So the second week of college was slightly more stressful. I had two essays due by Sunday and I wanted to finish them up before the weekend. Sorry it took me a little longer to post! Happy Labor Day!

Chapter Forty

Clint

Nat had already put the twins down for the night and we were resting on the couch, two empty glasses that had once been full of wine sitting on the coffee table in front of us. Nat's head was against my chest, her eyes closed like they had been for the past half hour. A baseball game was on, but I wasn't paying attention.

My fingers tapped on the arm of the couch, the alcohol doing nothing for my nerves. What should have been a peaceful night with my wife was infiltrated by perturbed (and I admit, irrational) thoughts. I had resisted the urge to so much as text Hannah for the last hour, and it was starting to grate on me. Shouldn't I be checking up on them or something?

"I think you've gotten worse at hiding your emotions." Nat mentioned casually, her eyes still closed.

So she wasn't asleep.

"I'm fine."

"Your heart rate is speeding up, which means you're lying." Even with her eyelids shut, the intensity of her gaze was overbearing.

I knew it was foolish to lie to her, but being me, I wasn't going to admit that something was bothering me easily.

"I'm hooked on a feeling,

I'm high on believing,

That you're in love with me!"

My phone buzzed obnoxiously, the sound of my ringtone belting through the living room. I pulled out my phone, rolling my eyes as I saw the image on the screen.

Stark.

Nat opened her eyes, staring at me with irritation.

I was suddenly overwhelmingly thankful as I pressed the green button to answer the phone. Tony had called me in the nick of time and saved me from a less than pleasant conversation with my wife.

"Hey, little birdie." Tony's voice said over the line. The nickname made me want to take back any good feelings I had just had towards him.

"Tony, don't you dare..." Bruce's voice was drowned out on the other line by Tony.

"The guys and I were wondering how the date was going."

"How am I supposed to know?" The subject immediately set me back on edge.

"Ummm...duh, you're her uncle/ father figure. It's your duty to know where they're at at all times."

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not going to do that, Stark."

"For all you know, they could be skipping the movie and making out in my car right now."

I hadn't thought of that. Alone. In a car. Romantic 40s music, knowing Steve. Tinted windows. Privacy.

What have I done?!

I had just given them the perfect opportunity to have a make out session. Why did I have to insist on them taking a car? I should have let them take the Harley when I had the chance.

Stark must have taken my silence as a moment of sheer panic, saying, "So, you going to help us spy on them?"

A spy mission? Not a bad idea. We could sneak easily spy on them and watch for any inconsistencies in their dating plan. And if anything happened, then kapowie! Steve would be toast and then I could lock Hannah up in her room for the rest of her life. That was realistic enough, right?

Now to make a good diversion from my wife. If she found out, she'd whack me upside the head for my lack of faith in the two. But she didn't know men like I did. In a moment's notice, their hormones were out of control. And between Cap's raging male instinct and Hannah's sweet nature, well, I was not going to leave them alone anywhere in a dark room for one second.

"Eh, I'll think about it." I replied dully.

Tony caught the subtle message in my tone.

"Gotcha. See you in thirty."

I hung up on the phone, Nat watching me intently.

"Who was that?"

"Stark." At least that part I didn't lie to her about that. "He and the guys want to go out and play paintball."

I prayed my heart wasn't beating fast enough for her to notice my lie.

"You should go. It might help ease your tension."

There was a peculiar glint in her eye as she said it, like there was more to her statement than she would let on.

"What?"

"You know, it might help you sleep better tonight."

Wait, was I just giving me a free pass to spy on my niece?

No. That couldn't be right. She trusts them.

I raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"And please, let me know how the game goes when you get back. I want to know how well my two favorite players did."

Yep, free ride.

"Alright. I'll see you later."

I quickly pulled on some old jeans, shirt and hat and headed out, leaving Nat on the couch watching one of those sappy chick-flicks.

"And remember, just this once." She remarked as the elevator doors opened.

"Yes, dear." The doors closed behind me and the elevator lurched up to Stark's floor, where we would quickly make our game plan and keep a sharp eye on the two lovebirds.

I still couldn't believe she was letting me do this.

Was she worried too?

I shook my head. Nat wouldn't be worried.

Or would she?

Hannah

I shifted in my chair uncomfortably for about the tenth time that evening. Not because I was nervous about being alone with Steve in a dark movie theater or anything like that. I was happier than I ever thought I would feel on a first date. We had almost missed the movie because we talked for so long at the diner and, even now in the darkness of the movie theater, I could barely keep my eyes off of him. His arm was gracefully wrapped around me, his forefinger twirling my hair absent-mindedly. My head rested contentedly on his shoulder, our minds miles away from the film in front of us.

But there was a constant nagging as the time wore on, like someone was watching us. Who? I had no clue. It was too dark in the movie theater to see.

What if it's HYDRA? Or some crazy lunatic?

I shuddered, images of the Dark Hand and crazed terrorists filling my head. I tried to push them away, thinking myself silly or paranoid. I tried to dig into the popcorn, but I only ended up grinding my teeth as my thoughts persisted.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Steve." I whispered. At that moment, a large bang erupted from the movie and I had to jerk on his jacket. He leaned his head close to mine.

"What?"

"I think there's someone staring at us."

He shifted his gaze, turning his neck slightly over his shoulder. A few seconds later he turned his head back.

With a sigh, he answered my questioning stare, "We're being spied on."

Funny-he didn't act tense. I assumed he would have been nervous about something like this.

"HYDRA?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Worse. Our team."

"'Figures."

I imitated Steve's motion, tilting my head slightly, and scanned for anyone that might resemble my uncle and anyone else who had decided to tag along. Sure enough, there they were, hidden in the middle of a large band of people; Thor happily munching on a humongous bowl of popcorn, Tony trying to grasp a few pieces in-between the Asgardian's large scoops. Bruce was sunk back in his chair, sipping on some kind of refreshment. My uncle sat in the middle of them, pretending to be watching the movie, but his eyes were probably flicking over every once in a while, watching to see if we were making out or something of that nature. I turned back, hoping he hadn't noticed me.

I rolled my eyes at the whole thing and resumed my original position on Steve's shoulder.

It's not like I'm sixteen. I'm a grown woman. I can do whatever I please.

And then the evil seed was planted in my mind and I knew I couldn't resist.

"Steve." I tugged on him a second time, a mischievous grin on my face. "What do you say we really give them something to spy on?"

Steve got the gist quickly, leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. It took all of three seconds before a loud voice cried,

"HANNAH ELIZABETH BARTON!"

Clint

I had had the attention of the whole movie theater. What I had thought would be a little spy mission had turned into a complete catastrophe.

"Did you see that?" I gasped in the car on the way back.

"Calm down." Thor instructed. "Don't make me have to silence you, too."

Thor had dragged me out of the room, the looks of victory practically glowing off the faces of Cap and my niece as the theater doors shut behind us. I had wanted to go back in there, demanding that I had a right to spy on them since the couple had pulled that little stunt back there. Needless to say, I had been shoved in-between an Asgardian and a man who had the potential to turn into an enormous green-rage monster in the car, making any attempts to try and watch the two further an impossibility as we drove back home.

Bruce adjusted his glasses. "Honestly, Clint, I don't see why you're so upset. They've already done it once."

"Don't remind me." I sat back in my seat and crossed my arms. This is NOT what I had planned for this mission.

"I may not be one for giving dating advice..."

"Then don't." I interrupted Stark. The last thing I needed was a billionaire, genius, ex-playboy and philanthropist tell me about what I should do about a dating twenty-two-year-old. But he continued anyway.

"Hannah's grown up. She has a good set of parents-and additional family-that have taught her right from wrong. She's a good girl. And really, Captain America? Capsicle won't make a move on her."

He was right-about the good parenting, I mean. Hannah had always been a good girl. She'd always been responsible. And Cap...well...he was a guy. It's not like I wouldn't have worried with her dating any other guy.

But he's a good one.

Admittedly, Steve was one of the better men that existed on this planet...

The best one, actually.

I guess if I could have picked anyone to date my niece, it would be him. But never should anyone expect me to admit it. As I climbed into bed that night, Nat shifted in the bed beside me.

"So how did my two favorite players do?"

I sighed.

"They won."

So, did you all think Natasha was really worried about the two? And what did you all think of Clint's reaction in the movie theater? Thanks for reading!