Learning to Love

Chapter 9

-Steve's POV-
When I wake up the room is empty. Today no red head wakes up beside me. No head on my chest. Just me. I can't help but be worried for Natasha. I no that she is the last person to need to worry about. But I love her. I will never not love her. No matter how she reacts. Natasha isn't another school girl crush. I dare say it but, she is more than Peggy Carter. Don't get me wrong Peggy is amazing, but there is something more to Natasha. She is differnt. Words can't describe my attraction for her. Not just physical attraction. I admire her strength. Her tenacious efforts to make up for her past. She has never had anyone. I want to be her someone.
I spend the morning pondering. I polish my shield. Clean Natasha's guns. Memorize todays objective. It's now 10 am and Natasha is still not back. I look over to my backpack. I catch a glimpse of her picture paperclipped to her file. I think I now have the courage to look deeper. Maybe it's not courage. Blind faith? Nothing to lose? Both? I stand up and make my way over to the couch. I take her file in my hand. My fingers smooth over her picture. Her unforgetable features haunt me.
I flip to page number two.
Hesitantly. I begin to read.

Affiliations-
KGB
Red Room
SHIELD
Avengers

Known associates-
Ivan Petrovich - deceased
Yelena Belova - Unknown
Winter Soldier  (real name unknown) - Alive
Alexi Shostakov (husband) - deceased
Matt Murdock - Alive
Clint Barton - Alive
Avengers - Alive

After this it reads CLASSIFIED. Even the unclassififed version is still classified. I shiver at the thoughts of what that could mean. I didn't know she was married. I mean she's been married several times. Her name is the Black Widow. But why list only one of them? I decide to stop there and I put the file back in my bag.

-Natasha's POV-
After I stormed out of the hotel. I find myself wandering the streets of Moscow. I end up in a bar. Being oggled from the corner by a few men. I roll my eyes and order another drink. I start talking to the bartender in Russian. She's young maybe 22 or 23. Then my chair is knocked into by a person. Startling me.
"Watch it," I huff. They have already made an exit outside. I look down and a napkin has been placed in front of me. It has a neat print on it, it reads. Our spot. 20 minutes. The note sends shivers through my body. I get up and slap money on the counter and leave. When I get outside the stranger is no where in sight. What the hell is that supposed to mean. My mind travels back to the camera flash. The person following me. But still what the hell is our spot. I takes me a minute then I remember. Me and friend would always joke that this abandoned building was always like our little spot. We would meet up there after missions. Or when we needed to talk privately. I remember the face. I remember the name. It's impossible.
Reluctantly, I decide to go. Our Spot was a few blocks from here. When I showed Steve around I purposefully avoided the street. I take a few back alleys and I'm there in 10 minutes. I climb the fire escape and head inside through an open second story window.
Inside, everything is still there. It pains my stomach. The medical kit. The photos of my past. Our own record player. Then I see the camera. I pick it up. I turn it on and scroll through the photos.

I admit I am shaken up. Steve. Me. Us. Our entire trip ever since our arrival at the hotel, is recorded on this camera. A creaking floor board snaps me out of it.
There she is. I can't belive it. Standing in front of me. Alive.
"It's been awhile," She says.

-Steve's POV-
It's approaching 7:00 pm. Natasha still isn't here. We have a mission to complete in a few short hours. This whole day all I have done is worry. But I trust her. I know that she will be back.
Shortly after as if she heard my thoughts. The door knob clicks, and she comes stumbling into our room. She closes the door with her back. She falls against the door and slides down so she is sitting. Her knees pull to her chest. Then she crys. I stand there in shock for a few moments. I don't know what to do. I walk over to the door and I kneel beside her. I wrap my arms around her. She stuggles against me. I hold her tighter, until she lets me be there. Once she stops struggling I pick her up bridal style. I place her on the couch and I sit beside her.
"Natasha?" I question. Some time has past maybe a half hour, of her crying into my chest.

"Steve. I can't tell you," She trys through muffled crys. Can't tell me what? I don't dare ask.

"I- I- I'm sorry for how I treated you last night. It was wrong of me and you didn't deserve that," She pleads after some time. I let her continue speaking,

"I'm not going to tell you what happend today. Atleast for now. For your saftey. But what I will say is that my past has caught up with me. And I'm done running." With that her crys stop. Her facade takes its place. A look appears on her face. It's a look of pain and pure determination. I would not want to be her past.

She lays on me for another hour. I just sit there holding her. Feeling her soft breath on my neck. I kiss the top of her forehead. I sense her sink into me. I could of stayed like that for the rest of my life. But we have to get ready. Natahsa goes to the bathroom and changes into her suit. I change into mine in the room. She struts out of the batroom. Her black suit shapes her body perfectly. When she sees her guns neatly cleaned on the kitchen counter she smiles. She gives me a bright smile of gratitude. She grabs magazines for her guns. Loads them. Click Click. Rounds head into the chamber. Loaded and ready.
"Let's go kick some Hydra ass," She says bravely.

Thanks for reading!
Who do think the mystery woman is?!
Let me know what you think of the story.
- Your author, Ellie