Iron Heart: The Beginning

Chapter 12: Super-Secret

Natasha lost track of time after she sent her message. All she knew was that it took a very long time. Her pager had died soon after the message was sent out. She just hoped that the message ended up getting to Clint even after her pager died. Otherwise, she would be stuck here forever.

Natasha was tempted to explore the planet, but if someone were to come she wouldn't be there. And not to mention that she could get lost and never find her way back here. At least she didn't need food here. Natasha would have been dead days after she woke up. Or was resurrected for something better.

The sun was sinking low behind the thick cloud cover. Red Skull was on the edge of the cliff, looking out over the horizon as he often did in the evenings. The sunset was slow and made Natasha lethargic just watching it. She didn't just sit very often. Natasha had often found different ways to entertain or distract herself in the time she had been here, whether it be walking aimlessly or even resorting to building a sandcastle once or twice. More often than not, however, Natasha was mind-numbingly bored.

She had been here for, well she didn't really know how long in Earth years. She didn't even know how long a year on Vormir lasted. Certainly, she had been there for enough time for her mind to play tricks on her.

Natasha's mind was consumed with bright, burning hope. Perhaps her message had reached Earth and someone was here to get her off this stupid planet. Or maybe it was another ship, with different people with probably different reasons and goals for being here. Even so, this could possibly be her way off this planet.

The ship was quickly approaching the ground out in the middle of the dunes. Natasha leaped up from her perch and sprinted toward the ship. As she got closer to it, she could faintly see the outline of the Avengers symbol on the ship.

'Oh thank God,'Natasha thought, relieved that her message had reached Clint and had taken less time than she had originally thought. These people were here for her, not the Soul Stone that she had sacrificed her life for.

She could hear the ship land with a loud thump against the sand. Natasha's feet were soaking wet from running through the water to get to the ship, but she couldn't find it in her to care. She was getting off this planet, she was finally going home.

As she was running, she wondered who would be on the ship. Clint, almost definitely, and probably Rocket or Carol, someone who knew how to drive a ship. Maybe, Steve, he was one of her closest friends anyway. Probably Tony.

The door of the ship opened when she was about 200 yards away from it. She saw Clint walk out from inside followed by who she thought was Carol.

"CLINT!" Natasha shouted. Clint and Carol's head snapped toward her and then Clint started running toward her.

"NAT!" They met in the middle, trapping each other in a suffocating hug that was so, so welcome after however long of being solitary.

"Oh Natasha I thought you were dead," Clint whispered before he pulled away from the hug and held Natasha at arm's length, "Don't do that ever again,"

Natasha laughed."I don't plan on it,"

Clint broke into a smile.

"Thank God," he said, before pulling her back into a hug.

After a couple of minutes, they broke apart and started to head back toward the ship. Carol was waiting at the edge of the ramp for the two friends.

"Ready to blow this popsicle stand?" Carol asked with a small smile.

"Definitely," Natasha said, approaching Carol and giving her a hug. Carol accepted it, though it was awkward, Natasha didn't mind. She hadn't had human contact (excluding the Red Skull) for however long she had been on this planet.