Hold On to the Nights || Romanogers AU

Chapter 1

Natasha Romanoff was daydreaming again. It was easy for her to think about all those wonderful times when she was a kid with no responsibilities. She'd play roller hockey with the next-door neighbors, summers a cool, refreshing swim in the pool with the high diving board in her childhood home. She had it made and now she's an adult, whatever that means.

"Romanoff," She heard her name being called and turned to the voice. It was just Anya; the surrogate den mother of the workplace.

"What?"

"Boss is calling you." She motioned her wrinkled hand toward the hallway.

Natasha bit back and stood up from her chair, everyone was looking at her now. This felt like all the embarrassing moments in high school when she got called into the principal's office without knowing anything.

She made her way to the back halls of the office at the end. The last time this happened to her she was blamed for something that someone else in the office caused. This happened often. Natasha just went with it for fear of being fired. She was pretty sure she had a few enemies in the building. Not to mention it doesn't help that her personal attendance record may have been corrupted since recently. She blamed her sister for lending her that hand-me-down wreck of transportation.

Natasha knocked first below the letterhead on the door of her main supervisor. He was the person who had hired her; the only employee here who she thought would always have her back in the most professional sense.

"Come inside Ms. Romanoff." She heard from behind the door. His voice was low and quiet, that can't be good.

Natasha slowly took a seat and clasped her hands together soundlessly. Her palms were starting to sweat and she knew if she didn't have it under control her supervisor was going to have more reason to question her. She hoped he didn't. It was a good thing he wasn't attractive. He was married and neutered by his wife so she didn't have to worry about any weirdness.

She believed he liked her despite her not always being the best at her job. She tried, really. By the blasé look in his eyes, she didn't know what to think. She put on her best professional smile and stared forward. Eye contact, she had to remind herself of this and ignore his mannerisms.

"Natasha, I called you in here for a big reason. I know how hard you try here and your dad helped you get this position and I owe him a favor for something he did for me a long time ago. But..." He paused, licking his lips to make sure she was still breathing. Natasha was hanging on to his words and she was doing her best not to interrupt him. "...I don't know if you're making progress here in this firm."

Natasha's jaw dropped. She mentally told herself to pick it up and attempted to regroup her nearly appalled expression. "I do try very hard at this company. I admit I take responsibility for coming late a few times—"

"Twenty." Christ, he actually kept track, she thought.

Natasha's stutter came back and forced everything she had to keep it under wraps. Her livelihood was at stake here. And she was going to find out why the one person whom she thought had her back all this time was suddenly losing faith in her.

"I'm sorry, I hold myself accountable, no excuses. I will do better from here on." She hoped using her lawyer terminology would win some points or at least his belief in her abilities. "I can promise you, I won't let you down."

She used the smile her mother gave her, showcasing what her genetics bestowed to her in valiant features to her boss. It was the only good thing her mother gave her. Maybe if she had her mother's love she wouldn't make so many mistakes in the workplace.

"Natasha, I am so sorry. You know I am not saying this as a personal decision. To be perfectly frank, your lack of attendance speaks volumes. I don't have any other choice. The policies are as stands. This company has rules. I often see you daydream, go off in your own world when you are on the clock supposed to be doing work. Sometimes you only do half a job and not all of it because you refuse to ask for help. Like the time you broke Anyanka's computer when your station was heavily infected with some malware and didn't alert the floor tech."