Chapter Twenty-Five: No Small Feat

Eve was experiencing whiplash. She took note of Sasha, who had somehow slept through every boisterous noise surrounding her. The idea seemed quite simple. Escapist, maybe. Easy, surely. She considered that not every moment of her life needed to be drenched in complication. So she went to sleep. Her dreams were uneventful and plain-and for that reason alone, they were magnificent. Her eyes opened to the sound of three heavy knocks, two low-toned beeps and her door opening.

Sam entered her room with considerably more caution than before. When she saw him, she thought to sit up, but her grogginess prevented it. "Uh, we're having dinner. Are you hungry?"

"Very," she nearly whispered, feeling her stomach cramp and gurgle.

"Okay, I'll walk you down there."

Eve stood and checked to make sure Sasha had food and water. Once certain, she followed Sam into the hall. They began walking in strained silence. She knew it wouldn't be this way forever. At least she prayed it wouldn't. "What-no handcuffs?" She joked and he smiled her way. She was immediately grateful that he seemed warmer toward her now. Though, it had always been a challenge for him to remain upset with her. This was admittedly a very different scenario than any others they'd previously encountered. But a friendship like theirs was stronger than most things. If they could somehow get through this, they'd be able to get through anything. And they seemed to be on their way already.

Elsewhere

Before Natasha could knock, Barton opened his door. His posture communicated that he was one his way out. Was he actually going to eat dinner with everyone else? "Are you actually going to eat dinner with everyone else?" She tried not to sound alarmed or confused, but failed.

"Is that...a problem?" He broke into uncomfortable laughter.

"No! No, it's just…"

"I'm a loner? I hate everyone lately?" Her smile fell a bit at this. "Nat. Not everyone." She perked back up. "I just feel, I dunno, better. Now that we have her here at least. It's not the big bad, but it's the best thing we could hope for."

"I'm glad she's here, too."

"Yeah, but for other reasons. Don't get started on how you sympathize with her, just let me enjoy this good mood I've found. Who knows how long it's going to be before another one comes around."

She took a step back to take in his entire aura. He was open, confident and he looked happy. "I like you much better this way," she encouraged playfully.

"Well, just wait until we actually catch him. I'm going to be bouncing off the goddamn walls." She smiled warmly and looked toward the empty hallway as though anxious to meet everyone and eat. "Listen," he reached for her hand and held it assuringly. "Thank you for being so patient with me, since the incident. Heaven knows I didn't deserve it."

She squeezed his hand and looked back at him, not so concerned with making it to the dining room any longer. "We go back a lot farther than just this past week. I know the next time some crazy alien race is attacking and I'm losing my mind-"

"Come on, Nat, don't give me that. You never lose your cool."

"I've been known to-"

"Never. Never ever."

She blushed. "Maybe you're right."

"I am. You're being modest. It's cute."

Before she could even smile in response to his impromptu flirtation, he was in her personal space. He was touching her chin. He was kissing her. All of the steamy thoughts she'd been suppressing came rushing to the front of her brain. And she welcomed them gladly, fed them and nurtured them. The intensity of their embrace escalated at near inhuman levels. It was savage, animalistic and in the hall. Natasha heard footsteps around the corner and shoved him back through his doorway.

"Please tell me you're coming with me," he begged.

She simply grinned as she strutted past him and settled in on his bed. "Shut the door," she commanded decisively and he slammed it without looking back.

Dining Room

Eve had expected some form of cafeteria with hard plastic chairs and tables, sort of like a high school cafeteria. But when Sam opened the door for her, she saw a long wooden table with ornate matching chairs that had plush upholstered seats. There was an array of food set up along it, it resembled a full Thanksgiving dinner. The Avengers turned to look at her from their seats when she entered. All seemed present save for the director and the other SHIELD agents. That was a blessing and a curse for her. She was looking forward to Natasha's companionship, but she wouldn't miss Barton's glaring hatred of her.

Darcy beamed and flagged them down. "Come sit next to me!" She squealed excitedly. "I wasn't sure you'd be joining us, since you're a suspect or whatever." Jane gave her an uneasy look. Eve smiled weakly and walked over to her, feeling curious eyes pointed in her direction at all times. Sam followed and sat beside her once she'd settled in. The food on the table had clearly been picked through already and everyone had a full plate.

Thor leaned over Jane and Darcy and grabbed Eve's plate from its setting. "You must be hungry," he commented enthusiastically as he shoveled scalloped potatoes onto a section of the dish, "making love to an Asgardian is no small feat for a mortal. Right, Jane?" He elbowed her and grinned ear to ear. Jane blushed and finished chewing, staring at her food.

"He's been drinking since before we started dinner," Bruce made no effort to conceal his amusement.

"This is a celebration!" Thor shouted and pounded on the table before finishing up Eve's plate and handing it down the line to her.

"He's right, though, I bet," Darcy laughed as she passed the dish from Jane to Eve. "You and Jane will have so much to talk about."

"No, we won't," Jane responded curtly without looking at them.

Eve grimaced. That was fair, she guessed, since Jane was with the hero and she was with…

"Jane! Don't be a bitch," Darcy elbowed her from her side.

"Okay. Everyone stop elbowing me," Jane rubbed her arm.

Darcy looked her dead in the eyes and began jabbing her elbow into her side rapidly.

"Darcy has also been drinking since before we started dinner," Steve contributed.

"Since before lunch, even!" Darcy ceased torturing Jane to finish her drink.

"Where are Agent Barton and-" Sam began after looking around the room.

Tony cut him off. "God I hope they're getting down to business already."

"You think they haven't yet?" Bruce wondered, genuinely interested.

"No, it's a completely different kind of tension whether they have or not. Before, it's like they're both dancing around an obvious fact and pretending we don't all see it. After, it's like they're both dancing around an obvious fact and worried that we all see it. It's a subtle difference, but I make it my business to know," Tony stated matter-of-factly.

"You make it your business to know?" Eve couldn't help but interject.

"No, but when we're not chasing bad guys around and blowing them up with our lasers…" he surveyed the room and pushed his lips out, "my lasers, what else is there to do around here?"

"In this giant building in the middle of New York?" Bruce jabbed.

"Read a book," Jane chuckled.

"What makes you think I don't read books?" Tony coupled this with a cartoonish pout.

Dinner went by and Eve grew more and more comfortable. It became clear that apart from Jane, no one else had an outward dislike of her. It make her feel marginally better about her position. When they were finished eating, they all left together in a group, laughing about some silly thing Thor had said or done-Eve had missed the actual act but laughed along anyway.

Natasha and Barton strolled toward them, dancing around an obvious fact and worried everyone could see it. Tony looked back at Eve and winked knowingly. "You guys just missed the party," he said.

Barton shrugged as though it didn't matter to him. His expression was completely carefree until he saw Eve with the group. "Was Fury okay with you bringing the loon along?" He nodded her way and Natasha leaned into him, willing him to stop.

"His orders, in fact," Sam answered coolly with a hint of defensiveness.

Barton scoffed and approached her. Natasha stayed behind where they were, and everyone else tensed up. "Chill out, I'm not going to hurt her or anything," he addressed the team. "Not like you should be worried about this criminal anyway. I just want to make one thing perfectly clear, okay? I will never be on your side. I will never be happy to see you. The circumstances of what happened don't change the facts. I think you are despicable. What would your mother say?"

Eve's mouth opened in a slight shock as it occurred to her that her mother didn't know where she was or how she was doing. She realized she didn't know what day of the week it was, and she always went to visit her mom on Wednesdays. What if Wednesday had come and gone? Did her mother wonder where she was? The thing that cut her the deepest was that she didn't know if she would even be concerned. Her eyes shot up to Barton and Sam recognized that look, his fingertips grazed her arm but it was too late. She hopped lightly and got her feet in position before slugging him in the jaw. Once, and then again. He stumbled back with his hands up to protect his face, but never actually fell.

The group made a collectively shocked sound and someone took her by the elbow and dragged her away from everyone. When the rage subsided, she looked to her right.

"Keep your mouth shut," Fury instructed as he pulled her along. She started to turn her head to look back. "Don't even think about it," he snapped, and she obliged.

A/N:

Ohhh I know it's been a bit of a wait for this chapter :( Work has been kicking my butt! I had little bits and pieces of this scribbled in different notebooks and on my phone, I worked on it whenever I had a spare minute of inspiration. Happy to get back into it, I hate letting it sit for so long. Barton probably has mixed feelings about this installment :P