I took a break from ffnet. Thought I was gone for good. I'm grateful to the people who coaxed me back and encouraged me to keep writing. This one is for you. :)

My writing style is what it is. I try to proof before I post. If you don't like don't read. I've seen a lot worse posted on this site. All bashers will be blocked; you have been warned. You may want a tissue nearby for this.

Title: White picket fence
Author: Cindy Ryan
Pairings: Clint/Natasha
Timeline: Future AU, movieverse

Former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clint Barton code named Hawkeye rested a hand against the white picket fence that ran around the yard of his home.
Four years out and he was still amazed.
Never in any possible future scenario would Clint have believed he'd end up with a two story light green house with the cliche' picket fence in a suburb of Chicago.
Yet here he was.
Fate must have a sense of humor.

"Daddy!"

Clint's attention jerked to the brown haired four year old boy playing by the front steps. That was the other reality the former archer was still adjusting to. Not that every moment of fatherhood hadn't been
amazing it was just something he'd never thought was in the cards. His career choice hadn't exactly screamed fatherhood/husband material. Not that the woman he dated were the wanting children type.
There wasn't much time for dating in between saving the world. Besides Clint hadn't been looking for complications.

"You getting tired of drawing?"Clint asked his son as he sat on the top step.

Phillip glanced up from his chalk drawings that currently covered the length of the sidewalk. It was an early spring day. Sky was blue, sun was shining and the trees were beginning to show life. It'd been another long hard Midwest winter. The neighborhood was buzzing with activity as the roads and sidewalks showed no traces of snow for the first time in months.
The boy held up a broken green chalk as if that explained aspects of parenting Clint was still figuring out. He looked down at the small plastic case of chalk on the lower step and saw every other color of the rainbow except more green.

"How's everything going?"A female voice asked from behind.

Clint smiled at his wife as he turned around. Natasha Romanoff was the last person he'd expected to have a child with. The two of them were as far from parents of the year as anyone could get. Trained assassins, agents for a secret government agency, friends with superheros. When they had become romantically involved they never talked about the future.
Doing their job it wasn't something one talked about. Gong out on a mission you had better odds of not coming home than succeeding.
They lived in the moment; enjoyed each other, loved each other.

Then a crazed DemiGod from Asgard had taken control of Clint's mind and tried to destroy the Earth. Nat had saved his life when everyone else had written him off as a lost cause. Someone else using you as a puppet makes you think twice about things.
Nat had given Clint a second chance by breaking Loki's control. Slowly talk of a future together began.
Four years later here they were semi-retired and living in the suburbs with a son named for a hero.
They both still taught new trainees for S.H.I.E.L.D and consulted when time allowed.

Clint glanced back at their son who was still holding up the broken chalk. "We're out of green apparently."

Natasha laughed. "There's another box of chalk in his room. I'll see what I can find."

"Thanks Nat."Barton replied as he kissed her.

"This should be an easy mission. I'll be right back."Natasha Romanoff-Barton replied as she stood and went back into the house.

"Mom's looking for green, okay?"Clint told Phillip as he stood and joined his son on the sidewalk.

"Okay."The little boy replied.

Clint ruffled the boy's hair as Phillip put the broken chalk aside and picked up a yellow one to draw the sun. Phillip was a spitting image of Clint except for his eyes which were his mother's unmistakable green.

"Mission accomplished."Natasha exclaimed as she exited the house and walked down the steps holding the spare box of chalk. "This has not one but two shades of green."

Clint reached up and grasped Nat's free hand pulling her down beside him. "Good job, Nat, but I think the crisis has passed and we're on to yellow."

"Better safe than sorry."Natasha replied as she set the case of chalk aside and scooted closer to her son. "Can I draw too?"

Phillip smiled. "Sure."

"What color?"Nat asked.

"Purple."The boy replied concentrating back on his drawing.

"Purple it is."The former Black Widow stated as she exchanged an amused glance with her husband. "And what should I draw with purple?"

"Tree."Phillip suggested.

Clint couldn't help but chuckle at his son's logic. "Sure, purple tree why not? Go for it, Nat."

"Don't criticize my artistic skills."Natasha warned hiding her own laughter.

"Wouldn't dream of it."Barton replied as he shifted a more comfortable position.

As he watched his family in the warm spring sun Clint realized with a start he'd never been more content or at peace.
Natasha had long ago cleared her ledger of red.
Part of Clint never thought he'd cleared his. Never thought he'd do enough to earn a happy ending.
Now he and Nat had their happy ending. Plus with all the saving of the world he and Nat had done over the years Clint hoped that they'd made it a better place for Phillip to grow up in.
His son deserved every drop of happiness.
Because he'd made his parents very happy and proud.

End