Deadly Attachment

Chapter 28

- let's get together and feel alright.

I took a hit and then passed it over to Lucia. She giggled and breathed deeply, winking at me before handing it to Nadeem.

"So let's get this straight," Amar laughed. "You haven't screwed her yet?"

I shook my head no, chuckling.

"What is this, a new record for you, Katya?" Lucia joked.

"Really, guys. Natasha...she's...well, she's Natasha. You'll never meet another woman like her, I can guarantee that." There was a lack of words among my friends, so we let Blackbear fill the silence.  I turned to Nadeem. "You seriously just found out about this guy?" I was in disbelief, speaking of Blackbear. Nadeem grinned in response. "You're whacked, bro."

"So why don't you just wife her and move out?" Amar turned down the volume a notch. "What's stopping you?"

I licked my lips. "I want to be human, Amar." I wouldn't meet their eyes. Groans immediately escaped their lips.

"You know that's a dead end road." Nadeem frowned at me.

"It's not, Nadeem. It really isn't. That sorcerer he-"

"He almost killed you. And we're supposed to be immortal. If those avenging angels hadn't come when they did..." Lucia trailed off. She didn't need to finish her sentence, we knew what would happen. I knew what would happen.

"Well, whatever he did worked to an extent. I may still have the abilities, but I can feel." They all gave me unsure looks. "Fallen angels can't feel anything. I'm the only one who can because the sorcerer was turning me into a human."

Amar crushed the hot end of the joint, burning his fingers but he didn't feel it. He wasn't able to feel it. 

"I'm telling you, it's true. Everything...all of it." I opened a window in the car. "Someone out there can make me human, and I'm going to find them."

-

Natasha was in her room, reviewing some kid's file. Either she didn't notice I walked in, or she didn't care. But there was no way her trained senses couldn't hear me walk into her room making a shit ton of noise. So she didn't care that I walked in.

I sat down next to her, and whispered, "Hey."

"Hey." She barely moved her lips, distracted.

"Busy?" I asked. She nodded. I stood, ready to go back to my own room. "If you're too busy, I can come back later-"

"No," She sighed, putting the papers down. Her eyes met mine, and she was chewing on her lower lip. "You can stay."

I stared back at her. "If I'm going to be a distraction to you then-"

Once again she cut me off. "Stop being an asshole and come here." She opened her arms out as an invitation, one that I took. I sighed, breathing in her sweet scent. It reminded me of peaches and sweet berries. I wondered if it was something she wore, or it was just her scent.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into her neck as she held me.

"I know you are." She kissed my forehead. "I can't believe this, but I forgive you. I thought I never would, but I do."

"I love you," I reminded her. It was only the second time I said it, so it made me scared to say. It's been forever since I loved someone like I love her.

"I know," She held me closer. "I love you too."

I put my hands around her waist to get more comfortable, and we moved towards onto the couch. It was nice and relaxing. I listened to Natasha's heartbeat and tried to match my breathing with it.

"Why'd you do it?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"You know why I had to." I turned myself so I could look up at her. "I wasn't going to let him get to you and the team, and level New York with that weapon he was going to use."

"You could have asked for our help. The only reason we came was that of Sam Alexander. He was not supposed to go, but for some reason, he knew you were in trouble." She sighed at me. "You didn't have to face Doctor Doom alone. We are supposed to be a team, and when you're on a team you face things together."

"And risk your lives?" I shook my head no. "I wasn't alone. I had the three terrors with me." I chuckled lightly. "And Nova. I'm glad Sam Alexander came. If he hadn't...then we wouldn't have been able to destroy Doom."

"You're wrong." Her voice is stern. "If he hadn't come, then we would have never found you. And we couldn't help you wake up, and I would never have seen you again."

"That's not true."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow at me. "Tell me honestly, Katya. If you had defeated Doom and didn't alert us in the process, would you have come back?"

"You don't think I would have?" I tried to not sound hurt.

"You left without telling me a thing, Katya." Natasha was the one who was hurt. "How was I supposed to know you were coming back? You left no note, told no one where you were going. Not even me." The last three words were spoken slowly, and they hit home.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a long moment. "Remember when I said I would go meditate?" I asked, and she nodded. "I did meditate, and it was horrifying. It's like I was trapped in a nightmare. I saw him torturing you. I saw everyone murdered. Everyone that I cared about. Gone, just like that." I fixed my eyes on her beautiful face. "I left without another thought because I knew staying here would kill you all."

"This is insane." She whispered, looking away at the wall.

"Do you know what else is insane?" She looked at me. "You falling in love with a fallen angel." The corner of her mouth started to twitch, hinting at a smile.

"And even more insane, you loving me right back."