They had completed their latest mission and he is sitting on the rooftop of their hotel, doing what he always does after missions; thinking of her.
She laughed as she ran away from him with his bow. Her ankle length, chocolate brown hair swayed as she turned her head to see if he was behind her. It was a ritual for her to take his bow after every show. At first, he hated it… and her.
She was the new ringmaster's daughter and her long hair, bright hazel eyes and infectious smile annoyed him to no end. She was dubbed 'Rapunzel' for her acrobatic act with her lengthy hair. No one quite knew what her real name was.
Anyway, when her father first took over, Rapunzel decided that it would be fun to take his bow and hide it. Clint was very possessive of his bow and hated when she took it. He threatened her, took her paint supplies and even hid her late mother's ring from her. Yet nothing stopped her. After awhile, Clint even found himself enjoying it. And he found himself changing is attitude towards her. Once upon a time, he would hate to hear her laugh. Now, he finds himself craving to hear it. Also, he used to hate her 'stupid long hair'. As of late he has found himself admiring how it shines when the light hits it. He, Clint Barton, had a crush on Rapunzel.
"You are thinking about her again, aren't you?" a soft voice spoke up from the shadows.
Clint doesn't say anything. He already knows that she knows the answer to her question.
Natasha Romanoff had become accustomed to finding her partner thinking about the only girl he has loved in high places after their missions. She remembers when he first showed her a picture of them, right after their mission on Budapest.
Natasha found her partner on a random rooftop in Budapest. She knew that after the mission they completed, he was bound to be very vulnerable to his memories. She sat next to him, not saying a word. She knew he would talk when he was ready.
"Do you want to see a picture of her?"
Natasha nodded. She had heard a little about 'Rapunzel' from Clint, but it was only basic information. She knew that Rapunzel was the ringmaster's daughter, she had pretty long hair and that she always stole Clint's bow.
Clint took out an old Polaroid picture that had many creases due to being folded and unfolded many times. The ends were slightly discolored and fray from the elements. Clint unfolded it with care and handed it to Natasha. When she saw the photograph, she saw a different side of her partner.
In the picture, Clint was dressed in a dark purple muscle shirt that had a hawk emblem on the front. Other than his smaller muscles and the lack of lines on his face, Clint looked no different. It was the girl next to him that left Natasha surprised. Rapunzel was very striking. She had defined cheekbones, dimples, sparkling hazel eyes and plump lips. Her blinding smile revealed pearly white teeth that had a small gap in between the front two. Her hair was everything Clint said it to be. It was thick and pin strait with a lustrous shine to the rich dark chocolate color. Even though the photo showed the top half of their bodies, you could tell that her hair was very long due to how it was draped over her shoulders.
"She is beautiful, Clint" Natasha commented, handing her partner back the precious picture.
Clint smiled and stared at the picture fondly. Just looking at it, he could remember when he and Rapunzel would talk about their future; leaving the circus, finding normal jobs, getting married and having kids. He always imagined having a little boy with her dark hair, dimples and his eyes and teaching him to shoot a toy bow and arrow.
"Clint?" Natasha whispered?
He turned to her.
"Can you tell me more about her?"
Clint looks down at the city below and shakes his head. Even though it has been 5 years, he can't bring himself to talk about her.
"Clint? You need to talk about her at some point. You can't continue on like this."
Clint looks up at Natasha and nods. He knows that she is right and he can't hold everything in. Phil told him the same thing. Natasha takes the seat next to him. Clint dives right into his tale.
"It started when I was eighteen and she was sixteen. We finally decided that it was time to leave the circus. Together."
"Clint!" Rapunzel whisper harshly at the archer, trying to get his attention.
Clint, who was waiting for his turn to do his act, turned to his secret girlfriend.
"What?" he whispered, looking back at her.
"We need to leave. Tonight"
The young archer looks around cautiously before walking over to his girlfriend. He wraps her body in his muscular arms and stokes her hair.
"What's wrong? Why do we need to leave early?"
Rapunzel looks up to Clint and says that last thing he ever suspected.
"I'm pregnant."
Clint doesn't say anything. He stares into his girlfriends eyes than brings his large hands to her stomach. He then smiles.
"We are going to be parents?"
The sixteen year old nods her head. "I know that it isn't convenient, with having to go through all the troubles of leaving plus having to worry about a baby, but, I can't help but feel so excited!"
He smiles at her enthusiasm then frowns.
"What's wrong, Clint?"
"Do you have everything thing you need with you?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Stay here and wait until I come get you. I have a plan."
Rapunzel opens her mouth to speak but then closes it. She has confidence in him and knows that his plan will work. The couple part and go back to their previous positions and prepare for their escape. They will have plenty time to be a family, after all.
"So she was pregnant?" Natasha asks. "What happened?"
Clint smiles faintly at the memory and pulls out another picture. This one seems more recent, yet still seems to be littered with creases from be folded up. He hands it to the ex-Russian spy. She looks at it closely. A younger version of Clint is sitting on the edge of a hospital bed with his arms wrapped around a petite woman who looks familiar. She recognizes the girl as Rapunzel. Except this time, her hair is in a braid; she is dressed in a hospital gown and is red and sweaty. Yet, she seems all the more beautiful. That's when she looks down to what she is holding. There is a small bundle of baby blue blankets in her arms. A baby's sleeping face with tufts of dark hair is seen peeking out.
Natasha looks at her partner in surprise. That itself is a shock considering that she is a top spy and she has know Clint for a while.
"You have a son?"
Clint still staring at the city below, says, "William. William Everett Barton. His mother is Elena Barton."
"Is Elena…" Natasha starts to ask before stopping herself. She knows that Barton telling her that he has a son is hard enough for him. She doesn't want to push information out of him.
"Elena is Rapunzel. Her full name was Elena Bronte Casella. Well, it was Casella until we got married."
Natasha takes a moment to take it all in. This is the first time that Clint has openly talked about Rapunzel-Elena since their mission in Budapest. She knows that Barton knows everything about her, but she never knew everything about him. This is a enormous step for the two of them.
"Why are you telling me all of this now?"
Hawkeye looks at Black Widow for a moment before looking back at the landscape.
"I trust you."
"What happened to Elena and William?"
Clint sighs and turns back to the red haired woman.
"A year after Will was born, the circus crew found us and I was able to take them out. SHIELD found out though and wanted to recruit me. My price was that they would keep Elena and my son safe. They currently live in Baltimore County, Maryland. Elena is an art teacher at an elementary school and Will is twelve years old."
"Clint…"
"I get to visit them every once in a while." Clint interrupts. "Next time, you should come with me. They would like you."
Natasha looks at him in disbelief. He wanted her to meet his wife and son? Natasha sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. She know's that love is for children, but, she can't help but feel love for Barton. He is the older brother she never had. As much as she hates to admit it, he is her family.
"I would love to."
Clint smirks at her.
"Good. We leave to visit them tomorrow."
A/N: Hey everyone! I have had bought the Avengers DVD the other week and this idea just popped up. I know the whole 'Rapunzel' thing is a bit cliché, but, I had just watched tangled and though that it would be and interesting circus act. Anyway, since I watched the movie again (partly, my brother is hogging the DVD) I gained more respect and interest in the archer. Anyway, I hope you like it! Please review your feedback!