Everything Falls Apart
Tony knocked on the door to Natasha’s suite, his hands shaking so hard he could barely connect his knuckles to the wood.
She had a bright smile on her face when she came to answer, but it quickly faded when she saw him. “Tony, what’s wrong?”
“Can I come in for a minute?”
“Of course,” she said, stepping aside and gesturing for him to sit. She paused a moment, taking him in. His face was a pale, sickly color and his eyes were bloodshot. He stood fidgeting with his hands in the middle of the room.
“Are you okay?” She asked, rushing to his side. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I have to tell you something,” he said, almost choking on the words.
“Okay,” she said. “Is this like I was sent to kill you something, or some psycho ex-employee got a hold of a video of us having sex something?”
He didn’t answer, his mouth pressed firm together as he considered.
“Baby, you know you can tell me anything,” she said gently. “Whatever it is, I’ll help you.”
“Pepper’s pregnant,” He said, almost in a whisper. “With my baby.”
Her eyes widened as her stomach dropped to the floor. “What?” She asked. “You can’t be serious. How is that even possible?”
He began shaking his head. “Nat, I didn’t--- I never cheated on you. Never, no I didn’t even think about, I-I swear…I-”
“Okay,” she said softly.
He took a shaky breath, gazing at her with a heavy look. “She’s four and a half months.”
Natasha put a hand over her mouth, as if that would stop the tears from falling down her face.
“She hadn’t been feeling well for awhile,” he continued. “ But she thought it was just stress from running the company. And everything else I put her through, I guess.”
“Oh my God,” Natasha said.
“It’s a girl,” he added.
“No.” She shook her head. “No, I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Tasha….” He reached for her, but she slowly pulled away, her eyes wide and teary. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I-I-don’t know what to say. I don’t know what to do.”
“I have to go,” she whispered.
“What?” He took a step towards her. “No.”
“I can’t…. I can’t do this right now. I really think I have to go.”
“No!” He cried, reaching out and taking her arms in his hands. “No, just stay here. Stay here, we’ll figure this out, I promise.”
She looked up at him, her vision blurred. “It’s always something, isn’t it?” She said, her voice breaking on the last word.
He sniffled. “I guess so.”
She nodded, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. “I think….. I think you need time to process things and talk it over with Pepper and Happy. And I think… I think I need some space.”
He lowered his gaze, large tears rolling down his cheeks as he stared at a random spot on the floor.
“I’m sorry, Tony,” she whispered. She sobbed as she shakily pulled off her engagement ring. She started to hand it back to him, then thought better of it and placed it on the coffee table.
“Me too,” he said, his voice pained.
She brushed past him, pausing to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before running out the door and to the elevator before she lost her resolve.
XXXXX
Her vision was almost totally blurry by the time she pulled up to her apartment and she parked hastily at the curb before running out and slamming the door. Her cell phone had been going off incessantly in her pocket but she ignored it.
She sighed a deep sigh, pulling the front door open in a haze. As soon as she got past the hall, her instincts kicked in and she froze when she detected that someone was in her apartment.
“Nat,” a familiar voice called from the couch.
Her shoulders relaxed when she saw Clint, although her stomach still felt heavy and tense. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “It’s kind of a bad time.”
He stood up. “I’m playing the part of the best friend,” he said softly. “There’s even ice cream in the freezer.”
She stared at him disbelievingly for a moment, and then the weight of the day crashed down over her and she threw herself into him, her shoulders shaking.
He caught her, wrapping his strong arms around her tightly as she collapsed against him and began to sob. “I’m so sorry, Tasha,” he murmured.
She sobbed loudly, her body heaving and her tears soaking the front of his shirt.
“I know, I know, sweetheart,” he said gently, rubbing her back in soothing circles. “Just let it all out.”
He let her cry for awhile before he slowly moved her to the couch. “Do you want me to stay over tonight so you don’t have to be alone?”
She nodded wordlessly.
“Okay. I can do that. But, Nat… maybe you’d want to come stay at the farm for a few days? “
“I don’t know,” she sniffed. “I can’t really think straight.”
“Okay. That’s okay. Just know that Laura misses you, and the kids would love to see you. We can do whatever you want.”
She wiped her face on her sleeve. “I’ll think about it.”
“And Laura and I were talking….. her sister’s going to come watch the kids next week so she and I can go get your things. If that’s what you want.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what I want,” she cried.
“Okay. We can talk about it some more another time,” he said gently.
Suddenly, she doubled over, vomiting violently on the floor. He rushed to her, brushing her hair with his fingers and holding it back while she threw up.
“I don’t know what I want,” she said again when she finished. “But it’s not this.” She broke down again, covering her face with her hands as she sat cross-legged on the couch.
“Come here,” Clint whispered, reaching for her.
She sobbed as she crawled into his lap and he embraced her fiercely.
“I didn’t want this for you either,” he told her as he held her tightly.