The night had been a spontaneous idea - much like all of Tony's other ideas, mostly revolving on crazy antics, challenges that only ended in tired Avengers, and all you can eat contests between Thor and Clint. To Natasha, it seemed he was trying to spend as much time as possible together.

But hanging out at the lobby of the shared Avenger's Tower was a surprisingly peaceful event. It was also the first time all of the group was spending their first night as official roommates - or rather towermates.

One by one, they tumbled, walked and loudly announced their way in - all of them greeted happily by Tony and a grinning Pepper Pots.

Natasha had been the first to arrive; having secured a flight a day before and wanting to end her forced vacation after finishing up the training for the new Avenger recruits (that's the excuse she was giving herself for being so eager to come back to the tower). She watched, perched casually on the island counter-top as Tony paced around the living room fidgeting with a gadget while asking JARVIS if anyone was on their way up, stuck in the elevator, had gotten in unannounced…

"Tony's been like this since he came back," an amused Pepper said, leaning against the island counter next to Natasha, "It seems Iron Man does have a heart, and after bonding over the prevented destruction of New York and the screw up with Ultron, he gets a little too excited for another round of shawarma with his team."

"Having us all accept his invitation to live here must have made the excitement level shoot through the roof," Natasha said, half laughing.

"We were pretty surprised when everyone decided it was a good idea. I expected you…" Pepper said slightly blushing at her unspoken words, but Natasha smiled and finished her sentence.

"You expected the Black Widow to keep to herself?"

"Pretty much, although I couldn't be happier. With you in the building, at least I'll have a counter attack strategy to all this testosterone."

"And...everyone's arriving today?" Natasha asked, schooling her practiced voice to a tone of disinterest and coolness. Pepper sipped her water and shrugged.

"Knowing Tony, he probably harassed them to be here today. No one complained; however, his dear old friend Captain Rogers won't make it...I think he'll be coming until later this week. Tony seemed bummed about it but, of course, he didn't let it show."

Natasha didn't expect the rush of warmth that spread through her body and straight to her cheeks as Pepper mentioned the name she wanted to hear. Chiding herself for acting like a schoolgirl with uncontrollable hormones, she schooled her voice yet again.

"Bummer, seems our Captain will miss out on the whole gang reunion."

"Right…" Pepper said, looking directly at Natasha, "I haven't heard from him since the separation at the new Avengers facility. How was he, you know, after the whole...Ultron ordeal and the Hydra and SHIELD take down to top it off?"

"He was…" Natasha started, but she couldn't find the words without evoking thoughts of D.C. - specifically on a certain escalator, a certain surprise explosion, and at a certain Falcon's nest, then followed by darker memories of mind control, Red Room nightmares, and a disappointing farewell, "He was Steve Rogers, the Captain America everyone loves - out to save the world with a shield and soldier serum."

Pepper chuckled and turned to the sound of the elevator. Once again, Natasha reprimanded the fluttering of hope and elation she felt when her mind couldn't help but think that maybe Pepper was wrong. Maybe her partner was arriving sooner than expected.

Three sets of eyes, one excited, one cool and steady, and one hopeful, all turned to the opening elevator doors. Disheveled hair, a faded button down, and khakis walked in - Bruce Banner. Natasha tensed, not having seen him since he flew away. She had avoided thinking about him and Steve had helped. Together, they had found the comfort they were looking for so desperately...as partners. As partners, of course.

"Science bro!"

"Tony, hey thanks for the invitation," Bruce said, as Tony walked over to hug him with the enthusiasm of a nine year old at Christmas. The hug, Natasha could tell, was longer than Banner expected and was comfortable with.

"Don't go all green rage monster on me, Brucie pal. Want a drink, blueberries, world peace?"

"Maybe we can start with a place to put my bags," Bruce answered with a slight chuckle, "Hi Pepper...Natasha."

"Bruce." Natasha answered as she jumped off her spot and walked over alongside Pepper to properly greet her teammate with a casual handshake.

"Dr. Banner, it's nice to see you again," Pepper said, ever so charming, "Tony never learned manners, so I can help you with that. We've set up your rooms already, JARVIS can give you the passkey code once you settle in."

"I'll take you over to your floor," Tony chimed in, "I know a little itty bit of manners...and I want your take on this thing." Waving the gadget he was working on carelessly, Tony and Bruce walked over to the elevator doors once again and left for the moment. Natasha felt as if Tony had done this on purpose, giving her time to adjust, or most likely, giving him time to do so.

"Please tell me Tony at least told you what floor will be yours?"

"I'm all settled."

"Good. Now, if you don't mind, I could use some help setting up some drinks for our pending heroes."

"Let's get to it then."

Not long after Bruce, Clint walked in speaking animatedly with Maria Hill. Without their own luggage, Natasha assumed that Tony had already gotten to them.

Three down - two more to go.

Not that Natasha was counting or expecting or hopeful or anything - she convinced herself of that much as she aligned tumblers on the counter. Grabbing one and walking over to Tony's extensive collection, she poured herself a vodka shot. Never too early to calm down and stop acting like a prepubescent teenager with a crush.

Not that she had one.

"Nat," Clint called, walking over to her as Maria and Pepper said their hellos and welcomed Bruce and Tony into the room.

"Barton"

"How was the training and vacation afterwards?"

"The training was smooth, as everything is when Steve is involved. As for vacation, I got a nice tan, cleared a bit of red, you know, the usual. You?"

"Well forced vacations kinda helps when you have never ending projects at home."

"Nice to see you're finally acting on that - your excitement was starting to get a bit too much for me," Nat said, gulping down her shot.

"Ooh, shots fired Romanoff - I guess I'll have to wait it out to have a good enough comeback."

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Nat - I know you a bit better than that. Your last visit proved me right and Laura wrong. I knew I wasn't missing anything...I'm Hawkeye for crying out loud," Clint said, walking away with a triumphant smile on his face. Natasha cursed herself for speaking to him about Rogers. But damn it, it was just reporting her trainings to Barton. Simple, step by step procedure and strategies - noting out of SHIELD mission protocol.

But somehow she had slipped.

She knew even thinking about it - him - was wrong. But how to stop it.

"Whatever, I have a week to get it together and that is more than enough time. I can handle it."

Giving in to another shot, Natasha walked over to the couches and joined her teammates in their conversation, forcing herself to be completely engrossed in the topics.

8:00 p.m. Three down - two more to go.

At exactly 11:43 p.m. a whirlwind of light and swirls of blue appeared on the balcony where Tony was once thrown out of by Loki - which he remembers with fondness. From that mini hurricane appears Thor dressed in full armor and a smile wide enough to break his jaw.

"Avengers!" Thor exclaimed loudly - joyously - as he walked into the living room. He placed the Mjolnir on the counter top and greeted everyone with hugs strong enough to bruise ribs.

"What have I missed? It seems our green friend is having a good time," he said, taking Bruce into a one-armed hug, "Let us celebrate our gathering as one that we shall soon forget!"

"Finally, it's a party!" Tony exclaims before jumping of the couch and retrieving every bottle he could carry. Pepper sighed, Maria cheered, Clint brought the glasses, Bruce winced, and Natasha sat back and thought about how much alcohol they'd need to pass out.

Surprisingly enough, it was three bottles of whiskey later that Clint and Bruce were out cold, their heads resting on each others shoulders. Tony and Thor were arm wrestling on the island counter (Tony with his respective Iron Man sleeve - much to the enjoyment of Thor). Pepper, Maria lounged by the sofas, legs propped up and under pillow cushions, margaritas in hand, talking about Stark Industries and SHIELD start-up.

Natasha held on to her vodka bottle and shot glass as she listened in to the women's conversation. It wasn't that she was disinterested, but couldn't help feeling like she didn't belong in the conversation. Instead, she took the role of interested student and tried, unsuccessfully to invest in the topic.

Sooner rather than later, her mind began to wander off to her missing partner. She had heard of his never-ending journey looking for Barnes, but she didn't know the details. At the moment, nothing frustrated her more than not knowing, not being there, and not...not...not...seeing him.

But you'll see him soon. One week. Four down; one to go.

A week is enough to get back to normal. Stop being a child.

"...I was asking Natasha about that. I haven't seen him in so long, I really hope he doesn't take back his decision to live here," Pepper said, Natasha catching only the last bit.

"I'm sure he won't. Rogers isn't the type to back out on a deal. Besides, being around his team will do him good," Maria said, looking back at a severely inebriated Tony, "And will do them a lot of good having their captain around to whip them into shape. Whether they like it or not."

"Last thing Tony told me was that he was somewhere in Germany...or Russia...hopefully staying out of trouble."

"He's where?" Natasha asked, the vodka in her system making her eyes shine, "When did Tony tell you this? Is this why he isn't coming until the end of the week?"

Tickets to Russia should be easy to get tonight. Just to check up.

"Um, it was about two weeks ago, Nat. Tony received a message from Falcon. But, if I'm not mistaken, they were heading out of there already. I'm not sure where they're now."

"It's probably the margaritas talking, but," Maria said, refilling her glass, "I wouldn't mind him walking in here with that new suit of his. Being his partner is a tough one, huh?"

Natasha blinked slowly, trying to control her annoyance at Hill's comment. Why would it bother her so much.

Because it's true.

"Harder to keep him from going full Captain America on you. I got used to it."

"Why didn't you go with him?" Pepper asked, catching Natasha off guard.

She had asked herself the same question every night as she tried desperately to either find an untarnished cover or clear some of her ledger just to pass the time. The answer was simply - Black Widow took care of her own problems. But things were starting to change.

Steve...no Rogers...don't get attached - he was changing things.

"Had to find a cover. After our party with Ultron and the intense training for the new guys, I needed a little R&R. Besides, Wilson was going with him. If he needed me, he would have let me know."

Where did that come from?

"Was it the other way around as well?" Pepper asked. Clearly the tequila was getting to both of them. Maria was handling it better, but after two bottles, she was surprised Pepper was still talking.

"Um, I didn't need help."

"That's not what she meant, Nat. You know it," Maria gigged. She scooted closer to Natasha, gulping down the last of her drink. Pepper was turning to her as well, as if there was something juicy coming.

"I'm sure Rogers would have aided me, if I would have needed it. Aside from being freaking Captain AMERICA, he's my partner."

"You like him?" Pepper asked, her eyes staying closed longer than open. She smiled sheepishly and laughed. "It's just girl talk, Natasha. No harm is saying he's cute. And a gentleman."

"You're right," Natasha said, "You both have had enough to drink."

"Spoilsport. If you don't answer the question, it's kind of like your answering it anyways, right Pepper?"

"Mm-hmm"

Natasha frowned as memories in a stolen car came rushing back to her.

Damn it.

"Fine." she sighed, leaning back on the cushions. Maria smiled widely and Pepper tried to stay awake. "Of course he's handsome. I think that was included in the super soldier part. He lives up to the legend, that's for sure."

"Setting him up with dates was fun to watch. I'm not going to lie; I wish I would have been on that list," Maria said, laughing, "You should start doing it again."

"I'm not doing that anymore."

Maria smiled, as if satisfied, "No, I guess you can let him find the one, which I'm sure he has already...anyways, I'm about done. I'm not going to wait for those two to break Harlem. I'll be heading to my floor now. I just hope I make it there."

"You'll be fine. I'm just worried about Pepper," Natasha said, not daring to think about the words Maria had just said to her. She wasn't going to think about that. She was going to stay calm.

Calm.

Catching the movement of the women leaving, Tony and Thor got up, laughing at each other's loss. Tony, mumbling about power sources, walked over to Pepper and carried her up.

"This isn't over, Shakespeare in the park. Rematch tomorrow - winner gets all, like we discussed."

"As long as you make it a challenge for me," Thor said, laughing heartily.

"You're on. For tonight, though, my fair lady needs her sleep. Stay awake, go to sleep, call the chitauri, just don't get shawarma without me. Thor, you're on the 20th, JARVIS can give you the passkey…"

"Sleep well, my friend and thank you for your hospitality."

Tony then took Pepper and disappeared to the left of the hallway, extending all the way to their bedroom. Once they were gone, Maria said her goodbyes stumbled over to the elevator doors.

"I think you should help her out, Thor. She's staying with me, 19th floor. Otherwise, she'll pass out in the elevator. I'll try to get these two up and to their respective floors," Natasha explained, watching Thor grab his hammer and swing it carelessly around his hand.

"Very well, Agent Romanoff. I'll make sure she is safe and sound in her own home before I take my leave of her. Will you be okay with them?"

"These two? Please, I've handled them at their worse...what's a little alcohol."

"Very well," he said, laughing, "I will see you tomorrow."

With that, Thor walked over to the elevator doors and helped Maria onto them. She waved a goodbye at Natasha and probably slipped into unconsciousness by the time the doors closed. Thor was quick enough to hold her up as they left.

Natasha turned to the sleeping forms of Bruce and Clint; hoping neither of them would put up a fight. Clint didn't worry her. Bruce didn't worry her. The other guy did.

One week. One week of taking care of the others. Of staying calm. Of staying sane. Staying safe. Not compromised. Not weak. Just safe.

Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, could definitely get it together in a week.

She began to put several of the bottles away when the elevators rang again.

Possibly Thor feeling the need to help - well, he could take Bruce. If anyone could handle it, it would be him...or Rogers.

Natasha didn't turn as she placed the bottles on the cabinets, labels out and tops screwed tight as if none had been taken out for a night with the Avengers.

"Hey Thor, you mind taking another ride up the elevator to take Banner?"

"No ma'am, I wouldn't mind. But, last I checked, my name was still plain ol' Rogers."

The shiver that went through her spine stopped her momentarily. It was the voice - the one she had missed more than she knew, more than she wanted to admit. Turning sharply with wide eyes and a smile that wouldn't hide, she saw what she was needing.

Dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, and a dark brown leather jacket, stood Steve Rogers, with his too-blue eyes, endearing smile and clean cut appearance. Steve Rogers, in his tired and beautiful self.

And all Natasha could say…

"Steve"