Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 101: The AM

Lots of pov and time jumps in this chapter! (But for some reason, it's mostly Nat) Enjoy!

May 28, 2026

6:00 AM

Natasha

Natasha softly closed the front door behind her, zipping her hoodie and wrapping her arms around herself. Drops of dew clung to the grass and a shiver ran down her spine, reminding her that it wasn't yet summer. But the light blue sky was cloudless, and the predicted warm weather seemed to come through. They weren't going to be cold in their dresses.

She could no longer sleep. Less than five hours of rest the night before her wedding wasn't ideal, but her record for the longest time going without sleep was thirty-eight hours, so she would be fine. Hopefully. Her chest simply buzzed with too much restless anxiety to keep lying in bed. So much left to do this morning.

The florist, the decorators, they'd be here at eight to turn the yard into their dream wedding venue. But now that Natasha was up so early, that felt too late.

On her slippers, at the crack of dawn while the rest of the world was still asleep, she strolled down the porch steps and went to work on removing those furniture covers. Usually a two-person job. The plastic crackled loudly in the silence, and some chairs moved from their neat rows, but at least it was one less task to do. A stupid thought, seeing as it only took two minutes or so, but mentally, it made a difference.

The wooden chairs and tables were slightly damp, Natasha hadn't even needed to feel it. It hung in the air, the humidity, the kind after a cold night. It had crept inside the house too. As soon as the sun rose over the treetops, it should dry up.

Annoyingly swiftly done with her task, she collapsed into one of the aisle seats, slumping down. The exhaustion in her muscles pulled on her, but the rest of her was wide awake.

Naturally, her gaze drifted towards the small dock, stretching into the lake. Right after noon, that's the place she'd be saying her vows out loud for all friends and family to hear. A vulnerable part of herself she may be most nervous about sharing. She was a private person, her thoughts and feelings only important to the people it involved. As long as Katya knew how she felt, then why did people like Bucky or Rhodey need to hear it?

But marriage was about compromise, and Natasha was over caring if people saw her as being soft. They all knew she was by now.

Time slowly ticked away. She had no idea how long that chair had been her resting place, but the very tips of her fingers felt slightly cold for the first time in her life.

''You should be getting more rest.''

She didn't jump when her best friend's voice reached her ears. His presence had long been detected by her sharp senses.

''Don't tell me something I already know," she answered, monotonously.

A sigh left her lips when his footsteps came closer. Not out of annoyance, but defeat. He'd be able to read her like a book, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing now.

Clint sank into the seat next to her, not sparing a glance in her direction. His presence alone provided comfort. ''Nervous?"

"Don't ask questions you know the answers to."

Guilt washed over her instantly. Her snappy mood came out whenever she was nervous in a poor attempt to hide it, to hide her vulnerability. Clint didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of it, and especially not today.

He stayed quiet, patient, while she chewed on her lip, watching a butterfly flutter past.

"How did I get here?" She muttered, finally voicing her thoughts. It didn't need any further explanation, it was clear to Clint what ''here'' meant. A point in life, rather than a place.