Saving Natasha

PART 121: LA VIE EN ROSE

STEVES POV

The compound had emptied out, everyone was either on a mission or at their own homes. I sat quietly in our room, near tears. I had Natasha's phone in my hands, and I was scrolling through her photos, noticing a pattern, most of them were of Avery. I smiled and laughed as the first few tears broke the border, finding picture after picture of Avery making faces or being covered in some type of food.

Piano cords rang out through the building, the sad notes breaking the deafening silence. I put her phone down and walked over to the door, about to close it when I heard a voice joining the tune. I pulled the door open and listened. The voice was muffled, I couldn't make out the words, I found myself being drawn to the melodic sound.

I walked into the living room and saw Natasha sitting at the piano.

"What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you, and, what am I supposed to say when I'm all chocked up and you're ok. I'm falling to pieces, yeah, I'm falling to pieces" she closed her eyes, her fingers playing the melodies by memory and pure skill.

"They say" she paused to take a deep breath and tried to start again.

"They say bad things" she stopped playing and rubbed her eyes, pushing away tears she refused to let fall.

She started a different song, the chords familiar to her.

"I heard there was a secret cord that David played an it pleased the lord, but you dont really care for music, do you? It goes like this the fourth the fifth the minor falls and the major lifts the baffled king composing hallelujah"

I stepped into the room and walked over to the baby grand.

"Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah" I harmonised with her, putting my hands on her shoulders, she rested her head on my hand as she continued to play.

"Your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you, she tied you to the kitchen chair she broke your throne, and she cut your hair and from your lips she drew an Hallelujah"

Her hands fell from the keys and she turned to face me, a sad smile gracing her features, "hello my love" she kissed my hand and stood up from the small bench. I pulled her into my arms for a hug.

"I miss her" she mumbled into my chest

"I know you do darling, so do I" she took a deep breath and stood up properly.

"Tea?" I smiled and nodded and she wandered into the kitchen, flicking the switch on the kettle and pulling a pair of mugs from the cupboard. The door opened and closed as people started returning to the compound.

Bucky and Loki walked into the kitchen, laughing over a shared joke. They stopped laughing when the saw Natasha, afraid their happiness would offend her. Bad decision. She spun around and slammed the mugs onto the counter with such force, she smashed them both.

"Stop tiptoeing around me! I'm fine!" Bucky looked at the pieces of coloured ceramic that used to be two mugs and then back up to Natasha,

"Clearly" a smile tugged at his lips and Natasha walked around the counter.

"O maybe you're right" her voice was dripping with sarcasm "the poor mug. I have an idea, why don't you I beat the shit out of you instead, that way I wont be breaking something thats actually useful" Bucky shied away from her, not knowing wether he should respond or not, so Loki responded for him.

"He'll be there in 1o" her gaze flitted to him and she cracked an evil smirk "make in 5" with that she turned and left the room.

"You're so screwed" I told Bucky as I walked past them.

I followed Natasha down the hall to our room.

"Promise me you wont actually kill him"

"Mmmmmm cant do that" she tied her hair up in a half up half down and walked back out past me. I chuckled and walked down to the training rooms with her. Loki and Bucky walked in a few seconds later, both with huge smiles on their faces.

"Hey Jarvis!" Bucky called the AI while Natasha walked over to the mat, closely followed by Bucky "give me a beat to beat my buddies ass to" 'Southern Nights' by glen Campbell started playing over the speakers. Bucky grinned at Natasha and when she smirked back, his grin faltered a little, he looked over to Loki worriedly. Natasha walked in a slow circle around him. Her steps at a steady beat to the music.

Loki walked over and stood beside me "this'll be good" he was right, this was going to be good. Natasha's hoodie slipped from one of her shoulders as she decided how she was going to beat the crap out of Bucky. She walked around in front of him and put a hand on his chest, stepping close to him and settling one of her legs in between his in a seemingly unimportant position, but when you've been sparring with Natasha for 6 years, you start to learn what every move means.

I cringed in anticipation. On the beat, Natasha thrust her knee straight up, Bucky groaned and stumbled back a few steps. He leant forward slightly and Natasha elbowed him in the back of the head, flooring him within the first few bars of the song. Bucky scrambled back up to his feet and glared at her, she simply smiled in response. He went to hit her with a right hook, she caught his fist with her right hand, dragged her hand back across her body and shoved her left palm into the back of his shoulder. She stuck her left foot out slightly and Buckys already stumbling figure tripped over it, heading straight back to the floor making a slight detour at Natasha's uplifted knee.

She essentially lifted him from the floor and danced with him for a bit, her body moving in sync to the music. She pushed him back against a wall and swayed her hips for a minute. Loki chuckle as he noticed my clenched fists.

"Jealous captain?"

"Shut the fuck up" he laughed again and looked back over at the pair. Natasha pushed Buckys metal arm out against the wall, holding down his wrist with her left hand while she spun and elbowed him in the stomach. She strutted away from him as he wheezed. She slowly danced by herself as Bucky tried to prepare himself for another beat down. He hunkered down trying to breath and Natasha delivered a back kick to his face.

She turned him over and sat on his stomach, pinning his arms to the floor.

"Had enough?" He groaned in response and she smirked standing up.

The song ended and a new one started. Natasha smiled and walked over to me, pulling me off the bench. I followed her hesitantly, worried she had decided to beat me up now,but i relaxed when she turned around and nuzzled herself into my chest, she swayed softly to the song that I soon recognised as La vie en Rose. She lay her head against my shoulder and danced on her tip toes as I attempted to lead. I saw Loki help Bucky walk out of the room in my peripheral vision and pulled Natasha closer, simply enjoying our dance. She let out a content sigh and i lay my head on hers, smelling her shampoo and melting into her as she did me. We were no longer two people, we were one.