Chapter: 2

"The two of you are just trying to give me a headache aren't you?" Fury said as he went over the mission report with his agents.

Fury sat in front of the two agents and their handler, with agent Maria Hill to his right. She had the mission report file in front of her and was making notes as the small group discussed the mission that Barton and Romanoff had just returned from. It had actually been going pretty well but when a mission ended in a fire fight it was always a mess to clean up. Fury wasn't exactly happy about it.

When the two agents remained silent, Fury sighed and then continued on. "Regardless, I do have to agree with agent Romanoff's assessment." He said "It's not likely that Marrow would have had any other reaction based on his past behavior. No disciplinary action recommended." Fury said, looking at Hill. She nodded and jotted down what he had said in the mission file. "I believe that Agents Barton and Romanoff handled the situation as best as they could within the situation that presented itself."

"I'll have the flash drive with the information that Romanoff downloaded analyzed then update Marrow's file." Hill said when she finished scribbling on the paper. Fury nodded and gave the drive over to her. She wished the rest of them a good day and then disappeared from the office.

"All in all, good work agents."

"Thank you sir," Natasha and Clint said in return.

"The two of you are dismissed." Fury said with a slight wave of his hand and Natasha followed Clint out of the office.

"Well that went well." Clint said when they were back in the hallway. Coulson joined the two of them a second later.

"Yeah, you're lucky that he didn't at least make you take a Sensitive Communications course with the recruits." Coulson commented. Clint made a face at that. "You're more lucky that I'm not recommending it to him Barton."

"You love me too much to put me through that torture." He replied back and Coulson shot a look at him that clearly stated otherwise.

"If it were just about any other situation Barton." Coulson warned and Clint shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah," the archer replied. "All negative thoughts aside, its pizza time!" Natasha, who had been quietly listening to her partner and handler go back and forth, scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"You're a child Barton."

"I know you are but what am I?" he mocked her then turned back to Coulson before she could retort. "So, pizza? Will you be joining us?"

"Later," Coulson replied "I assume I already know where we're meeting up?"

"Yup," Clint responded. "We've still got some work to do."

"Great," he said "I'll stop and pick up the pizzas."

"Pepperoni and pineapple," Clint said.

"Got it."

"See ya then," Clint said and continued walking down the hall. Natasha shook her head then looked up at her handler.

"Actually, it's one of my favorites too," Coulson said to her, correctly assuming that she had never tried the pepperoni and pineapple before. "I think you'll like it."

"I liked the cheese, the pepperoni, the pepperoni and mushroom, the supreme, the BBQ, the buffalo chicken, and the Hawaiian pizzas." She replied. "It's not that I don't think I'll like it, I'm just getting tired of pizza." Coulson chuckled.

"Don't let Barton hear you say that." He replied earning a little smirk from her in return. "He's just excited to show you new things."

"I get that," she replied "but can't he add some variety to those new things." Coulson laughed and nodded his agreement.

"I'll be sure to pick up Chinese tonight so that you can have a break." Natasha shot him a curious look.

"You're having dinner with us too?" she asked.

"I was thinking I'd stay the entire time." He replied "I'll request leave from Fury. Unless that's a problem."

"No," she replied. "Not at all."

"Good. Ever try shrimp lo mein, egg rolls, crab rangoons?"

"No to all," she replied and he smiled.

"Great then that's what I'll get for you." He said with a soft smile "they are my favorite."

"Looking forward to it." She said with a slight return smile.

"I'm just going to talk to Fury for a minute then I'll be on my way." Coulson said and she nodded.

"Ok, see you then." Natasha turned and went to catch up to her partner who was chatting with another agent further down the hallway.

Coulson noted that a few agents cast looks behind Romanoff's back as she walked by them and frowned slightly at their behavior. Things were getting better since Romanoff had first joined SHIELD so he figured it wasn't much to worry about at the moment, people were always going to judge. He shook his head then walked back the way he had come.

As he reached the door to Fury's office the man himself was coming out. He nodded to Coulson then looked down the hall where Natasha had just caught up to Clint. The archer then proceeded to talk animatedly about one thing or another as the two of them disappeared outside. Coulson didn't miss the slightest of smiles that ghosted across his boss's face, no matter how quickly it had disappeared.

"Weren't those two trying to kill each other just a few months ago?" He asked Coulson who shrugged in response.

"I think that the best relationships always start out that way."

"Guess you're right." Fury said with a chuckle.

"You know there are still some people who think you're insane to let her stay here."

"There are some that still say Hill wouldn't be right as my second in command," Fury said "people are always going to have their own opinions. It doesn't make them right." Coulson just nodded then turned to his boss.

"Permission to go off base for the rest of the day?" He asked and Fury shot him a look.

"Since when do you want time off?"

"I've got some things to do." Coulson said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Granted," Fury replied "tell them that they have three days then we'll see if we got anything for them." Coulson didn't question how his boss knew his plans to join up with Barton and Romanoff. Fury always seemed to know everything that was going on at all times and Coulson were being honest, it kind of both impressed him and creeped him out at the same time.

"Will do," Coulson said and Fury nodded before walking down the opposite side of the hallway.

Coulson checked his watch. It was the first of the month which meant that he had to check up on an old friend before heading off to get the pizza that he had promised Barton. He walked outside as pulled out his phone and dialed the familiar number as he searched for his car.