Falling out of love

Chapter 13.

3 months later (4 months till prologue) 

Three months. It's been three months since Steve last saw Natasha. He hasn't gotten any message telling him that she was okay, or when or if she was coming back. It was killing him. A part of him was lost with her. 

He tried his best to keep things... normal. But how can you do that if the love of your life is alone in the world in pain? But he couldn't spend every minute of thinking of Natasha, or else it would send him in an endless cycle of pain. 

It was Saturday night, and he would go to Clint's for dinner with the rest of the Avengers. Every week they continued to have dinner together, they used to have it once a month, but when Natasha left they did it every week in case she showed up. But they all knew she wouldn't. 

Steve arrived and when he pulled up in his car he stayed outside just staring. Everyone else was there from the looks of it. Steve couldn't bring himself to leave the car though, these dinners were getting harder and harder. He missed her. 

Coming to these dinners were also a very painful reminder that she wasn't here. He sat there thinking about where she was, or if she was okay. He sent her the usual text. after the first month, he started texting her every day just asking if she was okay, and where she was. Of course, he never got any response. 

Finally ready he walked into Clint's house, and the smell of steak found him. Clint's specialty and Steve's favorite. That meant something was up. Clint only made his steak for the group when he had to tell one of them something. 

"Hey Steve," Tony said raising his beer when he saw him walk in. 

"Tony," Steve answered. Now Steve wasn't the best at reading people but he could tell that Tony knew something that he didn't. 

"Come on, Clint's waiting for us outback," Steve followed Tony out of the house to where Laura, Bruce, and Clint were. In the distance was Clint's kids. 

"Steve," Laura greeted with a smile. "Nice to see you again." 

"You too Laura," He smiled. 

"Same as usual?" 

"If you don't mind," He answered and Laura smiles leaving to go get plates for everyone while calling in the children to wash their hands. Steve eyes scanned over the guys and put his hands on hips. "What? what is going on?" 

"Nothing," Clint answered all too quickly. Steve frowned at his friends, trying to read their faces just like Natasha had done all too often, he, however, couldn't read them as Natasha could. He was having a tough time and he really didn't want to find out that there were secrets his friends were keeping from him. 

"Just spit it out would you?" Steve impatiently. "I may not be a spy but I can tell when someone is hiding something from me. I know you will tell me eventually so just tell me now." 

"Steve, maybe we should just enjoy the evening," Bruce suggested. 

"No, guys we agreed no more secrets no matter how little. What's going on?" He repeated. The others looked at one another then Tony made a jester to Clint to talk. Clint sighed running his fingers through his hair before talking. 

"Last night, we got something in the mail," Clint started. "It was middle of the night but an envelope was left on my porch," Reaching toward the table where he picked up an envelope. "I opened it and it was a letter from Natasha," Steve could have sworn his heart stopped. 

"Wha- uh- what did it say?" He asked changing his posture to cross his arms in front of him. 

"It didn't say much, just told us to call off Fury's search to to find her, which I didn't know he was doing, but I guess she assumed I did. Which means she trusts me less and less," Clint sighed, he was Natasha's best friend and to think that she was losing her trust in him was a lot to take in.