Remnants of Time

Chapter 7

Lightning struck the sky once more and water kept shooting at the endless road before the car Natasha had stuck to since Cologne, highlighted by the headlights. Silence ruled the atmosphere in the vehicle, but it was a comfortable one. Everyone but the spy was asleep and with the three soldiers breathing regularly, the redhead switched from Sam's annoying 40's music to a radio station that broadcasted traffic news on their area of the Autobahn. With those dark clouds in front of the sky and the gallons of water on the asphalt, she was certain there'd be accidents and traffic ahead.

Natasha sent a look towards her phone in the main console. Next to it, a sleepy Steve, with his arms crossed and his wide frame buried back deep into the small car seat. She eyed his blonde hair. It had gotten longer and some of it was hanging into his face. America's poster boy. Still 26. Steve was, to be honest, almost as young as her, they were amongst the youngest of the Avengers, but carried so much of the burden.
Right now, Steve was just the boy he could never be, in a moment of peace, asleep, without any expectations to him, with no one telling him what to be or what to do. Natasha sighed. She was delighted the blonde rested. His behavioral changes before had not passed her analyzing eyes, she had noticed how fast he had offered to take watch in the motel despite his obvious exhaustion. This was in no way just his normal level of sacrifice, no, she knew it was deeper and that she had figured out from Sam's compassionate mimics. Maybe something had happened in Wakanda. Something was wrong with Steve Rogers and she prayed he'd be alright now that James was with them. But it was a lame hope because even a best friend could not fix the gaping wounds still tearing the super-soldier's soul apart. A muffled sound made her snap out of her thoughts, made her eyebrows raise when she noticed an incoming call. Making sure none of the others were awake, she took it, whispering replies to the caller.

Steve woke up to the relentless thrumming of rain onto the car's roof and windows. But there was something else he made out, a hushed voice. With the first words, he knew that it was probably not meant for his ears, so he made no signs of waking up. He was aware that eavesdropping always caused trouble, it had eighty-five years ago, when his Ma pulled him away from the kitchen door by the ear, and surely, it hadn't changed since then. Maybe this was just one of the few things that would never change. Like overbearing grandmas. Or secretive spies.
Natasha went on, not aware of her listener.
"As I said. - No, I have them. - I will deliver. - Yes, I'll keep you in the loop. - They don't suspect anything. - Good." She put the phone back into the middle, between Steve's and her seat and he started rubbing his eyes. His heart pounded fast. Would she know? Had she noticed?
"Who was that?", he murmured, but got no answer. Natasha kept her eyes on the road. Was she thinking about what to say? That couldn't be good. Was she keeping something? He prayed she was not, he couldn't deal with any secrets right now.
"Nat?"
"Don't worry. Just have to keep my ears everywhere. Nothing spectacular."
Steve nodded but really hated what was going on. Why did it sound like the spy was hiding something from him? If she needed to communicate with the spy community, he was fine with that, but They don't suspect anything? That didn't sound like a regular exchange of information at all. Who did she mean by They? Steve, Sam and Buck? Or the CIA?
"I heard some of your conversation, you know", Steve decided to confront his friend. Would she try to find an excuse? Would she answer him at all? In the best case scenario, she would share information, who she'd been calling, what was going on or if they had to prepare for worse. He gulped. He knew one thing - dodging answers meant hiding the truth. He couldn't trust her if she did that.
"It's none of your business."
Steve was at a loss of words. Natasha was straight to the point and while he appreciated that she didn't try to make up a lie, this situation shattered him. Either she didn't trust him enough to share the truth with him or - or what? How was he supposed to trust her like this?