Steve had stayed in the restaurant one street away from Nat for about an hour and he was going crazy. " what is happening to you? I will kill him if he lays one finger on you." He thought to himself.

He got up and headed back home.

One street away, Nat had just run out of Ted's house, got into their home, and straight to the bedroom. She had predicted the whole thing, so she had closed the curtains before leaving for the party. She had thought her entire plan would need less than an hour and asked Steve for more just to get herself together. She threw her dress on the floor, kicking it aside. She went straight to the bathroom to take a short-lived shower, she flinched as the water touched her marks, remembering his touch, she wanted to wash him off.

After the shower, she grabbed a pair of sports bras and shorts to change. Standing in front of the closet's mirror, she watched her body, her skin turning purple and blue. She went to the bathroom to get the first aid bag and turned back in front of the mirror.

" I wish I would never have to go through this again." She sighed.

Her waist was hurting, she turned to her sides and found both of them seriously bruised. As she turned around to check her backside in the mirror, the door opened and she faced two ocean blue eyes that grew larger and larger as they traveled from a bruise to a bruise on her body.

"Natasha" he whispered.

Her eyes filled with tears, she had no control over herself. Steve took a step towards her and as a reflex, she took one back. She was scared, she remembered the men in the red room. She had missions and orders to seduce men with her body and let them take what they want from her in exchange for information or a chance to kill them. Then, she would be raped by red room's trainers, as if she had cheated on her own will and had to pay for it. She was scared of what Steve would do.

He saw the fear in her eyes, he didn't know the reason, he thought it was because of what Ted had done.

He rushed to her, not letting her back off anymore, and pulled her to himself to gently caress her hair.

" I'm here Tasha, it's fine. I won't let anyone hurt my best girl"

Natasha burst out to tears in his embrace, she felt safe and scared at the same time. He hadn't had time to look at her, if he saw her, thought about what she'd done... Peggy would never do that. He would realize she didn't deserve him, not as partner, not as his best girl, not as the love of his lif-NO, oh no. She was falling for America's golden boy. She, the Russian assassin. Her entire body shivered at the thought of what was awaiting her and Steve felt it.

" Are you cold?" His tone was as soft as possible. She shook her head.

He pulled back, she was looking at her feet trying her best to hide from his innocent blue stare.

" Sit, I'll take care of you" he took her wrists and led her to the bed, she sat down on the edge of the bed and took the first aid bag, taking rubber alcohol and cream out of the bag. He sighed at the sight of her bruised flesh, at least she wasn't cut.

" you don't have to" her voice was a whisper.

" I know, I want to" he didn't look in her eyes, knowing she wouldn't want to face him.

Then, he saw it.

" Natasha, what is this?" He ran a finger smoothly above her breast, wondering around a mark. He had bitten her.

She shuddered as he touched her, close to where the skin was slightly broken by Ted's teeth.

" he's rough" she sputtered.

The words escaped her lips before thinking. She was scared of what she said she snapped her eyes to meet his.

His eyes widened as much as they possibly could, he looked at her with the sharpest look she'd ever seen from her, he took his other hand of her hand and grabbed the bed covers to clench them in his fist, the sight of his reaction scared her, memories of past dancing in her mind.

" I'm sorry.... if you don't wanna be my-"

" Don't " his voice was sharp and angry, she fell to silence at once.

" don't blame yourself if a man doesn't know how to appreciate you" his voice seemed to hurt.

She looked at him, he was a full gentleman, how she envied the girl.

" I deserved it. That's what I am. What I was raised to be."

Steve's head snapped to look her deep and sharp in her eyes, her body shivering in distress.

And that's when it all changed.