Eternity

Chapter 13: Monsters sleep inside your head

She ran along beside him as he cleared the way, using his strength to knock their attackers away from them so they could pass. Natasha was fighting her own battles too, fending off any that tried to approach them from behind, weaponless as per orders, until one idiot managed to corner her while her partner was preoccupied with his idiot friend.

The man smirked and grumbled at her in his own tongue, something derogatory if her translation was correct, so she pulled out her concealed gun and shot both his kneecaps, capturing the attention of the room that she was clearly done with this. She pointed the gun threateningly as her and her partner made their escape out into a warehouse close by, remaining out of sight until the coast was clear.

"I thought I told you not to kill anyone?" Steve frowned disapprovingly at her, holstering his shield
on his back as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind them, sealing them safely inside.

"He'll live," she argued defiantly, with a small shrug. "He won't walk for a while, but he will be alive. Anyway, You're welcome for getting you out of there."

He gave a soft chuckle, warm until it continued deeper and harsher and he stepped up to her side and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She frowned at the unusual affection and glanced up, finding that he was now replaced with Alexi.

"Well, at least it worked so I'll let it slide." He smirked down at her, his grip vice like on her arm as he forced her back to a wall. "You never did learn to listen to orders though, did you? Always your own agent."

"You don't know anything. You're dead!" She hissed, trying to push him back.

"You're following after me. You're compromised now, what if they can't fix that? The only option is to eliminate you." His hands where on her throat, tightening so her breathing was struggled and in short gasps. "Hydra doesn't want you, SHIELD doesn't want you. No one does." She kicked and pulled but he never let go, not until she grabbed a knife from her belt and pushed it as deep as she could into his stomach and he stumbled back.

"Nat..." Then it was James, blood spilling from the hand covering his wound she'd created and then from his lips as he coughed and collapsed to the ground. "I was trying to help..."

"James!" She dropped to her knees beside him, trying to shake him awake. "Wake up! C'mon James, you've got to! Wake up! WAKE UP!"

**

She woke quickly, gasping as she gripped the sheets around her urgently and tears streamed down her face before she buried her face into her knees to hide herself form the bright room.

"Miss Romanoff..." Shuri spoke softly, but Natasha quickly shook her head. "You're safe. You're here in Wakanda. How are you feeling?"

Everything was aching. Her head, her body, her heart and soul. Each being beaten in a different way as the memories all pieced themselves together at once, a flash of them that felt like she was reliving every moment of her life endlessly, but in the blink of an eye. Just like a nightmare as they entangled and confused themselves all together.

"Perhaps, it was too much too soon." T'Challa worried, sharing a look with Okoye who gently rubbed Natasha's shoulder lightly in comfort.

"Captain Barnes was beginning to worry me." Shuri admitted, watching the red head claw at her own arms as she made herself into a tight ball, trying to calm down. "I knew Miss Romanoff could take it...I think it's what she would have wanted."