Love Grown Cold

Friendly Threats and Eager Soldiers

The next several days flew by for Natasha. There seemed to be one mission after another so for four days they didn't even go back to camp, just slept and ate on whatever plane or truck they were on.

"Ugh," Dum Dum complained on the fourth day. "I'm really too old for this."

"Uh-huh," Natasha said, unconvinced. "What are you, twenty-seven?"

"That is not the point." He protested. "It doesn't matter what age I am, it's the fact that these continual missions are aging me! Pretty soon there won't be a girl in the world that'll look at me except for little old grandmothers, cause that's how old I'm going to look!"

The others watched the banter between Natasha and Dum Dum in amused silence.

"Well that's too bad, with that party coming up." Natasha said slyly. "Looks like you're not going to be able to go. It'll be time for you to go to sleep, Gramps."

The others laughed uproariously at the annoyed look on Dum Dum's face.

"I didn't say I would be that old by then! I said I was going to ... oh never mind!" Dum Dum threw his hands in the air as he realized the others were laughing too hard to care what he said.

"Much as I hate to agree with Mr. Grumpy Pants," Gabe said, smirking at his friend. "It will be nice to take a break."

"Have an actual shower." Bucky agreed. The boys eyed him askance, but Natasha nodded.

"Aye, that it will. And get out of this stuffy old truck." Natasha stretched her legs slightly and smiled.

"Have a decent meal." Frenchie added, eyeing the not quite edible looking food he was holding. There was a loud chorus of agreement on that front.

"It'll be nice to actually have a bed to sleep in too." Steve added. Natasha looked at him sympathetically. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. She and Bucky tried to keep the strain off of him, but there was only so much that they could do.

"I think that we can all agree that we are sick of this truck." Monty called from the driver's seat.

"No kidding," Jim muttered, attempting to stretch some cramped muscles, but only succeeding in kicking Dum Dum, who glared at him. "Oops." Jim said with a shrug, not really all that sorry.

Before things could escalate as they were sure to do between the two tired soldiers, Monty called out "There it is!" causing everyone to scramble to get a look.

And there it was. The base. Their "home away from home". And none of them had been so happy to see it before now. There was a lot of whooping and hollering and all of the commandos except for Steve, Natasha, Bucky, and Monty, leaped from the truck as it was moving and ran for the camp, eager to be out of the truck and happy to be back.

By the time the truck pulled up, the other Howling Commandos were getting a hero's welcome, as well as severely berated by the nurses and doctors, annoyed that they would have to patch up these reckless fools again but still happy to see them. Almost as soon as they left the truck, Peggy whisked Natasha off to Natasha's barracks to get her cleaned up and learn the latest gossip from the boys.

"Well?" Peggy demanded after Natasha had showered and changed, feeling much better already.

"Well what?" Natasha asked, refusing to open discussion.

Peggy rolled her eyes. "Have you told Sergeant Barnes how you feel yet?"

"Peeggyyy," Natasha groaned. "No I haven't told him. I told you I don't want to get my heart broken. Getting involved with James seems like the quickest way of doing it."

"Maybe," Peggy said, unconvinced. "But have you also considered that he would never want to hurt you? He's your best friend. He wants to keep you protected and safe."

"That's the other thing. How would I know he genuinely like me? What if he was just being nice?"

Peggy sighed. "I think that you're just going to have to take a risk, Natasha. Barnes is a good guy, and I think you two would work well together."

"But..."

"But nothing." Peggy insisted. "Wait until the dance of you like, but after that, I will tell him if you won't."

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me!" Peggy laughed. "But seriously. You have until the dance and after that the commandos and I will take over."

"No pressure." Natasha muttered, but she smiled slightly at her friend's threats, ones that she knew would be carried out if so desired.

"Fine," Natasha conceded. "I'll tell him at the dance."

"Good!" Peggy clapped her hands together, thrilled. "This is all going to turn out well, Natasha. I know it!" And on that note, she left Natasha, who stared at the door for a while afterwards.

"Will it though?" She asked herself.