Winter's Widow

Chapter 104: No, Not Again

Natasha's pov:

It's 11 the next morning and I'm in slightly less pain, but it still hurts. It's hurts when I move a lot. I can only imagine what my friends are going through right now. That's my fault. If I kept the secret like I should have, this wouldn't have happened. I could have stopped Bucky from calling Fury. I could have stopped him. I didn't try hard enough. I failed my on job. Protect SHIELD. My one job, and I failed miserably. I'm a disaster.

Knock knock

...I don't have the energy to respond.

Knock knock

"What?" I whine.

"You ok?" I hear Clint from outside.

"Go away..." I complain.

"Are you ok?" He asks again.

"I'm fine. Go away." I press my face into the pillow.

"Alright." He sighs, and I hear him walk away.

I pull my face away so I can breathe. What am I going to do? I can't go our there, but it's so boring in here. What do I do to pass the time?

"Why did Clint tell me you're being a bitch?" I hear Bucky's voice from outside the door.

"I don't know, tell him to fuck off." I groan.

"Oh. Are you ok?" He asks.

"Yeah. Go away."

"He told me you'd say that."

"Well, he was right."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"...No." I sigh.

"Are you sure?" He is clearly in disbelief.

"Yes."

"How long are you going to be in there?"

"Until I want to come out."

"You're not doing that bullshit again. Get out here. You need to socialize. You need water, not alcohol. I know you don't have any water bottles in there. You coming out."

"Make me. Tear off the door. I don't give a shit. You'll have to drag me out."

"Challenge accepted."

I hear him walking away. What is he doing? Is he really going to try to get me out of here. I'd like to see him try. He's not actually going to tear off another door to get me out of here. He wouldn't. I'd be pissed. He's going to send Clint through the vents. I look up at the vent and wait to see Clint. I'll just punch him if he comes in. I stand up and walk to the vent. I stand with my arms crossed, waiting. I hear thumping in the vents.

"Hello, Clint."

"Um, hey, uh, Natasha." He says awkwardly.

"What are you doing here?" I act like I genuinely don't know.

"Um, not taking orders from Bucky, that's for sure." He keeps a straight face.

"Are are you?" I arch an eyebrow.

"Ok, maybe just a little."

"Hmmmm. Get out."

"Yes ma'am." He starts crawling away.

"Tell James to fuck off. I'll be out tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am." He says nervously.

I flop back down on my bed tiredly. I hear James and Clint conversing outside. I can't hear what they're saying, but I can h ear the tone. Buck seems kinda mad, and Clint is nervous. How surprising.

"Tony, permission to break down Natasha's door." I hear Bucky speaking loudly, so I can hear too.

"No!" Tony snaps.

"Suggestion ignored."

I hear loud bang and creaking noise. I turn my head and see Bucky nonchalantly dropping the door on the ground. Goddammit. Are you fucking serious. I'm going to hurt him. He steps in and stands next to the bed. I look up at him with tired eyes.

"Hey." He smiles sweetly and has his arms behind his back.

"I hate you."

"You're not doing this again." He tries to lift me out of the bed.

"Ah, careful. I'm in pain." He picks me up bridal style.

"Oh, sorry." He doesn't drop his smile.

"No you're not, and put me down. You got the door open, that's all you need."

"Nope. I need you out here with us."

He steps out the door, but I hold onto the doorway.

"Stooooop..." I whine.

"I can't let you do this again. No, not again." He says calmly and he rips me away from the door.

"James, noooooo..." I groan.

"Look what I brought!" Buck announces.

"Wow!" Tony exclaims.

I hear applause throughout the room.

"Take me to my room." I groan.

"Nope. Everyone's so happy to see you alive." James cocks his head.

"I'm not."

"I mean on the outside."

"Oh."

"Natasha!" Clint beams at me.

"Clint!" I reach my hand out to him.

Clint reaches his hand out and grabs my hand. Bucky sits on the couch, and sets me on his lap. He keeps his arms wrapped around me protectively. He might be on edge after the whole battle yesterday. Especially around me. I was the cause of that battle anyway.

"What's wrong with you?" Bucky asks.

"What do you mean?" I'm nervous, but I try not to let it show.

"You're tense."

I realize how tense I was, and I try to relax my muscles. Needless to say, I failed miserably and only got more tense. He pulls my closer so I can lay on his chest. I feel his heartbeat. I hear his rhythmic breathing. I can tell how content and relaxed he is. He's warm. He's safe. Soon enough, I melt in his arms.

"There you go." He purrs.

"Jesus fuckin- Get a room you two!" Tony groans.

"Shut- up." I frown.

He instantly shuts his mouth.

"Can I leave now?"

"Leave? For where?" I feel his chest rumble with his raspy voice.

"My room."

"Tch- No."

"Why?" My voice is soft.

"Because we need to know you're alive. I need to know you're alive."

"You know I am now. Just let me go back to my room."

"But I miss you."

"Then come with me."

"Nope. We have people out here too. We're gonna stay out here."

"No." I whine.

"Yup."

I try to pull away from him, but he tightens his arms around me. I growl and glare. He glares back at me. His growling is deeper and louder. We glare daggers at each other. I smile and look away. I broke. I hear sighs of relief. They probably thought war would break loose. I'm looking away, but I can tell he's smiling too. He pulls me closer, and I let him this time. I lay my head against his chest, and I don't drop the smile.

"Get. A damn. Room!"