Work Text:
Ears ringing…headache…
Nat groaned and lifted a hand to her head, wincing when her fingers brushed a tender spot.
"Nat?" The voice came muted, as if through a tunnel. She blinked and tried to force her eyes to focus. The fuzzy blob hovering in her vision finally cleared. He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place him.
"Wh-where am I?" Even her own voice sounded muffled and distorted.
The strange man frowned and brought his face closer to hers, his gaze intense. "C'mon, Nat. Focus. Look at me." His voice hovered at the edge of panic. He held something to her lips. "Here, drink some water."
She squinted when he moved and the sun hit her face, wincing at the scratching pain in her throat as she swallowed. The water provided cool relief until she choked, and he helped her onto her side with gentle hands as she coughed.
"I'm awake, I'm awake." The haze over her mind finally cleared somewhat, and she pulled in deep gasps. "Good grief, Clint, did you have to pour it so fast?" A woodpecker hammered away somewhere, synchronizing with the pounding in her skull. Why did I just wake up in the middle of nowhere?
He raised his eyebrows. "Did you have to drink it so fast?" He shifted until he had an arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Here, can you sit up?"
She nodded, still trying to regain her breath, and with Clint's help, raised to a knee. Her head spun, and her stomach churned. "Hang on, I just need a minute." She closed her eyes and willed the dizziness away. When the urge to throw up ebbed slightly, she nodded and clutched his arm. "Okay, I'm good." Don't puke on his shoes.
"What happened to you?" Clint asked when she was on her feet, still hovering nearby. She could tell he was trying to make it less obvious, but the poor man never could mask his concern well. "I thought you came out here to practice your knife throwing."
"I did…" she glanced around, frowning in confusion. "But I don't remember doing it here. " She sighed and took a few hesitant steps. "Must've tripped and hit my head or something."
Clint grunted. "You? Trip? I'll believe it when I see it."
Nat's foot snagged on a fallen branch, and she stumbled, barely staying upright thanks to Clint's careful watch. "I shouldn't need a babysitter." Her spinning head told her otherwise.
"You've tripped twice in one day, which is cause for concern; I think you need about five babysitters—and some bubble wrap."
"Funny." Nat blinked at the pain pounding in her skull. "How far from the house are we?"
"Not far. We'll be there in a couple of minutes." He gave her a wary glance. "Or, with your grandma pace, we might get there by tomorrow."
She rolled her eyes and whacked him with her arm, stumbling when the action threw her off-balance again. "I may not be a hundred percent, but I can still kill you in my sleep."
"Noted." They walked in silence for a few more minutes, then he chuckled. "Just like Budapest, huh?"
She screwed her mouth to the side, fighting a smile. "You and I remember Budapest very differently."
******
The clock on the wall ticked its greeting.
"Hey, sunshine. You done with your nap yet?"
She didn't have to open her eyes to recognize the voice. "Shut up and leave me alone, Steve."
"Yeah, well, I've never been really good at following instructions." She could hear the smirk in his voice, then soft footsteps as he approached her bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Like a million bucks." She finally opened her eyes to glare at him. "Are you the one on babysitting duty?"
"Tony's taking over for me in a few minutes." Steve laughed at the scowl that covered her face. "I'm kidding. No, I'm just here to see how you're doing."
"I tripped in the woods and haven't been right in the head since. I'm doing great, thanks for asking."
Steve chuckled at the sarcasm, then grew serious. "Actually, I'm pretty sure you've got a concussion. Are you sure you just… tripped? "
"No, I'm not sure." She sighed. "Honestly, Steve, I just can't remember." She frowned. "But a concussion? No. I'm fine."
"You definitely are not fine."
"Yeah? Prove it."
He raised his hands in surrender. "I mean, if you want me to get the Bartons' family doctor out here to diagnose you so you'll take it easy, I don't think it'd be too hard to convince Clint." He lowered his hands to his hips. "Take it easy, Nat. Seriously. Clint's idea of bringing us here was a good one, and I want you to use it for some serious R&R. We’re gonna need to be at our best to beat Ultron. And while you do that, I'm gonna scope the place out. I don't trust the 'tripping' theory."
"Sure thing, boss." Nat closed her eyes again and waited for Steve to leave the room before she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
"What do you think you're doing?"
She sighed, dropping her head to her chest. Not again. "I can't stay in bed, Tony."
"I wasn't going to make you stay in bed." He poured a few nuts from a bag into his hand and tossed them back, then held the bag out to her. "Almonds?"
Nat swallowed a chuckle and accepted the food. "So, Steve really was serious. You're here for babysitting duty."
He shrugged. "I'm bored. You're bored. Let's find something to do."
She rolled her eyes. "Pretty sure I can find my own fun, thanks."
"Yeah, okay, suit yourself, big girl." He turned to leave. "But there's some fresh cookies in the kitchen that need a home. Almost as good as Pepper's." He exited the room, calling over his shoulder, "I'm not saving some for you."
Nat smiled.
It was good to have a home, even it it was only for a little while.