Chapter 2
She set her keys down into the dish, the metal clanging against the porcelain. Liho mewling at her return.
Nat took off her leather jacket (still smelling of Arlington, through repeated washes which was driving her near crazy), lightly scratching Liho's head.
Cursed silently to herself as she began to undress, heading for the shower.
Or, at least tried to. Clutched at the table, trying to ignore the ghost that sat in her couch again.
"Look, I just had a really bad day, and don't feel like this right now."
Liho scampered away, already used to these talks to, in her mind, absolutely nothing. Probably thinking her owner finally cracked, talking to the walls.
("Only here because you want me to be.")
Sighed quietly. "....[And no hints, right?]"
The only reply, the quiet AC as it clicked on.
Tightened her grip, as she restrained herself from yelling.
There's a memory that had been scratching at her mind, though she can't pin it down.
In her frustrations, he usually just sat in the corner, as he did now, appearing saddened.
"You're here because I can't remember."
Silence. Took it as a yes.
"Then why can't you help?"
Her phone suddenly started vibrating off the hook, the recent solar storm knocking communications out sporadically, hence, the near failed mission by the crackling comms.
A few messages from Stark & Wilson, as well as Steve. Carol messaged a few more times, the last vibration from her text.
She'd been silent for a while, to everyone, but Carol cared. The small text glowed, "You awake?"
She clutched onto the table, as she felt the ghost head near her, trying to comfort her.
The memory she couldn't remember, suddenly & quickly coming back. Some night in Spring, the question spoken in a quiet voice that made her heart pump in concern.
Whispered apologies stopped by her insistence that neither of them ever needed to, his eyes filled with guilt (he didn't need to, never should have to).
She tried to catch her breath, the memory raw.
Nat went to her room, getting her notebook out, writing it down as fast as she could.
She finished, setting the pen and notebook down.
Looked to her right to see him new guilt coming from him. "....You're here because I want to remember. ....And you don't want me to."
He stayed quiet, finally breaking the silence. ("....That's your decision. Should always have been.")
Didn't understand, too tired for riddles.
("....I'm here because you want me to be, Natalia, because I can't let myself not be. And I can never be sorry enough.")
Liho climbed in, as Nat looked down on her and back, the ghost, gone.
Cocked her head at Nat, meowing if she was done talking to ghosts.
Nat laid down, the 3 nights without sleep finally catching up to her.
Closed her eyes, as her mind said, oddly, you still don't need to apologize, the solar flares raging on.