Title: Conquer
Author: SLynn

Summary: While Phil and Clint settle back into their normal lives, Natasha begins to see that things are not the same.

Notes: I've been marathon writing for three days straight and I'm feeling a lot better about my progress so... another chapter!

ii.

Bobbi Morse sighed as she continued pacing a short circuit in front of the windows as she waited. They'd almost made it back to New York when Romanoff insisted that they head to the Tower instead of the Helicarrier. Morse understood why. She hadn't even argued with her. Seeing your sort-of boyfriend come back from the dead, after you'd killed him, must be unsettling, even if you were Natasha Romanoff the Black Widow. Unfortunately, once they landed they had to explain everything to Banner and Sitwell. Then they had to explain it all again to Potts, Foster and Lewis.

By the time they'd straightened it out Hill was on the line telling them to stay put. Coulson wasn't going to be leaving medical that night and everyone else was heading back out to examine some kind of crash site.

Four hours had passed and Bobbi was still waiting even as the sun was starting to rise, but she wasn't alone. At first everyone had hung around, but now it was down to those truly desperate for answers: herself, Thor, Potts and Banner. Sitwell had left for the Helicarrier hours ago, not content to sit around and wait when he could go to Coulson directly. Jane and Darcy had fallen asleep on the sofa a half dozen times before Pepper and Thor finally talked them into just going to bed. And Natasha... again, Bobbi didn't blame her for being out of sorts but her absence was noted.

Pepper rising suddenly to her feet caught Bobbi's attention, as well as the two men with them. Turning back towards the windows she saw the Quinjet making its approach and took a steadying breath, not sure why she felt so tense and anxious.

The jet stopped long enough on the auxiliary pad for its four passengers to disembark before taking off again for the Helicarrier. Bruce and Thor joined Pepper and Bobbi, watching and waiting for what would happen next, but no one on the deck seemed to be moving with any urgency.

They made quite a sight.

Clint Barton, back from the dead, had stopped to take a look around him, out into the city. His back to them all, even from inside the Tower the steady rise and fall of his shoulders could be seen as he took in several deep breaths. Tony was only a few feet behind him, shifting slightly from foot to foot as if unsure of what to do or say. Closest to the door and the bay of windows were Maria and Steve, but even they stood a good ten feet apart from one another as they watched the scene unfold. They were all waiting for Barton to make the first move, to head inside, and after a few minutes more, he did.

"This is unreal," Pepper whispered, her eyes on the floor as she gave her head a shake. Her hands clutched tightly together, she lifted her head and met Bobbi's gaze.

"You can say that again," Bruce said, echoing her opinion, but with a shaky smile on his lips.

Inadvertently, Bobbi laughed and as she did she blushed. Her voice high and nervous, and it dawned on her why she suddenly felt so out of place. Because she was out of place.

She shouldn't be here.

Pepper reached out to her, squeezed her shoulder gently and offered up a warm smile, and Bobbi relaxed. Even if this was more of a personal gathering, she wasn't being excluded. She wasn't going to be forced out or asked to leave. She was grateful for it, even if it hadn't felt earned.

In the very next moment Tony pushed open the door and the room was filled with noise. Everyone was talking at once. Everyone was moving forward, asking questions, welcoming them all back with relief and excitement.

As best as she could, Bobbi moved herself away from the gathering.

Maria did the same.

"Have you had an update?" she asked the other woman.

"On Agent Coulson?" Maria returned, leaning into the couch as she rubbed at her eyes which were ringed with dark circles. "Yes. He'll be released later this morning. He has a minor infection but nothing serious."

"Did you find anything?"

"No," Maria said, stifling a yawn. "The site was stripped clean. We looked but... whoever it was cleaned up thoroughly."

"How's Barton?" Bobbi asked, lowering her voice so as not to catch his ear.

"Same as the rest of us," Maria shrugged. "Exhausted. Angry. Relieved and confused. Ryan tell you about the deserters?"

"She did," Bobbi said, shutting her own eyes with a sigh. "Sitwell already compiled a list. A few other agents around the country also skipped out. Looks like about a dozen total."

"Could be bigger."

"It's probably much bigger," Bobbi agreed, knowing twelve agents were simply not enough to run an operation of this caliber. "It's going to be a busy day."

"What time does the Director want us in?"

"Nine."

"Then I'd better go catch a nap," Maria said, pushing off the couch and back onto her feet as she checked her watch. "You sticking around?"

"For a little while," Bobbi answered.

Maria nodded in return and left without extending a goodbye to her or to anyone in the room. Bobbi's eyes darted back to the happy crown only to catch Rogers looking her way. Except he wasn't really looking at her, but past her at where Hill had just exited via the elevator. Bobbi watched as he briefly lowered his head and then turned his attention back to Tony who was relating some semi-amusing antidote with a force a smile on his lips.

Before Tony could break into another story, Pepper intervened.

"It's five forty-three," Pepper objected. "No one's slept and it's been a very long day and we're all very tired, Tony. I think it's time to call it a night."

"Who's tired?" Tony asked, looking around the group as if that simply wasn't possible.

When everyone, minus Thor, raised their hand, he waved at them all dismissively.

"Spoilsports," Tony sighed, but there was a smile on his face. "Fine. Sleep if you have to."

"Some of us not only have to but want to," Clint returned, and even from across the room Bobbi could see he was pale with fatigue. "I haven't seen a real bed in months. Got to admit, I'm looking forward to my own."

"Oh no, your room," Pepper said with a frown. "It's not... it's not together. I'm sorry, I wasn't really thinking about that."

"It's fine, Pepper," he assured her with an easy grin to put her at ease. "I can crash anywhere."

"I'll get it straightened out tomorrow," she said with a nod. "Or, well... later today," she finished with a smile. "We have plenty of spare rooms. I'll show you."

"No need. I know my way around," he reminded her. "But um... Did any of my things... Was anything -"

"It's all still boxed in your room," Tony answered before Clint could finish.

"I could use a change of clothes," Clint said, casting a quick glance around the room but carefully avoiding meeting anyone's eyes at the moment.

"I'll take care of it," Pepper said quickly, understanding his hesitation.

"Take any room you like," Tony said, steering him towards the elevator along with Pepper while everyone else hung back. "JARVIS will let you know which are occupied."

"You've got guests? Besides me, I mean," Clint asked as the three of them took the elevator down towards the guest rooms.

"You're not a guest," Pepper objected.

"Hill and Sitwell," Tony confirmed. "Should we have asked Morse to stay too?" he asked, eyebrow raised as he turned his attention to Pepper.

"She has an apartment," she answered with a sigh. "You've been working with her for months. You should know that, Tony."

"That's right, out in Brooklyn."

"No," Pepper said with a shake of her head and Clint let out a faint chuckle as the elevator doors slid open.

"Please tell me she's not commuting in from Jersey."

"You're hopeless," Pepper countered kindly and Clint couldn't help it; he laughed.

"Are we amusing you?" Tony asked as he opened the door to the spare room.

"A little bit," he admitted, still laughing. "Or I'm delirious. I haven't ruled that one out. For months I never really felt awake and then this past month it feels like I haven't really slept," he finished as he sat down heavily on the couch.

Tony immediately sat down in the chair opposite Clint, with Pepper choosing to rest against the arm, and for a long moment none of them spoke.

"I missed you guys," Clint finally said while looking down at his hands which were clutched tightly in his lap. "I missed all this. I didn't think we'd make it back this time."

"You and Phil do this a lot then?" Tony asked with a fond smile.

"Never on purpose," Clint answered with a laugh, before rubbing his hands over his face.

"Well," Pepper said, getting to her feet and motioning for Clint to stand as well. "Let's try to break that habit," she said as she pulled him into a hug.

"I will," Clint returned quietly, keeping his head down as Pepper dropped a kiss on his cheek.

"Good, because I can't do this again," she returned with a shaky laugh and smile of her own.

"Okay, okay," Tony said, standing up and shaking his head as he rolled his eyes. "Enough already. That's enough mushy stuff. Let the man go, Pepper. He needs sleep."

"Fine," she said, pulling him in for one last hug. "If you need anything..."

"Sleep, remember?" Tony said with a laugh.

"I know who to ask," Clint assured her, ignoring him. "Thank you."

Pepper nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, as she made her way to the door. But Tony didn't immediately follow her. Instead, he lingered for a second, placing his hand on Clint's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. Trying to say what he found he no longer could and eventually giving up, he settled on giving Clint a nod and patting him on the arm before joining Pepper.

"Goodnight," Pepper called out.

"Goodnight."

As soon as he was alone, he familiarized himself with his new surroundings. It was the same basic layout of the old room with the only difference being the furniture type. After a few minutes of settling his own nerves, he was still on a bit of an adrenaline high, he went straight for the shower. He still didn't have a change of clothes, but at the moment he didn't care. Rest was needed; he had to be mentally prepared for whatever happened next.

What happened next should have been expected.

As soon as he got out of the shower he knew he was no longer alone.

Wrapping a towel around his waist and striding confidentially into the bedroom, he stopped in the doorway and waited.

"I ran into Pepper," Natasha said evenly from across the room. "She said you needed clothes so..." she trailed off, her eyes flitting to the neat stack of clothes on the bed.

"You just happened to have those on hand, did you?" he asked, shifting his weight to lean into the doorjamb.

"Not on hand," she returned without inflection. "Just handy."

Clint nodded and continued to stare back at her; continued to wait and see what she'd say next.

Natasha looked away first. She couldn't help it. He was so exposed, so bare, that the scars... Natasha could see, easily see, the ugly marks she'd made on his midsection.

It was too much.

Maybe for them both she realized too late.

"Thanks," he finally said with a short nod as he moved further into the room. Clint picked up the t-shirt and pulled it over his head before he looked at Natasha again. "It's good seeing you," he said, his voice softer than before.

"I wasn't certain you'd want to see me."

"I wasn't certain either," he admitted, hesitating at first before beginning to move towards her. "Until I did. Natasha, I -"

"Wait," she interrupted. She held her ground, but her whole body tensed up at the thought of him touching her, and not in good way. Not in the typical way. She was terrified of how she'd react.

Natasha was terrified of hurting Clint. Again. Of being close enough to hurt him.

"Just wait," she said forcefully. "I need... I need time."

"Then... Then why are you here?" he asked, clearly confused and more than a little dejected.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I wanted to see you. I wanted to be sure... but, Clint, I need time. I'm working with Bruce to make sure I'm safe. He has some good ideas and I think... I think in time... This is what I need."

"What about what I need?"

"Clint -"

"No," he said quickly, cutting her off and giving his head a brutal shake. "Don't. It's... It's fine. I get it. Take all the time you need."

"You're angry."

"Yes," he said, looking away from her in obvious frustration while still trying to smile. "I'm... but it doesn't matter. Do what you have to do and... and I'll do what I have to do. Thanks for dropping these off," he said, turning his back on her and holding up the clothes she'd brought by, "but I need to get some rest now, so..."

By the time he had turned around again to face her, Natasha was already gone.