"LEGOLAS HAS RETURNED EVERYONE!" Tony bellowed from the deck bar where he was currently mixing up a cosmopolitan cocktail. That was his new hobby this week, mixology. He was good at everything else, so he thought… why the hell not? The city had been pretty quiet recently, in fact since the aliens a month ago virtually no bad guys had bothered to show up as a serious threat. It was a good thing obviously, the world being safe and all (well New York and he dared to say most of the USA), but Tony was verging on dangerously bored. Pepper had organised a lunch meeting with some business associates a week ago and couldn't pick an outfit, and Tony had resulted in creating robots to simply…model outfits. That was it. So, if he couldn't invent or build, the next logical thing was to become a master of alcohol… well… in another way that he didn't already know.

Clint dumped his duffel bag on the floor with a grin and sat down on one of the stools "Hey man good to see you, where is everyone?"

As if in a movie, Bruce popped his head round the corner with his arms full of some type of tubing "Hi Clint! Good to see you, we've worked on some new arrows and aim assists if you'd like to come downstairs and try them out?"

Clint shook his head laughing "Oh man you guys must be super bored, and as IF I need aim assist green man. I'm just grabbing a shower and I'll be out of your hair"

"Bored is the understatement of the year bird brain. There is virtually no entertainment, im drying up here. Old mans downstairs punching a bean bag and Mr not-so-green found it interesting enough to spend his time upgrading the air conditioning units… AIR CONDITIONING!" Tony whined as he sipped his drink, shuddered, and proceeded to pour the liquid and drop the glass into the trash can next to the bar "Screw this I'll just hire someone"

Bruce shrugged "Not boring, just one of those jobs I thought id get round to Tony"

"Yeah that's why I hire people Brucey, to do the boring work for us"

"But why waste money when you can just do it yourself, you said it, you have nothing better to do"

"Bruce." Tony stared at his friend completely serious "I would literally rather fly into space and drop, no suit, to my death"

"There will be no death today Stark" the voice of Captain America entered Clint's peripheral vision, clutching a water bottle and rubbing his neck after a very obvious workout session

"And he returns" Tony exclaimed sarcastically "Come on Clint, let me show you stuff that blows up. You liked the big bang right?" he headed towards the door that Steve had previously entered, excitement vocally clear.

"Actually Stark, I'm just here for a shower. Fury called us in" Clint shrugged apologetically. He really did feel bad, he loved things that went BOOM.

"WAIT! You're leaving AGAIN?" Tony whined "We never hang out anymore. No one has seen you or Spidey for virtually weeks!"

His partners nickname name stopped Clint from collecting his fallen bag; "What, Natasha hasn't been staying here?"

Tony shook his head "Na, she's been on some missions I think. Never answers a text obviously. Seen her maybe once? Hey Cap when was the last time you saw Natasha?" Tony turned his neck as Steve had been ready to vacate the area.

Steve thought for a second "Maybe 3 weeks ago? She came in the middle of the night to grab something but left soon after. I offered her a ride because she was on foot but she said no"

Clint nodded slowly, confusion racking his brain "Okay ..well I best be off, we're both on a mission for a while but then we will come back and hang okay guys? Fury owes us. Maybe go out again or order some takeout. Tony's treat" Clint winked at Tony's 'HEEEEEYYYY NO FAIR!' and headed towards his room to freshen up before the mission.

Natasha sat in the passenger seat of the jet waiting, again, for her partner. In body she was here but her mind was a million miles away. She felt…strange. She didn't know where she stood with her partner after her embarrassing drunk confession weeks ago, she didn't know where she stood with her team, family, whatever they were, and she still wasn't over New York or even had the time to process how close she had come to losing not only Clint's life, but her own and that of the worlds. For a spy, it was almost too much. Her thoughts were racing so fast, with her index finger gripping one of her curls tightly wound, that she failed to notice her partner slide into the accompanying pilot seat until he coughed loudly.

"Hey, you okay?" His big blue eyes bore straight into hers and she fought back a shiver. It was like he was seeing straight into her soul.

"Yes. Fine. Ready to head out?" she replied quickly, looking across the console and breaking eye contact. She slid the headphones across her ears, refusing to look at her worried partner.

Clint booted up the jet and they rode in comfortable silence for an hour, Natasha with her legs folded under herself and staring out the window and Clint occasionally humming whilst stealing secret glances to his partner.

After an hour and twenty, Clint slid his headphones off and set the jet to autopilot "Okay lets talk"

"Nothing to talk about Barton" Natasha replied in monotone

"Oh so I'm Barton today? What did I do?" Clint faked hurt

Natasha ignored his question, still staring out the window "Did you read the brief this time?"

"OF COURSE I DID! And you should be loving me at this moment, I'm your husband" Clint wiggled his eyebrows and Natasha turned to glare

"Not until we're on the ground. Weapons? First Aid Kit? Rations?" Natasha checked off her mental list as she began absently picking her fingernail

Clint grabbed at her hand "As always, everything is fine. What's wrong with you? What has got you so tense? This mission will be fine Nat I swear" he stole her eyes once again

"It's not… I'm not… It's.." She stuttered looking away and Clints frown deepened. Natasha wasn't usually one to stutter or to show as much emotion as she currently did

"WE'RE OKAY AREN'T WE?" she almost shouted at him, fear edging her words. Sure, in a perspective she could live without him as her partner, as her best friend, she would live in body. But in spirit she would simply shrivel up and die. Potentially revert back to her old ways? She could feel herself beginning to spiral into panic, creating false perspectives without knowing the facts.

"Hey hey hey! 'Tasha calm down!" he grabbed at her shoulders as her eyes began to glaze "We're fine! The same old Hawkeye and Black Widow, strike team delta, we're fine and we're here together and everything is A-OK!" he pulled her into a crushing hug "I don't know why you're doubting us all of a sudden, but we're great I promise" he whispered into her ear and he could feel her visible slump from exhaustion. The black widow rarely brought down her walls but when she did …they fell hard.

The rest of the journey was spent in comfortable reassuring silence. Natasha took a 30-minute nap in the back of the jet after her mini panic attack and changed into her civilian clothes ready for the mission to start, which was always on landing. A petite flowery dress that barely brushed her knees and brought in her waist, as well as 4" heeled sandals, a white branded handbag, a white headband and light makeup finished her look. She swapped with Clint, allowing him to change into a pair of dark blue expensive shorts, white trainers and a white elegantly patterned shirt. Both sets of agents hid at least 3 small weapons on them as the readied for any situation. They also transferred their larger weapons into their expensive suitcases on arrival to the private airport and departed using an arranged car.

The hotel paid for by shield was easily a 5 star and sat along a harboured edge of the city, surrounded by private estates and expensive boats and cars. Their room was a single king-size, with a glass bathtub, 4 poster bed and marble columns which led out to the balcony. Clint whistled as they entered at the sight, and whilst he unloaded their weapons Natasha completed two complete sweeps of the room, let staff know not to disturb the 'raunchy' newlyweds and ordered an array of dishes from the service menu.

"Oh yes yes YES!" Clint swooned breaking into the shell of a crab and feasting on the white meat "This is the life we should be living Nat!"

"Only if this life included you not eating with your mouth full" Natasha laughed sarcastically whilst tucking into her rich pasta. They had both changed into comfier clothes (Him a pair of shorts and no top, and her with his T-shirt and a pair of panties). Both had already taken advantage of the luxury soaps and scalding hot water and were nursing a glass of (potentially) the most expensive bottle of red wine they had ever seen.

When Clint pulled the lid off the top of the few remaining silver trays Natasha waved him away clutching her stomach "Nooo I can't eat anymore"

"Suit yourself" he replied cheekily, forcing cheesecake down his throat faster than he could gulp air. This food had the potential of being the nicest he had ever eaten, and he was taking full advantage of it.

"You might not fit into your uniform Clint" Natasha purred rolling over, face deep into a duck feather cushion. The sleep haze was seriously kicking in and she was about 30 seconds away from welcoming her food coma.

"I'm not the one fitting into THAT tomorrow evening" he gestured to the skin-tight blue dress hanging on the door, before lying facing her.

"Mmmm tomorrow can wait" she murmured, her eyelids fluttering "Need to do a sweep of.. of the building tonight" she yawned heavily

"Tomorrow Nat, we've got all day. Sleep now" he whispered, brushing hair from her face. By the time he turned around to turn the side lamp off, she was lightly snoring, and he settled in beside her. Comfortable, warm, and content.