Author's note: oh my Lord, what is this chapter? *head desk* someone please hit me over the head with a hammer. I apologize for not updating, school has been... Yikes. I'll try to update again on Sunday, but don't hold me to it! My room is a hell-hole and I have to clean it... Anyway, enjoy!

I do NOTown Marvel or the Avengers

Cold.

That's the only way Natasha knew how to describe this morning. There was snow covering the ground six inches thick, and still falling. School had been canceled the night before, but here she was in her fur lined boots, thick coat, that stupid had with the tassels on the sides that she hated but wore anyway because Thor got it for her for Christmas last year, and gloves trudging to Clint's house. She wasn't alone. Pepper had been asked to go with her and the bubbly blonde agreed quickly. So, there the two girls were, walking through the flurry of fat snowflakes, deep in conversation.

"I'm telling you, Nat, there's something about that girl that Steve just doesn't know." Pepper said, shaking her head. "I don't know what it is either, but if she's hiding it, it can't be good."

"Not necessarily," Natasha countered. "It could be something she's hiding for the good of everyone else. Like when I couldn't tell you guys anything about my parents because they were still government spies."

"Which is still pretty awesome," Pepper laughed. "But yeah, I guess you're right... It still just doesn't sit right with me."

"Guess we'll find out then."

The girls were quiet for a while, letting the sound of the swirling snow fill their cold ears until Pepper spoke again.

"So, did you and Clint ever officially start dating?" she asked. "You've been acting like a couple for months, but did you ever make it official?"

"No." Natasha answered. "And we aren't acting like a couple, we're just really close." after a short pause, she added: "Love is for children anyways."

"That's not true!" Pepper said. "How can you say that? Your parents love each other, don't they?"

"That's different."

"How is it different?!"

"Just drop it, Pepper." Even in this frozen air, Natasha could feel her cheeks growing hot. "We're here."

The two walked up to the familiar red brick house with the white door. It was Clint's house, plain and simple. Nothing special like other houses, no decorations no vibrant paint colors, nothing. Until you got to Clint's room.

It was like stepping into another world. The walls were dark red like blood and covered in over a hundred of pencil sketches Clint had done, and a few Natasha had done. Where there weren't sketches there were posters. Posters of Halo games, World of Warcraft, and DC comic heroes. His sheets were always a variation of gray, ranging from light like a feather, to dark like soot. His carpet was the color of cream.

It was like he lived in his own realm and he was the king. The mighty king who all the common people cheered for and wrote songs and poems about and hailed and prayed that he reigned forever. And even if she didn't know it, Clint had a queen reigning by his side.

Pepper rang the doorbell with her pink fabric covered finger. The two stood there for a moment before Natasha ran the bell for a second time. She knew his parents weren't home, their cars weren't here. So he had to be asleep. Or so she thought until she heard him yell, "Coming!" followed by a loud crash, a "Dammit!" through clenched teeth, and then the door handle turning and swinging open and there stood Clint, looking like a twister hit him. He only had one boot on, the other was tucked under his arm. His coat was hanging half off his shoulders, he had his gloves between his teeth, and his hat was shoved halfway in his pocket.

"Sorry," he said around the black material. "I forgot to set my damn alarm."

"I figured." Natasha said, taking the gloves from his mouth, and grabbing his hat from his pocket in an attempt to help him.

"Thanks." he said, and proceeded to hop around until he had tugged his boot on and shoved the end of his jeans in them. Then he took back his gloves and hat from Natasha, pulling them on. The three of them set out, back towards Tony's house.

"Tell me again why were walking through the snow at six o'clock in the morning to Tony's?" Clint asked, taking Natasha's hand in his. Without thinking about it, she threaded their fingers together before speaking.

"He said that..." she stopped short and stopped walking. Her eyes were slightly narrowed and Clint knew better than to speak. She was listening for the slightest of noises.

"What're you-" Pepper started.

"Hush!" Natasha snapped, then after a moment pushed the blonde gently over to a bush, dragging Clint by the hand along with them. The three crouched low in the freezing snow, watching through small holes in the bush. Down the sidewalk came Loki and Darcy.

The two walked slowly, speaking in low voices. Natasha had to listen hard, and he only barely heard them.

"She has cancer?" Darcy asked, almost disbelieving.

"If I heard her right." Loki said. "She was speaking on her phone to someone, I don't know who, but she said something about starting chemotherapy soon."

"My God..." Darcy said. "Steve will be crushed..."

"Don't be stupid, Darcy." Loki said. "They aren't even together yet."

"But he has a huge crush on her!" Darcy protested.

"That is true..." Loki said. A cruel smile formed on his lips. "Maybe we should inform him."

"You cannot be serious."

"Serious as death, my dear."

"I..." Darcy stopped walking. "No."

"No?"

"No. I won't let you do that to him. If she wants him to know, she'll say something."

"Do you not understand why I-"

"No, I do understand, and that's exactly why I'm not letting you do it!" she yelled, not caring who heard. "I'm tired of this! I'm tired of having to go through every day listening to you talk about how jealous you are of your brother and how much you love Jane and how much you wish she was yours!"

"Darcy-" Loki tried interrupting, but didn't succeed.

"I've been there for you for years, dammit!" Darcy yelled, and Natasha could hear the tears in her voice. "I was there with you the day you found out you were adopted. I sat there with you while you cried. I was there at that soccer game that nobody else could come to. I was there the first time you rode a roller coaster and you were so scared." she paused to take a breath. "I held your hand the whole time. But I guess that doesn't mean anything to you. I guess the girl who's been in love with you since we were six doesn't mean anything." she lowered her head, pulling her glasses off and wiping her eyes.

"Darcy..." Loki's voice was much softer now. "I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't." she said, she didn't say it accusingly, or like she was trying to be mean. She was understanding. "I never expected you to. I-"

A voice that belonged to a pissed off resident came from a second floor window.

"You damn kids! Go home and get off the streets! Nothing but no good street rats loitering around with their raging hormones and teenage angst!" the voice started to fade a bit at the word 'loitering' when the elderly woman walked back into her house.

"I'm going home." Darcy said, putting her glasses back on. She turned and walked a few steps, then broke into a run. There was no way that anyone was going to catch her. Loki sighed rather heavily and ran a hand through his dark hair before walking the other direction.