Love Grown Cold

Who Knew We Could Still Live?

6 months later

It had been an interesting six months. Natasha and James, despite HYDRA and the KGB's best efforts, had remained in their apartment together, though remaining in their own respective spaces. They had caught up on everything that had happened to them, from new things they had tasted to the nightmares they both had.

Both of them had become haunted by the things they had done, but somehow the presence of the other person comforted them. Just like tonight.

Natasha was dreaming of a time long past.
"Steve," she whispered, running towards the blonde man. But he didn't seem to recognize her.

"Agent Romanoff." He said, smiling slightly. "Glad to see that you decided to come to Stark Tower. I wasn't sure you would, what with all of your secrets on the internet."

"Steve, don't you recognize me?" Natasha asked, tears coming into her eyes.

He frowned. "Of course I recognize you. You are a member of the Avengers. You and I met a few years ago at the Battle of New York."

Natasha's face fell and she could feel tears streaming down her face. "No Steve! From before! The Howling Commandos remember?!" She was sobbing now and Steve looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know what you're talking about Natasha. There's no way we knew each other in the forties. Bucky and I are the only people from then that are this young."

Natasha was becoming hysterical and fell to the ground, sobbing.

Steve walked over. "Natasha, Natasha wake up. Natasha it's just a dream."

Natasha woke with a start to see James standing over her, looking worried. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his bare chest.

He sat down on the bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her, gently resting his chin on her head as she began sobbing. "What happened?" He asked.

"I saw Steve. He didn't remember me, growing up together. He said that he met me through some things called the Avengers. I just..." She broke down again.

He held her and after a while, she finally fell asleep, still clutching him with a death grip. He smiled a little. The same had happened whenever she stayed with him as a kid and had nightmares. She would cry for a while and then fall asleep still holding onto him. And just like always, he laid back with her still in his arms and fell asleep.

Natasha woke the next morning feeling more rested than she ever had. She turned over and found James staring into her eyes.

"Mornin' sunshine." He said, kissing the top of her nose.

"Morning," she said, snuggling into him. "What time is it?"

"'Bout nine." He said.

She bolted up. "Really? I can't believe I slept so long!"

James languidly propped himself up on one elbow. "Don't worry.  We don't have anything going today."

Natasha smiled and slipped back into his arms with a sigh. "I guess." He smiled and pulled her close, burying his face in her hair.

"You always smell nice." He mumbled into her hair.

She laughed a little. "Sure I do." She gently traced one of the scars on his chest, a light one, barely visible. Except that she remembered when he got it. It had been back during the war. He had been protecting her because she had dislocated his ankle and a HYDRA agent had cut him with a knife.

James just smiled and pulled her close. "I don't know about you," he whispered against her ear. "But I'm having pancakes this morning."

She giggled and they both got up. "Don't have anything going today huh?" She teased.

He didn't answer, just dragged her into his arms and kissing her passionately. "I meant HYDRA didn't have anything for us to do."

She smiled and kissed his neck, causing him to gasp and pull her closer. "But I do." She whispered, pushing him into the bed and running out of the room laughing.

He chuckled and followed her into the kitchen, where she had already started making the pancake mix. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck a few times before reaching around her and helping her with the pancakes.
*
James chuckled at the irony later in the afternoon. After remembering his past, he had never thought he would have anything close to being normal again. But here he was, a super assassin, waiting for his super assassin girlfriend to pick a few new outfits.

Natasha commented on that later that afternoon. "I can't believe that we're doing this." She said to James later that afternoon as they walked out of the store.

"Doing what?" He asked, knowing perfectly well what she was talking about.

"Doing something normal. It's just interesting." But she was smiling as she said it.

That evening when they got home, they settled down on the couch and began watching a TV show.

"James?" She asked quietly. He turned his head towards her.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the best day ever." They both smiled as he pulled a blanket over the two of them and they fell asleep.
*
Ok so this was just a little bit of fluff before the big bad happens😬. Don't worry, winterwidow is happening, but we're going to have to go through some more stuff before then. Thanks for reading and I'll try to get the next chapter soon!!