Steve gets sick

Steve didn't get sick. Not anymore at least. It was almost ironic how quickly he had gone from being sick his entire childhood to being the epitome of healthy. 

Needless to say, when he did come down with a rather high fever, Natasha was concerned. 

"Are you sure we shouldn't call Dr. Cho? Or at least ask Bruce if he knows what's going on?" Natasha asked, sitting on the edge of their bed and looking down at Steve's pale face with concern. 

Steve nodded weakly, "I'm okay Nat. It's probably just a cold. I'll be back to normal in no time." 

Natasha wasn't convinced. Normal colds didn't cause a fever of 108, but she supposed that there was always exceptions when you were dealing with super soldiers, "Alright. But your not training today." 

Steve frowned, "Why not? I feel fine Nat."

"Because you don't look or seem fine Steve."

Steve sat up, "I am though. I'm great. I don't feel sick at all." 

Natasha frowned, "I call bullshit." 

"C'mon Nat. At least let me spar with you. I'm sure the exercise will get my blood pumping and I'll feel better. Please?" 

Natasha wanted to say no, she really did. She didn't think it was a good idea and she certainly didn't think that it would  help. Yet when he gave her those damn pleading eyes she really just couldn't deny him such a simple request. 

"Alright fine. One match and then you need to rest more," Natasha said, grabbing his hand and pulling him up to stand next to her. 

He looked a little dizzy at first but quickly regained his balance and gave her a cheeky grin, "I love you."

Natasha rolled her eyes, "You won't after I beat your ass in record time because you can hardly stand on your own."

Steve just grinned, slipping his hand into hers as they walked down to the training room, which was empty of all their other teammates. 

Slowly climbing into the ring, Steve held up his hands and swayed slightly.

"Bring it on Widow," He teased, raising his fist to a defensive position. 

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Maybe I'll just stand here until the wind blows you over...seriously Steve, you don't look great. I'm not sure this is a good idea." 

She knew that he was stubborn, but it was beginning to piss her off when he just stepped forward and threw a weak punch her way. 

Natasha dodged it easily but still made no move to advance on him, despite how wobbly he was just from a single punch.

"Natasha don't hold back because I'm running a fever," Steve pleaded, attempting to kick her legs from underneath her. Another attack that she easily avoided. 

Natasha finally threw an attack of her own, punching his arm with minimal force, "I'm not holding back because you have a fever Rogers. I'm holding back because you look like you could be blown over by a gust of wind."

"Then blow me over," Steve said, grinning widely and making her forget that he was sick for a split second. 

His grin faded when she used her left leg to kick his from underneath his body. He went down hard but before he could hit the ground, Natasha caught him, making the impact almost as hard as if he was to fall onto a mattress. 

"Do you give up yet?" Natasha asked, pinning him down with her arms and letting her hips straddle hers as though she didn't even expect him to try and get up.

Steve shook his head, pushing his hips up so that she lost balance and then grabbing her arm and flipping them over, "See, I told you I was fine." 

Natasha rolled her eyes, the grip her was using to hold her down was barely strong enough to cause marks to appear on her wrist, "You still don't look fine Rogers." 

She flipped them back over and stood up, offering her hand to Steve, who was laying on the ground with a dazed look in his eyes, "C'mon Soldier. I think I won this time. Now you need to rest." 

Steve nodded, his face growing paler and making Natasha frown with worry as he slowly stood up.

Taking a few steps towards the door, Steve stumbled again, Natasha turned around quickly and caught him by his shoulders, "Steve? You alright?" 

Steve shook his head, closing his eyes tightly and grasping onto Natasha's waist as the world around him spun rapidly. 

"Steve talk to me," Natasha pleaded. Now she was really worried. 

He fell forward and the only thing Natasha could do was soften his fall and gently lower him to the ground, cupping his face in her hands gently. Now she could easily feel how much hotter his skin had gotten. 

"Jarvis, get help," Natasha said, trying to steady her voice as she brushed Steve's hair from his sweaty forehead. 

"I thought you said you were fine?" She asked quietly, weakly trying to lighten the mood. 

"I figured my serum would fight it off in no time. Didn't think it was a big deal," He whispered, his words slurred and tired. 

Natasha grabbed a water bottle and propped Steve's head on her lap, pouring some of the cool water on a towel and pressing it against his temple as an attempt to cool his temperature. 

"Better?" She asked quietly. 

"I can't tell," Steve whispered, his hand holding Natasha's tightly. 

Natasha frowned, she couldn't remember the last time she was this worried about Steve. Something was wrong. Super Soldiers didn't just get sick. Not like this. 

Before she could do anything else, Tony and Bruce both entered the room, looking at the two with concern. 

"What happened?" Bruce asked. 

Natasha shook her head, "He woke up with a fever but insisted on still training and now he's worse." 

Tony frowned, "I thought Cap couldn't get sick." 

Steve groaned from the ground, "Apparently I can."

Bruce's brows furrowed and he stood up, "We need to get him to the medical ward. Dr. Cho is on the way there as we speak." 

Natasha nodded and her and Tony helped Steve to his feet. 

"You know. This would be a lot easier if you were still scrawny," Tony mumbled, struggling to hold Steve's weight. 

Natasha sent him a pointed glare and he shut up. 

Eventually they made it to the med ward and were able to get Steve in a bed. 

Not long after, he passed out and his temperature was higher then any average human's should be...super soldier or not. 

When Dr. Cho got there, Bruce, Tony and her all entered the room with a handful of nurses. 

The second they did, Natasha was being pushed away from him and they were sticking IV's in his arm and running all kinds of test. 

"Mrs. Romanoff, I'm afraid you'll need to leave the room while we figure out what's wrong," A nurse told her, gently backing Natasha towards the door. 

Natasha frowned, "Bullshit, I'm not going anywhere." 

The nurse turned to Bruce who simply sighed, "Natasha we don't know what this is. You could get sick too." 

"I'm not leaving," She argued. Natasha didn't give a damn if she got sick. Steve needed her right now and she had no intentions of letting him down. 

That was until she felt someone grab her arm and pull her out of the room despite her violent protest. 

"Natasha chill out. It's me. You gotta let them do their job," Clint said, holding up one hand in defense but not daring to let her go with the other, likely knowing she'd dart back inside. 

Natasha pushed Clint away, "If Laura was sick would you leave her side?" 

Clint shrugged, "I don't think it's the same thing but yes. Staying out of the doctors way will be better in the long run for him."

Natasha glanced back in the room. What the hell was happening to him? "Clint, Steve doesn't get sick." 

"Maybe something just slipped through the serum. You gotta relax Natasha. He's got Bruce Banner, Tony Stark and Dr. Cho in there with him. They're probably the smartest people in the US. They'll figure out what's wrong, give him a dose of chemicals, and he'll be back with you in no time." 

Natasha shook her head, "I have a bad feeling." 

Clint, still trying to lighten the mood shrugged, "Yeah me too, I think it's the shwarma Tony picked up last night. That stuff must've been expired."

Natasha frowned, wondering if Steve would be better had she just made him stay in bed this morning. 

 She sat silently for an hour or so as they ran countless test on Steve, trying to figure out what was causing this. 

"Natasha?" Dr. Cho called out. 

Natasha stood up, "Is he alright?"

Dr. Cho frowned, "Captain Rogers isn't sick. He's been poisoned. We don't know how or by who, but whoever it was knew how to create something that wouldn't just slip past the serum, but turn it against his cells."

Natasha frowned, her brows narrowing with concern, "So his serum is attacking his cells?"

Dr. Cho nodded, "It's also causing a lot of side effects like the fever." 

"What can we do?" Natasha asked, hoping that they had found an antidote. 

"Tony and Bruce are working on finding an antidote but we aren't even sure that will help. This poison is acting fast. Even if we do develop the antidote in time, there's no guarantee that it will be able to undo what's been done to his cells."

Natasha tried to keep her emotions under control. She wouldn't cry. Not here, "So what? We don't do anything?"

Dr. Cho sighed, "I'm afraid that right now the only thing we can do is hope his body fights back. There's still a chance his serum will detect the change and start healing what it's done." 

Natasha nodded weakly, "Can I see him?" 

Dr. Cho nodded, "Yes. But I don't suggest having more then one person in there at a time, and to be honest Ms. Romanoff, I'd stay with him if I were you. Unfortunately we can't guarantee anything right now so I'd spend as much time with him as you can." 

Those words were like a shot to Natasha's chest but she tried not to let it show, instead giving the doctor a small nod and walking into the room quietly.

"Nat-" Steve whispered, his voice frail. 

She sat down on the edge of his bed, taking his hand in hers gently, "Hey."

"I guess...I guess I wasn't as fine as I thought," Steve muttered, his eyes barely staying open.

Natasha forced the tears growing in her eyes back, "Yeah, well, you're probably too stubborn for your own good...probably didn't even admit to yourself how terrible you felt." 

Steve managed a weak grin, but it hardly looked sincere. Not when the rest of his body was pale and sickly looking, "I could never feel terrible around you Nat."

Natasha forced a quiet laugh, Steve looked like he had one foot in the grave and he was still trying miserably to flirt with her. 

"You know I love you right?" Steve whispered. 

They hadn't said those words to each other yet, but Natasha knew. She had always known, "I know. I love you too. But you're not allowed to say that like it's a goodbye. You got me? This isn't goodbye because I'm not letting you die on me. Not like this." 

Steve grinned weakly again, "How would you prefer I die?" 

Natasha frowned, she didn't want to think about Steve dying now or anytime in the future, "I don't know. Maybe ninety years from now of old age. We could be like the notebook. Pass away at the same time and not even notice." 

Steve nodded, "I don't know what the notebook is but that sounds great." 

"Well I guess I'll just have to show you it when you get better," Natasha said, moving so that she could lay down besides Steve.

Steve sighed quietly and brought her hand up to his cold lips, pressing a light kiss onto her skin. 

They wouldn't admit it. Not then. But they both knew this could end very badly. Steve, as strong as he was, couldn't survive a poison that had turned his serum against him. The antidote was their only hope and even that might not be able to save him.

"You think they're close to finding that antidote?" Steve asked quietly. 

Natasha nodded, "I'm sure they are. Tony's good at that stuff and with Dr. Cho and Bruce, I think they all have a combined IQ of 2000. You'll be okay." 

Steve sighed, he was beginning to doubt that, "Natasha, if I'm not...if I don't survive this, I want you to have something." 

Natasha shook her head, "No goodbyes Steve. You're going to be fine." 

Steve gently took her hands in his, " Nat please just listen. I don't want to leave you without knowing you'll have this. In my second drawer in my dresser, there's a box with a note an a ring. It belonged to my mom, she told me to give it to the woman I fell in love with."

"You can give it to me yourself once your better," Natasha argued. 

Steve sighed, "I will, but if not, promise me you'll take it?"

Natasha nodded, "I promise." 

Steve smiled slightly and Natasha sighed, laying down and leaning on Steve's shoulder, "You know, if I wasn't poisoned, this wouldn't be such a bad way to spend an afternoon." 

Natasha laughed quietly, "What? You enjoy hanging out in small hospital rooms?" 

"No, I enjoy being with you." 

Natasha sighed, a small smile plastered on her face, "When did you become such a flirt?" 

Steve shrugged, "Dunno. You must of rubbed off on me." 

Natasha smirked, "I certainly did." 

They both quietly laughed before falling into silence. Steve's breathing was becoming more and more labored and Natasha was staring at the door, desperately waiting for someone to say the antidote was ready. 

"Maybe I should go check on the antidote," Natasha whispered. 

Steve didn't want her to leave but he could tell that he didn't have long and part of him didn't want her to have to be there when he died. 

"Okay. Hurry back okay?" Steve whispered. 

Natasha nodded, bending down to gently kiss Steve. 

"I love you," Steve whispered, kissing her again with whatever energy he had left. 

Natasha nodded, "I love you too. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." 

Steve nodded and Natasha practically ran to Tony's lab. 

"Tony how close are you to finding this antidote? Steve's not doing well."

Tony shook his head, "We need ten minutes. It's almost ready." 

Natasha nodded, turning back around and walking back to the medical ward only to be pushed to the side by two nurses who were running towards Steve's room. She frowned and grabbed one of them, "What's going on?" 

The nurse shook her head, "We're losing him." 

Natasha's grip dropped and the nurse scurried away, leaving Natasha alone as her mind went completely blank. She couldn't lose Steve. Not when they had so much left to do. 

She ran to his room and found the two nurses shaking their heads above him, his body still and his eyes shut. 

"Steve?" She asked, walking into the room. 

The nurses left the room and Natasha was left alone with a silent room. The room was silent. His heart had stopped. 

"Steve," She cried softly, taking his hand in hers and kneeling besides his bed, "You can't be gone. We've got to much left to do. I want a future with you Steve. I want to grow old together. Just you and me in a country house. Or maybe a Brooklyn apartment. I love you Steve. You can't be dead because I love you."

Her sorrows were still met with silence. The steady sound of Steve's heart beating that she had grown so accustomed to hearing while she slept was suddenly gone, replaced by a deafening silence that made her want to throw up. 

"Natasha! It's ready-" Tony stopped, walking into the room and seeing the flat line across Steve's heart monitor. 

"Natasha," Clint said apologetically, entering the room and placing a hand on her shoulder. 

She pushed it away, "No, I can't do this."

Natasha let go of Steve's cold hand and took off towards their room. 

She fought against the tears threatening to drown her and managed to make it to her room before falling to the ground with a loud sob. 

Steve had been the first person she'd ever trusted as much as she'd trusted him. He gave her everything he had, and in return, she did the same for him. Their relationship had only lasted a few months officially, but even before that she loved him more then she ever thought possible. 

Now he was gone and she was alone. 

That was almost to much to bear for Natasha. 

She sat there for hours, crying silently with one of Steve's sweatshirts on.

She kept wishing it was a nightmare. Like the ones she sometimes got about losing Steve where she would wake up and find him comforting her with a soft kiss and quiet words of reassurance. 

But even the pain of losing him in her dreams couldn't compare to what this was like. 

Natasha felt like someone had quite literally torn her heart in two pieces and fed one half to the wolves...leaving the other half to bleed out for it's lost half. 

More hours passed and eventually, Natasha remembered the promise she made Steve. Making her way to his dresser, she opened the second drawer and dug around until she found the box. 

Inside, was exactly what he had said. A beautiful engagement ring that had a simple and antique-like charm, and a note addressed to her. 

She wasn't sure what the note would say...he hadn't gone into details about it. 

Dear Nat, 

I wrote this because in our line of work, you never know when something terrible could happen.

If you find this, it's most likely because I'm dead. I hope it's not anytime soon, we've only just started dating and I want to spend an entire lifetime with you, but if it is, I hope you can forgive me for dying, but I am pretty old. 

I don't know what I would say to you if I was actually dying but all I want you to know is that I love you. I think I have since the moment I saw you. And if not then, then certainly the first time we kissed. 

I'll never forget how elated I felt after that. Uncomfortable definitely wasn't the word I'd use to describe it. 

You've changed my life for the better Natasha Romanoff. You took a man out of time and made me into Steve Rogers...a man who wants nothing more then to spend every waking moment with you. 

I'm still not sure what your thoughts on religion are, but I have a feeling even death won't be able to keep us apart. 

I love you Natasha, and I hope you never forget that. 

Yours forever, 

Steve 

Natasha stared at the note silently, her tears staining the paper. 

This was it. 

She really had lost him. 

Hey guys....

I'm sorry for this but you had to know it was coming...it's been like forty chapters since I killed someone off and it was time. If it's any consultation I was very sad while writing this. 

Also, sorry for the long wait, this is like 3000 words long and was exhausting to write because of how sad it is so it took me a while. If you enjoyed (or if you hate me now) then please comment and vote.

Like always, I hope you are all staying safe and healthy :)