Lightening's Shadow

Chapter Four

On the final day of submissions, Nat sent out an email to thank everybody who took part and to inform them that she would be announcing the winner and runners up at the end of the day. She quickly publicised each advertisement, printing hundreds out to spread around the town after she'd finished work. She opened up the shop with a wink to 'Josh', having watched his business slowly get more customers over the week. She hummed to herself as she flicked the lights on, and opened her door for the day, sitting down on the counter cross legged.

The day passed in a blur until she was closing up again, having announced the winner and runners up to the competition and allowed them to choose their prizes.

Natasha looked up when there was a knock on the door to see 'Josh' with a bunch of flowers clasped in one hand. She smiled and unlocked it, letting him in.

"What can I do for you, Josh?" She asked and he grinned at her.

"I saw all the adverts you put online. I, uh, I wanted to thank you. So I brought you some flowers, and I was thinking I could maybe get you a coffee." He said with yet another goofy grin. She chuckled and took the flowers, heading into the back of the store to find a vase and fill it with water, using her nails to pick off extra leaves and she snapped the stalks where they were too long, before placing them in the vase and the vase on the counter.

"Where are we headed?" She asked, grabbing her jacket and following him out, shutting and locking the door.

"There's this awesome little place nearby, it's not a huge chain or anything, but the coffee there is the best." Thor said with a grin and Nat smiles at him, letting him lead the way to this little coffee shop, called The God's Own.

"Oh, hey, Josh! What can I get you today?" The friendly barista, Nat couldn't quite make out her name, asked, and she realised quickly that 'Josh' was a regular.

"Oh, I'll just have my usual. Nat?"

She broke from her stare at one of the many boards around the shop.

"Just your strongest coffee in the biggest cup you've got." She said with a grin and the barista laughed, her nails clacking against the till screen. Nat smiles at the engagement ring on her finger. "Congratulations."

"Oh! Thank you! I was so happy when she proposed to me, it was the best moment of my life!" The barista grinned. "Are you two paying separately?"

"No, I've got it." Thor said quickly, making Nat roll her eyes. "Cmon, it's the least I can do for you after everything you've done." He added and she nodded, giving in.

"I'll go sit down. Is there an upstairs?" The barista nodded her head and Nat gave Thor a quick smile before finding the staircase and making her way up. She sat down in a comfy chair in the corner, looking out the window and frowning at the sight of a SHIELD helicopter. She groaned, realising they'd sent yet another person to try to talk to her.

"Miss me, Agent Romanoff?" She turned back to see Tony stood at the top of the stairs.

"I'm busy, Stark." She said firmly, which he ignored by coming to sit down next to her. She bristled, knowing she couldn't do anything without alerting 'Josh' downstairs.

"Fury's dropped the case against you, for now. Barton called you at the right point for you to have an alibi for at least one killing."

"Who was it?" She asked softly, still caring for most of the team and a lot of the agents that worked for the company. Tony softened slightly when he realised that there was no way it could be her.

"Coulson." He said softly and she flinched, running a hand through her hair.

"He was a good one. I actually liked him." She said with a small smile. "But, Tony, please, I'm busy. Please don't let my new life get caught up in all of this." She asked with a pleading stare and he relented.

"Barton's still gonna call you in two days. Just... please just come in. At least to see us all. We miss you, Nat." He said and got up, brushing past Thor on his way downstairs.

"Who was that?" He asked as he came to sit opposite her, feigning innocence.

"An old friend." Nat said with a small smile, leaning forward to pick up her coffee. "Thank you, for the coffee. And the flowers." She added, her smile widening.

"No! Thank you! For all that advertisement." He grinned. She laughed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Your flowers are always beautiful and they look so healthy and I couldn't stand how sad you looked that you didn't get many customers. I wanted to help a fellow self run business out." She said with a grin.

"Well, I can't say thank you enough." He added with another goofy smile and she laughed.

"I think the coffee will do in thanks. Where are you from, anyway? Your shop just popped up, nobody in town knows you." She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I grew up in a small town, you won't know of it. My parents are dead, and I haven't heard from my brother in a while." He said with a smile. Natasha forced herself to not purse her lips, questioning it internally. "What about you?" He asked, quick to turn the attention away from himself.

"I haven't seen any of my family in a long time." She said with a shrug. "Not biological. I don't remember them. I had a sister though, kind of. I haven't seen her... well, not for a long, long time."

"The man on the stairs? Is he part of this family?" She nodded, a small smile on her face but it faded quickly.

"My family - friends - and I worked together. When I left the business, we fell out of contact. That's all." She explained as briefly and vaguely as she could, drinking the rest of her coffee. Thor smiled at her, knowing everything already after his talk with Heimdall but enjoying the way she hid her work, and was even impressed by her skill. Maybe she was the person he had come to Earth to find.