IronWidow fanfiction: Time Bomb

Fifteen

He was falling.

Natasha couldn't do anything. She couldn't breathe.

Tony was falling.

"Someone get him!" She screamed. Why were they all just stood around? "Thor!" She screamed even louder. "Get him! Now!"

"Natasha, stop," Clint reached for her but got distracted by an oncoming Chitauri. He took it out in half a second then moved to comfort her but she flinched away.

Tony was still falling.

A cry was about to escape her lips when the Hulk leapt forward, cradling Tony in its arms and rolled on the rubble-filled floor. She watched with fear so dark and so thick that she wanted to throw up. This was an unexplainable type of fear. A fear so dangerous that it could change someone.

Tears were falling down her face like torrents of water, making her feel weak and almost fall to her knees.

Natasha ran to the fallen soldier, to the man she loved lying on the floor. Her hands shook as she looked down at his lifeless form. "Is he-he'll be okay, won't he? Tell me he'll be okay, Steve."

Steve met her eyes. "I'm not sure."

There was a moments silence when Natasha felt like nothing was going to be okay. Everything was broken. He was dead. He was dead. "What about our drink?" She said softly. Steve looked at her again; this time with pity and something that felt like he had too felt like that. He had felt hopeless. He had experienced the deep kind of regret and hopelessness that came with losing someone you loved. "Tony, what about our drink?" She sobbed. She collapsed to her knees, her hands hovering over his chest, in a desperate attempt to do something.

There was a roar and the Hulk seemed at once more human. Grief was not a thing for monsters. Grief was purely human. It was the most human thing possible and it was so terrible.

Tony sat up.

Natasha yelled out, jumping back in shock. "Tony?" She said in alarm. "You're okay. You're okay. We're okay," she sighed.

"What happened? Nobody kissed me, did they?" Tony said.

"Not yet, you absolute asshole!" Natasha laughed.

He grinned at her. "Oh, does my death amuse you?" He asked.

"You didn't die, Stark. Don't be a drama queen." Natasha extended her hand and helped him up. "Anyway, you can't die yet. We haven't had drinks."

"That's the only reason I came back." Tony smirked at her. Then he turned to Steve. "Cap, what's the status on the war?"

"We won."

"Then let's go get Loki," Clint suddenly appeared, holding an arrow. Natasha glanced at him, feeling guilty for when she pushed him away, but he didn't look at her. She didn't know if that was better than if he had been angry. It certainly felt worse.