It had just gotten dark by the time J.A.R.V.I.S. alerted Tony to the visitor at the door. He flew down the stairs and eagerly yanked it open, barely wondering if he was appearing too eager.

"Nat! I wasn't expecting you for another three days," He said.

Without warning, she threw herself into his body, her shoulders shaking rapidly.

"Hey, hey," he said, stroking her back as she shivered. His heart pounded as he searched his brain for something to say, but he found he was at a loss because he had never, ever fathomed that he'd find her like this.

"Tony!" She sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay, I'm here, I'm here," he repeated soothingly. "What's the matter, baby?"

"I-I can't…"

"Sssh…" He tilted her head back with one hand, his thumb brushing her tears off her cheeks. "Look, honey, whatever it is, I'm going to set it right, but you've got to talk to me, okay?"

Her breath came in ragged gasps as she tried to steady herself, her fingers grabbing tightly at his arms.

"Hold on, are you bleeding? Baby, we've got to get you some medical attention."

She shook her head furiously, still sobbing. "N-no, no… I c-can't…"

"What can't you do? What happened on this mission, honey? Where's Clint?" He felt his blood start to run cold in his veins even as he asked the question. "Natasha? Where's Clint?"

"Cuh-C-Clint… h-he's…"

"What is, Nat? You have to tell me. Where's Clint?" His eyes widened as he grasped her more firmly.

"A-at h-h-headquarters. The d-doctors, they…. They're gonna give up!"

"You mean he's still alive?" He slowly breathed out a sigh of relief. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're going to get moving, right now," he said as he reached in his pocket for his phone. "I'm texting Happy on his emergency line because you're in no shape to drive and I have to make a few calls on the way."

She sniffled, gazing at him quizzically.

"I know some specialists closeby. Some of the best doctors in the country are right here in L.A.," he explained, trying to keep his voice steady.

"He's going to make it?"

"We're sure as hell going to give him his best fighting chance," Tony promised, pushing her into the car. He held her body close to his in the backseat, stroking her arm with one hand while the other held the phone up to his face as he calmly delegated clear, direct orders.

Once they arrived at headquarters, he held her hand steady as she punched in her security code and then they burst through the doors of the medical bay in an instant.

"Thank you, so much gentleman, for all your hard work," Tony said loudly as his eyes briefly searched the room. "But you've all just been given the rest of the night off. This man is being airlifted out of here."

"Stark!" Fury shouted as he bounded into the room, followed by a team of security guards. "What in the blazes do you think you're doing?"

"Do you really want to lose your best agent tonight, Director?" Tony asked in an even voice.

Fury lowered his eye to the floor for just a split second before regarding Tony with a grave expression.

"I didn't think so. I'm flying Barton to the best doctors in Los Angeles. Don't worry about the expense. It's all already been taken care of."

XXXX

"Do you really think they'll be able to save him?" She asked in a meek voice, with her hands pressed up against the glass.

"I think if anybody can, it's these guys," Tony answered. "Now come on. We'll go back to my place and get you fixed up, sweetheart."

She looked up at him. "I can't leave him."

"Come on, baby. Let the doctors do their work. They'll call my secure line as soon as they know something. You'll be no good to him all banged up like you are."

She nodded finally, easing slowly off the glass and silently letting him lead her away.

XXXX

"Nat," Tony whispered, nudging her face with his. "Darling, wake up."

"Mmm," she murmured, rolling over to peer at his face as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"Dr. Amaris just called me. Barton's been stabilized."

She shot upright, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open for just a second before she could find words. "He's going to be okay?"

Tony smiled, a wide, white-toothed smile that reached his eyes. "He's going to be fine," he confirmed. "Doc says he's sleeping peacefully right now, but we can go see him in the morning."

"Oh, Tony!" She shouted, flinging her arms around his neck and squeezing tightly.

He laughed, giddy with relief as he returned her embrace and she found his laughter to be contagious as she giggled enthusiastically. "How long have I been out?" She wondered when the laughter subsided.

"A few hours. You needed your rest."

She nodded, looking around the room. "This is your bedroom?" She asked after a moment.

"Yeah. We're at my house, remember?"

She gazed at him thoughtfully. "You've never had another person in your real room, never mind your real bed." she said quietly. "But this is your real room."

"How do you know that?" He asked, swallowing hard.

"Well, for one, you just told me," she said with a sly grin. "And I know that there are seventeen spare rooms in this mansion. Six of them have actual beds. I've been in three of them, back when I worked for you and they all looked the same. From what the other staff has said… they all look the same. But this one's different. Besides, it smells like you."

"Not like alcohol?" He asked teasingly.

She smiled. "No, not like alcohol. So.. why me?"

He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "I told you, you're different."

"Tony…" She took his face in her hands and kissed him forcefully, pulling him down to lay on top of her.

He moaned into her mouth, his hands groping for the slightest bit of bare skin.

She pinned his body to hers with her legs, moving her hips against his purposefully as she tore his shirt off him.

"Nat, wait," he whispered breathlessly as her hands teased at the waistband of his jeans.

"Don't stop," she breathed, her tongue tracing a trail down his throat. "Just fuck me."

He tilted his head to one side to give her better access as she sucked a bruise on the skin of his neck, his hands firmly moving down her stomach to undo the buttons on her pants. "I don't want to just fuck you, baby," he murmured as he moved his hands between her legs. "God, I want to make love to you."

"Mmmm," she moaned as his fingers found the spot she liked. "Tony," she whispered, pressing her lips against his.

"You okay, baby?" he asked, lowering his mouth down her neck and across her collarbone.

"Yes, yes," she whimpered, moving her hips against his hand.

"Still don't want me to stop?" He asked, tilting her head back to look at him.

"Never," she whispered back, running her hands greedily over the muscles of his chest. "Please, Tony. Don't ever stop."

In one smooth motion, he reached behind her to unhook her bra and slipped it off her shoulders, lowering his face to her breasts.

She arched her back, her hands grasping restlessly at his clothes as she clumsily undressed him. Once she succeeded, she moved her hands lower on his body to grab him and she smiled satisfactorily when he let out a breathless moan as she went up and down his length.

"God, I want you," he breathed.

"Then take me," she urged, pulling him down for a kiss as he slowly guided himself into her.

"Ungh," she moaned softly as he positioned himself over her, lowering his mouth to her neck as he began to thrust into her.

She wrapped her legs around his thighs, moving her hips slowly against his.

"This feels even better than I imagined," he groaned, one hand caressing her hip, the other reaching behind her head.

She traced every muscle in his back as he moved within her, finally settling her hands on his ass as she urged him on.

"Oh, God, Tony!" She moaned, biting her lip.

"No," he whispered, cupping her chin in his hand. "Don't hold back. I want to hear how good you feel," he managed before letting out a moan himself.

"So good," she murmured, digging her nails into his back. "So, soooo good. Ahhh, faster," she moaned.

He obliged, thrusting more forcefully as she placed open mouthed kisses along his neck, running her tongue across his shoulder, taking in the heat of his breath and the salt on his skin.

"Mmmm, oh God, oh God," she moaned and he could feel how close she was as she tightened her whole body on his, screaming out "Tony!" as she came hard around him.

That was enough to undo him and he buried his face in her shoulder as he found his release.

They were both silent as they took a few minutes to catch their breath. Natasha was the first one to speak. "I don't know why I made you wait so long," she said, idly running a hand down his arm.

He chuckled softly. "It was worth the wait, darling, I assure you. How do you feel?"

"Sleepy," she murmured quietly.

"Then rest now, baby," he said, softly kissing the back of her hand.

"You'll stay in bed with me?" She asked, smoothing his hair back off his forehead.

"Of course I will," he promised as she drifted off to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."