Ballet Shoes

Chapter One

Operation Blind D

"Penelope…!"

SHIELD Agent Penelope Onassis turned, smiling. "Natasha…! How are you?"

Black Widow earned her stripes in SHIELD. She was an inspiration to all women in the force, and had Penelope's back more than once in the field. Penelope owed her life to Natasha.

"I'm fine, did you just got out of a meeting? How was it?"

"It's a cumbersome case, I can tell you…" she began. "Crime lords along the Mediterranean are smuggling drugs against the harbour, though once they're out in the water, their signals are gone. Since I'm from Greece, they thought I could be of assistance."

Natasha nodded. "That does sound cumbersome… You'll find a lead somewhere. I hope it goes well."

Penelope used to be a detective before she became a SHIELD Agent. Her expertise was tracking people down, so if there was a lead hiding out there, she'd find it.

"Thanks," she smiled. "To have it come from you means a lot."

"I was wondering…" began Natasha. "I have this lead for another case I'm looking into and I need another agent to help me with this. You just have to get some information from a black market trader via word of mouth. If it's not too much trouble for you…"

"Oh, no, Natasha, I'd love to help…!" Penelope smiled. "Anything to help a colleague, you had my back ever since Peru."

"Great…! I'll get you briefed up tomorrow, thank you so much for doing this…! Meet me at fifteen hundred hours, tomorrow!"

As they waved goodbye, Penelope couldn't help but feel Natasha was being too enthusiastic about sending Penelope out. It was just espionage right? Interrogate some trader for some information to help Natasha out. Whatever it was, she'd be briefed tomorrow.

Her instincts were right. Natasha was being too enthusiastic. Natasha told Penelope to dress up in an evening dress, and the information she gave her was little, though someone was going to tell her who the trader was in the restaurant that night.

Though when Steve Rogers sat in front of her in the empty chair, her mind went blank.

"S-Steve?" She blinked.

Captain America was sitting in front of her in the restaurant. She saw him a few times before, and had introduced herself, though being out of the country almost all the time, she hardly got to know him. Did Natasha send him along with her to interrogate the black market trader?

"Penelope, hey, I… surprise seeing you here."

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, hoping to not attract attention. "Did Natasha assigned you here, too? She didn't told me about you."

"She didn't tell me anything about you, either," breathed Steve.

She leaned back into her seat, sparkling juice glass in her hand. This mission wasn't clear from the start. The details were broad. There was no clear name on who the trader was. Even if they knew who it was, Steve didn't knew either from the looks of things. Something was definitely going on.

"Wait, I think I know…" Steve nodded. "It's Natasha all along, she… she's been trying to get me to go out on a date, and I think she's trying to take it a step up and you happen to be the first victim, I'm sorry…"

So this was just a set up. A blind date. Natasha lied to her from the start. Whatever her reasons, Penelope knew Natasha would never do this out of spite. Either way, something like this must never happen again. She was definitely going to tell Natasha tomorrow.

"Ah…" her brow furrowed, wincing a little. "Thank you…"

"You don't have to stay here if you want to," began Steve. "If you want to have dinner here, I'd be more than happy to foot the bill…"

"No, no, it's alright…!" she waved a hand, still frowning, getting up from her chair. The place probably cost an arm and a leg. "I was planning on eating late, so I only came around for the drink…"

And for the 'trader'.

"If it's any consolation, I'll pay for the drink," he began. "Please, let me… as an apology."

Her lips tightened. "Alright, then… Thank you."

She had to admit. For a guy from the forties, he definitely had the classy chivalry. She had to keep it professional. She and Steve were colleagues.

Steve was the legendary super solider from the past. He was the Captain America, though when she first met him and shook his hand, he seemed like any other guy. Others would be so jazzed up when talking about him, though she personally did not see what made him so special. He was just another solider willing to protect and serve the country.

Once the drink was paid for, Steve turned to Penelope. "Again… sorry about all this. Natasha shouldn't have dragged you into all this."

"It's alright…" she nodded. "As long as everything's alright… let's just pretend this didn't happen and I'll talk with her tomorrow. I'll tell her to not do this again."

"Was there anything else you were planning to do tonight?"

She paused. The Captain America was asking her what she usually did in her late evenings. That doesn't happen on a daily basis.

"Well, usually, if I have dinner late, I go get take out… There's this Chinese place right by my building. Plus, it's not that pricey."

"If you're that hungry, maybe we could both go there? My treat for your troubles."

She blinked. She was going to have Chinese with the Captain America. "S-Sure… they make really good spring rolls."

A big smile was on Natasha's face as Steve walked through the corridor. "So, how'd it go last night?"

"You set me up…" his chest heaved up.

Natasha chuckled. "Steve, come on-"

He turned to look at Natasha, making sure she heard every word he said.

"You lied to me," he jabbed a finger. "You lied to Agent Onassis. Do you have any idea how uncomfortable she was?"

The time for jesting was over.

"Yeah, I knew," she breathed. "I spoke with her and we're still fine, though I'm not fine with you, Steve. I'm at my wits ends. I'm worried about you. You're in a world completely different from the one you once knew, and it can be scary and lonely."

She haggard him to find someone to go out with, not for her own amusement, though for his sake. She had his best interest all along.

"I don't want you to have to face everything alone, Steve…"

He breathed. "I can handle that myself. And Natasha…"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks. I'll be okay."

She proved her worth so many times. She was just as great as his former Howling Commandos squad combined. He also saw so much of Peggy in her. The redhead smiled.

"So, how'd it go last night?"

After getting through the awkwardness, the evening wasn't so bad.

"After the restaurant, we went over to a Chinese place right by her building… We ate on the benches, and then she went back to her place."

It was strange seeing two well dressed people sitting on a bench late at night eating Chinese take out.

"It wasn't so bad, wasn't it?" a teasing smile was on Natasha's face.

He shrugged. "It was a good chance to try Chinese food again."

Note*~

Alright then, with this project, I hope to get through it and post as many chapters up… It is summer time before school starts, and I will be busy.

I would like to thank Singer of Water for her time and help getting this project off the ground. Your love to me as a friend goes beyond what I can say, with art and life. Here's a round of blood, sweat and tears, all thanks to you, darling. c': I dedicate this story to you.

Hope you like the start! See you next chapter.