Falling out of love

Chapter 11.

The ride home on the quin jet was probably the most awkward and agonizing ride they have ever had. They were taking home the jet that Natasha and Yelena arrived in. The air around the Avengers was tense, only sparing small looks at one another before looking elsewhere.

Natasha stayed by Yelena's covered body whispering quiet words in Russian. Steve watched his wife from afar, she needed space and he had to respect that, even if seeing her like this was truly painful. 

"We land in five," Tony spoke up. "Fury and Hill are waiting at the landing dock." He turned to face the rest of the group. "Didn't sound too happy." 

"Are any of us?" Clint asked, the group was separated from Natasha, she had closed the door on them to get away from them, they could only see her through the window on the door. 

"Has she spoke yet?" Bruce asked coming out from the lab. 

"Nothing that isn't Russian," Steve answered. 

"She won't even look at us anymore," Clint said. 

"Of course she isn't," Tony answered. "We fucked this one up pretty badly. I don't blame her if she never talks to us again. I wouldn't" 

"Tony." Steve scolded. "She just needs time," Steve said.

"Do you really believe that? If so props to you, although we all know nothing will ever be the same." Tony shook his head. 

"I don't believe that," Steve said. "Just give her time." 

"Whatever you say, Cap..." Tony sighed. "Alright let's all mentally prepare for a yelling."  Steve took a glance over at his wife and sighed. He didn't want things to change. They have already gone through so much if only he had been honest. 

The jet landed, and Natasha didn't move an inch, and no one spoke to her as they jumped off the jet. Fury and Maria standing there, and judging by how Maria looked behind them for Natasha, they knew about what had happened. Even if they have yet to inform the pair. 

"Don't bother Maria," Clint spoke. "She isn't talking." 

"What in gods name happened down there?" Fury asked getting straight to the point. 

"Things went south. Don't know when Yelena found out but she connected Red and things went downhill from there," Tony sighed throwing a piece of his shot armor down to the floor.  

"Where is she?" He asked next. 

"With the body," Bruce answered. "By the time we got to the jet she was already dead. No saving her. Scanner said she was pregnant." Fury's emotions were hidden. 

"How does this keep happening. Hydra knows how we work they lift a finger and we react. Yelena wasn't our problem." Hill said. 

"No but we now have a different one," Steve said. "She killed her Nick. She was torn between to options and she killed her, the regret almost immediately took over her. Natasha won't so much as look at us. Hydra is playing with us and slowly taking us apart." 

"Hydra will be dealt with in a way I see fit, and I will make sure that you five are nowhere around when they are dealt with. I have a team that will take care of Hydra." Fury stated. 

"What are we supposed to do now Nick?" Clint asked. "She is devastated and this isn't exactly something she can forget with a couple of missions. She is retired, hasn't killed someone in years and the moment she comes back she kills someone from her past. You know how tough her past is, you know what this could do to her," 

"Well, what do you suggest Barton? As far as I know, Romanoff won't so much as look our way, can't exactly do anything when she acts like this." Fury said. 

"Fury we are her family. She needs some space but she also needs us," Bruce tried to explain. 

"we don't know how to handle this one," Clint muttered. "We messed up." 

"If the mission-" Hill was interrupted by someone else's voice. 

"If you told me about the mission, then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation," They turned around to see Natasha standing there, her voice low and scratchy. 

"Nat.." Steve started. "We were just... trying to protect you," Natasha glared at her husband. A look of discussing lacing her face 

"You know." She said shaking her head. "For as long as I have known all of you, I had to work for your trust. But never once did I have to doubt any of you. These last two years have shown me that even people who you trust, don't always want to keep your trust." 

"We trust you," Clint spoke out, Natasha's icy glare found the archer, and he has never had this look directed at him and it was almost heartbreaking. 

"Do you? Because you went on a mission to kill someone, someone that I personally know. Then when I came and told you what was going you, none of you trusted me!" She yelled making the group flinch. 

"Natasha, you have to understand that everything we were doing was to protect you. We didn't want to lose you." 

"You lost me the moment you decided to do what you did," She glared. There was that silence again, no one dared move or speak, they didn't know what to say. Natasha was fuming with anger, her closest friends, her family even, betrayed her but because she loved them she killed someone. Someone with a child. 

"What will happen to her?" Natasha finally asked. 

"Did she have a family?" Bruce asked. 

"Do I?" Natasha snapped. "It was just her. Her and her baby," The group tensed at the thought of the child dying. His blood was on their hands. 

"We can't bury her Natasha, according to the world she is already dead." Fury stated. "We can cremate her, I know a guy." 

"Maybe we should make funeral plans later," Steve started. "It's been a long day and I am sure that everyone needs time," 

"Why are you still making decisions for me?" Natasha shot at Steve, who had a hurt look on his face. "Can't you see what happens when you do that?" 

"That's not what I am trying to do," Steve tried to explain. "You emotionally have had a really long day, I just think that we all need time," 

"Sure, why not you apparently know what's best for me," Natasha walked off the jet right past them, shoving past Steve, everyone watched in silence. No one knew what the outcome of this would be. Natasha has never been this mad at them before, and something told the group the five stages of grief will be demonstrated in their friend.  

"Denial and Anger," Tony was the first to speak. "She's going through them pretty fast." 

"Stark," Clint warned. Right now no one knew what to do, so instead parted ways. 

They could only hope for forgiveness. Hope that their friendship alone is enough to bend the cuts in her heart. Hope that there was still trust.  They could only hope for hope.