Loki snarled at the woman before him. "Is this love Agent Romanoff?"

"Love is for children, I owe him a debt."

Giving her a questioning look, Loki gestured her to sit. "Tell me." He said sitting down himself.

Natasha stared for a moment before sitting down in the chair. "Before I worked for SHEILD, I ah…" She paused for a moment. "Well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care whom I used it for, or on. I got on SHEILD's radar in a bad way." Memories flooded in her mind. "Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call."


Natasha Romanoff. One of the most skilled women he'd ever seen, or as she liked to be called Black Widow. She lived up to the name, every SHEILD agent knew of her. They've tried killing her multiple times, only they failed to do so. Yet they decided to call him in, thinking that he could do what no agent has done before. Clint Barton. He had a name for himself as well, which was why Fury thought he was the man for the job.

Clint was sitting in his nest, when Fury presented him with the mission.

"You want me to kill the woman who has slipped through our clutches multiple times?" He asked skeptically, still not believing that he was chosen to kill her.

"I know no one has killed her as of yet, but you are one of the best. We were sure that you'd be able to handle it."

"Listen, I don't doubt I will, but I have no reason to kill her."

"The reason is that she is killing innocent people. I would have thought it would be enough."

Clint frowned. "I kill too, but you aren't sending someone to kill me."

"She is out of control and you know it. If you really don't want this mission, I can get someone else. Though you are the only agent I believe has any chance of succeeding."

"Alright, I'll do it but I won't make any promises." She hasn't been killed yet, there was a reason she was called 'Black Widow'.

"Good, all of the information is in here." Fury said, handing him a folder. "I expect you to leave straight away, before we lose track of her again." With that Fury left Clint to go over the information.


Clint was not in a good mood. Here he was sitting on top of a building in California waiting for her to show up in her hotel room. Something he did not think he would be doing on a Saturday. He wondered if she already knew he was here. She had a knack for running off before agents were able to target her. It was too bad he was going to kill her, if he succeeded that is, she looked beautiful in the picture. Not that Barton was hung up about looks, but he knew a gorgeous woman when he saw one. He should know he slept with most of them.

A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Barton do you have your eye on the target," It wasn't surprising that the voice belonged to Coulson.

"Negative, you wouldn't happen to know if she's still even here would you?"

"Our sources say she is still in the city, where she is exactly we don't know."

"Well if she's still here she should be in the hotel room soon, I hope."

"Copy, let me know when you've sighted her."


Two hours. That's how long it took before she was in his sights. She was even more beautiful in person.

"Coulson, I've sighted the target and I have a lock on her. I'm going to make my move."

He pulled his bow back ready to shoot at the woman, he was surprised that she was leaving herself wide open after all the rumors he heard about her. It did cross his mind that she knew he was there all along and she would dodge his arrow before it even hit her but all that mattered was finishing the task at hand.

Natasha, from what he could tell was unsuspecting of him for she faced the window as she sat on the bed. He almost felt sorry for her, but then remembered all the things she's done.

"Barton, have you taken the shot?"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch Coulson, I've got her. Just keep toying with those Captain American cards you love so much and leave this to me."

Not wanting to waste another second, he took his stance. Just when he was going to let the arrow go, Natasha did something that stopped him.

Crying, she was crying. He watched as the tears fell from her face. In that moment he knew he couldn't do it, even if it was a trick he couldn't kill her. Seeing her there crying, made him believe she wasn't everything everyone thought she was. Right now this was who she really was, a woman who was lonely. He knew the feeling, he after was alone too.

"I can't do it." He said into the microphone his eyes never straying from her.

"What?"

"Barton you do realize what you're saying. Don't' tell me you're willing to go against Fury's orders; you know what the consequences are."

"Yeah I do, but frankly I don't give a damn. I'll suffer the consequences if I have to, but this is an order I cannot follow."

He heard Coulson sigh on the other end. He smirked slightly knowing that he won the argument.

"Fine, but you can't just leave her there."

"What do you intend I do, then?"

"Bring her in. Maybe if you can get her to be our ally things will go more smoothly."


It felt weird to be in the hotel. Most of the missions he got sent on were ones he could just perch on a rooftop or a tall building. It was rare for him to be positioned in a hotel. Still he came for a reason and he was determined fulfill it.

It wasn't hard finding what room she was in, the woman at the desk was glad to give him the information once he gave her his award winning smiled. He had already left his bow in a safe place, but there was a small knife in the side of his pocket. His hand was already positioned to grab it if he needed to.

He knocked on the door firmly, waiting for it to open.


Natasha upon hearing the knock wiped the tears off her face. Getting up from the bed she made her way towards the door. She thought it would be room service for she ordered some wine when she headed up to her room. However she was surprised when she saw Clint standing there.

Without asking she opened the door wider gesturing him to step in. She then proceeded to close the door when he was fully in the room.

"I'm guessing you're here to kill me." She stated calmly as she looked at him.

"So you did know I was here, I thought you might."

"I noticed a couple SHEILD agents tracking my whereabouts; I figured it wouldn't take long for them to send someone to kill me."

"You do live up to the stories."

Shrugging her shoulders she pushed past him, sitting on the bed once again. "Thanks, you live up to yours as well. Hawkeye, I believe that's what they call you."

"I should have guessed you knew who I was."

"But of course, you think I wouldn't know every SHEILD agent, especially someone of your standards. Truthfully I expected them to send you a while ago. I'm pretty surprised they waited this long." She paused for a moment watching him.

"Well?"

He looked at her confusedly "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to kill me? That's what you're here for, though I expected you to bring your bow and arrow instead of a measly pocket knife."

"Change of plans, I'm not here to kill you anymore. The knife was just to ensure my safety."

She gave him a surprised look, "Change of plans?"

"I was told if I bring you in and if you decide to join SHEILD, instead of being against us, that there would be no need to kill you."

"What make's you think I would join you?" she hissed as she stood from the bed. Determined to show him she wasn't intimidated by him.

Inching closer to her he smirked. "You're lonely and despite what you might think, when you're with SHEILD you are a team. I think deep down you want that more than anything. Unless you sitting there crying on the bed was an act."

She stood there for a moment, just staring at him. "It wasn't." She croaked turning her head away from him.

His eyes were glued to her; he could tell she wasn't used to being vulnerable. "I just want to help you Natasha. I could have killed you, but I believe you deserve to live. Deserve to have a second chance, but I can't do that unless you agree."

"Why? Why do you believe that?"

"Because when I look at you I see myself. If it were me, I'd want one."

Turning away from him she stared out the window, looking out at the sky. "I guess that means I owe you my life."

"It doesn't have to be that way."

"It does or I'm not coming. I don't like to owe anyone, but I'll admit when I do."

"Fine, let's just call it an 'I owe you.' Does this mean you'll come?"

She turned back towards him and nodded her head.

"Good, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to cuff you, just standard protocol."

"I understand."

He closed the distance between them, cuffing her wrists tightly behind her back.


Clint held Natasha tightly. He was positive that she wouldn't run off, but you couldn't be too sure of anything when it came to her. Informing Coulson that he was coming in he made his way over to Fury straight away. He wasted no time, no doubt Fury already knew of the situation. He pondered on what punishment he would receive.

"Ahh…Agent Barton and Miss Romanoff pleasure to see you. I'm sure you're aware I've been informed about everything that transpired."

"Of course, Coulson would never withhold important information such as this."

"Yes he did. I must say that I was shocked to hear that you disobeyed orders."

"I saw the potential she has. She figured she be a better asset to SHEILD alive rather than dead."

Fury didn't say anything for a moment and Clint prepared himself to be yelled at. Instead he made his way behind Natasha, taking off the cuffs.

"I'm glad you decided to join us Agent Romanoff. I suspect you know all there is to know about SHEILD but I'd still like you to go with Agent Hill where she will explain the rules and basics of this agency."

Hill nodded towards Natasha gesturing her to follow her. Natasha quickly stole a glance at Clint and Fury before leaving the room.

Once they were gone, Fury turned towards Clint. "I hope you know she is going to be your responsibility. If something goes wrong, next time you will be forced to kill her. Is that understood?"

"Of course, I expected nothing less."

"Good, I really hope for her sake and yours that you made the right decision." Fury patted his shoulder before walking out of the room himself.

"I do too." Clint said to himself quietly.


He sighed as he searched for the scarlet haired woman, but she was no where to be seen. Finally after going into the last room on base he found her sitting on a bench looking down at the gun placed in her lap.

"Why are you here all alone?" He asked, not bothering to announce his arrival.

Natasha didn't seem to notice he was there until she looked up at him. "I don't know, it feels weird to be surrounded by a bunch of people. I'm not used to it." She said softly.

Clint smiled sadly, before sitting down next to her. "It's going to take some getting used to Tasha. You've been alone for so long, I'd be worried if you were used to it. Besides it's only been a week. Don't tell me you expected to adjust in such short time."

She shook her head, "No I didn't but I didn't expect it to feel like this either. I mean it feels weird but at the same time I'm happy to not be alone anymore. Relying on other people is comforting, but what if for some reason I'm pulled back to that life? I can't live like that again."

"You won't have to." Clint said as he placed a hand on hers. "I won't let it happen. I'll protect you from anyone who tried to come near you. You will never have to go back to that life as long as I'm around."

Natasha was about to say something when Coulson came bounding in the room. He started at them curiously before remembering why he was there in the first place. "You're wanted on a mission."

Clint let go of Natasha's hand as he stood up from the bench. "I'm on it, where am I headed?"

Coulson looked at him for a moment before looking at Natasha. "Actually Barton, you both are going on a mission."

Shocked Natasha stood up from the bench, while Clint looked at Coulson skeptically. "Already, don't you think we should wait a couple more weeks?"

"Fury said she should be ready, after all she's done things like this before it's nothing new except this time she'll be going as a field agent."

Placing a gentle hand on Clint's shoulder, Natasha smiled. "It's alright Clint; don't tell me you doubt my skills."

Amused Clint shook his head, "No of course not, but you have to remember this is a team mission. That means we work as a team."

"I know what a team mission is, just because I've never been on one doesn't mean I don't know one."

"Alright then, now that that's settled where are we going?"

Coulson smiled as he gestured them to follow. As they walked he handed Clint a folder. "I think you'll enjoy this. It's in a little place I like to call Budapest."


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