Chapter 22
The moment of truth has finally come, Steve was driving them to a place that seems familiar to her, but didn’t say anything as it was a surprise and she still has amnesia as far as Steve knows. As he was driving Natasha could see he was nervous and that made her feel anxious too.
Steve felt her intense stare and her anxiousness and he instinctively took her hand on his gently and brought it to his lips giving it a small peck.
“Are you alright love? Your hands are cold.” Steve asked concern in his voice.
“I’m fine, I think it’s your hand that feels cold.”
“Must’ve been the drinks I was holding earlier,” he replied tensely.
Natasha stared at him a bit tense and uttered the words “I need to tell you something,” at the same moment Steve hit the break indicating they have arrived. Steve looked at her lovingly as if asking what it was.
When Natasha saw his intense gaze at her she found herself telling that it could wait until tonight and that she couldn’t wait for the surprise that awaits her.
Steve brought her inside the event hall that looks all too familiar to her. She found herself surrounded by familiar and unfamiliar faces and that shocked her and left her speechless.
“What’s going on?” she uttered confused about the whole situation.
“We are gonna travel back in time,” Steve answered her nervously.
Natasha was overwhelmed by everything and didn’t know what to do. Her daze was cut off the moment she felt pepper placing a camera on her neck and looked at her still confused. She just gave her a small smile and left her with Steve again.
“Do you remember when I told you that if there’s one thing I’ll go back to in my life that it would be the time when I first met you?” He told her giving out his beautiful smile, while she looked at him still overwhelmed.
“Nat, this is where we first met. You’re the event photographer, you were just walking around taking photos, and I was sitting there,” pointing at one of the tables and the people around reenacted the happenings that evening. ” That’s where I first saw you so I called for Bucky to take my place and went to that bar over there, where I could see you walk around the place. That night I just had eyes for you as you were taking photos.” Steve told her recalling the events of that night tears began to form in his eyes. “You were the only one that caught my eye and my gaze never left you,” he told her crying.
Natasha felt herself crying seeing the tears fall on his cheeks. “And that’s where you introduced yourself and I refused to give my name because I wasn’t part of the event that I was just the photographer so you decided to leave, but changed your mind and asked me an absurd question,” she said while tears are flowing freely in her eyes.” You asked me if I believe in love at first sight.” She continued the story while sobbing.
Steve just looked at her confusedly and hurt at what he was hearing. “It couldn’t be,” he thought to himself trying to convince himself that what he was thinking isn’t true. He had to know so he asked her.
“You remember now?”
“I never forgot Steve, I was never in an accident I never had amnesia. I never forgot about you, Steve. I’m sorry, I got scared, I got scared that I’ll you lose you again, I’m so sorry.” Natasha sobbed hardly. She saw the pain and confused look on Steve’s face and that felt like a hundred knives were stabbing her heart.
Steve couldn’t believe what he was hearing, this sure gave him the surprise of his life and it wasn’t a good one. He didn’t know what to do he was overwhelmed by the pain and hurt and felt himself needing to leave the place immediately, he can’t be in this place he feels suffocated and left without looking back.
When Natasha saw him walk away, all hell went loose and made her weak on her knees. They saw her breakdown and tried to comfort her. She feels her world crumbling down all over again and she was so tired of all the pain she just wanted it to go away.
Pepper tried to calm her down and stayed with her while the guys went after Steve. A moment later a worried and frantic Wanda, Maria, and Clint rushed in. The scene that greeted them crushed their heart. A broken and sobbing mess Natasha in Pepper’s arms on the floor gutted them. This is what exactly Wanda was trying to tell her, that this charade of hers won’t end well, but that doesn’t matter now because Natasha needs them more than ever. They just hope that she’ll be able to bounce back after this, it won’t be easy but they are not leaving her side no matter what.