Incredibly sorry that this has taken so long. My life has been hectic lately. However, here is the update and I hope that you enjoy!

Chapter: 30

"We have a serious situation here." One of the Councilmen said. "Agent Romanoff did not follow orders. If she can't do that then who's to say that she will do anything that we ask of her? She can't be trusted."

"If she can't be trusted then it is not only her future that we have to worry about." Another Councilman added in.

"In fact, Agent Romanoff did follow orders." Fury stepped in. Behind him Agent Hill, who was watching from the other side of the room, raised her brows at her boss's reply. "She followed my orders."

"Care to explain?" The Councilwoman said and Fury turned his eye to her.

"With everything that has been going on lately I didn't see the logic in brushing off Agent Barton's disappearance. I sent in Agent Romanoff to extract him because I don't believe in coincidences. It's no secret that Agent Barton has a price on his head right now."

"You disobeyed our orders?" Another one said and Fury turned his attention to the man.

"I am more concerned about the fact that the Council chooses to focus on this matter after it became clear that the mission Agent Barton was sent on was a fake. There were no missile codes."

"We are looking into the matter." The Councilwoman said.

"Yes, and while you all are looking into the matter I was not willing to let one of my best and most trusted Agents get killed because the Council still can't see that Romanoff is on our side now."

"Director Fury you are borderline insubordinate." A Councilman said calmly.

"Someone is playing games." Fury said with a slight glare at the man "and I want to know who. My agents aren't safe until we know who the leak is around here. I just want to know that this matter is more important to the Council than a woman who wants to make-up for her past."

"She has a lot of making up to do." The Councilwoman said and Fury looked at her again. Out of all the Councilmembers Fury had a feeling that she was the one who agreed with him about Romanoff the most. He also knew that she knew he was lying about giving Romanoff the orders to go after Barton. He had seen it in her face after he had said it. However, she hadn't called him on it.

"Yes," he said honestly "but then again, don't we all? Isn't that the reason half of our agents sign up?"

"Fair enough Director." The Councilwoman said. "I believe that, considering the circumstances and the evidence we have already gathered, this matter with Agents Romanoff and Barton can finally be closed," she said. There was a pause but then the Councilmen all slowly agreed.

"However," one of the men spoke up "you can't keep pulling stunts like this Director Fury. If the Council makes a decision then we expect, as the Director of SHEILD, that you follow it."

"Acknowledged." Fury said and the Councilmembers collectively nodded.

"Meeting adjourned." One of the men said and the screens which held all of the Councilmembers faces went blank. Fury sighed and turned to look at Hill who was approaching closer.

"One of your best and most trusted agents?" Hill asked with slight glint in her eye.

"Yeah, don't let that get back to Barton."

"Wouldn't dream of it," she said as she turned to leave "he has a big enough ego as it is."

Fury shook his head as the door closed. His agents would be the death of him. He sighed again as he settled into his desk chair and look at the red file that was sitting on his desk once again. He thought back to when Coulson had demanded to know what was going on with his agents.

"I am their handler I think that I should be involved if there is something going on with them." Coulson said.

"In my office," Fury said after a moment. He knew there was no use trying to hide it any further. The two men walked in silence to Fury's office and didn't speak until the door was closed behind them. Fury grabbed a red file from his desk and handed it to Coulson to read. "From the Council," he explained even as Coulson was reading.

"They aren't really considering this?" Coulson said, he had skimmed through the file and had gotten all he needed from them.

"It's already been approved." The director replied as he took the file back and tossed it on his desk. "All they need is the slightest of reasons."

"You're saying that if Romanoff can't prove that she can follow orders and work well in SHEILD than the orders are to terminate her immediately?"

"And Barton will be excused from SHIELD with absolutely no contact."

"Why wasn't I informed of this immediately? I could have…."

"Because of that," Fury interrupted "the Council didn't want your interference they wanted honest results. Trust me they weren't backing down from this one."

"They aren't exactly trusting each other."

"They'll learn." Fury said with a confidence that he didn't entirely believe himself.

Fury grabbed the file in his hands and, with great relief, he sent it through the shredder beside his desk.

The sun was high up in the air and the heat felt nice as it surrounded her body. Though she had grown up in Russia Natasha found that she didn't care much for the cold. She watched as the jet she had flown in on departed. When it was gone she looked around at her new surroundings. People were running about doing one thing or another. They were preparing for something but she didn't quite know what that something was. Beyond the people that were making sure jets were strapped down, there was a group of people who were running around the large area as if they were on a track field. It was interesting.

She walked closer to the edge and smelled the ocean air. The water was vast all around the area and she thought that it wouldn't be a bad place to hang around on her down time. Natasha hadn't had much time to spend around water, for relaxation anyways. She was just wondering if that would be something she enjoyed when her handler walked up to her.

"It can be really peaceful out here sometimes." Coulson said as he too looked out to where the ocean met the sky. "Listen Romanoff…"

"There's no need." She cut him off. Her eyes broke away from the calm water and turned to look her handler in the eye. "I don't need an apology. I know that you have a strong relationship with Barton. I overreacted."

"No, you didn't. When I agreed to be your handler I was making a promise to guide you and to do the best that I can to protect you. I forgot myself and fell short. That does deserve an apology."

"You were acting on impulse. When it mattered you stepped up. I would probably be in Russia by now if you truly didn't care."

"Still, I do want to apologize for my behavior."

"As do I."

"Accepted only if accepted." He said back to her with a bit of a smile.

"Accepted" she replied. They both turned their eyes back to the ocean, a bit more comfortable in each other's presence. Silently Coulson hoped to build a relationship with her, like what he had with Clint. He knew that it would take some time but he was willing to be patient.

"Fury said that your room is ready." Barton said moments later as he came up beside of her with a bag slung over his shoulder. "We can stop there to put your stuff away before we start the tour if you want." He said and she nodded.

"What are they getting ready for?" She asked as looked around at all of the men that were running around to the jets that were on board. A mechanic sound filled the air moments later and Clint smiled. Natasha watched as some of the men started running towards the entrances.

"You may want to step inside," Clint said over the noise "it's going to get a little hard to breathe."

The End.

Whew, that's the end of this one everybody! I do hope that you all have enjoyed this story so far. Of course, as you may have noticed, we've got some loose ends here that need to be tied up. Well, I plan to do that in part 3. So, if anyone has anything they would like to read in part 3 then feel free to share! Also if anyone has any ideas for a title then that is welcome as well because I am stumped. Anyways, thank you to all who have reviewed/favorited/followed this story! Until next time!