Note: Man, I hate present-tense. Why did I start using it? Anyway, this is just a short follow-up to the story we left in chapter 4.
She stomps down the hall, noticing how many people seem to find other business and abruptly change course to avoid her. He follows, two steps behind.
At the end of the hall, she stops, whirls. "Stop following me."
He shrugs. "You didn't answer my question."
The expression on her face reminds him of the one Coulson gave him when he told him the plan to end the Black Widow didn't go quite as expected. "It's not a real question", she says.
"Seems real to me", he answers. "Want to go on an assignment?"
He notes with amusement the way her face stills as she controls her emotions. She's got to be spitting mad by now.
He, on the other hand, is kind of enjoying this.
"I can't go on a mission", she answers, her voice determinedly level. "I've only been part of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a month. I almost killed an instructor this morning. No one is going to allow me into the field where I might get someone killed."
"I've heard some stuff", he responds, "And I can't help but wonder … why did you almost kill Daniels? Did you lose control? Or, perhaps, are you used to fighting to the death?"
Her gaze moves to the left, not quite meeting his eyes. It's all the answer he needs.
"I like a partner with strong survival instincts", he says. "I've cleared it with Coulson. Pack a bag, Romanoff."