UMH: Abomination CH 2

(Y/N) Your Name
(H/C) Hair Color
(H/L) Hair Length
(E/C) Eye Color


GRUDGES

(Natasha’s POV)

Clint had carried me to the Quinjet, laying me down along one of the seat lengths. After making sure I was stable, he immediately prepped the Jet for take-off. Flying us over Blonsky’s last known location. It didn’t take long to find him, along with who he was fighting.

Clint: “Nat, I need you to take over.” I looked up from my place on the chairs, finding Clint setting the Jet on auto-pilot and collecting his bow. “I have to get down there.” I stood rapidly, nearly giving myself a headrush in my attempt to stop him.

Natasha: “You go down there and Blonsky will tear you to shreds.” He pushed past me, hitting the release for the boarding ramp.

Clint: “If I don’t, he’ll tear (Y/N) apart.”My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, my heart stopped briefly. “I already died on him, I’m not letting him die on me.” He jumped, latching one of his zip-line arrows to the Jet before swinging out of view. I rushed to the pilot seat. Disengaging the autopilot before staring out the window… I wish I hadn’t.

Currently, Blonsky was standing just outside a partially crumbled wall, his back partially turned from the Jet. In his hands, was (Y/n). His suit crushed inwards in multiple places and his visor completely shattered open. Blood coated his face, and his teeth were gritted tightly in pain. Blonsky had one of his arms in each hand, trying to yank them clean from their sockets. Blonsky was going to kill him… and I was to afraid to do anything about it.

Thankfully, Clint wasn’t, using one of his flash-bang arrows to blind Blonsky, getting him to drop (Y/N). I maneuvered the Jet over them as Clint strapped a pair of his zip-line arrows to (Y/N)’s unconscious body. As the two ascended into the Jet, I used the Rail-Gun to keep Blonsky at bay, pushing him back from the boys as they climbed. Once they were inside and the hatch closed, I sped us away as fast as the Jet would allow, refusing to let the autopilot take over until I felt we were a safe distance from the town, and Blonsky.

I hadn’t realized how long we had been flying until Clint came up behind me, gripping my shoulder lightly as he engaged the autopilot for me. I turned, meeting his brown eyes… relief filling them.

Clint: “He’s gonna be ok… but…” I didn't give him the chance to finish, instead jumping from the seat with full intent to berate (Y/N) for stupidly risking himself against Blonsky. I was going to… until I saw him. He was still unconscious, laid back on the pop out medical table from the Jet wall, an oxygen mask strapped to his face. Much of his armor was still on his body, with bits and pieces strewn about the floor. My breath hitched when I saw his visor, left resting on his chest. The glass paneling shattered open, with blood staining whatever was left. “He’s alive, and he’s breathing… but he needs immediate medical attention.” I barely registered his words as I walked up to (Y/N)’s unconscious form.  His breathing was ragged and shallow, blood still seeping from his head. “I got as much of the suit off as I could, but a lot of it is pretty much crushed on.” He came up behind me, but I ignored him. My eyes refused to leave the sight. I didn't event notice the tears pooling in them until Clint wiped them away. “He’s alive…”

(Your POV)

Beep, beep, beep, beep. That incessant beeping again. Who was bothering us now? I tried to speak up, but found my words failing me, my breath strained and painful. I tried to open my eyes, but found that difficult to do. I tried to raise my hands to my eyes, and again, found it impossible. My left arm was held down by something cold, scratchy and rigid. My right one was held down by something soft, something warm and… familiar. Eventually I was able to force my eyes open, only to be greeted by the blinding brightness of fluorescent light. Unable to move either hand, I had no choice but to wait for my eyes to adjust on their own.

Beep, beep, beep, beep. I recognized it now… a heart monitor. Why was I in a hospital? God it reeked of antiseptic and… Lavender oil? Natasha… My eyes focused immediately. First on the light above me, then on the steel gray ceiling… wait… hospitals weren’t gray. I looked around, my eyes first falling on the heart monitor to my left, then to the cast encasing my left arm. At least that explains that. My eyes rolled, falling next on the bandages encasing my chest, thick and tight. My legs thankfully seemed alright, no casts there to be seen.

Then, they fell on her. My right arm was left without a cast, but was instead weighed down by a warm, delicate hand. Resting next to our intertwined fingers was a mess of ruby curls, spread over the sheets of the bed.

Fury: “Good, you’re awake.” My eyes darted to the front of the room, finding that Fury had entered silently. He’d never visit me in the hospital, not after last time. I must be on the Helicarrier. “We weren’t sure you were going to pull through for a while there. After day five, we thought you were brain dead.” My eyes widened in shock. 5 days? I tried to speak, but once again found the words impossible to bring forward. “I wouldn’t try to speak just yet. You’re lungs aren’t punctured, but they were heavily bruised. You’ll need some time to recover.” My eyes roved back to the form sleeping at my side. Thankfully, Fury was intuitive enough to understand my silent question. “She refused to leave your side the entire time. You scared the shit out of her.” My smile, which had formed when he told me she had stayed by me the entire time, fell away completely. Replaced with a heavy regret that filled my heart. I wanted to wake her, to tell her I was ok and that I was sorry for scaring her. But I couldn't, my words still refused to come, and  I had no strength to squeeze her hand, much less nudge her. I looked to Fury, silently asking him for help. “I’m not waking her.” Some help he was. “She’s been awake for 72 hours. Let her sleep. She’ll wake on her own time.” I nodded as best I could, hesitantly but in agreement. “Once you’re able to speak, we’ll debrief you.” I cocked my brow in question. “She and Barton refused to debrief until you were well. Until then, we’ll just have to wait.” He turned to leave, as he did, a memory struck in the back of my mind.

You: “E… E… Emil… B… Blonsky.” It was weak, strained, but it was audible. He paused in the door, turning back towards me as I hardened myself against the pain. “S… Some… k… kind… abo… abo… abo…”

Fury: “Abomination.” I nodded, relieved he had finished for me.

You: “Ross…” He nodded.

Fury: “General Ross is aware of Blonsky’s… condition. We weren’t aware Blonsky had broken containment.”

You: “F… File.” He shook his head.

Fury: “You’re not authorized to… “ I raised my left hand as best I could, gesturing loosely to my mangled body.

You: “File.” I repeated, determination burning in my eyes. He sighed.

Fury: “When you can speak in complete sentences, you’ll get the file on Blonsky. Until then, please rest, for her sake.” He gestured to Natasha’s still sleeping form. I nodded, and ne left, leaving me alone in the medical room with Natasha. I turned to her, summoning every ounce of strength I had left in my body, begging to whoever could hear… please let me squeeze her hand. Let me tell my beautiful girlfriend I was ok. It pained me, literally pained me to do so, but I did it. I managed to squeeze her hand. It was light, weak, but it was enough. As I squeezed, her own fingers squeezed back, wrapping tightly around my hand. Se stirred, her ruby curls shifting as she awoke from uneasy sleep. As her eyes blinked open and found my own, I smiled as best I could through the pain. Her own smile wormed its way across her face as her free hand cupped my cheek.

Natasha: “You’re ok.” I nodded, still smiling as warmly as I could. “Does your face hurt?” Odd question, but I still answered, shaking my head no in response… that’s when she slapped me. “How about now!?” I blinked a couple times in an effort to dissipate the sting in my cheek. “Do you have any idea how STUPID that was of you to take that thing on like that!? It could have killed you!” As she yelled at me, hot tears pooled in her eyes, fear filling them as she screamed away her anger. “Why would you do that!? Why would you risk yourself like that!?””

You: “For… you.” She was panting heavily, trying to regain her breath after expelling it so quickly. “Save… you… looked so… scared.” She shook her head.

Natasha: “I wasn’t scared, I was…” I squeezed her hand, still wrapped around my own.

You: Ok… to be… scared… not… weakness… human.” Her breathing didn’t slow, in fact it started to hitch. She lunged forward, burying her head in my shoulder as those tears finally fell. I wrapped my now free hand around her, gritting my teeth against the pain as she openly weeped into my shoulder.

Natasha: “You scared the hell out of me.” The guilt returned in full force, tears welling in my own eyes. “We didn’t know if you’d make it. I… I thought I lost you.” I held her tighter, my pain forgotten for the moment.

You: “So… very… sorry. Scared… I… lost you… too.” She lifted herself from my shoulder. Watery, reddened eyes meeting mine again. “Didn’t want… to lose… you. Care… to much… for you.” My hand moved from her back to her face, cupping her cheek. Her eyes closed as she nuzzled into my palm, smiling at the loving gesture. “You mean… a lot… to me… Natalia.”

Natasha: “You know I hate that name.” She chuckled at my use of her birth name. I just smiled up at her, still lightly caressing her cheek.

You: ‘Nat... “ I threaded my fingers through her hair, gently directing her closer. She leaned forward, her lips parting slightly. “ I… lov…”

Clint: “MY EYES!” Natasha jerked upright immediately, turning to glare daggers at the intruder. I mirrored her expression intently. Clint was currently squeezing his eyes shut, shaking his head erratically to rid himself of the view. “You’re trying to ruin my career arent you? Make me blind so I’m no use to anybody.” We both rolled our eyes.

Natasha: “Wouldn’t be much of a difference, you’re barely any use right now.” Clint’s blindness was miraculously cured, his eyes shooting open to stare daggers back at her. I took notice of the boxes in his hands, donuts and coffee.

You: Good… for… something… donut… boy.” Nat nearly snorted at the joke as Clint’s narrowed eyes fell to my smirking face.

Clint: “Oh wonderful, you’re awake. I think I liked you better in the coma.”

Natasha: “And he’d still be funnier then you.”

Clint: “You two are perfect for eachother…” The two of us shared a look as our hands re-threaded. “You’re both abusive friends.” Nat walked up to him, wrapping him in a gentle hug.

Natasha: “Yet you still call us friends.” As she pulled away, she stole the donuts.

Clint: ‘Hey!!”

(Natasha’s POV)

Over the course of the next two weeks, Clint and I helped (Y/N) through his physical therapy. While his legs were slow to respond, forcing him to use a wheelchair in order to move around, his arm was recovering surprisingly quickly, as was his voice. Despite having a severely bruised lung and larynx, (Y/N) refused to communicate any other way besides vocally. Forcing complete, audible sentences in less then a week. Having heard of his rapid recovery, Fury took the chance to call for the mission debriefing, sitting the three of us down at the Helicarriers bridge table to find out what happened.

You: “So, if I understand correctly… Ross hired Blonsky to track Bruce, and started pumping him full of gamma based super-soldier serum to help him fight the Hulk? And that’s what turned him into that… thing?” (Y/N) was currently looking over Blonsky’s file, provided by Fury.

Fury: “Basic gist, yes. After Dr. Banner helped contain him, Blonsky was transferred to the facility in Barrow where he was kept in cryo-containment… until recently.” (Y/N) tossed the file to the table.

You: “That’s not the Emil I remember. Sure he was hard headed, but he wasn’t stupid.”

Natasha: “You know him?”

You: “KNEW seems to be the more accurate term, but yeah. Blonsky worked with Clint and I on a handful of assignments during the last year or so of my tour with the marines. Missions seventeen through nineteen if I remember right.” He shifted through the file, pulling an handful of debriefing sheets loose. “Here we go. His debriefing papers.” He set them down, allowing us all to see. “Blonsky was on loan to the Marines for a major international drug bust back in 2007. He had a lot of nerve, one of the best I’d seen. He was a hothead sure, but he wasn’t crazy.”

Clint: “I remember that. Didn’t he have a thing for Sarah?” (Y/N) nodded.

You: “That’s why the joint assignment ended. He and Sarah were getting to heated, so the Royal Marines pulled him off the team. I think they kept in touch after that. But…

Natasha: “Mission 21.”

You: “Yeah, Mission 21. Chances are he blames me for what happened to her. Might explain why he beat me near to death.”

Fury: “Then that settles it.” We all turned back to the Director. “I want you off the assignment.”

You/Clint: “What!?”

Fury: “If Blonsky has a personal grudge against you, that only makes him all the more dangerous. He’ll do anything to get you. And I’d rather not risk your life again.”

You: “As much as I appreciate the concern Nick. This is as much my job as it is yours. Blonsky beat me down once, and I want a rematch.”

Fury: ‘You can’t even stand on your own yet, how do you expect to take on the Abomination?”

You: “I’ll find a way, but you’re not taking me off…”

Natasha: ‘I agree with the Director.” All fell silent, all eyes suddenly trained on me.

You: ‘Nat…”

Natasha: “Excuse us.” I stood, taking the grips of (Y/N)’s chair and dragging him out into the hall, away from the others. Once I was comfortable with the distance, I clicked the brakes on the chair, then turned to face him. “You told me you threw yourself in the line of fire because you wanted to protect me, you cared about me.” He tried to argue, but I threw a hand up, asking him to let me finish. “I accepted it, I understood it. Now please, understand where I’m coming from when I ask you not to do this. I can’t, I can't watch you put yourself in danger for me again. I can’t watch you risk yourself again. Please, don’t ask me too.”

You: “Hey, hey, Nat, ok.” He leaned forward, pulling me down to my knees. I hadn’t noticed the tears streaming down my face until he wiped them away. “I promise, I won’t put myself in Blonsky’s way. But, if Fury insists that you and Clint go after him again. I will do everything I can to help.” I nodded, a small smile playing at my face. “I care about you too much Natasha. You know that.”

Natasha: “I do.” In that moment, looking into his (E/C) eyes. I remembered Ms. Potts words. Maybe I did feel more for him than i’ve admitted. Maybe… “(Y/N).” I leaned forward, wanting to catch his lips with my own. “I. I lo…”

Clint: “You guys doing ok out here?” I jumped up, turning to glare at the uninvited intruder. Clint was currently sticking his head into the hall, concern painted across his face.

Natasha: “We’re fine Clint.” I stated firmly. A tone I hoped got across the thought of ‘PRIVACY. LEAVE.’ to him. He seemed to understand, throwing his hands in the air in surrender before turning on his heel and heading back to the table in the opposite room. I sighed, turning back to (Y/N), finding him chuckling lightly and shaking his head. Maybe it wasn’t the proper time to tell him. “Come on, they’ll get worried if we don’t head back soon.”

You: “Actually, would you mind leaving me out here for a sec? I have to call Tony, make sure he know’s I'm ok.” I nodded, standing to release the brakes on his chair before giving him the privacy he wanted. “Hey.” I turned, finding him still smiling. “Thank’s for looking out for me gorgeous.” I smirked, then turned to leave.

(Your POV)

Once she was clear of the hall, I made my call, pressing my finger against the earpiece I had been wearing.

You: “JARVIS. You there?”

JARVIS: “Always sir, how may I be of service?”

You: “What’s the status on Project SCARLETT?”

JARVIS: “Project SCARLETT is nearly complete sir. Dr. Banner has been a valuable asset in it’s completion.”

You: “Good. Seems we may need to put it to trials earlier then anticipated. Let Bruce know to finish it as soon as he can. If Blonsky threatens Natasha. I WILL have that rematch.”