Summery: Five times Clint and Natasha slept together in the same bed and the one time they didn't sleep at all. BlackHawk

This is going to be a slow building BlackHawk story ^^

Also this was not beta'd and I don't own anything…but if Jeremy Renner's is for sale PLEASE let me know!

I've been wanting to do a Five Times story for a while now and this sort of hit me last night when I was attempting to sleep. I hope you guys enjoy!

This story is in the process of being 'proof read' by the amazing Susan M. ^^

It was their first long-term mission working together and the trust between the two partners was non-existent.

Barton viewed Agent Romanoff as a powerful asset. He saw something within her that no one else could see – which is why Clint had made the decision to spare her life and bring her into Shield – but his handler Phil Coulson and Director Fury both warned him to watch his back. The Black Widow was known for killing men when they were locked inside her web of false security. Though she had become a Shield Agent by her own choice – the other option being death – there was still a risk her cooperation was all some elaborate play or game to the Russian. That or the Romanoff was simply biding her time until she could escape properly.

Clint himself wanted to trust her because he knew she needed someone to open that door for her – and he'd always been a gentlemen. The sniper also understood what it was like living in a world where the only thing you could trust was your own shadow. It had taken time but Phil had broken Clint of that way of thinking. Shield had given Agent Barton a home and a family – albeit a strange one.

He wanted to give Romanoff something to live for, but first he had to make sure she wouldn't kill him in the process.

Currently they were in their designated safe house or rather hotel room. It was a run down building in Reno, Nevada. Of course they couldn't stay in the Nugget or the Silver Legacy somewhere nice and classy. Shield didn't work that way and Clint was used to it. At least their room was on the top floor and had a roof access through the fire escape – Barton was content.

Apparently Romanoff was used to these conditions as well because she didn't comment or look surprised. Then again the Widow never showed her true emotions.

It was late but neither one of them made a move towards the lone double bed. There had been some sort of mix up back at Shield in the sleeping arrangements – although Clint had a sneaking suspicion that Phil had planned this somehow. The man was always pulling strings and pushing Clint into situations to make him 'grow' as an agent and as a man. Coulson was simply conniving like that in an older brother kind of way.

Pretending to read over the mission brief he'd already memorized Clint risked a hidden glance at Romanoff on the other side of the room. They hadn't talked in hours – there was nothing really to say. They didn't know one another well enough to ease into common short talk or meaningless chatter.

The sniper was used to silence – it was part of his profession to sit and wait quietly for his target to enter his sights. Still when Clint didn't have to be quiet he preferred to talk – even if it was just to break up the silence. Coulson understood that and put up with his pointless topics with the patient's of a saint – Clint was pretty sure Romanoff wouldn't be so accommodating. Maybe he'd test her tolerance in a safe environment on their down time back at headquarters.

From his position Clint saw the Widow stretching in some sort of yoga position – meditating perhaps since her eyes were closed. As soon as he set the brief back down on the table her eyes were opened and watching him. There was no illusion that there wasn't much – if any – trust between the two. They were practically strangers apart from what was written in their files.

All she had was the knowledge that Clint had spared her life and all the archer had was the Russian's obsession to pay him back for the debt she claimed to owed him.

In the long run the two agents had a mission to complete and if they both survived it would be a plus.

For now Clint wouldn't be sleeping any time soon – not while he was still unsure if he'd wake up to the feeling of a knife against his neck or not. Why take any unnecessary risks?

Ugh, Barton thought with a small smirk, I'm channeling Phil. The man had practically drilled the fear into Clint before they left Shield.

Coulson was always the worrier of the pair – Clint was more of the 'act first, contemplate life later' type. Still Phil had done well training Barton over the years and Clint found himself thinking a bit more then he used to.

As night slipped into morning and neither agent had slept, which honestly wasn't all that surprising.

When the clock struck five that morning the two agents were ready for a full day of work. Agent Romanoff would spend the day seducing the target while Barton acted as cover from a safe distance doing whatever it took to stay in visual rang.

The target was the money behind a corporation that dealt with human and weapon trafficking. Rumor had it that Vance Carter was also backing the newly reformed HYDRA, which was bad news for the world. If Mr. Carter was deemed a threat he would be eliminated easily enough, but that would be after Romanoff squeezed any and all useful information out of the man.

It was amazing how a pretty face could trick men and the occasional women into given away everything – especially when they didn't even realize what was happening.

Clint found watching his new partner work fascinating. Though he had worked a few long-term undercover ops himself, Barton never felt comfortable in that mindset. The assassin had always preferred action over talking, even though he was very capable of both.

Posing as a rich college student on holiday Romanoff pulled the target in with her girlish charm. It was an amazing and exhausting act or at least Clint assumed it had to be. Romanoff was normally a statue unless she was fighting – tense, stiff and calculating. At the moment she was oozing with childlike energy and giggling like a schoolgirl with excitement and wonder.

It was endearing enough for Carter to take quick notice and be drawn into the Widow's web. The man clearly had ten years on Romanoff, but that didn't seem to stop the man. With the hook in Barton was sure things would run smoothly from here on out – the Widow was flawless.

Unlike agent Romanoff, Clint's job was a tad trickier. While she only had to focus on one role Clint threw himself into twenty that day alone. Blending in and following the target and his partner from a safe and controlled distance.

If Romanoff and the target stayed in one place the whole day it would be easier for the sniper – Clint could have simply set up a nest on top of a near by building and kept an eye on things through his scope.

Throughout the day Barton played the several different tourists, a chief, a waiter, a bellboy, a bartender, a businessman, a street singer, a homeless man and several other parts. Switching clothes and attitudes as they went along and became available to him – always blending in, always hiding in plain sight and always moving.

By the second day of this both agents were exhausted when they returned to their hotel room. Though they had gotten a decent amount of information out of the target their job was far from over and neither one of them had risked sleep.

The agents hadn't spoken outside of operation talk although that night Romanoff threw Barton a few questioning looks and he found himself glancing at the bed more and more frequently. It would do them both good to rest before the next day, but a cautioning alarm screamed in the back of Clint's mind. Neon lights of warning lit up by Phil no doubt, Barton sighed.

It took an hour for Clint to tune out Coulson's voice in the back of his head – he needed sleep and there was a perfectly good bed there waiting for him. Standing from his chair Clint stripped out of his shirt and tossing it towards his duffle bag. Barton opted to keep his pants on and laid down on top of the covers for better mobility – just incase Romanoff did attempt to kill him in his sleep.

Raising an eyebrow Romanoff watched him carefully.

"You should consider sleeping too." Clint offered the olive branch hoping she'd take it. It was a step in the right direction to build trust – or so Barton rationalized. If they were working in the field watching one another's backs they should be able to sleep in the same room and not be afraid the other would attempt murder.

Not that Barton had any desire to kill his partner – but he didn't know Romanoff like she didn't know him.

Besides it was dangerous for them to be fatigued on a mission like this. They both could go without sleep for days if necessary, but they needed to stay sharp – they couldn't afford to miss anything of value.

Closing his eyes Clint evened out his breathing and faked sleep for a few minutes – testing the waters. His ears were alerted to any noise – though Clint was well aware that the Widow wouldn't make a single sound if she moved in to kill him.

Just as he was about to allow himself to drift off into the welcoming arms of sleep Barton felt the other side of the bed dip slightly under the pressure of a body. The muscles in the snipers back tensed for a moment as he followed her slow calculated movements. In his mind Clint could picture what was happening by judging the shifts of the sensitive springs under them – Romanoff was curling up slightly on her side, her back to his back at a safe non-touching distance.

Agent Romanoff had accepted Barton's offer of trust in the simple 'I'll trust you if you trust me' way. He hoped it would work out for them in the end.

So far, so good, Clint thought half heartedly as he allowed himself to drift off.

Okay, so thus the end of the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it although I know it was a bit slow. The next chapter will have a bit more action in it…maybe some blood…possibly some guts.

This is also my first 'relationship' fiction ever…so please bare with me, I'm trying to make it as believable as possible ^^

Reviews and Reviewers are loved!