Swapping Sides

Lost Phone

It had been a few weeks since I last saw Natasha, she'd left me in a hospital and then just vanished. My ribs were still a mess but my stitches had been removed from my head. I'd kept a low profile and even changed my hair. I knew she'd find me eventually but I wanted a fair fight. If I was being honest with myself I was actually looking forward to seeing her again. If I was being really really honest with myself I couldn't get her out of my head. I'd woken myself up from a few dreams that had involved her straddling me again. Can't wait to get myself killed because I'm too busy looking at her boobs. It was getting ridiculous. Maybe I could just go and thank her for saving me and see why she's trying to lock me up this time.

I'd actually been on my best behaviour so I don't know why I was back on the avengers hit list. Apart from the one facility I kinda blew up but they were already looking for me before that... it wasn't even one of theirs I don't get why they care so much about what I do. Just an old hydra hell hole saved them a job. I sat on my bed and flicked through the channels. I wasn't really looking. I could just go find her, it'd be kind of funny plus I'd been cooped up too long in this hotel I needed to do something. How hard could she be to track down, her lot were always on the news doing something heroic.

I found the news channel I was looking for. It was hardly news mostly it was endless chat about the avengers. I watched it for an hour before I had to admit defeat and turn it off. Turns out all they talk about on the channel are the male avengers and who they're potentially dating, dull. I flopped onto the bed, I suppose I could go and cause my own trouble. My ribs reminded me they still weren't healed when I hit the bed. Maybe I shouldn't cause trouble just yet.

I looked at the room service menu for the millionth times. I'd tried everything. Maybe I could go out for food today, I was in the middle of London if I kept my head down there was no way I'd be spotted.

I decided to brave it and wrapped up in all the layers I had. I was still cold after that dip in the lake a few weeks ago, no hot showers seemed to be shifting it. Note to self don't jump in half frozen lakes. I wandered the streets for a while until I found the shabbiest looking Italian I'd ever seen. Pasta would be good, I had a look over the menu... it was pretty pricy for somewhere that looked like it was about to fall down. Shrugging I went in and was surprised at how busy it actually was, oh well perfect place to disappear. I managed to get a table tucked away at the back near the kitchen, service wasn't so fast but everything smelt good.

I was just picking at bread and waiting for my pasta to arrive when someone spoke. "How's the head?"
"I'm fine for a drink thanks" wait did they just ask about my head... I looked up from the table and there she was. My mouth hung open as I stared at her she looked amazing, her jeans looked like they were spray painted on. She better not be about to fuck up my meal.

"Not what I asked...."
"Yeah it's fine, why are you here?" I groaned hoping I'd still at least get to eat my pasta.
"A chat" she said it so simply but nothing was ever that simple. Next thing I knew she'd sat down and ordered herself a meal. Great, must not get caught staring at her cleavage again.
"Why did you blow up the facility" She asked once the waiter moved on.
"Oh we're bypassing the small talk today?" I replied shoving my bread in my mouth.
She just nodded and raised an eyebrow, always so demanding.
"Why were you looking for me that night? Missing me too much?" Might as well try and be cockier than I feel.

"We'd been looking for you for weeks after that bank heist where you shot 3 people" she stared at me. Oh it's all business today.
"A bank job? Really? You guys think I've got the time or energy to do a bank job that involves a fire fight?!" I was actually offended I hadn't touched a bank in years never mind shooting someone.
"Well our intel said you did"
"Your intel's shit! Banks are for beginners! And anyway why would I do a bank job when I could literally walk through a fucking wall without ever being seen!" My voice was louder than it should have been. She kicked me under the table to stop me going on as our food arrived. I started to suspect the slow service I had been receiving was some how her fault. Probably called ahead and told them to wait for her.

"Fine." She didn't even argue, that's new. "Why did you blow it up? What were you hiding?"

I stared at her. She really thought I did what I did out of some weird loyalty to hydra, that I was wrecking the place to hide something from her. I wanted to scream.
"Wanted to blow something up and there seemed like a good place to practice." That was not the answer she wanted.
Silence. She stopped eating and stared at me with her head tilted. "Why. There." Each word came out harsh. Why is she so moody today.

I put my fork down since I was about to ruin my appetite. "That's where I was made" i ran my hand through my hair boy I needed a hair cut. "That's where I was taken and my life was ruined. I blew it up to cheer myself up. Better than it ever going back into use" I looked at the table praying she didn't ask me anymore questions. More silence. I picked at my food for a bit then pushed it away.

"If that's our chat done, you can get the bill" I spoke getting ready to stand. She grabbed my head, I thought it was to stop me leaving but then she just held it. I looked at our hands and then back at her she looked like she wanted to ask me something. I rubbed my forehead with the hand she wasn't holding and shook my head.
"I wasn't hiding anything. I wasn't doing anything for them. It was for me. Yeah maybe there were hidden secrets in that shit hole but now nobody has them so what does it matter" I shrugged. I'd spent so long thinking about seeing her again but this is not how I wanted it to go down, "can I go now?" I said it more sharply than I meant to and glanced at her hand. It was like I'd stung her, her hand was gone just like that. Idiot.

"Do what you want. I've been tracking you since you left the hospital so I'll just come get you if I need anything else."  She sounded so cold. Had I managed to offend her. Be brave.

"Look Nat I don't like talking about that stuff okay. I'm sure you could find the truth about what happened if you looked hard enough" I took a deep breath, it was now or never. "How about we...erm...grab a drink. I mean once you've looked into that facility so you can understand why I needed to get rid of it. Now I'm not on your most wanted list....like a business meeting and we can discuss it and yeah but only if you want to. If you're not busy it's not important. I-." A business meeting?! Fuck my life why did I say that.

She stared at me with her head tilted ever so slightly the silence just hung in the air. I knew my face was going red from how stupid that sounded. I stood up and left the restaurant as quickly as possible. I was half way to my hotel when I realised I left my coat on the back of my chair. Fuck it. I could buy a new coat.... nope it had my room key and my phone in. All replaceable.

I half ran back to the hotel and managed to persuade them I was from room 222 and I'd just lost everything so I had no ID. I was just in the middle of cursing myself for being stupid when someone knocked on my door.
It was the guy from the hotel desk. He had my coat and told me some red head had dropped it off. Once he was out of sight I checked my pockets and everything was still there. Surprised she didn't steal my phone.

I sat on the edge of my bed cursing myself. Can't wait for her to mock me about this next time our paths cross. Just as I replayed the situation for the millionth time in my head my phone vibrated.
Unsaved number...strange.

Saturday 8pm, hotel bar.
Nat.

I nearly screamed. So maybe I ran off prematurely... maybe the silence hadn't been so bad. I had a feeling I was about to break my golden rule...don't get close to an avenger