After the Avengers (Clintasha) [Complete]

Chapter 1

1

Natasha POV

 Lately life had finally started going as planned, but I knew that it wouldn't last. At least, that's with the luck I've been having.

 After the whole mess with Loki, all the "avengers" (or whatever we're calling ourselves now that it's all over) moved into what was previously known as Stark tower.

 Lately things have been pretty quite. Other than Bruce and Tony blowing up the lab every few days, Thor blowing up the kitchen, and Clint's new exploding arrows. Now that I think about it, there have been a lot of explosions lately.

 It's really not that bad living with a group of super heroes, Pepper, and Clint (let's be honnest he's not that super). We get along most of the time. It's pretty rare that we fight, but when we do fight it's like a nuclear war.

 Seriously though, how is this my life?

 I'm an assassin and now I'm apart of the Avengers. One minute I'm drilling a Russian mobster, next I'm fighting to save the world from a race of Aliens, now I'm living in Stark Tower. It's just weird.

 To be perfectly honest, up until a week ago I was itching to get back into the field. I mean, an assassin can't sit still forever. Well, now I'm getting my wish. It's just a week late.

 Literally an hour ago we got a call from Fury demanding that we get our punk asses to SHIELD immediately (his words not mine). It wouldn't bother me except he didn't even bother to drag his own butt down here to brief us himself. He has Maria Hill do it for him. Lazy ass. 

 “We’ve got a situation,” Hill says.

 Hill and I didn’t always get along. She used to be constantly flirting with Clint from the moment they met. It didn’t bug me until I had a crush on him and after we were an item. It wasn’t till after she met Steve Rogers and started having a thing for him, that was when she and I started to get along. It was nice to have a woman friend inside SHIELD to tell all your men secrets to – especially now.

 It's kind of funny how well we get along now that there isn't a man in the way.

 I look around the board room. Most of my new and old family are all seated around the table – with the exception of Thor who's visiting Jane. Steve, Tony, Maria, Bruce, and Pepper (who's technically not suppose to be here but Fury asked that she come) are all my new and dysfunctional family. Like I said sometimes we don't even get along, but when we do, it's pretty awesome. I’ve never really had a family until recently and I had to admit, I love them.

 Yes, the infamous Black Widow loves a group of people who she has very little in common with. I always said, “Love is for children” but lately, I’ve started to wonder if being a child is okay. 

 The only other person in the room is Clint Barton. He’s been my friend since the moment I joined SHIELD nearly fifteen years ago. We became a family when we became an item eight years ago. We got married a year ago, five days after New York actually. He’s the only person I’ve ever been able to love until now. 

 “What’s the situation?” Steve asks. He sends Maria a flirtatious smile and a wink, which she barely acknowledges.

 He and Maria are, as usual, dancing around each other. They're both flirting, but never notice that the other is (trying) to do the same thing. It's kind funny, actually. At the same time though, I wish he and Maria would just get together already so she would stop complaining to me about how he didn’t notice her.

 “Someone’s after Fury,” she explains. “We need you guys to stop them.”

 “What do we know about this person?” Steve asks. You can tell the guy is trying really hard to be serious, but it's hard to do whilst flirting.

 “Not much actually,” Fury says as he (finally) enters the boardroom. “Sorry, I’m late. We aren’t even sure it’s a guy. All we know for sure, is this person is being paid big bucks to take me down.”

 “Do you know why?” Clint asks.

 Fury was about to answer Clint's question when Tony piped up. Now, let’s get one thing straight about Tony Stark. He is the most irksome person on this planet by far. Tony is a genius, but at the same time, he couldn’t be any stupider. When I worked for him a couple of years back, he had the nerve to flirt with me whilst he had a thing going for Pepper. He’d been smart during this brief to not open his mouth but things were just about to turn sour.

 “Why wouldn’t they want Fury’s head?” he asks sarcastically. “This guy runs a super secret organization. He’s bound to have made pissed some person off by killing off their friend or family.”

 Pepper glares at her boyfriend and gives him a light shove. He looks like he wanted to say more, but he makes the smart decision to shut up. Stark's totally whipped when it came to his and Pepper’s relationship.

 I like it when Tony and Pepper are together. Pepper is supper nice, but she has a mean side and you don't want to see it. In other words, when they're in the same room, Tony keeps his mouth shut to avoid getting into trouble.

 Fury glares at Stark with all his might. Tony keeps his stupid grin plastered on his face. I wondered if he's been drinking. Probably not, last time he was even a little bit intoxicated, Fury told Pepper to take away his alcohol privileges for a week. It went well at first, but then he had a mental breakdown and nearly blew up the lab.

 “If it’s who I believe, Stark,” Fury says harshly, “They want my head for more than that.”

 “And why would that be?” I inquire.

 Everyone turns to stare at me. Man, I hate it when they stare. I’d been quieter than usual during this brief (and recently) but that didn’t give them any reason to stare. I just put up my emotionless mask and glare at them all.

 No one living can withstand my death glare, not even Clint and Fury who have been dealing with it for a decade and a half. The only person I knew who could actually stand up to the glare, was Phil Coulson and he was dead. At least that’s what Fury is telling everyone. Clint and I believe our handler is still alive and well somewhere.

 “I’ll explain later,” he almost snaps. “Right now, all of you need to be getting into evening attire.”

 “Why would we do that?” Clint asks. He's totally against formal wear. Even on missions, he would do anything to get out of it.

 “Yeah, I for one agree with Legolas” Stark pipes up. “Why should we have to get dressed up in ridiculous monkey suits?”

 This time, everyone ignores him and turns towards Fury.

 “Tonight, I’m going to be attending a gala. I need you idiots, with the exception of Barton and Romanoff, to be acting as guests. Barton will be watching from up high. Romanoff, Hill has requested that you remain as backup.”

 I’m not quite sure who I should look at. Hill because she just pulled me out of the field. Fury because he just delivered the news. Or Clint because he’s staring at me; looking for an explanation.

 “What?” I ask, completely dumbfounded.

 I look over at Maria for an explanation. Both her and Pepper are staring at me with knowing eyes. Suddenly I understand; I regret confiding in both of them. I wonder if Maria told Fury, which probably would be the only way she would be able to get me out of the field.

 But Maria shoots me a look that clearly says, relax, you’re good. “You have some way overdue papers. Until they are done, you’re out of the field.”

 This is untrue of course, but I am notorious for not filling in paperwork on time. I lean back in my chair with relief. She hadn’t spilled my secret and I'm safe for now.

 “The rest of you,” Fury says. “Have thirty minutes to get down to the gala."