ROMANOGERS: PAST TO PRESENT

Chapter Forty Five

Steve's POV

Never once did I fall asleep. It wasn't because I wasn't tired, or the anticipation of possible rescue. It was Natasha. I had noticed her coughing slightly throughout the day but it had gradually gotten worse until she would cough for an extended period of time. Her eyes would water and she could hardly get a breath in. She was trying to play it down, to not worry me, but it wasn't working. Of course I didn't want to worry her so I kept my mouth shut but I was secretly suspecting the worst. She shuddered next to me having just finished another fit and I noted that her breathing was extremely raspy.

The sun had finally begun to peak over the trees and I knew it was time to leave. After checking the traps and coming up empty I packed our items back into the ragged and torn sheet. We had demolished it while trying to bandage our wounds. It was now hardly able to hold the few tools we still had left. Natasha not wanting to stray from the plan walked hastily in front of me leading the way. I took note of her slumped shoulders and awkward gate, she was in bad shape no matter how much she tried to deny it. The truth was even I was struggling to move, sure our wounds had been hastily bandaged, but it was by no means professional. We were still on the brink of collapsing and after not eating this morning, I wouldn't be surprised if we were set back. The question was by how much?

"This way." Natasha wheezed taking a left at a particular tree though they all looked the same to me. She dissolved into another coughing fit but managed to keep walking though it was slow. My mind for once wouldn't focus on any particular thing. The way we were going didn't hold my attention, what we had planned didn't keep me interested, and the uncomfortable state I was stuck in didn't bother me. No, my mind kept wandering back to last night. Sitting by that fire, alone and oddly enough, without a care in the world. Natasha was next to me and it was the two of us versus the world. Simple and matter of fact. Though it seemed bitter sweet this entire series of events had lead me to a deep level of understanding when it came to her. There was something unspoken between us, and I knew that we would be changed if we made it out of here, and if we did survive we would have to hold each other together.

The sky was covered by thick tree branches weaving a thin canopy above. I noticed that as we walked the amount of brush decorating the landscape slowly faded. It was a clear sign that we were in fact heading towards the explosion. Part of me was curious to see what kind of damage had been caused the other part of me didn't want to know. I came back from my thoughts when Natasha halted in front of me. She sat down leaning heavily on the trunk of a tree catching her breath.

"Are you alright?" Asked and her eyes flashed with a sense of her old pride but it vanished quickly as she coughed.

"Yeah...I'm fine let's keep going." And so we marched on. I had no idea of knowing how much time had passed but I knew we were close to something when Natasha's pace sped up. Slowly a shape took form up ahead and an odd run down looking shack came into view. Natasha stepped inside of it and I followed suit. For the first time since last night she smiled. "Home sweet home."

I took note of the logs that had been wedged into place to support the drooping roof. The section of the room that had been turned into a mini bedroom. "You fixed this place up?"

"Yeah. We aren't far from the explosion sight. A few hours tops." She said an ounce of hope dripping back into her voice. I nodded glancing around and from a crack in the ceiling I noticed the sky. It was getting dark again.

"We should stay the night. It's getting dark already." I noted resting our hodge podge collection of items in the corner.

"It shouldn't be." Natasha said frowning and she followed my gaze. The crease in her brow deepened. "It hasn't been long since morning. Winter days don't pass this fast, even here they don't."