I owe you

Broken wings

Natasha's POV

I had managed to get out to the garden. It always looked so wonderful from my little window. The grass was so green and the flowers was everywhere, giving the green grass some colours. There was even a swing. It hung on the branch of a big tree with big green leaves. I was never allowed to walk outside. I wasn't allowed to do anything except following rules. I slowly walked towards the big swing and sat down. I could feel my bare feet against the grass as I walked but they hung above the ground as soon as I sat down on the swings. My legs were very short. Instead of starting to swing my legs back and forward, my eyes were caught by a yellow butterfly. It flew around the swing and I turned to be able to see it. I stretched out my hand and it landed perfectly on my hand. But it quickly flew away as another hand grabbed my right one hard.
"Stupid girl." The woman said as she dragged me inside the house and hit my face. The garden, I probably was never going to see again, was closed behind the doors.

My thought were interrupted by Lila's laugh and looks as she looked at the yellow butterfly that had landed on my hand. Exactly like it did so many years ago. When I lived behind closed doors and were raised up as an experiment.
Or a doll. Lila was about to catch the butterfly on my hand before I stopped her.
"Lila, you can't catch butterflies." I said and the little girl got a confused look on her face.
"Why not?" She asked and I smiled.
"You see, if you try to catch one, their wings might get broken and they can never fly again. Then they can't be free." I said and Lila smiled.
"But how come it landed on your hand?" She asked and I shock my head in wonder.
"Butterflies are free creatures and enjoy people who respect that." A voice said behind me. I turned around to face Steve. "Natasha respects them so they respect her and isn't afraid to land on her hand since they know she won't hurt them." He continued and looked at Lila.
"Oh." Lila said understanding as she ran over the grass towards her brother that kicked a ball in the air.
I smirked as Steve sat down beside me on the grass.
"You came up with that now?" I asked and Steve's smirk turned into a smile.
"Well, yeah. But it sounds about right." He said and I smiled.
"I see you enjoy being outside." Steve said as he looked out over the fields of a mixture of green and yellow.
"Well, I missed out on a few years." I said knowing Steve might not understand. But he nodded and looked at me. I didn't have the courage to look back. My thoughts wandered back to last night and I felt embarrassed. He got to me and I felt vulnerable. But he made me feel good, better. I finally turned to look at him.
"Last night was a mistake. I promise it won't happen again." I said and looked back at Lila and Cooper who was kicking the ball to each other.
"That's too bad. I can't say I didn't enjoy it." He said smirking and I turned to him with a serious look.
"I'm serious." I said and he nodded.
"I know. But you're also scared." He said and I gave him an even more serious look.
"I'm not scared and stop doing that!" I said annoyed.
"Do what?" He asked confused with a little smile.
"Press my buttons." I said.
"Well, when I get a chance to do that, I'll have to take it." He said chuckling as he drew his hand through his hair.
"But okey, we can draw a line over it. Nothing happened." He said and I nodded.
"Good." I said and he looked at me and smiled. I was slightly annoyed. I'm not scared. I'm terrified. I don't know what happened yesterday and I don't want to find out. Because nothing good will come out from this. I think.
But still, whenever he looks at me..
I feel.. I want.. I don't know.
I've never felt like this before.

Steve's POV

"Auntie Nat!" Lila screamed desperately and Natasha flew onto her feet and rushed over the grass to the little girl and her brother. I ran after her.
"What's wrong honey?" Natasha said as she picked up the crying Lila in a hug.
"It's dead." Lila said and I looked down at the little bird on the ground.
"Oh." Natasha said surprised not moved by the little bird at all. We see worse every day. Natasha looked confused and didn't know what to do.
"It's just a bird." Cooper said as he pointed on it with a stick.
I went behind Natasha to face Lila who had buried her face in Natasha's shoulder. She looked up at my face.
"Shall we make a funeral for her?" I asked softly as Lila nodded and I wiped away a tear from her cheek. I bent down to the ground and picked up the bird with my hands. I held it carefully as Lila watched me. Natasha looked at me too.
"Really?" She mouthed and I smiled.
"Over there, by the tree." Lila whispered and we all went to the tree as I dug a hole in the ground.
"Go get some flowers." I said to Lila as she got out of Natasha's embrace and took her brother with her to pick some flowers.
Natasha stared at me.
"What?" I asked and she shock her head.
"A funereal? It's a bird." She said and I smirked.
"Well, you care about your butterflies and I care about the birds." I said chuckling. Lila and Cooper came running back and Lila held a bunch of flowers in her right hand. Her left hand were stuck to Natasha's. Cooper stood next to them, observing. I could tell he wanted to hold her hand as well, but he was too proud.
I put the bird in the little hole and put back the dirt above it.
Lila let go of Natasha's hand and stepped forwards to put the flowers on the little grave. She then turned to Natasha with big eyes.
"Can you sing Auntie Nat? Please." She said with a sob as a tear ran down her cheek. Natasha sat down on the ground and Lila sat in her lap. I sat down with my back against the tree and Cooper copied my move.
"Please sing." Lila said again and Natasha looked at me before she opened her mouth.

"If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in a river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song
Uh oh, uh oh
Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh,
And life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby
The sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,
I've never known the lovin' of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand,
There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever,
Who would have thought forever could be severed by...

...the sharp knife of a short life, oh well
I've had just enough time

So put on your best, boys, and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh, no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'
Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song."
She sang close to Lila's ear but loud enough for us to hear. I couldn't say I was surprised over how good her singing voice was. Lila smiled as the song was over. And she stood up.
"Bye birdie." She whispered to the grave before she ran away over the fields again. Cooper got to his feet.
"Thank you Natasha." He said and Natasha smirked.
"I would do anything for a handsome man like you." She said, giving him a big smile. He blushed before he ran after his sister.
"He has a thing for you." I said smiling as Natasha watched the little boy run away. Natasha looked at me with a smirk.
"I know. But it's just a phase." She said. "Two years ago he wasn't talking to me. Four years ago we were best buds. Seven years ago I changed his diapers." She said chuckling.
"Well it might be a phase but he's not even a teenager yet. Gotta be careful with all those compliments." I said smirking.
"Why? Are you jealous?" She asked with the same smirk.
"I thought we drew a line." I said and she stood up.
"We did. And if you tell anyone I sang, I'll kill you." She said seriously before she started walking towards the house to greet Clint and Laura who got back from the store.
Jealous is the wrong word.