The way she said this one last word made his heart clench and brought the tightness in his throat back. This quiet, vulnerable tone... She was feeling just as bad as he was, of course she was. She was the one who would have to go through all this. He could merely watch and pretend to know how horrible it was for her, when really he probably couldn't even imagine it.

He wasn't sure, he would be even able to stand seeing her in all that pain, both physically and mentally. He had hated it in the past when a mission went downhill, and this time it was so much worse. He was responsible for this situation by a big part. And no matter how often he tried to hold on to that mindset, this still wasn't a fucking mission. This thing they had loaded onto their shoulder all by themselves. His partner, his strong beautiful untouchable Natasha was suddenly put in such an ordinary, compromised, weak position. Just seeing her sit in this sterile, cold room filled with sharp instruments and smelling of meds and desperation, broke his heart.

But instead of sending him away, try to get everything alone as it was her way, she didn't take his offer of some more privacy. Even while that pain of seeing her like this still choked him, there was also a small, comforting flame of warmth spreading in his chest. She trusted him with this, though without him she wouldn't even be here... That was how close they had become. And he certainly wouldn't let that go to waste.

Without thinking about it, he got up to sit down next to Natasha instead. Now at least she didn't look that lost and alone on that damn stretcher anymore. She would never be alone as long as he could help it. His arm slipped around her waist, his hand resting on her thigh instead of her belly to not irritate her stomach again, and his lips touched her temple just fleetingly.

"Not going anywhere, red."