A/N: Sorry for the long wait, guys. Just had trouble getting this one down on paper, so to speak. But here it is. Enjoy! Also, thanks a lot for all the reviews, follows and favorites. They're all very appreciated.

Ward awoke bright and early the next morning. Actually, he woke up fifteen minutes before his usual alarm went off. There was no way he was going to risk oversleeping. Not on a day as important as this one. He very hurriedly showered, shaved and dressed in the clothes he prepared the night before, a black T-shirt with a pair of blue jeans and simple sneakers.

When he emerged from his quarters, he overheard Fitzsimmons arguing from down the hall. "If you love her so much, just propose to her!"

"I don't love her! I just said she was amazing at what she does!"

Ward rolled his eyes and easily resisted the urge to get involved. If those science babies couldn't see what was right in front of them, that being each other, he certainly wasn't going to help them. He didn't get paid to point out the obvious. He got paid to incite the greatest fight in SHIELD history.

Okay, that wasn't exactly true, but he was more than willing to work pro bono on this one. "Then stop bloody fawning over her like some bleeding schoolboy! Ward!"

Crap. He was completely passed the room and almost halfway to Coulson's office when Simmons cried after him. He sighed and turned on his heels. "What is it Simmons? I'm really busy this morning."

"Then tell Fitz to stop drooling over Agent Romanoff!"

He held back an eye roll and sighed heavily. As he leveled a look toward Fitz, the disgruntled scientists were glaring unmercifully at each other. "I am not drooling. Is it so wrong to compliment a competent person, who just so happens to the most beautiful person I've ever seen?"

"Oh, so now I'm incompetent?!"

"What? How could you possibly come to that conclusion?"

"You almost never compliment me on anything! I work and work and do wonderful things and you never say how pretty I am!"

Fitz scoffed. "Oh, that's absurd. Of course I do."

God, someone help me! Ward watched helplessly as the two argued incoherently. His head was already pounding after only five minutes.

"No you don't! You never say I'm amazing at what I do who happens to be the just so happens to be the most beautiful woman you've ever seen!"

Fitz was awkward and a little less than a genius around women, but even he knew to tread carefully. "I… uh, you…"

As Fitz stammered toward some kind not explanation, Ward snuck out and strode quietly toward Coulson's office. By the current sound of Simmons raging, Fitz must have said the wrong thing. Ward sighed and moved on to contemplating his strategy. If he heard correctly, Agent Romanoff should have already been in Coulson's office, going over mission specs.

Ward knew that Romanoff was next to impossible to manipulate, unlike the preposterously easy Melinda May. Ward smirked as he thought back to how easily he wrapped the Calvary around his pinkie finger.

Anyway, Romanoff apparently had much more savvy than May, so he'd actually have to work for this. With that in mind, he knocked on Coulson's door. "Come in."

He opened the door and was immediately scanned by the most intimidating five foot three woman in the world. Her emerald orbs swept over ever square inch of his person, even under his clothes. "Ward," she said after looking him over and sizing him up.

"Romanoff. Glad to have you aboard."

"Good to be here. When Fury told me Coulson needed my help, I had to come. If only to give him a few lumps."

Coulson's face said it all. "I was ordered not to tell," he muttered while placing an ice pack on his arm. There was a crash from down the hall. Coulson sighed and stood from his desk. "I'd better handle that. Fitzsimmons?"

Ward nodded knowingly. He didn't envy that headache. Once Coulson stepped out, he was alone with his target. Phase Two is underway.

A soft clink from across the room attracted his attention to her pulling a bottle of Scotch from Coulson's liquor cabinet. His forbidden liquor cabinet. "Little early to be drinking, eh, Stark?"

A small smirk turned her rose red lips upward. "Nip to take the edge off. Been flying all night." She tilted the bottle in his direction. He declined. Shrugging, she poured herself a drink. "Nice plane you got here. Fury must be getting soft."

After what Coulson said after Fury tore him a new one when they blew a hole in it after just two weeks, maybe not. "Wouldn't count on it. Not sure he even has a soft side; just a slightly less rough side. Like gravel as opposed to sandpaper." He laughed. Comfortableness was crucial to manipulation. If the person wasn't relaxed around you, forget it. "So, I see life with Stark is rubbing off well."

She smirked again. "Maybe. He's… not nearly as bad as people make him out to be."

"Rough outside, soft, gooey inside?"

She nodded and took a sip. "Didn't believe Potts when she said as such, but I saw it when he gave me and Clint a place to stay, new weapons, better uniforms."

Ward nodded. "He's still an ass." There was another crash and more yelling. Ward sighed.

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Fitzsimmons throwing some kind of tantrum?"

"No. They're arguing. And they're two people. In love. But they don't know that."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "I hate people like that."

"Really," he said incredulously. "Because I was about to say that they remind me of you and Barton." She rose her opposite eyebrow. "Two people obviously in love, but either don't know it or won't admit it. It's both hilarious and frustrating to watch."

Another sip. Then a complete subject change so smoothly done, he didn't catch it at first. "I was talking to May when I boarded this morning."

Ward kept up his calm, relaxed demeanor like a boss. "Oh, yeah? Figured you two would have a bit in common."

"You'd be right. She was already well retired when I came on, but after Phil introduced us, she gave me some advice. And she was one of the first to vouch for me."

"Quite a bit of trust. She doesn't give it out easily." Ward relaxed and slowly tapped the model plan suspended from the ceiling. "She was right on."

A small nod of acknowledgement proceeded another sip.

"I'm glad she's back in the field. It's been a treat watching her work. Watching her fight." Natasha sniffed. Ward resisted the smirk that was fighting with his blank expression. He won out and added, "The way she can clean out a room without breaking a sweat is… breathtaking."

Natasha hummed in agreement.

Ward decided that laying on the praise thick would clue her in too quickly. "Oh, I was talking with Coulson and he was telling me about the time you beat an entire room full of people while tied to a chair." He read that in a mission file. Each word rolled out as smoothly as silk. "Guess that's one thing you two have in common."

She smiled. "Guess so."

That's right. Walk right into my web. "Another thing; I think you two are on the same black belt level, speaking of fighting,"

"I think you're right. I haven't had a decent sparring partner in a while. Maybe I'll tap her."

It was one thing to try and direct her in the direction he wanted to her in. It was another to lead her to water and have her drink willingly, so to speak. "Do that, please. It'd be nice. Well, I'd better grab a bite. See ya around." Too freaking easy.

He turned to leave, so Natasha missed his knowing smirk. Sucker, he thought of her as he left.

He turned to leave, so he missed Natasha's knowing smirk. Fool, she thought of him as he left.

He was so intent on food and inward gloating that he didn't see Melinda standing off to the side out of his peripheral vision, knowing smirk placed firm. "Idiot," she uttered once he was out of ear shot.