I'll Always Love You) Romanogers

Part 2

One week later.
Natasha P.O.V.
I woke up, it was still dark outside. Steve had a protective arm around me as he slept. His breathing calm and deep, rocking my torso up and down as I laid on top of him. I sat there peacefully, and listened to the silence, and I found a great deal of comfort with him holding me, the dark surrounding us, nothing to worry about, and nothing to do. I sat there with him enjoying the peace, until I was disturbed by a ruckus from downstairs, and a curse escaping Tony's lips. The soundproof walls hadn't kept the sound out. I tired to roll over and go back to sleep, but really, I couldn't. Not with Tony in this self destruct mode.
I stealthily slipped out from under Steve's arm, not waking him and I cuffed my wrist. I silently walked out the door. I had been trained to walk without a sound on any surface, snow, creaky floors, gravel. I decided to take the stairs, just for fun. I let my guard down, and aloud myself to be lazy. I could do that around the tower, now that I had settled in for a year. Tony had gone out of his way to make sure each of us avengers felt safe and at home here. As much as we had our differences, he was a good man. We had developed a weird sort of sibling relationship. Always teasing and such, but we truly cared for each other like a brother and sister.
I got to his lab, I saw through the glass that the machine was smoking and not working, it was unlike Tony to have trouble with such things. Then I saw him on the floor, a drunken and unshaven mess. He had bags under his eyes, and tears dripping down from his face, and to my dismay, a bottle of wine next to him. I crept into the lab.
"Tony?" I asked out trepidatiously.
"Gosh, Nat? What the hell are you doing down here?" He asked, obviously sucking in all his emotion, putting on the mask.
"I could ask you the same thing," I replied, walking over to him as he stumbled to get up. I knelt down and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I... I can't, Nat, not without her," he mumbled. I sat down next to him and took a swig of the expensive wine.
"I know it sucks now, but look, things will get better," I tried to coax him.
"Everybody has said that, everybody has been wrong," Tony snapped back.
"Tony, heartbreak sucks. I'm not going to sugar coat this for you. What I'm about to say, is out of care. I care for you Tony, and I cannot watch you do this to yourself. You need some tough love," I said. He simply nodded, beckoning for me to say what I was about to. "You need to pull yourself together. If not for you, for us, you are a hot mess and you're hard to live with. You're going to shave and shower, and most importantly, get some sleep. You need sleep, you can deny it all you want, but you need sleep. Tony, you need to move on... I'm not saying total turn around in one night, but lets make tonight the first step. Alright?"
"I... can you help?" He asked, like a hurt puppy. A hurt, drunk, puppy. I stood up, and pulled him up, he had put on some weight, nothing I couldn't handle, just an observation. He put his arm around my shoulder, and we walked out. I turned off the lights and let J.A.R.V.I.S. shut down the lab.
I opened the unlocked door to Tony's room, and brought him into the bathroom. I put him in the shower and put the cold water on.
"Oh gosh, NAT WHAT THE FUCK?" He yelled in pain and surprise. I ripped fo his shirt and pants, leaving his underwear on (I didn't want to see anymore that I had to, and I am not a pervert). I squirted some soap over his head, and let him attempt to scrub it in, and his drunken senses found it impossible. Nevertheless, he would smell better. I turned the water off, and brought him a towel, which he gladly took. He was shivering in the cold, cursing me under his breath. I sat him down on the side of the tub, and shaved the sideburns he had grown, knowing he would just cut himself till he bled out with his coordination being intoxicated.
I handed him the red robe hanging on the back of the door, and helped him into it. He was shaking like a leaf, and he looked tired, despite that, he actually looked better. I walked him over to the bed, and he laid down.
"Thanks... how did you know to sober someone up?" He asked.
"I've had to do it on a few missions with, Clint. Don't tell him I told you. But, you're not sober yet, just a little cleaned up. You still have the alcohol in your system, so lay on your side and try to go to sleep," I explained. Trying to hide that I was exasperated with him.
"Can you stay?" He inquired.
I rolled my eyes, I really didn't want too, in fact, I felt a little sick myself. I thought for a moment, "sure, I'll be right back."
I walked down the hall to my room, and opened the door. I was less worried about waking Steve up, in fact, selfishly, I hoped he would, and he did just that.

Steve P.O.V.
I felt my eyes flutter open, and I jumped awake when I felt Nat had left my side. I sat up, and there she was. She was in the bathroom in a robe and pajamas. She was grabbing something and putting it in a bag.
"Nat? What's going on?" I asked, a little groggy.
"I'm going to go sleep with, Tony. Gosh, he is a wreck," she sighed. She was obviously not happy about it, but she was being a good friend.
"Do you want me to come?"
"I do, but I don't think Tony would like that. You should go back to sleep," she replied. She came over and planted a kiss on my forehead, and I blushed. She just had that effect on me, and she always would.
"Alright, I'll miss you," I smiled cheekily.
"Oh gosh Steve, it will be less then twelve hours, you're fine," she laughed at me. I laughed along. I laid myself down again and went back to sleep.

Natasha P.O.V.
I walked back into Tony's room, now with my bag packed. Just some clothes and such for the morning. I walked into his room and went to the couch. Laying the blanket I had grabbed and the pillow out, I hoped onto the couch. I just sat there in the dark, not as peaceful as when I had been with Steve, but still, somewhat relaxing.
I didn't sleep, I felt a little sick, but I couldn't bring myself to sleep. I kept checking on Tony, making sure he hadn't aspirated on his own vomit, and checking to make sure he was still breathing. He kept mumbling about Pepper, on and on, apologizing. I pitted him, he had tried, and he loved her. He never talked much about what caused the break up, but it sounded like a bad one. He didn't think he could save it.
A shy knock came at the door and I opened it, only to find Steve. He had a concerned look on his face. "How is he?"
"Better, not great, but much better," I answered.
"Do you want me to take over?" He offered, such a gentlemen.
"Just for a bit, I'll be right back," I replied, and tried to rush past him. He grabbed my arm gently.
"Nat, are you okay?" Steve asked, concern now showing in his ocean blue eyes. He could read me like a book, and I sighed. I had been working on being honest with him, which sounds silly, but for a spy, for me, it was a big step. I didn't need to tell him everything, I just didn't lie, I told him how I felt or I told him I didn't want to talk about it. I must have froze, because he asked me again, "Nat, what's wrong? You look a little sick."
I did feel sick, suddenly really sick. Without a word, I slithered out fo his grasp and ran into Tony's bathroom. I hunched over the toilet and threw up, Steve rushed in behind me, he held back my hair and rubbed gentle circles on my back. I threw up a few times, but eventually, I stopped. Steve grabbed some tissues and whipped my face, he gave me a look of deep concern. His ocean blue eyes looking a darker shade of blue. "Nat, why not you go lie down in our room, okay?" He suggested, taking his hand to my head.
I nodded and he helped me back. I easily could have walked back myself, but when he offed to carry me, I really didn't see any point in objecting. After vomiting my guts out, it felt nice to lay down, especially in our bed.

Steve P.O.V.
Gosh, I was worried about her. No temperature, but she did seem off. I can tell with her, having known her for years, dated for a year, and living together for months, I know when something is off. I carried her to our bed, and laid her down gently. I pulled the curtains over her and gave her a peck on the lips, she smiled.
"Are you okay? Do you want me to stay? What can I get you?" I questioned.
"Steve, I'll be fine, just go watch Tony," she replied, her voice a little weaker than usual.
"I'm really not concerned with Tony right now, I'm worried about you," I answered a little strongly. I know she hates it when I get all protective of her, but I cannot help myself.
"Steve, go," she insisted. I shook my head, and she rolled her eyes. "Fine, how about you go get my stuff from his room, and wake him up and ask him if he wants to sleep in our room."
"Alright," I gave in. A good compromise, she would relax because Tony wouldn't choke on his drunk vomit, and I could relax because I was with her. The only downside was Tony coming into our room... she was a good friend to him. They had come a long way from where they were when we all moved into the tower.
I got to his room and packed up her stuff, as well as cleaned his bathroom up a little. I put her bag over my shoulder, and went over to wake Tony up. He jumped at my touch, and then settled seeing it was me and not some alien.
"Hey, Nat got sick and I took her back to our room. Do you want to come sleep on our couch?" I asked the aggravated man.
"No," he answered and rolled over. I would have loved to take that as the answer, but I knew Nat would worry about the drunk mess of a man.
"For Nat?"
"Fine," he groaned. Obviously, he had wanted to come, but just not wanted to admit it to me. I get that, but I also think its stupid. Tony was a good man, and he had my respect. But, as of late, we had been fighting. It started over little things, and now there was tension over politely views and restrictions. I liked him a lot, but for now, he was on my nerves.
He came into our room and hoped on the couch. I walked to the bed, and found Nat asleep, wrist handcuffed to the bed. I knew she hated not being able to break that habit, and we had tried to work on it, but it led her to a dark place. I climbed over her and pulled her close to me, and she smiled a bit, and that's how we fell asleep.

Hello my awesome fans!! Thank you so so so much for reading my second story this far, it means so much!! I'd love to hear what you have to say about this story so far, I hope you enjoy it! Thank you all so much again, LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!