Chapter 4

Clark was grateful that Natasha had mentioned the eagle above the entrance or he doubted he ever would have found the bar on his own. There was no sign outside, the only distinguishing marker being the faded eagle on the door. Obviously whoever ran this place didn't want any random person off the street to walk in, and as soon as he entered Clark saw why. Every single person present had the same look in their eyes that Clark saw in his own when he looked in the mirror in the mornings. A darkness, a coldness that was only recognizable to those who had seen combat, who had taken life. The eyes of a warrior, an assassin, a killer. He ignored the glances that came his way, instead walking calmly through the bar until he came to a table near the back, taking a seat across from Natasha.

"So you found the place." She said by way of greeting.

"Yeah. Who runs it anyway? It's not exactly your typical clientele."

"That it's not. Jordan Burke at your service." A man said as he walked over to them. He was about fifty with grey hair, but his eyes told Clark that he wasn't someone to be underestimated.

"Pleasure to meet you. I would offer a name but I don't trust you." He replied, which made Burke burst out laughing.

"As well you shouldn't! You've taught this one well Tasha. I'll be back in a minute with drinks." He told them before walking away and leaving the two agent's alone.

"What's his story?"

"He's former SHIELD, caused some major problems for Russia back in the 60's. After he got out he opened this place, specifically for those of us that are required to get our hands dirty. It gives us a place to relax, exchange intel when it's convenient, but most of all it's invitation only. Barton brought me after my first SHIELD mission."

"And you should not have brought this child."

Natasha's expression didn't change, but Clark could tell she was annoyed by the interruption.

"Clark this is-"

"Mikal Rivken, member of the Mossad. We've met." He said, cutting her off.

"You shouldn't be here boy."

"Let's get one thing straight…the only reason you're still breathing is because I don't need the headache that killing you will bring. Now I would advise you to leave us be before I change my mind." Clark said quietly, not even sparing the other man a glance.

"Is there a problem here?" Burke asked as he came over with their drinks.

"Not at all. I was merely greeting an old friend." Mikal replied smoothly, making Burke raise an eyebrow.

"Is that right? Well if you're done, I suggest you leave my guests alone."

"Of course. I'll see you around Kent." He said before walking off, Burke following a moment later.

"So, how do you know Rivken?" Natasha asked, making Clark's eyes harden in response.

"It all started a little over two years ago. A guy I went to school with named Whitney Fordman joined the Marine Core, but he came home about four months after his first deployment."

"Only it wasn't him." Natasha surmised, and Clark nodded.

"It was actually a girl named Tina Greer who had an unhealthy obsession with Lana. She was a shapeshifter with meteor rock laced bones. I tried to stop her from going after Lana, but I was losing badly. I thought she was going to kill me until Ziva showed up. She was working as an NCIS liason officer at the time and had come to investigate and confirm whether or not Whitney was actually dead. She stabbed Tina through the back with a steel pipe and saved my life."

"In the process she found out your secret."

"That's right. We kept in touch as best we could, and she became the closest thing I had to an older sister. Then one day her boss at NCIS gave me a call and told me that Ziva had gone missing. She had been captured while on assignment for Mossad and Rivken and her father refused to get her out, saying that they couldn't risk more agents."

"So you found her."

"Yes…I found her." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That bad?"

"Worse….she didn't even recognize me. When I saw just how bad it was I…I beat every single one of her captors to within an inch of their lives. I took her back to the farm, and called Gibbs. Then I spent the next few months trying to help her as best I could. Thank Rao it worked. Then everything went crazy. Gibbs and his team had come to take Ziva back to DC since she wanted to get back to work."

"Let me guess….Rivken somehow found out where she was."

"That's right. He came and demanded that Ziva come back with him, that she return to Mossad. Well needless to say hell would freeze over before Gibbs or I would let that happen, and Rivken and I have hated each other ever since." He said simply, before he chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"This whole thing just seems so surreal. You and I sitting here talking about Ziva when she was the one who told me who you were."

At her raised eyebrow he elaborated.

"After she got better she talked about old cases, and mentioned that there weren't many people she could trust. When I asked her if there was anyone she worked with besides Gibbs and his team who she trusted, she told me there was only one person, and she was arguably the most dangerous woman I would ever meet. Natasha Romanoff, better known as the Black Widow."

"So that's how you recognized me when I told you my last name." She said and he nodded.

"That's also a good part of why I was willing to trust you when we first met. I didn't know you, but I knew your reputation because of Ziva and I figured that if she could trust you, then I could too."

"You never mentioned her before."

"I didn't want you to judge me based on someone I know. Respect and trust is earned, not just given."

"You trusted me." She shot back, even as she silently acknoweledged his point. Respect and trust had to be earned; in their line of work, nothing less was acceptable. Anything less could get you killed.

"I didn't have much choice considering that I was captured at the time."

"Do you regret it?" She asked suddenly.

"Regret accepting a drink from a beautiful woman…not for a second."

"Even though I drugged you?"

"You were doing your job. Besides, if I hadn't joined SHIELD I would've probably spent years isolated on the farm, completely ignoring the larger problems that exist."

"You would've been happy."

"Would I have been? I don't think so because I would have never met the best friend I've ever had." He said, looking at her so intently that she wanted to turn away. It seemed as though he was looking through her, as if he could see into her very soul.

"I thought you said that Chloe was your best friend?" She asked, calling on all her years of training to not let her friend and fellow SHIELD agent see how much his words had affected her.

"She is, but there are also some things that I can never talk to her about, and not just because they're classified. If she knew the things I've done, the blood I have on my hands she would never look at me the same way again. I love Chloe like the younger sister I never had, but she could never understand what I have had to do to protect the people I care for. Even Ziva can't completely understand since she dosen't know the details of my operations. You're the only person I can talk to about everything I have to do who won't look at me differently."

"Yet I can't help but feel like it's my fault you got dragged into this life in the first place."

"Hey, I already told you I have no regrets. Now unless you have somewhere to be, how about we go for a drive?"

"I think I can spare another hour. Just let me get the tab."

"I don't think so. Burke, what do I owe you for our drinks?" He said, calling the man over, and ignoring the glare that Natasha was shooting him.

"It's on the house for your first night. Stay safe out there." He replied before walking away.

"Shall we?" Clark asked, and Natasha nodded, the two of them heading out the door and over to Clark's car where Natasha promptly held her hand out for the keys.

"If it was anyone else…" Clark muttered as he tossed her the keys.

"Oh my goodness, you're just as bad as Colson." She said as she got in the front seat, the Last Son of Krypton just shaking his head in response; she would never admit it, but Natasha was pleased, flattered even to be the only person that Clark trusted to drive his car. In their line of work, spies didn't have much to call their own so to trust her with one of the few things that he had to call his own showed Natasha how much their friendship meant to her former protégé. She smiled as she started the engine and drove out of the parking lot, laughing when Clark asked her if she was sure she wanted to leave her car.

"Barton picked me up. He told me to tell you he still owes you a drink, but he had a date that he couldn't reschedule."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Clark replied, making them both laugh.

"Clark, why are you so against being transferred?"

"I'm still a rookie, and I don't want to appear like a coward. That's not the sort of reputation I want to have. Besides, if SHIELD does have a mole, and if it's May or Ward then I want to be on hand to expose them. Then there's the fact that I don't want all my training to go to waste; if I ask for a transfer, odds are my clearance gets swiped, and I'm stuck being a paper pusher."

"Is that all? I'll make you a deal Clark...take a month and if nothing's panned out you take a transfer."

"Transfer to what, and why do you want me to transfer so badly?"

"I want you to transfer because I don't want to have to read a report where you got killed by whoever this Clairvoyant is. I don't want to lose one of the few friends...no the best friend I've ever had. Please don't ask me to do that."

"Hey don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

She didn't say anything, refusing to voice the words they both knew to be true; that one day even with all his power there was a chance that Clark could go up against a force or an opponent stronger than he was and he would lose. He would die, and there would be nothing Natasha could do about it. In that moment she made a silent promise. If anyone or anything took Clark from her they would die, no matter what the cost.

"I'm assuming since you want me to take a transfer you've given some thought as to what I would do after I left Colson's team."

"I have actually."

"And?"

"I thought you might be my partner."

"You never work with a partner." Clark said, completely shocked by her suggestion. The Black Widow taking on a partner was unheard of. In fact, she refused to work with anyone save Barton and even that was only when absolutely necessary.

"I've also never had someone that I can trust like I trust you." She said, stopping the car and looking into his eyes. Clark almost looked away under the intensity of her gaze. Instead he did something that shocked them both. He closed the distance between them and kissed her. For a moment Natasha froze as thoughts invaded her mind, thoughts of the last man who had kissed her, thoughts of the hell that he had put her through. However, that moment was all it took for Clark to pull back and shake his head.

"I'm so sorry Natasha. That was wrong, it was stupid, I-" He started, only to be cut off by her finger on his lips.

"Why? Why did you kiss me?" She asked, her face and voice betraying nothing.

"I like you Natasha, and I know that this is wrong, that you're my superior, that I'm being unprofessional but I don't care."

Natasha was silent, an internal battle waging inside her as memories invaded her mind. Memories that she wouldn't wish on anyone, well except the people who put them there in the first place. No one understood what she had been through, why she was so cold, why she was so distrusting. The last person that she had trusted had betrayed her in the worst way, and she was unsure whether or not she could take that risk again. She had managed to recover, to mend the pieces of her shattered soul, but she knew that if she let Clark in if she trusted him and he betrayed her, there would be no mending, no recovery. He would do what thousands had tried and failed to do. He would destroy her.

However, as she looked into his eyes, and she thought back on everything that had happened since they had first met Natasha knew that Clark would never betray her. For years Natasha Romanoff had sworn to never open her heart to anyone, said that love was for children and maybe it was. Did she love Clark Kent? She wasn't sure, but she knew she wanted to find out. So with that thought in mind Natasha Romanoff leaned over and kissed Clark Kent square on the lips.

For a moment Clark didn't do anything, such was his shock at Natasha's kiss; however, he quickly got over his shock and returned her kiss, the pair separating a moment later.

"I like you too Clark, but I need to take this slow. The last time I trusted someone..."

"We'll go as slow as you want to Natasha. To be honest, I'm not really good with the whole relationship thing either. The last time I let someone in, she died in my arms. I pretty much gave up on dating after that."

"Well you've got a leg up on me. I've never been on an actual date before."

"Well then, how about we change that? Can I take you to dinner?" He asked, and she just smiled and nodded.

"So if I'm going to take you to dinner, don't you think I should drive?"

"No, I like this car so I'll drive."

"Fine, but I'm buying." He said firmly, making her laugh.

"Alright, where to?" She asked just as both their phones went off.

"I'm gonna need a rain check on dinner."

"Me too. We just got a name on our dead guy. It's Alexander Pierce."

"That explains why I was told to get to headquarters ASAP. Colson should be there soon."

"Let's make sure we're there first." He replied, and she grinned before gunning the engine and flying into the air, the two of them racing towards the Helicarrier.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please read and review and the next chapter should be up soon!