Requested by ChaithraKumar , Steve brings Nat back from the stone but she won't talk to anyone except him.

It had all happened quickly.

One second, Steve had been mourning the loss of the girl he loved, then he had her back.

On his mission to return the stones, he had asked for her back, expecting the red skull to send him away...but he hadn't.

Natasha had appeared back at the top of the cliff, looking confused and worried, but alive.

"Nat?" Steve had asked, his voice cracking.

Natasha's head had snapped up and her eyes filled with tears, "Steve?" She whispered, swaying back and forth slightly.

Steve dropped the case he was holding and his shield and ran to her, but before he could get to her, she collapsed on the ground.

"Natasha!!?" He yelled. Checking her pulse. It was there but faint.

He took her into his arms and ran back to the ship.

He slipped the extra quantum realm suit over her suit and brought them both home, screaming for help as he appeared again.

Bruce and Sam ran up to the pair while Bucky ran for help.

Steve dropped everything he had and took off for the hospital, Natasha still in his arms.

"What in the hell happened?" Sam yelled as he tried to keep up, flying above them.

"I don't know. One second she was I've and standing there and the next she collapsed."

"But she's alive?" Sam asked, hope filling his voice.

Steve nodded and he ran, "Yeah. She is."

They got to the hospital and quickly found Bruce, who was quick to get Natasha into a room and start figuring out what was wrong.

Steve waited outside her hospital room for hours. Eventually, Bruce told him that the blood loss she suffered when she died hadn't completely gone away when the trade was reversed.

"Will she be okay?" Steve asked.

Bruce nodded, "We've got her on an IV pumping more blood so she'll be fine. You can go in there if you want. I know how hard it was to lose her for you. She probably won't wake up anytime soon but if she does, let me know."

Steve nodded, "Thanks Bruce."

Bruce nodded and walked down the hallway, leaving Steve to walk inside the room.

Natasha was laying on the bed, looking paler then he had ever seen her, but still beautiful.

The braid she had been wearing the day they left was still intact and she looked more at peace now then Steve had ever seen her look before.

Pulling a chair besides her bed, Steve propped her elbows on the bed and held her hand in his, closing his eyes for a moment.

Eventually, his exhaustion took over and he fell asleep, his head falling onto the bed with his hands still gently grasping one of hers.

He woke up when he felt someone lightly running their hand through Steve's hair.

He opened his eyes and was surprised to see Natasha looking down at him softly, her eyes still half open.

"Nat? Are you okay? You scared me half to death." Steve asked.

Natasha nodded, still not saying a word.

"You made me worry I was going to lose you again." Steve said with a frown.

"You thought it would be that easy to get rid of me?" Natasha mumbled, her voice hoarse and raspy.

Steve laughed out of relief and shook his head, "Can you blame me? You broke your promise."

Natasha frowned, closing her eyes again, "What promise was that?"

"You said you'd see me in a minute." Steve said, his heart churning at the painful memory.

"To be fair, I didn't plan on jumping off a cliff when I left." Natasha said, barely opening her eyes.

Steve sighed and squeezed Natasha's hand.

She bit her lip and looked at Steve, worry filling her eyes, "When I was in the stone, I thought I was watching you, but I need to know that I wasn't imaging it...Tony...is he really dead?" She asked quietly.

Steve nodded, looking down at his feet, "Yeah....he is."

Natasha inhaled deeply and shook her head, "I was hoping...I was hoping none of what I saw was real. Tony's death, you being alone at the funeral...why didn't you stand with someone?"

Steve shook his head, "The only person that could've comforted me was you."

Natasha shook her head at Steve with teary eyes, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"You did what you needed to do. I don't blame you." He said, looking down.

Before Natasha could say anything, Bruce walked into the room.

Steve looked up at Natasha and was surprised to see her face go pale.

"Natasha, you're awake! How do you feel?" Bruce asked.

Natasha didn't respond. Her hand squeezed Steve's tighter and she kept her eyes locked on Steve.

"Natasha?" Bruce said, looking between the two.

"Nat?" Steve asked.

Natasha shook her head and Steve looked back at Bruce, "Can you give us a minute?"

Bruce frowned but did so, stepping out of the room.

"Natasha what's going on?" Steve asked.

Natash shook her head, "In the stone, I relived some of my memories, the good and bad ones with everyone I cared about. Everything Bruce did seven years ago, leaving me alone, it all feels fresh. Like it just happened. I can't even bare to look at him."

Steve frowned, "How can I help?"

Natasha looked pleasingly at Steve, "Get me out of here. Please. I can't even think about seeing anyone but you right now."

"Why me?" Steve asked.

"Because you've never hurt me. In all the years I've known you, you've been the one person I can rely on no matter what."

Steve sighed, "I'll go tell Bruce. If your blood levels are better there shouldn't be any reason you can't leave."

Natasha nodded, "Thank you."

Steve walked outside to Bruce and frowned.

"What's wrong with her? Why won't she look at me? I saw her talking to you."

"When she was in the stone she had to relive a lot of memories with us. Including the bad ones. Like when you left her alone after she told you about her past. She doesn't want to be around you. She asked me to get her out of here, and if you really care about her, you'll let me." Steve said, narrowing his eyes at Bruce...he still was a little bitter with what Bruce had done.

"Why you?" Bruce asked, "Why can she look at you and not me? Surely she relived memories with you too!"

Stepping closer to Bruce in an almost threatening manner, Steve frowned, "Because I've never hurt her. Not once. And especially not how you did. So are you going to let me take her home or not?"

Bruce sighed, "You'll do it no matter what I say."

Steve nodded, "Yeah because I care about her, and if this is what she wants then I'm going to make it happen."

Bruce started to say something but didn't get the chance because Steve was already in her room again.

"Can you walk on your own?" Steve asked.

Natasha smiled softly, "I think so."

She sat up and removed the IV, wincing slightly as she did so.

Steve offered her his hand but she pushed it away and stood up, stumbling slightly as she took a few steps towards the door.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

Natasha nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. Just got a little light-headed when I stood up."

Steve nodded and opened the door, holding it open for her as she walked out completely avoiding looking at Bruce.

"Natasha can we please talk?" Bruce asked, following behind them.

Natasha discreetly grabbed Steve's hand and shook her head.

"Bruce let it go. Now isn't the time," Steve said, turning back with a frown.

"I think it is." Bruce argued.

"That's not your decision to make."

Bruce frowned, "It's not yours either."

Letting go of Natasha's hand, Steve turned to face Bruce, "Listen, right now, all she needs is some sleep and time to process everything. Leave her be."

Bruce finally turned around, storming off.

Natasha shook her head and frowned, "It's like my mind shuts down when I see him. It hurts so bad even though I'm completely over him."

Steve nodded, "You just need time. Just like the first time, the pain will pass."

Natasha nodded, "I don't want to see anyone but you right now."

"Not even Clint? Wanda?" Steve asked, surprised.

"I-I don't think so. Not yet at least. I need some time. You're the only person I trust enough to be with right now."

Steve nodded, "Okay. Then I guess you don't want to go to the compound?"

"How about your apartment?" Natasha suggested.

"Okay. I don't have a guest bedroom though." Steve said.

"That's okay. I think I'd sleep better with you anyways." Natasha admitted honestly.

Steve knew that she knew how he felt. If she really had been able to watch them, then it was highly likely that she had watched as he confessed his love to her every night when he visited the makeshift memorial he made for her.

She hadn't said it back, but by the way things were going, he hoped maybe she felt the same.

"Hey Nat?"

Natasha hummed in response.

"You said you watched us while you were gone. What did you see?"

Natasha frowned, "Mostly you. I guess the stone shows you what you need to see. I watched you fight Thanos. I saw Tony's funeral...and then I just saw you mourning," she paused, "you weren't like everyone else...they all healed. One way or another they found a way to move on, but you didn't. I had to watch you confess your love for me every night, thinking I would never be able to tell you I felt the same. All I wanted was to be with you. To make sure you would be alright."

Steve raised his eyebrows, "You love me?" He asked.

Natasha nodded, "I thought that was clear by now." She teased lightly.

"Maybe you should make it a little clearer..." Steve suggested as he walked into his apartment building.

"Hmm, how so?" Natasha asked with a smirk.

"Like this." Steve said, surging forward to kiss her.

Eventually, they moved into his bedroom and spent the night catching up.

Natasha was still hurting and she was still unsure how she felt about the people around her, but she knew one thing for sure, Steve was her constant.

And with his help, she could eventually push past the pain and reunite with her friends and teammates.

Hey guys. This was not my best work. It's been a work in progress for four days and I have been struggling immensely. So I apologize if it seems rushed or lacking plot.

I tried my best but couldn't find a good way to stick to the prompt, so it's a little different then what was requested.

Anyways, like always, please vote and comment if you enjoyed.