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She liked the comfort that Steve gave her. It was like a warm blanket wrapped around her and a cup of hot cocoa in her hands. And she reveled in it, especially since the snap. They all needed comfort and she hoped she gave as much as she got.
Between all the traveling through time and going to other planets, she never once thought she'd be there for the final fight. But Clint...Clint sacrificed himself for the soul stone and she suddenly had a future ahead of her. But would it have Steve? He'd seen Peggy when he and Tony went to the past.
Would he still want her after seeing the love of his life again?
It settled like a dark cloud over her, that Clint's sacrifice was for nothing, really, until after the final battle. With Tony and Steve seriously injured, she sat by Steve's bed, waiting for him to wake up. It was like deja vu after the helicarrier incident.
His eyes fluttered open and he gave her a smile. "Hey," he said quietly, his voice hoarse from not being used for a few days. She poured him some water and put a straw in it so he could drink it more easily. "How's my girl?"
"I've been worse," she said, hoping that he had meant her.
"Good," he said. "Tony?"
Still in a medically induced coma, but he's better. He lost his arm, though. Bruce is already talking to Shuri about what they can do for him." She sat back down. "Steve...are you going to stay?"
"In the hospital?" he asked, confusion on his face.
"In this time. With us. With me."
It seemed to hit him suddenly, what she was really asking. "You're worried I'll go back to the past, live a life with Peggy."
"Yeah. It's fine if you want to. I have my family, the snap brought everyone back--"
"Nat."
"I'm used to being alone--"
"Nat."
"And I get it, I do, I just--"
"Natasha." She looked over at him, her heart on her sleeve. "Do you know what I want right now?"
"World peace? A new room? More water?" She smiled slightly so he'd know she was joking. It seemed the only way to keep her heart safe in case he said he wanted Peggy.
"Nat…"
"Fine, I give up."
"I want a kiss from my girl. You, in case you misunderstand. And I want you to crawl into this bed so I can hold you and get some real sleep."
She felt a tear come to the corner of her eye but she dashed it away before she stood up and Steve moved over as best he could. She crawled into the hospital bed and once his arms were around her and his nose was nestled in her hair did she feel that comforting feeling again, wrapped around her and through her. The future looked bright indeed.