Hello there.

Now that the first episode of Marvel's What If series was released, my opinion was it was great animation, cool fighting sequences and good development. However, it has several flaws including Steve Rogers & Peggy Carter's relationship. While Peggy turns into her version of Captain America(or in this case--Captain Carter) is good and Steve has his own prototype version of Iron Man suit, the problem was their relationship.

It wasn't bad but it was just a fan service for Steggy(Steve x Peggy) ship fans. Since Endgame despite it was great cinematic especially the final battle, ends with Steve staying in the Past as he & Peggy got their happily ever after ending which proved to be a biggest SLAP in the face, ruining Steve's arc & his years of character development after Captain America: The Winter Soldier(which to this day, it still one of the best MCU movies and then in Age of Ultron, the writers went the wrong way with exception of Ultron, the Maximoff twins and Vision).

So I made an One-Shot fic that inspired that episode but it's Romanogers(Steve x Natasha) pair and my take of 'What If' both Captain America & Black Widow exist during WW2. There's only few fics about this like Natasha accidentally time travel to 1943 where the events of Captain America: The First Avenger movie happened. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this One-Shot.

DISCLAIMER: The Avengers & others belongs to Marvel & Disney. I do NOT own anything. Thank you.
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Captain America & Black Widow.

The Soldier & The Spy.

Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanoff.

Two different people. Two nations.

Both were Avengers.

Their stories begins with tragic backstory with different outcomes. Their lives changed in one fickle. One was born with illness due of harsh environment and the other was born in cold, harsh of winter. One was bullied due of his sick appearance but he stands up despite he got beatings. The other was kidnapped by a mysterious organization.

One was chosen to become super soldier with a good heart. The other was experimented, tortured both physically & mentally and turned her int a deadly killer. One leads the armies to fight the menace of evil for freedom. The other kill the enemies in the dark.

One was sacrifice to save the nation he fought and was frozen in time in years. The other tried to escaped her dark past and head towards her redemption.

One woke up in a different time. The other became an agent of a global security agency she trusted.

When the two met in a day unlike any other, they were strangers.

When they formed a team along with 4 others to fight a common threat, they became allies.

After the battle, they became friends.

However, secrets & pasts came to them and haunting both of them and yet they overcame their odds.

They also form that no one expected: they were fall in Love.

But despite this, their feelings did not reveal and hide from themselves.

Time after time. The universe want them to be together.

Then, a bigger threat came and ends with half of million lives were lost.

The two were broken than before but they were still connected each other.

Then, a mission that can bring anyone back brought them and others together.

They did but a great cost. She sacrifice for the sake of him and others to win the war. He mourns her loss not just a friend but a woman who changed him.

Then, he went back to the Past and stayed with the woman he loved before, erasing about her and other events.

The friendship & love story of the Soldier & the Spy ends with tragic but sad end. The universe felt cruel & sad for not being together due of some events cross their lives and changed them.

However while that universe about them ends a sad way, another universe begins in similar but this time, fate brought them together in one of humanity's darkest times.

~London, England. 1943~

Captain Steve Rogers aka Captain America, along with his best friend James "Bucky" Barnes were in a public pub as the Howling Commandos and the Allied soldiers were having fun. The Second World War rages on in Europe and when Captain America arrive to fight the Axis, the tide began to turn as the Allies won numerous campaigns.

While they were do their own stuffs, the door opens as a young, beautiful woman enters. She has fair skin as snow, her green piercing eyes and a short red hair and wears a black dress that reached on her knees. The soldiers look onto her but she ignored them as she went to the spot where Steve is.

Woman: *smiles* Captain Rogers?

Steve turned around and meet one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. He tried not to be an awkward, timid man back then before he got a Super Soldier serum and played a cool guy like Bucky did.

Steve: Ma'am.
Woman: Hi.

Steve tried to regain composure about this due of her green, piercing eyes that stared his blue eyes.

Steve: What can I do for you?
Woman: I heard about you lead the Americans to fight the Nazis. I'm impressed.
Steve: Huh? Um. Yeah. I did. That's what the soldiers do, Ma'am.
Woman: Please don't call me "Ma'am". I'm not married.
Steve: Oh. Sorry, Ma'am. I mean Miss..?
Woman: *chuckles* Natalia.
Steve: Natalia. You want a drink?
Natalia: You had vodka?
Steve: What?
Natalia: I'm Russian.

Steve look in disbelief. Although Russia was under a communist state and became Soviet Union while it wage war against Germany during the  invasion & the Battle Stalingrad, he never knew that some women in Russia were quite beautiful like her.

Steve: Why is a Russian like you here in London? I thought they hated democracy and Americans.
Natalia: Well some of it were true. Your involvement in war reached towards that country. While some despise you because you were symbol of America & democracy, others were quite praise you.
Steve: I see. What are you doing here?
Natalia: I am here for a ballet tour. I'm a ballerina for a stage show.
Steve: What kind of stage show you act?
Natalia: The Nutcracker.
Steve: Oh. I read that story when I was child. It was great.
Natalia: Yes. Yes it was.

The two were having a good time with chats about their personal lives, events, jokes and drinking.

Natalia: Oh. I have to go now. It's nice to meet you, Captain Rogers.
Steve: Please call me Steve.
Natalia: Thank you for wonderful time with me, Steve. I hope you can see my ballet dance soon.
Steve: I will but duty calls.
Natalia: Until we meet again, Steve.

And with that, Natalia leaves the pub as Bucky went to Steve.

Bucky: *smiles* Woah, Steve. I never knew you had a pretty chat with that woman. Who is she?
Steve: *sigh & smiles* A friend.

Several days later before they went back to the battlefield, Steve & the Howling Commandos decide to go the stage theater where the Nutcracker ballet show was held(Steve was sit in-front with the Commandos because he is Captain America). When the show start, everything went well and the middle part was played, Steve saw Natalia dancing as a prima ballerina.

Bucky: Hey, Steve. That must be your friend, right?

Steve nods as he continue to see her dancing graciously perfectly. It went on until the show ended. As before the curtain falls, Steve saw Natalia smiling at him as th curtain falls and everyone went out from the stage theater after a long night.

~1944~

The Invasion in Normandy also known as D-Day was a biggest Allied offensive in the war. Steve and his team were among them. Along the way, they met a scruffy wild- looking tough man named James Howlett, who is a veteran from the First World War & has special ability to regenerate his wounds & animalistic instincts that can detect an enemy and patiently waited before attacking like a wolf which earn a nicknamed "The Wolverine"[1].

While the war goes on, Steve & his team(including Logan) managed to infiltrate several Hydra bases and facilities. The Allied crosses in parts of France until they eventually liberated Paris. They rested on a nearby bar for doing stuff. Steve's love interest, Peggy Carter arrived in a red dress but while their conversation is good, Steve felt like a different way between him & Peggy compared from previous conversation of him & Natalia.

Speaking of Natalia, he try to talk to her to congratulate her performance but unfortunately, he received an order from his superior, Colonel Chester Phillips that he couldn't make it. He missed her.

After their conversation, Bucky entered the conversation which Peggy decide to leave from them.

Bucky: So how's you and Peggy?
Steve: Well...um...
Bucky: Let me guess. It didn't work out.
Steve: How did you know?
Bucky: I think the difference between Peggy and what's the name of that woman back to London?
Steve: Natalia.
Bucky: Yes, that's her name. You look awkwardly talked with Peggy than you talked with Natalia in confidence. I think that Peggy maybe not the right woman for you.
Steve: Come on. I didn't say I like Peggy.
Bucky: Yeah but in your mind, you were thinking about Natalia. You missed her, do you?
Steve: *sigh* I should talk to her right after the stage show she played but orders came and it didn't happened.
Bucky: Oh. Sorry, buddy. Maybe next time.

Steve sigh and nods.

The next few days, the Allied managed to cross on the borders between France & Germany. The SSR received a small message from a mysterious agent codename "Black Widow" about Hydra's plan to use experimental children as biological weapons.

Steve & the team(Logan joined them as a new member) headed a large Hydra facility where according from the Black Widow, Hydra scientists experimenting young children  into weapons which angered Steve about this harsh treatment. They split into 2 groups while Steve goes alone as they raided the place in a different ways.

As Steve managed to find some Intel and headed back to the team, he got kicked by someone else as he got thrown on the floor. He faced one of Hydra's tough soldier, a 7 foot muscle bound armored Hydra brute soldier armed with flamethrower & machine gun as the latter unleashed the flames and rain of bullets while Steve uses his Shield for defense. Steve fought the brute with his strength but got thrown by the brute and sends him into wall where one of the prison cells was.

Steve got up and try to get his stance when several metals ranging from metal bars & pipes surrounding the brute. He turn around and saw a male teenage boy raise his arm in anger to stop the enemy. The brute uses his strength to crush the metals before firing his machine gun. Steve reacted fast and saved the boy using his Shield to deflect the bullets.

However before the brute fired his flamethrower, someone appears behind and choke the brute using a small cord line to his neck until the neck snaps and the brute falls on the floor.

Steve and the boy look on to the rescuer as the latter pulls out the pistol and shoots the brute on the head, dead. The rescuer turns to Steve and the boy as the familiar face revealed to be....

Steve: *shock* Natalia?
Natalia: *smiles* Hi, Steve.

It was Natalia, wearing a black suited tight outfit that had belt holsters on her waist. It carried a knife & another pistol.

Steve: You...? Are you the Black Widow?
Natalia: *smiles* Look like you read my message. Come on. Let's go back to your team.
Steve: Right. *Turns to the boy* You okay?
Boy: Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you. Captain America?
Steve: Yes. Is there's any more children here?
Boy: Yes. Follow me.

The two followed the boy and later, they rescued the imprisoned children. After this, they went back to the team as Colonel Phillips, Agent Carter, Howard Stark & other armies came.

Bucky: Natalia? Why she doing here, Steve?
Steve: Everyone, she is the Black Widow.
Others: What???
Peggy: True. She was once a deadly agent used by a Russian division of Hydra before she is defecting a few months ago.
Steve: *looks at Natasha* You were?
Natalia: I was. I didn't tell you sooner. Those people who sent me to kill you one year ago but I disobeyed the order. I'm sorry.

Natalia left the group while Steve looked shock in disbelief. Later that night, he received a file from Howard about her profile.

Her name was Natalia Romanova and was born 1923 in Russia[2]. According to her, she was kidnapped by a secret organization called "The Red Room" when she was either 7 or 8. They were initiated into the Black Widow program, a plan that turned her & other young girls into a deadly assassins while using their bodies as distraction and their will is to work in shadows and carry their kill contract. After several years of development, only Natalia was 'graduated' the initiative and earned the nickname as "Black Widow". She was transferred to the Russian division of Hydra where they injected her with a knock-off version of Super Soldier serum, much of Steve's shock.

She carry her kills towards the so-called "enemies of the state" until the latest was Steve himself. But she disobeyed their order and she ended up tortured both physically & mentally before they send her to Siberia to teach her a lesson. Fortunately, Natalia escaped captivity  and later, she was surrender to the Allies & defecting.

Steve closes the file and close his eyes remembering about his time with her back to London. He sigh and went out to find her. He found her, talking to the same boy he rescued earlier which his name was Erik Lensherr.

He waited that until they have done their conversation.

Steve: So you had a good time, Natalia?
Natalia: I guess you read my file.
Steve: I couldn't believe you had a terrible life from those people.
Natalia: *sad tone* Believe me, Steve. They just seen me as a tool and a weapon. I'm not a perfect person I was before they taken me. I am nothing but a killer. A monster.
Steve: You're not a monster, Natalia. Those people who turned into that were the real monsters. You are good woman, Natalia.
Natalia: *turns around and smiles* Thank you, Steve. You're my first person I'll ever met.

Steve smiles and the two had a good conversation and even he talked Erik about the rescue earlier later on for the rest of the night.

The next day, the Allies received a news that Hydra-led German army attacked a nearby village. Steve, his team and Natalia were sent to repel them. While they were fighting, Steve loses his Shield while hand-to-hand combat with a Hydra soldier. Natalia pick it up and uses the Shield for offense & defense before she throw back to Steve which the latter caught it and resume his attack. They save the village was safe as the villagers cheered them as liberators before the Allied armies arrive to occupy.

Later, Steve, Natalia & the Howling Commandos were taken a photoshoot by a local photographer[3].

At night, snow falls to the village as the Allied soldiers & the people were celebrating. Steve & Natalia stayed outside the bar where they saw Bucky & Howling Commandos were having fun with locals as several musicians were playing their instruments.

Natalia: Look at those people. They really look happy.
Steve: Yeah. They've been suffering by those German occupation for a long time, waited to be free like a normal people.

Natalia notice few people are dancing outside the bar.

Natalia: Have you ever dance, Steve? *points to the dancing people*
Steve: No. I haven't dance since I was...you know...sick and tiny before.

Natalia look at him but she did read a file about Steve before he injected the serum. By the look at the picture of him, he was sick and tiny.

Natalia: So you got bullied by those people you lead before you got a serum?

Steve nods.

Natalia: Why did you never run of them?
Steve: If you run, they will chased you no matter you will hide, they will find you. No matter they beat you, you better stand up. That's what my mother told me.

Natalia smirks and liked this man, inspired by his mother.

Natalia: How's your mother?

Steve looked at her with a sad face.

Natalia: Oh. I'm sorry. I never knew that.
Steve: It's okay. That was a long time ago. But I'm still following her words. How about you?

Natalia closes her eyes as she tried to forget her brutal & violent life back in Red Room.

Natalia: Maybe it's not the right time.
Steve: Oh. I'm sorry.

At the same time, a snow began to fall.

Natalia: The snow is falling.How about a dance?
Steve: Dance?
Natalia: You said you haven't had a dance?
Steve: Yeah.
Natalia: Come on.

Natalia grabs Steve and went to the spot where they began to a slow dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAaJPWgDTGc

(Starts in 0:50 to 03:25. Just imagine Steve & Natasha as Steve Trevor(Ironic) & Diana.)

They look on each other as their dance slowly progress which the musicians saw them and change the tune into something lovely melody.

Natalia: How do you feel?
Steve: I don't know. I felt like warm. There was no war, no distractions & no Hydra popping out of nowhere.
Natalia: *chuckles* You felt like alarm that someone gonna ruin our dance?

Steve felt embarrassed and try not look at her which Natalia grin into small laughter. Silence went a minute until he broke it.

Steve: Where did you learned this?
Natalia: Before I was captured, me & my parents were living a normal life in a mountains, although it was covered in snow. My parents taught how to dance and sometimes, I saw them dancing. They were good and they treated me like a princess.
Steve: *chuckles* A snow princess?
Natalia: Very funny. You know it's funny that I was really a princess.

Steve look at her in confusion.

Steve: What?
Natalia: I mean it, Steve. I was a princess. My last name was came from a royal family in Russia. My mother was Sonya but that was her alias. Her real name was Anastasia Romanov.[4]

Steve received a shocking twist that he didn't see that coming. Although he was born in 1918 in America, it was the same year the Imperial Russian family, the Romanovs were brutally murdered by the communist Bolsheviks.

Steve: The Grand Duchess?

Natalia nods.

Steve: How? I heard the entire family had killed by the communists. She was one of them.
Natalia: True but what the people of Russia and the world didn't know that she survived the massacre and fake her own death when she was rescued and got helped by a fellow Bolshevik soldier, Ivan Petrov. It's ironic that the Bolsheviks killed the Russian royal family and one of them was rescued by a fellow Bolshevik.
Steve: What happened to her?
Natalia: Ivan helped her to cover her death while the other Bolsheviks were outside, digging their unmarked graves to bury them. He replaced her with another dead woman while she was hiding on the another attic. While th Bolsheviks buried the bodies, Ivan helped her escape and put her on other town. He changed her name so the others will not recognize her identity and he give her a new place and a new identity. It wasn't long the two ended falling in love.
Steve: So he is your father?
Natalia: Yes.
Steve: I see. Could you teach me more?
Natalia: *chuckles* After the war?

Steve smiles as they remain their dance for a while. Unbeknownst to them, Bucky saw their dance and was quite happy to see his best friend got his first dance with a girl.

Everything went good a few days...until a train mission that cost their lives. Bucky was thrown by a Hydra soldier while using Steve's Shield which ended up falling to the depths of artic waters, presumably dead.

Steve was there and witness this moment that he decide to stay alone from others, mourning his death. Even Peggy Carter tried to comfort him, it didn't work out. Natalia came and decide to comfort him. Steve told her to leave him but Natalia refused. They remain there until she told Steve about the time she was captured, she witnessed her parents murdered before her eyes as their home were burned. She revealed about her physical & mental torture by those monsters both inside & outside as she wished to die with her family rather than lived a life as a killer until she met him. She also urged him to overcome the tragedy about Bucky's death but to inspired him to rally the others.

From there, Steve began to return back to his normal but brave self. It was Natalia inspired him to get back on his job to finish his mission. For Bucky, for those people suffered and for freedom.

Upon reaching the Hydra HQ where Johann Schmidt aka Red Skull is, he raided alone without Colonel or Natalia knows this before he was captured. When the Red Skull demanded about reasonable doubt, he said he was just a kid from Brooklyn. Red Skull gives him a few beat down bit Steve response this by saying: "I can do this all day."

Just as Red Skull finished him by pulling out a pistol, his HQ was under attacked by the Howling Commandos led by Natalia and Colonel Phillips's division army. The two reunite and give them to attack the Hydra soldiers while chasing Schmidt to his own airplane.

The two were in a military automobile car that driven by Colonel Phillips & Peggy on the back seat. Just as Steve decide to board the plane, Natalia gives him a kiss on the lips. The other two looked shock & disbelief before Steve leaps inside the plane as the others watches the plane began to fly into the skies. The two look at Natalia.

Colonel Phillips: I didn't see that coming. *react about that kiss*
Peggy: How old are you?
Natalia: I'm 20. Why?

~A Few Minutes Later~

Schmidt was vanished after touching the Tesseract which disintegrated him into other dimension. Steve saw the plane is going to bombed New York and decide the maneuver the controls despite the damages during the fight. He grabs the comms where Natalia, Peggy & Colonel Phillips manage to occupy.

Steve: Natalia. Come in, Natalia.

Natalia heard his voice and grab the comms device to communicated him.

Natalia: Steve, what happened?
Steve: Schmidt's dead. The controls is damaged.
Natalia: You have to get out of here.
Steve: I can't. It headed to bomb New York. I have to shut it down.
Natalia: Please give me coordinate for a safe landing.
Steve: There's no safe landing here.

With no other options, Steve gives a fateful decision.

Steve: I have to crash on the ice.
Natalia: *shock tone* Are you insane, Steve?!

This give the Colonel & other soldiers to leave the room quietly while Peggy decide to stay with Natalia.

Steve: I have no other choice, Natalia. I'm sorry. I have put on the water.
Natalia: *sobs* Steve...

As the plane descends to the icy water, he took a compass and opens it. On the top of it was a small black & white photo. Originally, it was the face of Peggy Carter during his early Allied campaigns but he change to the smiling face of Natalia after someone took a photo of her after they liberated the village. He asked him to make a small one of her, on the same time he, Natalia & the Howling Commandos took a photoshoot.

Steve: Natalia?
Natalia: Yes, Steve?
Steve: About the dance, there's a bar called Stork Club in New York. Would you teach me more?
Natalia: *tearfully smile* Yes. Don't be late.
Steve: *sad smile* Yes, Ma'am.

As the plane is near to the waters,

Steve: I hate to step on your....

The comm line cuts to the static.

Natalia: Steve? Steve? Steve? Come in, Steve. Come in!

Natalia began to show her emotions as tears fall on the eyes while repeated calling Steve in vain. Peggy despite her awkwardly jealous about her & Steve, began to realize that Steve did found the right woman for him. She pats Natalia to comfort as silent fell through.

Months later, World War 2 has come to the end in Europe as the victors celebrated their victory. In a pub, Howlett & the Howling Commandos were seen sad & mourning for the loss including Steve & Bucky, distracted by joyous people.

Howlett: *raise the glass* To the captain.
Others: *also raise their glasses* To the captain.

Meanwhile back in SSR HQ as Peggy looks at Pre Serum Steve on his file, Natalia came with a brown folder.

Peggy: What's this?
Natalia: Remember the time me, Steve & the team liberated a nearby village? A local photographer wanted us to took a photo of us to remember everyone about our heroic efforts. I just received this 7 days later as a token after the war.

She handed it to Peggy as the latter opens it and a big, black & white photograph of Steve with his masked head gear & Natalia standing beside each other, smiling as the Howling Commandos either standing or in crouch positions with them.

Peggy: *smiles* It's beautiful.
Natalia: You can keep it if you want.
Peggy: Where are you going?
Natalia: *sigh* Those people who turned me into a killer. They knew I'm here. I have to escape. They won't stop until they found me. You must burn my file and everything about me so no one knew where am I. Please don't contact me...unless you found Steve.
Peggy: I will. Please be careful.
Natalia: Until we meet again.

The two handshake as a farewell before Natalia left the place and went outside. She looks at the skies and smiles before headed to the unknown direction as the crowd were seen celebrating outside.

~2012~

70 years later, Captain Steve Rogers was found in ice, unconscious but alive. It shocked not just America but to the world as well. He was frozen to sleep for many years but due of the serum, he remained physically young on his body. When he woke up, he found out in a new timeline where the war ended years ago and the old ones he knew were grown old or passed away.

After meeting with Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., there's one thing he remembered was his promise of Natalia which unfortunately, it didn't happen. He knew that Natalia may have her own family and grown old or may have been died.

On his new apartment he lived as he struggled about this new century, he look at the files of now deceased Howling Commandos and Colonel Phillips. Peggy Carter is only person he remembered to grown old and alive but the file of Natalia was missing for a long time. The only thing about her was his compass with a photo of her still clear & intact. He decide to walk around the present-day New York and does a gym exercise by punching the bag with his strength.

One day while drawing his own art in a cafè, he was visited by two persons from the Past. It was Erik Lensherr, now an old man and to his surprised, James Howlett now his alias as Logan, who haven't aged well.

The two revealed him that they were Mutants, extraordinary people with hidden powers & abilities. Erik has a magnetic abilities that gives a nickname as "Magneto" while Logan had the same but with 3 metallic claws on his knuckles that his nickname Wolverine is still used. The former told him that his belief about mutant superiority that led into a prejudice wars between mutants & humans including his rivalry with another mutant, Charles Xavier and his X-Men, a team of Mutants which Logan is one of them, were defending both of the races. The war ended when Captain America was found and the two rivals made peace.

Steve told them about Natalia's whereabouts which the two shakes their heads.

It wasn't until S.H.I.E.L.D. called him about the Tesseract was stolen by a god called "Loki". He met Phil Coulson, who told him that he was a big fan of him. When the plane landed on the Helicarrier, the first thing he saw outside was a short red haired woman standing. To his shock, she looks like Natalia!

Coulson: Captain Rogers, this is Agent Romanoff.
Steve: Ma'am.
Natasha: Hi.

Steve remembered that word when he first met Natalia back in London as the two walk around the Helicarrier.

As he was introduce Tony Stark, son of Howard Stark and Iron Man, Dr. Bruce Banner aka The Hulk and the plans to capture Loki, he was distracted towards Natasha Romanoff and his mind thinking she might be Natalia's grand daughter. When he asked her about Natalia, she denied everything connected to her and her family connected to her which saddened Steve that Natalia may have been forgotten in history.

They found & captured Loki and the introduction of his brother Thor the Norse god of thunder. Later while Steve & others witnessed Natasha interrogate Loki, the god of mischief revealed about a bit of her dark past. Natasha fought him internally but not before Loki discovered something.

Loki: You...have a connected to him?
Natasha: What do you mean?
Loki: I mean the Soldier. You know the Man out of Time? Captain America?

Steve heard of this in disbelief.

Steve's Mind: How did he knew about her connected to me? He must be talking about Natalia, not her.

Loki: I can see your mind. The first time you met him in the bar...you worked together with him in the battlefield...and Oh. You and him had a dance together...Am I right?
Natasha: You lying!
Loki: I am not! You share with him...you were mourning when he died...and then, you were on the run...running...until...they captured you...brainwashed...and everything you knew about him was erased...
Natasha: Shut up!!

And with that, Natasha leaves as the others witnessed the conversation left them confusion. Tony asked Steve about his connection with Natasha but Steve shakes his head in denial before he left the room and heads the room where Natasha is.

Steve: You okay?
Natasha: *regain her normal composure* Yeah. I'm fine.
Steve: You don't look so good.
Natasha: I said I'm fine.
Steve: What happened? What did he do?
Natasha: *sigh* He knew about my past but the part about me connected you isn't real.
Steve: He must be talking about another one.
Natasha: You mean Natalia?
Steve: Yes.
Natasha: What she looks like?
Steve: She's look like you but younger.
Natasha: I see now you looked at me every time.
Steve: *blushes in embarrassment* Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.
Natasha: *smirks* Just kidding. I did notice you when you staring at me but I don't care.

Steve sigh in embarrassment. She still have Natalia's trait in her own right.

The next day just as the would-be superheroes were arguing about this situation, they were under attacked by a mind controlled Clint Barton aka Hawkeye and the militia. The heroes managed to repel including Clint regain his senses but failed to stop Loki from escaping. However, Agent Phil Coulson was killed in action while trying to stop Loki's escape.

His death reached Steve as he remembered Bucky's death. He forgot to sign the Captain America trading cards that Coulson wanted to. However, he remembered Natalia's words not to back down and overcame the tragedy to inspired & rally the others.

So he rallied the others like Natasha, Clint and Thor to stop Loki and the alien invasion. When they arrived, the invasion has began as an alien fleet and armies appeared and besieged New York. Tony and Bruce/The Hulk joined them and together, they assembled into a superhero team to the world known as "The Avengers".

They did managed to take them out while the Hulk beat the crap out of everyone including he gives Loki a massive beat down that left almost paralyzed him on the floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31ZjnrHR8EA

(0:38 to the end 😂)

But more alien reinforcements arrive that they were under heavy attack. However, the giant slug-like aliens and several warships was pointed to the other side.

Tony: Umm...what are they stopping?

Then, a large, fiery Phoenix bird appeared out of nowhere and destroy the slug aliens and warships into smithereens.  The Phoenix landed in-front of them as it revealed to be a short haired woman in a green & gold Phoenix suit.

Jean Grey: Need our help?
Thor: Ours?

Suddenly, a shadow mist teleports as a new team appears, revealing to be X-Men along with Magneto on his suit & helmet, the shape shifting Mystique, Gambit pulls out his energy baton stick and Charles Xavier in a wheelchair. The teleporter was Nightcrawler.

Logan: *in Wolverine suit* Captain Rogers.
Steve: Logan. So this is X-Men you talked about?
Logan: *pulls out his cigar and smoke it*  That's why we here to help you. Just like old times.
Natasha: How did we close the portal? *points the portal*
Prof. X: The tower connected the portal must be the one operational. You have to shut it down to close it.
Tony: Wheels' right. I think the machine was in the Stark Tower.
Steve: Who can reach there?
Natasha: I can but I need to go there.
Nightcrawler: I can get you there.
Natasha: Great.
Steve: Natasha, be careful.
Natasha: I always will.

Natasha and Nightcrawler teleports to the Stark Tower while the rest went to fight the invaders. Apparently, SHIELD launches a missile to detonate  New York without Fury's approval. Tony managed to use it and headed to the portal to destroy the incoming fleet as he managed to return back to the civilization before he was caught by the Hulk while Natasha managed to close the portal using Loki's scepter.

The battle is over.

Despite some political & major concerns from stupid @ss Council and politicians, the world welcomed and cheered the heroes of New York. The Avengers and X-Men were handshake before headed to their separate ways.

Steve later joined SHIELD and teaming up with Natasha since Clint was given a partial retirement due of his mind was controlled by Loki and attempted to move on. The two form a partnership and friendship but to Steve's heart, he remain faithful to Natalia.

While they were still going on, Tony was under attacked by some shady forces led by the Mandarin & AIM but it turns out it was just an actor payroll by Aldrich Killian, who uses AIM to use the Extremis, a fatal but powerful serum that can kill or crippled a human being without being control or with enhanced serum.

He kidnapped Tony's fiance, Pepper Potts and the President of the United States. Pepper was experimented with the Extremis but she withstand it that Killian gives an enhanced serum to survive while the U.S. President will use as a sacrificial rite via Viking style on Live TV. With the help of his friend aka Rhodey/War Machine, they stop Killian's plans and rescue the U.S. President. Tony & Killian engaged a brutal fight which ends with Pepper saved Tony while she destroyed Killian.

Meanwhile in Asgard, Thor (accidentally) brought Jane Foster and her friend Darcy Lewis to the realm after Jane got possessed by powerful hex aka Reality Stone, one of the Infinity Stones which led the shadowy force of Dark Elves to invade the realm.

Everything seems to be normal despite the awkward introductions such as Jane slapped Loki and Darcy kicked his nuts after Loki made fun of her antics...until the Dark Elves invade.

But unlike the previous universe that ends the death of Odin's wife & Thor's mother Frigga, the Asgardians were well-prepared to defend after they knew the invasion. Thor and Loki forced to teamed up to stop the Dark Elves & they did kill the leader, saving their mother and the kingdom. The powers that Jane possessed was removed and send it to the Collector. Thor and Jane make an amends each other while Loki despite the teamed up earlier, remained in prison.

Back to Earth, Steve made friends with Sam Wilson. He began to show his feelings towards Natasha but he still believe his heart belongs to his first love. But a rescue mission in Lemurian ship began to questioned his loyalty to SHIELD and Natasha's involvement about the device she handled it.

After this, he visit the Smithsonian Museum that showcase the photos & reel footages of Captain America & the Howling Commandos but Natalia wasn't added nor her photos & footages. He visit his old friend, an aged Peggy Carter on her home about the recent events.

Steve: Peggy, I went to the museum but there's no photos & footages of Natalia. Not even her file or anything about her. What happened?
Peggy: *sigh* Steve, after you crashed into ice, she decide to go somewhere because those people in Red Room hunted her and knew where she is.  Do you know them?
Steve: Yeah. The same people turned her into a deadly killer.
Peggy: She told me to burned everything about her so no one will find her and where she is. But she left one condition.
Steve: What is it?
Peggy: She told me not to contact her until you were found. Sadly, that was many years ago.
Steve: When did the last time you saw her?
Peggy: On the day of my wedding, she did not appear that day but she left a congratulations letter to me.

Steve left in dumbstruck and sadness. Natalia is waiting for him. Waiting to be found. And it never did. He wipes away his tears.

Steve: I couldn't kept her promise.
Peggy: I know but I kept something for you.

Peggy went to a nearby table beside her bed and opens the drawer. She pulls out a brown folder.

Peggy: Before she left after the war, she gives this to you if you were to be found. I know it's old but take it.

Steve opens the folder and revealed to be an old, black & white large photo. It was the photo of him, Natalia and the Howling Commandos. It was taken after they liberated the village from the Hydra-led German army. He smiled towards the photo.

Steve: *smiles* Thank you. This is a wonderful moment in my life.
Peggy: You already did. I hope you will find her soon.

Steve kept the photo as his memory of him & Natalia. Then, he went to his apartment and saw a wounded Fury inside. He told him that he was being attacked by unknown forces and gives him the algorithm device before he got shot by an assassin with a metal arm which later described as the Winter Soldier by Natasha. Fury declared to be dead as Steve was called by SHIELD about this situation.

Only to be find he was attacked by them but he fought them and escaped. He was now a fugitive by SHIELD and force to teamed up with Natasha to find about the algorithm. Their destination was Steve's old army training base, Camp Lehigh where they discovered a hidden bunker with some computers, machines and a virtual face of an infamous Hydra scientist, Arnim Zola. The latter revealed that Hydra is not dead but was already inside S.H.I.E.L.D. like a parasite as it algorithm shows Project Insight, a new, upcoming defense system will use to destroy the key targets and cities of America.

The bunker was later attacked by SHIELD/Hydra missile but the two survived and managed to get safety to Sam's house.

A little later, Steve calls Logan that SHIELD is Hydra and need some more information about the key targets before he hung up. He went to the room where Natasha was and the two had conversation about her dark past, her redemption towards the recent event which Steve gives her a familiar advice from Natalia about to stand up and overcame the obstacles such as tragedy to fight on which the spy agreed.

Later as the trio had a plan about what's next, Steve received a call from Logan that some politicians including a Senator is working Hydra while Project Insight targeting not just key enemies and cities but also future targets including X-Men themselves.

The trio captured Jasper Sitwell, an agent of SHIELD/Hydra as the latter revealed the algorithm and key targets about Project Insight. They were soon under attacked by the Winter Soldier and Hydra mercenaries. It ends with Steve found out the Winter Soldier was in fact, Bucky Barnes who was alive but brainwashed. He, Natasha & Sam were captured by SHIELD but got escaped with the help of Maria Hill. They found out that Nick Fury is alive and faked his own death.

The next day while preparing the plan to infiltrate the Triskelion, the base where Project Insight prepare to launch, Steve and Natasha had a small talk outside the bridge.

Steve: I don't know what to say but we facing the enemies who were trying to serve the country.
Natasha: They are but they were under Hydra's hands.
Steve: I believe some good people did not know about this. There's still hope.
Natasha: There is, Steve. I believe you.

Later that day, Steve clad his classic suit he used during the war as he, Sam & Maria manage to sneak inside the Triskelion and broadcast inside, revealing about Hydra inside SHIELD. This led some SHIELD including Sharon Carter followed Steve's orders and attempted to stop the launch but the other SHIELD agents led by Brock Rumlow managed to launched the plan.

Natasha on other hand managed to sneak inside the tower where Hydra leader, Pierce and other Council members(who were confuse and shock about the revelation) are in disguise.

Steve meanwhile is battling his long though dead friend, Bucky as the Insight ships began to target the key targets. He managed to knock him out and stops the inevitable by switching the targets to their own ships.

And with that, the Project Insight stop the disaster but with a cost. Hydra members and other agents within SHIELD and the government were exposed as numerous conspirators are arrested. Steve & others decide to split themselves for a better security as the former try to find his wayward friend who escaped after the incident.

Several days later while at home, Steve was visited by Natasha. The spy revealed him that she was trained by Bucky during her time inside the Red Room. While staying, Natasha notice a  compass.

Natasha: Is that yours? *points the compass*
Steve: Oh. Yes. It's mine. There was a small of photo of Natalia. You want to see?

Natasha nods as she touch the compass. When she opens and saw the small photo of Natalia, her eyes widened as her mind to show numerous memories appears that she fell on the floor that Steve reacts and grabs her on his arms.

Steve: Natasha, are you all right? Wake up.

Natasha opens her eyes and saw Steve. Her eyes began to show her tears.

Natasha: S..Steve?
Steve: Natasha, what's wrong?
Natasha: Steve? You're alive.
Steve: What? What are you talking about? Of course I'm here.
Natasha: I was waited for you. Waiting you to be found.

Then, Steve remembered the previous conversation with Peggy about Natalia's waiting for a long time.

Steve: *began to tears* Natalia...?
Natasha: *sobs* Steve.

They were reunited with a long, passionate kiss and embrace as the two headed to the bedroom and leave the readers on their imagination.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geFP9cglPOo

The two were still in the bed as their bodies covered their white sheets after a long 'session'. The two hugged each other.

Steve: I thought you were dead, Nat.
Natasha: That was the same thing I'm gonna say.
Steve: What happened after I crashed into ice?
Natasha: *sigh* They found me, Steve. They tortured me, brainwashed me and put me on the cryogenic machine for a long time. They woke me up years later with no memories about my past. You know the rest.
Steve: I see. The photo of yours in my compass brought your memories back.
Natasha: I think so. But there's still other people connected me out there. My work about my Past is not done.
Steve: You're not going alone. I'll be with you.
Natasha: *smirks* 'till the end of the line?

Steve smiles and the two return their kiss. Unbeknownst to them, two figures watching them in other dimension. They were Dr. Strange & Uatu the Watcher.

Dr. Strange: So this is another universe where Captain America & Black Widow exist together in both times?
Uatu: Indeed. The universe was similar to previous but the difference was that universe is goes a different path. Captain Rogers made a mistake when he stayed in the Past after the battle against the Mad Titan. However, it left some consequences.
Dr. Strange: Do you believe those two can change the path than the current one?
Uatu: Patience, my friend. There's still hope for them and others. They overcame the tragedies and obstacles and redeem themselves unlike the previous one. Let's hope they did their right thing.
Dr. Strange: I hope so.

The last scene shows Steve & Natasha visits Peggy Carter and they were having a chat about the events in the Past and Present while they show the large photograph of the duo & the Howling Commandos.

——————————————————
AND DONE! This was one of the longest One-Shot fic I written so far. I supposed to continue after TWS but due of Internet signal interruption, I decide to end with Steve & Natasha visit Old Peggy Carter on her home.

1 - Logan/Wolverine appearance was originally planned to be a cameo in CA: The First Avenger as a connection of MCU and X-Men universe but was scrapped.

2 - Black Widow's origins was one of the most complicated comic book origins. One depicts she was born years before WW2 while other depicts she was born during WW2 and became a spy during the Cold War. It reference of her as a villain to Iron Man comics before she was revamped into a heroic, red head, black tight outfit and iconic hourglass logo figure we all know.

3 - A reference to the photograph scene in 2017 DC film, Wonder Woman.

4 - Black Widow's connection to the Grand Duchess Anastasia. Her story became one of the biggest historical mysteries due of the fact after the Imperial Russian family were murdered, many theories suggest that Anastasia may have fake her own death & escaped while others believe she escaped before the Bolsheviks' murder and had her new alias. There are several imposters and claimants as Anastasia but none were proven true. In 2007, the bones was found by Russian excavator and after DNA tests, the bones revealed to be Anastasia, a tragic ending of one of the world's greatest mysteries.

But her story became immortalized to Broadway musical and Disney's "Anastasia". After I watched that movie as well as the video about her mystery, this inspired me to use this as my own take of Black Widow's origin.

And I hope you like this one. Thank you.