I'll Be Back For You [NatXReader]

Chapter 4: What Did She Say??

Nat POV: 

"Natalia... I still love you." I heard her say, before the coms went dead on her side. It broke my heart and scared me at the same time. 

"STARK, WHAT HAPPENED?" I screamed, needing to know if she was ok. 

"The blast was bigger than I thought." The coms crackled to life, Tony answering quickly. "She caught most of it. We are gonna need medical... Natasha..." 

I could tell there was something he was holding back, especially since he didn't say some half baked nickname. "Tony?" 

"I don't know if she will survive this." It was a whisper but it echoed in my head. 

I had just found her again, I couldn't lose her. "Get her back here, NOW!" 

T'Challa had dispatched the medical unit to the landing pad to wait for them. It was merely two minutes before I saw Tony land in his suit, Y/N limp in his arms. She was bloody, pale and looked lifeless. 

"It's going to be ok, Natasha." T'Challa spoke up, gently laying a hand on my shoulder as I watched her get taken away by the medical team. "You need to come with me, we must talk." 

I silently followed him to a viewing area. We watched as the medical team worked hard on Y/N's lifeless body. The heart monitor showed that she was still alive. 

"Natasha, you have decisions to make." T'Challa spoke up from beside me. "We can treat her extensively, or we could just make her comfortable and allow her to pass; but it is your decision." 

"My decision?" I was confused, how would it be my choice? We hadn't seen each other in five years and it wasn't like we were married...

"She chose you to be her medical proxy years ago, with me as a secondary if you aren't available. With you here, I cannot make these choices for her. You have to." 

"She wanted me to be her proxy?" The information made no sense. Why me? 

"I can see the question in your eyes, Natasha. I cannot answer it, she has to." He answered, his hand back on my shoulder. "Your decision?" 

"Do everything you can to keep her alive." I said instantly, needing her to be ok.

T'Challa quickly knocked on the window that separated us from the medical room and they moved more frantically. Her stats quickly leveled into the normal range, they began surgery, to fix the internal damage. "This part will take a while, perhaps rest will help the time pass?" He offered, but I stood firm. I would not leave her side this time. 

It took four hours before they finished and sent her to the recovery area. One of the nurses looked up at the window I was watching from and sent me a thumbs up, with a smile. I took a breath and allowed myself to sink to my knees. The tears fell without warning but I made no sounds. 

Once I got control of myself I made my way to her bedside, taking her hand in mine. I wasn't sure how long I sat in silence before Bruce, Tony and Steve came in, with T'Challa and Shuri behind them. 

"The doctors said she did very well, she should wake up soon." Shuri said, moving to sit on her other side. "She talks about you, you know?" 

I looked at the younger girl with a questioning glance. 

"All the time actually..." Shuri began before T'Challa stepped in. 

"I think this is a conversation best had another time." T'Challa shut down the rest of that conversation before it began. Everyone looked between Shuri and T'Challa before Y/N began to twitch in the bed. She let out a groan and I could tell she was waking up. I gently squeezed her hand, letting her know that I was here for her. 

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Y/N's POV: 

I felt a warm hand holding my own tightly, before the pain filled my every nerve ending. I twitched, groaning softly. 

"That's gonna hurt for a while." I whispered softly, not opening my eyes. 

"How do you feel, Y/N?" T'Challa spoke up, from somewhere on my left. 

"Everything except my left hand hurts... should I be concerned that my left hand doesn't hurt?" I asked, trying to gather the energy to open my eyes. 

"What do you feel on your left hand?" Shuri spoke up from my right. 

"Warmth, soft." I answered, the sensation was familiar but not at the same time. Something squeezed my left hand and I realized that someone was holding it. A soft thumb traced over my knuckles. It took a second for me to realize why it felt familiar. Natasha. "Natalia?" 

"I'm here. I won't leave you again." She answered, the Russian rolling off her tongue easily. "Can you open your eyes, Y/N?" 

I forced them open, looking at Nat first before looking to her side, at T'Challa. 

"What's the damage?" I asked. 

"Extensive, You should be happy that Tony was able to get you back here as fast as he did. We would not be having this conversation if he hadn't." 

"Thank you Tony." I managed to get out, starting to get rather tired. "I'm tired." 

"Sleep, we can speak more later." T nodded, looking at the men. "Shall we go discuss some things?"

The men quickly left, with Shuri following a few moments later. 

"Y/N?" Nat spoke up, gently using her fingers to get me to look at her. 

"Natalia?" 

"I have a question." She said simply. I looked at her as if to say 'ask away.' She hesitated a moment as if gathering her thoughts, before speaking. "Why am I your medical proxy? We haven't seen each other in almost six years."

"Why wouldn't you be? You are my wife..." I said, feeling myself slip into oblivion.

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So.... That's a cliffhanger isn't it.... 

See ya in chapter five! 

UPDATE - 8/10/21 - Minor Grammar and spelling issues; as well as a small time line issue. :)