This is definitely a short one, folks, but an idea hit me and I just couldn't resist. Here is the evolution of Steve and Natasha's relationship through the years in snippets. I definitely don't own the Avengers.

Fury's Funeral

Natasha swung by Sam's to pick up the still-recovering Steve Roger's. Today was going to be a long one. All of the Avengers and what was left of Shield's finest were expected to attend Fury's funeral. Only a few of them actually knew the real Nick Fury was not in the casket. Natasha was grateful to be on the list. She was a world-class spy. Faking grief was easy, and, truthfully, she actually was grieving. Losing Shield and dumping all her dirty secrets on the internet had been anything but easy. She could pull from her current emotional state in order to play the part of a grief-stricken woman who had just lost her mentor.

Steve, on the other hand, was always honest. She'd need to keep a tight leash on the super soldier today. She knew he wouldn't betray Fury's trust, but she didn't want him to have to compromise his principles any more than necessary. He was the very definition of a good man, and it made Natasha oddly protective of him. He was her friend, and the list of people she truly classified as friends was extremely short. Of course, if he weren't such a picture of wholesomeness, she might like to redefine their friendship into something a lot more fun, but that wasn't going to happen. Even after their few kisses on the run, Natasha knew the boundaries between them needed to stay firmly in place. Today, she would keep him close enough so all necessary lies would be her own. Tomorrow, she would deal with the congressional hearings then she needed to get away from D.C. and Steve Rogers for awhile and clear her head.

Sam answered the door when Natasha arrived. Natasha gave him a quick nod as he helped Steve into her car. A lesser man would be dead, but Steve would be fully recovered in a few weeks. Natasha was grateful Sam volunteered to look after Steve during his recovery. She really didn't trust herself to help the super soldier into the shower. He was an incredible specimen of a man. If Sam hadn't had breakfast ready, Natasha would have just given into her lust then and there. But, it would have been a mistake. Steve needed friends even more than she did, and she was determined to be a good one.

"Buckle up, soldier. I'm not going to be responsible for Captain America making a return trip to the hospital." She paused and gave Sam a smile. "I'll have him back before dawn."

Sam chuckled and headed back towards his front door. Steve smiled a sad smile. "Thanks for the ride. I'm pretty sure I'm not up to riding my motorcycle just yet."

"Try it and you'll taste my widow's bite. The doctor said two weeks, Rogers. Sam and I can get you where you need to go. You up for this?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Always."

"It's only right we show up for the funeral. Besides, it'll be good to see everyone. I'm fine."

"Good, because Tony suggested we get a bite to eat after the funeral. The others know, so you won't have to deal with putting on a show for long," Natasha assured him.

The funeral was a media circus, and Natasha could only imagine what Fury thought about it. She had no doubt he was watching from one of his many off-the-books safe houses. Sticking close to Steve proved very easy. He stayed glued to her side until they were safely in the restaurant Tony had rented out for the evening. Natasha finally got to relax, and sat between Maria and Bruce while Tony chatted with Steve about hiss ideas for converting floors of his tower into apartments for the Avengers.

Natasha was watching the duo from a distance when Maria called her out. "How long has this been going on?" she asked.

"What? Rogers and Stark bantering? Since the moment they met," Natasha replied coolly.

"Not what I meant and you know it," Maria replied.

"There's nothing going on between me and Captain America. We're friends. This has just been difficult. The Winter Soldier was his friend, and he did almost die a few days ago. Friends watch out for each other."

"Sure," Maria replied, "but you sure aren't looking at him the way you look at Barton or the way you looked at Coulson."

"Just because we're only friends doesn't mean I can't appreciate the view," Natasha said, slowly raising her glass and giving Steve another once over to enunciate her point.

After Maria moved on, Bruce slid in closer to Natasha. "You did a really brave thing putting Shield's secrets out there for the world to see. Thanks for editing my name out of the file on the other guy."

"It was the least I could do. You weren't here to give consent. I know how much you value your privacy," Natasha smiled.

"What about your privacy? What are you going to do next? You taking Tony up on the apartment in New York?" Bruce asked gently.

"Not right away," Natasha replied, firmly making the decision as she spoke the words, "but, if the world ever needs the Avengers again, I'll be here. You can count on it."

"You think Steve will stick around?"

"Not likely. He has his own unfinished business. You and Tony will just have to hold down the fort for us."

"With Thor away, Clint in the wind, and you and Steve gone, there really isn't much to do at the moment. You sure I can't talk you into staying?" Bruce asked.

Natasha shook her head. "You'll be fine. I think it's time to figure out who I am. I need to go so I can come back with my head in the game. I know you understand that."

"I do," Bruce replied, raising his glass. "Here's hoping you find what you're looking for before the world needs saving again."

Natasha smiled and raised her own glass then looked at Steve. He looked tired. She decided he had had enough excitement for one day. "Excuse me, Bruce. I need to rescue the captain from Stark. Fossils need their rest, especially when they are recovering."

Natasha drove Steve home then went back to her almost empty apartment. Maria wasn't wrong. She definitely looked at Steve differently. Why did she have to kiss him on that stupid escalator? She was just grateful she was such a good liar. She definitely convinced him his kissing skills were rusty, but rusty wasn't even a little bit accurate. His kiss was terrifying. The one they'd shared at Sam's was probably the best kiss she had ever received in her life, but Steve could never know it. And, she couldn't risk moving into the tower until that kiss was a very distant memory. He only wanted to be her friend, and that is exactly what she planned to be-his friend.