During a mission, Steve is brainwashed and gets into a fight with Natasha.

Steve and Natasha were used to doing missions together. They worked well together and had a mutual understanding of how they each fought on the field and even after they had started a relationship, they were able to fight together in one fluid motion as though it was a dance rather then a battle. 

But because of their relationship, things could also become reckless in a moment. 

If Steve saw Natasha struggling, he would throw himself into the middle of a shower of bullets if it meant protecting him. Likewise, Natasha would jump into a fight weaponless if she saw Steve at the verge of being killed. 

It was a mess but they never failed to save one another. They might come out with a few more bullet and stab wounds then normal. 

Their current mission was no different. Natasha and Steve had been sent in along with Sam and Wanda to try and get information on a secret group that was rumored to be experimenting on children. 

Despite knowing that these people were doing terrible things, they had been instructed to not engage in combat unless absolutely necessary. 

Of course, it was eventually needed. Sam had set off an alarm while trying to unlock the back door and probably a hundred people had flooded out of the building, some of them with abilities. 

"Wanda! Can you try and shut off their powers?" Steve yelled, fighting off one that could have only been fourteen or fifteen but was somehow lifting objects with his mind. 

Wanda shook her head, "I tried! One of them must have powers like mine. I can't access them."

Natasha frowned, "So if we take that one out you can do it?" 

Wanda nodded, "Yes but I don't know which one it is." 

Natasha looked around the battlefield and saw a young girl standing on the top of the building, staring at Wanda with furrowed brows, "I think I see her. Steve, wanna help me get this one?" 

Steve nodded and knocked the young boy out, feeling guilty as he did so. 

"I can't believe we have to fight kids," Steve mumbled as he and Natasha climbed up the side of the building, hoping to go unnoticed by the girl they were ambushing. 

Natasha nodded, staying quiet as they reached the top. 

Steve gave her a slight nod and she threw her widow's bite at the girl's leg, making her cry out in pain and then turn to them in shock as they ran towards her. 

She raised her hands and Natasha was blown back. The girl narrowed her eyes at Steve and suddenly, he stopped running. 

Natasha raised an eyebrow, "Steve what are you doing?" 

Steve turned to her and his eyes were foggy. Natasha cursed. The little bitch was controlling him. 

Natasha tried to shoot at the girl, who was now running away quickly, but Steve got in her way and she quickly stopped firing. 

She wouldn't shoot Steve. Even if it meant he would kill her, which she suspected was exactly what the girl had told him to do. 

Steve swung his fist at her and she caught it quickly, pushing his arm to the side without making a move to fight back, "I won't fight you Steve."

Steve frowned at her words and punched her again, this time landing a nasty blow on her shoulder. 

Natasha cursed, "Sam, Wanda. One of you needs to get to that girl with mind powers. Steve is compromised."

She jumped out of the way as Steve tried to throw his shield at her but was caught off-guard when he delivered a kick to her ribs. She heard a sickening crack and knew that at least two of them were broken. 

Steve took her moment of hesitation to his advantage and punched her again, making contact with her cheek this time. 

Natasha backed up further, defending herself the best she could without retaliating. 

"Natasha fight back! He's going to kill you," Sam yelled, landing on the roof. 

Natasha shook her head, catching another fist before groaning in pain as his other fist buried itself in her gut, "No! I'll be fine. Just find that girl. She looks inexperienced. She won't be able to hold onto him if you and Wanda are fighting her."

Sam sighed but nodded, running off to find the girl. 

"Steve, this isn't you," Natasha attempted, hoping that she could coax him out of her control. 

Another kick landed on her ribs and she bent over in pain.

"Steve please. You know me. It's Nat. Your Nat."

Another punch. 

"We're partners. We've been dating for four months but it feels like much longer."

Another kick.

"I love you."

He threw his shield and it hit her hard in the hip, making her fall to the ground in pain. She raised her hand to catch his fist.

"Please," She begged. 

Her words did nothing and she could feel herself losing blood. She couldn't die. She wasn't afraid to, she just knew that if Steve was the one to kill her, he'd never forgive himself. It would probably kill him. 

Natasha rolled out of the way and watched as his fist landed in the cement, nearly denting the spot where her head had been merely seconds ago. 

She grabbed his shield and used it as he continued trying to hit her, "Sam! Wanda! What's taking so long?" 

"We've almost got her. Hang in there Natasha," Sam replied. 

Natasha yelped in pain as Steve grabbed a handful of her hair and threw her to the ground roughly. Every bone in her body was aching and all she could taste was blood. 

Steve pinned her down and Natasha couldn't move. Her speed and agility had faded the more blows that she had taken and now all she could do was hope that Sam and Wanda would pull through.

But if they didn't...

"Steve, listen to me, I love you. I don't care if you kill me. I'll always love you."

Steve raised his fist to deliver what would probably be the final blow but before he lowered his fist, the cloudiness in his eyes faded and he blinked, his eyes suddenly focusing on Natasha.

"Nat?" He whispered, noticing her black eye and busted lip. His eyes widened in horror and he stumbled backwards, "Oh my god. I hurt you."

Natasha struggled to her feet and tried to grab his wrist, "I'm okay Steve. That wasn't you."

Steve shook his head, staring down at his fist, which were now stained with her blood, "I almost killed you Natasha."

Natasha cupped his face in her hands delicately, trying to hide the pain she was experiencing, "You didn't though, and like I said, that wasn't you. It could have been the other way around just as easily."

Steve scanned Natasha and his eyebrows furrowed, "Natasha you're hurt." 

She tried to deny it but by now the pain was making her dizzy and it was all she could do to not fall over.

Of course, Steve noticed this and quickly scooped her into his arms, "We need to get you back to the safe-house."

Sam looked over at him and gave him a nod, letting him know that he and Wanda would take care of the rest. 

Natasha winced in pain when Steve began to run toward the jet and his chest tightened. How could he have hurt her so badly. 

The second they boarded the jet, Steve laid her down on the gurney, looking over her body to see if there was anything that needed instant attention. 

"I'm so sorry Natasha," He whispered, at least glad that she was bleeding from anywhere other then her lip. 

She shook her head, "It's okay Steve. I'm okay. Don't blame yourself for this." 

Steve looked down at his feet and Natasha grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at her, "If anything, I'm more upset that now I know you go easy on me when we spar," She joked, trying to lighten the mood. 

Steve still frowned, "You fight back when we spar...why didn't you fight back?" 

Natasha sighed, her smirk fading into something much more vulnerable, "I couldn't hurt you when you had no control over what you were doing...I remember during my days at the Red Room, they would brainwash us like they did Bucky and we would have to fight someone who was conscious. Every time I woke up with bruises and cuts all over me, I always used to be so upset because I hadn't been in control. I didn't want you to have to go through that."

"You're too good for me," Steve whispered, taking her hand in his carefully.

They finally arrived back at the safe-house and Steve quickly brought them to their bedroom, where he instructed Natasha to take off her suit so her could better see her injuries as he went to go get the first aid kit.

Natasha smirked halfheartedly at his instructions and weakly attempted to pull him down to kiss her, "Alright. I'm a little sore but if that's what you want to do..."

Steve rolled his eyes and pecked her forehead, "You know that's not what I meant."

Natasha grinned, "Yeah I do, but it's fun to see you get all flustered." 

Steve went to get the first aid kit and when he came back, Natasha was still in her suit. She looked up at him with a slight frown, "I need you to help me."

Steve nodded, still overwhelmingly guilt ridden at the thought that she was left in this much pain because of him.

He helped her out of the catsuit and she was left only in her sports bra and spandex shorts. His eyes scanned her porcelain skin and a frown settled onto his brows.

Nearly every inch of her skin was riddled with colorful bruises. Her hip was covered in a rather large red and purple one from where he had his her with his shield, her ribs were a sickening shade of black and blue, and what seemed like hundreds of other small bruises were painted all over her skin. 

"Nat," He whispered, feeling the need to apologize again, "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I never-"

"Stop apologizing Steve. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I'm not going to hold this against you. This-" She gestured to her bruises, "-wasn't you. You didn't have any control over your thoughts and actions and I know that if you did, you'd never hurt me." 

Steve looked down, unable to look her in the eyes.

Natasha reached out to take his hand, "Look at me Steve. This wasn't you. I'm not afraid of you and I won't ever be afraid of you hurting me because I love you. Please don't weight yourself down with guilt over this. I've had worse, and I've done worse."

Steve shook his head, pressing a light kiss to Natasha's hand, "I love you too."

She smiled softly, "Good, now come over here and help me get to the tub for an ice bath."

Steve nodded and helped her to the bathroom, where she sat down and waited for him to dump the ice into the water.

When it was ready, he helped her into it and sat besides the tub with a sigh. Even with a busted lip and bruises all over her body, Natasha was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. 

"I would invite you to join me, but this tub is awfully small," Natasha teased. 

Steve managed a small laugh and reached out to hold Natasha's hand, "You're amazing Natasha. I don't know what I'd do without you." 

Natasha smiled, her eyes showing her gratitude in a way that words never could, "You're pretty great too." 

Steve shook his head with another laugh and leaned over to kiss her lips softly. 

Natasha tried to wrap her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss but quickly regretted it when her ribs ached in pain.

She winced and pulled back with a frown, "I guess that old saying is true...love really does hurt."

Hey guys. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing it a lot and feel like it's pretty different bc I normally see Natasha as the one trying to kill Steve so it was nice to do the opposite for once. 

Like always, if you guys did enjoy this please comment and vote! Stay healthy and safe!