Harry made her way to the kitchen when she got back into the tower, her stomach protesting the lack of proper breakfast she decided that cheese toasties would make everything better. Pausing in the doorway she watched the adorable Dr. Banner rest a hand on her Dad's shoulder as he put a plate of sandwiches on the table in front of him, as well as the blush that crept up Bruce's neck when Dad patted his hand in thanks.
Now that was interesting. Was there a science romance blossoming? Certainly on Bruce's side but her father tended to play his cards close to his chest when he liked someone. They would definitely make an adorable couple, she reflected as she made her presence known and started to make toasties.
"Where have you been then, brat?" Tony demanded, before considering her for a moment and adding, "and what's with the outfit?"
"Coffee," she said without turning round, waving her hand vaguely in the direction of the coffee shop. "And I had presumed that I should get used to wearing clothes that are a little more high market than my usual fair." She finally turned quirking her eyebrow at him.
"Right," looking a little agonised he continued, "are you sure you can go through with this?"
"Yup," she replied popping the 'p' before turning a little more serious. "No one touching me without me first indicating its okay and no flames anywhere. Even candles. Okay?"
She saw Bruce wince a little out of the corner of her eye and watched her Dad pat the fellow scientists arm comfortingly before replying, "you're working on that?"
Which she translated to, "are you getting better or shall I arrange psychiatric help?" Her reply was equally as encrypted. "Slow going." Which meant "I'm trying my hardest. Give me time and I'll let you know if the psychiatric help is necessary. "
"Really Dad. Tomorrow will be fine, you'll be there. I'll have the avengers behind me after all."
"Not all of them apparently" Tony muttered enigmatically before stalking out of the room.
She watched him leave with concern before turning to Bruce who was watching him leave with a confused expression before turning to her for an explanation.
"If he means the Captain then there's nothing I can do the help." She said before hesitating. "If he means... Anyone else you can tell him its been dealt with."
Bruce's confused expression returned but he simply sighed and headed back down to the lab.
From Bruce's point of view the conversation in the kitchen hadn't been nearly as reassuring for Tony as he'd hoped it would be. That comment about fire coupled with the marks on Harry's body had informed him that he wasn't mistaken; she really had been set on fire. He heard the Other Guy growl in his head at the thought of what she'd been through. Hell Bruce himself was restraining a growl when he wondered what had been done with the people who had done that to her.
The other worry raised from that conversation was who in the team wouldn't stand behind her. He knew that Steve had made platitudes when Fury had been there but he had assumed that that was simply to prevent anymore arguments rather than any animosity towards the girl.
Someone must have informed the agency about the girl though. Who would that have been? One of the spys presumably. But then what had, Harry meant that it had been 'dealt with'? He would just have to ask Tony.
The Black Widow walked through the corridors of SHIELD towards the directors office as always ignoring the other Agents and assorted staff that jumped out of her way. Some of those agents were more senior than her, and they wondered why she didn't make any attempt to respect them.
The only people in the agency deserving her respect were Barton, Hill, Coulson and Fury. Her respect for the latter, however, was hanging by a thread and depended on what action he took next.
She walked into Fury's office, ignoring to the agent stationed outside his door's protest. Inside were Agents Hill and Coulson in a meeting with the director. That was excellent - it saved her from hunting the other two down later.
"Can I help you Agent Romanov?" The directors single visible eye was glaring at her while the other two managed to convey surprise without changing their expressions.
"It would make a change from helping yourself." Natasha replied pleasantly, leaning casually against the closed door.
"I'm going to take this opportunity to remind you who you work for." His voice turning darker.
"That would be appreciated. I've been a little confused since my last pay check had Pepper Potts' signature on it." The other two agents in the room were looking back and forth as though they were at a tennis match.
"So your loyalty is attached to your pay check?"
Natasha felt anger then, for the first time to a long time. That was a grave insult for her especially since the director knew all of her past. "My loyalty," she spat, "as ever only belongs to my friends. Anything else I do is because its the right thing to do. My work with SHIELD has been based on the fact that every mission I have been part of has been for the good of the country and the world. Threatening an unarmed, unprepared woman in her own home is not the organisation i joined."
Coulson interrupted looking vaguely guilty, "Natasha we..."
"No," Natasha said firmly, "passing on information to a superior agent is one thing but you are meant to be a liaison - that means you bridge the gap, not automatically assume the worst of one of the members of the group you liaise with. The director took that a step further by coming into Tony's home uninvited and pulling a gun on his daughter."
No one said anything to that. Nothing that she said could be refuted - it was the ugly truth. Satisfied that she had made them think about their actions, Natasha turned to leave.
Agent Hill spoke up. "How did Stark earn your respect then?"
"He hasn't yet, though his obvious love for his daughter is a step in the right direction." She replied without turning.
"The girl then."
That made her turn and consider the other female agent but she could make out no negative emotions in her eyes, just curiosity. "I like her. " she responded simply.
Agent Hill's eyebrows rose fractionally before she nodded her head and Natasha took that as her sign to leave. Well at least Harry would have the defence of the Directors protege if not the man himself. The meeting could have gone a lot worse.
Thor couldn't help but smile as he turned off the mobile device after a conversation with his dear Jane. She cautioned him not to get his hopes up about Loki but promised they could discuss it in person because she was coming to New York the next day! It was hard not to be happy when he would see her again so soon even if there was only disappointment in store for him regarding his brother.
