5. Whiskey?

I'm bored. So bored. I itch for a new mission, but there's nothing on sight. Last job was recruiting the kid, and it was just sitting there and putting up with Clints drama. Like all other slows days, I just walk around the tower looking for someone that will give me some job. But they are all too small for me now. That's being an avenger for you. Damn Fury and his stupid idea.

The Avengers. We get Stark funding, we get SHIELD funding, we work when we want, and we supervise ourselves. And we even get out own base on the Stark Tower, including a SHIELD outpost to get fresh news and intel on potential jobs. Sounds perfect, right? Well, Its not.

Sure, free time is nice, and the jobs I get are top of the line. The new flat is the nicest I've ever had and the only times Clint is not there is when we are working and he's watching my back. But still, it gets boring. Since the invasion, I've been pretty much idle, to the point that I decided to double my training time, just to keep busy.

A door opens and Bruce gets out. For a second, I'm back in the helicarrier, hiding like a little girl, hearing the huge monster look for me. Then its gone, and I smile at him. He waves as someone else appears. it's the Parker boy. I thought he was Starks responsibility? Its his tower after all. Stark responsibility. What am I thinking.

"Peter, this is Natasha Romanoff"

"We've met"

"You have?" Bruce looks at me frowning.

"Yeah she was part of my….recruitment party."

"Ah, yes, right" Awkward "She was in mine too" Thank you Bruce, that helps.

"You showing the kid around?" I can tell he doesn't like to be called kid, and make a note to do it as often as possible.

"Yup. Almost done tough. We're just gonna visit some of the labs in the top floors, Peter had some nice ideas for a…" and then he gets all teckie and I'm not listening anymore.

"Oh, I have an idea! Why don't you take him to Starks penthouse? He'll love all the toys he keeps in there."

Terrible idea, I know, but at least it will be fun, and god knows I can use some fun. I call the elevator.

"Uh, no, um, Tony is busy right now uh" Oh come on Bruce, play along.

"Well, I'm sure he can find time for the kid. Come on" I push him inside, and Peter follows smiling.

"You've met Tony yet kid?"

"uh, no. I haven't. Looking forward to it tough, I think he'll love my idea of implementing the blah blah blah blah" god. Nerds never shut up. It takes us a while to get there, since it's the last floor. As we approach the door, Bruce stays back. If I hadn't seen the other guy myself I'd be mocking him right now. I knock the door. No answer. Again.

"There's no one here!" shouts Tony "This floor is completely empty!"

"Stark! Come on out or I'll kick the door down!"

It takes him a while, but he opens. The once pristine penthouse is now a workshop, with all kinds of machines, and a few notebooks, laying around. Stark has some wires coming out of his shirt. He is holding a screwdriver with his mouth. On the other hand he has a drink. Whiskey? I push him aside and we walk in.

"I thought you'd be playing with your toys and your girlfriend?" Bruce asks in a mocking voice

"I am" he manages to say, still holding the screwdriver.

"Hi!" Pepper stands up from behind the bar, the only part of the place that looks like a regular penthouse "We are! We're running some tests on Tony's…" Great, more tech stuff. I'm surrounded by geeks. Thankfully, Stark interrupts her.

"Please Pepper, you are boring them" I don't like him "Why are you here?" He doesn't like me."Peter here wanted to talk to you about your uhm, what was it again?" For once, the techno blabber plays in my favour. Peter starts talking and Stark has no idea of how to shut him up. Has the great Tony Stark met his match? Judging by the refilled whiskey in his hand, he is not enjoying this. At all.

He drinks up while nodding at Peter. I turn around and see Bruces wide smile. For a second, I think that like me, he's enjoying Starks misery, but then he joins in the conversation. I guess this went better than expected. I start walking to the door, ready to leave.

There's a blinding flash of light and a second later the building shakes. I turn around, and trough the window I see Thor standing up. He is bleeding. At last, we can have some fun.