Chapter: 4

By the time dinner rolled around, and Coulson disappeared from the apartment to pick up the promised Chinese food, the living room walls had been completely covered. Clint opened up the windows to help with the smell and suggested that they go up on the roof to eat. The stairs in the hallway that was right outside Natasha's apartment door would lead them up there. She seemed to be hesitant about the idea but nodded all the same.

Clint grabbed the cooler and followed Natasha up the stairs and out onto the roof. It was a pretty basic view of the other surrounding buildings. Nothing too spectacular. In the middle of the open area there was a table with a red umbrella and four chairs surrounding it. The buildings' superintendent, Jason, had put them up there for the residents to use as they wished. Clint thought that Jason was a nice guy and he got the added bonus of teasing Natasha because he was sure that the man had a crush on her.

"This is nice," Clint commented as he dropped the cooler next to the table. He noticed that his partner was too busy surveying the area to pay attention to him. Her eyes were hunting for any type of threat. "You know," he said as he came up beside of her. "We can eat inside if you'd rather." Her eyes swept the area again and then she shook her head.

"No, this is ok." She said but Clint wasn't convinced. He gave her a look which Natasha ignored and Clint dropped the subject. She sat down in one of the chairs as Clint texted Coulson to meet them on the roof. She looked out towards the other buildings and watched every angle that was around her. Truthfully, Natasha didn't like being out in the open area but she wanted to get used to it as well. This was going to be her home after all. The thought of that made something deep stir inside of her.

"Hey," Clint's voice broke into her thoughts. "You good?"

"Fine," she replied. "It's just…" she trailed off.

"What?" he encouraged. She looked at him with a thoughtful look in her eyes. She was searching for the answer. Natasha was still having problems connecting words to how she was feeling. Never before had she been allowed to freely speak about emotions, especially not to someone who actually cared to listen.

"It's surreal," she decided "having my own home."

"I get that," he replied as he sat back in the chair. "I felt the same when I got my first place." The two of them fell into a comfortable silence until the sound of knocking caught their attention. Clint got up to open the door for Coulson who was balancing the Chinese food containers in his arms.

"This is awesome," Clint said as he and Natasha helped take the food and put it out onto the table. "Thanks Coulson."

"No problem. Just making sure that you don't die of a pizza overdose."

"Doesn't sound like a bad way to go," Clint joked as Coulson passed out the paper plates and plastic forks he had picked up. They all loaded up their plates with the various foods then took a seat.

"I think that this is my favorite." Natasha commented after trying the shrimp lo mein.

"Glad you like it," Coulson said and Clint scoffed.

"It's alright."

"You're just mad that we aren't having that taco pizza you wanted." Natasha commented and Clint rolled his eyes.

"I can eat other things Natasha." He said and she gave him a look.

"I haven't seen it." She replied then grabbed a crab rangoon. "This is a very close second," she said after taking a bite.

"Try the egg roll." Coulson suggested and Natasha nodded after taking a bite.

"Tied with the rangoon," she replied.

"So, you like Chinese food." Clint said and nodded "I can live with that."

"Like it would affect you either way," Natasha said taking another bite of the lo mein.

"Hey," Clint said "being partners' means a lot of time together, which means a lot of meals together." Natasha shrugged and continued eating. When the food had been eaten and the leftovers had been boxed away, Coulson cleared off the table and pulled out a pack of cards.

"Have you ever played poker before Romanoff?" She looked at him and nodded.

"Texas hold'em?"

"Not specifically," she replied and Coulson nodded.

"I'll explain." He said "Clint and I usually play a dollar a game. He owes me ten."

"I had a bad streak," Clint defended himself. "Besides you owe me six."

"Highest debt gets paid first." Coulson said and Clint rolled his eyes.

"Then I guess I'll have to catch up." He said "deal me in."

"Try your luck Romanoff?" Coulson asked her. She thought about it for a second then nodded. Coulson explained how to play then dealt the cards. After six games the sky was starting to get dark. There was a slight chill in the air as Coulson leaned back in his chair shaking his head.

"Well, now we both owe Romanoff." Coulson commented and he grabbed the cards to put them away.

"One day that blank face won't work" Clint commented and she shot him a smirk.

"If the thought makes you feel better Barton." She replied and Coulson chuckled at them.

"I guess I'll be going then." He said as he got to his feet and stretched out his back. "I'll see the two of you tomorrow." Coulson knew that Clint would be staying the night. He was also fairly sure that, if he had asked, he would be allowed to stay as well but he wouldn't do that to Romanoff.

The fact was, she was still uncomfortable with him in some aspects. He knew that he didn't have her full trust and she would likely be up all night if he stayed. Coulson respected this and after what they had been through he was sure that they were making good progress in their relationship. So instead, he bid his agents a good night and left them at the apartment.

Clint and Natasha made their way back into the living room and went around shutting the windows that had been opened. Clint didn't say anything as Natasha scoped out each of the rooms in search of anything that would raise alarms. He knew that it would be an adjustment period for her to get used to her own apartment. His partner came back into the room shortly after with two sleeping bags and two pillows in her arms.

Clint grabbed his sleeping bag and pillow from her and set them up against the wall so that he would be able to see the door. Natasha made her temporary bed on the other side so that she would be able to see the two windows that were in the room. When their stuff was all set up they both settled down and a comfortable silence fell over them.

"You know we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow." Natasha said and her voice gave a slight echo as it carried.

"I know," Clint replied tiredly. "Coulson said that he would have the surveillance ready to be installed in plenty of time to be finished before the movers get here. It's the same system that I have in mine."

"Great," she replied and tried not to worry about the potential threat of having the movers come into her apartment.

"Coulson, you, and I have all checked the company and the men coming tomorrow." Clint said as if reading her mind. "Not to mention the background checks we did on the rest of the employees, the owners, the family of the owners, recent customers, the…."

"I get it Barton," Romanoff cut in. "I'm being paranoid…sorry." Clint sat up and leaned on his elbow so that he could see her better.

"Since you've been at SHEILD your past employers have attacked twice and now we haven't heard anything for months. I think if anyone has a right to be paranoid it's you."

"I would feel better if we could find any information on what they're planning."

"Maybe they gave up?" Clint said in a voice that made it obvious that he didn't believe that one bit. Natasha didn't even bother to reply. "We'll figure it out." He said and laid back down. "We'll be ready for them." Natasha stared up at the ceiling and silently wished that she could share her partners' confidence.

"I hope."