Author's Note

Hello again! No, I am not dead and no, I'm not dropping this story. I wouldn't be able to even if I tried. I've just had a very, very busy couple of weeks with the beginning of school and then I had to plan out for what's to come in this story and then I had some medical issues. Don't get Bells Palsy, guys. Just don't. Anyway, I have a pretty solid timeline right now and hopefully you all will like it. My posts should start to become more regular now. Not once a week like they started getting before, but hopefully at least once every two weeks. I'll try to get back to once a week. No guarantees, but I'll try.

This chapter certainly took me places I didn't expect it to though. A Marvel character I didn't plan on incorporating yet just knocked on my door and demanded, "You will introduce me now." I decided not to argue with the master assassin. Let me know what you guys think.

Now for some reviews.

ZabuzasGirl: Thanks!

SunnySides: I got some stuff to do before the third but, yes, it's coming. And, honestly, I struggled with the decision of her absorbing the Matrix as well. I wanted Ari to be able to give life, just like the AllSpark does, but I also know that the canon Matrix is more than just some power source. So I just decided to go with it. It'll also make some stuff that I want to do in the third movie easier this way.

ManyGamePlayer: Lol, glad you're happy.

Witch08: This kiss is coming, I swear. Not yet, but it's coming.

TF-Moonfire: Thanks!

DarkshadowXsunny-sides: Yes, well, I'm a fan of the slow burn.

Alice Gone Madd: Oh, gotcha.

Dark Cat Food Lover: Sorry this isn't soon, but I tried. XD

Bee4ever: Thank you!

LiveLaughLoveBeFree: I know, me too.

grapejuice101: Thanks!

professionalemail101: Lol, did you really read it five times a day? Sorry I made you wait.

Answerthecall: Thanks! :)

Frostfire613: Thank you!

LostGirl42311: But it's not over yet. I was just on a little hiatus as I planned out the next stage of the story. Still got one more movie to get to.

Lololreview: Aww, thank you! :)

storyteller2899: Thanks!

Omg: And I love you for reading.

Jimmy 144: Thank you!

Vixen of mischief: Thanks!

T'Reilani: You're lucky you haven't been waiting long. I feel like I've had that scene planned out for ages and it felt so good to finally write it.

Salinia: Thanks!

redsparrow1060: Thanks for sticking with me and waiting for so long.

Guest: Lol thanks!

MarvelitaAlpha: Of course he lives. I give her the ability to basically bring bots back from the dead. And I wrote it that way for this specific reason.

Pokechick123: Thank you!

TransformersMangaFangirl: Nope, not gonna answer that question. :3

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secret shugo chara: Lol, that would have been funny.

cmfanreidsgirl: Thanks!

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Guest: Yes, lots of fluff cause I like fluff and am a sucker for it.

Autobot-Bre-Lightblast: Then I did my job well. Thank you.

awesome: You'll just have to wait and see...

varmillion: Thanks!

acompletenerd: Of course I will. Like I said, couldn't stop even if I wanted to.

moonlightkiss1515: Thanks!

Wow, that has to be the most reviews I've ever had to respond to for a single chapter. They were mainly a bunch of thank yous but I love responding anyway. Thank you all, my lovely readers! I couldn't do this without you!

No, go onward and enjoy!

Catching a Breath

Ari wakes to the smell of sea salt and the feeling of large fingers threading through her hair starting at the top of her head and following the strands down to where they end in the middle of her back. She can't help the small smile that tugs at her lips but gives no other indication that she's awake. She wants to bask in this moment just a little bit longer. Sideswipe is still holding her, just like he promised he would. So long as that promise wasn't a dream, that is. And everything else. Her telling him how she feels. Him saying he feels the same. It always seemed like something that would only happen in her dreams. An impossible dream. An impossible relationship that all the logic in the AllSpark tells her they shouldn't want and shouldn't be able to have.

Yet here they are.

A cool breeze passes over Ari and she shivers, shifting closer to the warmth of Sideswipe's spark. Only to let out a groan of pain as the movement makes her aware of her sore muscles.

"Ari? What's wrong?" Sideswipe asks.

She opens her eyes to look up into his worried faceplates. "I ache everywhere. Like Chromia beat the training mat with my body."

"Do you want me to take you to Ratchet? I wouldn't hand you over to him earlier because I promised but…was I wrong?"

"No, no," she pats his chassis reassuringly. "I wouldn't have wanted you to. Besides, this is nothing a little food, water, and rest won't cure."

"If you don't mind, youngling, I'll be the judge of that." Sideswipe and Ari both look up to see Ratchet standing over them. He holds out a hand expectantly. "Are you Chief Medical Officer?"

"No, you are," Ari huffs, sounding very much like a child being denied a toy but gives Sideswipe a resigned nod. He sighs as he stands from where he had been sitting cross-legged on the floor and places her on Ratchet's waiting palm. Instantly, she misses his touch.

She does finally get a good look around though. And almost doesn't notice Ratchet beginning to scan her body. They're on a ship, a huge military ship with jets parked on the deck, and a huge expanse of water stretching out everywhere she looks, connecting with the setting sun on the horizon. Another breeze brings with it the salty tang of the ocean. "Where are we?" she asks in awe, having never seen anything like this before. The fields and pastures surrounding the farmhouse seemed large to her before, but this, the water seems to gently roll on forever.

"Currently, we are in the Atlantic Ocean," Ratchet says as he goes over his results, "aboard a Navy aircraft carrier that's taking us back to the United States."

Ratchet allows Sides to take her back and he places her on his shoulder. "Told you I'd take you to see the ocean," Sideswipe says.

"Hey, you told me you'd take me to a beach on the Pacific Ocean." She leans against his head as she watches the last few rays of sunshine fall beneath the water, taking with it the beautiful shades of red and orange that had been cast along the waves to plunge them in shadow until the lights on deck turn on one by one. "But this is still beautiful."

"Yes," Ratchet says, looking out over the water as well, "it never ceases to amaze me the amount of beauty this planet can exhibit." He then gives her a stern look. "But right now there are people on this ship who care less about the scenery and more about how a certain human femme is doing."

She ducks her head sheepishly. "How much did I worry them?"

"A whole fragging lot!" Will stands at Sideswipe's feet, hands on his hips, with the strictest face she has ever seen on him. "Get down here right now, young lady!"

Oh, yes, Will is in severe father mode. Are instantly has Sideswipe set her down. Her legs protest at having to stand and she moves a little gingerly, but she still does as she's told. Will isn't nearly as scary as Ron, he'd never try to be, but she's not about to defy him now. Considering everything that's happened the past couple of days, she probably deserves the lecture he's got planned.

Will just stares at her for a few moments, letting her squirm, and then says, "You alright, kid?"

"Yeah," she says. "I'm fine."

Will looks at Ratchet questioningly and Ari suppresses an eye roll.

"She is functioning normally," Ratchet says. "My diagnosis is that she simply needs to refuel and recharge."

Told you so.

"So you really are okay?" Will asks her. "After waking up Optimus and turning on that machine and almost…." His Adam's-apple bobs as he swallows but she already knows the word caught in his throat.

"I'm okay," she says quietly. "I really am okay."

Will lets out a relieved sigh and then pulls her into a hug so tight she feels like she'll be smothered alive. Her sore muscles cry out in pain a little more but she doesn't care. She hugs him back just as hard.

"I love you, kiddo," he whispers against the top of her head, his voice sounding thick. The thought of Will crying sounds so odd to her. He's the strong one. The one who perseveres when all others tremble. He's not supposed to cry. Yet she saw tears on his face when she woke from the dead and he sounds close to crying again now. She caused this man to come to his breaking point. He cares about her that much. It makes her cling to him a little tighter.

"I love you too, dad."

Will pulls back, holding her face between his hands, and she can see those tears shining in his eyes even though she can tell he's trying to hold them back. "If you ever do that to me again I'm gonna drag your aft back so I can ground you for eternity, do you understand?"

She lets out a little laugh, her own voice sounding a bit thick. "Yeah, I got it."

"If she does it again?" Rob says, coming up to stand beside them followed by Lina, Simmons, and the rest of the Autobots. "Man, just ground her now. That way we don't have to risk it."

"Hey!" Ari shoves Rob's shoulder playfully. "It's not like I seek out trouble. It just kind of follows me."

"Well, tell it to stop," Lina says with a wry smile. "I haven't even had a chance to chase you away myself yet, roomie."

Ari chuckles. "You mean I haven't scared you off yet?"

"Oh, well, you know," Lina gives a light-hearted shrug. "Once you drink the Kool-Aid there's no going back."

Simmons shakes his head. "Bunch of crazy chicks."

"What matters now is that she is safe," Optimus says.

Ari's eyes light up when she sees him. Optimus looks brand new now, optics glowing blue and no gaping stab wound in this chassis. She walks up to him and he kneels down on the deck in front of her. "We're all safe now. And you are good now, right, Optimus?"

"Yes, I am doing well. All thanks to you. Thank you, Ari, for saving my life."

"Thank you for believing in me." She wraps her arms around his faceplates and one of his large hands presses into her back, holding her in return. Optimus has always believed in her, ever since they first met. Even in the moments before his death. Even when it's hard to believe in herself. He is there for her just as she will always be there for him, no matter the personal cost.

When she pulls away from Optimus a jacket is placed on her shoulders from behind, a black suit jacket, that covers the goosebumps slowly spreading across her skin and protects her from the sea breeze. Coulson steps up beside her in his collard white shirt and black tie, his jacket now around her shoulders, and she pulls it tighter gratefully.

"We all believe in you, Ari," he says. "We always have. And we may need to rely on you again."

Her brow furrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The N.E.S.T. team and I weren't exactly…sanctioned to follow you to Egypt. We had to get a bit creative."

"Creative how?"

Will and Rob look away awkwardly, like two little boys caught with their hands in the cookie jar, while Coulson just looks stoic as usual but still doesn't say anything.

"What?" she asks, starting to get worried. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Coulson lets out a slow breath. "We tricked Galloway into falling out of a plane."

Ari's jaw drops. They can't be serious.

"After he woke up from Coulson drugging him," Rob says.

Okay, they sound a little bit serious.

"He had a parachute," Will quickly adds. "But we did kind of just leave him there, now that I think about it."

She drags a hand over her face. Holy frag, they're serious. "So, Coulson drugged Galloway and then you tricked him to fall out of a plane but he had a parachute?"

Coulson nods. "Pretty much."

Okay, Ari, calm. Just stay calm. "Why?"

"We were ordered to the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters," Will says, jaw clenching and anger storming in his eyes. There's more to that story but he doesn't seem willing to tell.

"We've been ordered there now," Coulson says. "Again. That's where we're headed. And we need to do some serious damage control with the Council. They aren't exactly happy we disobeyed orders." He places a hand on Ari's shoulder and squeezes gently. "Looks like you may have to perform the duties of Autobot Ambassador earlier than you thought."

Ari's stomach turns to knots. Become the Autobot Ambassador earlier than she thought? He wants her to face the Council now? But she has no training. She was only at college for two days. And Coulson hasn't had a chance to teach her anything; he should be handling this.

But they said they believe in her.

"Alright, alright, enough with the depressing talk," Sunstreaker says, rubbing his hands together excitedly. "We have things to celebrate."

"Yes, we must celebrate Optimus's return," Chromia says happily.

"Uh, no, I don't mean that." He shoots an apologetic look to Optimus. "No offense."

"It's alright," Optimus says. "But what is it you are so happy about?"

Sunny grins. "Our two little lovebirds finally took the plunge."

Rob looks quickly between Sideswipe and Ari. Her face is bright red and Sides is looking awkwardly at his wheels. "Are you serious?" Rob asks her in happy surprise. "Is that what you two were whispering about when you woke up?"

Ari covers her warm face with her hands. Oh, Primus, this is so embarrassing. Did everyone really know about us before we did?

Will wraps an arm around her shoulders and she peeks out at him between her fingers. "Come on, guys," he says with an amused smile, "give 'em a break. But it did take you long enough. And you," he points an accusing finger at Sideswipe, "you hurt my daughter in any way, there will be consequences."

Sideswipe laughs, squatting down. "Don't worry, Will," he says, voice completely sincere. "I swear to Primus that I will never hurt Ari."

Ari lowers her hands slowly, looking up at Sideswipe with a warm fluttering in her chest.

Sideswipe holds out a hand to her. "I swear I will make you happy."

With a huge grin she takes his hand and he lifts her up, holding her close with her hands on his shoulders. "We'll make each other happy. Whatever happens, we're in this together."

They celebrate into the wee hours of the morning, N.E.S.T. soldiers and Navy sailors happily joining them. They blare music out of the ship speakers and dance all around the deck. Ari dances with Will, Rob, the Autobots' holoforms, even with Sideswipe's real form though she's just basically along for the ride for that one. She tries to make Coulson dance but he just gives her an amused smile and politely declines. She also dances with some of the soldiers, the ones who risked their lives for her so many times now. She can't thank them enough for what they've done for her. And it's nice to let loose for a while. There's so much euphoria in the air, from their victory in Egypt to Ari's and Sides's relationship, to Optimus's revival. And there's also uncertainty. The N.E.S.T. soldiers, they could all be fired for disobeying orders, especially with the kind of pull Galloway has. And if N.E.S.T. is gone, then there's no telling what will happen to the Autobots. So the party isn't just to celebrate the past. It's to try to not worry about the future. But putting off the inevitable can only last for so long.

They make port in Virginia the next day and say goodbye to the Navy sailors, from there driving to D.C. with S.H.I.E.L.D. agents showing up with extra S.U.V.s for the soldiers. The drive is only a couple of hours and by the afternoon they make it into the city. Ari tries to see as much of it as possible but only ever catches brief glimpses of famous places and monuments. S.H.I.E.L.D. corrals them straight to their D.C. headquarters, the Triskelion.

It's a huge white building built on its own small island in the middle of the Potomac River. It forms a sort of L shape, the L lying on its side with a long building connected to a rounded tower. They cross a bridge leading into the base of the tower and down into a parking garage. They're led to a level that's been closed off just for them with guards keeping anyone else from getting in. This is as far as the Autobots can go since most of the Triskelion isn't Cybertronian-sized. At least, that's what it appears S.H.I.E.L.D. believes, for when Ari steps out of Sideswipe's alt mode she gets surrounded by agents with suits and stone-cold faces just like Coulson's, but at least with Coulson she can still sense a kindness underneath that tough skin. With these men there's nothing but cold. Two of them each grab one of her forearms with a vice-like grip.

"Hey, let go!" Ari yells, trying not to panic as she struggles to escape. Will and Rob try to rush to her aid but they're held back by a couple of agents with the rest of the soldiers, all of them powerless to do anything since their guns were taken from them at the port. A string of profanities leaves Lina's mouth as she tries to push her way through but one of the agents grab her as well.

"Stand down," Coulson orders, his voice like steel.

"I'm sorry, Agent Coulson," one of the agents holding her says, "but we've been ordered to detain Arianna Lennox."

"Why? There's no reason to. The manhunt is over. The threat eliminated."

"I'm sorry, sir, but our orders come directly from Council Representative Galloway."

Dread spikes through Ari. Galloway, he must be back already, or at least in contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Council again. He's back to calling the shots and right now he's blaming her for everything.

Then suddenly the agents holding her are yanked away, they lose their grips on her arms, and someone else holds her. Sideswipe's holoform holds her securely in his arms, glaring at the agents around them furiously. She wraps her arms around his middle, pressing her body as close to his as possible. Whatever happens, it'll be okay so long as they're together. Sides will keep her safe. Sunny, too. She can feel someone standing close behind her and looks over her shoulder to see Sunny at her back facing the agents, arms spread protectively. The agents pull out their side arms, pointing the pistols at the three of them. Obviously, they were not expecting holoforms and are not handling the surprise very well.

"You're not taking Ari anywhere," Sideswipe says, his voice sounding calm but there is a very obvious threatening undertone. The holoforms of the rest of the Autobots materialize around them, creating a protective circle. The agents shift anxiously on their feet, gripping their guns tighter.

"Enough." Next to Coulson now stands Director Fury, hands clasped behind his back and his one good eye trained on his agents. "Don't you people have better things to do than waste all our time?"

"But, sir," the agent who spoke before says, "our orders-"

"I know what your orders are." Fury stalks closer, placing himself between them and the agent. "Now I'm ordering you to stand down."

The agents glance at each other uncertainly.

"I'd do what he says, agents," Coulson says, "or else you may end up somewhere…unpleasant for your next assignment. Just ask Agent Barton." He smirks slightly as if he's remembering something amusing. "It's something he's familiar with."

After a few more moments of deliberation the agents lower their weapons. Fury orders them away and turns to Ari. "Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance."

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh, you know us," Ari says with a small smile. "We don't like to do things the easy way."

"So I've heard." He motions for them to follow him. "Now, if you'll follow me, we'll get you settled into some rooms so you can get some rest."

"What about the Council and Galloway?" Will asks. "They're not exactly happy with us."

"Don't worry, I've called off the wolves for now. We'll deal with everything in the morning."

"Yippee," Ari murmurs to herself but Sideswipe hears and he gives her his cocky smile.

"We'll be fine." Sideswipe lets go of her waist but as he moves away one of his hands takes one of hers. His hand almost completely engulfs hers, his fingers warm and firm. She likes the way they fit together.

They hold hands the entire way through the Triskelion, all the while with a delighted little smile on Ari's lips.

Ari wakes up to knocking at the door. She moans, turns over in the S.H.I.E.L.D. issued bed that isn't very comfortable at all, and clambers up to stand with half-closed eyes. She raises her arms high above her head and stands up on her tip-toes, stretching out her muscles. They're a lot better than the day before, almost all of the soreness gone. Yay for accelerated healing.

There's more knocking, more insistent this time. She sighs. "Coming, I'm coming."

She pulls the door open and there stands Coulson in a fresh suit looking perfectly wide awake. "Good morning, Ari."

"Phil?" She rubs her eyes sleepily. "What time is it?"

"A little after seven."

Ari groans, leaning against the door jamb. "How can you be so awake so early?"

A corner of his mouth tilts up. "Practice."

Crazy secret agent super powers. "So what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to let you know that we will be meeting with the World Security Council at 8 A.M."

Ari stands up straight, all grogginess leaving her. Less than an hour. In less than an hour she has to stand up to the Council and try to save N.E.S.T. She looks down at her clothes, a pair of S.H.I.E.L.D. slacks that she found in the dresser of her room so she didn't have to sleep in the same wrinkled, dirty clothes she's worn for the past several days. Not exactly the best thing to wear to a meeting with people she needs to impress. "I don't suppose you have something else I can wear, do you?"

"Ah," Coulson looks over her clothes as well. "You should probably look a bit more presentable in front of them."

She grimaces. "Got any ideas?"

He hums lowly to himself, thinking it over, and then his eyes light up in a way she's never seen before. Almost as if he would be smiling devilishly if his mask wasn't so good. "I think I may know someone who can help."

"Am I going to regret this?" she asks suspiciously.

"A possibility, but it's the best we can do on short notice. There's an agent I know who's very good at knowing how to dress for the occasion. I can ask her for a favor. Well," his brow furrows slightly, "I can ask someone else to ask her for a favor."

That's unlike Coulson. He seems…sad. "You okay, Phil?"

"Yeah, I just," he looks away with a small, regretful smile. "I just remembered that I can't actually talk to her is all."

"Why not?"

"Do you remember how, after New York, you thought I had died in the battle?" She nods. "Most everyone still believes that."

Ari's eyes widen. "Everyone still thinks you're dead? Why haven't you told them you're still alive?"

"Director Fury ordered me not to. He was the one who announced me dead in the first place. The Avengers, the group of people who fought against the Chitauri, they weren't getting along, their personalities clashing, and they needed a push in order to pull together as a team. It worked but…."

"But with the lie already out there you guys don't know how to fix things without it blowing up in your faces." She shakes her head in disbelief. "Phil, you can't let things go on like this. What about your family? Your friends?"

He shrugs a shoulder. "I don't have any family."

Ari reaches out and takes his hand, squeezes. All of these fragging agents and their stupid masks, acting like nothing phases them, that nothing bothers them. They think they need them in order to stay strong, that they need to keep others from seeing what they're really feeling, but Ari knows from experience that's a load of slag. "What about friends?" she asks quietly. "This lady agent sounds like a friend. And the agent you mentioned yesterday. Barton? Wouldn't they like to know you're okay?'

A small sigh escapes but there's no other sign of Coulson's mask giving. "It doesn't matter now." He steps back slightly. "I'll go pull some strings and get her sent over with some supplies right away."

They say brief goodbyes and then Coulson walks off down the hallway, phone already to his ear, and Ari closes the door with a sigh. He misses his friends, it's obvious. Especially those two agents. But he can't tell them he's alive.

Or he's afraid to.

Ari isn't sure what to expect of Coulson's friend and how she's going to get her ready in under forty minutes, but the woman who appears at her door with wavy, blazing red hair cut off at her chin, a duffel bag on one shoulder, and several articles of clothing hanging over her arm, it's not quite what Ari had in mind. And she isn't wearing a suit like every other agent Ari's seen. She's in plain clothes; jeans and a snug black shirt that show off her skinny figure, but there are no traces of fat, just pure muscle. Just what kind of agent is she?

"Hello," the woman says with a small, polite smile that doesn't reach her striking green eyes. "I'm Agent Natasha Romanoff. Heard you could use some help."

"Uh, hi," Ari stammers, a little taken aback. "I'm-"

"Arianna Lennox." Agent Romanoff steps around Ari and into the room, giving it a quick once over before shifting that calculating gaze back to her. "You prefer Ari though, right?"

Ari blinks in surprise as she closes her door. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Information is kind of my thing." She sets her things down on the bed. "So, you're going to talk to the brass upstairs and need some help getting ready."

Ari gulps, not quite sure what this agent's definition of "help" is. Romanoff has this air about her. It's beautiful and striking while at the same time dangerous and lethal. "That's the plan. Though last time I talked to them things almost ended…badly."

"You just have to learn how to deal with them. Allow them to think they're in control when really you're leading them right where you want them. And a key part of that manipulation is in how you portray yourself." Romanoff begins to circle her slowly, analyzing every inch of her, like a lioness stalking prey. "How you look and dress is one of your greatest assets. You need to appear innocent and alluring, but at the same time strong and confident. Let them think you're a harmless little fly when really they're the ones falling into your web. The thing is, if you seem too weak they'll walk all over you. Seem too strong and they'll put up their guards. It's a careful balance, but one I think you'll be able to maintain with a little push in the right direction."

Ari swallows again but suddenly her mouth is dry. There is no doubt in her mind that Romanoff has that balance down to an art. "You're kind of scary, you know that?"

"So I've been told," Romanoff says with a smirk, stopping in front of Ari again. "Shall we get started then?"

Romanoff takes Ari into the joined bathroom, closes the toilet lid, and pushes Ari down by her shoulders to sit. She then takes a makeup bag out of the duffel and orders Ari not to move an inch, meticulously applying eye shadow, mascara, lipstick, and a bunch of other things Ari can't even begin to name. Romanoff works fast but carefully with practiced ease. Ari just sits there, mouth shut, as Romanoff does her thing. Normally Ari doesn't mind the silence. Prefers it actually. But that's because she usually has nothing to say. Right now, she has a lot of questions rolling around in her head.

"So," Ari begins, not really sure where to begin but considering there isn't much time, cutting to the chase sounds about right. "I heard you…knew Phil."

Romanoff's hands still, the foundation brush hovering just over Ari's skin, but she gives no other reaction. Slag, her mask is even better than Coulson's. She starts working again with her eyes set firmly on her task. "You mean Agent Coulson? How did you know him?"

"Yeah, he's the one who handled my case." Ari pauses, unsure how much she's allowed to say. "I, uh, got to work with him a few times."

"N.E.S.T. and Cybertronians are classified level five," Romanoff says, already guessing what Ari is thinking. "I'm level six. I know the truth about what happened in Mission City and some of your later exploits."

Ari chuckles nervously. "Right. So I don't have to lie then. Cool." She fidgets a little but Romanoff stills her with just a look. "So, uh, how did you know him?"

"He was my handler, ever since I was…recruited," she smirks, a mysterious smirk Ari's seen before.

"I recognize hat look from Coulson. This story have something to do with Agent Barton?"

"Phil was Barton's handler as well. It's a little above your clearance level, but let's just say Barton brought home a stray cat S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't exactly want."

"But Coulson did?"

"Yeah, Phil did." Romanoff still doesn't give anything away through her mask as she focuses on what she's doing, her tone as casual as if they're discussing the weather, but Ari does know one thing: she calls him Phil. And that is a privilege few get. They were friends, are friends, and she misses him.

When the makeup is finished they move back into the bedroom where Romanoff looks through the outfits she brought until she picks one out and holds it up by the hanger for Ari to take.

"Put this on and make it quick," Romanoff says. "You need to be out that door in twenty and I still want to do something with your hair."

Ari does as she's told and this outfit. It's a little different than anything she's ever worn before. Looking in the bathroom mirror, she hardly recognizes herself. It's a blue woman's business suit, pencil skirt with a slit up the back so she can walk, a white collared shirt, and a blazer that buttons in the middle. Her makeup isn't nearly as heavy as she though it was at first, just light touches, and the whole ensemble makes her look older. When she opens the bathroom door Romanoff steps inside, attacking her hair with a brush and bobby pins until it is subdued into a bun at the back of Ari's head. Romanoff has a slight frown, though, still not satisfied. Then she reaches for the buttons on Ari's shirt, which had been done all the way up, and undoes several more than what Ari is comfortable with, revealing a bit of cleavage.

"Is that really necessary?" Ari whines, her cheeks heating up at feeling so exposed.

"Yes, it is," Romanoff says, voice leaving no room for argument. "Like I said, it's a careful balance. And most of the Council is made up of men. If you give them just enough and leave the rest up to their imaginations, then you may find them more compliant. They're politicians, after all, which can make them worse dogs than the typical male." She goes back into the bedroom, Ari following, and shuffles around inside the duffel bag. When she faces Ari again she's holding a pair of stiletto heels.

Air blanches. "Oh, no. No way am I wearing those. I'll do the rest of," she gestures towards her shirt, "this, but I'm not wearing heels. I don't think I could even walk in those."

Romanoff sighs softly but gives a short nod. "Fine." She switches the heels out for flats. "Perhaps we can work on that some other time."

Ari glances up at her as she slips the shoes on. "You'd really help me again?"

"I remember Phil…." For a split second Ari thinks the mask slips, a flash of fondness and loyalty and grief shining in her eyes, but then it's gone. "I remember Phil mentioning you a couple of times. You were his friend and he trusted you. That's good enough reason for me."

Ari turns away to grab her bracelets on the dresser, hiding her sad smile. More than anything, she wishes she could tell Romanoff the truth, that Coulson is still alive, but the words lodge in her throat. She can't. It would be going against Fury's orders, though not like she cares, but in any case, it should be Coulson to tell her the truth, in person. Not some random stranger.

Romanoff walks up beside her, looking at the bracelets over her shoulder. "Those are beautiful."

Ari strokes the one on her left wrist. "Thanks. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker gave them to me on my first Christmas."

If Romanoff thinks the wording of that statement strange, she gives no indication. Instead she says, "Did they give you the necklace as well?" She nods towards the pendant resting against Ari's sternum. "That's the Autobot insignia, right?"

"Yeah, but Ratchet is actually the one who gave this to me." Ari's hand automatically reaches for the pendant, stroking her thumb across the metal. "He gave it to me to help keep me safe."

One of Romanoff's thin eyebrows arches in curiosity and she reaches out a hand. "May I see?" Ari nods and Romanoff gently lifts the pendant away from her bare skin to inspect, her finger ghosting over the back and no doubt feeling the three buttons. "So it's a panic button?"

"Basically. It's saved my life more than once. The bracelets, too."

"And what do they do?"

Instead of explaining Ari decides to demonstrate, pressing the blue gem on one to activate the blade. A glint of fascination and appreciation flashes across Romanoff's face.

"Oh, I like these." She strokes a finger along the blade softly. "I can certainly see them coming in handy in my line of work."

Pressing the gem again to put the blade away, Ari casts Romanoff a cautious gaze. "Does your line of work always require knives?"

In one swift motion a knife appears in Romanoff's hand seemingly pulled from nowhere and she reaches out for Ari's shoulder. Ari flinches back slightly, suddenly very wary of this agent's intention, but all Romanoff does is grasp a stray thread that has come undone from the stitching of the blazer's shoulder and uses the knife to cut it away. "No, I don't always need knives," she says as she slips the knife back to wherever she got it from, "but I always like to keep a few on hand for emergencies."

What kind of emergencies does she run into that require knives? Agent Romanoff is such a mysterious woman. It's easy to sense her intensity, even hidden behind her mask, and that coupled with the small things she's said, from Coulson being her "handler" to her lesson in manipulation, Ari can't help but ask, "What is it you do for S.H.I.E.L.D.? Are you some kind of spy or something?"

Romanoff gives a small chuckle. "I've always found the term 'spy' to be rudimentary and belittling of my skills, but, yes, you could say that."

Ari's mouth drops open in a small "o," not expecting Romanoff to be so open about it but it's probably just because of their mutual friendship with Coulson that she's being honest about it. It certainly makes a lot of sense though. S.H.I.E.L.D. is an intelligence organization, after all, meaning someone has to go out and get the intelligence on all of the evil threatening the world. And Romanoff certainly seems to be very good at her job. The source of her deadly air suddenly has new meaning, but Ari can't make herself be afraid. Coulson trusted this woman enough to send her to Ari alone.

"Is Agent Barton a spy, like you?" Ari asks, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"He doesn't usually do spy work, no. He's a marksman."

"So, like, a sniper?" A part of her thinks "assassin" but she knows that's not fair. Most of the people in her life now are in the military, some of them probably snipers as well. The thought of someone being ordered to sneak onto a rooftop to kill someone makes her stomach turn a little, but a part of her also knows that in war things aren't all that simple, that sometimes somethings are necessary in order to keep people safe. Slag, if someone was ordered to assassinate Megatron she certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

"He does use sniper rifles on occasion," Romanoff says, "if the distance to the mark is too far, but his preferred weapon of choice is a bow."

It's Ari's turn for her eyebrow to arch in surprise. "Seriously?"

Romanoff smirks. "Whatever you do, don't laugh. A couple of new recruits did once when they found out and the next day they woke up duck taped to the rafters in the gym."

"Oh, now I really wish I could meet him." Ari grins wickedly. "Sides and Sunny would just love him. They're diehard pranksters too."

"Maybe next time." She looks at her watch. "But right now you need to get going. It's almost eight."

A surge of disappointment swells Ari's chest. She wishes they had more time to talk, about Agent Barton, what it is exactly Romanoff does as a spy, and about Coulson, but Romanoff is already opening the door and they both head out.

Once in the hallway they shakes hands. "It was nice to meet you, Agent Romanoff," Ari says.

"Same here." Romanoff smiles, a bigger smile than any Ari's seen during their small time together. "And good luck."

As Romanoff walks off, probably to go back to her own room, Ari watches after her with a promise already forming in her mind.

I need to help them. I need to bring Phil back together with Romanoff and Barton and all the others who surely miss him. This can't go on.

Author's Note

Like I said, this chapter took me places I didn't expect it to. I didn't originally plan to be introducing Agent Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. the Black Widdow, for a while yet. I know I've mentioned she was going to be showing up in this story, along with Agent Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, but I'm nowhere near ready for the Avengers portion of this fic yet. However, Natasha had other ideas. I felt it necessary to at least mention the two agents before they show up to fulfill their major rolls of this story, but just mentioning them ended up becoming Natasha knocking on Ari's door. Yeah, didn't plan that at all, but I like where it ended up. I thought about adding Clint too, but then decided against it. He's my favorite of he two, but I think I'll hold off on him until the actual Avengers part that I have all the room I need for his and Ari's relationship to develop. Anyway, let me know what you guys think of my Natasha, especially you Marvel fans. Want to know if there's anything I need to improve on.

Next chapter we face off against the World Security Council. This chapter and next chapter were originally supposed to be together but they turned into such massive chapters I had to break it apart. That's one of the reasons why it took me so long to get the next chapter up. I had to find a good place to split them. Sideswipe doesn't show up a whole lot in the next chapter though so I threw in a cute fluffy bit at the end that know you all will love.

Well, hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!