The Path to the Tower

Epilogue

There had been a lot of changes in Stark Tower since Thor had shown everyone what they could have together. Somethings for the better others not so much.

It had become a rule that unless you specifically said you needed to sleep alone no one was allowed to. It was a way to prevent people from worrying about asking. It was working well and everyone seemed much better rested since it had been instigated.

Steve and Sam had started making breakfast every morning after their run and so if people wanted they could come and eat together. Lunches were ordered and delivered to the common room on weekdays too and the regular unofficial Wednesday meal became official. Yet somehow the food segregation still existed. It was their little group quirk that they all took very seriously.

Maria had come to speak to Natasha and Clint and told them what had happened and why she had pulled away. Finding out Coulson was still alive had been like a knife wound to the guts, but slowly they forgave and while they didn't exactly fall back into what they had before, Maria, Natasha, and Clint did occasionally like to mess around.

Phil returned to them too. it took a long time for most people to forgive him for faking his own death. Natasha, in particular, felt betrayed. It was really only Thor, who was used to that kind of thing and Clint who was more relieved than anything else who forgave him immediately. He wasn't around much, but he would always be special to Clint in particular.

Bruce had created a male birth control for everyone. It was an injection they took once a month but it meant they didn't need to worry about any accidents in or outside the tower. He had gotten a little more daring. He had to be in the exact frame of mind but when he was he'd actually managed to sleep with Natasha and Clint separately. It was a rare occurrence though and generally, he was found in the lab or glued to Tony.

Tony hadn't been doing so well. He seemed to like the idea of the group but couldn't seem to jump a couple of hurdles. He had installed a large fold-out bed in the common room. It was surprisingly comfortable and it fit all of them. He never used it though. He had never made the relationship physical with any of them, not even Bruce. After being rebuffed by Bruce two different times because of fear of a Hulk-out he'd just stopped trying. He had also started pulling away. He attended fewer breakfasts than anyone else and it was only the Wednesday dinners he could be relied on to be at. He allowed people to show him physical affection. Putting his arm around Wanda if she curled up next to him. Holding Sam's hand if it was offered. Stroking Steve's hair if he lay down in his lap. He never initiated though. Natasha wondered if it might be he had gotten up in his head about the sex thing and couldn't take rejection again.

All in all, it was working though. It was right for them. They were private. Only Maria, Coulson, Vision, Fury, and Rhodey knew what they had with each other. That was okay though because it was theirs.

It was at the six-month point when Natasha came home from a trip to speak with a source at Columbia University looking slightly dazed and quite pleased with herself.

"What's that face for?" Clint asked as she flopped down on the couch next to him.

"So, I was outside the library right, with my arms full of folders and this girl flies out of nowhere and just slams into me. We both go sprawling and there are just papers everywhere." Natasha said.

Clint groaned. "Oh, god, Nat. Please tell me you didn't murder some undergrad."

Natasha laughed and elbowed him. "No. Besides she's like an associate professor. She was totally in the zone. You know how Tony gets? Completely oblivious to the outside world. It was her and her work. She says she's sorry looks me in the eye. Zero recognition. Helps pick everything up and then runs."

"She didn't recognize you at all?" Clint asked.

"Nope," Natasha replied shaking her head. "And other people have. They're sure she's about to die right? So I kinda think this girl is cute. And I really like feeling invisible. So I follow her. I get her name. Doctor Elise Cooper. Then I stalk her online. She's got a few exes listed men and women. She has lived overseas. Studies induced mutation. She seems funny. Smart. Like I'm going through her social media and she seems... I don't want to say perfect but perfect. And normal Clint. Oh god, how great would it be to be with someone who is just normal and not tainted by this?"

"So what? You're crushing on her?" Clint asked raising his eyebrow.

"Nearly. I'm gonna stalk her a bit more make sure there's nothing bad hiding in that closet." Nat said smiling and sinking back against the couch. "I think I'm going to ask her out."

Continue in The Tower...