AN: Have a good weekend everyone. Many thanks to my Beta MegaDiary123. Also, I just remembered... I changed the timeline of Iron Man 2 a little bit, because Skye was hurt in Monaco and they didn't return to the US at the same time as in the movie. So, I delayed Tony's birthday party a whole day as well. I know it's a minor detail, I just wanted to let you know in case you watched the movie recently. Please, enjoy :)

All rights go to Marvel

Skye's POV

The night was not as long as I thought it would be. Since I had slept on the way back, on the jet, I was waiting for my batteries to be fully charged when we arrived at the mansion. I didn't know whether it was the talk with Natasha that exhausted me, or if it was my system trying to heal up as quickly as possible.

I continued talking with my sister, but I dozed off. I had dozed off now at least 3 times in the last couple of days and I didn't want to make a habit out of it. But, as tiredness took over, I didn't even try to fight it off. I closed my eyes, while I was leaning back on the wall next to my bed. When I woke I was tucked in my blankets and lying down on the bed, with a pillow under my head. This brought a small smile on my face and it reminded me the way that I had woken up in the Starks jet. Pepper must have been the one who did that. I should really thank her for that.

I got out of the bed, changed with quite a bit of difficulty because of my slanged arm and broken ribs, which protested whenever I lifted my hand above my shoulder's length. Finally, after what seems forever, I made my way downstairs.

The previous day's chaos still existed, only on a much smaller scale.

Pepper and Natasha were in the living room, sitting on opposite sofas, as papers were spread all around them. They would occasionally speak to one another, and continue their work in silence. The tips of my mouth titled up while I was looking at them. They were really good partners. And with Natasha taking undercover as seriously as she did, I had no doubt that she was helping Pepper as much as possible, which was way more than any other assistant would have.

"Hey, you're up" Pepper's voice echoed through the room, making me focus back on the present. "How are you feeling?" She asked as she got up and made her way to where I was standing.

"I'm feeling fine, thanks for asking. I also wanted to thank you for taking care of me in the jet" I said with genuine words.

"Please" she waved my thanks off with a wave of her hand. "It was nothing you should thank me for. It was the least that I could do" she carefully and hesitantly wrapped her arms around me. Just as hesitantly I placed my right hand on her back. "I'm just really glad that you are okay. If you need anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate to ask" she quietly said in my ear so that Natasha wouldn't hear.

My gaze darted to my sister's direction who was still working on her papers, but I could see that she was watching us from the corner of her eye. "I've got everything I need, don't worry" I replied a little louder than the tone that Pepper previously used. The brief smile on Natasha's lips was all I needed to see. I moved back, letting Pepper know that she could unwrap her hands from around me.

"Any plans for today?" She asked as she walked back to the sofa that she was previously sitting on.

"It's Stark's birthday party tonight, isn't it?"

"Exactly, so are you gonna go shopping? Wear something nice for a change tonight?" She had a playful tone in her voice that I had to hear since before she became CEO.

However, I shook my head as I said, "I wouldn't feel comfortable going out in the public so soon after the incident. Maybe you could arrange something for me and I'll give you the money?" I asked, knowing that she wouldn't leave such an opportunity escape her grasps. I saw a huge smile that was reaching her ears appear on her face and it warmed my heart. After all that was going on ever since she became in charge she deserved something more relaxing that would brighten up her day a little bit. And since she would never loose time to go for a massage, this would have to do.

"I will definitely do so" she declared. "And don't worry about the bill, I'll take care of it".

"No, please. I cannot accept you paying for it as well. You've done enough" I told her, with a stern voice and pleading eyes to not pressure the subject more.

"Fine" she ended up giving in with a long sigh. "But, if not for the shopping, what are you going to do until the time for the party arrives?"

I rubbed my neck with my good hand in this question. I had really not thought about what I was going to do all day and I was not allowed to go back to work just yet. There were also some things that I would like to discuss with Natasha, but I could not in front of Pepper. As if hit by lightning, my eyes sparked with the fresh idea that came to my mind.

"I could help Ms. Rushman get used to the Industries' technology. Walk her through the several servers so that she is more used to our systems and the way they work. It will make both your lives much easier if she can fill paperwork and find archives as fast as possible?" I tried, not sure how convincing I would be.

"Skye…" Pepper glared with her look that let me know she was serious.

"Hear me out. I will not work, I promise. And Ms. Rushman can make sure that I stay well away from the computers. I will just guide her and show her how everything works" I turned to look to Natasha, nodding and hoping that she got my message.

"I will make sure that she doesn't strain herself. Truth is I could use some help learning how exactly the system is ran in the company" Natasha's voice seemed so ill and faked in my ears. But Pepper appeared to be satisfied with the answer and seemed to trust Natasha, or should I say Natalie, enough to keep an eye on me, so she nodded. "Lead the way Ms. Skye" came the assistant's next words.

"Please, call me Skye" I said back and started heading to the main computer room of the mansion, where I had more freedom in working with multiple computers at the same time.

"Then please, feel free to call me Natalie" she instantly replied, making sure that we were within Pepper's hearing range so that she knew what was going on. It would be really awkward if we started talking to each other in the first person with no explanation to the CEO. Presumably, we had only met the previous day when she waited for me to wake up at the hospital.

The moment we stepped into the desired location the door behind us was closed and the recording system switched off just like the previous night.

After neither of us spoke for a few minutes, Nat broke the silence. "We both know that I am an expert with the computers" at that I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Fine. Maybe a little less of an expert than you are. So, what do you want to talk about? You know, I really need to do some of the paperwork because otherwise my position as Potts' assistant won't last long and if you haven't figured it out already, Stark needs monitoring" she said all with one breath.

After a couple of moments contemplating how I should start, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You know I was expecting more questions from you, right?"

"We both know that you weren't going to answer any of them if you didn't want to. So what's the point of even asking?" She scoffed and leaned on the wall with her arms wrapped against her chest. "You can ask away though. Unless it's classified I don't see a reason why I wouldn't be able to answer your questions" she pointed at a rolling chair for me to seat, since my ribs had started to hurt. I gladly did as I was told, which brought a concerning look wash over Natasha's features. "You okay? Need me to get some ice?" She had already moved from the wall and was next to the door, ready to exit instantly if need be.

"No, no, I'm fine. Just sit" I tried to reassure her. I knew that she wasn't convinced but she didn't argue, though she stayed by the door, just in case.

There were a million questions and alternatives going through my mind at that point. What could happen in the future, what happened in the past, as well as what was going on right now. I knew that many of my choices had affected the people around me and I didn't want that to happen to the people that I cared again. Not if it was something that I could control.

"What's going on Skye? What's wrong?" Natasha had come close to me and was crouching down, placing a hand on my knee. To my credit I didn't flinch or show how lost I was in my own thoughts. It was a habit that both she and Hill had tried to make disappear but neither had succeeded. Without thinking about it too much, I placed my hand on top of hers and smiled sadly. "I don't want to lose you again" was all I said and Nat understood right away.

"You are not–"

"You cannot promise that" I interrupted before she even formed a sentence that I knew would be her immediate answer. "You cannot promise that once S.H.I.E.L.D. learns about me that they won't separate us. And I know that you won't tell them about me until I allow you to, which is why they have yet to run through the doors" at that I squeezed my hand and my sister did the same. "But I cannot make you keep such a secret when it would mean endangering your position. So, we will go together to the director for me to explain myself once all of this is over. But not before I make sure that Pepper is fine, because in case you haven't noticed Stark is quite a handful, wouldn't you think?" I smirked and was glad to receive a laugh as a reply.

"Of course" Nat reassured and stroked my knee with her thumb. Then she moved in her position a little bit and I knew that a question was coming. "Why do you care about her so much?"

I contemplated the answer for quite a while. Not really sure how to put the feelings that I had for Pepper into words. It was a more complicated situation than I had initially thought it would be. Plus, I had never imagined meeting someone like her after all the years I had spent alone. "I don't know" I started absent minded. I let out a small laugh and leaned further back into my chair. "I honestly don't. I just know that I do"

I was relieved to see Natasha wearing a smile on her face and not being hurt by this statement. "I guess she reminds me of Mel sometimes".

With that a pair of laughter echoed through the room. "Yeah" Nat said between breaths. "Ι guess you could say that", she added only I didn't hear the strain in her voice.