Work Text:
Natasha opened her eyes and tried to take in her surroundings. It was a struggle through a haze of drugs and pain to focus on anything in particular and for some reason she wanted very badly to get out of the hospital bed she was trapped in. There was something important she had to do, but her limbs wouldn't cooperate and she flailed her arms about uselessly, feeling slightly panicked at her own helplessness. Before she could truly begin to be upset though, someone spoke quietly to her, tucked in the chair in the corner, hidden more by her drug haze than any sort of artifice.
“Did you know,” Maria said in an almost conversational tone, “that if you are in combat with a colleague who has super speedy healing it is generally more advisable to let them take a bullet themself and deal with the damage rather than jump in front of them and get shot in their place? Especially when said colleague has a shield made of a very strong, very bulletproof metal, and you are smaller than them and could very easily stand behind them and ideally not get shot?”
Her voice had gotten rather clipped at the end which was good since the tone was what got through the haze surrounding Natasha and let her know Maria was beyond pissed at her and she struggled to comprehend the reason for the anger. Her mind cast about, trying to remember before it settled on what she was sure was the answer, the thing that had been driving her to get out of the bed before. She was late, she was missing it.
“Missed...anniversary…” she slurred, fighting the drugs to try to convey her apology. They'd had plans. Maria was going to dress up. There had been lingerie purchased.
Maria rolled her eyes but her tone softened. “Is that why you're fighting enough drugs to knock an elephant on its ass to get up?” She reached out and gently rested her hand atop Natasha's. “No, you haven't missed it. Today's still our anniversary.” She sighed. “And I suppose it is typical of us to be in a hospital for it.”
Natasha relaxed a bit. She hadn't missed it, she still had time, if only she could convince her body to cooperate. She tried moving her legs again and found them just as uncooperative as they were before and frowned, trying to focus.
“Oh no you don't.” Maria spoke firmly, moving to stand so she could gently push Natasha back down. “You are staying right there or I'll authorize the doctor to up the dose and knock you out again. They only let it wear off this much because it seemed like you had something important driving you.”
Damn these drugs interfering with her brain, with her body, and making it hard for her to say what she needed to, to do what she needed to, and she was beginning to feel the panic rising again when the analytical part of her mind began to kick in, assessing the windowless room, the equipment, the layout, and where and how Maria was positioned. She relaxed again, totally this time. This was a secured room in a secure place. The equipment was all S.H.I.E.L.D.’s and she recognized the general feel of the space, but most importantly Maria was standing with her back to the door. Wherever she was, she was safe. They were safe and Maria was there to watch over her.
“Love...you…” She managed to get out past lips that were being very uncooperative.
“I love you too.” Maria gently stroked her hair, smiling fondly. “You still owe me a proper anniversary later though. Getting shot doesn't get you out of that.”
Natasha fell back asleep still nodding her agreement, the drugs taking over now that she was relaxed enough not to fight them, and Maria sat down in the chair again, keeping watch over Natasha all day, not quite the anniversary celebration she'd been hoping for, but happy to have one all the same.