A/N wow, I didn't expect the first chapter to be nearly so well received. thanks to everyone who reviewed/favourited/followed.

Enjoy

The sun had risen by the time the weary warriors touched down a short distance from the farmhouse. Clint kept his hand on the small of Nat's back as they trudged towards the door. It was a protective gesture- one that would usually earn him a sharp glance and an extra punch on the sparring mat- but she was either too distracted by her demons or too tired to pull him up on it. He could feel the eyes of the team flicking between them and the house, slowly putting the pieces together.

"Err, Barton, care to explain?" Tony said with a hold-on-I-thought-you-were-screwing-each-other-not-playing-house-together sort of look on his face. Clint drew a key from around his neck and slid it into the lock. Their keys were more symbolic than anything else; as Nat had pointed out years ago, why bother with a key when you can pick a lock faster?

"Phil and Fury helped us set this up a few years back," He replied easily. "There's no record of it in any SHIELD files, paper or otherwise. We'd like to keep it that way."

"Of course" said Cap. He was utterly sincere, if stunned. Tony was babbling something about the notion of a domesticated Black Widow –yeah, as if Nat could ever be domesticated- but Clint quickly tuned him out.

He felt her relax against him as they stepped through the front door. They were home.

They both reached automatically for the wedding rings in the little dish by the door and slipped them on. The calm that washed over them was a soothing balm. After a second, Nat nudged him, the wicked-ass grin that he loved so much playing on her lips. Neither of them turned towards the team as she let her hand drop, bringing the ring on her finger into their eye line.

Right on cue, the sound of three jaws and a hammer hitting the floor graced their ears.

Nat's eyes glinted as they turned to face the team. Thor was staring at them in disbelief. Cap's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his skull. Tony's mouth was opening and closing like a guppy. The great Tony Stark, king of the snappy one-liners, rendered speechless. In contrast, Banner's expression was simply a smug smile.

Clearly, whatever bet had been running, Banner had won it. "It's alright guys," He said, clapping Thor and Cap on the shoulder, "We can settle up when we're next near an ATM. Stark, you'd better hope we return to your tower sometime soon or I'll be eyeing up more than just your helium-neon laser."

Tony recovered himself sufficiently to splutter out an astounded exclamation of "You two are married?!"

Nat sauntered over to him and patted his cheek. Her voice sultry, she said softly in his ear "Now you know one of the reasons why Natalie Rushman didn't throw herself at your feet." Dammit Clint loved it when she talked like that.

Cap was blushing furiously as Tony stood agape. She winked as she walked back over to him, hips swaying lightly. He chuckled and draped his arm around her, heading for the stairs.

"What do you mean, one of the reasons?" Tony called after them.

Nat ignored him. "Spare rooms are on the first floor, bedding's in the closets. Food is in the kitchen. Attic is out of bounds unless Rogers wants his face to blush a deeper crimson than it's already managing. Thor, if you eat all my pop-tarts I will end you." She tossed the words casually over her shoulder but everyone on the team knows that the Black Widow doesn't make threats, only promises.

Clint couldn't resist looking back and smirking. "All mine" He mouthed.

Nat jabbed her elbow into his ribs.

As they climbed the stairs out of sight of the guys, her saunter became more of a traipse and he realised just how exhausted she was.

By the time they had ascended to their attic bedroom, her head was drooping forward and she was leaning on him. He kicked the door shut behind them and flopped onto the bed. "No boots on the bed." Nat mumbled. Her heart wasn't really in the admonishment; she had that haunted look to her that told him that although she needed it, sleep would not be restful. He sighed and rolled off the bed again, kicking off his boots and stripping off his Hawkeye attire.

She slipped out of her Widow suit and unclipped her bra. Yes, contrary to speculations aired by a certain Avenger, the Black Widow did in fact wear underwear beneath that figure-hugging leather…. Well, there had been one or two exceptions to that statement but those were stories for another time.

She shrugged into an old t-shirt of his and collapsed onto the bed, shuffling under the covers. Feeling fatigue tug at his own eyelids, he climbed in next to her and tucked his body around hers. He nuzzled his face in her hair, breathing her in. "Talk about it later?" he murmured. She just nodded and wrapped his arm around her, intertwining their fingers again.

A/N hope you guys will stick along for the ride, review in the meantime :D