Is This Love?

Chapter 10 - Nightmares

Trigger Warning: Please note that this chapter will have mentions of nightmares, so please skip this chapter if that may be an issue for you. Please remember to put your own mental health first because you are important! Take care!

Nat's POV

We got out of the pool after swimming around for half an hour or so to dry off and take a better look at the event sheet, to try and blend in as much as possible. After looking over the schedule, we decided to get changed into something more comfortable and go and have lunch.

I changed into a navy and pink short flowy dress and left my wet hair to hang naturally at my shoulders. I walked out of the bathroom to find Steve waiting for me on the couch, looking out the window at the bright blue ocean.

I walked out of the bathroom and got his attention immediately. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was checking me out for a split second, but he is Steve, he likes Sharon - I'm just a friend.

Pushing my thoughts away, I followed him out the door, before turning to lock it and then walking over to my bike and mounting it. I donned a helmet and took off down the boardwalk with Steve in tow. I glanced back at him to find him smiling blissfully, he looked so calm and content. Damn, I mean he was always fairly calm and chill even at the Avengers tower, but at the moment he seemed so... laidback and carefree. Not something that Steve was very often.

Before I realized it, I had already arrived at the restaurant and so I parked my bike in the storage area and took off my helmet. Steve pulled in behind me and copied my actions.

"So Natalie Roberts, you ready for lunch?" he asked in a cheeky voice before kissing my cheek. Damn, he really was good at this acting business I thought, trying my hardest not to blush at his touch.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied before pulling away and heading inside to hide my inevitable blush from him.

The restaurant was so cute, it was beach-themed and all of the little decorations were so well-fitting. There were even shell-shaped plates and ornaments! I have no idea what SHIELD told the resort about us, but we were being treated like royalty here. As soon as we arrived we were promptly seated and served all kinds of different traditional foods.

I took a liking to the Saagu Bondibai which is a kind of spongy pudding that was served with lots of fresh tropical fruits. I tasted absolutely amazing. After we finished the three-course meal, I was absolutely stuffed. I was not looking forward to the ride back to the villa and by the look on Steve's face, neither was he.

But we reluctantly stood up anyway and thanked the staff before turning and leaving the restaurant to start our ride back.

Once we arrived back at the villa, I was feeling really tired and a little sick, which was strange considering the Black Widow is rarely tired.

"Well I don't know about you but I think I'm on the verge of a food coma. I honestly think I'm going to take a nap, the jet lag is really starting to get to me." Steve informed before heading to the closet to get some more comfortable clothes to sleep in.

"Yeah, blame it on the jet lag, grandpa" I answered back teasingly. He just rolled his eyes and then shut the door to get changed whilst I got changed in the bathroom as well. I'm not going to lie, a nap sounds really good right about now.

Steve's POV

Once we were ready, I went around the villa shutting all of the curtains, emerging us into darkness. I waited for my eyes to adjust before making my way back to our bed and joined Natasha under the covers.

She bid goodnight to me before rolling over, away from me as her breathing became deep and even. A few minutes later I also drifted off to sleep, emerging myself into darkness.

I was woken again 2 hours later by the sound of ear-bleeding screams. As I woke up properly, I came to the realization that the screams were coming from the person laying next to me. Natasha.

"Nat, Natasha, NATASHA!" I called over and over again trying to shake her awake but to no avail, so I did the only other thing I knew to do in this situation, call Clint. Those two were like siblings, surely he would know what to do.

The phone rang for a few seconds before Clint answered the call.

- During Phone Call -

Clint: Hey Steve, what can I do for you?

Steve: Clint! I think Nat is having a nightmare but no matter what I do she won't wake up.

Clint: Yeah she has them fairly often, though, by the sounds of those screams, it is a pretty bad one. What I need you to do is go and get a glass of cold water and pour it over her head. She will wake up immediately, however, she will be very distressed. I need you to hug her from behind until she completely wakes up and is calm again. Don't come at her from the front until she is calm or she will freak out and probably attack you. Do you understand?

Steve: Yep I'll get on it now, thank you!

- End call -

I ran to the bathroom and grabbed a glass of cold water, running back and carefully pouring it over her head whilst making sure she could still breathe. She sat up immediately and her screams died down and they were replaced by heavy breathing, Clint was not kidding when she said she would wake up immediately.

Following Clint's instructions, I got behind her and hugged her from behind. She was struggling against me, however, I held her firm. Her breathing started slow, which then turned to heart-wrenching sobs. I continued to hold her for another minute or so until I was sure she was calm enough to let go and I turned to face her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she looked as though she had seen a ghost, the poor thing. I wrapped her into a proper embrace this time and she buried her head into my shoulder, her sobs wracking through her whole body.

I lifted my arm and started to rub circles in her back, trying my absolute best to console her. Clint wasn't kidding when he said she would be distressed, goodness. The sight was enough to make my heart ache.