbelief and fear, what if he was a ghost or a figment of her imagination?