Coulson found both Natasha and Clint's desks unattended. With a roll of his eyes, he turned around knowing there was only a few other places they would be. He got into the elevator, pressing the button to get him to the advanced shooting range. The master assassins usual hide out. As soon as the doors opened again, the sound of muffled gunshots and Clint's light laughter confirmed they were there before the handler could see them.
Rounding the corner and standing quietly, with files in his hands behind his back, Coulson stood watching them for a moment. They were completely taking advantage of SHIELD's high tech equipment. At the back of the large room, was a simulation cage, sealed off with bullet proof glass, and Natasha was inside. Clint had set up the holographic bodies for Natasha to shoot down. She jumped onto a platform, firing the gun in her hand once. The bullet went through the hologram and got lodged somewhere in the back wall. Clint was sat in front of a screen, feet up, arms folded, and a smile on his face as he watched his partner. Looking at the screen, Coulson saw that Natasha had got through almost half of the holographic threats Clint had made.
When Natasha was done, the glass slid open. A smirk plastered on her face as she locked eyes with Clint, "I thought you said you were making it difficult."
Clint didn't respond. He kept his eyes on her until she was stood beside him looking at the screen. Only then did he pull his feet down, bring up the results of the simulation. "I don't know..." Coulson could hear the smirk on his face. "I mean, eleven minutes. That's longer than last time." Clint turned to look Natasha in the eyes again. "I think you're losing your touch Romanoff."
She punched him in the arm.
Coulson finally took a step forward. As soon as he put his foot down, Natasha's body tensed slightly and she whipped around.
"Oh, Coulson." She flashed a smile.
Clint span his seat around as Coulson reached them. "Hey." He stood up when he noticed the files behind his handlers back.
Coulson looked over to the screen. The results showed that Natasha had taken out 50 'men', each with just one fatal gunshot wound each. "Impressive." Coulson apprised her.
Natasha smirked, and gave Clint a smug look. "Thank you, sir."
The archer rolled his eyes. "So, we got a job?"
Coulson held out the two files, both agents taking one and opening them. "You're heading out to London tonight."
"The Chinese again?" Natasha asked, flicking through the papers.
"Seems to be." Clint answered instead.
"I trust I don't need to repeat how to keep your cover for this?" Coulson asked. The Chinese assassins were a constant problem; not just in England. They were difficult to find, and it was even harder to get information from them. After a while Fury directed for them to be neutralised when found. And due to their level of skill, only SHIELD's top agents were sent after them. Meaning Clint and Natasha had dealt with them a number of times.
Both agents shook their heads, keeping their eyes on the file.
"Very well. I'll wave you off at twenty-one hundred hours." Coulson said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he turned and walked away.
Natasha looked up as her handler disappeared around the corner. She dropped the file on the desk and jumped into the seat Clint was previously sat in. "I'll show you difficult."
Clint dropped his file on top of Natasha's and chuckled as he walked into the simulation.
~.~.~
The two agents sat face to face in the little café that was placed at the end of the road of the hotel they were staying in. It was fairly empty so Clint ordered their drinks and some food, before they started taking about how they were going to find the right book to decipher the Chinese's code this time around.
As the door to the café opened, out of instinct more than anything, Natasha looked up to see who it was. A man and a woman walked in. She frowned as her eyes looked over the blonde woman… Her features struck something inside Natasha… she was definitely familiar.
When the realisation of who the woman was hit Natasha, her body tensed up and she looked down to her food in a slight panic.
Clint noticed his partners unsteady breathing and started to look back.
"Don't." Natasha hissed through her teeth, looking up so her hair still covered half her face.
"What is it?" He whispered, the concern radiating out of him.
Natasha stared at him with hard eyes for a long moment, before sighing and looking back down. She was about to answer when her eyes glanced back of to the woman. She was staring back.
The air caught in Natasha's throat. But when the blonde woman tilted her head, she relaxed a little. Something was different. She was different. Not just her hair or clothes… Her physique suggested that she wasn't working anymore, and the look in her eyes was more worried and… confused?
The man she was sat with looked up from his menu, and the older woman's eyes immediately were on him. She smiled and laughed lightly. Something Natasha had never seen her do before.
Clint sat watching his partner in his own confusion, for it to only be increased when Natasha huffed out a laugh, but still not completely at ease. "Okay…" He shook his head a little. "What…?"
Natasha just stood up. "Back in a second. Gotta check something." She muttered, not too focused on whether he heard her or not.
Clint frowned and watched her take a seat on one of the stools at the counter.
~.~.~
She hadn't known him for all that long, but Mary had been drawn to John. And her intelligence told her that he had felt the same. But he was damaged; she had to be patient and gentle. And that's who Mary Morstan was, patient and gentle. And she was happy with that.
The two had been sat for less than ten seconds before the red hair caught her eyes. She straightened in her chair. Not her. Not here. The young red head was dangerous, Mary knew that. And she had no idea what happened to her. It took a couple of months before the rumors of the Black Widow's disappearance reached her.
But she noted that her hair was covering her face as she had hissed to the man she was with. She was hiding, meaning she'd already seen her. The Black Widow… hiding? Mary waited till she looked up again, and when they made eye contact, she tilted her head to the side, showing the young girl she wasn't any threat. She defiantly didn't trust the red head, but she didn't want to risk a confrontation. Especially in front of John.
"Well I'm starving. Are you going to eat?" John said, and Mary looked at him before he saw her looking behind him.
She smiled, laughing a little. "I think so. But you're going to have to tell me what's good here." She spoke lightly.
Mary looked up again to see the girl she used to know sitting at the counter, pretending to read one of the small menus. She glanced back over for a split second, and picked up a napkin.
"Okay, while you decide what we're eating. I'll go get us some coffee." She said to John and stood up before he had chance to say anything.
"No sugar."
"I know." She smiled at him and made her way to the front.
She stood close to the girl, but not too close to get questions from John in case he turned around. Or whoever the man was that she was with.
"Excuse me." She heard the younger woman say as the cashier passed. "Do you have a pen I can borrow?"
The man behind the counter gave her one and then turned his attention to the blonde. "Can I get you anything?"
"Two coffees. Milk. One with two sugars, the other with none."
Mary felt her get up and move around her, going back to sit with the man she was with. Then she moved to sit where the red head was previously sat, and picked up the napkin with an address and room number on it when she was given her order.
She stuffed the napkin into her pocket before John had chance to see it.
~.~.~
After she had said her goodbyes to John, she waited for it to get dark before leaving. The fact she was going to willing meet with the girl alone went against all of Mary's own training. But she did know what training the Widow had received, so there was her upper hand. Then again, she was with a man earlier, so it would be two against one, at least, if it came down to a fight.
However, it didn't feel like it would come to that. She had hid her face earlier after all… Mary wanted to know why she was in London, that was the only reason she was going. And maybe it was the reason she was invited in the first place.
But on the off chance the girl was willing to blow Mary's cover, she had stuffed her gun into her otherwise empty bag.
~.~.~
Natasha knew the woman would wait till it was dark before showing. So as soon as the sky was black, Natasha was looking out of the window, observing everyone who was entering the hotel.
Clint sat on the sofa, feet on the little coffee table and photos and documents on his legs and the empty seat next to him. "You know, I'm starting to think the Chinese were right on this one." He picked up a picture of the victim. "I mean, look at this guy," He turned to Natasha, still looking out the window. "He goes off and tries to… Natasha?"
Her eyes focused on a black taxi pulling up, the blonde woman stepping out and scanning the area.
"Tasha..?" Clint came up behind her, placing his hand on her arm. She whipped her head around to face him. "You okay?" He raised an eyebrow.
Her face was set, and she was quiet for a while. "…We've got company."
He frowned. "Err…" A number of expressions crossed his features. "Okay, right… The friendly kind or…" He lifted his shoulders and shook his head at her with wide eyes.
"Not sure yet." She smirked a little at him.
She brushed passed him and to the little kitchen, pulling out three mugs and switching on the kettle. Clint just frowned and slowly moved to put all the mission photos and documents back in the file.
There was three knocks at the door as Natasha poured the water into the mugs. She set the kettle down slowly. "Milk and two sugars in the last one." She said as she moved towards the door.
Clint just took her place in the kitchen without saying another word.
Natasha opened the door slowly, presenting the woman behind it.
"Natalia." The blonde acknowledged.
"Natasha." She corrected.
The two of them looked at each other for a long moment, assessing for any immediate threat. Deciding there was none, yet anyway, Natasha lifted her chin a little. "It's been a while." She said taking a step back.
Mary hummed in agreement, and slowly stepped inside. Natasha shut the door and lead her to the small dining table. They both sat down and Clint brought of the drinks for them both, taking his own and leaning back on the kitchen counter behind Natasha.
Natasha spoke first, not taking her eyes of the woman in front of her. "This is Clint. My partner."
Mary rose and eyebrow. "Partner?"
She smiled a little. "I know, never would have thought it either. But hey, he's not the worst out there." She took a sip of her drink, smirking as she heard him scoff.
"And Clint, this is, or at least was, Anya. But I'll assume you've changed it since you haven't tried to kill me yet."
"Mary Elizabeth Morstan." She clarified, noticing Clint tense up at the end of Natasha's sentence. "And I'm not trying to kill anyone. Not really my thing anymore."
Natasha visibly relaxed. "You got out?" That was something even she hadn't done easily. And she knew Mary was still there when she met Clint. Surely the security would have been increased…
Mary shrugged, her eyes glazing over slightly. "It wasn't easy. But when I overheard I had outlived my usefulness… Well, I didn't waste any time."
Natasha just nodded. Clint however was still confused, and broke the silence. "So, how exactly do you know each other?"
The two woman looked at each other. "I don't know how much he knows already." Mary pointed out.
"Red Room." Natasha sighed. "She was one of my trainers. For a while anyway."
Clint stood up straight. "Trainer in what, exactly?" He looked Mary up and down.
"Weaponry, mostly. Shooting, throwing knives, that kinda thing."
Mary remained quiet, realising that Natasha was stopping with that. Yes, it was true she had taught her to handle a gun from an early age. After that, when she moved on to more advanced weapons, she got a different teacher, and Mary went back to doing missions. But years later, she was also the one to teach her how to use her own body as a weapon. How to dress, how to walk, how to stand, how to touch… it wasn't something she was proud of.
Clint nodded, still unsure. But he didn't push her for anymore.
"So," Natasha said, "What are you doing in London? Could have gone anywhere with your skills."
Mary thought about it for a second. She certainly didn't trust the two in the room, but they'd been fairly honest so far. "I said that killing wasn't really my thing anymore. Not that I'm out of the game completely. There is one man who knows who I really am posing a threat."
Clint frowned. "So you're just hanging around, waiting to kill a man?"
Mary noticed Natasha rolled her eyes and mouth 'stronger morals' at her. The blonde hid her smirk from the man, still looking at her. "A very powerful man." It was all she said in her defense.
"Need any help?" Natasha offered.
Clint gasped at her from behind. Thirty seconds ago he could feel the tension between the women at the table. Now she was offering her help in an assassination!
"No. I have to take my time with this one." She was quiet for a moment. "But what about you? What are you doing here?"
Natasha nodded to the file on the coffee table. "Mission. People keep finding ways to rub Chinese assassins up the wrong way. Should be sorted within the week."
"Right." Mary muttered. She knew the logo on the front of the file. "You're working for SHIELD then?"
The red head nodded slowly. "That's how I got out of Russia. Got on their radar, and they sent Clint to kill me. He took me back instead."
Mary raised an eyebrow and the two SHIELD agents shared a quick glance. "Oh, really? I can only imagine how they reacted to that."
Natasha chuckled cocking her head. "Yeah…"
"I was on desk duty for a month." Clint grumbled as he moved back into the little kitchen, placing his empty mug in the sink.
"I was in interrogation for a month." Natasha counter argued.
Mary laughed at them both, and she took the final gulp from her own mug and placed it on the table before standing. "Well I should go." Clint walked back over and held out his hand. She took it, neither speaking a word. They were on good terms, but she could tell he didn't want her there.
Natasha stood up and moved to open the door for Mary.
"I won't tell anyone you're here. And I'll talk him out of it." Natasha said, gesturing back to Clint.
The two faced each other. "Thank you." She smiled. "Have a good life Natasha."
The red head nodded. "You too, Mary." She said solemnly.
With that, Mary turned and walked back down the hallway towards the elevator, and Natasha shut the door behind her.
So, my first crossover! What do you think?
All reviews are appreciated.