Natasha hated Wednesdays. Or at least, she hated Wednesday afternoons. Wednesdays mornings were collateral damage because she knew what was coming. Traditionally midweek was their catchup day. Since Allerton had taken over the department they had learnt to have two meetings. The first was a quick catch up between the six of them so that they all knew what they’d achieved and their next steps. The second was in the afternoon where they covered the same thing in more detail with their supervisor and she attempted to run roughshod over everything they said. When she deigned to turn up.

However, Sofia had the cure for that when Natasha arrived and her coffee mug was instantly refilled with her special brand of coffee. “Is it me, or is this even stronger than your usual Wednesday brew?” Natasha asked in surprise as the caffeine kicked in.

Sofia tried to shrug it off. “Maybe you are just tired?”

Natasha studied the younger woman for a moment, noticing the extra foundation below her eyes to cover the dark rings. “Maybe.” She agreed cryptically as she decided to keep an eye on Sofia for the rest of the day.

“I still don’t understand why we do this twice in one day...” Olivia admitted as they found a spare half an hour that morning to convene in the office.

“It’s simple. One real meeting, one fake one.” Zachariah’s tone was breezy and Olivia sort of shook her head at him as she shrugged as if to ask how that made any kind of sense.

Natasha decided she better clarify. “This one is our action plan. The one this afternoon is the diversion, otherwise we end up running around like headless chuckles and achieve nothing.” She paused. “On that note, Zach, unless you give me a reason not to, I was going to prepare blind samples for Toni and Joe today.”

“Nah, you’re good to use the lab.”

“Good. Then you can do yours tomorrow.” She added brightly, her smile only getting wider as Zachariah pretended to glare at her.

“Olivia, have you done any wet lab work before?” Antonis cut in before they got sidetracked.

“Not since college.”

“It might be a good idea to shadow either Nat or Zach then. To refresh.” Natasha nodded along with Antonis’ suggestion. He glanced at both her and Zachariah as if silently asking one of them to volunteer. Neither did. The fact that neither objected was as good as an invitation, Olivia could pick which suited her best.

The meeting continued as normal until Antonis’ finally asked Joseph a question Sofia couldn’t cover for. There was a moments pause before Zachariah finally nudged him back into the present. As Natasha raised her eyes from where she was taking notes she realised that Joseph looked even more tired than Sofia. “Sorry, I was... Sorry.” Joseph apologised as he shook his head to clear it. “What did you say?”

As Antonis repeated the question, Natasha’s gaze was darting around the group as if she could work out what was going on simply by her own intuition, the power of deduction and their expressions. A moment later Sofia finished blind typing on her phone and gently poked Natasha’s leg with the phone so she’d look at the screen. Natasha nodded to indicate that she’d understood, suddenly everything was clear.

The meeting continued on without anything else unusual happening, apart from Joseph being slightly distracted, but somehow from that point on Natasha and Sofia were able to deflect and redirect so that no one else really noticed. Though if either girl was every told that they had leadership abilities they’d laugh in the face of it. Neither believed it.

~-x-~

Once the meeting was over Natasha stood up saying Joseph’s name, waiting patiently until she was sure he was aware. “Can you please show me which chemicals you’ve been using for the spikes?” She asked. Her voice was friendly but her eyes hinted that he should just follow her into the lab regardless of the fact that she was probably well aware of what she needed to do. Or would just ask Antonis. Joseph nodded and walked towards the lab to grab them from the cabinet, lost in his own headspace so he didn’t even consider that she had ulterior motives even after she closed the door behind him. “Joe, are you sure you want to be here?” She asked softly as she moved to the side and away from the door. If she were in his shoes and someone was trying to make her open up, knowing they were in between her and the exit would make her feel trapped and cause her to clam up.

Joseph somehow turned sharply and stood up at the same time, amber bottle still in his hand after removing it from the vented cabinet. Surprise was written all over his face before he sighed and put the bottle in the solitary fume cupboard. “Sofia told you?”

Natasha nodded. “Only me. She’s worried.”

Joseph could understand that. He gave a watery smile as he could almost hear his grandad chuckling, telling him that he should open up and listen to Sofia. He set his jaw and blinked rapidly, determined not to cry in front of anyone else. “I’m fine.” He promised but his voice betrayed him.

“Joe, go home.” Natasha sounded like she was making a suggestion, but he knew it was an order. “You don’t need to be here, you should take some time to heal. I’ll square it with Allerton.” Joseph was about to argue but Natasha headed him off. “It’s not weakness to admit when you’re not at your best.”

“The funeral is this weekend.” Joseph admitted in a small voice. Natasha nodded as she formulated a plan, then told him to come back in on Monday. She paused and asked him what he wanted the others to know. It was her way of indicating that she’d cover if he wanted her to. “It’s okay. I should probably have just said something.” He admitted with an unhappy shrug.

Natasha offered him a half smile. “No one would expect you to be thinking straight right now.”

~-x-~

No one questioned why Joseph left until after he was gone. Sofia half followed him to make sure he was okay. On her return, the second the door shut behind her, a barrage of questioned followed. Sofia looked about to interrupt but Natasha gave a tiny shake of her head to dissuade her, content to patiently wait out the questions.

Once the office fell silent Natasha ignored every question that had been asked and simply announced - as gently as she could - that Joseph had just lost a close member of his family and that she had sent him home to grieve and that they should respect his privacy beyond that. Everyone agreed but both Antonis and Zachariah gave her a look that asked if she knew what trouble she was inviting upon herself, but she shrugged it off.

Apart from that Joseph’s loss wasn’t discussed further, Natasha’s explanation had been respectful yet thorough enough to satisfy their curiosity, other than to each send him a message of support.

At lunch time Natasha realised that she shouldn’t have expected Zachariah and Antonis to drop it from her warning look. Once both Sofia and Olivia had both left for lunch they cornered her in the lab. “Tell me you’ve thought this through?” Zachariah started once she’d finished with the solution she had been in the middle of preparing.

“You think I should’ve let him stay?”

“No.” Both Zachariah and Natasha deflated in defeat with a sigh, both knowing the other had a point. “I just... You know how this could backfire, don’t you?”

“This is more than disobedience, Nat, Allerton will punish you for over-stepping.”

Natasha’s jaw twitched as she looked at her feet. She knew that. She knew that Antonis knew she knew that, as did Zachariah. “Of course she will, but I think it’s probably going to be better than letting her let rip into Joe right now.”

Neither men could argue with her logic. “Just... don’t overestimate your own importance. Allerton already thinks you’re a threat and she will fire you if you give her a chance.” Zachariah’s tone would’ve sounded threatening if it didn’t sound so tired.

Natasha offered him a cheeky smile. “Don’t think I can keep my temper in check?”

“There is no point in protecting people now if it causes you to be unable to do so later.” Natasha’s head snapped towards Antonis in surprise and Zachariah laughed.

“You think we don’t know why you do these things?”

“We know, Nat, as...”

“Bitchy, mate, you can say bitchy.” Zachariah suggested as Antonis trailed off in search of the word.

Natasha laughed softly as Antonis glared at Zachariah on her behalf. She was fully aware of how she came across and a lot of it was deliberate. She had learnt at a young age that the easiest way to protect herself was to prevent people getting too close and to make them think twice about trying. Antonis, however, was far too nice to say it directly. “As hostile as you come across to most people, we know you care really.”

“My wording was better.”

“And might be why we all like Toni better than you?”

“You wound me, Tasha.”

The three of them dissolved into chuckles for a moment, all of them forgetting why they’d ended up in the lab for a moment, before the real world crept back in. “You’re going to get yourself fired, aren’t you?” Zachariah sighed.

Natasha shrugged unhappily as she and Antonis shared a look before she turned back to Zachariah. “If I do it again, certainly. Hopefully not the first time.”

“I really hope you’re right.”

~-x-~

Naturally Natasha put off informing Professor Allerton as long as she possibly could. Finally admitting defeat about half an hour before their team meeting was due to start and knocked on her office door, hoping Allerton would be out. Unfortunately luck was not on her side and she was given permission to enter. “Well?” Allerton asked before Natasha had even finished closing the door behind her. “What’s so important it can’t wait till our meeting?”

Natasha set her face into neutral - don’t give the satisfaction of a provoked response. “I came to let you know that Joe won’t be in for a few days.”

“Oh?” Allerton asked as she straightened up in her chair and folded her arms on her desk. “And why not?”

Natasha had considered lying when this question came, part of her had been hoping Allerton wouldn’t care enough to question why. She knew that anything other than the truth would make matters worse for herself. Even though she had done this for a friend, she did have her own future to consider too. “Family bereavement.”

“And he thinks he’s entitled to time off for that?” Allerton demanded.

“I sent him home for the rest of the week.” Natasha’s voice was firm and level and most people wouldn’t argue with her when she used that tone.

If it were actually possible Allerton’s glare would have cooled the room by at least ten degrees, if not more. As the angry silence continued Natasha raised an eyebrow as if asking for a response. Allerton’s knuckles were white as her fists clenched onto her elbows. “Fine.” She finally decided. “Joseph can have till the end of the week. But you are getting a written warning for this, Natasha.” Natasha refused to react, she had expected as much.

She’d still do it all over again.

~-x-~

Natasha was starting to think Antonis’ attitude was rubbing off on her as she realised she’d got to the end of a meeting Allerton was running without a single doodle on her notebook. Her subconscious must have realised she really was in the shit with her boss this time and she wasn’t taking any chances. That was definitely Antonis’ influence.

“Okay, does anyone need me to recap their actions this week?” Allerton checked and she received a chorus of “no”s. “Good. Then just one last thing.” Natasha almost scoffed that it had taken her this long to get to the public shaming, she had expected it to be the first thing on the agenda. “I have had to officially reprimand Natasha today for undermining my authority. This isn’t something I do lightly and I expect better behaviour from the rest of you. Hopefully you can lead by example and maybe Natasha can learn better attitude from you all.”

Natasha saw Zachariah open his mouth but he quickly snapped it shut again when she kicked him under the table. Allerton glared around the group as if challenging one of them to argue with her, but no one did. She was surprised, she had expected dissent in the ranks. Perhaps Natasha was more of a maverick than she realised and didn’t always have the support of the team behind her before she acted?

After another firm reminder about the behaviour she expected from her team Allerton left them to it and returned to her office. There was a metaphorical sigh of relief from the whole group once the door shut. Sofia was rubbing her temples as Zachariah rubbed at his shin now he could admit to being kicked. Antonis turned to Natasha with an inquisitive look. “Written warning.” She explained.

“Shit, Tasha...” Zachariah muttered to himself.

“You’re welcome to say ‘I told you so’ if you want.” Natasha hissed. They had already covered this ground, she didn’t see why they needed to go over it again.

“Yeah, well, it’s real now, isn’t it?”

“You know she wants us to fight, sostá?” Antonis reminded them both and they both backed down. “Nat, you cannot keep antagonising her.” Natasha shot him a glare but couldn’t hold it. Even she couldn’t stay angry with Antonis, he was just too damn reasonable.

“You want me to make a promise I won’t keep?” Natasha finally asked after a long pause. Antonis made a point of rolling his eyes at her, but she could see the smile he was fighting to hide. “Look, we all know I’m not going to change, if shouting at me makes you all feel better go ahead.” She added as she leant back in her chair with her arms folded and looking around the whole group. “So, we done?” She asked when no one felt the need to add anything, thought Zachariah looked like he had considered it before thinking better of it.

A tense silence hung in the air as if no one quite wanted to let it go but equally didn’t know how to resolve the situation before Natasha finally stood up and headed back into the lab to tidy up from her earlier work. She hadn’t got very far when she heard the door open after her. She had expected either Zachariah or Antonis to come in and try to explain the need to tread carefully. Zachariah would shout at her, Antonis would gently, yet firmly, persuade her but both would have the same message; that she was just as important as the rest of them. Instead she was faced with Sofia who was twisting her hands in front of her. “Are you okay?” Natasha asked with a soft expression.

Sofia nodded quickly. “I... Just... Thank you.” She finally managed to get her thoughts in order. “You did not need to... but thank you for looking out for him.” Natasha offered her a wry smile and a nod, Sofia returned the gesture. “Why do you do it?” She finally asked.

“Do what?”

“Look out for us all? Shield us.”

“Someone has to.” Natasha shrugged in an attempt to appear nonchalant about the whole thing. Sofia’s eyes narrowed as she tried to read her friend. Natasha raised an eyebrow at her and Sofia gave up on the attempt. They came from two very different worlds and as astute as Sofia was, without Natasha explicitly explaining the ups and downs of her childhood it just wouldn’t occur to her. Sofia’s childhood was Winnie the Pooh whereas Natasha’s was more Lord of the Flies.

After a few more moments in which Sofia considered trying to get Natasha to open up more she decided against it and repeated her thanks before slipping back into the office. Natasha sighed to herself as she was left to her thoughts and she did truly consider Antonis and Zachariah’s warnings.

Suddenly it occurred to her that Olivia had stayed silent the whole time, allowing her to be practically invisible whilst the storm raged around her. Natasha was suddenly impressed with the new girl and her ability to know when not to get involved, even if it had probably been borne from fear of the repercussions. Self preservation was certainly a skill she respected, sometimes she wished she still retained hers.