Alright, this chapter is chock full of good stuff, so here it is...chapter 32!

Come Monday morning, Natasha had all of the forms filled out, her checks for her enrollment and housing deposits written out, and all of it was sealed away in the envelope NYU had provided for her. As she drove to school that morning, she swung by the post office to slip the envelope into the outgoing mail so that NYU would receive it as soon as possible.

Before she had left for school, she also swung by Clint's house to say goodbye to him. He was already missing his eight a.m. class, but he had to get back in time for his 3:00 class later that day. He gave her a kiss, his lips lingering on hers, and whispered in her ear how proud he was of her before he got in his parents' car and headed back to State College.

Natasha didn't feel as skittish as she used to when she watched Clint leave for State College, especially since he would be going back for the long stretch until exams, and then he'd be home for the summer. However, thinking about the upcoming summer months they had together made Natasha a little sad. They would have so much distance between them that she was scared she was going to screw it up again.

She also felt bad that the first weekend he would be home after his final exams wrapped up she would be at prom with someone else. Even though Clint said he was okay with it, there definitely had to be a part of him that wanted her to go alone over going with someone other than him. The fact that the façade he put on for her was super accepting of the situation made her feel like such a horrible person.

In the weeks leading up to Clint's return home for the summer and prom, Natasha was far too busy with arranging her housing at NYU for the fall, filling out scholarship applications that would be awarded to students on Moving Up Day, and working on end-of-year assignments. She also had to schedule to get her hair done the day of prom, as well as get the oil changed in her car. The fact that all of these tasks kept her busy and kept her mind off of Clint's absence made her feel better.

However, every time she talked to Clint, she felt extremely suspicious of his behavior. He was extremely aloof and distant when it came to talking about NYU with her. One time she had called him and it sounded like he was in a big city because she heard the honk of various car horns in the background.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"Oh, umm, Pittsburgh. I'm in Pittsburgh visiting Barney," Clint answered anxiously.

"No really Clint. Where are you?" she asked. She didn't quite buy that first response.

"I told you. I'm in Pittsburgh visiting Barney," he snapped.

"Okay, okay," she said and then quickly changed the subject.

For some reason, she didn't quite believe him and she got nervous that he was going to try to get back at her for breaking up with him back in September.

No, that's ridiculous, Natasha thought to herself when the thought had crossed her mind. Clint would never do that.

But she reminded herself that she trusted Clint and she was going to quit doubting him. She couldn't be paranoid that he was lying to her about something. Whatever it was, however, Natasha wanted to know. Did it have to do with that "plan" he was concocting to make their relationship work in the fall? He hadn't mentioned it since that day when she found out she got accepted to NYU so she was extremely suspicious that whatever he was doing, it had something to do with his "plan." The anticipation was killing her and she just couldn't wait to find out what he was up to.

Before Natasha knew it, Clint was home for the summer, but that also meant that prom was that weekend. She still felt incredibly terrible that Clint wasn't going to her senior prom with her, but Bruce was a nice guy and she supposed that if she was going to go with anyone other than Clint, it would be Bruce.

She awoke with a start when her alarm went off at 9:00 a.m. the morning of prom. She needed plenty of time to eat breakfast, get dressed, and get to the salon in town for her appointment at 11:00. As she was getting dressed, she heard her phone ring and she quickly ran to her bedside table to check it. It was a text message from Clint and she couldn't help but smile when she read it.

I hope you don't look as beautiful for Bruce tonight as you did for me last year, it read. I'll meet you at Peggy's house later for pictures. I love you.

The guilt that she wasn't taking him as her date washed over her once again. Even though she knew he was okay with Bruce being her date, she still couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. When Bruce had asked her to prom, Natasha and Clint were at a strange time in rekindling their relationship. They were pretty much in the "are they or aren't they" stage at the time, so it was perfectly okay for her to accept Bruce's prom proposal. Now, she couldn't help but feel terrible that she was leaving Clint behind. Sure they had gone to prom together last year, but it still made her feel guilty that she was going with Bruce.

When she collected her thoughts and brought herself back to reality, she gathered up her belongings and headed into town for her hair appointment. She figured she'd have the same hairstyle done as she did last year: pulled back into an intricate bun with a few stray curls falling in her face.

She settled into her chair and popped in her iPod earphones, setting the volume low in case the girl working on her hair needed to ask questions. It felt like déjà vu as the girl tugged her hair behind her head and doused it with hair spray to make it stick together. Before Natasha knew it, her hair was put together. She paid the salon for their services and then headed back home to relax before she had to get ready.

Everyone was going to congregate at Peggy's house before prom at 3:00, just like last year when they had met up at Steve's house beforehand. Like last year, Natasha occupied the bathroom at 2:00 to put her war paint on and fix any pieces of hair that had fallen out since she returned from the salon. Once she was finished in the bathroom, she went to her room and carefully stepped into her dress, zipping it up on the side, and fixing it in the places it didn't feel right. By the time she had everything the way she wanted it, she slipped on her shoes, grabbed her bag filled with her personal belongings, and headed out to her car to drive herself to Peggy's house.

When she had arrived at Peggy's house, Clint's car wasn't there yet, but Peggy, Jane, Thor, and Steve were all gathered on Peggy's front porch, joking around. For someone who was incredibly shy and kept to himself, Bruce was laughing along with the rest of the group as if he naturally belonged with them.

Natasha stepped out of the car and Bruce immediately perked up. He stood up straight when Natasha approached the group on the front porch and she greeted them with a hello.

"H-hey Natasha," Bruce stuttered.

"Hey Bruce. You look nice," she said.

"Thanks. You look…great," he said. He then bent down and picked up the corsage that was packaged in the plastic container.

"I couldn't find a blue flower the shade of blue like your dress, so I just got a white one," Bruce mumbled.

"Thanks Bruce. That's really sweet of you," she said. Bruce popped open the container and gently slipped the corsage onto Natasha's wrist. When Bruce slipped the corsage onto Natasha's wrist, Clint had pulled into Peggy's driveway. Natasha immediately turned around to see Clint getting out of his car and making his way towards her on Peggy's front porch. When he assessed her, he looked like he was concentrating, but he finally nodded in approval.

"I like this one, but I prefer last year's dress," Clint joked as Natasha playfully smacked him on the arm.

Thor, Steve, Peggy, Jane, and Bruce's parents made an appearance and herded the teens into position for pictures. When Clint went to walk away and get out of the frame, Natasha grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back into the group. Just because he wasn't going didn't mean he had to be left out of the pictures.

As they posed and mugged for the cameras, Natasha kept Clint close. She was trying to make up for not taking him to prom by making him be in as many pictures as possible, but her plan was foiled when the parents wanted pictures of the couples, the boys, and the girls.

When they had finished taking pictures, Natasha had several white spots dancing in front of her eyes from the flash of the cameras and it felt like her mouth was going to be in a permanent smile. They checked the time and decided it was the right time to head over to the Stroudsmoor for prom. They headed over to Peggy's driveway and started to pile into their cars.

"Hey, Steve! Thor! Keep an eye on her!" Clint shouted across the driveway, pointing above Natasha's head. Natasha spun around and punched Clint the arm, to which he replied with an "ow!"

"Don't be an ass," she said just before he attacked her with his lips.

"Save me a dance for afterwards?" he asked. Before Clint had moved back home for the summer, they had talked on the phone about what they were going to do his first weekend home since Natasha would be at prom. They had eventually settled on her staying over at Clint's house afterwards and so they could go together when they met up with Peggy, Jane, Steve, and Thor for breakfast the next morning.

"I promise," she said and then slid into the driver's seat of her car. She rolled down the passenger side window as Bruce passed by.

"Bruce, get in the car!" she shouted at him. Bruce looked at her in confusion.

"What about my car?" he asked.

"Leave it here. Jane's leaving her car here. I can drop you off after prom to pick it up. Just get in," Natasha said.

Bruce slid into the passenger seat, and Natasha backed out of Peggy's driveway and followed the line of cars headed into town. Natasha and Bruce sat in silence until they were halfway to the Stroudsmoor.

"I'm sorry you have to go with me instead of Clint," Bruce mumbled, keeping his eyes locked on the windshield.

"Oh no Bruce. No, no, no, this is going to be great. I went with Clint last year so it's no big deal. He's a big boy. He can handle a couple hours without me," Natasha said, reassuring Bruce with a smile.

"I should've never asked you."

"Yes, you should have," Natasha said. "It doesn't matter who I go with. Jane made a valid point. I should be going to my senior prom because it's my senior prom. So we're going to have fun and that will be that."

Natasha hoped that her short speech had lifted Bruce's spirits a bit; she wanted him to have fun just like she wanted to have fun too.

Prom was being held in the same building at the Stroudsmoor as last year, Terraview, and the students parked their cars one by one into the vast parking lot in front of the castle-like building. Natasha pulled into the space right next to Peggy's car and they got out to join their friends as they headed towards the building.

Once again, the prom committee had managed to transform the most magnificent building in the resort into a prom cliché with balloon arches and a crappy DJ. They searched the vast room for their table and took their seats and started to chat before dinner was announced.

Natasha wasn't as impressed with prom this year as she was last year, and Steve, Thor, Jane, and Peggy felt the same way. Bruce was the only who was even remotely in awe. He couldn't stop talking about how great the food was and how clichéd the decorations were while the rest of his tablemates agreed with him.

After dinner, the DJ fired up the speakers started off the dancing with an upbeat pop song. Girls rushed to the dance floor dragging their dates behind them. Natasha got up and grabbed Bruce by the back of his jacket, dragging him onto the dance floor.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Getting you on the dance floor," she said. When they reached the dance floor, it took a couple songs for Bruce to loosen up but when he did, he danced just as awkwardly as Steve and Thor did. When the music slowed down to a slow song, Bruce tried to escape the dance floor but Natasha grabbed him by the jacket again and pulled him in to dance with her. His cheeks immediately turned red when she directed his hands to rest on her waist

"Oh my God, relax," she said to Bruce. "Clint's not going to kill you for a slow dance. I wouldn't let him."

The music sped up – to Bruce's relief Natasha could tell – and he immediately removed his hands from her waist. The group remained on the dance floor for a couple more songs until they decided it was time to take a break, and then pushed their way through the crowd. Natasha and Bruce were the last to break free when Natasha heard a shrill voice from behind her.

"Trouble in paradise Romanoff?" Natasha felt herself tense up. She knew that voice and she'd thought she'd been rid of the person the voice belongs to. In front of her, she saw Peggy, Jane, Steve, and Thor stop dead in their tracks and turn around to face Natasha. From beside Natasha, Bruce tensed up as well. Natasha decided it was time to turn around and face Bobbi Morse.

"What the fuck are you doing here Morse?" Natasha asked coldly.

"Can't a girl enjoy prom with one of your classmates who so graciously asked me to be their date?" Bobbi said innocently. "So Romanoff, are you and Barton dunzo? I really think it's my turn."

"Don't you have better things to do other than taunt me about my relationship with Clint? It's none of your business anyways."

"Well, you're at your senior prom with the science nerd, so I just figured you and Clint were over. I'd heard rumors so when I saw you here with Banner, I assumed they were true," Bobbi said.

"Someone call Clint. Tell him his girl's about to get in a throw down with Bobbi and he needs to get here pronto," Natasha heard Steve say behind her.

Natasha whipped her head around and stared down Steve. "If you call Clint, I will break your wrist. I can take care of myself," she snapped then turned her attention back to Bobbi.

"If you so much as think about him, I will kick your ass into next year Morse," Natasha said through gritted teeth.

"You can't protect what isn't yours anymore," Bobbi said, folding her arms across her chest. Natasha was seeing red, and she needed to let it out. She balled her right hand into a fist and then let it connect with Bobbi's face. As soon as Natasha knocked Bobbi flat on her ass, she felt Steve and Thor hold her back to prevent her from doing anything else she would regret.

Natasha pried herself from Steve and Thor's grip and then stomped off towards the table. She could feel Bruce on her heels as she headed towards the table.

"She was out of line Natasha," Bruce said.

"She's always out of line," Natasha said through clenched teeth.

"Go home to Clint," Bruce ordered, and she immediately turned to him with a confused expression on her face. But she had been so angry that she'd forgotten she was at prom. With Bruce. She was ruining their prom night.

"Oh shit, sorry Bruce. I'm so sorry," Natasha said calmly.

"Nope, it's okay," he said, gathering her things up from the table and handing them to her. "Go home to Clint. I think he'd be really proud to hear about that right hook that knocked out Bobbi. I know I am."

"Are you sure?" Natasha asked. "I can stay."

"Nope," Bruce said, shaking his head. "You knocking out Bobbi was the high point of my night so it's just downhill from here. Go home. And, umm, ice that hand. It might not hurt now but it will later."

"Are you positive?" Natasha asked.

Bruce chuckled. "Yes Natasha. Go. I'm sure Peggy or Thor can give me a ride back to Peggy's house to get my car."

"Okay," Natasha said. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be," Bruce said. Then Natasha walked forward and enveloped Bruce into a hug. She knew it would give Bobbi all the more reason to taunt her if Natasha ever saw her again, but it was just a simple hug. Bruce deserved at least that since she was leaving him at prom.

"Okay stop. Go home to Clint," Bruce said as he pushed her away. Natasha gave Bruce a quick wave and told him to tell Steve, Thor, Peggy, and Jane that she would see them tomorrow morning for breakfast. Natasha walked out of the building, the thump of the stereo system fading out the closer she got to her car.

When she pulled into Clint's driveway, she could see him standing on his front porch with a lumpy item in his hand. As she was driving to his house, she could feel the effects of the right hook start to take its toll. Her hand was sore and she had to continually flex her fingers to make sure nothing was damaged. She stepped out of the car – grabbing the bag she had packed for her overnight stay at Clint's house from the passenger seat – and shook the pain from her hand as she walked up the driveway.

"Steve called, said you might need this," Clint said when she approached the steps. He handed her the lumpy item he was holding, which was a plastic bag filled with ice.

"Thanks," she said, taking the bag of ice and putting it on her hand. The cool sensation felt great again her sore hand and she let out a sigh of relief.

"I told you. You've got to stop letting her get to you," Clint said.

Natasha shrugged. "I think she got the message that she shouldn't fuck around with me anymore."

"Alright, alright, now that you've got that out of your system, come with me," Clint said, grabbing her left hand, leading her down the porch steps, and around the back of the house.

"Clint, what are we do - ," she started but was cut short when she saw the scenery that was laid out in front of her. Just on the edge the woods, behind Clint's house, was something that looked like it was a scene straight out a romance movie. Strung between several trees was mosquito netting that acted as a canopy to shelter the bed of blankets that were placed underneath. Those white twinkle lights that Clint seemed to be so fond of were strung just underneath the mosquito netting to illuminate the scene. Hundreds of simple white candles outlined a path to the edge of the woods.

"Aw, Clint," she said, wrapping her left around his right one and leaned her head against his shoulder. Clint kissed the top of her head and grabbed her bag off of her shoulder. He slung it across his chest and then swept her from the ground and into his arms.

"You promised me the last dance of the evening, so I decided to take it up a notch," he said as he walked down the path leading to the edge of the woods. He set her back down on the ground and picked up a small remote from the ground by the bed. Natasha wasn't quite sure where it was coming from but she heard the opening line of Florence & the Machine's "Never Let Me Go" echoing throughout Clint's backyard.

"It's still our song despite what happened," he said, pulling her close. He took her right hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the pain and soreness away from her knuckles. Then, she looped her arms around his torso and then rested her head against his chest as they began to sway to the music.

"What exactly did you plan on accomplishing with this romantic gesture, Barton?" she teased.

"Can't a guy and his girlfriend have a romantic night under the stars?" Clint asked sarcastically.

"Whatever you say, Cupid."

What can I say, I just love throwing Bobbi in the mix for the drama aspect. And Clint, my dear, your behavior is awfully suspicious. What exactly is your "plan?" Hmmm, so many burning questions.

Sadly, I think my story is going to be finished at chapter 35. I think. But don't worry dear readers. I have another Clintasha fic that I'm trying to concoct when this one is finished. I'll give you more details in the final chapter of this story if you're interested.

As always, thanks for adding this story to your favorites, signing up for alerts, and reviewing. I'll always love reading your reviews so review away. Let me know what you think of Clint's suspicious behavior, Natasha's senior prom (and Natasha knocking Bobbi flat on her ass), and Clint's romantic gesture.