"Calling the base, target is down but Agent Romanoff is h--"
"Just get us the damn evac" Before the rookie agent can finish her word, Natasha cuts her off and calls into the the comm.
Back at the base, Maria knows the moment she heard Natasha's voice that her stubborn girlfriend is being her stubborn self as usual. She sighs and shakes her head fondly, sympathizing the poor rookie.
When the Quinn jet touches down at the SHIELD base, Natasha wastes no time to shove her way past all the agents to get to Maria's quarter. She knows that in a minute, her boss/girlfriend will come after her and check on her.
"Deputy Director, ma'am, Agent Romanoff took a couple big hits back in the field, I think it's best for her to get checked out by the medic" The rookie suggests quietly when Maria walks along her into the control centre.
"Don't worry about her, you go debrief and wash up" Maria rolls her eyes at Natasha's stubbornness mentally and dismisses the rookie. She's got more important things to do.
Natasha flops onto Maria's bed once she strips out of her catsuit and regretting the motion. She can feel the angry bruises forming around her ribs, thighs and let's say all over her body. She also knows that she might got one or two cracked ribs, judging by the difficulty when breathing. She closes her eyes and let the burning sensation settles in. This is just no big deal, Natasha says to herself mentally.
She lays there and spaces out until she hears a soft thud indicating Maria's entrance into the room. She doesn't move.
Maria's heart aches upon seeing Natasha's battered body. She should have gotten used to it right now but still, seeing Natasha like this makes her feel heartbroken.
"Tasha..." Maria sighs, calling her girlfriend's name softly.
"Hmmm" Natasha hums in response, but it comes out more like a whimper.
"Come on, I know you hate the medic, but at least let me check you out?" Maria moves towards the bed and perches on the edge.
Natasha nods, her breathing getting heavier.
"Okay. Let me grab the first-aid kit. Don't fall asleep" Maria leans down to drop a kiss onto Natasha's forehead before moving into the ensuite bathroom to grab some supplies.
Natasha hasn't moved an inch the whole time Maria's gone to gather things, she didn't open her eyes either. The pain is getting intense and borderline unbearable.
"Natasha?" Maria heart sinks a bit when she returns to the bedroom area.
Natasha is looking so peaceful as if she passed out.
"Ria..." Natasha breathes out her nickname for Maria in pain.
"Shhhh I'm here okay? I got you" Maria quickly sits down beside Natasha on the bed and cups her cheeks with her hands after putting down the first-aid kit.
"Tasha? Can you open your eyes for me?" Maria coos softly, thumb caressing the bruise on Natasha's left cheek bone gently.
Natasha obeys, despite the tiredness that makes the task extremely hard.
"Hi beautiful" Maria greets when Natasha's green eyes lock with her blue ones.
"Hi yourself" Natasha greets back weakly, trying to smile a bit.
Maria moves one hand to Natasha's neck to check her pulse, another remaining on her cheek.
"How are you feeling?" Maria asks, studying Natasha's eye movement to see if she got a concussion.
"Hurts" Natasha seldom shows this much of vulnerability, not even in front of her own girlfriend.
"What hurts most? Is it the ribs?" Maria removes her hands from Natasha's neck and cheek, moving them to her girlfriend's ribs.
Natasha nods with a whimper, trying to keep her breath slow.
"Okay. I need to press on them to see if they're cracked or broken, deep breath for me?" Maria explains what she's gonna do next, knowing this will make Natasha feel slightly better.
Natasha closes her eyes again and takes a deep breath.
Maria gently applies pressure into Natasha's ribs and knows right away she got cracked ribs by the way Natasha's breath comes out strangled.
"Oh bad news huh" Maria stops the pressing once she gets a conclusion and bends down to kiss the bruise blooming across Natasha's midsection.
"I know. Cracked" Natasha says in a tone which is weaker than before.
"But luckily I don't think you're concussed. So you can go to sleep after I wrapped up your ribs"
Natasha lets out a tired sigh, knowing she needs to sit up for Maria, which is the last thing she wanna do now.
She tries to pull herself up, only results in slumping back onto the bed with a frustrated and pained groan.
"Easy there" Maria comforts and moves to help her girlfriend prop up against the headboard.
"Ria..." Natasha whimpers, closing her eyes at the burning pain all over her body, struggling to keep the tears from falling.
"Shhh it's okay. Here, take this first" Maria hands Natasha a glass of water and painkillers, which the latter accepts gratefully.
This makes Maria worry. Natasha never accepts medicines without putting up a fight. And she also never says she's in pain out loud.
Natasha keeps her eyes shut and pain is written all over her face.
"Okay Tasha, are you ready to have your ribs wrapped?"
Natasha nods, taking a deep breath painfully.
Maria unrolls the gauze and starts wrapping it around Natasha's body with just the right amount of tightness.
Natasha tries to hold in her whimpers and groans but she fails. A tear slips down her cheeks.
"Oh Tash. You're home now, I'm here" Maria leans forward to kiss away the tear when she finishes wrapping Natasha's ribs.
Natasha opens her eyes, pained and exhausted, and the moment she looks into Maria's loving eyes, the dam breaks.
"Tasha, baby, what happened to you?" Maria quickly put away the supplies and moved forward to gather Natasha in her arms.
Natasha sobs into her girlfriend's chest and heaves heavily. Her whole body shaking.
"Shhhh Tasha. I'm here" Maria feels helpless, she doesn't know what happened and doesn't what to do other than rubbing Natasha's back and whispering sweet comforts to her weeping girlfriend. She now regrets not listening to the rookie's report.
Natasha feels her chest burning with every breath she's taking and her whole body just hurts too much as she starts to hyperventilate.
"Natasha, I need to you slow down your breathing" Maria says with a firmer tone, she can't have Natasha leaping into an episode of panic attack, not with her cracked ribs and other injuries.
Natasha tries to take deeper breathes but her ribs are just hurting too much. She is starting to see black spots swimming in her vision. She is slipping away.
"Tasha, come on baby, focus on my breathing" Maria holds Natasha's body up straight with a firm but gentle grip against her own body, trying use her exaggerated breathing to help slow down Natasha's.
"Ria... Help..." Natasha chocked out with pure fear and panic in her tone.
"Follow my instructions okay? Breathe in on four and out on another four. In two three four, out two three four. There you go, nice and easy" Maria says, voice trembling a bit with her attempt to say calm for her struggling girl.
As time passes by, Natasha's breathing finally gets back to a normal rhythm. Maria silently thanking whatever god she can think of.
Natasha's body just slumps, her head falling onto Maria's shoulder.
"I got you Tash, you're okay now" Maria gently lays her almost-unconscious girlfriend back onto the bed before laying down herself to carefully spoons Natasha from behind.
Natasha wakes up to aches all over her body, reminding her of the fact the she just came back from a rough mission earlier that day and the episode she just had. Grimacing slightly, she turns her head and sees the source of warmth surrounding her.
Maria's sleeping peacefully, hands draped over Natasha's bandaged torso protectively.
Natasha turns her body slightly, wanting to see her girlfriend's face more clearly, but she regrets the movement instantly. Sharp pain shoots through her whole body as she lets out a gasp.
Maria opens her eyes upon hearing Natasha's motion and her gasp.
"Tasha? You okay?" She asked, voice thick with sleep.
"Have been better" Natasha's voice is dry and raspy.
"Don't move, I'm gonna go get you some water okay?" And of course Maria, being her considerate and observant self, notices that.
"No. Don't go please" Natasha grips onto Maria's shirt with all the strength she has left, eyes panicking.
"Okay okay. I'm here, it's okay Tash" Maria covers Natasha's hands with her own and drops a kiss onto her forehead.
Natasha relaxes and snuggles into Maria.
"Tash? Do you wanna talk about earlier?" Maria asks after a moment of silence.
Natasha sighs, she never likes to talk about her feelings but she knows she will have to explain what happened to Maria.
"It's the mission..." Natasha starts quietly, tightening her grip on Maria's shirt.
Maria doesn't reply, giving Natasha the time and space she needs. She just holds her, drawing comforting circle on her shoulder.
"We encountered some sort of mind manipulation. Something similar to what Wanda did to us the first time we met her. But instead of my graduation, this time I saw... I..." Natasha closes her eyes tightly, struggling to recall the vision she saw.
"It's okay Tash, you don't have to continue"
"I lost you" Natasha says quickly, barely audible.
But of course Maria catches it, she's the Deputy Director of SHIELD after all.
"Hey, look at me Natasha" Maria gently lifts Natasha's chin so the two can lock eyes.
Natasha's eyes are red and vulnerable, making Maria's heart aches.
"I'm here okay? I'm not going anywhere and you're not gonna lose me. I promise" Maria looks right into Natasha's green orbs, promising with a sincere tone.
"Really?"
"I will never lie to you, and I will never break my promises. I love you Natasha"
Maria tilts Natasha's face up a little bit and leans down to press a kiss onto her lips, sealing the promise.
"I love you too"