They had been introduced a few times at a number of different functions and always seemed to get along nicely. The Commander still had no idea how this woman dealt with Stark on a daily basis but she had to admire the woman for keeping the man in line.

By the time they had meet up for the third time Pepper had suggested lunch. Normally the brunette would grab something quick from the cafeteria or someone brought something into her but a change a scenery sounded nice. And that's how it all started, months later they would still catch up for a coffee or meal, phone calls or emails.

That's how Maria found herself staring at her recently typed out email to her blonde friend. It was more of a vent and less of a social update on their lives but she needed to get this one off her chest.

Coulson and his team had just left the base, and while she did enjoy his company once more, his teasing nature rubbed a sore spot.

Hello Pepper,

I had an old recruit come in today which reminded me of his assessment report I wrote up. I've attached a copy of it, all redacted of course, but can you take a look at the picture on the bottom for me? His handler thinks it's a poop when it's clearly a porcupine. Please settle this bet.

Regards, Maria

Without further thought the brunette sent the email and waited for a reply.

One of her friends many talents were her readiness to reply to all of Maria's emails promptly. Sometimes she even forged emails regarding Stark Industries in favour of reading some hilarious emails sent by Maria regarding the entire on goings on base. Sometimes Tony hated it when Pepper knew something before he returned home, but they're friendship made the blonde smile so he tried very hard to go out of his way not to cause Maria any additional problems.

After reading over one of Barton's filed reports, two weeks overdue, her mobile rang and a picture of Pepper flashed on the screen.

"Hello Pepper," she greeted, "You know I was expecting an email and not an actual phone call right?" she questioned, closing the file and powering down her computer.

"So Nat huh?" the coy voice weaved through the phone line.

"What are you talking about?" Maria questioned, watching the computer screen finally turn off as she grabbed her coat.

"And I quote you on this 'Romanov has some competition to look forward to' end quote," Pepper smirked into the phone as she walked around her living room, a glass of wine in hand.

"I thought she did, I gave him a high score," she defended herself. "That's not the point. The point being is that I drew a porcupine not a poop," she huffed, stepping onto the elevator.

"It's a porcupine," she confirmed with a laugh, staring down at her laptop as she spoke.

"And you couldn't type that back? Why do I feel an intervention coming along?" she whined, causing the security officer to quickly look away as she stepped off the elevator and made her way toward her car.

"Since when do you mention other agents in someone else assessments?" came the response, clearly Pepper was enjoying herself.

"I thought it was noteworthy," she huffed, waiting a brief second before she turned the key in the ignition.

"You mention Clint in anyone's assessment?" Pepper asked, waving at Tony as he entered the room. 'Maria' she mouthed to him and then smiled back into the phone.

"Nat has the highest markings out of any field agent I have ever assessed. This guy came close," she muttered, putting the car in reverse and pulling out of her reserved space.

"So you refer to her a lot in assessments?" a raised eyebrow from Tony caused her to giggle and close her laptop.

"Maybe once or twice," she muttered absently as she tried to exit the carpark. "What does this have to do with the porcupine?"

"It has nothing to do with the porcupine," Pepper chuckled again as Tony refiled her glass. She waved off his questions and sent him to the other side of the room. The man himself had no idea what they were talking about but it did amuse him to watch the one sided conversation unfold. "You gave up!" Pepper informed her loudly, causing Tony to look up at her.

"What? Have you been drinking?" Maria asked, slightly amused and knowing full well that her blond friend must have had at least two glasses by that point.

"Beside the point," she waved it off, smiling at Tony.

"And the point is?" she enquired, merging into late night traffic.

"I know that you would have written a better report if it had been anyone else. But all you wrote were the necessities and drew a porcupine," she sighed into the phone waving Tony's perplexed look off. "For all you knew he could have been better, top two percent you wrote. You chose to defend her and actually wrote it out in some guy's permanent record," she clarified as Tony walked further away from her.

"I don't defend her, she can defend herself," Maria replied, still puzzled about the turns in the conversation.

"You do it all the time," the blonde resorted, "Tony tells me all about it," she added.

"No! No! I do not tell her anything!" Tony all but shouted as he raced towards the phone and snatched it out of her hands. "I don't know who this porcupine fellow is but I tell him nothing either," Tony added, confused as both women laughed at him.

Grabbing the phone back from him, Pepper retreated back to the couch, glass still in hand. "The porcupine has your jacket that we bought last month. The one you absolutely loved and refuse to allow Sharon to borrow," she smirked into the phone.

"Okay she's like a porcupine but why are we now referring to Nat as one? Is Stark listening in?"

"Yes," came the curt reply.

"He can't know," the brunette gasped. The only people who knew about her little crush was Coulson, May, Jane and Pepper. Word got out and she was sure the Russian would snap her in two.

"He doesn't, although admitting it is the first step," she laughed as the brunette made sounds of agony down the phone line.

"She borrows everyone's jackets and hoodies, literally everyone's if it's lying around. I think she even has one of Tony's at the moment"

"And you put up no fight against the porcupine?" she laughed.

Tony walked away once more, clearly not following the conversation.

"She said she needed to be reminded of home on her last mission," Maria informed her friend as she pulled up to her building.

"And that's you?" Pepper smirked once more.

"I'm leaving this conversation now that I'm finally home. You did confirm that it's a porcupine and not a poop, also it's not a drawing of Nat who may or may not have feelings for," Maria grounded out the last words, as she ascended the steps.

"You do and goodnight," Pepper responded, hanging up before the brunette could deny it again. Laughing softly to herself, Pepper wondered if the Commander would ever inform the assassin of her true feelings. Glancing at Tony she doubted it would occur for a while.