It had been a few days since Natasha had left the farm house for the latest mission she was being sent on for SHIELD. This was a standard thing to occur, that one of Annie's super spy partners would be gone for a couple days at a time on the missions they were sent on. As the difficulty only continued to increase as SHIELD found more things they considered to be threats. Annie would never really know what was going on or where her partner was heading to at the time they were pulled away from the farmhouse.  Part of her missed knowing just a little bit about what they were doing, just so she knew what to prepare for, for when they came home. Each of her partners had a different routine they entered when they stepped through the front door after a mission. Clint usually wanted to sit down, dirty suit and all, to a dominoes pizza and watch Top-Gun. Natasha however, was slightly more complex. Depending on what the mission entailed would determine the routine she entered when she got home. 

If Natasha's mission involved a child of any sort, and Annie was heartbroken to know that it had on more than one occasion, she would not be seen for at least 48 hours. Annie knew not where Natasha went during this time. She wasn't sure Clint knew either where the red haired women disappeared to. If the mission was straight forward Natasha would head for a shower and then straight to the shared bedroom, they each had their own and a shared room considering how big the farm house was, and to sleep. Anything else more complex normally required a bottle of wine and a cheese board. Natasha was a classy lady. 

For her own Missions, of which Annie was thankful normally only related to collecting a new student for the school, she often didn't require a relaxation routine. Often she barely mentioned that she had been anywhere as part of the X-Men. After all, it wasn't like there were things that happened that were the same in a SHIELD mission. So her partners were good listening tools but not for advice. And she was content with that. If she needed to really talk to them about what happened she would do that. 

The lack of contact that both Clint and Annie obtained during the 4 days that Natasha had been on this mission was not unexpected. Nor was it uncommon. On many of the missions, the agents would go completely black out as in order to not get distracted. It helped to complete the mission faster, it also reduced the risk of the 'enemy' finding out about their key relationships.  So four days was a pretty standard time to not hear from a superspy. It was also a common length of time for a more difficult mission. It was in the job description to expect to be away from your home life for up to a week at a time.

Therefore, waking on the morning of the fourth day to see or hear no signs from Natasha was very common. It was nothing to raise alarm bells for, and it meant that Clint and Annie could go ahead with what they planned for the day. It was probably better she was still out on their mission for what the two had planned. As Natasha would think something was up if they were both out, in particular shopping without having invited the red haired woman. Especially considering it was Annie who had an aversion to shopping and not Clint, the youngest normally wanting Natasha there for her own personal support and to stop Clint going overboard. 

The drive into the city centre wasn't an overly long one, they found no need to drive the three hours into central New York when the shop in the small quaint city they lived in was more than enough. Clint had once again taken hostage of the stereo system keeping up with his queens of country music listening choices. Annie didn't particularly mind his choice in music, in fact she rather enjoyed it. For she would never admit it out loud, but the two had first danced together to a Shania Twain song, and she would forever hold that woman's music close to her heart. Clint was also chattering away anxiously as he drove the SUV they had only recently purchased as he must have felt the apprehension regarding what they were planning on doing. 

And Annie too felt as though they might be dreaming just a little bit too much as they walked into the jewellers shop. Natasha had never even stated that she loved the two people she was dating, yet here they were picking out a ring they could propose to the woman with. Yes she wanted to be with both of them for the rest of her life, but maybe just maybe things were moving too fast. Sure they had been together now for over 5 years but perhaps they needed more time. 

But as her own fears grew, the man she was with his seemed to vanish. For the second his eyes were cast upon the many silver rings on display his eyes lit up and Annie knew that regardless of her own doubts that in Clint's mind this was exactly the right step to be taking next. Clint wanted to get married and move onto the next stage in their lives, he was considering retiring from the spy life and getting a slightly more straightforward job. One where he would be home more often, so that maybe they could start their own family. Annie knew that Clint desired to have a family of his own, bring something into their lives that all of them wished they had. Annie knew that she too could see herself with a small little family in the future too, children weren't something she wanted back in her early twenties, but now following her long, and rather successful relationship, they were starting to become something she wouldn't completely object against. Children weren't also a necessity in her future, if she didn't have them it wouldn't be the end of the world for the young woman. Maybe they would have to start somewhere small, a dog would probably make it so the three of them are actually responsible for looking after something other than an adult. 

"This one."

"Clint, you've said the same thing about the last three you've pointed at."

"I know but this one, this one is really it." The conviction in his voice alone made Annie focus her attention properly to the ring he was looking at. And Annie couldn't agree more, the silver band adorned with a rather small black opal gemstone was exactly Natasha. 

"Yeah it's the one." Annie sighed, something was telling her that this idea was only going to break her heart. But she was trying to be a little more optimistic in life. 

"That one please." Clint directed to the sales clerk.

"What size ring do you want?" The clerk responded and Clint immediately turned to look at Annie. They perhaps should have worked that bit out before venturing into the local town. 

"Shit, Annie what size is she?" His panic was obvious in his voice and Annie drew a blank. Natasha wasn't one to overly accessorise in the first place, therefore it wasn't like they could just pick one up to compare. 

"Fuck I don't know Clint." Annie wished they'd done a little more planning and preparation beforehand. 

"Hang on doesn't she sometimes steal your jewellery?" Clint's voice had a sudden high tilt to it as if he'd had an eureka moment. And Annie supposed he did. 

"Oh you clever man, yes she does. I think mine are size 6.5 or 7." To aid her words Annie slipped of the ring she wore on her left index finger so the clerk could check the size. 

"Size 7, I'll check to see if we have it here or if we need to order it in." The clerk handed back Annie's ring and moved towards the computer. 

"We'll have to order it in, could be up to a 12 week wait, is that okay?" Before Annie could even answer, turn to Clint and check that this is what he wanted to do, the sandy haired man had already brought out his card ready to put down the deposit for the ring. 

"That's more than fine." And within minutes they were out of the door and on the way back to where they had parked their SUV. 

"Want to stop for food before we head back?" Clint turned to Annie before he unlocked the car. 

"Sure why not? Then do you want a no sound evening?" Annie proposed the idea, a no sound day was one they couldn't have very often considering that they couldn't communicate with Natasha on those days. And therefore, they normally had them when it was only them both in the house.

"Start it now? We can just order a delivery."