Double Life | Natasha Romanoff

25. Protect

Natasha POV
I am waiting for Y/N at the lobby of the hotel. People have been passing by, whether to leave the networking party or to check in for a room. I am starting to get nervous since it has been some time since she was gone. What if things went south when she's meeting with the CEO?

I was just about to go and find her when Y/N called out my name. I ran over to check and make sure she's alright and she just stood there and let me go over her.

"Did you drive?" She asked. I shook my head and she tossed me her keys. "Good, you drive." She walked over to the passenger seat. 

"Are you okay?" I asked her. She seemed very tired and a thin layer of sweat covers her face. She took quick shallow breath before nodding her head and falling asleep.

Is she tired or is it the effect of the poison?

I parked her car at her garage and went to wake her up. She wakes up pretty easily and walks back to her house as if on autopilot. I quickly lock the car and follow her. She walks over to her medical supplies cabinet and takes out her IV to her bed without saying anything.

I look at her injecting herself with the IV as if she was possessed. She must have done this so many times that she can do this with her eyes closed. She has close to no emotion as she flops back down on her bed and falls back asleep with her dress still on, not bothering to get under the covers.

I went to change into more comfortable clothing before getting into bed with her. As much as I want to snuggle with her, I know I would wake her up and possibly hurt her in the process. She must be under so much pain and pressure but she's trying to hold it in. Witnessing her making a U-turn from the death door further cements my love for her. I watch as she sleeps before drifting off to sleep myself.

---

I started to hear whimpering noises as I sleep. At first, I thought I was hearing things and thought nothing of it. It was until I heard it again and it was coming from Y/N. I looked over at her, her body was so tense up, her eyebrow furrowed, jaws and fists tighten. She's shaking in her sleep, occasionally flinching. I tried to shake her up but it wasn't working. I shake her even more violently, if she's not waking up, she's going to pass out any moment.

"Wake up!" I shouted.

Finally, she shot her eyes open and breathed in the cold air. I wipe away her sweat as she sits up looking dazed.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned, seeing her frazzled face. It's not good for my heart having to deal with this twice in a day. She nodded slightly and plucked out her IV drip. I could tell she didn't want to discuss this so I didn't pry any further.

"Let's go back to sleep." She said in a low voice after putting away the IV drip. She wraps her arms around my waist and closes her eyes. She's probably not going to get anymore sleep for the rest of the night and this is her only form of resting. It also took me a while before getting into slumber.