Natasha's long legs pumped quickly, turning the pedals, trying to get through the tall grass. Clint followed behind her, his legs working just as hard. A clicking noise followed her switching the gears down to 3 as the bike tires hit the flat road. Behind her, she heard Clint do the same.

They had just been informed that they were being looked over for the Avengers' Initiative. Director Fury had told them that the World Security Council was very interested in their work, especially the missions completed together. The Council said that they had a team mentality about them that would serve the Initiative well.

Natasha and Clint were dumbfounded. They despised working in teams. They wouldn't trust anyone other than themselves, or Coulson. On the occasion they were paired with another group, they would be friendly enough, but get the job completed as quickly as possible so that they could return to their deadly duo. They didn't like having others' lives on the line in a team mission, or the possibility that there could be double agents amongst their teammates. Too much distrust.

Crickets chirped as they rode along, signaling the coming of night. Warm gusts of air breathed into their faces, mixing with the occasional burst of cool wind. The air smelled of rain and greenery. Natasha was at peace on these bike rides; it gave her time to think.

The quinjet was leaving in an hour to take them to their missions; Clint was leaving to observe some energy power called the tesseract, and Natasha was headed to Russia to deal with some Russian general and his ring of weapons dealers. They didn't know how long they would be apart, but they hoped it wasn't for long; the nightmares they had sharpened the longer they were away from each other.

Darkness fell quickly, surrounding the two agents in a wall of blackness. Natasha heard rather than felt Clint pull up beside her, matching his pace with hers.

"Nat, what's up? You still mad about that whole Initiative thing?" His voice was calm and cool, but Natasha knew better; on the inside, he was just as upset as she was.

"Yeah, a little. I mean, they can't force us into something we don't want to do... Can they?"

Clint laughed. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D. we're talking about. They can make us do anything just by threatening to decrease our pay."

Natasha sighed. She wasn't in the mood for stale jokes. "Clint, the others who are on the list for the Initiative. Do you trust them?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Her face was set, and her eyes set straight forward. Street lights grew in the distance as they pedaled along the road.

"Well, I haven't met any of them, other than Thor. And he was just intent of getting his hammer out of the ground. Didn't really show much of that moral gushy stuff when I was around. Coulson said he's okay though. What about that bighead Stark guy?"

Natasha snorted. "As far as trust goes, I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. He's unreliable. He would rather save his own skin than anyone else's. Although I have to admit, his girlfriend is pretty important to him, and around her, he isn't so bad. Pepper, I think her name was. I don't understand why Fury didn't induct him into the Initiative already; once Stark knew about it, he hacked into every S.H.I.E.L.D. file there was to get information on it. He knows more about it than we do."

"I know why. If he is half the jerk that you said he is, then I don't think his ego would go over well with the rest of the team. You didn't recommend him for the Initiative. Fury listens to you. More than he does with me anyway..." Clint added as an afterthought.

"I don't sneak around in the air vents trying to prank rookies," laughed Natasha.

"That was one time!" exclaimed Clint.

Suddenly, the watch on Clint's wrist lit up and emitted a shrill noise. He clicked a button on the outer edge, and Coulson's voice came over the line.

"Barton, you and Romanoff need to be back here in thirty minutes. Plane takes off in forty-five."

"We will sir. Don't get all worked up. If it will help, go yell at a few of the pilots and see if they'll leave early just to make it a challenge for us."

"That's not funny Barton. Romanoff, make sure he gets back here before wheels up, or else I'm sticking both of you on desk duty for the next month."

"Great, thanks Clint. You just put a major weight onto my shoulders," Natasha sighed as Coulson signed off.

Clint laughed "You know he's joking. You sure this road comes back around to base?"

"They don't call it Jefferson Circle for anything Clint."

"Just checking! So besides the billionaire and god, who else is Fury considering?"

"You remember Harlem?"

"You're joking. The Hulk? Really?"

"Don't sound so excited. He's more than anything you or I could handle."

"I beg to differ. A few tranquilizing arrows, and the beast is down for the count."

"You and your arrows. Anyway, Fury isn't looking at the monster. He's looking at the Doctor behind the green."

"That fugitive, Hulk's other half? What do we need him for?"

"He's more than likely going to be the brains behind everything. I can see him working quite nicely with our trouble maker Iron Man. Only question is, what about trust?"

"Nat, I hate to say this, but we're going to have to trust them if we're forced to work with them. I know, I don't like the sound of it, but it might happen. However, I do know one thing; if any of them attempt to injure you, or turn against us, I will personally shoot an arrow into their knee, followed by another to their eye. Nat, I don't care what Fury says; the moment the rest of them turn against us, I promise that I will do whatever it takes for us to get out, and take a long vacation while everything dies down."

"You're funny Clint."

"I'm not joking Nat."

"Okay, how about the super soldier?"

"Captain America? You know how obsessed Coulson is about him? I was there when Coulson found out he was still alive. He screamed like a girl, then went on and on about getting some trading cards signed."

"Captain America trading cards?"

"They're vintage. He's very proud."

"Ha, wow. Never took Coulson for being the fangirl type."

"Fanboy Nat. Learn your gender types."

"If I wasn't on a bike right now, I would punch you."

"And I believe you would. So what do you think of the soldier? Trustworthy?"

"If Coulson thinks so, sure. But the next question is will he trust us? We're spies, not exactly the trustworthy type."

"So now you're worried about others trusting us? Gosh Nat, one problem at a time."

"You know, I could get off this bike and tackle you to the ground."

"And I would enjoy that immensely."

"Barton."

"Romanoff."

A large building grew in the distance with bright lights aimed on a plane on the runway. Agents were swarming like ants, shouting instructions and information to one another across large distances.

"Looks like they're doing pre-diagnostics. How much time do we have Clint?"

"Ten minutes."

Suddenly Natasha swerved off of the road and parked her bike on the side, before stepping into the cover of the few trees on the edge. Clint followed without hesitation.

She stood by a tree, her face hidden in the shadows.

"Clint, I can't-"

Clint moved in and kissed her before she could say another word. She was frozen for a moment, then kissed him back will equal fervor. When they parted, they were both slightly out of breath. Clint's hand was on her back, holding her close, the other at the base of her neck, while Natasha's were wound around his back.

"Before you yell at me for that uncalled for action, answer this; would anything else have shut you up? Nat, you're scared, but you won't admit it. And that's okay, but I don't want you to forget. Nat, I'm here too. I'm right here with you, and though you might have the slightest fear that I'm going somewhere, I'm not. Natasha, you know I love you. I always will."

Instead of shying away like she usually does, Natasha stood, staring into Clint's stormy eyes, flashing with a fiery passion that matched her own.

"Clint-"

"Natasha. Don't start with that love is for children crap. You might fool the drunken agents at the bar, but you can't fool me, so don't even try."

With that, Clint leaned down again, kissed her on her nose, then turned back to their bikes, leaving Natasha in the trees.

When Clint pulled up to base, Coulson was waiting.

"Barton, you're five minutes late. Where's Romanoff?"

"She's coming. Her chain got screwed up, and she said that I was the one you threatened, and that I should get to base as soon as possible. I tried to argue with her, but you know Natasha."

Coulson opened his mouth to reply, but Natasha pulled up beside Clint with a huff.

"Sorry, chain got caught on something."

Slightly suspicious of the two, Coulson just nodded.

"You need to get on board immediately. We're going to drop Natasha off first, since Moscow is closest, and then Barton, you and I will continue on to California, okay?"

The agents nodded, then walked by Coulson, heading towards the plane, a tense silence falling between them.

Natasha was just running over her parachute, making sure everything was in check, when Clint walked up behind her. His hands ghosted over hers, helping her zip up the pack and adjust the straps. She wouldn't look at him, but when everything was in place, she grabbed his hands and held on tight.

He spoke very quietly, but Natasha heard every word.

"Natasha, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have crossed the boundary. That was uncalled for."

He paused.

"I don't, however, regret it. I swore to myself the day I met you, and understood everything that had happened to you, that I would never hurt you. I'm holding by my promise. Tasha, everything will be okay. If it isn't, I will make it okay. I just need you to trust me."

Natasha looked up. Her bright green eyes were blank, but Clint knew her well enough to know she was terrified inside.

"Whatever happens with this stupid Initiative thing, we'll be okay. Alright? Don't have too much fun killing people without me."

A siren sounded over the intercom, signaling that they were over the drop zone. Clint grabbed Natasha's duffle bag, then helped her to her feet. She was still gazing at him, with renewed intensity. Clint wasn't paying attention.

"Clint."

The archer looked up.

"I love you."

"I love you too Tasha."

Clint leaned into her, and she stood on her tip toes, bringing their lips together yet again.

When they broke apart, Natasha hovered her finger above the drop button.

"Nat?"

"Yeah Hawk?"

"Seriously. If I learn that you've discovered some giant weapons and child trafficking ring and take them down single handedly, I'm dropping everything and flying to you immediately because you cannot have that much fun without me."

Natasha flashed a grin.

"And if I learn that that energy cube or whatever it is something more than something to make weapons with, I'm coming to you. Deal?"

Clint nodded, letting out a grin as Natasha smiled, hit the drop button, then fell gracefully out of the plane, twirling and twisting like the acrobat she was.

Less than a month later, Natasha got a call. Clint had been compromised; her worst fears confirmed. Now nothing mattered, only Clint. If those idiot so called Avengers got in her way, so be it. Clint needed her. She was going to be there.