(A/N: This Fanfic has been on my mind since I saw Captain America The Winter Soldier, I hope you all enjoy!)

My Best Friend

A Captain America Fanfic

Rated: T for Some Language

Plot: A Scene I felt was missing from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Natasha visits Steve while he is bedridden after the final confrontation with Bucky.(Captain America: The Winter Soldier SPOILERS Obviously)

Pairing(s): Steve/Natasha Friendship, Hinted Clint/Natasha

Undisclosed Hospital

Washington, DC

2:15 pm

"ебать больницы...(Fuck Hospitals)"

Nastasha Romanov hated Hospitals. She hated the noises, the smells, the sight of sick, injured, dead or dying People. She hated all of it.

So why am I here?

That question lingered on her mind even as she stood just outside Emergency Care Room 7A where Steve "Captain America" Rodgers was resting.

Steve...

He was lucky to be alive, if it weren't for the Super Soldier Serum he would've been dead after the final confrontation with the Winter Soldier for sure. She still remembered the condition he was in when she, Sam Wilson and Nick Fury found him.

"Multiple gunshot wounds in the abdomen, back, legs and shoulders...mild hypothermia...multiple facial fractures and lacerations...some internal bleeding..."

She remembered the list of injuries the Doctor told them he had like the back of her hand. It was like a laundry list of stuff that would kill a normal human but thank God for that Serum...

"Natasha?..."

Natasha's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Steve's voice, it was weak and barely audible but unmistakable. She wondered how long he had been awake and waiting on her to enter his room.

Let's not keep him waiting.

Natasha entered Steve's Room, taking in the sight of the usually unstoppable Soldier laying in bed with stitches, bandages and hooked up to a bunch of machines. It took every bit of willpower she had not to cry at how frail her teammate and friend looked at the moment. So instead she smiled, both for his sake and her own.

"Hey Cap. How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

Steve nodded slightly, returning the smile though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'll live, Doctors say with my rapid healing I'll be out of here by tomorrow at the most."

Natasha couldn't help herself from letting out a sigh of relief, her smile widening.

"Good, cuz you still owe me 5 Bucks."

Steve couldn't help but chuckle a little, his head turning to the side avoiding Natasha's gaze for some reason. After a few moments of silence Steve finally spoke.

"I couldn't do it Nat."

Natasha's smile faded, a confused look gracing her features.

"What?"

Steve sighed and looked back at her, his eyes full of defeat and welling up with tears. It was enough to make Natasha gasp with surprise, she didn't like seeing him like this.

"I couldn't bring myself to kill Bucky, even with everything he did. He was going to let Millions die and I couldn't kill him. I failed."

Natasha couldn't comprehend Steve's way of thinking at this moment.

"Failed? Steve you didn't fail you managed to reprogram the 3 Helicarriers to destroy each other in time."

Steve shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. The Winter Soldier defeated me, and I let him. I was ready to die because I wasn't going to kill him to survive."

He turned his head back to the side to avoid her gaze.

"You probably think less of me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you did."

Those words snapped Natasha out of her shock and it was immediately replaced with anger.

"Think less of you?! мать твою (Goddamn It) Steve you honestly think something like this would make me think less of you?! You're my best friend!"

Steve's head immediately turned back to her, a look of surprise in his eyes. Natasha took a few deep breaths to calm herself before she continued.

"I mean it...in fact you're the best friend I've ever had."

She took a few steps closer to Steve's bedside and placed her hand on Steve's forehead, wiping a few of his sweaty bangs away from his eyes. Her gaze was no longer of anger but one of fondness and understanding.

"And I understand, believe me I do. When Agent Barton...Clint was possessed by Loki and I had to fight him every instinct I had as an Agent told me I had to kill him, Brainwashed or not he was an Enemy of SHIELD. But I couldn't bring myself to do it so I knocked him out instead and hope that worked. Luckily it did."

Steve said nothing, he just gazed back at her listening intently. When neither of them said anything for a while Steve's gaze lowered to the Arrow Pendant around her neck.

"You love him...don't you?"

Natasha was taken aback by Steve's question, but she decided he's been honest with her this whole time she might as well return the favor.

"Yes."

Steve's smile resurfaced.

"Does he know?"

Natasha nodded.

"Yes...he even proposed to me once...but I turned him down."

Steve's smile faded.

"Why?"

Natasha closed her eyes and sighed before looking back at Steve.

"Think about it Steve, we're both Agents that risk our lives out there all the time. How would you feel if you told someone you loved them and they went out on a mission and never came back?"

Steve looked down.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."

Natasha shook her head and placed her hand on Steve's cheek, making him look back at her.

"No Steve you have nothing to apologize for, it's just the way things are."

She planted a kiss on his forehead, not caring that it was sweaty before turning around.

"I need to be at Congress in less than an hour, they are going to be holding a hearing for the remains of SHIELD. I promise I'll try to come back and visit once its over."

Steve suddenly grabbed hold of her hand.

"Wait."

Natasha turned around, a look of surprise and partial concern in her eyes.

"Yes?"

Using his strength, Steve suddenly pulled her down and planted a kiss on her lips. Natasha's eyes widened like saucers at first but after a few moments she returned it, it was tender and gentle there were no tongues no movement just two friends sharing something intimate. After a few minutes Steve broke the kiss and smiled at her, taking note of the dazed and confused look in her eyes.

"That was for the kiss in the Mall. Told you I'm not a bad kisser."

Natasha couldn't help but smile back, there was no romantic intent behind the kiss it was more like he settled a bet between them. Steve finally let her hand go and watched as she left his Room, her words echoing through his head.

"You're my best friend!"

As Natasha was leaving, Sam entered the room looking back at Natasha as she left before entering. He noticed the smirk on Steve's face.

"Did I miss something?"

The End

Bold=Thoughts

Italics=Flashbacks

Captain America and Black Widow are owned by Marvel, not me.