When The Laughter Stops

Ch 19

It was lunch time and Regina is fixing Natasha's plate while the red head is silently waiting sitting at the counter.

"So, what do you want to drink?" Regina asks her softly.

"Whatever is fine." She replies with a distracted sigh.

"Honey, are you okay?" Regina asks sincerely and Natasha snaps out of her small daze.

"Um yeah, *Regina hands her the plate* thank you." She says.

"The boss ain't hungry Regina." Bruno says from the door way.

"She didn't eat breakfast she can't not be hungry." Regina shakes her head and Bruno shrugs.

"She says she ain't hungry." He tells her and goes back to resume his previous post.

"Natasha, can I ask you something?" Regina asks hesitantly.

"Sure." She nods.

"Why are you so affected by James sleeping with Lauren?" She asks and Natasha's heart skips a beat by the question, it being the last thing she expected.

"What do you mean?" She counters, taking a bite of her food even though she's not that hungry as well.

"I mean the arguments you two have had are because of that raven haired vixen." Regina states and Natasha's chewing slows as her eyes look down.

"Is there more between you two?" Regina then asks.

"Don't be ridiculous Regina there can't be anything between us." Natasha tries to scoff.

"That didn't answer my question-

"No, no there's nothing between us." Natasha shakes her head but as if she's trying to convince herself more than Regina.

"James really cares for you." Regina tells her softly not revealing actually how much the criminal really feels for the NYPD detective.

"There's nothing. And there can't be anything. I mean *chuckles* she's the most wanted and feared criminal since Jack the Ripper. And me. I'm the daughter of Howard Stark. A man she apparently wanted to kill. Not to mention the former police chief. We can barely be friends and if anyone knew that it's- it's just to complicated." Natasha explains as her eyes get teary.

Regina looks at her sympathetically.

"Thank you for lunch Regina but I'm not that hungry." Natasha says getting out of her seat and leaves the kitchen.

~

Time Skip, Weeks Later

Things in the mansion are very different now, quiet. James and Natasha are at completely different ends of the mansion at all times except for some meals. J doesn't even bother to even try to talk to the red head anymore as she gives her short responses if any at all. Natasha is always in the library by herself. Unless she's on the phone with Tony or Wanda which James doesn't even know about, but how would she if the two don't talk to each other anymore. Wanda knows that Natasha is staying with the Joker and as soon as she found out she immediately wanted to come get her but Natasha explained the situation and Wanda very hesitantly agreed to not say a word to anyone about what she knows. The two don't even go out to the club that often anymore as J doesn't feel like doing much anymore.

Natasha and I were eating dinner in awkward silence with her on the other side of the table which I hated as I missed her sitting next to me but we were both so focused on eating that we haven't even looked up at each other.