Chapter 7

"Does SHIELD usually treat it's agents this well or is it just because you're Fury's favorite?" Clark asked as they walked into the hotel. It was five star all the way, even better than the penthouse that Clark had acquired during his brief stint working for Morgan Edge. He almost grinned at the irony that the night he had met Natasha had been the same night he screwed over Morgan. It was funny how the universe worked, but Clark figured that after all the crap he had put up with in his life, he was well past due for some good fortune.

"Just between us, I think it's more because I'm Fury's favorite. Officially, it's because no one with the reputations that you and I are supposed to have would ever dream of staying in a different hotel." She said, the sarcasm evident in her voice. Clark chuckled, but nodded his head in understanding. While the hotel may be ideal for the rich and famous, from a tactical standpoint it was an accident just waiting to happen. There were four entrances just from the check-in desk, not to mention the three elevators and two staircases that led to the upper floors. While that may prove beneficial for hotel guests, it could make keeping track of a target a real problem, even if someone was as skilled as Clark Kent and Natasha Romanoff. Thank Rao for Kryptonian abilities.

"Hi, reservation?" The Consierge asked, once they walked up to the front desk.

"Yes, three nights. The reservation should be under Stewart." Natasha said.

"Of course, here's the key to your room. Your luggage was placed there this morning per your office's request. Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you." Clark said before the two headed up the stairs, not saying a word until they were in the hotel room. SHIELD had already checked the room for bugs, but the two did it themselves; it wasn't that they didn't trust SHIELD (well actually that was part of it), but neither of them had survived their various adventures without gaining a certain paranoia.

"You do realize that killing the consierge could kind of blow our cover." Clark quipped, once they had ascertained that the room was free of monitoring devices.

"Well maybe she should learn to not gawk at my boyfriend." Natasha replied, making Clark smile and kiss her.

"You're cute when you're jealous. Besides, how do you think I feel about all the guys that are going to be gawking at you tomorrow?" He asked, making her groan. That was the major downside of this assignment. Since her cover was as a Russian fashion model, she actually had to participate in the fashion show that was taking place over the next three days, while Clark would be going over the details of his supposed contracts with a SHIELD expert until they were satisfied he knew them backwards and forwards. The actual mission wasn't going to take place until the night they were due to leave, but appearances had to be kept up.

"What is it Chloe?" Clark asked when his phone rang.

"How solid is this? You're one hundred percent sure? Alright thanks." He said hanging up the phone.

"Problems?"

"Potentially. I told Fury to move them somewhere more secure!" He burst out, making Natasha raise an eyebrow in question.

"One of the prisoners escaped from Belle Reve. Or more accurately they were let out. Chloe dosen't know who got out, and there's no leads as to who released them."

"Do you think they know we're here?"

"I honestly don't know. The only thing I know for certain is that whoever got out is going to want to kill me."

"Then we kill them first." Natasha replied, and Clark nodded. Ever since he had joined SHIELD he had realized just how naive he used to be; locking a bunch of dangerous criminals in a mental institution was pointless. All it did was give them another chance to kill someone later, and that was a risk Clark was no longer willing to take. Gone were the days where he would hold back. Now if one of the meteor freaks tried to kill him he would respond in kind. Was it wrong? Maybe so, but if it meant saving his own life or the life of an innocent person he would do what he had to.

"No, no, don't...don't touch her, NO!"

Clark bolted up in the bed, feeling Natasha's arms wrap around him. He sighed, feeling his racing heart slow at her touch. While they hadn't had sex as neither of them were anywhere near ready for that, there was only one bed, and Natasha absolutely refused to allow Clark to sleep on the floor. Now he was glad that she did so.

"It was just a nightmare." She said, but Clark didn't respond, still consumed by the fears of his mind. It had seemed so real, and he couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'd rather just forget it but...it seemed so real. Something went wrong, the Clairvoyant got the drop on us and you died...they killed you right in front of me. I couldn't stop them, I tried...dear God I tried."

"It's okay Clark, nothing's going to happen."

"We can't know that for sure!"

"You're right, we can't. All we can do is prepare for every eventuality, and then adapt to the situation as it happens." She said calmly, keeping her expression blank.

"And if we're wrong? What then Natasha? All it takes is one misstep, one wrong choice, one slip up and we die!"

"You can't do this. You can't live life worried about what if's. If you do, it will tear you apart."

"I know, I just...I don't want to lose you. I don't want to have to bury someone else that I-" The word halted in his throat. It was one simple word, one syllable but he couldn't bring himself to say it, not yet. He now knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he loved Natasha Romanoff, but he also knew that he didn't want her to feel any pressure to love him in return. So he would wait for however long it took, and when the time was right he would tell her.

"I know Clark. Believe me, I know." She said kissing him softly. And she did know. She knew what would happen to her if she had to bury Clark. However, she also knew that as much as she wanted to say those three little words, she just couldn't. Not yet. It would mean dropping her last defense, shattering the last vestiges of the person that she had been for her entire life. It would make it final, make it real, and she just...she was scared. Natasha Romanoff, the best agent the KGB ever had, the final and most dangerous member of the Red Room program, Nick Fury's right hand, and arguabely the most dangerous woman in the world was scared to say three little words. She knew her fear was irrational, knew that Clark would never hurt her like the last person she trusted, but the fear was there nonetheless. So instead she was kissing him, both of them trying to put everything they couldn't say out loud into the kiss; it was tender, and passionate yet when they pulled back both were gasping for breath. They looked into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only an instant before Natasha laid her head against his chest and the two fell asleep, the remainder of the night spent free of the demons that haunted them. In later years when their story was retold, some would ask if that was the night they first made love. The two would just look at each other and share a smile before shaking their heads. No they hadn't made love that night. Instead, they had shared something that in many ways was just as intimate, but all the more special for what it meant to the two of them.

"We've gone over this a hundred times!"

"And we will go over it a hundred more until I am convinced that you know the plan."

"I get the plan. I wait until he is by himself, and then I kill him. It won't be that hard."

"Don't be so sure. Clark Kent is not the same person who put you in Belle Reve."

"Oh I have no doubt that he's changed. But then again so have I."

"Yes you have my dear. Yes you have."

The young woman smiled as she looked out the window of her temporary home. She had changed in more ways than one, and soon Clark Kent would know every single one of them. Then and only then would he be allowed to die.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter will be up soon!