Natasha was brought back to the back alley of the academy. Madame was waiting for her.

"How was it, Natasha?" Madame shut and locked the door. Ushering Natasha towards the stairs.

"Perfect, Madame. No errors." She said softly.

Madame gently tipped Natasha's head to the side and sighed. "Did he touch you." Her eyes studied the bite mark. Natasha knew she wasn't asking the literal sense.

"No, not like that. He bit me. Another hit me." Natasha answered, trying not to think about Barkov anymore.

Seduction was one of the many arts of her training. She had only learned about that in the past two years. Seduction was on her terms to play into the weaknesses of men. What Barkov tried to do was nowhere near what her training readied her for. She was aware that her enemies could use that as a weapon to weaken her.

Madame looked relieved. "Get along to medical then. You look tired, I'll send your dinner up to your room. Tomorrow I will collect you in the morning for your graduation."

Madame left her at that. Graduation. She blinked and ascended the stairs numbly. What had she expected. Of course she would have completed this trial mission and they would graduate her the next day. Medical didn't take long to clean the wounds and apply a healing salve. In her room she devoured dinner, ravenous from her mission.

She threw her clothes in the trash and hurried to the shower. There she stayed for a while soaking in the warm spray of water. She had no choice now. Tomorrow they'd drug her and she'd wake up different.

She had heard from many teachers, including Madame that the procedure was necessary. It took from her the softness, the nurture, and it gave her the ability kill easily. She'd never have to worry about someone being more important that her job. No one could be used against her in the future as collateral.

She removed herself from the shower later and dressed in black leggings and a blue long sleeve shirt. She perched on her window sill, letting the warm spring breeze dry her hair. Every now and then she scanned the alley below and the window beside the ladder two stories down. James said he would come back.

"You're an idiot for caring, Natasha…" she breathed to herself and gave up after an hour. Tomorrow she graduated. He already had missions. She'd be sent all over the world. Where ever she was needed she would go. And that is how it would be until she died or someone was able to kill her.

She moved to shut her window when a noise caught her attention. James was climbing the ladder. In one stretch he reached from the ladder and slipped inside her window.

She drew the curtains closed and turned towards him. He looked freshly showered. The white t-shirt he wore was stretched tight against his chest. She smiled and spotted blue flannel pajama pants.

"What?" He held up his hands at her laugh.

"You look so normal." She bit her lip and plucked at the strings of the pants playfully. He caught her hand and pulled her into him. His face buried against her slightly damp hair.

"How does it feel to have your first mission done?" he asked. His thumb brushing her healing cheek.

She sighed, "Don't get all sappy on me. It's just a cut." She teased and bit his thumb as he tried to examine the cut.

He laughed and pulled his hand away, "I'm not being sappy. The last guy I took out said Barkov was roughing you up." His concern was well placed but not needed in any aspect.

"He's a foul man. I got pinned and hadn't broke the zip ties. It wasn't as smooth of an execution as I was hoping to do. I'm fine." She looked up at him.

He nodded and kissed her softly. "I know you have questions…"

She smirked and pointed to the bed. Once he laid back she curled up against him. Her toes tucked under his legs. "Why'd you stay behind?"

He captured her hand against his chest and held it, "Clean up." He said and she gave him a knowing nod. He cleared out the bodies.

"What about the girls?" She asked quickly.

"I tipped off the police as I left. They're in good hands now." He stuck his free hand under his head and looked up at the ceiling. He was silent after that and she knew why. The same way she stood in the shower for an hour and compartmentalized her mission. Broke it down and stored the emotions away. While she only killed one and took a beating herself. He killed many, and pretended to be part of the organization.

"I graduate in the morning…" She whispered and pointedly looked at her closet. With him she let a little of the vulnerability out.

"You're sure?" He asked after a healthy pause. She felt him stir a little and look down at her.

"Yes." She bravely looked up at him, "Time's up."

His hand tightened around hers. "You don't know that."

She looked at him incredulously, "Yes, I do." She breathed. "Once tomorrow is over, I go where ever they tell me to. And that's how it is for the rest of my life. I don't get to one day settle down and have a family." She reached up for his face and kissed him hard. "I love you James… and today is the last day I can say that. I'll never forgive myself if they use you against me."

After the kiss he groaned, "Stop protecting me, Tasha. I can handle myself. No one is ever going to hold a candle to me. I'm the only winter soldier that's been successful. The 4 others you've seen haven't been able to complete the serums. Their bodies reject it. I'm the only one that will ever be. No one is stronger."

She frowned, "Is that supposed to make me change my mind?" She asked. "Even if it were like that James... That's not how the Red Room works. Black Widow means I'll be alone forever."

James saw no reason to argue with her more. "So you want me to leave? No more climbing ladders?"

Natasha felt a panic rise in her chest. "No! I don't want you to go! God!" She buried her faced against his neck. Her body resting over his.

He was surprised how tightly she could wrap her arms around him. Not that he would ever tell her that she was little or surprisingly strong. He stroked her back soothingly, "Nothing is certain, Tasha. But I do know I love you. I'm always going to. No matter where you go or for how long you're gone. When we find each other over the years, it'll be like coming home. Tomorrow doesn't need to mean the end of everything. We've hidden this long... what do you say we try for a little bit longer?"

Natasha was surprised at the words coming from him. So hopeful. So desperate to hold on to what they had. Calling what they had like coming home. He had her cornered with no way to turn it down. Maybe it was true, there was no beating him at anything.

His hands fisted her shirt against her back, exposing her skin to the breeze. Natasha pulled back and kissed him softly. Taking her time savoring the kiss while her hands pushed her hair away from her face.

After several minutes of lazy kissing, James tucked her under him as he rolled. Her long hair spreading like a red fan against the white pillows. "Take that shirt off." She smiled and plucked at the shirt.

James flung the shirt off like it was second nature. "What next?" He teased, tugging at his draw strings on his pants.

"Well if you're offering… then those too." She leaned back on her elbows as he tossed the pants to the ground too. His hand slid up her leg, tugging sharply at the waistband of her leggings.

Natasha smirked, "Oh… no you didn't ask." She breathed and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't tease, Tasha." He breathed and tugged her off the bed. He caught her in a deep kiss and worked her shirt up. His fingers tracing her ribs and skimming the bottom of her breast.

Her breath caught as his hand palmed the whole of her breast, his lips pressing needily against hers. His metal hands tugged the shirt up and kissed down her neck. Her hands tugged down her leggings, kicking them away. Leaving her panties for now. James' lips brushed across her shoulder and she winched. Forgetting the tender wound there only a few hours healed.

James brushed her scarlet hair away and darkened at the bite mark. His jaw clenched. "Jesus… the bastard did that to you?"

She huffed, "No… Madame did..." she said sarcastically. Who else would have? As far as she knew James didn't show any interest in biting the last time she slept with him.

He shook his head his eyes looking over her skin for more marks. Natasha turned away, "Stop it... I'm fine, okay? It's disgusting. It'll be gone soon." She bent down to put her shirt back on. It made her feel dirty. Now she just wanted a shower.

He kicked her shirt away and picked her up. Instinctively her legs locked around his hips as the bed dipped under her again. His hands skimmed her legs pushing them apart. Her panties were gone shortly. James' mouth was all over her neck, the side opposite of the offensive mark. His hips ground against her, nothing separating them anymore.

Natasha's hands dove into his hair, lost in his lips on her skin. "Make me forget it happened…" she breathed heavily.

James gave her a hard peck on the lips, his hands pushing her legs apart further. His hand was there again. Circling her sensitive bud again. Slow torturous circles that had her moaning into his kisses.

His breath was hot against her ear as he worked a finger inside her. "Тебе нравится, Таша?" ("Do you like that, Tasha?") He smiled, nipping her ear lobe lightly.

She whimpered at his Russian, dirty Russian things he was asking her. Things she definitely didn't teach him. "Да!" ("Yes!") she panted as her hips rolled.

James seemed to like it as much as she did because he continued. His finger slipping in and out of her quickly, his thumb working delicate circles still. "Еще один палец?" ("Another finger?") he breathed.

Natasha gasped forgetting the Russian, "Yes.. Yes.." She panted.

James kissed her hard as his second finger joined the first. Her toes curled, and her fingers splayed against the back of his hips. He could tell she was nearly there. The way she tightened around his fingers. James doubled his efforts, a fraction faster and quicker.

Natasha panted against his neck, her hips rolling against him. "J.. James.." She warned.

He pecked her lips, "C'mon… Go on and take it." He breathed wanting to see her tip over that edge and forget the day.

She needed no further encouraging. She arched off the bed and tighten around his fingers. Her body throbbing as he kissed her hard again, capturing any moans she couldn't stifle.

He withdrew his fingers and pressed her hard into the bed. She felt him now, hard against her stomach, grinding against her for his own need. Her hands pulled his face back to hers as he broke the kiss. She whimpered as he nearly slid into her. She was aching from the absence of his fingers.

"Do you want me?" He teased. His hardness sliding against her wet slit slowly. It drove her wild, he could tell the way her eyes fluttered.

"Please…" she breathed, arching her hip to take him inside her.

James thrust into her, groaning at how hot and wet she had become. She contracted around him still, still reeling from moments before.

He withdrew and slid slowly into her again. And again. Impossibly slow thrusts that sheathed him fully in her. Her blue eyes were trained on him as he pinned her hip and set the slow rhythm. Natasha was impatient, he had always known that.

Minutes passed and she let forth the sharpest plea, "More.. Please.. I need more." She whispered.

He couldn't deny her any longer. She had been panting for more for at least a minute. James thrust harder, sharp and driven. He felt his release looming, in his stomach, the way his body clenched with each roll of her hips. The way he shivered under her nails assault on his back.

Natasha was muttering in Russian. Words he didn't know. But the message was clear, she liked what he was doing. In three sharp thrusts he felt her tip over the edge again. Her body stiffening against him. He lost himself inside her. Moaning into their kiss as he came. His hips stuttering against hers,

Natasha's eyes were heavy with satisfaction. Her breathing slowed and her body limp against the mattress. James pecked her lips and rolled to her side. He brushed her hair off her damp forehead, the tepid spring air having made the room additionally hotter.

"Where'd you learn that Russian?" She smiled lazily and turned to face him.

"I cannot reveal my sources." He smirked.

She gave him a calculated stare before shaking her head, "You and those soldiers compare conquests, huh? What do you tell them about me?" she said curiously.

James looked like he was being trapped. Natasha huffed, "Oh, please. I don't care that you've talked as long as no one can figure out it's me."

James seemed a little more apt to talk after that. His lips brushed her shoulder sweetly. "I wasn't going to tell the guys. I've lied before to keep up with them. You were the first one in a long time. One of them saw the sheets the next day, before I could hide them."

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh?" she said softly.

"None of them have been successful in getting a girl inside the rooms. They all sneak out. They are all in love with the idea of you. A girl who could make the climb across the wall." He traced his fingers down her arm as he talked.

Natasha laughed and ducked her head against his chest. "Seriously?"

James nodded, "They beg for details and I give them the smallest ones. I told them about a freckle on your spine once. They think you're a superhero."

Natasha was surprised by James' admission. How he hadn't told anyone much. Not that she would have cared if he did. "Why are you so nice…" She breathed and kissed his jaw.

"I don't want them knowing about you. I want that all to myself."

Natasha surged forward and kissed him hard. Saying things like that weren't fair. They made her feel things that ultimately she knew she shouldn't.