I'll Always Love You) Romanogers

Part 10

Steve P.O.V.

It had been two months, and Natasha was getting worse and worse. We had tried everything the doctor prescribed, and for once in her life, Natasha did what the doctor said, but to no avail. She was getting so sick, enough so that she was put on a feeding tube. She was put on bedrest, but the baby was still growing much to large for her to carry.

I sat next to her in the bed, and woke up to her breathing heavily. "Natasha?" I usually asked. This was something new, I was used to waking up to the sound of her vomiting.

"I'm fine," she protested.

"Natasha, you're not fine, you're out of breath and you're in bed," I gave her a accusing eyebrow.

"It's just the baby, it's a making it hard to breath... just a little," she honestly answered.

"Okay, I'm taking you to the hospital," I stood up. Breathing was not something to mess around with.

"No, Steve," she argued, but she knew just as well as I that this was a grave situation.

"Nat, don't..." I pleaded. She didn't respond verbally, but her face showed her surender. I helped her up, and we walked down to the cars, we borrowed one of Tony's muscle cars, and left for the hospital.

Natasha was holding up a brave face, but I knew deep down she was worried. I could sense it in her, I could see past her lies and masks after spending years with her. Of course, I was one of the few people who she let inside her emotions. I grabbed my phone and dialed for Dr. Mills. "Hello?"

"Dr. Mills, Nat is having trouble breathing, I'm taking her to the hospital now, New York Presbyterian? Could you meet us at their ER?"

"Of course, I'm on my way, tell Natasha to stay calm, it will help," she replied, somehow she sounded calm, "I'm currently at the S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital and I'll be there soon."

"Thank you," and with that, I hung up. I used my now free hand to hold Natasha's and used my thumb to rub her fingers to distract her.

I pulled into the ER bay, and by now, her breathing was getting worse. She blamed stress and stuck to that excuse, but anyone with half a brain could tell that is was from pain and not being able to fully expand her lungs.

I decided to carry her in, and she wrapped her arms around my neck. The doctors met us, as I had called the hospital in advanced, and helped me place her on a gurney. A room in the ER was already open with doctors and scans waiting.

"Sir, you have to let the doctors work," a nurse insisted as she tried to push me out of the room.

"No, I'm not leaving her," I stayed put.

"Sir," another nurse came over, but then entered the familiar Dr. Mills.

"Let him stay," Dr. Mills commanded, "it's a waste of time trying to separate him from her," she winked at me as she walked over to Natasha.

"Mrs. Romanoff," not calling her Agent as usual, since we were in a civilian area, "I'm going to run some tests, just stay calm," she calmly ordered as she put a oxygen mask over her head. Nat simply nodded, and made eye contact with me from across the room. I nodded to her as well, trying to be as reassuring as possible without getting in the many nurse's ways.

Nat P.O.V.

I hated all these people poking and probing at me, not to mention not being able to breath. It was comforting to have Dr. Mills, who was familiar with my case, here. I also found confidence in Steve's eyes, who they let stay in the room. He kept giving me this smile, this smile that made my fear stop.

"Nurses," Dr, Mills addressed them all at once, and they all stopped to look at her, "would you please leave the room." They all nodded and left, some giving me a sympathetic look.

"Agents," she said when we were alone, a solemn tone, "we have tried plans A,B,C, all the way through Y... and now it's time for plan Z."

"Which is?" Steve naively asked.

"Abortion," I answered him for Dr. Mills. She simply nodded her head. Steve's face dropped and a darkness entered his eyes. I just let the world fade, I let my eyes drift of to the floor, I let my body relax, and I focused on the baby inside me... while I could.

"Nat," was all Steve whispered. He came over and held my hand, his other arm pulling me close. I let him, my mind was elsewhere. Dr. Mills started to ramble about how this was the only option, and Steve bought it all. He nodded along, but I felt many hot tears dripping onto my face. He was scared of losing me, and I could feel that he had already given up on the baby.

"I'll give you two a moment," she offered as she left the room, "I'll just be outside, when you're ready, come and get me."

"Nat," he repeated, and I could feel the tears coming, but I had a plan, and I knew my plan wouldn't work if I looked into those damned eyes, and listened to his damn crying, it would break me.

"No," was all I could choke out before I started to cry, but I kept my gaze fixed on anything but him.

"Honey," he cooed as he grabbed my chin, nearly forcing me to look into his eyes, but I pulled away, "Honey, I know this is hard-" I couldn't listen to him, he would talk some sense into me, but I was going ahead with my plan, however reckless it was.

I cut him off, "Steve, I need to be alone," I insisted. I felt him pause, I felt his heart break, but I had to stay strong.

"Nat," he seemed to ask, pain dripping from his tone.

"Steve, please," I begged. He thought I was begging him to leave, I wish I was, I was begging him to hold onto me and stop this. I didn't look and his face, and I didn't need to to see how badly I this was killing him. As he paused at the door, I couldn't help myself, "Steve, thank you... and I love you."

"I love you to, Natasha," was all he said. He walked out, looking back at me, I finally looked at him. I saw the love, behind the pain I was putting him through. It killed me to know I was hurting him, but I had to for Little Zygote. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. I committed his face, happy face, to memory... for I knew, that might be the last time I ever saw it.