Thanks to Jo-Jo287 and Sailorraven34 for reviewing!

A/N I think I've said sorry for the late update on practically every chapter of this. I'm sorry. I'm also really tired (four hours sleep last night, clever me right?) This could also offer as an explanation: even though it's the last two weeks of school, teachers are just "You must have tests!" Then on the weekend it's cross country, plus training twice a week. I'm also in three orchestra/bands, two of which practice after school and I've been going to the dentist for 45 minutes every Wednesday for the last two weeks for my teeth to be coated, which bloody hurts the next day, but luckily I only have two weeks left. Also got writers block.

It wasn't a great explanation. I'm sorry. I [hopefully] won't leave it this long again.

When we arrive back, Tony tells me that Clint and Natasha went on a mission while I was at school, and that Thor went to Asgard. Also that Steve, Sam and Bucky had gone out. And that Pepper was at work. "So I guess it's just you me and Jane!" I smile. I didn't particularly want to tell everyone about every single detail of my day. "And since Jane's in the lab, it's just us! So tell me, did you make any friends?"

"A couple, Hayley and Max." We begin to talk about my day, then his day, and I realise how much I've missed him today. And how comfortable it is just to talk. Tony does really feel like family now. It's a nice feeling, we have a strong bond. And after a very lengthy chat, we order pizza and put on the Lego movie, Steve, Bucky and Sam joining us as they get back.

About ten minutes in to the movie, I ask Tony what Lego is. He smiles, realising how little I've got out the movie. Lego is a kids toy, and its basically just building bricks it turns out. And there's instruction manuals for everything. That clears a lot up.

The others all fall asleep during the movie. I don't. I need to find out what happens to Emmet, this weird creature with a yellow face. I think he's supposed to be a human? The movie finishes with that blasted song that I know Tony will be singing tomorrow when Pepper walks in, which is good because the others are all still asleep.

I get up and help her put the groceries that she's brought back away, which makes her smile a little. "Thanks Yana. How was school?" Everyone's going to ask me that at some point, aren't they?

I nod. "Good." She looks around, and sees Clint and Natasha are missing.

"Clint and Natasha on a mission?" I nod. "I thought that S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't exist anymore."

"Tony said Fury needed them to do something." Pepper nods. I'm not as comfortable with her as I am with Tony. He understands me better. We have a bond. I awkwardly leave Pepper when Jane comes up, and go to bed, after doing the homework I was set.

The next morning I wake up, and am surprised to see Natasha sitting at the kitchen table when I go to eat my breakfast. She gives me a couple of her pancakes before telling me that she's going out and to tell someone, so they know where she is. I get dressed and come back, see Tony and tell him this, before getting in to Tony's car, ready to go. Hayley and Max haven't gotten bored of me quite yet, so that's all fine. I can't help but wonder why everyone seemed to be on the edge this morning. Maybe something happened on Clint and Natasha's mission. I don't know.

Clint picked me up today. He seems really tired, and kinda angry. I ask him about it, but all he says is that Natasha is being a pain in the ass. I shut up then for the rest of the way home. When I get in I make a cup of coffee for Tony and take it down to his lab. "What are you doing home so early Pepper?" He's reading through some information on a screen.

After a couple of seconds I say "It's me." And set down the coffee cup. He turns quickly and I see what it says on his screen before he closes it. Hayley Davis. "Are you looking up my friends?" I say quietly, angrily. He doesn't reply, confirming my suspicions. "WHY? WHY DO YOU NEED TO DO THAT? Can't you accept that they're my friends before looking up every single bit of their life story?" I storm out, change and go up to the gym. I guess some bonds break sometimes.

I'm so angry and I need to take it all out on something, anything. A punching bag will probably suffice. Natasha's already in there but I ignore her I'm too angry. It's my life. They don't even know who Tony is to me. Natasha has some music playing, and though I say nothing about it, some song comes on and she freezes before shutting it off. I know something's wrong when she just stops and sits down in front of the bag, wincing as the momentum hits her in the face again and again.

"Natasha what's wrong?" I ask, walking over and stopping the bag

"It doesn't matter. What's wrong with you?" She replies, wiping her face.

"Tony... I'm angry at Tony. What's wrong, Natasha?" I press the issue.

"Clint... Clint and I had a disagreement. I've told him, I don't need him to save me. I'm a big girl, a bloody assassin, not a damsel in fucking distress." Even the strongest bonds must break then. They've been through everything together. What happened? I'm not going to ask, but I still need to know.

"What a prat." I'm not sure I mean it, but it seems to be what Natasha needs right now as she smiles. Maybe we can help each other through this.