Author's Note: I had this chapter ready to post yesterday but the website crashed so I didn't get a chance to upload. So sorry to those of you I told it would be up yesterday.

Review Reviews:

kimbee: I think you'll grow attached :p lol The twins are hardest for me to write because I'm not around 11 year old's very often so I just do whatever seems reasonable for that age haha These girls aren't going down with a fight no matter what ;)

imnotcraZyjustuniQue: Thanks! There's gonna be more S.H.I.E.L.D. coming up as well as more Aceland. I loved picturing Charlotte and Ryland dancing!

GhostGlowLight: Oh they won't be kissing for a long time ;) The build up is the best part!

Linew Ferland: There will definitely be more Anya/Ryland. It's a build up to something more between them so they'll be plenty of moments shared.

verreauxii: Thanks :)

Emrys90: Thank you!

Sora D: No unfortunately Pepper never got pregnant again. I considered having them adopt but it's just Ryland. Haha Ryland is a looker but so far Anya's the only one looking ;)

SilenceSpeaksWhenWordsCan't: After this they aren't going to be as many fluffy family moments but I'm gonna try throwing them in throughout the action. Thanks! I started using Polyvore for my stories a few stories ago and just thought it was a great way of including you in the vision I have in my head :)

Sasha: That's okay. I figured it'd take everyone a few chapters to get used to everyone and remember names and ages. That's why the first chapters are just fluff. I ship them too teehee

ThatsWhatReallyHappened: That's pretty much how the Barton's work :) I haven't decided if the twins have super serum haha I haven't decided if I'll touch on it or just leave it up to your imagination :)

maggie: Thanks! Anya and Irina have a really special relationship- as do Anya and Ryland. I'll try incorporating everyone else a bit more. This story is really about Anya and Ryland so there won't be as much of the team but I'll do my best to keep the scope wide :)

Morgan: Thanks!

AnglesareGolden: I still haven't decided if Bruce and Danni will have kids, but thanks :)

asphodel. cato: Lol thanks!

Guest1: Yeah Tony and Pepper never got that little girl they wanted :( But they have six other little kids in the tower that are practically their own. Thanks!

discordchick: Hahah yes he's holding out for the right girl *cough cough* ANYA *cough cough* hahaha!

I sorta lied a little when I said the action would start now haha the start of the start of the action starts now :p So the real action started in the next chapter but the set up for the action starts now. What? That made no sense! HAHA sorry you'll understand when you read this chapter and the next :p

Enjoy!

Natasha fell onto Anya's bed with a heavy sigh, her red hair fanning out around her. "I'm bored," she complained and Anya just had to chuckle. She was standing in the doorway to her bathroom french braiding her hair so it was off the back of her neck and out of the way.

"Where's Dad?" Anya asked as she returned to the bathroom mirror to put the finishing touches on her hair before grabbing her moisturizer/sunblock and applying a healthy amount to her face and neck.

"Off somewhere with Cap. He left me here alone and I'm bored, entertain me." Natasha replied, rolling over on the bed so she faced Anya. She propped her chin up on her hand and kicked her legs back and forth for added affect.

"Sorry, I can't today." Anya replied, flicking off her bathroom light as she exited. Going to her dresser, she pulled on Ryland's gold watch and a few long strands of gold chains. She was just wearing a loose pink tee shirt and shorts with a skinny braided belt but at least her sandals were brown gladiators so she had some sort of style. "I'm going into Next Gen today."

Natasha made a show of pouting even as she reached across the side of the bed to grab Anya's floral print backpack and hand it to her. "You're seriously going to leave me here all alone to participate in a program I- very vocally- detest you being apart of? That's how this relationship works?"

Anya thought for a second before nodding and kissing her mother on the head. "Yeah, that's how this works." she said teasingly as she headed for the bedroom door, Natasha on her heels. But before Anya made it to the front door of the apartment Natasha grabbed her shoulders.

"Are you sure about this?" Natasha asked seriously and Anya rolled her eyes.

"Mom, we've already had this conversation a million times."

"Yes, and we'll have it a million more times before I'm convinced joining S.H.I.E.L.D. is a good idea."

"I don't know if it's a good idea. But it's what I want to do. I want to make a difference in some way- any way. And I think S.H.I.E.L.D. is a great way to achieve that goal of mine. So yes, Mom, I am sure. I'm very, very sure. You're the one who isn't sure." Anya replied, switching her posture so she rested her forehead against her mother's.

Natasha sighed. "Of course I am the one who's unsure. I'm your mother, it's my job to worry."

"Well relax," Anya said, kissing Natasha again. "You really won't look good with worry lines." At that quip, Natasha shoved Anya playfully out the door. Anya laughed the whole elevator ride down to the garage. Anya had her drivers license and she even had a car- a Lexus nonetheless- but she hated driving in New York. Owning a fast car made no sense to her considering every car goes the same speed in midday traffic. So Anya just traveled through the garage out to the street where she climbed inside a S.H.I.E.L.D. black car and headed to the Super 8 hotel down the block from the Next Gen headquarters.

"Hey there!" a dirty homeless man shouted almost as soon as she was close enough to hear him. Anya jumped a little, cringing internally as the man rushed up to talk to her. "You're back. You come here a lot. You're a pretty girl. Pretty girls don't come here lots. Where ya headed? Ya headed inside? What's inside? Secret things. Big secret things. I'm Ted."

"Yes I know who you are, Ted, we've talked before...unfortunately." Anya replied, flinching away from his horrid breath. She just kept walking, hoping he'd leave her alone eventually.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I know we've spoke. But I never know if you know. You know? Like if ya forgot." Ted rambled, hurrying behind her. His speech was slurred and he reeked of alcohol even at nine in the morning. He also kind of smelt like pot and cigarettes but mainly alcohol; cheep, canned alcohol.

"So what's inside?" Ted kept at it, asking question after question until they got to the big metal doors of the warehouse Ted refused to enter. "What's going on in there, little girl? What ya got to do with it? Huh? What's the government up to this time?"

"I don't know but if you're going to talk to me please get a breath mint first, please." Anya snapped, shoving the metal door aside where it fell to the floor with a clatter. Ted didn't follow her inside but she still repeatedly checked over her shoulder as she wondered about the warehouse before coming across the tarp that concealed the elevator down to Next Gen.

Upon entering the training facility, Anya headed to her locker. They were located next to one of the largest gymnasiums and so everyone kept their personal effects as well as their gym clothes there. Anya's locker was down the line from Ryland's but she was surprised to find him shuffling through his.

"Don't you have class?" Anya asked as she approached her own locker, throwing it open and tossing her backpack inside.

"Got a long weekend." Ryland replied and so Anya looked over at him. For the first time she really looked at him and a warm blush immediately colored her cheeks because he was standing just a few feet away from her in nothing but his low-rise jeans, his bare chest slick with sweat. Anya looked away.

"Hey, Anya." a southern male voice called from the entryway to the locker room and so both Ryland and Anya turned towards the sound. Agent Brant stood leaning lazily against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. Anya tossed a hello and a smile at him as she closed her locker again. "Director Fury is looking for you, Ace. You too, Stark."

"What's he want with us?" Ryland asked as he pulled on a green military button up and spritzed himself with cologne to mask the smell of his previous workout. Agent Brant shrugged so Anya and Ryland both headed out of the locker room in pursuit of Director Fury's office but Brant stepped in front of Anya before she could exit.

"So I got a peek at your performance review today." he said in a low voice, ducking his head a little to match his eyeline with Anya's. "I know I'm not technically supposed to look but I couldn't help but just take a quick peek."

"Oh please tell me I did well?" Anya squeaked, clasping her hands together in front of her chest. Part of her was slightly embarrassed by her own reaction but she had a lot ridding on that performance review. That review would decide whether or not she would stay in the program another year or upgrade to S.H.I.E.L.D. as a legitimate agent.

Brant flashed a dazzling smile as he said, "I have a good feeling you'll be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s youngest agent ever."

Anya immediately pumped her fist down as she whispered, "Yes!" under her breath with a chuckle. Brant laughed along with her, taking just another small step closer to her so when she looked up at him they were a few inches apart. Brant was tall- just a little bit shorter than Ryland- and muscular. Anya didn't know much about his past other than he was born and raised in Texas and had some military training though she wasn't sure what exactly. He had an easy smile and he was always nice to Anya so when he looked about to hug Anya she accepted the invitation.

But before they got another inch closer Ryland cut in. "That's really great, Ace." he said with a smile as he threw his arm around her shoulders. "But c'mon who didn't expect you to beat everyone?"

Anya just blushed, thanking them both. "We better get to Director Fury's office though. Thanks, Brant, see you later." she said with a smile, tossing a wave over her shoulder at Brant who returned the gesture. Ryland let his arm fall off her shoulders as they walked through a series of hallways leading to the Director's office.

"I really am happy for you, Ace. You deserve this." Ryland told her with a sweet smile, bumping shoulders with her. "Tasha's going to have a fit through."

"Dad too. But we all knew it would come eventually. They'll just have to deal with it, I guess." Anya replied just as they stepped up to the receptionist's desk. She told them to wait just a minute while she paged back to the Director's office.

"Right this way," she said a minute later, guiding Anya and Ryland down yet another hallway and to a door with Fury's name on the front. She opened it and they stepped inside together. The room was much larger than any office ever should be but it seemed a lot larger than it actually was because the only furniture throughout the room was a glass and steel table smack-dab in the middle with a giant leather chair behind it, faced away. On the other side of the table covered in manila folders and office supplies, sat two gray leather chairs between a small steel end-table.

Ryland and Anya occupied those two seats, glancing at each other from the corners of their eyes. "Sir?" Anya finally murmured after a minute of silence.

"One of our agents has gone rogue." Direct Fury said, still facing away from the pair. Anya and Ryland exchanged a glance and for a minute Anya was worried Fury had called in the wrong Stark and Barton. "I need you two to rectify the situation."

Ryland looked to Anya before clearing his throat and saying, "With all due respect, Sir, are you sure you want us on this mission? I'm just saying…this seems serious."

"It is very serious," Fury replied, finally turning his grand chair around to face them. He rested his elbows against the glass tabletop, looking between Anya and Ryland seriously. "That is specifically why I've requested you both. Are you declining?"

Any and Ryland just slowly shook their heads but didn't say anything. Ryland was so nervous his hands were shaking so he clasped his hands together between his knees and prayed Director Fury wouldn't see them shaking. A peek at Anya from the corner of his eye let him know she saw his shakes but was in the same boat as he.

"As of this morning Agent Wilson has fallen off the grid. He killed one of our agents late last night and escaped custody this morning." Fury told them, reaching across his desk to hand them each a manila folder. Ryland's hand shook a little as he reached for it but he quickly covered up his trembling hand and grabbed the folder. Upon opening it, he found multiple performance reports and agent information along with a photo of the agent in question.

"I remember him," Ryland said thoughtfully as he examined the folder. "He came to a few of my birthday parties. Are you sure he's gone rogue?"

"Positive," was Fury's only curt response. "He killed one of ours; got into a serious altercation last night where he shot one of my men and threw him out a four story window. If it weren't for video surveillance across the street I wouldn't believe it was him at all."

"That's how you apprehended him?" Anya asked as she perused Agent Wilson's file. She was a speed reader so by the time Ryland got to page two she was finished the entire file. But she kept it open in her lap, reading over it a second time to memorize all the information.

"Yes, we brought him into custody at 0300 this morning."

"But he got away." Ryland said, peeking up at Director Fury from over the file. He got a terse nod in response so he asked, "Why would he allow you to catch him if he was just going to flee within...twenty minutes of arriving at headquarters?"

"He needed our database," Director Fury replied, pulling a Post-It-Note off a pad by his computer. He held it out and Anya snatched it before Ryland could. "Before he got away, he used our computers to look up this name. Sarah Wright, a scientist at a research foundation here in New York. We believe, based on our intel, that Agent Wilson intends on triggering a catastrophic event he calls Echo. Now we don't know what that event might be but apparently Miss Wright is involved somehow."

"So you want us to bring her in?" Anya asked.

"To start, yes." Director Fury replied but he didn't give any further comment. So Anya and Ryland exchanged a long glance before standing up and heading to the door. "Oh and one more thing," Director Fury finally said just as Anya had her hand on the door handle. "No one can know of this assignment."

"Director..." Ryland began to protest but Fury just raised a hand to stop him.

"As of now I have no idea how far into this into organization this reaches. Right now the only people I can trust are those I know for sure aren't involved. That would be you two. Aside from your training you've had the least contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. and therefore have deemed yourselves trustworthy. However no one can know that one of our own has slipped his leash and is off doing god knows what to god knows who. This is very sensitive and the information I've provided you both stays between the three of us. Now I need to know right here and now if you are up for this or not?"

Any and Ryland looked to each other, both searching the other for an answer to Director Fury's question. Neither could imagine keeping such an important step in their careers to themselves. Especially from their family. Ryland particularly had never lied to his parents once in his entire life (safe from "the imaginary dog did it" lies of his childhood). Neither he nor Anya could even fathom keeping such a thing from their parents and the rest of the team. But when they looked to each other they immediately knew their answer.

"We are,"

XXX

Clint walked into the apartment to find Natasha tidying up a bit. She was in the middle of vacuuming so Clint sneaked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving her a little start. "You're getting soft, Black Widow." he teased as he kissed her exposed neck. She chuckled as she leaned back into him, turning the vacuum off. "Where are the girls?"

"Irina went out with friends after school and Anya went to Next Gen." Natasha replied, not bothering to hide the acidity in her tone. She threw down the cord to the vacuum, making the machine fall over as she also fell to the couch. Clint sighed as he joined her, causing the couch to dip towards him so she naturally fell into him.

"Still not okay with it, huh?" he asked rhetorically. Of course he already knew her answer. He heard it every night and every day.

"I don't like it, Clint." Natasha replied seriously, turning to face him. "She's supposed to be different- she's supposed to be normal. I mean, we didn't fight as hard as we did to just give up on giving Anya a childhood."

"She had a childhood, Nat. She had a wonderful childhood at that. But as much as it kills me to say this...she's not a little girl anymore. She was born middle aged; even when she was a little girl she was more mature than anyone else. She's eighteen now and it's time she made some decisions and mistakes on her own."

"I don't want her making mistakes that could get her killed!"

"None of us do but if we've done as good a job parenting as I think we have, she'll be fine." Clint wrapped his arms around Natasha, hugging her tight to his chest as he kissed the top of her head. "I worry about her too, Tasha. I worry every second of everyday. But I'm confident in her; she's always made the right call. I trust her to do the same thing now that she's on the track to join S.H.I.E.L.D."

Natasha pulled back far enough to look him in the eye. "When did you get so wise?"

Clint just smiled. "I'd like to say I've been wise the whole time." he said but then chuckled. "But who am I kidding? I have no idea what I'm saying." he teased but that didn't mean his words didn't hold some semblance of truth. Even if Natasha hated the idea of Anya training to become an agent, she trusted her daughter.

"She grew up too fast." Natasha mumbled as she looked over to the bookshelf next to the flat screen TV. There were multiple framed pictures of their little family on each shelf as well as throughout the apartment. Natasha was a little shutter happy and took more than enough photos throughout Anya and Irina's childhood. Her favorite photo of all was snapped by Clint a few days after Irina was born. He took it while Natasha was asleep in the hospital, Irina just a few days old but already sleeping well herself. He let Anya hold her little sister as they sat in a chair by the window, the bundle of blankets dwarfing Anya's little frame. She was a little over two years old and even though she'd been terrified to hold Irina at first, she quickly grew accustomed to having her little sister in her lap. So that one day while Natasha slept, Clint placed Irina in her big sister's lap and stood back to watch the girls interact. He snapped the photo quickly as the sun set behind the hospital, casting light all around Anya and Irina as they sat by the window watching each other carefully. They were two days and two years old and yet they looked so serious; like they were talking to each other without saying anything. Blue eyes locked on each other, that photo was a sneak peek at how close they'd be as they aged together.

"They both did," Clint replied, looking at the pictures as well. Anya was in almost every single baby photo of Irina. Photos of the girls playing, laughing, fighting and everything in between. From Irina's first birthday to the photo they took the other day together in Central Park, they were always side-by-side.

"I just wish I could pick her up again, you know? I wish she was little enough that I could carry her around, Schenok in one arm and Ryland trailing along beside us like it always was." Natasha said with a chuckle, pushing down the emotions that tried to overwhelm her. She looked over at a photo they'd taken during Anya's first Halloween when she'd dressed up as a puppy. Her and Ryland were side-by-side on the stoop leading up to the Avenger's Tower, holding hands despite Ryland wearing a makeshift Iron Man suit and Anya having furry puppy paws. Ryland's helmet was pulled back to show his glowing smile and even though one floppy ear was covering Anya's left eye, she was all smiles too.

Natasha smiled softly, clutching her chest as she leaned into Clint. "Our little girl is so big now, Clint." she mused as she picked up a photo from the coffee table. Anya's high school graduation. She was selected from her class to give a speech even though she wasn't valedictorian. She talked only a few minutes about endings and her dislike of them but how a few people stick by forever as one's solid ground. She made eye contact with her parents and Clint immediately teared up. Somehow Natasha made it through without crying, only getting a little choked up. The photo on the coffee table was taken just after Anya and her classmates filtered off the stage and into the hallway where their families awaited. She literally screamed with joy as she hugged each and ever member of her family- not just Clint, Natasha and Irina, but the team as well. They somehow managed to fit all seventeen of them in a photo, Anya in the middle between her parents.

"Yeah she is," Clint agreed. "But she's still our Little Bird."

Author's Note: I am going away on a 6 day trip leaving tomorrow (Thursday) so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. Knowing me, I'll find a way to post it even on vacation haha but we might not have wifi at the hotel or whatever. So I can't promise chapter 4 will be up in 3-5 days like usual but I'm gonna try my hardest!

As usual, you can check out my Polyvore (samitballi. polyvore. com) for a set from this chapter titled Linchpin: Three :)

Thanks!