Natasha was never the type of person to celebrate birthdays or holidays, it just wasn't how she was raised. But when she met Steve things started to change. He would often tell her of the days where his mom, Bucky, and himself would go to the store with the little money they had buying supplies to bake a cake. He would recall them going to the woods outside Brooklyn and taking a small tree, whether it was pine or not for Christmas. They just had so many traditions, that Natasha found very intriguing. 

This week was their anniversary, not their wedding anniversary, but the day they went on their first date. Steve enjoyed celebrating this one because he would say it was the day his life began, which always made Natasha blush.

Things between them are still way too tough, but since the conversations with Laura, she has been worried about losing him. So she decided she would make him his favorite breakfast and just show how much she loves him all day. 

When Steve was still out on his morning run, Natasha woke up and put some cinnamon rolls into the oven then went to shower. Afterward, she dressed in a black dress that fit her curves perfectly. 

While she was preparing for her day, Steve ran by his studio. Last night he got no sleep, instead was in the living room drawing the night sky for the hundredth time. He has had a lack of sleep for over two weeks in a row, he didn't even know what today was. 
"Hey, Caleb!" He heard the shouts of one of his co-workers who he was actually very close to. He was probably one of the only people who knew his secret but chose to hide it much to Steve's appreciation. 

"Hey man!" He said running up beside him. Brooks Robinson, was a great man, always looked out for other people, really had his life ahead of him, he was also Steve's agent. 

"You don't work today," He pointed out. "What are you doing here?" 

"going for a run gotta stay active," Steve said. 

"Oh yeah because you need so much help getting fit," He and Steve shared a laugh at that. "You seem to have your mind on something, what's going on?" 

"I just have a lot on my mind lately," Steve sighed. "Nothing I wanna bug you with." 

"Well, why don't you come with me?" He asked. "I'm going downtown for a bit for an art exhibit, you can talk to a different artist, get some new inspiration, hey I can even throw in a free lunch." Steve took a moment to think, before decided there was no harm in it. 

"Sure, why don't you text me the address and I'll go home and get ready." He said with a smile. The two parted ways and Steve ran home, having the feeling that he was missing something today. 

At home, Natasha just finished curling her hair and was taking out their homemade breakfast, getting ready for her breakfast date. She was hoping they could head to the beach afterward because that was where they had their first date. 

She heard the front door open and a smile began to appear on her face as she put a cinnamon roll on his and her own plate. She stood straight fixing her hair in place as she heads his footsteps approach. 

"Oh hey Nat," He said walking into the kitchen. He didn't pay very close attention to her as he walked to their room. Natasha frowned as she heard him shuffle through their closet. 

She moved a piece of her hair which fell on into her face before taking her cinnamon roll and placing it the counter leaving Steve's sitting in front of her. 
"Hey honey," Steve said walking in buttoning up the shirt he usually wore to work. "I am heading out for a bit," 

"Where are you going? Today's your day off Steve," She said with an annoyed voiced. Steve was taken back by her sudden hostility in her voice. 

"Brooks invited me to a gallery walk today. We didn't have anything planned so I thought it wouldn't be a problem." He said. He watched as Natasha looked down at her plate. 

"You didn't think that this was something you should have told me about?" She asked raising an eyebrow. 

"I thought you wouldn't mind," He said, still confused about her behavior, and why she was acting this way.

"Oh, you thought?" She asked putting her hand on her face. All she wanted was to have a nice evening with him, maybe patch things up, but here they were yelling and arguing once again. Steve now looked at Natasha noticing her fancy attire. 

"Why are you dressed like that?" He asked, nodding toward the dress and her hair. Natasha shook her head, ignoring the pain in her chest as she tried to speak back to him. 

"I guess that doesn't matter." She answered. 

"It does matter if it is angering you, Nat," Steve said gently. He obviously had no clue what was going on, but he knew he didn't want to fight Natasha. There were too many things going on right now he couldn't bare falling into one of their, now daily, loud arguments. 

"No, it clearly doesn't because you don't seem to remember." She said. 

"Maybe if you were to tell me why you are dressed so nicely and angry with me for leaving then I could make things better. Did you want to come with me?" He asked dumbly. Natasha didn't answer, how could he not remember? It was this day all those years ago their relationship begun, it was also the day they fell in love with one another. 

"No Steve," She said not understanding why he didn't remember. Tears were threatening her eyes, as she tried to keep her cool.  

"Then why are you acting so dramatic?" He asked with an annoyed look plastered on his face. He didn't understand why she was so upset with him, he was trying hard to understand what is going on. 

"Dramatic?" She asked anger was very obvious in her voice. "Steve Grant Rogers, do you even understand how uncomfortable I have been all morning? I woke up early just to do all of this just to see that you are leaving me!" 

"I am not leaving you, Nat! I will be back later in the day, I don't understand why you are acting this way." He asked. Natasha shook her head and started to undo the clips that were locking her hair in place, and walking away to her room. 

"Just go, I don't care anymore," she said, Steve watched as she kicked off her heels. Despite the circumstance, he couldn't help but admire how beautiful she looked in that moment. 

"Nat, I'm sorry but I have to get going," He said looking down at the watch that rested on his wrist. Natasha didn't say anything as she fell to the couch turning the TV on. Steve stood there for a moment waiting for a response but knew it wouldn't come. He sighed and made his way out. "we'll talk about this when I get home," He announced. "I love you," 

Natasha waited until he left their house before the tears began to come very quickly. She stood up and began walking toward the guest bedroom. In there was a bunch of balloons, a banner, and the cake she hid in there for their anniversary. She ended up taking it all to the kitchen where she released her anger on the balloons by stabbing them with a knife. 

"How could he not remember?" She said as she slid down to the floor. She sat them as the cold emitting from the floor started to make her shiver. It was so quiet without him, she hated it. She hated feeling like this when he wasn't around. This wasn't who she was, or at least it wasn't who she used to be. She cried for longer then she could remember before falling asleep on the cold kitchen floor. 

Steve was downtown, walking around the art exhibit having lost his friend among the many people that wanted to talk to him. Steve wasn't one for crowds so he began to study the art of other artists, trying to see what goes into their mind as they worked on each painting.  This, however, wasn't working because all he could think about was his fight with Natasha. 

"You have a lot on your mind, my friend," Steve turned to Brooks who was now walking up to him, having escaped all the people. 

"I guess you can say that. I came here to clear my mind, and while it helped I just can't get this feeling off my chest," He sighed looking down. 

"I am surprised that you agreed to come with me today, I realized you might have wanted to spend today with your wife, but when you agreed I realized I might have gotten the date wrong," he said, "This old mind of mind is always getting things confused." 

"Why would I have wanted to be with my wife today?" He asked, how did everyone know what today was, "I mean don't get me wrong. I always wanna be with her, but what is so special about today?" 

"I mean from I remember, you would be asked for four days off the entire you, excluding the vacation days you were given, and those days included your birthday, her birthday, your wedding anniversary, and the day of your first date anniversary, which is today." Steve almost died at that moment, Brooks kept speaking but nothing was registering in his mind any more except missing his anniversary.

Steve has never forgotten an important date. He remembers even the ones one would consider unimportant. So why, how could he forget this day. Not only did it marks their first date, but a year into their relationship on this day, he told her he loved her. He had to get home. 

"I am so sorry Brooks, I don't know why or how I forgot what today was, but I need to go." He said quickly looking for his keys. Brooks nodded confused watching Steve run out of the exhibit. 

Steve was always careful of following speeding laws, but as he raced through Brooklyn nothing mattered more than getting home to his girls. When he arrived home he quickly unlocked the door and called out for Natasha. He walked to the kitchen where there was popped balloons lying on the floor, two smashed cinnamon roles on the floor, along with a cake. She was angry. 

He, however, saw no sign of him anywhere in the living room or kitchen. He walked to his bedroom and saw a suitcase on his bed. He frowned. Where they going on a trip? 

"Nat?" He asked as he spotted her in the closet gathering a large number of her clothes. She was facing away from him, but when she turned around his heart broke, her makeup was running down her face and her dress, now gone and she was dressed in sweats. 

"I thought you had things to do," She mumbled dropping the folded clothes into her bag. 

"I left early, listen I am sorry I forgot about today. I have had a lot on my mind right now and for some reason, I just couldn't focus." He was blabbing until she spoke. 

"Don't worry about it, Steve. I wouldn't want to get in the way of your work." She said and grabbed shoes to also put in her suitcase. "I know I stand." 

"I am not saying my work is more important, I am saying I have been distracted and if you would let me I want to take you out, maybe for dinner and dancing where we can then go that dessert place you love so much?" He asked trying to make it sound appealing for her. Natasha, however, looked at him before shaking her head. 

"No. I am okay," She said, trying her best to rub the makeup away every time her hands were free of clothes. 

"It's on me Nat, I wanna make up for what I did," he said. 

"Are you ever going to tell me what I did?" She asked. Steve was confused. "Don't do that, you know what I am talking about, I did something to close you off and now you seem to be pulling farther and farther away from me!" 

"Nat I-" 

"I am trying Steve, I really am. But I can't live a life with you when you are keeping something from me!" She said, which got Steve angry. 

"Are you kidding me? Nat, you are such a hypocrite, you act like I am the bad one when you are the biggest liar in the world! You have kept some many secrets from but the moment I keep one from you I am all of a sudden the worlds worst person!" He was speaking from anger. "Why can't you just trust me, Nat?! How badly did the red room screw you up!" 

There was silence. They weren't moving, and the only sound that could be heard was their rough breaths, that was until Steve heard the sound of Natasha crying. Something she rarely did. 

It broke Steve's heart and he regretted ever opening his mouth. He wanted to take her into his arms and spend the rest of his life apologizing. He hated seeing her cry, but it hurt even more when he was the cause. 

"Nat- I am so sorry, I never meant to do anything," He tried to apologize but she held up her hand and shook her head asking for him to stop. 

"Just don't. I can't do this anymore." She said, him saying that was her last straw. She couldn't live such a life anymore, not when he was acting like that.  She walked over to her bed closing the suitcase, and then pulled it to the ground. 

"Where are you going?" She didn't answer his question, just began walking toward the front door. Steve was beginning to panic, the voices in his head were getting louder as she approached the door. "Nat don't go," he begged. 

"I can't do this," was all she said. She looked around as if trying to collect all the memories in her brain. Steve was begging her, trying to get her to stay, at one point he got on his knees hugging her waist. 

"Please don't leave me," Was all he could manage. Natasha swore her heart cried for him, but his words cut too deep, she couldn't overcome this feeling of pain. They were both crying. Neither wants to leave, but Natasha couldn't live like this. 

"Goodbye Steve," was all she said before leaving. When that door shut, Steve swore his heart broke. He was already a broken man, and the last piece holding him together was now gone.