I rush up the stairs as quickly as I can, and find S.H.I.EL.D infesting the hallways.I shove past the agents guarding the doors and find Natasha being attended to by two medics.She waves the medics away as I kneel down beside her."You look awful."
"Thank you for that,Steve."
I laugh lowly."Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"You look half dead."
"I'm fine."
I sigh."I'm never going to stop caring about you,Natasha.No matter how far away you push me ,I'll never stop caring."
"Not here."She says.
I help her out of the chair and we walk outside and sit in my car."When are you gonna stop running away from people who care about you?"
She laughs emotionlessly."I can't get near anyone,Steve.I'm a time bomb.Just waiting for the ding to blow up.And when that happens,I don't need the people I actually care about in the middle of that."
"What if those people don't care.What if those people would stick by you,no matter what."
"What ifs are bottomless,Steve.What if pigs had wings,they could fly.What if horses had horns on their foreheads,they'd be unicorns.What if I blow up."She shakes her head."A lot of people get hurt."
"I'm sorry to inform you,Natasha then,because I don't care.Whatever happens to you,I will always be there.And I don't understand why you can't see that."
"Maybe because I don't want to,Steve."
"And why is that."
"Because I cannot be loved."
"Thats what you believe,Natasha!And its not true.Its not.There are people who love you.There are!"
"Tell me who,Steve."
I sit back,knowing I can't tell her.I can't.Not right now,because I know she won't say it back and it will tear me to pieces.Rip me to shreds and feed the remnants of me to a pack of viscious dogs.
"You come to me when you have an answer."
She gets out leaving me in the car and I shake my head."I do,Natasha."