This is a sort of AU where Nick Fury still owned the avengers after Loki. May become why they left SHIELD. Enjoy!

Not only was it sexist, but it was wrong, so wrong.

How anyone would draw her with everyone, Stark, Rogers, Barton.

"Miss Romanoff, I had to teach you about this "Fan art" to show you how dangerous it would be to be with anyone on this team. You could herd the media in a frenzy, they would want to know everything about you and the person you're with. They would scatter around, asking anyone and everyone for information." Fury stated, leaving Natasha in shock and confusion.

"Are you trying to blame me? If being with Bruce leads me to my death, so be it."

"No Natasha, an enemy wouldn't care about your love life, but they would care if the flash of a camera reveals something about yourself, or our organization. When you're in love, you're more inclined to do things like go to a restaurant, or go to a park. We wouldn't want to be replacing you for someone more secretive about their personal life." Fury responded, collecting his laptop and phone.

Natasha was hurt, she wanted adoption, she wanted a family. All her training couldn't just be thrown away however, and she had her own twisted sort of family here, which she had to protect.

Everyone on the group was loving the new S.H.E.I.L.D tower in New York City, except for Bruce. Natasha could tell through her interpreting that something was wrong with him. The rise and fall of his chest seemed heavy, loaded with burden. There was a minor glint of sadness in his eye every time he looked her way.


"I could break the siding of this building with one fist." Bruce commented in the lab as Tony quietly fixed the siding of his suit.

Tony stopped his work for the first time in an hour and looked at Bruce. It took all of his manpower not to go right back to his work, forgetting about what Bruce said and focusing on his suit. "I don't wanna insert myself in on your problem, but does this have anything to do with Natasha?"

"Good Morning Tony, Bruce!" Entered Natasha in her business clothing.

Bruce and Natasha had a very... interesting friendship. Every inch of Bruce was screwed up, and Natasha was the only one who understood that, and didn't care.

"Fury wants a meeting about the team, about how we're doing." Natasha said, looking at her phone while Tony rolled his eyes.

Natasha shot Tony a look and turned to Bruce, "He wants a meeting with the whole team, some sort of, "Super Meeting" to talk about everything that has been on our minds. I'm sure a large percentage of us will want to talk about our personal lives, and Fury thinks it will make us closer as a team. I'm sure some relationships need some polishing, and I think it will help the team too."

Tony looked to Bruce, who was embedding each word Natasha said with an intense stare that he recognized as love. He remembered when he used to wear the same look when he talked to Pepper, before they broke up. Tony could tell that Natasha was figuring out the same look, the way her brow furrowed in concentration, the way she did when she was reading facial expressions.

"Well, a bright and early meeting is exactly what I need!" Tony exclaimed, trying to put a look of sheer happiness on his face, even though he was just leaving to give Natasha and Bruce some privacy.

Natasha was looking intensely at the email on her mobile phone when Bruce took hold of her hand. Natasha chose to look surprised, though normally she would hide her emotions. But she wished she had chosen to hide her emotions, as Bruce took his hand back immediately.

Bruce's hardy hands were clammy as Natasha took his hand again, looking at him with genuine smile. Her voice sounded like a song as she whispered, "Don't be afraid."

Bruce was muttering incomprehensibly as Natasha embraced him. "Just make sure you're present at the meeting, okay?"


Steve of course, being the "goody-goody" that he is, got to the meeting 30 minutes before it started. He scaled the meeting room, pacing past the seven chairs circled around a large oak table. He thought this meeting would entail him to feel relaxed and calm, but all it made him do was stress. He didn't want to take away confidentiality, especially when it might end up making him spill his secret.

The clock chimed at 8:00 PM, announcing the start of the meeting. The committee of Superheros glanced awkwardly at each other as their boss cleared his throat.

"I know who you have a crush on Bruce." Fury smirked as Bruce looked up from his digital device in shock.

As if Fury couldn't puncture any more wounds, he turned to Steve. "And I don't know who, but you're also having feelings for a colleague."

Steve was furious, did he somehow have tape recorders in his studio apartment? Did he spy on their every move? Another bolt of anger rushed through Steve. Rage blasting through him, he yelled, "Of course you know! We sacrifice our lives for this team, we do everything we can to protect the world, and yet we can't have any privacy to worry about our personal lives! Underneath all of our armor, there are real people. It's true, love and family get in the way, but you have to understand, it's our choice whether we make that risk."

Natasha's stomach churned when she realized that's all she wanted. She didn't want to be a sensation all across the world, or to be an avengers for the rest of her life, she wanted to be a mother. She wanted to spend the rest of her lifetime with happy memories of teaching her children how to walk, talk, read, and write. She wanted the routine of waking up with her caring father, and her smart, funny, beautiful kids. She wanted to sleep, with her husband's arm wrapped across her body, keeping her safe and warm. She wanted a pet, a house, a reason to be her best.

She shook her head and she was back in the office, with its seven uncomfortable chairs and its huge glass window overlooking New York City. Natasha didn't mean to tune out, but her mind just got away from her.

She looked around at her team members, and their facial expressions said anything but happiness.

"I was allowed to be with somebody because they weren't on the team?" Tony asked, his tone half curiosity and half anger, the lighting of the room casting a dark shadow across his face.

The question was winning him looks of respect from his team members, but from Fury, he was given a look of helplessness. "I understand your objection towards this Tony, but you have to understand, this is for the greater good." Nick looked at Tony carefully, as if the billionaire would collapse in frustration at any moment.

"I don't get it... It's as if you don't value our lives." Steve replied, his bright blue eyes glancing from Tony to Fury.

Natasha was talented at many things, but understanding her own feelings wasn't one of them. She pushed them away, deep inside of her, where no one would discover them. But in extreme cases, she would let her emotions show, she would say what she wanted without thinking twice, she would act like her true self. Gathering momentum inside of her, she stood up quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fail you, it's just... I was ordered to do it by Fury!"

As the team tried to wrap their head around what she just said, Natasha ran out of the office, rushing to the elevator and pressing the button to her personal floor. Her cheeks were wet from crying, and she wished she hadn't let her true self show.