The next day, Natasha woke up feeling much better and very willing to have a good day. She was looking forward to a new mission, to work. It's not her to style be at home resting.
Natasha got up, took a shower, and looked at the clock as she dried her hair. It was still 6:00 in the morning. She brushed her teeth and dressed.
Natasha left the bedroom, and tried not to make a sound to not wake the children. She arrived in the living room and Steve was sleeping on the couch. He's a very big man for a couch. Natasha watched him and concluded that he's a really handsome man.
Steve was shirtless and he was sleeping only with a sheet covering him from the waist down. Natasha looked at the packs on Steve's abdomen and bit her lip. Yeah, I'd marry that abdomen. Natasha thought.
Natasha realized there was someone talking in the apartment, but she didn't know who. By the kind of voice, she assumed it was Sarah. She went back into the hallway and pressed her ear to the door. Sarah was mumbling something and seemed to be crying.
Natasha opened the door.
N: Sarah?
Sarah was in bed, sleeping and fidgeting non-stop. She was almost crying and strengthened to wake up. Natasha approached the bed, crouched next to her, and laid her hand on Sarah's forehead.
N: Sarah... Wake up.
Sarah's eyes narrowed and she was so caught up in the dream that she was sweating. She sighed and opened her eyes slowly and stared at Natasha.
N: Hi... Did you have a nightmare?
Sarah nodded and her eyes were filled with tears. Natasha started to panic, how would she calm her down?
N: Look, I have nightmares too.
Sarah: Do you?
N: Yes.
Sarah: I'm afraid.
N: I don't feel afraid because I remember it's only a dream and dreams can not hurt us. It's not real.
Sarah: I was dreaming with you.
N: With me?
Natasha was surprised. Sarah nodded.
Sarah: You were leaving again. I don't want you to leave.
Sarah let a tear trickle down. Natasha wiped her face.
N: Hey... I'm not going anywhere.
Sarah: Promise?
Natasha nodded. Sarah reached out, asking for Natasha's lap. Natasha got up and looked around.
N: I'll get your stroller.
Natasha went to the door and stopped. She looked again at Sarah, she is so small and so sweet. It was not that hard to give her a lap. It wouldn't hurt. Natasha came back to her and took her in her lap. Sarah hugged her and laid her head on Natasha's shoulder. Natasha didn't know what she felt at that time, she laid her hand on Sarah's back, and that was an incredible and indescribable sensation.
Natasha left the bedroom with Sarah in her lap and led her into the kitchen.
The kitchen is connected with the living room, only a counter separated the environments. Natasha set Sarah on the counter and motioned for her to be silent and pointed at Steve.
Sarah understood and was quiet.
N: What do you want to eat?
Sarah: Doritos.
N: At breakfast?
James woke up and went into the hallway and he saw Sarah with Natasha in the kitchen. Natasha didn't see him, she was looking for things to make breakfast. She was startled when she felt James grab her legs, she even put her hand on the knife for reflection.
N: Ja-James... You scared me. Good Morning.
J: I'm sorry.
N: No, it's okay. Do you know what Sarah eats in the morning?
Sarah: Doritos!
Sarah smiled at James, who smiled back at Sarah and winked.
J: Yeah. Doritos, we eat that every day.
Natasha frowned, but he's bigger than Sarah, so he must be telling the truth. Natasha took a package of Doritos, opened it and set it on the counter. She also put James sitting on the counter, and they both began to devour the Doritos.
After a few minutes Steve woke up, too and he was surprised to see Natasha with the children in the kitchen. Steve got up and Natasha looked at him.
S: Good morning.
N: Good morning.
Natasha couldn't help staring at Steve's body. Steve noticed.
The silence was broken by the children.
J: Good morning, Dad!
S: Good morni...
Steve glanced at Sarah and James, completely smeared with Doritos.
S: Why are you eating this in the morning?
Sarah: Mama gave to us!
J: She gave it!
N: W-well, I gave to you because you said that this was your breakfast! You little rascals!
S: How naughty, James and Sarah! Shame on you, I'm not buying Doritos anymore! Now go to take a shower and get ready for school.
James jumped off the counter, and Natasha helped Sarah to go to the floor. They both ran to their room.
Steve approached the counter.
N: So... Sir, what do you want to eat?
Natasha said playfully.
S: You cooking?
N: Didn't I use to cook?
S: No.
N: So I was just pretending to not know how to cook.
S: I know, but that's okay. I like to do things for you.
Natasha smirked a little. She doesn't do the type that likes the man to do everything for her and Steve knows, but she was different with him.
S: I'm not hungry. In fact, I need to get dressed and leave the kids in school.
N: And, do we have any work?
S: You need to rest.
N: I've rested enough.
S: Alright, you come with me, otherwise you'll end up giving your own way to have a mission.
Steve went to the bedroom, showered, and hurried Sarah and James to get ready.
Sarah: My shu. My shu!
S: James, pick up your books and put them in the backpack.
Natasha watched the scene. James running from side to side. Sarah with her doll shoes in her hand, wanting attention and Steve lost without knowing which of the two to settle first.
Natasha went to Sarah.
N: How about I help you with your "shu"?
Sarah: No, just Dad.
N: Oh yeah? Just dad?
S: She has these things, don't feel bad. Like the food, only you could give it to her.
N: Alright. You need me to help with anything?
S: Just check if James put the book of arts and sciences in his backpack.
Natasha had to grab James by the backpack when he ran by her, because he was electric, running from side to side. She grabbed his backpack and saw that it didn't have any of the books Steve said.
N: There's only one book here and it's math.
S: James! I already asked to you...
J: Dad, wait, I forgot.
James ran into his bedroom and picked up the right books. He handed it to Natasha who put it in the backpack.
Steve stood with Sarah in his lap.
S: Come on.
Natasha took the car keys and threw it to Steve. Steve grabbed the key in the air and looked at Natasha a little surprised. Natasha didn't understand his reaction. She didn't do anything extraordinary.
She really didn't, but Natasha doesn't remember that this was what she and Steve did every morning, get the children ready, and when they were about to leave home, she threw the keys at him.
N: What?
S: Nothing...
Steve and Natasha arrived at school. First they would leave Sarah at the nursery entry.
N: Do I need to get out of the car?
S: No, I can take her there.
Sarah: Come with me, Mama.
N: Okay, I'll go along.
Natasha got out of the car, James grabbed her hand and went down as well. As they walked toward the entrance, all the other mothers looked at Natasha with curiosity, they all knew about the coma and they all hoped that she would never recover, so that Steve would be available.
Natasha noticed the unfriendly looks at her and Steve didn't notice anything. One of the mothers who always flirts with him approached them.
- Good morning, Steve. Good morning, Sarah, James... Natasha... It's good to see you. It doesn't look like she was in the hospital. You still look so... Beautiful.
The woman said, clearly indicating that she was envious of Natasha's appearance, they hoped to see her like a sick person, but Natasha was brand-new.
Natasha didn't smile, she just nodded greeting the woman.
- Steve, I hope you haven't forgotten the parenting meeting tomorrow. I'll take advantage to bring you, your favorite dessert.
The woman said and laid her hand on Steve's arm, and she still squeezed to feel the muscles of his arm, she always does that and Steve thought it was normal.
Natasha just watched the scene. Not that she's jealous of Steve. Not at all, but if he is her husband, he is hers and no other woman has to talk to him, much less touch him like that.
N: What time does she enter?
S: Soon.
The bell rang. Steve put Sarah on the floor, she got in line with the other kids. Before entering the school, she looked back and waved to Natasha, smiling. She was very sweet. Natasha waved back.
N: Now, It's James turn!
Natasha ruffled his hair. They got in the car and Steve left James in his entrance.
Steve and Natasha went to the base of the Avengers. On entering the premises of the building, everyone was watching her and whispering. Natasha didn't mind, this reaction is normal if she was away. Steve went to the command room with her, as he entered the room, he spotted Tony, Bruce, Thor, Clint, Bobbi, Wanda, Vision, Jessica Drew and Carol Danvers.
Natasha only remembered Clint and Bobbi. She knew Tony because he was always on TV, the rest she had no idea who they were.
Tony: Look who's back!
S: Natasha, this is Tony, remember him?
N: The Millionaire from Stark Industries. I know him from TV.
S: This is Wanda and she is married to Vision.
V: Nice to see you again.
N: But what are you?
Natasha frowned to see Vision.
V: I'm an android.
N: And she's married to him? How so?
Natasha was confused.
S: It's a long story, I'll tell you some other day. This is Bruce.
N: Banner? The Hulk?
S: Yes.
N: What is he doing here??
Natasha seemed worried.
S: He's an avenger.
N: He's dangerous! Have you all gone crazy?
S: Natasha... It's okay, he's on medication and your reaction is not quite polite... Anyway this is Carol Danvers and that is Jessica Drew and that one is Thor.
Natasha greeted them, nodding.
S: This is...
N: Clint... Bobbi. How are you?
Natasha smiled to see familiar faces.
C: Good, and you?
N: Well, I guess. What do we have to do?
T: Nothing. You're screwed because of your head, we can't take any chances.
S: Tony!
Bruce: It's true, Steve, it can be dangerous.
N: Look who's talking about danger. That's so funny.
S: I'll take responsibility for her.
N: I don't need a nanny! I don't need neither of you. I am out.
Natasha stormed out of the room. Steve went after her.
S: Nat, wait!
N: What is all this? Seriously, that Tony is an arrogant asshole, I would never agree to work with him. And you have the Hulk in here, what happened to you to trust on him?
S: Tony has changed a lot over the years, he still acts like an idiot sometimes. But I assure you that we are all friends and they want your good.
N: I don't remember having friends.
S: You know you have to try.
N: I don't want to stay here doing nothing.
S: And you want to go where? SHIELD?
Natasha nodded, Steve's gaze indicating that he didn't approve of that idea.
N: I feel weird here, at SHIELD at least, I already know how they work.
S: You left SHIELD for a good reason. I won't stop you from returning, I only worry about your memory.
N: It's just a job. I still live with you, so it would still be stimulating my memory, right? I just need some space, Steve. It's all very confusing for me now.
S: I know, I understand. You can go.
N: I'll see you later.
S: I'll walk you to the exit.
As Natasha and Steve walked through the corridors to leave, they spotted Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes in a kind of fighting center training. They were teaching a group of young men some fighting moves. Natasha recognized Sam from the other night.
Sam noticed Steve and Natasha in the hallway and waved at them. Bucky stared at them too, Steve waved to greet him and he waved back.
Bucky and Natasha just stared at each other for a long time. Natasha does remember Bucky, and all that she reminds about him is that they were very in love with each other.
It had been so long since they had seen each other. Bucky's passion for Natasha was still present, and it was very noticeable in the way he looked at her and that never bother Steve before because Natasha didn't correspond him, but today Steve is watching something different in Natasha's gaze at Bucky and that was a huge problem.