Thenext night at 5:00pm there was a knock on the door and there she was holding a grocery bag of all things. Steve looked through the spyhole and was suitably curious as he opened the door.

"Evening Rogers." Natasha greeted as she walked in heading down the hall.

"Evening Natasha. What is with the shopping bag?" Steve questioned curiously.

"Everything we need for the night I have planned." Natasha teased.

"Which is?" Steve asked.

Natasha set down the bag and reached inside pulling out a few DVDs. She placed them on the table so Steve could see that they were all romantic comedies and girly movies. Steve glanced at them puzzled, a slight frown on his face.

"These don't seem like your kind of movies." Steve observed.

"Maybe they are and maybe they aren't." Natasha teased before she continued more seriously. "But I think it is time we worked on the other side of relationships and these have some important lessons. That and women love to watch stuff like this and they expect you to watch it with them. Pick one out and put it on while I get things ready."

Natasha disappeared into the kitchen with the grocery bag and soon the sound and smell of popcorn came from the kitchen. Steve looked over the titles of the films and started to read the back of each finally settling on one called "Hitch".

Steve had just put the DVD in the player when Natasha returned with a large bowl of popcorn and a few cans of drink. Setting them down on the coffee table and taking a seat on the couch curling her legs up underneath her. Steve sat on the couch next to her noticing for the first time that she was wearing a dress instead of her standard jeans or pants.

The lower cut top of it let him finally see the pendant of her necklace. Normally it was hidden under her tops and sweaters and could see that it was a small golden arrow. There could be no doubt as to who had given it to her. He looked over at her confused.

"Something wrong Cap?"

"I... I just don't see how all this connects to the lessons we've been doing." Steve replied hiding one concern with another.

"Ahh. Well Rogers that is tonight's test. A challenge. Tonight you are going to watch these movies and keep watching them. You aren't allowed to touch me sexually no matter how much you want to. "

"I think I can handle that." Steve said confidently.

Natasha leaned close to him, her fingers brushing his neck as she fixed the collar of his button down shirt. Steve gulped and Natasha smiled at his reaction.

"The movie is starting." Natasha pointed out.

Steve breathed out slowly and turned his attention to the screen doing his best to ignore the beautiful and vexing woman besides him. The movie was actually quite good and Steve was soon drawn into the way the men and women acted together and what they expected from each other.

About 10 minutes in Natasha tapped Steve lightly on his shoulder. He turned to look at her, slightly annoyed since he was enjoying the movie.

"What is it, Romanoff?" He asked irritated.

"I can't get comfortable. Can you lift your arm?"

Steve nodded and raised his arm allowing her more access and couch space. Natasha snuggled close to him, her head resting on his shoulder her left hand resting on top of his thigh. Steve inhaled sharply, surprised at her touch and with his hand still in the air. Natasha chuckled throatily.

"You can put your arm down Cap."

He looked at her wearily. He was sure that his hand would end up somewhere a bit too personal for just two friends watching a movie. The test had begun. He slowly lowered his arm and draped his hand over her waist. It was natural for his arm to be there and not too intimate. He had passed the test... so far.

He felt comfortable with her like this and went back to watching the movie. It was about halfway through, just as the characters on screen shared their first kiss when she started to get fidgety again.

Steve looked over to her quizzically. "Still not comfortable?"

"No. Do you mind if I...?" Natasha asked, indicating his lap.

"If you...?"

Natasha smiled and laid her head on his lap, using his thigh as a pillow with her hands resting on it as well. Steve was startled but managed to hold himself still, not to betray what he felt inside. He was shocked that she was comfortable enough to do that and of course trying his hardest to keep himself under control from having her so close to him.

She shifted her head and neck around for a few seconds until she was satisfied with the position and turned her full attention to the movie. Steve couldn't help but look down and from that angle he had a great view of her ample cleavage. It also let him see the pendant. Seeing it made Steve frown.

During the first time they had worked together with the other Avengers in New York she hadn't worn any necklace and hadn't for a long time afterwards, not until Barton had to leave for a long term mission.

Does she have feelings for him? Are they an item? They can't be or why else why would she be here? Am I just filling in time for her until he gets back? Maybe it is like she said it is just about teaching me about relationships but then why kiss me? She knows the kind of man I am.

These thoughts tumbled through his head, uncomfortable and confusing. Steve decided now wasn't the time to sort it out and to focus on the movie. It was interesting in showing how men and women misunderstanding each other because of how hard it was to be open with the other gender, how being too open would be detrimental but not being open at all was just as bad. More amazingly was how it was all the little things that mattered and you never knew what the person you loved would love about you.

As the movie drew to a close Natasha turned and sat up, using a hand high up on Steve's lap for balance. Steve had no major reaction his still being too preoccupied with her necklace to get into anything too physical.

"Another one?" She asked.

"Sure. You pick this time."

Natasha picked another film and put it into the player before she returned to the couch, taking up her former position. This time however her right hand was stroking Steve's thigh. Steve gritted his teeth and resisted the simultaneous urges to flip her onto the couch to kiss her and to grab her hands to stop her touching him. Both would cause him to fail her test and they both knew it.

Steve tried to watch the DVD however he couldn't get into it. Instead he watched Natasha, the way her hair would fall across her face before she tucked it back behind her ear, how her eyes would crinkle slightly at the corners when she smiled or laughed and even the fact she was smiling and laugh at a romantic movie. Steve was enchanted by the musical tone of her laugh, it was a beautiful and foreign sound because she seldom laughed.

It was all these little things that made Natasha more human and more than just a pretty face. It was a whole other side, a secret side that she never really showed and that made Steve feel special. Steve's eyes strayed lower down her body and stopped dead when they reached the necklace. The mere sight of it made him frown.

Did Barton get to see this side of her too? The Natasha that enjoyed romantic movies, Ju Jitsu and Thai food instead of just the master spy and interrogator.

The thought flashed hot through him, a different kind of passion, one filled with anger. Almost as if he was jealous of Natasha having spent time with another man, that someone else might have seen this side of her too.

Steve determinedly focused on the DVD and it took all his will power not to dwell on those thoughts or to act on his desire to kiss Natasha, who had abandoned all pretense of watching the movie and was now stroking and kissing his thighs. She was persistent and Steve could no longer pretend she wasn't affecting him.

Steve wasn't going to give in to his baser desires. He knew she wanted him to react and most other men would. Steve's knowing Natasha, knowing she was testing and tormenting him combined with his morals and values was enough to hold him in check. Natasha, impressed and not wishing to stoop to very low and underhanded tactics stopped.

"I'm impressed Cap. There aren't many men who could resist."

"I'm not like other men." He intoned.

"I'll say. Most men haven't spent 60 years on ice."

"Natasha." Steve warned.

"I'm just teasing Cap. You should know that making fun of you is one of my favorite hobbies by now."

Steve sighed. Natasha would never stop making fun of him and part of him hated it while another enjoyed the lightness it brought to her and didn't want her to stop. He rose from the couch and stretched his tense muscles.

"Why don't we get something to eat?" Steve suggested.

"I could do with some food. Do you want to order takeout?" Natasha asked.

"Sure. Does that Thai place we went to deliver?"

"They do. Spring rolls and pad Thai for you, right?"

"And maybe some money bags or curry puffs." Steve added.

Natasha stared at him and raised an eyebrow.

"What? I sometimes stop by there after training." Steve defended.

"Nothing it's just I wasn't expecting it. I just didn't picture you as trying out new things, you know, the adventurous type." Natasha elaborated.

"And I never thought you'd be the kind to enjoy romantic movies."

"Touché."

Natasha ordered the food and they sat quietly, the film played in the background a silence settled between them. Steve was still troubled by Natasha's necklace, a symbol of Barton close to her heart. Steve was unsure how he felt. Was he betraying a team member? Was she? Or was it only a mark of friendship?

Natasha for her part was more subdued than normal, her mood matched his. This wasn't like him to be like this during their lessons. He was quiet, serious and stared at her the whole time as he frowned.

"Alright Cap. What is it?" Natasha demanded.

"What do you mean?" He replied.

"You've been acting cold and distant all night. You haven't even tried to kiss me." Natasha criticized.

"I thought not touching you was my test?"

"True, but it is more than that. Something is bothering you. "

"I'm fine." He insisted.

"Rogers." Natasha pressed.

"I'm fine. Maybe I just don't like romantic movies." He retorted.

Natasha frowned. She knew there was more than that but wasn't in the mood to spoil the evening. "So would you like to watch another movie or do something else?"

"What kind of something else?" Steve asked suspiciously.

"We could talk. We don't seem to do much of that."

"I don't have much to talk about." Steve objected.

"You must have, everyone has something. What sort of things did you do before?"

"Before?" Steve questioned.

"Before now." Natasha finished carefully.

"Baseball." Steve answered.

"Baseball?"

"Yes. America's favorite past time. I even used to go to a few games back in the day. I don't think I've seen a game since... They found me." Steve finished.

"I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind going with you."

"Not you?" Steve observed.

"I prefer my sports with more contact." Natasha explained.

"I noticed."

"Have you ever seen a UFC fight?"

"No. Is it like boxing?" Steve queried.

"More like wrestling." Natasha clarified.

"I'll have to look in to that." Steve answered and pulled out his note book and jotted it down.

"What is that?" Natasha inquired.

"What?"

"That. The little notebook." She said as she pointed to it.

"Oh... Uh" Steve flushed. He took a deep breath and explained. "Its ... it's for keeping track of all the things I've missed."

"May I see?"

Steve handed her the notebook. Natasha read through the list, nodded her head in approval until she reached the end. Then she frowned.

"You missed something."

"I've missed a lot of things, Natasha." Steve pointed out.

"But this is more important than the others."

"And it is?"

"Sex." She replied matter of factly.

"Natasha!" Steve cried out shocked and blushing.

"There. There's the Captain Rogers I know." She grinned.

Steve smiled in spite of himself. Natasha's smile was infectious and something she seldom did. They were silent again, this time a comfortable silence which was broken by the knock on the door and the delivery of their dinner. Steve collected and paid for the food as Natasha sought out plates and cutlery and brought them out to the coffee table. They served themselves and tried a bit of everything. After they finished eating Natasha stood to leave.

"I'm surprised Rogers. I didn't think you would do this well."

Steve was silent. Natasha continued.

"Since you have done so well I think this calls for some sort of reward."

"Reward?"

Natasha nodded and walked with cat like grace towards him. She reached her hand up and caressed his face pulling it down towards her. She stood on her tip toes and brought her lips up to his for a kiss. Steve turned away from her though every instinct and desire was screamed at him in protest.

"The test isn't over yet, Natasha."

Natasha smiled. "Thought I had you there for a second."

"Almost."

Natasha grabbed her bag and headed toward the door. Steve stopped her.

"Aren't you going to take your DVDs?"

"No. Watching them is part of your ongoing homework just like Ju Jitusu. Good night Rogers."

"Goodnight Natasha."

And with that she was gone and Steve was left more confused and frustrated than ever before.