IronWidow fanfiction: Time Bomb

Ten

Natasha tried to walk away but Tony grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him. She struggled but then let herself be pulled. It was inevitable that they'd had to speak sooner or later and she'd rather it not be in front of half of SHIELD. This corner of the helicarrier was as quiet as the air-ship got.

"What, Stark?" She snapped. "I'm busy. I've got to give Fury a report on everything that happened yesterday. And last night."

"I don't want that all over SHIELD's database. Someone might find it," Tony said. She rolled her eyes.

"I thought you were used to one-night stands being on the front of magazines," she retorted.

"One-night stands? Nat..."

"You told JARVIS to make sure I would leave?"

"That isn't how it sounds-" Tony began.

"Then what is it? And tell the truth, Tony, or I'll have to force it out of you." Natasha said. A passing agent glanced over, alarmed, but she glared at him and he hurried on.

"Pepper's home today and-"

Natasha slapped him. He wasn't prepared so he went reeling back, holding his cheek. Clint came rushing over and she guessed that he had been watching them the whole time. The one comforting thing about Clint's protective side was that she knew her partner always had her back. Unlike this jerk of a billionaire.

"You'd better not hurt her again, Stark. Unless you want me to knock your teeth out and break your nose." Clint said and put his arm round Natasha's shoulders.

Tony looked at how Natasha seemed to melt into Clint's hold and sighed. Of course she would eventually end up with the archer. He had probably ensured their relationship now. He didn't think much would change for them. A few agents had told him that Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton were best friends. He knew her like no-one else did. But I want to know her.

"Are we going to tell Fury?" Natasha asked him and he snapped out of his thoughts.

"About last night? No. Not even about yesterday. Officially, we'll tell him that a wild animal got on board. Someone must have gassed out the carrier with sleeping gas and we shot the animal and threw it out. I've already paid someone to dispose of all the bodies and change the witnesses' minds." Tony frowned. Something about the last day didn't make sense. He had told Fury HYDRA. But HYDRA were gone. It seemed like a HYDRA move. And he'd found things in the computer. He was suspicious of everyone now.

Except these two. Despite not knowing them properly, Tony knew that he could trust them. Natasha would never turn her back on the agency that gave her a second chance and Barton would never do anything that would hurt Natasha.

"Tony? Tony!" Natasha shook his arm and he blinked. "You need to start telling us what you're thinking and stop blanking out."

"I'm thinking..." He took a deep breath. He had to protect her and her knowing about HYDRA wouldn't do that. "I'm thinking that you two make a lovely couple," he said and walked off.