Forgotten Ghost | Natasha Romanoff

Alternative Ending: 4

But Natasha did go into shock, sinking to the ground next to Katya. Her shocked eyes stared at the cliff while her hand found Katya's upper back, placing it there to provide comfort. If that comfort was for Katya or herself, she wasn't sure. But she needed something to ground her.

Silent tears streamed down her face while Katya kept sobbing next to her. At least until their surroundings changed and they were in a pool of water, about a foot high. 

Katya was no longer laying on her stomach but sat on her knees across from Natasha. The water stung like a bitch in her wound, but that didn't matter. All her attention was focused on the bright light in her palm. She brought it up to the surface and slowly opened her fist. There lay the one thing they came for, but would trade within a second for their friend back.

They looked up at each other but didn't say anything. Katya had a hard time looking at Natasha. She felt guilty, even though she suspected she didn't blame her.

Their tears mixed with the water they sat in.

~~~~~

Katya and Natasha emerged on the platform, cheeks stained with tears. They survived, but the cost was too great. They both stared at the Stone in Katya's hand, numb, eyes distant. 

''Guys, where is Clint?'' Bruce asked. He was the first to notice he wasn't there, the others were too quick to celebrate. But upon hearing his question, they too twisted their heads in Katya's direction.

Natasha was about to burst into tears again, the heavy silence in the room too heavy on her shoulders. She ran off the platform, pushing past Rhodey blindly. Katya wasted no time limping after her, pressing the Stone into Tony's hands when she passed him. Tears blurred her own vision and she was about to have a breakdown herself, but they needed each other now.

Natasha's safe place has always been the library, so she stormed in there and sunk down on the couch, burying her face into her hands. She was a silent crier, but her body shook with every sob. It broke Katya's heart as she sat next to her, wrapping her arms around her and allowing her wife to lean into her body.

She said nothing for minutes. She couldn't anyway, because she was a crying mess herself. She leaned on Natasha as much as the other way around, the moment Clint disappeared over the cliff replaying in her head. 

Laura and the kids bounced around in her head. They would be getting them back, but how the hell were they supposed to tell them their husband and father wasn't coming home. Because he sacrificed himself, for them, for the Universe.

''Baby,'' Katya whispered eventually, not really sure why. Reassuring Natasha she was here maybe?  

Natasha's sobs had died down but tears still ran down her face. ''So much death and I still don't know how to grief,'' she muttered into her hands, her voice hoarse. Her tone was somewhere between anger and humor, using the last one to process her sadness. 

Katya gently nudged her. ''That's okay,'' she whispered back, careful with her next words. ''I don't know how to process this either. I do know one thing though: he would want us to move on.''

She half expected Natasha to start yelling at her. That she couldn't think about that yet. But she said nothing, just sat there. So Katya did too, for as long as both of them needed it. 

~~~~~

''I can't do this.'' Natasha had stopped halfway up the stairs of the porch. The Barton house, the home they never had, towered over them. The place that always provided warmth and security now felt like a death trap, the last place they wanted to be.

Natasha was an absolutely mess, her hair in a messy braid that had more strands out of it than in it, her eyes red and large bags under them. After the fight with Thanos, they had cleaned up and flown here immediately. They needed to tell Laura as soon as possible, however hard it was.

She had her hand tightly wrapped around Katya's. She didn't look too great either, just as messy and worn out. Clint's death had hit them like a slap in the face, leaving them numb. 

''Me neither, but we have to,'' Katya muttered. It didn't feel right to walk in together, as a couple, when Laura lost her husband, but they needed each other.

Natasha nodded, took a deep breath and crossed the distance to the front door, knocking on it softly. It wasn't long until the door swung open, a very anxious Laura looking very surprised at their visit. She must have figured out what had happened, because she exhaled in relief and lunged forward, wrapping them both in tight hugs.

''Oh my god, girls,'' she breathed. She hadn't yet realized Clint wasn't here. But then she stepped back and looked around, coming up empty. Katya saw the exact moment she realized. Something broke in Laura's eyes, sadness flooding them. 

She looked from Natasha to Katya for confirmation on what she suspected. And when Natasha dropped her head and Katya nodded sadly, tears welled in Laura's eyes.

''Oh my god,'' she whispered again, swaying on her feet a bit.

Natasha seemed to snap out of her own head, stepping forward and taking Laura's hands into her own. ''Laura. I'm so sorry. We couldn't stop him.'' Her voice wavered, but she tried to stay strong for her.

''What happened?'' Laura choked out, looking between the both of them.

''We needed to get the Stone, so one of us had to sacrifice themselves. We were all ready to go, but he took us out and jumped before we could stop him. I'm so sorry we let that happen, it should have been us,'' Katya explained softly, voicing Natasha's feelings too. 

To their surprise, Laura swiftly shook her head. ''No. Don't say that.'' She dropped one of Natasha's hands and reached for Katya's, her mother instincts taking over. ''He loved the both of you so much.'' Natasha and Katya smiled sadly, the tears starting again. ''He wouldn't have wanted that. Sounds like his death was meaningful, and that's all he ever wanted. To go out the right way.''

''He brought half the Universe back,'' Katya confirmed. She couldn't believe Laura was logically thinking about this instead of sinking to the floor in a sobbing mess. 

Laura smiled through her tears. ''That sounds like a beautiful trade. I and the kids will be okay, we have each other. It will be hard but we will get through this. But you, he wouldn't want you crying and sad. Please forgive yourselves.''

''We'll try.''

~~~~~~~~

A/N: This is officially the last chapter of this book. I cannot believe it's been a year since I started this journey. Thank you all so much for reading, commenting, emotionally investing haha. I never, ever expected so much love and reads and compliments. They honestly make my day. You have no idea how happy it all makes me. 

Sequel is up on my page now! ''Chasing Ghosts'' So if you want to keep following Nat and Kat's adventures, make sure to read that. If you haven't watched TFATWS yet, go and binge that first, then come back to the book ;) 

I have so much more planned, so be sure to follow me to not miss anything. I hope to see you again!