He had her back, that was all he could think about. Natasha was alive, he hadn't lost her forever. His life made sense again. The gaping hole in his heart was filled.

Natasha was still weak on her legs and he wrapped his arms around her after she'd changed her suit to the quantum realm one; he had no idea if holding her in his arms would make the travel back more difficult, but he would never let her go off her again. He'd lost her once, he couldn't do it again. It would kill him.

"Let's go home, Nat." He said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She nodded and they both pressed the buttons on their wrist gadgets.

"Five, four, three, two, one-

"Where is he?!"

"Relax, birdbrain! See, he's coming!"

Steve sighed in relief when he realized that both he and Natasha had safely arrived back home. He felt Natasha press her face into his chest and he looked down at her.

"Too bright." She mumbled and he tried his best to shield her eyes from the sunlight.

"Oh God, Natasha?!" He heard Bruce gasped and turned them both into his direction. Both Bruce and Sam were just staring at them, while Bucky had a small smile on his face. "How?"

Natasha moved her head away from his chest, but immediately pressed her face back into his body. "Urgh, the sun is so bright!"

"Bruce, can you check her eyes?" Steve asked worriedly. "I think they aren't used to the brightness anymore?!"

Bruce was still staring at them. "Uh, yes, of course. Her cornea is probably irritated. That light sensitivity should go away soon, though." He turned to Sam and Bucky. "Can you please go inside and close the blinds?"

They nodded and left.

"How is she back?" Bruce asked softly and reached his hand out to Natasha, but pulled it back again. Natasha didn't notice any of it since her face was still buried in Steve's chest.

"A soul for a soul." Steve answered. "I returned the soul stone and she was back."

"He sacrificed the last piece he had of me." Natasha mumbled into his uniform. "I'm alive because he loves me." She said softly, running her hands up and down his back.

Something flickered over Bruce's face that Steve couldn't read. It wasn't jealousy, it looked more like sadness. "I'm really happy that you're back, Nat. Everyone will be, once they know. But let's go inside so I can take a look at your eyes, okay?"

Natasha nodded and Steve quickly lifted her up into his arms and she pressed her face into his neck to protect her eyes from the light. He really hoped that this sensitivity was just temporary. He followed Bruce into the house and told Natasha that she could open her eyes when they got into the living room. Buck and Sam had closed the blinds and only one lamp cast a warm glow into the room. He noticed that their friends had left a water bottle and a bag chips on the coffee table for her. Natasha was probably thirsty and hungry after, well, coming back from the dead.

He gently sat her down onto the couch and Bruce immediately took a look at her eyes. "They are pretty red, but I think that's normal considering that you're..."

"Back from the dead?" Natasha quipped, reaching for the water bottle. Steve quickly got it for her and gave it to her. She smiled a thank you and his heart fluttered, still not believing that she was back and that they were, well, they were together now, right?

"Well, yes." Bruce said, a little bit uneasy. "I take it that Vormir was quite dark? Your eyes have to get used to the brightness again. We'll just let more and more light into the room until your eyes are completely used to it again. How are you feeling besides the pain in your eyes?"

Natasha almost emptied the entire water bottle in one gulp. "I'm thirsty and really hungry." She smiled shyly. "And I'm tired, but besides that I feel completely normal."

"I'll make you something to eat." Bucky offered and left the room.

"We'll let you rest." Bruce said before he squeezed her shoulder gently. "It's so good to have you back."

"Yeah, it really is." Sam hugged her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I really missed you."

She smiled up at him. "I missed you, too."

"Thank you for bringing us back." He said before leaving the room with Bruce.

"Do you want me to leave as well? So you can get some sleep?" Steve asked her, still sitting on the coffee table.

"No. Please stay! I don't think I can sleep right now. My body's tired, but I'm still...my mind is wide awake." She sat up on the couch. "You could lie here with me if you want."

He smiled and got up to join her on the couch. She immediately snuggled into his arms and he just enjoyed that he could have this with her. "When Clint...when he came back and he was alone...I..."

She looked up at him, her eyes still red, but they were so soft and loving. "I'm so sorry...It was me or Clint and he-"

"I know. I know why you did it, Nat. And I'm not mad. I was just...My heart broke in that moment and I knew that I would never be happy again. I promised myself that I would end the mission and then that was it. Nothing made sense anymore. I lost you and I didn't know how to live without you."

"You don't have to live without me." She cupped his face and kissed him softly. He was sure that she felt him sigh into the kiss. She was really here. He had her back. "I love you, Steve. I didn't want to leave you, but I had to." She kissed him again, this time more passionately. "My last thought before I...before I died was of you. I prayed that you would move on and finally live your life. I just wanted you to find happiness."

"You are my happiness, Nat." He whispered fiercely and slanted his lips over hers. He had to kiss her again and again to make sure that she was here. "You are my heart, my everything. I can't even remember a time where I didn't love you. I feel like I always have."

He was rewarded with a beautiful smile. "You always had my heart. For longer than I would probably ever admit."

He cupped her face and she leaned into his touch. "I should have told you sooner. I shouldn't have left you alone at the compound. We could have been-"

She kissed him to shut him up. "Shh. Let's not do that. I don't think that either of us would have been ready to be in a relationship after the snap. We have a second chance and we should use it."

"You're right."

"I always am, Rogers." She laughed and ran her fingertips softly over his face, almost like she couldn't believe as well that they were finally together. "So the compound is gone?"

"Yeah." His heart ached when he thought about Tony who had died there. In a perfect world, Tony would come back from the dead as well to be with Pepper and Morgan.

"I guess, I'm homeless now." She said absently. He hadn't even thought about that yet. "Do you have some space for a tiny Russian spy in your bed?"

"Did you just admit that you're tiny?" He grinned and she stuck her tongue out. God, this banter with her felt so fucking good! " And did you just ask me to move in together?"

"I know that's probably way too soon, but I don't want to be apart from you ever again and I-"

This time he was the one to kiss her to shut her up. "I'd love to move in with you. I don't want us to be apart ever again, sweetheart." He brushed his thumb over her cheekbone and noticed, much to his relief, that her eyes weren't so bloodshot anymore. "I'm never letting you go again. I want to be with you forever."

Natasha smiled happily and he hadn't seen her this carefree and giddy in over five years. "I love you so much. I'll always love you."