Sweet As Sugar

Part 16; Waking Up to Agony

~Y/N's Pov~

I woke up to the sharp smell of a hospital, invading my nostrils. The room was silent apart from the machines beeping in my ears. I slowly opened my eyes, squinting in an attempt to sharpen the blurred images before me. I can feel a stinging sensation, like alcohol on an open cut, on my right side hip. I tried to move, but my body felt stiff, my hand spasmed violently as I tried to lift it. My hand came crashing down on the small bed I'm lying on. My mouth is dry, making it hard to swallow my saliva down.

Suddenly, I felt a cold spike going up my stomach. I tilt my head down as much as I can and see an ice pack attached to my clothed stomach. It's so cold I can feel it through my suit. I throw my head back and sigh.

The pain in the back of my head made itself known....

"Fuck" I mumble, tightly gripping the bedsheets and bite down on my back teeth.

Then, the pain in my head disappeared randomly.
I glance around the room, seeing Shield doctors on the other side of the glass doors. I shut my eyes, trying to remember what had exactly happened. Then it all hits me with a bang. The memory of it all starts to occupy my thoughts.

I got caught in an explosion that knocked me cold out. Then I woke up inside rubble that crushed my hand. Eventually I heard Nat yelling my name and I yelled back. But, I passed out from the lack of air while she was trying to get me out of the rubble. After that, I woke up on the ground again. Thor was there. Nat and Steve was crying. Nat was crying. After that, the agents brought me here to recover, I guess I fell asleep. My eyes widen when I remembered...

Oh my god, the kiss.

"Hey there, stranger" Nat speaks suddenly, causing me to snap out of my thoughts. A burn went through my throat as I gulped. Ouch. "I think we're past the 'strangers' part" I coughed out, my voice raspy and my throat thick.
Nat smiled weakly and sat down on the chair besides me.

She sighs and keeps staring at me. "Don't look at me like that" I whisper painfully. "Like what?" She asks softly. Her eyes examines my face, a smirk growing on her lips.

I clench my jaw which made a tiny snap noise. Even my jaw hurts.

"Yeah, don't even move. I'm pretty sure you fractured every part of your body" She tries to ease the mood with a joke.
I listen to her and relax my shoulders, unclenching my jaw. I close my eyes, tiredly.

"I'm sorry that I went on a mission alone" I apologized.

"Don't apologize, it's my fault. I didn't stop you" She replied softly.

I scoff, "Psh" I turn my head to her, "Don't even start. None of this is your fault, Nat"

She bites her lip and slowly nods. She doesn't believe me. My eyes flicker down to her lips, thinking back when they were against mine. I furrow my eyebrows softly. The image of her crying filled my mind, when she collapsed next to me and crashed into my embrace. Thor, Steve and Nat saved me. The men even watched when Nat kissed me, they were confused. Even I was confused, but I enjoyed it. I wish I could relive that moment over and over just to feel her plump lips against mine. Just thinking of it makes a smile appear on my face and heat spreads across my cheeks. If Steve and Thor was confused, then they never knew Nat's lesbian. I'm guessing she wants to keep it a secret, because I heard her saying to them to keep it one. Maybe she doesn't want the others to know that she's lesbian, or she's too ashamed of me. What does this mean for her and I? Why did she kiss me?