Sorry about the late update, I was out all night last night and only got in this morning! And I'm super glad everyone likes this so far, to answer some questions, Clint will definitely play a bigger part and yes, she will eventually tell them about the Red Room. For a while it will just be little things she lets slip but she'll work up to it, she's not sure if she can trust them yet! Enjoy!

That night Natasha braided her hair and wore the barrette to dinner in order to look her best. She was still not sure about Steve but as he was nothing but friendly to her she could find no reason to be overly cold to him. She was polite and found a special interest in Clint. There was something so wonderful about talking to some one who only tried to make her laugh.

Thor too was good about it. She thought it was funny how he called her a little maiden. He had a funny way of talking that she liked. It seemed quaint.

After dinner there was a bang outside the living room that made her think of weapon fire. Instead a man came in. He walked fast and with quick even strides. She had never seen a person like him before.

"Alright!" He said, throwing open the door to the balcony. "I'm back, anyone wanna tell me what the hell Steve was talking about the other day? Natasha's a kid?" He looked around the living room and spotted her sitting on the couch. Her eyes were wide with alarm. She looked positively ready to spring away.

Steve stood up quickly. "Tony-"

Tony waved him off and strode up to Natasha and holding out his hand. "Tony Stark." He said.

She almost jutted her jaw out she was so on edge but she shook his hand. "Natalia."

"Natalia, nice to meet you." He then turned to the others. "Well I'm going to go take a shower, I just flew back from China in the suit and I am beat. I'll see you guys later."

As soon as he was was gone Natasha looked to Bruce for answers.

"I'm sorry about that." He said. "Tony's a fast talker and well. . . he likes to do everything fast. Also, I don't think he's spent much time around kids."

She nodded, willing to give him a chance but not at all sure she would like him. He seemed too fast and just too much. She returned to the game of checkers she was playing with Thor, now keeping an eye on the door for his return.

"Please don't hold it against him. He's a little hard to take but for the most part he means well." Steve said. She noticed his hesitation and wondered what it meant. Maybe the two were at odds.

When tony returned he waited a moment before entering the living room. The truth was that he had taken his time getting back, somehow hoping that they would find a way to restore her before he got there. He watched her play checkers with Thor, the god was laughing as she held her own. He looked proud to have found an opponent in someone so young. In an instant Tony's eyes met Natasha's. She gazed at him wide eyes. In fact her gaze was so intense he had to blink. He gave her a small smile which she did not return. Instead she just looked away.

Carefully he made his way into the room and sank onto the couch. "How was China?" Bruce asked.

Tony shrugged. "Meh, I mostly saw the inside of a hotel. That and a conference room. Not a lot to do there."

"Why didn't you fly back commercial?"

"And sit next to the fat guy?"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "You fly first class. You don't sit next to anyone."

Tony grinned. "True."

Steve smiled. "I don't really like flying either. Too cramped."

"First class could fix that."

He shrugged. "I like the people."

Tony shook his head like he didn't get it.

Across the room Natasha watched these interactions closely. She wasn't sure what to make of the new comer. Everything he did seemed very fast and he flitted from one subject to the next with rapid speed. She was a little taken aback by the way he dominated the conversation. Once or twice he caught her looking and she would quickly look away. If he thought she was spying he would say something. She was sure he would. But so far he hadn't.

The evening wore on and Thor defeated Natasha twice at checkers. Both times were narrow defeats. He had been surprised how fast she had picked up the game considering it as her first time playing. In a few more games she might even beat him. But for now he was winning.

When it got late Bruce sent her off to bed and she went without a second thought. There was little in her mind that actively thought disobeying them was a good idea. She still could not gauge how strict they were. She had done nothing to push them and so everything had stayed friendly. She wondered how long that could last.

As she climbed into bed she thought about all of the other girls back in the red room and a small part of her was glad that she was not there. Things were hard there and she was never given the freedom to sit and draw or sit and watch television. She didn't even like most of the other girls. There was no love bred between them. They were taught to have a sense of unity but they were taught to out do one another. Taught to survive.

The people here were all on a team and they all shared meals ad spent evenings together. She found it different. They were so unlike anyone she had ever met before.

She lay back thinking. She wasn't sure she liked feeling like this. Feeling warm and full and in a small way safe. She couldn't explain it but she didn't feel like she deserved it. Yet she waned to.

Really sorry this chapter is so short, I promise the next one is much longer! The next one is a big Nat and Clint chapter! They spend the day together and she has to make some big decisions.

Thanks for reading!