Sat-Sun: All Day, but generally 11am-12pm (really whenever I fully wake up-)
Blog Info:
đž Set in the MCU đž
Same mun as @definitely-not-ira & @the-squirreliest-girl
Due to currently unknown reasons, Natasha woke up in an empty field several years after her death. Not remembering anything, nor how she got there, Natasha wandered the countryside until she was taken in by an old woman (named Edith) who owns a small farm in Upstate NY. Slowly regaining her memories, Nat finally reached back out to the Avengers and was quickly welcomed home.
//... no it's not Edith Barton, I forgot there was already an Edith in the MCU-
Natasha still suffers momentary lapses in her memory and keeps a small diary to write down important dates, names, or information. She refuses to discuss it with anyone, but Clint has coaxed her into at least letting the team know of its existence.
Natasha is not actively dating anyone, but does flirt from time to time (See boundaries!). Despite arguing she was ready, the team refuses to let her on high-profile missions until she has fully adjusted.
//While this is set somewhat in the MCU timeline, I am futzing it to a time when the Avengers are fully formed.
Spotify Playlist!
Friends, Family, Other | Frequent Blogs
Friend/Little Spider - @smarterthantonystark
Open RPs:
"No Longer a Ghost"
"The Not so Silence of Home"
"Losing Hold"
"Web of Lies (Red Room AU / Evil Natasha)"
"Trapped Below"
Tags:
#MissionBrief - Asks
#ClassifiedContent - Anon Ask
#natasha-the-widow - Any posts
#ooc - out of character
#//- Mun message
Boundaries:
Blogs who break these boundaries will be promptly blocked.
OKAY
- Asks / submissions! ( Anons welcome! It's best if you add an emoji indicator if you intend to chat more than once! )
- Roleplay ( Please mark if so & use //ooc if out of character )
- Fanart
- @ for Open RPs or message chains ( if we've talked before )
Please @ me on your open RPs!!!
- Multiverse, Comics, & OCs are welcome!
IT DEPENDS / ASK
- DMs ( Only if we are mutuals, have talked before, or I reach out. DMs are strictly 16+ but 18+ is preferred. )
*Note: if you need to clarify my boundaries or ask a quick question, it's okay if we haven't met.
- Bringing in other blogs ( Please ask / let both of us know [ via an @ or DM ] before doing so. )
- Multi-Blog RP ( Please DM so we can coordinate first )
- Heavier topics ( Preferably add trigger warnings, please. )
I will also TW my open RPs, but I can't always catch all of them!
- Minor Romance/Shipping ( i.e. flirting, brief SFW contact ) is okay, but we must have an established relationship & you must be 18+
This means we've talked before + I am sent a DM/warned prior to the situation
- OC Children/Siblings/Relations to Natasha ( Please send me a DM with a backstory if you'd like a pre-existing relationship )
NOT ALLOWED
- Explicit NSFW
Specifically sexual content.
- Graphic major heavy topics such as su//ide
That one in particular is triggering for Mun
Brief references to said topics are usually okay, but will be treated in a case by case basis (i.e. I will most likely DM if uncomfortable)
- Rudness, Harrassment, Bullying
- Any of the phobias or isms ( racism, homophobia, abelism, antisemitism, etc )
// Hey everyone! Mun here. (getting tired of me yet?)
Status Update - Inactive
Due to my summer job, I will be in almost total inactivity until mid August.
Why do I say almost?
There is a chance I will respond to the odd RP here and there when time allows. However, I will be working long hours and will likely use that time to fully decompress instead of keeping up with tumblr.
Side note for August:
Unfortunately, I am also moving states in August so I will send a new update when that time rolls around.
Thank you everyone for sticking with me through my busy life. See you in August!
Katie wasn't even sure when it started. Or why she never told anyone about it. She knew there were people who cared about her, she had a loving family, and they would do anything to protect her, yet here she was. It was her fault, she was the one who let it get this far. Maybe she should've told her dad the first time it happened, or broken it off, or done something instead of just sitting there and taking it. Or maybe this would still be happening even if she told someone, this is what she deserved wasn't it? That's what Chris always said, that all of this was her fault, everything that happened was her fault. And it wasn't like it was all bad, Chris loved her, he made her happy. She just needs to do better. That's all. They've been together for 8 months now and she's happy. So what if she has to hide some bruises from everyone. It's not that big of a deal. She'll do better and then this won't happen. Katie just sighs to herself as she finishes hiding the bruise on her cheek with make up.
Natasha sighs, knowing she's not getting through to the young adult anytime soon. She takes a brief moment to pull her emotions back before continuing.
"We'll figure it out. Together. You don't need to deal with this alone, Katie. Why don't we go get some ice and you can either talk or we'll just sit in silence, that sound okay?"
"Katie. You always have the choice. If you chose things as they are, then so be it. But that doesn't mean the option to at the very least take a break isn't there."
Natasha walks her to the kitchen, knowing Katie isn't the most comfortable in the med bay. She would prefer getting the young adult scanned for injuries, but can't risk Katie closing herself off again.
"Go ahead and sit down. I'll grab you something cold for the swelling."
Nat opens the freezer and pulls out a bag of frozen peas. She pulls a tea cloth out of a drawer and wraps the bag before handing it to Katie.
"I know you don't like it Tasha, but it wasn't like Chris was beating me black and blue. But fine, I will, but just for the record I'm doing this against my will." Katie attempts to joke but it falls flat even to. her own ears.
Natasha appears completely unimpressed, her mouth in a tight line.
"That doesn't make any of this better."
She sighs, sitting down beside Katie. Natasha stays quiet for a long moment, trying to carefully choose her words.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but I need you to understand this kind of thing only gets worse. You don't have to break it off, but you need to confront him. And I can help you do so if that's what you need to get it done."
âI justâŠugh this is hard. I donât want to talk to him, heâs not really wrong you know, sure itâs not the best way but he only hurts me when I do something wrong. And itâs been months, itâll be so weird if I suddenly bring this up.â
Natasha's voice drops low as she turns to face Katie. Months. That only makes her skin crawl more. She should have realized this sooner.
"None of this is your fault. He has no right to lay a hand on you, even if you think you've messed something up. I need you to understand that what he's doing is wrong. There's no justification for it."
She sighs, putting a gentle hand on Katie's shoulder.
"I don't care if it's been months, hell even if it was years. We are putting a stop to this now."
Katie nods, over the months sheâs been trying to excuse everything that happened, but now that sheâs forced to confront it she knows that this isnt ok.
âOk, ya, heâll listen. He loves me, itâll be fine. Right?â
âYa, itâll be fine. I should call him right? Talk to him?â Katie looks at Natasha with a scared look in her eyes. Even though she thinks that Chris loves her, she really doesnât want to make him mad.
âOk, ya.â Katie takes a deep breath before picking up her phone, and calling Chris.
Hey babe, whatâs up? Chris asks as the phone connects. Katie smiles softly at the softness in his voice. He was always nice to her except when she messed up, it was hard to think that he wanted to hurt her.
âHey, hi. Um nothing much. Well no, umm I wanted to talk to you?â Katie looks over at Natasha panicking, she has no idea what to do.
Nat gently squeezes her shoulder, nodding silently. She's prepared to step in at a moments notice, but wants Katie to handle this on her own as much as possible. Chris could get defensive if he knew Natasha was aware of the situation.
So thatâs what this is about? Katie I donât want to hit you, you know that. It hurts me more than it hurts you when stuff like this happens, but it wouldnât happen if you donât push me! Chris exclaims and Katie looks down, she knew it, thatâs why she didnât want to tell anyone, it was her fault, because he was dumb enough to do stupid shit.
âIâŠIâŠâ Katie stutters out not sure what to do.
Nat was close enough to hear him, and something snaps inside of her. His words hit a very specific nerve of hers.
"You don't get to speak to her like that."
Nat suddenly raises her voice so Chris can hear. She keeps her tone collected, but there's a dangerous edge to her words.
"Katie. None of this is your fault, it never was. You're strong. Don't let him try to take that away from you."
Her voice quickly softens as she addresses Katie, taking the phone and placing it on the counter on speakerphone. She gently holds both of Katie's hands to ground her.
Katie why do you have me on speaker right now? Come on this is a private conversation, we can talk later when it's just the two of us ok? Maybe you can come over right now and we can talk. You know I don't want to hit you.
"You lost the right to a private conversation the moment you hurt her. If you're upset... I frankly don't care."
Natasha stays firm, checking to see Katie's reaction to all of this. She wasn't letting her do this alone, not anymore.
"If you want to meet with him, we can set up a meet in a public location. But, I'm coming with you no matter what he says."
Nat slips into a mission-oriented mindset, quickly running possibilities to make sure Katie stays safe. She wasn't going to give Chris any room to get out of this.
"I...I...I don't know, Nat I...fuck...um...should I see him?" Katie mumbles looking at Natasha with scared eyes. She knew Chris was going to be pissed and the thought of seeing him scared her.
Katie come on, you don't need permission to see your boyfriend. It's me, you love me Katie, and I love you. You know this.
Natasha keeps her expression soft, not letting Katie see the anger bubbling in the back of her mind. The longer Chris spoke, the more she wanted to end this now... but Katie made it clear she wasn't ready to break it off.
She glances at the phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing her gaze before she pulls it back. Nat adjusts her jaw for a moment before quietly adding on.
"I think deep down you know what my answer will be."
âI donât wanna see himâ Katie whispers, she can hear Chris on the phone trying to get Katie to talk to him but she barely registers it. Sheâs shocked with herself because in all the time she has been dating Chris, she has never not wanted to see him, or maybe sheâs just never realized thatâs an option.
Natasha replies simply, hanging up the phone without another word to Chris. She'd deal with him later, right now Katie needs her full attention. Natasha very gently pulls the young adult closer, leaving her room to move out of it if she wants.
âHow do you know that? I messed everything up, how is anything supposed to be ok now?â Katie whispers still crying her eyes out and tightening her grip around Natasha.
Natasha carefully lowers Katie to the ground, keeping a firm arm on her back. She shifts so Katie can comfortably lean into her as she responds in a soft voice.
"Because if there's anything I know, it's people. Messy or not, you did what needed to be done. Sometimes you have to make hard calls."
Nat very quietly sighs, leaning her head against the counter.
"It may not feel like it right now, but things will work themselves out in time."
Katie tucks herself into Natashaâs arms, trying to hide herself in them. She had calmed down a bit but everything still felt overwhelming and scary.
âBut what if he breaks up with me? Or what if he still doesnât stop? He didnât say he was going to stop. I donât know what Iâm going to do it Nat. Everything is so complicated and I hate it.â
Nat asserts, her words a not-so-hidden threat. She doesn't comment on the first question, silently hoping he does. It would make things better for everyone.
âI guess. I couldnât have done it without you. Thank you. Even though I hate it, I know what Chris has been doing is not ok. Some part of me has always known I just didnât want to accept it, cause I didnât want to lose him.â
Open rp!! Anyone can interact! Please do so! Especially if we havenât before!!
Au where Emilia escaped instead of being rescued!! Emilia is 16 in this RP
A small break from the rp series
Emilia didnât exactly plan to leave. She wasnât really left with a choice in the end. It was either leave or die to her motherâs experiments. No one paid too much attention toward Emilia in the end. She was dying anyway, too weak to actually do anything, so they thought
She healed up pretty well when she left. Turns out that a couple of days without constant poking and prodding actually does some good.
Emilia didnât really have a plan when she got out. Only to find someone to help, that was it. Thatâs all she needed. She ended up at a corner store, seeing people on the front page of a newspaper with the word âhelpâ in the headline. They look familiar but sheâs not sure how. She talks to the clerk, demanding to know who they are and how to find them.
âââââ
She bangs on the glass doors of avengers tower, trying to get the attention of literally anyone. âExcuse me! I need to speak with someone here! Someone help!â
Extra points if ur character knew Emilia in Hydra THE ANGST
Natasha lets out a long sigh as she hears the banging, gently putting the mug she was drinking from down. She waits a few seconds, groaning softly when it doesn't stop. Nat walks to the entrance, fully prepared to tell this person off.
"Look, if you don't-"
Her annoyance is almost immediately drained when she realizes it's a teenager. Natasha moves to open the door, keeping her composure calm and unreadable despite the concern growing in her chest.
Emiliaâs eyes are wide with fear, brimming with tears, sheâs pale, bruises and a barely visible hydra mark on her arm. She presses the front page of the newspaper up to the glass doors, an action shot of the avengers, some headline about being safe âyou help people? Yes?â She says with a small hint of Russian accent
She hesitates for a brief moment, but hides it under her usual unreadable expression. The Avengers were originally formed to help people... what actually happens didn't matter right now.
"We do our best."
Natasha quickly catalogs Emilia's injures, making a metal note to bring her to the medical wing when she gets a chance.
Emilia nods, her eyes darling around as if waiting for someone to pop out and take her back to the base. She fidgets with her hoodie sleeve, pulling it down to try and hide her mark.
Natasha slowly opens her eyes, pain radiating through her chest. At first everything is just a sea of grey as dust swirls around and tries to choke her. Nat slowly attempts to push herself to her feet, only to be stopped by a large pillar pinning her down. ...That would explain why every breath sends a shot of pain through her lungs and torso.
She manages to yank an arm out of the grip of the concrete and activates her communicator. Suppressing a coughing fit, Natasha does her best to not sound terrified.
"If this is your idea of a simple reconnaissance mission, we're not putting you in charge again." Natasha sighs, wincing as it sends another spike of pain into her chest. "Im trapped... Could really use some help."
"Tasha, where are you? Fuck, this is not how I expected my first mission to go. And it's not my fault this happened." Katie's frantically going in the direction where she last saw Natasha.
Natasha suddenly starts coughing but quickly pulls herself together long enough to attempt to reassure the young adult. She forgot Katie wasn't used to her snarky remarks on field like the rest of the team was.
"And it's not- I should have noticed the damn place was rigged."
âOk Iâm coming, Iâm coming. Just like stay still and keep talking.â Katie rushes over to where Natasha was and gasps.
âOh my God, oh my God,â Katie had no idea what to do, she knows she needs to get her out but she has no clue how.
Natasha does her best to stay still despite the adrenaline rushing through her, but can't seem to find the extra energy to say much else.
When Katie gets there she does her best to smile, trying to make things seem less dire. Nat hated the fact that Katie had to see her like this... and on her first mission as well.
"If you have some sort of hidden ability, now would really be the time to reveal it-"
Nat jokes lightly, trying to not let Katie see how much pain she was in right now.
âNope, Iâm unfortunately human, god maybe I shouldâve gone and get bit by a radioactive spider of some shit like Peter. Ok, ok we need to get you out of here.â
When she chuckles softly at Katie's remark, her lungs feel like they're constricting. Natasha coughs and gasps for air, wincing as the movement sends more pain through her.
"Ok nope, nope you're not allowed to laugh or move or do anything. You're just going to stay there while I get you out of there. Ok, ok I got this, I can figure this out." Katie looks around when he sees a piece of broken metal and rushes over to it and grabs it, hoping she'll be able to use it as a lever.
Natasha manages to get the coughing under control after a great deal of effort, but she still can't seem to get anything more than shallow breaths.
"Emergency services should... here soon."
Nat ignores Katie's request for her to stay silent, worrying that she might get herself hurt if she tries this alone. Each word is becoming a struggle, but Natasha is too stubborn to let that stop her.
Nat can't hide the snark in her voice as she forces out the words. She really wished Katie would wait for some sort of help, but couldn't really argue with that comment. She wasn't mad at Katie, just the situation, but her annoyance slips through regardless.
Natasha tilts her head to look at Katie, mentally preparing for the pain that's sure to worsen if she moves.
âOk, ok Iâm sorry, I know itâs going to hurt but I canât think of anything else right now.â Kati takes a deep breath and puts all her strength in moving the pillar, it barely moves at first but she changes her angle and is finally moves.
Natasha nods, shifting herself into a better position despite how heavy her limbs felt. By some miracle, the unstable rubble shifting causes the pillar to roll off her chest and land further into the wreckage. Nat suddenly lets out a cry of pain as a piece of rebar is pulled from her side at the movement.
"Shit!" She takes in a strained breath before quickly softening her tone. "Katie?"
âOmg, omg are you okay. Fuck! Iâm sorry!â Katie rushes over to Natashaâs side and gasps as she sees how bad she looks, her hands hovering on top of Natasha, not wanting to hurt her more.
Natasha tries to focus on Katie, her vision a little blurry. She gently takes the young adults hands and pushes them into her side. Nat winces terribly at the touch but doesn't let go.
"Keep pressure o- on that, alright? I trust you to not let me bleed out, Katie."
She finally lays her head back, closing her eyes and trying to conserve what little energy she still has. Her breathing improves somewhat now that the weight is gone, but it's still raspy and shallow.
"Ya, Ya I can do that. But you have to stay awake Nat, just keep talking to me. Open your eyes please." Katie begs as she presses down on the wound hoping to slow the bleeding.
"Tasha please, you just need to stay awake till backup gets here, they should be getting here soon."
Nat slowly reopens her eyes despite how heavy her eyelids felt. She focuses in on the pain in her side, trying to use that to keep her awake.
"You're doing great, Katie. Take a breath, a little thing like this won't take me down."
Even gravely injured, she can't help but worry about her friend. Katie shouldn't have to see her like this. Natasha gingerly tilts her head towards Katie, struggling to concentrate on the young adult's face as her eyes unfocus.
"I know... I know... I'm just- adrenalines wearing off."
âNat please just little longer, and then you can sleep as soon as we get you medical treatment. Just a little longer.â
Katie doesnât know what to do, all she knew was that she couldnât let Natasha fall asleep.
âKatie? Katie where are you guys?â Tonyâs voice comes through the communicator.
âDad! Weâre here in the lower levels please hurry, Natashaâs really hurt.â Katie cries out glad that help is coming.
âTasha theyâre here, youâre going to be fine. The team is here itâs going to be ok.â
Natasha does her best to stay still as he works, curling up slightly as she starts to cough again. She suddenly reaches out reflexively towards Katie as if that would help her.
Nat tightens her grip on Katie to the point her nails unintentionally dig into the young adults skin. It's honestly shocking she's managing to respond to anything like this. She covered in a thick layer of dust, her face is unnaturally pale, and she can barely look at either of them as her eyes remain half-closed.
Natasha grunts to confirm she heard what Tony said, stiffening slightly as he lifts her up. She rapidly loosens her grip on Katie as her body finally starts shutting down.
"T- Tony?" Natasha's voice is practically a whisper. "Don't let her see..."
As she finishes, her head lolls towards Tony's chest. Nat's body slowly relaxes as she blacks out, trusting him to get all of them to safety.
âNat? Nat! Omg omgâ Katie starts speaking as she starts following her dad out of.
âSweetheart itâs going to be ok.â Tony says as he quickens his place, he wants to just wrap Katie in his arms to protect her but right now he needs to make sure that Natasha gets the medical attention she needs.
As they finally make it outside, Tony is rushed by a paramedic. He gives Natasha one look before calling out to his team to get a gurney. The paramedic gently takes her wrist to check for a pulse as he addresses Tony.
âShe has a deep laceration, as well as possible broken bones. Iâm not sure if thereâs anything else, but she mightâve hit her head as well.â
Tony says before turning towards Katie, whoâs frozen a few steps behind, terrified for Natasha.
âKatie itâs going to be ok, sheâs going to be fine.â
Tony says as he pulls her into his arms so that she canât see Natasha in this state.
âSheâs hurt, god dad what if something happens?â
Katie nods as tears starts streaming down her face.
âWe need to go to the hospital. Dad we need to go.â
âYa, weâre going I just need you to calm down a little ok? Letâs go.â
Tony has already let the armor disassemble and guides Katie towards one of the cars so they can go to the hospital.
Natasha's in surgery for hours, time moving slow as the uncertainty of her state hangs in the air. After what seems like forever, a nurse walks over.
"She's stable at the moment, but still unconscious. We have her resting in the ICU to keep an eye on her condition. We'd like to keep her here for several days given the extent of her injuries."
"She's stable, that's all we can really hope for. As for her waking up, it's tough to say at this point in time. She suffered some pretty serious injuries."
The nurse quietly sighs, noticing Katie's discomfort.
Katie nods as she takes a deep breath and readies herself. She doesnât want to see Natasha like this but thereâs no way sheâs leaving her alone in the hospital.
The nurse nods, leading the two of them through the ICU doors and to Natasha's room. She pauses to make sure Katie really wanted this before opening the door.
Natasha is lying completely still on the hospital bed, hooked up to several machines that fill the room with rhythmic beeping. Her entire chest is bandaged, rising and falling gently with the assistance of a ventilator. Nat's eyes are closed, and if it wasn't for the medical devices, she almost looks... peaceful.
The nurse steps to the side to check her vitals, giving Katie and her dad space.
"Nat" Katie whispers as she slowly walks over to her bedside and takes her hand in her own as tears start streaming down her face. She hates this. Natasha looks almost peaceful but that doesn't help Katie feel better because of the machine's she's surrounded by.
"I can't believe this is happening. This wasn't how today was supposed to go."
Natasha doesn't react to Katie's touch. No gentle squeeze of assurance she would have normally given. Just... stillness.
Tony pulls a chair up behind Katie, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He's close to tears himself, but he's doing his best to keep himself together for Katie.
"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. This sort of thing could have happened with any one of us."
"But it didn't, it happened with me. Probably because she was too distracted taking care of me." Katie lets out a sigh, and just stares at Natasha's face.
"I get the sentiment, kid, but that could take quite a while."
Tony sighs.
"I already have JARVIS running facial recognition on security footage and compiling information on the building and its operations."
He glances over at Natasha as he talks, pausing suddenly. Tony covers his mouth for a moment to hide the tears that sneak past his false-composure. When he's sure they stopped, he continues.
"I'll get the entire team on this, okay? They won't get far. I promise."
Katie nods not taking her eyes off Natasha. She hates this, hates that Natashaâs in pain and there is nothing she can do about it. Katie isnât sure how long she has been sitting there but soon enough her eyes start getting heavy, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up to her as she falls asleep in the chair, still holding onto Natashaâs hand.
When Katie starts to drift off, Tony decides to head back to the Tower to lead the charge on finding the person responsible for all of this. He lets the nurses know Katie's still in with Natasha before leaving, looking back one last time to make sure Katie is secure.
It takes close to an entire day before Natasha's hand suddenly twitches as the monitor picks up a rising heart rate. Her eyes remain closed, but her head gently shifts closer to Katie as if she could feel her presence.
Hey eyes slowly flicker open, but they lack the usual sparkle Natasha has. She sluggishly looks around the room, the heart monitor suddenly spiking. Nat wasn't sure where she was, and the machines hooked up to her left her on edge.
In her disorientation, Natasha barely registers Katie beside her but tightens her grip on the young adult's hand. Something about her felt safe.
A nurse rushes in, imeditaly moving towards the hospital bed.
"Ma'am, I need you to calm down. I'm going to remove your breathing tube so you're more comfortable, okay?"
Natasha coughs for several seconds when it's taken out, closing her eyes to will her brain to wake up. When she reopens them, her eyes fall on the young adult beside her. Nat's voice is raspy as she quietly addresses her.
Nat whispers in confirmation, a small smile forming on her lips. She weakly runs her thumb over Katie's hand to comfort her. Even in her less than lucid state, Natasha feels a need to comfort her. She looks Katie up and down for a moment before speaking very softly.
âNah, Iâm good. Except for the heart attack you gave me. Youâre not allowed to get hurt ever again.â Katie says trying to steady her voice and stop crying. She needed to be strong for Natasha right now, she can continue her little breakdown on her own time.
She lets out a quiet chuckle that swiftly morphs into wheezing. The nurse carefully places an oxygen mask over Natasha's face before returning to monitoring vitals to give the two of them some semblance of privacy. Nat gives Katie's hand a gentle squeeze when she notices how torn up the young adult looks.
"I'm going to be okay, Katie. I've fought literal aliens, a little... explosion won't keep me down for long."
As she wakes up more, Nat slowly regains some of her usual snark.
Katie smiles softly at Natashaâs response, glad to see her coming back to normal.
âYa I know, youâre going to bed fine. Itâs justâŠyou scared meâŠa lot. I didnât know what was happening or what to do, but it doesnât matter as long as youâre safe everything is ok.â
"You don't have to apologize, it wasn't your fault. And all I did was try and not have a panic attack. Thanks though." Katie smiles as she tightens her grip on Natasha's hand.
"I was the senior on the field. It's my job to notice things before they blow up. Katie, it was your first time on mission and you still managed to keep me alive until backup arrived. I'd say that's something to be proud of."
Katie wasn't even sure when it started. Or why she never told anyone about it. She knew there were people who cared about her, she had a loving family, and they would do anything to protect her, yet here she was. It was her fault, she was the one who let it get this far. Maybe she should've told her dad the first time it happened, or broken it off, or done something instead of just sitting there and taking it. Or maybe this would still be happening even if she told someone, this is what she deserved wasn't it? That's what Chris always said, that all of this was her fault, everything that happened was her fault. And it wasn't like it was all bad, Chris loved her, he made her happy. She just needs to do better. That's all. They've been together for 8 months now and she's happy. So what if she has to hide some bruises from everyone. It's not that big of a deal. She'll do better and then this won't happen. Katie just sighs to herself as she finishes hiding the bruise on her cheek with make up.
Natasha sighs, knowing she's not getting through to the young adult anytime soon. She takes a brief moment to pull her emotions back before continuing.
"We'll figure it out. Together. You don't need to deal with this alone, Katie. Why don't we go get some ice and you can either talk or we'll just sit in silence, that sound okay?"
"Katie. You always have the choice. If you chose things as they are, then so be it. But that doesn't mean the option to at the very least take a break isn't there."
Natasha walks her to the kitchen, knowing Katie isn't the most comfortable in the med bay. She would prefer getting the young adult scanned for injuries, but can't risk Katie closing herself off again.
"Go ahead and sit down. I'll grab you something cold for the swelling."
Nat opens the freezer and pulls out a bag of frozen peas. She pulls a tea cloth out of a drawer and wraps the bag before handing it to Katie.
"I know you don't like it Tasha, but it wasn't like Chris was beating me black and blue. But fine, I will, but just for the record I'm doing this against my will." Katie attempts to joke but it falls flat even to. her own ears.
Natasha appears completely unimpressed, her mouth in a tight line.
"That doesn't make any of this better."
She sighs, sitting down beside Katie. Natasha stays quiet for a long moment, trying to carefully choose her words.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but I need you to understand this kind of thing only gets worse. You don't have to break it off, but you need to confront him. And I can help you do so if that's what you need to get it done."
âI justâŠugh this is hard. I donât want to talk to him, heâs not really wrong you know, sure itâs not the best way but he only hurts me when I do something wrong. And itâs been months, itâll be so weird if I suddenly bring this up.â
Natasha's voice drops low as she turns to face Katie. Months. That only makes her skin crawl more. She should have realized this sooner.
"None of this is your fault. He has no right to lay a hand on you, even if you think you've messed something up. I need you to understand that what he's doing is wrong. There's no justification for it."
She sighs, putting a gentle hand on Katie's shoulder.
"I don't care if it's been months, hell even if it was years. We are putting a stop to this now."
Katie nods, over the months sheâs been trying to excuse everything that happened, but now that sheâs forced to confront it she knows that this isnt ok.
âOk, ya, heâll listen. He loves me, itâll be fine. Right?â
âYa, itâll be fine. I should call him right? Talk to him?â Katie looks at Natasha with a scared look in her eyes. Even though she thinks that Chris loves her, she really doesnât want to make him mad.
âOk, ya.â Katie takes a deep breath before picking up her phone, and calling Chris.
Hey babe, whatâs up? Chris asks as the phone connects. Katie smiles softly at the softness in his voice. He was always nice to her except when she messed up, it was hard to think that he wanted to hurt her.
âHey, hi. Um nothing much. Well no, umm I wanted to talk to you?â Katie looks over at Natasha panicking, she has no idea what to do.
Nat gently squeezes her shoulder, nodding silently. She's prepared to step in at a moments notice, but wants Katie to handle this on her own as much as possible. Chris could get defensive if he knew Natasha was aware of the situation.
So thatâs what this is about? Katie I donât want to hit you, you know that. It hurts me more than it hurts you when stuff like this happens, but it wouldnât happen if you donât push me! Chris exclaims and Katie looks down, she knew it, thatâs why she didnât want to tell anyone, it was her fault, because he was dumb enough to do stupid shit.
âIâŠIâŠâ Katie stutters out not sure what to do.
Nat was close enough to hear him, and something snaps inside of her. His words hit a very specific nerve of hers.
"You don't get to speak to her like that."
Nat suddenly raises her voice so Chris can hear. She keeps her tone collected, but there's a dangerous edge to her words.
"Katie. None of this is your fault, it never was. You're strong. Don't let him try to take that away from you."
Her voice quickly softens as she addresses Katie, taking the phone and placing it on the counter on speakerphone. She gently holds both of Katie's hands to ground her.
Katie why do you have me on speaker right now? Come on this is a private conversation, we can talk later when it's just the two of us ok? Maybe you can come over right now and we can talk. You know I don't want to hit you.
"You lost the right to a private conversation the moment you hurt her. If you're upset... I frankly don't care."
Natasha stays firm, checking to see Katie's reaction to all of this. She wasn't letting her do this alone, not anymore.
"If you want to meet with him, we can set up a meet in a public location. But, I'm coming with you no matter what he says."
Nat slips into a mission-oriented mindset, quickly running possibilities to make sure Katie stays safe. She wasn't going to give Chris any room to get out of this.
"I...I...I don't know, Nat I...fuck...um...should I see him?" Katie mumbles looking at Natasha with scared eyes. She knew Chris was going to be pissed and the thought of seeing him scared her.
Katie come on, you don't need permission to see your boyfriend. It's me, you love me Katie, and I love you. You know this.
Natasha keeps her expression soft, not letting Katie see the anger bubbling in the back of her mind. The longer Chris spoke, the more she wanted to end this now... but Katie made it clear she wasn't ready to break it off.
She glances at the phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing her gaze before she pulls it back. Nat adjusts her jaw for a moment before quietly adding on.
"I think deep down you know what my answer will be."
âI donât wanna see himâ Katie whispers, she can hear Chris on the phone trying to get Katie to talk to him but she barely registers it. Sheâs shocked with herself because in all the time she has been dating Chris, she has never not wanted to see him, or maybe sheâs just never realized thatâs an option.
Natasha replies simply, hanging up the phone without another word to Chris. She'd deal with him later, right now Katie needs her full attention. Natasha very gently pulls the young adult closer, leaving her room to move out of it if she wants.
âHow do you know that? I messed everything up, how is anything supposed to be ok now?â Katie whispers still crying her eyes out and tightening her grip around Natasha.
Natasha carefully lowers Katie to the ground, keeping a firm arm on her back. She shifts so Katie can comfortably lean into her as she responds in a soft voice.
"Because if there's anything I know, it's people. Messy or not, you did what needed to be done. Sometimes you have to make hard calls."
Nat very quietly sighs, leaning her head against the counter.
"It may not feel like it right now, but things will work themselves out in time."
Katie tucks herself into Natashaâs arms, trying to hide herself in them. She had calmed down a bit but everything still felt overwhelming and scary.
âBut what if he breaks up with me? Or what if he still doesnât stop? He didnât say he was going to stop. I donât know what Iâm going to do it Nat. Everything is so complicated and I hate it.â
Nat asserts, her words a not-so-hidden threat. She doesn't comment on the first question, silently hoping he does. It would make things better for everyone.
Harley's stomach had twisted violently when he'd missed the thirteen missed calls from his ma. He'd called her back and fought back the tears pressing at his eyes. A few people knew about his homesickness but this had just made it worse.
Abby had broken her arm and needed to get surgery. Rose Hill didn't have a good medical establishment so she was going to a city nearby for treatment. It wasn't major serious, but Harley needed to go see his sister. He needed to get back to Tennessee.
He kisses Peter's forehead and ignores the painful burn in his chest as he untangles from the boy. He stands up, reaches for the bag he'd packed earlier and creeps towards the hallway. Once he's in the hallway, it's a straight-ahead journey to the elevator. Just a few footsteps and he can relax.
Unfortunately, someone calls his name. He pauses like a deer in the headlights.
open tags, esp if we haven't interacted before!!! npt: @smarterthantonystark @katiestark @kamala-msmarvel-khan @polymerclasher @dorothyrogers @your-fav-russian-assassin @starksmechanics
Natasha is leaning against a nearby wall, holding a mug while crossing her arms. She's in her pajamas, but clearly wasn't sleeping when she heard footsteps.
Natasha slowly opens her eyes, pain radiating through her chest. At first everything is just a sea of grey as dust swirls around and tries to choke her. Nat slowly attempts to push herself to her feet, only to be stopped by a large pillar pinning her down. ...That would explain why every breath sends a shot of pain through her lungs and torso.
She manages to yank an arm out of the grip of the concrete and activates her communicator. Suppressing a coughing fit, Natasha does her best to not sound terrified.
"If this is your idea of a simple reconnaissance mission, we're not putting you in charge again." Natasha sighs, wincing as it sends another spike of pain into her chest. "Im trapped... Could really use some help."
"Tasha, where are you? Fuck, this is not how I expected my first mission to go. And it's not my fault this happened." Katie's frantically going in the direction where she last saw Natasha.
Natasha suddenly starts coughing but quickly pulls herself together long enough to attempt to reassure the young adult. She forgot Katie wasn't used to her snarky remarks on field like the rest of the team was.
"And it's not- I should have noticed the damn place was rigged."
âOk Iâm coming, Iâm coming. Just like stay still and keep talking.â Katie rushes over to where Natasha was and gasps.
âOh my God, oh my God,â Katie had no idea what to do, she knows she needs to get her out but she has no clue how.
Natasha does her best to stay still despite the adrenaline rushing through her, but can't seem to find the extra energy to say much else.
When Katie gets there she does her best to smile, trying to make things seem less dire. Nat hated the fact that Katie had to see her like this... and on her first mission as well.
"If you have some sort of hidden ability, now would really be the time to reveal it-"
Nat jokes lightly, trying to not let Katie see how much pain she was in right now.
âNope, Iâm unfortunately human, god maybe I shouldâve gone and get bit by a radioactive spider of some shit like Peter. Ok, ok we need to get you out of here.â
When she chuckles softly at Katie's remark, her lungs feel like they're constricting. Natasha coughs and gasps for air, wincing as the movement sends more pain through her.
"Ok nope, nope you're not allowed to laugh or move or do anything. You're just going to stay there while I get you out of there. Ok, ok I got this, I can figure this out." Katie looks around when he sees a piece of broken metal and rushes over to it and grabs it, hoping she'll be able to use it as a lever.
Natasha manages to get the coughing under control after a great deal of effort, but she still can't seem to get anything more than shallow breaths.
"Emergency services should... here soon."
Nat ignores Katie's request for her to stay silent, worrying that she might get herself hurt if she tries this alone. Each word is becoming a struggle, but Natasha is too stubborn to let that stop her.
Nat can't hide the snark in her voice as she forces out the words. She really wished Katie would wait for some sort of help, but couldn't really argue with that comment. She wasn't mad at Katie, just the situation, but her annoyance slips through regardless.
Natasha tilts her head to look at Katie, mentally preparing for the pain that's sure to worsen if she moves.
âOk, ok Iâm sorry, I know itâs going to hurt but I canât think of anything else right now.â Kati takes a deep breath and puts all her strength in moving the pillar, it barely moves at first but she changes her angle and is finally moves.
Natasha nods, shifting herself into a better position despite how heavy her limbs felt. By some miracle, the unstable rubble shifting causes the pillar to roll off her chest and land further into the wreckage. Nat suddenly lets out a cry of pain as a piece of rebar is pulled from her side at the movement.
"Shit!" She takes in a strained breath before quickly softening her tone. "Katie?"
âOmg, omg are you okay. Fuck! Iâm sorry!â Katie rushes over to Natashaâs side and gasps as she sees how bad she looks, her hands hovering on top of Natasha, not wanting to hurt her more.
Natasha tries to focus on Katie, her vision a little blurry. She gently takes the young adults hands and pushes them into her side. Nat winces terribly at the touch but doesn't let go.
"Keep pressure o- on that, alright? I trust you to not let me bleed out, Katie."
She finally lays her head back, closing her eyes and trying to conserve what little energy she still has. Her breathing improves somewhat now that the weight is gone, but it's still raspy and shallow.
"Ya, Ya I can do that. But you have to stay awake Nat, just keep talking to me. Open your eyes please." Katie begs as she presses down on the wound hoping to slow the bleeding.
"Tasha please, you just need to stay awake till backup gets here, they should be getting here soon."
Nat slowly reopens her eyes despite how heavy her eyelids felt. She focuses in on the pain in her side, trying to use that to keep her awake.
"You're doing great, Katie. Take a breath, a little thing like this won't take me down."
Even gravely injured, she can't help but worry about her friend. Katie shouldn't have to see her like this. Natasha gingerly tilts her head towards Katie, struggling to concentrate on the young adult's face as her eyes unfocus.
"I know... I know... I'm just- adrenalines wearing off."
âNat please just little longer, and then you can sleep as soon as we get you medical treatment. Just a little longer.â
Katie doesnât know what to do, all she knew was that she couldnât let Natasha fall asleep.
âKatie? Katie where are you guys?â Tonyâs voice comes through the communicator.
âDad! Weâre here in the lower levels please hurry, Natashaâs really hurt.â Katie cries out glad that help is coming.
âTasha theyâre here, youâre going to be fine. The team is here itâs going to be ok.â
Natasha does her best to stay still as he works, curling up slightly as she starts to cough again. She suddenly reaches out reflexively towards Katie as if that would help her.
Nat tightens her grip on Katie to the point her nails unintentionally dig into the young adults skin. It's honestly shocking she's managing to respond to anything like this. She covered in a thick layer of dust, her face is unnaturally pale, and she can barely look at either of them as her eyes remain half-closed.
Natasha grunts to confirm she heard what Tony said, stiffening slightly as he lifts her up. She rapidly loosens her grip on Katie as her body finally starts shutting down.
"T- Tony?" Natasha's voice is practically a whisper. "Don't let her see..."
As she finishes, her head lolls towards Tony's chest. Nat's body slowly relaxes as she blacks out, trusting him to get all of them to safety.
âNat? Nat! Omg omgâ Katie starts speaking as she starts following her dad out of.
âSweetheart itâs going to be ok.â Tony says as he quickens his place, he wants to just wrap Katie in his arms to protect her but right now he needs to make sure that Natasha gets the medical attention she needs.
As they finally make it outside, Tony is rushed by a paramedic. He gives Natasha one look before calling out to his team to get a gurney. The paramedic gently takes her wrist to check for a pulse as he addresses Tony.
âShe has a deep laceration, as well as possible broken bones. Iâm not sure if thereâs anything else, but she mightâve hit her head as well.â
Tony says before turning towards Katie, whoâs frozen a few steps behind, terrified for Natasha.
âKatie itâs going to be ok, sheâs going to be fine.â
Tony says as he pulls her into his arms so that she canât see Natasha in this state.
âSheâs hurt, god dad what if something happens?â
Katie nods as tears starts streaming down her face.
âWe need to go to the hospital. Dad we need to go.â
âYa, weâre going I just need you to calm down a little ok? Letâs go.â
Tony has already let the armor disassemble and guides Katie towards one of the cars so they can go to the hospital.
Natasha's in surgery for hours, time moving slow as the uncertainty of her state hangs in the air. After what seems like forever, a nurse walks over.
"She's stable at the moment, but still unconscious. We have her resting in the ICU to keep an eye on her condition. We'd like to keep her here for several days given the extent of her injuries."
"She's stable, that's all we can really hope for. As for her waking up, it's tough to say at this point in time. She suffered some pretty serious injuries."
The nurse quietly sighs, noticing Katie's discomfort.
Katie nods as she takes a deep breath and readies herself. She doesnât want to see Natasha like this but thereâs no way sheâs leaving her alone in the hospital.
The nurse nods, leading the two of them through the ICU doors and to Natasha's room. She pauses to make sure Katie really wanted this before opening the door.
Natasha is lying completely still on the hospital bed, hooked up to several machines that fill the room with rhythmic beeping. Her entire chest is bandaged, rising and falling gently with the assistance of a ventilator. Nat's eyes are closed, and if it wasn't for the medical devices, she almost looks... peaceful.
The nurse steps to the side to check her vitals, giving Katie and her dad space.
"Nat" Katie whispers as she slowly walks over to her bedside and takes her hand in her own as tears start streaming down her face. She hates this. Natasha looks almost peaceful but that doesn't help Katie feel better because of the machine's she's surrounded by.
"I can't believe this is happening. This wasn't how today was supposed to go."
Natasha doesn't react to Katie's touch. No gentle squeeze of assurance she would have normally given. Just... stillness.
Tony pulls a chair up behind Katie, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He's close to tears himself, but he's doing his best to keep himself together for Katie.
"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. This sort of thing could have happened with any one of us."
"But it didn't, it happened with me. Probably because she was too distracted taking care of me." Katie lets out a sigh, and just stares at Natasha's face.
"I get the sentiment, kid, but that could take quite a while."
Tony sighs.
"I already have JARVIS running facial recognition on security footage and compiling information on the building and its operations."
He glances over at Natasha as he talks, pausing suddenly. Tony covers his mouth for a moment to hide the tears that sneak past his false-composure. When he's sure they stopped, he continues.
"I'll get the entire team on this, okay? They won't get far. I promise."
Katie nods not taking her eyes off Natasha. She hates this, hates that Natashaâs in pain and there is nothing she can do about it. Katie isnât sure how long she has been sitting there but soon enough her eyes start getting heavy, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up to her as she falls asleep in the chair, still holding onto Natashaâs hand.
When Katie starts to drift off, Tony decides to head back to the Tower to lead the charge on finding the person responsible for all of this. He lets the nurses know Katie's still in with Natasha before leaving, looking back one last time to make sure Katie is secure.
It takes close to an entire day before Natasha's hand suddenly twitches as the monitor picks up a rising heart rate. Her eyes remain closed, but her head gently shifts closer to Katie as if she could feel her presence.
Hey eyes slowly flicker open, but they lack the usual sparkle Natasha has. She sluggishly looks around the room, the heart monitor suddenly spiking. Nat wasn't sure where she was, and the machines hooked up to her left her on edge.
In her disorientation, Natasha barely registers Katie beside her but tightens her grip on the young adult's hand. Something about her felt safe.
A nurse rushes in, imeditaly moving towards the hospital bed.
"Ma'am, I need you to calm down. I'm going to remove your breathing tube so you're more comfortable, okay?"
Natasha coughs for several seconds when it's taken out, closing her eyes to will her brain to wake up. When she reopens them, her eyes fall on the young adult beside her. Nat's voice is raspy as she quietly addresses her.
Nat whispers in confirmation, a small smile forming on her lips. She weakly runs her thumb over Katie's hand to comfort her. Even in her less than lucid state, Natasha feels a need to comfort her. She looks Katie up and down for a moment before speaking very softly.
âNah, Iâm good. Except for the heart attack you gave me. Youâre not allowed to get hurt ever again.â Katie says trying to steady her voice and stop crying. She needed to be strong for Natasha right now, she can continue her little breakdown on her own time.
She lets out a quiet chuckle that swiftly morphs into wheezing. The nurse carefully places an oxygen mask over Natasha's face before returning to monitoring vitals to give the two of them some semblance of privacy. Nat gives Katie's hand a gentle squeeze when she notices how torn up the young adult looks.
"I'm going to be okay, Katie. I've fought literal aliens, a little... explosion won't keep me down for long."
As she wakes up more, Nat slowly regains some of her usual snark.
Katie smiles softly at Natashaâs response, glad to see her coming back to normal.
âYa I know, youâre going to bed fine. Itâs justâŠyou scared meâŠa lot. I didnât know what was happening or what to do, but it doesnât matter as long as youâre safe everything is ok.â
Katie wasn't even sure when it started. Or why she never told anyone about it. She knew there were people who cared about her, she had a loving family, and they would do anything to protect her, yet here she was. It was her fault, she was the one who let it get this far. Maybe she should've told her dad the first time it happened, or broken it off, or done something instead of just sitting there and taking it. Or maybe this would still be happening even if she told someone, this is what she deserved wasn't it? That's what Chris always said, that all of this was her fault, everything that happened was her fault. And it wasn't like it was all bad, Chris loved her, he made her happy. She just needs to do better. That's all. They've been together for 8 months now and she's happy. So what if she has to hide some bruises from everyone. It's not that big of a deal. She'll do better and then this won't happen. Katie just sighs to herself as she finishes hiding the bruise on her cheek with make up.
Natasha sighs, knowing she's not getting through to the young adult anytime soon. She takes a brief moment to pull her emotions back before continuing.
"We'll figure it out. Together. You don't need to deal with this alone, Katie. Why don't we go get some ice and you can either talk or we'll just sit in silence, that sound okay?"
"Katie. You always have the choice. If you chose things as they are, then so be it. But that doesn't mean the option to at the very least take a break isn't there."
Natasha walks her to the kitchen, knowing Katie isn't the most comfortable in the med bay. She would prefer getting the young adult scanned for injuries, but can't risk Katie closing herself off again.
"Go ahead and sit down. I'll grab you something cold for the swelling."
Nat opens the freezer and pulls out a bag of frozen peas. She pulls a tea cloth out of a drawer and wraps the bag before handing it to Katie.
"I know you don't like it Tasha, but it wasn't like Chris was beating me black and blue. But fine, I will, but just for the record I'm doing this against my will." Katie attempts to joke but it falls flat even to. her own ears.
Natasha appears completely unimpressed, her mouth in a tight line.
"That doesn't make any of this better."
She sighs, sitting down beside Katie. Natasha stays quiet for a long moment, trying to carefully choose her words.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but I need you to understand this kind of thing only gets worse. You don't have to break it off, but you need to confront him. And I can help you do so if that's what you need to get it done."
âI justâŠugh this is hard. I donât want to talk to him, heâs not really wrong you know, sure itâs not the best way but he only hurts me when I do something wrong. And itâs been months, itâll be so weird if I suddenly bring this up.â
Natasha's voice drops low as she turns to face Katie. Months. That only makes her skin crawl more. She should have realized this sooner.
"None of this is your fault. He has no right to lay a hand on you, even if you think you've messed something up. I need you to understand that what he's doing is wrong. There's no justification for it."
She sighs, putting a gentle hand on Katie's shoulder.
"I don't care if it's been months, hell even if it was years. We are putting a stop to this now."
Katie nods, over the months sheâs been trying to excuse everything that happened, but now that sheâs forced to confront it she knows that this isnt ok.
âOk, ya, heâll listen. He loves me, itâll be fine. Right?â
âYa, itâll be fine. I should call him right? Talk to him?â Katie looks at Natasha with a scared look in her eyes. Even though she thinks that Chris loves her, she really doesnât want to make him mad.
âOk, ya.â Katie takes a deep breath before picking up her phone, and calling Chris.
Hey babe, whatâs up? Chris asks as the phone connects. Katie smiles softly at the softness in his voice. He was always nice to her except when she messed up, it was hard to think that he wanted to hurt her.
âHey, hi. Um nothing much. Well no, umm I wanted to talk to you?â Katie looks over at Natasha panicking, she has no idea what to do.
Nat gently squeezes her shoulder, nodding silently. She's prepared to step in at a moments notice, but wants Katie to handle this on her own as much as possible. Chris could get defensive if he knew Natasha was aware of the situation.
So thatâs what this is about? Katie I donât want to hit you, you know that. It hurts me more than it hurts you when stuff like this happens, but it wouldnât happen if you donât push me! Chris exclaims and Katie looks down, she knew it, thatâs why she didnât want to tell anyone, it was her fault, because he was dumb enough to do stupid shit.
âIâŠIâŠâ Katie stutters out not sure what to do.
Nat was close enough to hear him, and something snaps inside of her. His words hit a very specific nerve of hers.
"You don't get to speak to her like that."
Nat suddenly raises her voice so Chris can hear. She keeps her tone collected, but there's a dangerous edge to her words.
"Katie. None of this is your fault, it never was. You're strong. Don't let him try to take that away from you."
Her voice quickly softens as she addresses Katie, taking the phone and placing it on the counter on speakerphone. She gently holds both of Katie's hands to ground her.
Katie why do you have me on speaker right now? Come on this is a private conversation, we can talk later when it's just the two of us ok? Maybe you can come over right now and we can talk. You know I don't want to hit you.
"You lost the right to a private conversation the moment you hurt her. If you're upset... I frankly don't care."
Natasha stays firm, checking to see Katie's reaction to all of this. She wasn't letting her do this alone, not anymore.
"If you want to meet with him, we can set up a meet in a public location. But, I'm coming with you no matter what he says."
Nat slips into a mission-oriented mindset, quickly running possibilities to make sure Katie stays safe. She wasn't going to give Chris any room to get out of this.
"I...I...I don't know, Nat I...fuck...um...should I see him?" Katie mumbles looking at Natasha with scared eyes. She knew Chris was going to be pissed and the thought of seeing him scared her.
Katie come on, you don't need permission to see your boyfriend. It's me, you love me Katie, and I love you. You know this.
Natasha keeps her expression soft, not letting Katie see the anger bubbling in the back of her mind. The longer Chris spoke, the more she wanted to end this now... but Katie made it clear she wasn't ready to break it off.
She glances at the phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing her gaze before she pulls it back. Nat adjusts her jaw for a moment before quietly adding on.
"I think deep down you know what my answer will be."
âI donât wanna see himâ Katie whispers, she can hear Chris on the phone trying to get Katie to talk to him but she barely registers it. Sheâs shocked with herself because in all the time she has been dating Chris, she has never not wanted to see him, or maybe sheâs just never realized thatâs an option.
Natasha replies simply, hanging up the phone without another word to Chris. She'd deal with him later, right now Katie needs her full attention. Natasha very gently pulls the young adult closer, leaving her room to move out of it if she wants.
âHow do you know that? I messed everything up, how is anything supposed to be ok now?â Katie whispers still crying her eyes out and tightening her grip around Natasha.
Natasha carefully lowers Katie to the ground, keeping a firm arm on her back. She shifts so Katie can comfortably lean into her as she responds in a soft voice.
"Because if there's anything I know, it's people. Messy or not, you did what needed to be done. Sometimes you have to make hard calls."
Nat very quietly sighs, leaning her head against the counter.
"It may not feel like it right now, but things will work themselves out in time."
Katie tucks herself into Natashaâs arms, trying to hide herself in them. She had calmed down a bit but everything still felt overwhelming and scary.
âBut what if he breaks up with me? Or what if he still doesnât stop? He didnât say he was going to stop. I donât know what Iâm going to do it Nat. Everything is so complicated and I hate it.â
Nat asserts, her words a not-so-hidden threat. She doesn't comment on the first question, silently hoping he does. It would make things better for everyone.
Open rp!! Anyone can interact! Please do so! Especially if we havenât before!!
Au where Emilia escaped instead of being rescued!! Emilia is 16 in this RP
A small break from the rp series
Emilia didnât exactly plan to leave. She wasnât really left with a choice in the end. It was either leave or die to her motherâs experiments. No one paid too much attention toward Emilia in the end. She was dying anyway, too weak to actually do anything, so they thought
She healed up pretty well when she left. Turns out that a couple of days without constant poking and prodding actually does some good.
Emilia didnât really have a plan when she got out. Only to find someone to help, that was it. Thatâs all she needed. She ended up at a corner store, seeing people on the front page of a newspaper with the word âhelpâ in the headline. They look familiar but sheâs not sure how. She talks to the clerk, demanding to know who they are and how to find them.
âââââ
She bangs on the glass doors of avengers tower, trying to get the attention of literally anyone. âExcuse me! I need to speak with someone here! Someone help!â
Extra points if ur character knew Emilia in Hydra THE ANGST
Natasha lets out a long sigh as she hears the banging, gently putting the mug she was drinking from down. She waits a few seconds, groaning softly when it doesn't stop. Nat walks to the entrance, fully prepared to tell this person off.
"Look, if you don't-"
Her annoyance is almost immediately drained when she realizes it's a teenager. Natasha moves to open the door, keeping her composure calm and unreadable despite the concern growing in her chest.
Emiliaâs eyes are wide with fear, brimming with tears, sheâs pale, bruises and a barely visible hydra mark on her arm. She presses the front page of the newspaper up to the glass doors, an action shot of the avengers, some headline about being safe âyou help people? Yes?â She says with a small hint of Russian accent
She hesitates for a brief moment, but hides it under her usual unreadable expression. The Avengers were originally formed to help people... what actually happens didn't matter right now.
"We do our best."
Natasha quickly catalogs Emilia's injures, making a metal note to bring her to the medical wing when she gets a chance.
Emilia nods, her eyes darling around as if waiting for someone to pop out and take her back to the base. She fidgets with her hoodie sleeve, pulling it down to try and hide her mark.
Natasha slowly opens her eyes, pain radiating through her chest. At first everything is just a sea of grey as dust swirls around and tries to choke her. Nat slowly attempts to push herself to her feet, only to be stopped by a large pillar pinning her down. ...That would explain why every breath sends a shot of pain through her lungs and torso.
She manages to yank an arm out of the grip of the concrete and activates her communicator. Suppressing a coughing fit, Natasha does her best to not sound terrified.
"If this is your idea of a simple reconnaissance mission, we're not putting you in charge again." Natasha sighs, wincing as it sends another spike of pain into her chest. "Im trapped... Could really use some help."
"Tasha, where are you? Fuck, this is not how I expected my first mission to go. And it's not my fault this happened." Katie's frantically going in the direction where she last saw Natasha.
Natasha suddenly starts coughing but quickly pulls herself together long enough to attempt to reassure the young adult. She forgot Katie wasn't used to her snarky remarks on field like the rest of the team was.
"And it's not- I should have noticed the damn place was rigged."
âOk Iâm coming, Iâm coming. Just like stay still and keep talking.â Katie rushes over to where Natasha was and gasps.
âOh my God, oh my God,â Katie had no idea what to do, she knows she needs to get her out but she has no clue how.
Natasha does her best to stay still despite the adrenaline rushing through her, but can't seem to find the extra energy to say much else.
When Katie gets there she does her best to smile, trying to make things seem less dire. Nat hated the fact that Katie had to see her like this... and on her first mission as well.
"If you have some sort of hidden ability, now would really be the time to reveal it-"
Nat jokes lightly, trying to not let Katie see how much pain she was in right now.
âNope, Iâm unfortunately human, god maybe I shouldâve gone and get bit by a radioactive spider of some shit like Peter. Ok, ok we need to get you out of here.â
When she chuckles softly at Katie's remark, her lungs feel like they're constricting. Natasha coughs and gasps for air, wincing as the movement sends more pain through her.
"Ok nope, nope you're not allowed to laugh or move or do anything. You're just going to stay there while I get you out of there. Ok, ok I got this, I can figure this out." Katie looks around when he sees a piece of broken metal and rushes over to it and grabs it, hoping she'll be able to use it as a lever.
Natasha manages to get the coughing under control after a great deal of effort, but she still can't seem to get anything more than shallow breaths.
"Emergency services should... here soon."
Nat ignores Katie's request for her to stay silent, worrying that she might get herself hurt if she tries this alone. Each word is becoming a struggle, but Natasha is too stubborn to let that stop her.
Nat can't hide the snark in her voice as she forces out the words. She really wished Katie would wait for some sort of help, but couldn't really argue with that comment. She wasn't mad at Katie, just the situation, but her annoyance slips through regardless.
Natasha tilts her head to look at Katie, mentally preparing for the pain that's sure to worsen if she moves.
âOk, ok Iâm sorry, I know itâs going to hurt but I canât think of anything else right now.â Kati takes a deep breath and puts all her strength in moving the pillar, it barely moves at first but she changes her angle and is finally moves.
Natasha nods, shifting herself into a better position despite how heavy her limbs felt. By some miracle, the unstable rubble shifting causes the pillar to roll off her chest and land further into the wreckage. Nat suddenly lets out a cry of pain as a piece of rebar is pulled from her side at the movement.
"Shit!" She takes in a strained breath before quickly softening her tone. "Katie?"
âOmg, omg are you okay. Fuck! Iâm sorry!â Katie rushes over to Natashaâs side and gasps as she sees how bad she looks, her hands hovering on top of Natasha, not wanting to hurt her more.
Natasha tries to focus on Katie, her vision a little blurry. She gently takes the young adults hands and pushes them into her side. Nat winces terribly at the touch but doesn't let go.
"Keep pressure o- on that, alright? I trust you to not let me bleed out, Katie."
She finally lays her head back, closing her eyes and trying to conserve what little energy she still has. Her breathing improves somewhat now that the weight is gone, but it's still raspy and shallow.
"Ya, Ya I can do that. But you have to stay awake Nat, just keep talking to me. Open your eyes please." Katie begs as she presses down on the wound hoping to slow the bleeding.
"Tasha please, you just need to stay awake till backup gets here, they should be getting here soon."
Nat slowly reopens her eyes despite how heavy her eyelids felt. She focuses in on the pain in her side, trying to use that to keep her awake.
"You're doing great, Katie. Take a breath, a little thing like this won't take me down."
Even gravely injured, she can't help but worry about her friend. Katie shouldn't have to see her like this. Natasha gingerly tilts her head towards Katie, struggling to concentrate on the young adult's face as her eyes unfocus.
"I know... I know... I'm just- adrenalines wearing off."
âNat please just little longer, and then you can sleep as soon as we get you medical treatment. Just a little longer.â
Katie doesnât know what to do, all she knew was that she couldnât let Natasha fall asleep.
âKatie? Katie where are you guys?â Tonyâs voice comes through the communicator.
âDad! Weâre here in the lower levels please hurry, Natashaâs really hurt.â Katie cries out glad that help is coming.
âTasha theyâre here, youâre going to be fine. The team is here itâs going to be ok.â
Natasha does her best to stay still as he works, curling up slightly as she starts to cough again. She suddenly reaches out reflexively towards Katie as if that would help her.
Nat tightens her grip on Katie to the point her nails unintentionally dig into the young adults skin. It's honestly shocking she's managing to respond to anything like this. She covered in a thick layer of dust, her face is unnaturally pale, and she can barely look at either of them as her eyes remain half-closed.
Natasha grunts to confirm she heard what Tony said, stiffening slightly as he lifts her up. She rapidly loosens her grip on Katie as her body finally starts shutting down.
"T- Tony?" Natasha's voice is practically a whisper. "Don't let her see..."
As she finishes, her head lolls towards Tony's chest. Nat's body slowly relaxes as she blacks out, trusting him to get all of them to safety.
âNat? Nat! Omg omgâ Katie starts speaking as she starts following her dad out of.
âSweetheart itâs going to be ok.â Tony says as he quickens his place, he wants to just wrap Katie in his arms to protect her but right now he needs to make sure that Natasha gets the medical attention she needs.
As they finally make it outside, Tony is rushed by a paramedic. He gives Natasha one look before calling out to his team to get a gurney. The paramedic gently takes her wrist to check for a pulse as he addresses Tony.
âShe has a deep laceration, as well as possible broken bones. Iâm not sure if thereâs anything else, but she mightâve hit her head as well.â
Tony says before turning towards Katie, whoâs frozen a few steps behind, terrified for Natasha.
âKatie itâs going to be ok, sheâs going to be fine.â
Tony says as he pulls her into his arms so that she canât see Natasha in this state.
âSheâs hurt, god dad what if something happens?â
Katie nods as tears starts streaming down her face.
âWe need to go to the hospital. Dad we need to go.â
âYa, weâre going I just need you to calm down a little ok? Letâs go.â
Tony has already let the armor disassemble and guides Katie towards one of the cars so they can go to the hospital.
Natasha's in surgery for hours, time moving slow as the uncertainty of her state hangs in the air. After what seems like forever, a nurse walks over.
"She's stable at the moment, but still unconscious. We have her resting in the ICU to keep an eye on her condition. We'd like to keep her here for several days given the extent of her injuries."
"She's stable, that's all we can really hope for. As for her waking up, it's tough to say at this point in time. She suffered some pretty serious injuries."
The nurse quietly sighs, noticing Katie's discomfort.
Katie nods as she takes a deep breath and readies herself. She doesnât want to see Natasha like this but thereâs no way sheâs leaving her alone in the hospital.
The nurse nods, leading the two of them through the ICU doors and to Natasha's room. She pauses to make sure Katie really wanted this before opening the door.
Natasha is lying completely still on the hospital bed, hooked up to several machines that fill the room with rhythmic beeping. Her entire chest is bandaged, rising and falling gently with the assistance of a ventilator. Nat's eyes are closed, and if it wasn't for the medical devices, she almost looks... peaceful.
The nurse steps to the side to check her vitals, giving Katie and her dad space.
"Nat" Katie whispers as she slowly walks over to her bedside and takes her hand in her own as tears start streaming down her face. She hates this. Natasha looks almost peaceful but that doesn't help Katie feel better because of the machine's she's surrounded by.
"I can't believe this is happening. This wasn't how today was supposed to go."
Natasha doesn't react to Katie's touch. No gentle squeeze of assurance she would have normally given. Just... stillness.
Tony pulls a chair up behind Katie, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He's close to tears himself, but he's doing his best to keep himself together for Katie.
"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. This sort of thing could have happened with any one of us."
"But it didn't, it happened with me. Probably because she was too distracted taking care of me." Katie lets out a sigh, and just stares at Natasha's face.
"I get the sentiment, kid, but that could take quite a while."
Tony sighs.
"I already have JARVIS running facial recognition on security footage and compiling information on the building and its operations."
He glances over at Natasha as he talks, pausing suddenly. Tony covers his mouth for a moment to hide the tears that sneak past his false-composure. When he's sure they stopped, he continues.
"I'll get the entire team on this, okay? They won't get far. I promise."
Katie nods not taking her eyes off Natasha. She hates this, hates that Natashaâs in pain and there is nothing she can do about it. Katie isnât sure how long she has been sitting there but soon enough her eyes start getting heavy, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up to her as she falls asleep in the chair, still holding onto Natashaâs hand.
When Katie starts to drift off, Tony decides to head back to the Tower to lead the charge on finding the person responsible for all of this. He lets the nurses know Katie's still in with Natasha before leaving, looking back one last time to make sure Katie is secure.
It takes close to an entire day before Natasha's hand suddenly twitches as the monitor picks up a rising heart rate. Her eyes remain closed, but her head gently shifts closer to Katie as if she could feel her presence.
Hey eyes slowly flicker open, but they lack the usual sparkle Natasha has. She sluggishly looks around the room, the heart monitor suddenly spiking. Nat wasn't sure where she was, and the machines hooked up to her left her on edge.
In her disorientation, Natasha barely registers Katie beside her but tightens her grip on the young adult's hand. Something about her felt safe.
A nurse rushes in, imeditaly moving towards the hospital bed.
"Ma'am, I need you to calm down. I'm going to remove your breathing tube so you're more comfortable, okay?"
Natasha coughs for several seconds when it's taken out, closing her eyes to will her brain to wake up. When she reopens them, her eyes fall on the young adult beside her. Nat's voice is raspy as she quietly addresses her.
Nat whispers in confirmation, a small smile forming on her lips. She weakly runs her thumb over Katie's hand to comfort her. Even in her less than lucid state, Natasha feels a need to comfort her. She looks Katie up and down for a moment before speaking very softly.
âNah, Iâm good. Except for the heart attack you gave me. Youâre not allowed to get hurt ever again.â Katie says trying to steady her voice and stop crying. She needed to be strong for Natasha right now, she can continue her little breakdown on her own time.
She lets out a quiet chuckle that swiftly morphs into wheezing. The nurse carefully places an oxygen mask over Natasha's face before returning to monitoring vitals to give the two of them some semblance of privacy. Nat gives Katie's hand a gentle squeeze when she notices how torn up the young adult looks.
"I'm going to be okay, Katie. I've fought literal aliens, a little... explosion won't keep me down for long."
As she wakes up more, Nat slowly regains some of her usual snark.
Katie wasn't even sure when it started. Or why she never told anyone about it. She knew there were people who cared about her, she had a loving family, and they would do anything to protect her, yet here she was. It was her fault, she was the one who let it get this far. Maybe she should've told her dad the first time it happened, or broken it off, or done something instead of just sitting there and taking it. Or maybe this would still be happening even if she told someone, this is what she deserved wasn't it? That's what Chris always said, that all of this was her fault, everything that happened was her fault. And it wasn't like it was all bad, Chris loved her, he made her happy. She just needs to do better. That's all. They've been together for 8 months now and she's happy. So what if she has to hide some bruises from everyone. It's not that big of a deal. She'll do better and then this won't happen. Katie just sighs to herself as she finishes hiding the bruise on her cheek with make up.
Natasha sighs, knowing she's not getting through to the young adult anytime soon. She takes a brief moment to pull her emotions back before continuing.
"We'll figure it out. Together. You don't need to deal with this alone, Katie. Why don't we go get some ice and you can either talk or we'll just sit in silence, that sound okay?"
"Katie. You always have the choice. If you chose things as they are, then so be it. But that doesn't mean the option to at the very least take a break isn't there."
Natasha walks her to the kitchen, knowing Katie isn't the most comfortable in the med bay. She would prefer getting the young adult scanned for injuries, but can't risk Katie closing herself off again.
"Go ahead and sit down. I'll grab you something cold for the swelling."
Nat opens the freezer and pulls out a bag of frozen peas. She pulls a tea cloth out of a drawer and wraps the bag before handing it to Katie.
"I know you don't like it Tasha, but it wasn't like Chris was beating me black and blue. But fine, I will, but just for the record I'm doing this against my will." Katie attempts to joke but it falls flat even to. her own ears.
Natasha appears completely unimpressed, her mouth in a tight line.
"That doesn't make any of this better."
She sighs, sitting down beside Katie. Natasha stays quiet for a long moment, trying to carefully choose her words.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but I need you to understand this kind of thing only gets worse. You don't have to break it off, but you need to confront him. And I can help you do so if that's what you need to get it done."
âI justâŠugh this is hard. I donât want to talk to him, heâs not really wrong you know, sure itâs not the best way but he only hurts me when I do something wrong. And itâs been months, itâll be so weird if I suddenly bring this up.â
Natasha's voice drops low as she turns to face Katie. Months. That only makes her skin crawl more. She should have realized this sooner.
"None of this is your fault. He has no right to lay a hand on you, even if you think you've messed something up. I need you to understand that what he's doing is wrong. There's no justification for it."
She sighs, putting a gentle hand on Katie's shoulder.
"I don't care if it's been months, hell even if it was years. We are putting a stop to this now."
Katie nods, over the months sheâs been trying to excuse everything that happened, but now that sheâs forced to confront it she knows that this isnt ok.
âOk, ya, heâll listen. He loves me, itâll be fine. Right?â
âYa, itâll be fine. I should call him right? Talk to him?â Katie looks at Natasha with a scared look in her eyes. Even though she thinks that Chris loves her, she really doesnât want to make him mad.
âOk, ya.â Katie takes a deep breath before picking up her phone, and calling Chris.
Hey babe, whatâs up? Chris asks as the phone connects. Katie smiles softly at the softness in his voice. He was always nice to her except when she messed up, it was hard to think that he wanted to hurt her.
âHey, hi. Um nothing much. Well no, umm I wanted to talk to you?â Katie looks over at Natasha panicking, she has no idea what to do.
Nat gently squeezes her shoulder, nodding silently. She's prepared to step in at a moments notice, but wants Katie to handle this on her own as much as possible. Chris could get defensive if he knew Natasha was aware of the situation.
So thatâs what this is about? Katie I donât want to hit you, you know that. It hurts me more than it hurts you when stuff like this happens, but it wouldnât happen if you donât push me! Chris exclaims and Katie looks down, she knew it, thatâs why she didnât want to tell anyone, it was her fault, because he was dumb enough to do stupid shit.
âIâŠIâŠâ Katie stutters out not sure what to do.
Nat was close enough to hear him, and something snaps inside of her. His words hit a very specific nerve of hers.
"You don't get to speak to her like that."
Nat suddenly raises her voice so Chris can hear. She keeps her tone collected, but there's a dangerous edge to her words.
"Katie. None of this is your fault, it never was. You're strong. Don't let him try to take that away from you."
Her voice quickly softens as she addresses Katie, taking the phone and placing it on the counter on speakerphone. She gently holds both of Katie's hands to ground her.
Katie why do you have me on speaker right now? Come on this is a private conversation, we can talk later when it's just the two of us ok? Maybe you can come over right now and we can talk. You know I don't want to hit you.
"You lost the right to a private conversation the moment you hurt her. If you're upset... I frankly don't care."
Natasha stays firm, checking to see Katie's reaction to all of this. She wasn't letting her do this alone, not anymore.
"If you want to meet with him, we can set up a meet in a public location. But, I'm coming with you no matter what he says."
Nat slips into a mission-oriented mindset, quickly running possibilities to make sure Katie stays safe. She wasn't going to give Chris any room to get out of this.
"I...I...I don't know, Nat I...fuck...um...should I see him?" Katie mumbles looking at Natasha with scared eyes. She knew Chris was going to be pissed and the thought of seeing him scared her.
Katie come on, you don't need permission to see your boyfriend. It's me, you love me Katie, and I love you. You know this.
Natasha keeps her expression soft, not letting Katie see the anger bubbling in the back of her mind. The longer Chris spoke, the more she wanted to end this now... but Katie made it clear she wasn't ready to break it off.
She glances at the phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing her gaze before she pulls it back. Nat adjusts her jaw for a moment before quietly adding on.
"I think deep down you know what my answer will be."
âI donât wanna see himâ Katie whispers, she can hear Chris on the phone trying to get Katie to talk to him but she barely registers it. Sheâs shocked with herself because in all the time she has been dating Chris, she has never not wanted to see him, or maybe sheâs just never realized thatâs an option.
Natasha replies simply, hanging up the phone without another word to Chris. She'd deal with him later, right now Katie needs her full attention. Natasha very gently pulls the young adult closer, leaving her room to move out of it if she wants.
âHow do you know that? I messed everything up, how is anything supposed to be ok now?â Katie whispers still crying her eyes out and tightening her grip around Natasha.
Natasha carefully lowers Katie to the ground, keeping a firm arm on her back. She shifts so Katie can comfortably lean into her as she responds in a soft voice.
"Because if there's anything I know, it's people. Messy or not, you did what needed to be done. Sometimes you have to make hard calls."
Nat very quietly sighs, leaning her head against the counter.
"It may not feel like it right now, but things will work themselves out in time."
Open rp!! Anyone can interact! Please do so! Especially if we havenât before!!
Au where Emilia escaped instead of being rescued!! Emilia is 16 in this RP
A small break from the rp series
Emilia didnât exactly plan to leave. She wasnât really left with a choice in the end. It was either leave or die to her motherâs experiments. No one paid too much attention toward Emilia in the end. She was dying anyway, too weak to actually do anything, so they thought
She healed up pretty well when she left. Turns out that a couple of days without constant poking and prodding actually does some good.
Emilia didnât really have a plan when she got out. Only to find someone to help, that was it. Thatâs all she needed. She ended up at a corner store, seeing people on the front page of a newspaper with the word âhelpâ in the headline. They look familiar but sheâs not sure how. She talks to the clerk, demanding to know who they are and how to find them.
âââââ
She bangs on the glass doors of avengers tower, trying to get the attention of literally anyone. âExcuse me! I need to speak with someone here! Someone help!â
Extra points if ur character knew Emilia in Hydra THE ANGST
Natasha lets out a long sigh as she hears the banging, gently putting the mug she was drinking from down. She waits a few seconds, groaning softly when it doesn't stop. Nat walks to the entrance, fully prepared to tell this person off.
"Look, if you don't-"
Her annoyance is almost immediately drained when she realizes it's a teenager. Natasha moves to open the door, keeping her composure calm and unreadable despite the concern growing in her chest.
Emiliaâs eyes are wide with fear, brimming with tears, sheâs pale, bruises and a barely visible hydra mark on her arm. She presses the front page of the newspaper up to the glass doors, an action shot of the avengers, some headline about being safe âyou help people? Yes?â She says with a small hint of Russian accent
She hesitates for a brief moment, but hides it under her usual unreadable expression. The Avengers were originally formed to help people... what actually happens didn't matter right now.
"We do our best."
Natasha quickly catalogs Emilia's injures, making a metal note to bring her to the medical wing when she gets a chance.
Open rp!! Anyone can interact! Please do so! Especially if we havenât before!!
Au where Emilia escaped instead of being rescued!! Emilia is 16 in this RP
A small break from the rp series
Emilia didnât exactly plan to leave. She wasnât really left with a choice in the end. It was either leave or die to her motherâs experiments. No one paid too much attention toward Emilia in the end. She was dying anyway, too weak to actually do anything, so they thought
She healed up pretty well when she left. Turns out that a couple of days without constant poking and prodding actually does some good.
Emilia didnât really have a plan when she got out. Only to find someone to help, that was it. Thatâs all she needed. She ended up at a corner store, seeing people on the front page of a newspaper with the word âhelpâ in the headline. They look familiar but sheâs not sure how. She talks to the clerk, demanding to know who they are and how to find them.
âââââ
She bangs on the glass doors of avengers tower, trying to get the attention of literally anyone. âExcuse me! I need to speak with someone here! Someone help!â
Extra points if ur character knew Emilia in Hydra THE ANGST
Natasha lets out a long sigh as she hears the banging, gently putting the mug she was drinking from down. She waits a few seconds, groaning softly when it doesn't stop. Nat walks to the entrance, fully prepared to tell this person off.
"Look, if you don't-"
Her annoyance is almost immediately drained when she realizes it's a teenager. Natasha moves to open the door, keeping her composure calm and unreadable despite the concern growing in her chest.
Natasha slowly opens her eyes, pain radiating through her chest. At first everything is just a sea of grey as dust swirls around and tries to choke her. Nat slowly attempts to push herself to her feet, only to be stopped by a large pillar pinning her down. ...That would explain why every breath sends a shot of pain through her lungs and torso.
She manages to yank an arm out of the grip of the concrete and activates her communicator. Suppressing a coughing fit, Natasha does her best to not sound terrified.
"If this is your idea of a simple reconnaissance mission, we're not putting you in charge again." Natasha sighs, wincing as it sends another spike of pain into her chest. "Im trapped... Could really use some help."
"Tasha, where are you? Fuck, this is not how I expected my first mission to go. And it's not my fault this happened." Katie's frantically going in the direction where she last saw Natasha.
Natasha suddenly starts coughing but quickly pulls herself together long enough to attempt to reassure the young adult. She forgot Katie wasn't used to her snarky remarks on field like the rest of the team was.
"And it's not- I should have noticed the damn place was rigged."
âOk Iâm coming, Iâm coming. Just like stay still and keep talking.â Katie rushes over to where Natasha was and gasps.
âOh my God, oh my God,â Katie had no idea what to do, she knows she needs to get her out but she has no clue how.
Natasha does her best to stay still despite the adrenaline rushing through her, but can't seem to find the extra energy to say much else.
When Katie gets there she does her best to smile, trying to make things seem less dire. Nat hated the fact that Katie had to see her like this... and on her first mission as well.
"If you have some sort of hidden ability, now would really be the time to reveal it-"
Nat jokes lightly, trying to not let Katie see how much pain she was in right now.
âNope, Iâm unfortunately human, god maybe I shouldâve gone and get bit by a radioactive spider of some shit like Peter. Ok, ok we need to get you out of here.â
When she chuckles softly at Katie's remark, her lungs feel like they're constricting. Natasha coughs and gasps for air, wincing as the movement sends more pain through her.
"Ok nope, nope you're not allowed to laugh or move or do anything. You're just going to stay there while I get you out of there. Ok, ok I got this, I can figure this out." Katie looks around when he sees a piece of broken metal and rushes over to it and grabs it, hoping she'll be able to use it as a lever.
Natasha manages to get the coughing under control after a great deal of effort, but she still can't seem to get anything more than shallow breaths.
"Emergency services should... here soon."
Nat ignores Katie's request for her to stay silent, worrying that she might get herself hurt if she tries this alone. Each word is becoming a struggle, but Natasha is too stubborn to let that stop her.
Nat can't hide the snark in her voice as she forces out the words. She really wished Katie would wait for some sort of help, but couldn't really argue with that comment. She wasn't mad at Katie, just the situation, but her annoyance slips through regardless.
Natasha tilts her head to look at Katie, mentally preparing for the pain that's sure to worsen if she moves.
âOk, ok Iâm sorry, I know itâs going to hurt but I canât think of anything else right now.â Kati takes a deep breath and puts all her strength in moving the pillar, it barely moves at first but she changes her angle and is finally moves.
Natasha nods, shifting herself into a better position despite how heavy her limbs felt. By some miracle, the unstable rubble shifting causes the pillar to roll off her chest and land further into the wreckage. Nat suddenly lets out a cry of pain as a piece of rebar is pulled from her side at the movement.
"Shit!" She takes in a strained breath before quickly softening her tone. "Katie?"
âOmg, omg are you okay. Fuck! Iâm sorry!â Katie rushes over to Natashaâs side and gasps as she sees how bad she looks, her hands hovering on top of Natasha, not wanting to hurt her more.
Natasha tries to focus on Katie, her vision a little blurry. She gently takes the young adults hands and pushes them into her side. Nat winces terribly at the touch but doesn't let go.
"Keep pressure o- on that, alright? I trust you to not let me bleed out, Katie."
She finally lays her head back, closing her eyes and trying to conserve what little energy she still has. Her breathing improves somewhat now that the weight is gone, but it's still raspy and shallow.
"Ya, Ya I can do that. But you have to stay awake Nat, just keep talking to me. Open your eyes please." Katie begs as she presses down on the wound hoping to slow the bleeding.
"Tasha please, you just need to stay awake till backup gets here, they should be getting here soon."
Nat slowly reopens her eyes despite how heavy her eyelids felt. She focuses in on the pain in her side, trying to use that to keep her awake.
"You're doing great, Katie. Take a breath, a little thing like this won't take me down."
Even gravely injured, she can't help but worry about her friend. Katie shouldn't have to see her like this. Natasha gingerly tilts her head towards Katie, struggling to concentrate on the young adult's face as her eyes unfocus.
"I know... I know... I'm just- adrenalines wearing off."
âNat please just little longer, and then you can sleep as soon as we get you medical treatment. Just a little longer.â
Katie doesnât know what to do, all she knew was that she couldnât let Natasha fall asleep.
âKatie? Katie where are you guys?â Tonyâs voice comes through the communicator.
âDad! Weâre here in the lower levels please hurry, Natashaâs really hurt.â Katie cries out glad that help is coming.
âTasha theyâre here, youâre going to be fine. The team is here itâs going to be ok.â
Natasha does her best to stay still as he works, curling up slightly as she starts to cough again. She suddenly reaches out reflexively towards Katie as if that would help her.
Nat tightens her grip on Katie to the point her nails unintentionally dig into the young adults skin. It's honestly shocking she's managing to respond to anything like this. She covered in a thick layer of dust, her face is unnaturally pale, and she can barely look at either of them as her eyes remain half-closed.
Natasha grunts to confirm she heard what Tony said, stiffening slightly as he lifts her up. She rapidly loosens her grip on Katie as her body finally starts shutting down.
"T- Tony?" Natasha's voice is practically a whisper. "Don't let her see..."
As she finishes, her head lolls towards Tony's chest. Nat's body slowly relaxes as she blacks out, trusting him to get all of them to safety.
âNat? Nat! Omg omgâ Katie starts speaking as she starts following her dad out of.
âSweetheart itâs going to be ok.â Tony says as he quickens his place, he wants to just wrap Katie in his arms to protect her but right now he needs to make sure that Natasha gets the medical attention she needs.
As they finally make it outside, Tony is rushed by a paramedic. He gives Natasha one look before calling out to his team to get a gurney. The paramedic gently takes her wrist to check for a pulse as he addresses Tony.
âShe has a deep laceration, as well as possible broken bones. Iâm not sure if thereâs anything else, but she mightâve hit her head as well.â
Tony says before turning towards Katie, whoâs frozen a few steps behind, terrified for Natasha.
âKatie itâs going to be ok, sheâs going to be fine.â
Tony says as he pulls her into his arms so that she canât see Natasha in this state.
âSheâs hurt, god dad what if something happens?â
Katie nods as tears starts streaming down her face.
âWe need to go to the hospital. Dad we need to go.â
âYa, weâre going I just need you to calm down a little ok? Letâs go.â
Tony has already let the armor disassemble and guides Katie towards one of the cars so they can go to the hospital.
Natasha's in surgery for hours, time moving slow as the uncertainty of her state hangs in the air. After what seems like forever, a nurse walks over.
"She's stable at the moment, but still unconscious. We have her resting in the ICU to keep an eye on her condition. We'd like to keep her here for several days given the extent of her injuries."
"She's stable, that's all we can really hope for. As for her waking up, it's tough to say at this point in time. She suffered some pretty serious injuries."
The nurse quietly sighs, noticing Katie's discomfort.
Katie nods as she takes a deep breath and readies herself. She doesnât want to see Natasha like this but thereâs no way sheâs leaving her alone in the hospital.
The nurse nods, leading the two of them through the ICU doors and to Natasha's room. She pauses to make sure Katie really wanted this before opening the door.
Natasha is lying completely still on the hospital bed, hooked up to several machines that fill the room with rhythmic beeping. Her entire chest is bandaged, rising and falling gently with the assistance of a ventilator. Nat's eyes are closed, and if it wasn't for the medical devices, she almost looks... peaceful.
The nurse steps to the side to check her vitals, giving Katie and her dad space.
"Nat" Katie whispers as she slowly walks over to her bedside and takes her hand in her own as tears start streaming down her face. She hates this. Natasha looks almost peaceful but that doesn't help Katie feel better because of the machine's she's surrounded by.
"I can't believe this is happening. This wasn't how today was supposed to go."
Natasha doesn't react to Katie's touch. No gentle squeeze of assurance she would have normally given. Just... stillness.
Tony pulls a chair up behind Katie, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He's close to tears himself, but he's doing his best to keep himself together for Katie.
"It wasn't your fault, sweetheart. This sort of thing could have happened with any one of us."
"But it didn't, it happened with me. Probably because she was too distracted taking care of me." Katie lets out a sigh, and just stares at Natasha's face.
"I get the sentiment, kid, but that could take quite a while."
Tony sighs.
"I already have JARVIS running facial recognition on security footage and compiling information on the building and its operations."
He glances over at Natasha as he talks, pausing suddenly. Tony covers his mouth for a moment to hide the tears that sneak past his false-composure. When he's sure they stopped, he continues.
"I'll get the entire team on this, okay? They won't get far. I promise."
Katie nods not taking her eyes off Natasha. She hates this, hates that Natashaâs in pain and there is nothing she can do about it. Katie isnât sure how long she has been sitting there but soon enough her eyes start getting heavy, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up to her as she falls asleep in the chair, still holding onto Natashaâs hand.
When Katie starts to drift off, Tony decides to head back to the Tower to lead the charge on finding the person responsible for all of this. He lets the nurses know Katie's still in with Natasha before leaving, looking back one last time to make sure Katie is secure.
It takes close to an entire day before Natasha's hand suddenly twitches as the monitor picks up a rising heart rate. Her eyes remain closed, but her head gently shifts closer to Katie as if she could feel her presence.
Hey eyes slowly flicker open, but they lack the usual sparkle Natasha has. She sluggishly looks around the room, the heart monitor suddenly spiking. Nat wasn't sure where she was, and the machines hooked up to her left her on edge.
In her disorientation, Natasha barely registers Katie beside her but tightens her grip on the young adult's hand. Something about her felt safe.
A nurse rushes in, imeditaly moving towards the hospital bed.
"Ma'am, I need you to calm down. I'm going to remove your breathing tube so you're more comfortable, okay?"
Natasha coughs for several seconds when it's taken out, closing her eyes to will her brain to wake up. When she reopens them, her eyes fall on the young adult beside her. Nat's voice is raspy as she quietly addresses her.
Nat whispers in confirmation, a small smile forming on her lips. She weakly runs her thumb over Katie's hand to comfort her. Even in her less than lucid state, Natasha feels a need to comfort her. She looks Katie up and down for a moment before speaking very softly.
Katie wasn't even sure when it started. Or why she never told anyone about it. She knew there were people who cared about her, she had a loving family, and they would do anything to protect her, yet here she was. It was her fault, she was the one who let it get this far. Maybe she should've told her dad the first time it happened, or broken it off, or done something instead of just sitting there and taking it. Or maybe this would still be happening even if she told someone, this is what she deserved wasn't it? That's what Chris always said, that all of this was her fault, everything that happened was her fault. And it wasn't like it was all bad, Chris loved her, he made her happy. She just needs to do better. That's all. They've been together for 8 months now and she's happy. So what if she has to hide some bruises from everyone. It's not that big of a deal. She'll do better and then this won't happen. Katie just sighs to herself as she finishes hiding the bruise on her cheek with make up.
Natasha sighs, knowing she's not getting through to the young adult anytime soon. She takes a brief moment to pull her emotions back before continuing.
"We'll figure it out. Together. You don't need to deal with this alone, Katie. Why don't we go get some ice and you can either talk or we'll just sit in silence, that sound okay?"
"Katie. You always have the choice. If you chose things as they are, then so be it. But that doesn't mean the option to at the very least take a break isn't there."
Natasha walks her to the kitchen, knowing Katie isn't the most comfortable in the med bay. She would prefer getting the young adult scanned for injuries, but can't risk Katie closing herself off again.
"Go ahead and sit down. I'll grab you something cold for the swelling."
Nat opens the freezer and pulls out a bag of frozen peas. She pulls a tea cloth out of a drawer and wraps the bag before handing it to Katie.
"I know you don't like it Tasha, but it wasn't like Chris was beating me black and blue. But fine, I will, but just for the record I'm doing this against my will." Katie attempts to joke but it falls flat even to. her own ears.
Natasha appears completely unimpressed, her mouth in a tight line.
"That doesn't make any of this better."
She sighs, sitting down beside Katie. Natasha stays quiet for a long moment, trying to carefully choose her words.
"I know you don't want to hear this, but I need you to understand this kind of thing only gets worse. You don't have to break it off, but you need to confront him. And I can help you do so if that's what you need to get it done."
âI justâŠugh this is hard. I donât want to talk to him, heâs not really wrong you know, sure itâs not the best way but he only hurts me when I do something wrong. And itâs been months, itâll be so weird if I suddenly bring this up.â
Natasha's voice drops low as she turns to face Katie. Months. That only makes her skin crawl more. She should have realized this sooner.
"None of this is your fault. He has no right to lay a hand on you, even if you think you've messed something up. I need you to understand that what he's doing is wrong. There's no justification for it."
She sighs, putting a gentle hand on Katie's shoulder.
"I don't care if it's been months, hell even if it was years. We are putting a stop to this now."
Katie nods, over the months sheâs been trying to excuse everything that happened, but now that sheâs forced to confront it she knows that this isnt ok.
âOk, ya, heâll listen. He loves me, itâll be fine. Right?â
âYa, itâll be fine. I should call him right? Talk to him?â Katie looks at Natasha with a scared look in her eyes. Even though she thinks that Chris loves her, she really doesnât want to make him mad.
âOk, ya.â Katie takes a deep breath before picking up her phone, and calling Chris.
Hey babe, whatâs up? Chris asks as the phone connects. Katie smiles softly at the softness in his voice. He was always nice to her except when she messed up, it was hard to think that he wanted to hurt her.
âHey, hi. Um nothing much. Well no, umm I wanted to talk to you?â Katie looks over at Natasha panicking, she has no idea what to do.
Nat gently squeezes her shoulder, nodding silently. She's prepared to step in at a moments notice, but wants Katie to handle this on her own as much as possible. Chris could get defensive if he knew Natasha was aware of the situation.
So thatâs what this is about? Katie I donât want to hit you, you know that. It hurts me more than it hurts you when stuff like this happens, but it wouldnât happen if you donât push me! Chris exclaims and Katie looks down, she knew it, thatâs why she didnât want to tell anyone, it was her fault, because he was dumb enough to do stupid shit.
âIâŠIâŠâ Katie stutters out not sure what to do.
Nat was close enough to hear him, and something snaps inside of her. His words hit a very specific nerve of hers.
"You don't get to speak to her like that."
Nat suddenly raises her voice so Chris can hear. She keeps her tone collected, but there's a dangerous edge to her words.
"Katie. None of this is your fault, it never was. You're strong. Don't let him try to take that away from you."
Her voice quickly softens as she addresses Katie, taking the phone and placing it on the counter on speakerphone. She gently holds both of Katie's hands to ground her.
Katie why do you have me on speaker right now? Come on this is a private conversation, we can talk later when it's just the two of us ok? Maybe you can come over right now and we can talk. You know I don't want to hit you.
"You lost the right to a private conversation the moment you hurt her. If you're upset... I frankly don't care."
Natasha stays firm, checking to see Katie's reaction to all of this. She wasn't letting her do this alone, not anymore.
"If you want to meet with him, we can set up a meet in a public location. But, I'm coming with you no matter what he says."
Nat slips into a mission-oriented mindset, quickly running possibilities to make sure Katie stays safe. She wasn't going to give Chris any room to get out of this.
"I...I...I don't know, Nat I...fuck...um...should I see him?" Katie mumbles looking at Natasha with scared eyes. She knew Chris was going to be pissed and the thought of seeing him scared her.
Katie come on, you don't need permission to see your boyfriend. It's me, you love me Katie, and I love you. You know this.
Natasha keeps her expression soft, not letting Katie see the anger bubbling in the back of her mind. The longer Chris spoke, the more she wanted to end this now... but Katie made it clear she wasn't ready to break it off.
She glances at the phone, a flicker of annoyance crossing her gaze before she pulls it back. Nat adjusts her jaw for a moment before quietly adding on.
"I think deep down you know what my answer will be."
âI donât wanna see himâ Katie whispers, she can hear Chris on the phone trying to get Katie to talk to him but she barely registers it. Sheâs shocked with herself because in all the time she has been dating Chris, she has never not wanted to see him, or maybe sheâs just never realized thatâs an option.
Natasha replies simply, hanging up the phone without another word to Chris. She'd deal with him later, right now Katie needs her full attention. Natasha very gently pulls the young adult closer, leaving her room to move out of it if she wants.
