Don't Let Me Forget

X - Thank You

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies" - Aristotle

It was the middle of the night when Steve Rogers woke up in his bed, panting and sweating. Steve was used to having nightmares from time to time, but they were always about the same thing. The death of his mom, Bucky's disappearance, or Peggy's car accident. Tonight was a very different story.

Since Natasha had started to open up to him last week, he couldn't control his mind to imagine her and what she had been through in the Red Room. When he fell asleep last night, he had Natasha in mind but for a whole different reason. He imagined her smile, her laugh, hearing her voice, having her in his arms.

And suddenly, she was there in front of him, ten years younger, so small and so fragile. She was beaten up in front of his eyes, and he could see her bleeding from almost everywhere. She was crying for help, begging them to stop, she couldn't breathe, couldn't move.

When Steve woke up, he felt sick to his stomach. How come someone like Natasha had been through this ?

When Natasha told him what she had been through, it was hard for him. Hard to know what she's been through in this place and for so many years.

He knew she didn't tell him everything last week, he could tell there was more to the picture but she was maybe just not ready. He felt very thankful that Nick Fury, her foster dad, had rescued her to give her the life she deserved.

For Steve, no matter what she had been through in this place, she would still be amazing to him.

-

Since the morning at Steve's place, Natasha had never felt more comfortable around Steve, and he could feel it. She was laughing more than usual and she was not afraid to be close to him. Not that she had been before, but there was something different.

In the two following weeks, they tried their best to see each other at least two or three times a week. Natasha's work schedule had come back to normal, she had been able to rest, and she seemed freer, more careless.

Today would be the second time of the week they would see each other. The last time they had seen each other was two days ago. With Natasha being on the morning shift at the children's hospital, Steve had been able to pick her up from her workplace, and they enjoyed a long walk in Central Park before calling it a night.

Steve had shown her many places he used to go to for his sketching, and where he used to hang out with his former best friend Bucky. Natasha was very happy to see him this open about his past with her. This was a beautiful side of him that she realized, not a lot of people had been able to see.

Today would be no exception. Steve would pick her up at her workplace, and he would spend as much time as he can with her. He knew she had to wake up pretty early for her work the next morning, and now that she had told him her nightmares were here pretty much every night, he wanted to make sure she'll get as much rest as she can.

When she started to open up more about her past, and simply about herself, Steve felt grateful. As he understood from his last conversation with Maria when they were at his townhouse, Natasha didn't let people in very easily.

"Here is my pretty girl." Steve said smiling widely at her, when he saw her for the first time of the day. Since their conversation at his place two weeks ago, he started to give her nicknames more often. Pretty girl was one of them. That and hugging her pretty much anytime he had the occasion.

Now that she was not even a foot away from him, he could see her bright green eyes from up close, and seeing her was the best part of his day. Still smiling at her, he opened his arms so he could hug her and have her in his arms for the first time today.