Covert Affair | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 27: Nightmares

Note: Just some comfort and fluff here :)

As Natasha settled into Jenna's guest room, exhaustion weighed heavy on her eyelids. She drifted into a fitful sleep. Natasha's nightmares began to surface, twisting and turning her dreams into a harrowing labyrinth of fear and despair. She tossed and turned in her sleep, her breaths coming in shallow gasps as she fought against the darkness that threatened to consume her.

Suddenly, a sharp sound pierced the silence, jolting Natasha awake. Disoriented and panicked, she thrashed in her bed, her movements wild and uncontrolled. In her frenzy, she accidentally knocked over the lamp on the nightstand, sending it crashing to the floor with a loud clatter.

The sound of the lamp crashing to the floor brought Jenna rushing to Natasha's room in a blur of concern. As she entered, her heart pounded in her chest, fearing the worst.

To her relief, she found Natasha in the midst of the chaos, trying to clean up the shattered lamp scattered across her bed and floor. But Natasha's movements were frantic and unsteady, her hands trembling as she attempted to gather the broken pieces.

"Natasha, hey, are you okay?" Jenna called out, her voice filled with worry. She rushed to Natasha's side, her eyes scanning for any signs of injury.

But before Jenna could reach her, Natasha accidentally cut her hand on a shard of glass, a small trickle of blood staining her palm.  "Natasha, calm down" Jenna urged, her voice gentle yet insistent. She gently took Natasha's injured hand in her own, her fingers brushing against the small cut.

But Natasha seemed dazed, her gaze distant as if still trapped in the clutches of her nightmare. Gently, Jenna guided Natasha to sit on the edge of the bed, her touch gentle yet firm. "It's okay, you are okay Red" she murmured, her voice a soothing balm in the midst of the chaos. But Natasha's gaze remained unfocused, her mind still trapped in the grips of her nightmares. With a heavy heart, Jenna wrapped an arm around her.

As Jenna surveyed the room, her heart sank at the sight of shattered glass littering Natasha's bed. Concern etched deep lines into her forehead as she turned her attention back to Natasha, whose tired eyes still bore the remnants of her distressing nightmare.

Realizing that Natasha's bed was now filled with broken glass, "Natasha, come with me," she said softly, She guided Natasha to her feet, her touch steady as she led her out of the room. Jenna's loft bed presented a new challenge. With Natasha still dazed and disoriented, Jenna carefully guided her up the stairs, her movements slow and deliberate. Natasha followed obediently.

As Jenna carefully tucked Natasha into bed, she lingered for a moment, her gaze soft with concern. "I'll be right back with some water," she promised. Alone in the dimly lit room, Natasha lay still, her mind still reeling from the remnants of her nightmare. But as she shifted in bed, her hand brushed against a small teddy bear nestled amongst the pillows. The unexpected touch brought her back to reality, grounding her in the present moment. 

Gently, Natasha picked up the teddy bear, cradling it in her hands. Its soft fur and unfamiliar weight offered a comforting presence in the darkness. She traced her fingers along its worn seams, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

As Jenna returned with a glass of water, she caught sight of Natasha cradling the teddy bear. A soft smile graced her lips as she approached the bed. "You found Mr. Bear," she remarked, her voice filled with warmth.

 "Mr. Bear, huh?" Natasha teased, a hint of amusement coloring her tone. "What a creative name."

Jenna chuckled softly, "Believe it or not, the big bad Winter Soldier named it," she revealed, her voice tinged with saddness. Setting the glass of water on the nightstand. "but hey, don't knock Mr. Bear," she replied with a grin. "He's been my faithful companion since I was a kid."

As Natasha cradled the teddy bear, memories with Fury and Pierce flooded her mind. She remembered Pierce's voice echoed in her mind; Jenna was a hydra subject.  "You knew the Winter Soldier?" Natasha's voice trembled with concern, her gaze searching Jenna's face for answers.

Jenna hesitated, her expression clouded with memories of a past she preferred to keep buried. "As a kid, yeah," she admitted quietly. "But I don't like to talk about it," she added.

Jenna swiftly changed the subject,. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare?" she offered, her concern evident in her eyes.

Natasha shook her head, her throat tight with unspoken fears. "No, not right now," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Taking the cue, Jenna redirected their conversation, "You know Sam was drunk in those picture you found?"  she asked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Oh, I can tell," Natasha remarked, a hint of amusement in her voice. "How did you meet him?" she inquired, her curiosity evident.

Jenna's smile widened at Natasha's question, a fondness flickering in her eyes as she recalled the encounter. "We ran into him and Steve, actually," she began, her voice tinged with nostalgia. "The day you pulled up to pick up Steve."

Natasha's mind raced as she connected the dots, realization dawning on her. "Wait... You and Lily were there that day the two girls behind them."

Jenna chuckled to herself, a fond memory playing out in her mind. "Yeah, that was us," she confirmed, her gaze drifting back to the past. "Lily actually mistook Steve for a yeti and thought his name was Sven, like the reindeer from Frozen."

Natasha's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What's Frozen?" she asked.

Jenna's eyes widened in disbelief. "You've never seen Frozen?".

Natasha couldn't help but laugh at Jenna's reaction. "Nope, never got around to it." 

Jenna lowered herself to the floor beside the bed. Natasha glanced over and gave Jenna a silent invitation she scooted over and patted the space on the bed beside her, inviting Jenna to join her.

 "Anyways, we convinced Sam to come to a party with us at the college" Jenna continued, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Natasha's eyes widened in surprise. "You're in college?".

Jenna nodded with a grin. "Yeah, We got a lot to learn about each other Romanoff."

As Jenna recounted the events of that memorable night, Natasha listened intently, her laughter mingling with Jenna's as she described Lily and Sam's antics at the party. Jenna pulled out her phone and showed Natasha a picture of Sam drinking from the keg upside down. Natasha's laughter echoed in the room as she admired the photo.

"Can you send me that picture?" Natasha requested between giggles.

"Sure thing," Jenna replied with a smile.

As the conversation gradually faded into a comfortable silence, exhaustion began to weigh heavily on their eyelids. The events of the day finally caught up with them, and soon they found themselves drifting off to sleep, the soft murmur of their breathing filling the room