Here's chapter three! It might be a little boring :( my bad. I also need to let you know that I won't be updating for the next two days because I'm crazy busy. I promise to update as soon as Saturday or maybe even Friday night. Anyways ENJOY!
-Kody Lyon
The jet landed on the flight deck and Charlie and Clint walked down the ramp. The wind whipped angrily at Charlie's cheeks. Somehow it was actually quite peaceful up there. Clint showed her the way inside and he led her through a door that led them into a hallway. Charlie realized the wind had ripped her hair out of her bun. The dark brown curls barely hung past her shoulders. Charlie never felt like dealing with the tangled mess every day, so she always wore it up. Charlie started to scrap here hair up into another bun but a hand was placed around her wrist. Charlie stopped and looked at Barton.
"Leave it. You hair looks much better down." Charlie hesitated and he smiled. He let her wrist go and she let her hair fall down around her shoulders. Clint's hand reached up and brushed aside a curl that had fallen across her face. Charlie wasn't sure how to react so she hastily batted his hand away and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"It's a bit of a nuisance." She said.
"Nonsense. It beautiful."
Charlie gave him a shy smile. "Thanks." She wasn't used to getting compliments. Out of nowhere, someone cleared their throat. Clint and Charlie turned to look at Director Fury.
"So. You've changed your mind." He wasn't asking.
"Director. I so wish you wouldn't assume things." Charlie said sweetly.
"Then why are you here?"
"I brought her here, sir." Barton said quickly and he moved to stand in front of Charlie. "I couldn't get her to change her mind at the office, so I thought I could change her mind if I brought her here." Fury looked at Barton and then to Charlie who was looking over Barton's broad shoulder.
"Fine. But you better make it quick. You get debriefed on your next mission in an hour." Fury looked at Charlie one last time, turned and walked down the hall.
"Are you sure it was okay to bring me here? He didn't see very happy to see me." Charlie whispered over his shoulder.
"That's just Fury." Clint whispered back. "Why are we whispering?" He turned to look at her.
"You never know. He could have ears like a hawk." Charlie whispered again. Clint laughed.
"No, but I do." He smiled and winked at her. Was that supposed to be funny? Charlie gave him a confused look. Clint's smile faltered.
"What? What happened? Do I have something on my face?" Charlie put a hand up to her face.
"No you don't have anything on your face. Earlier, when you mentioned the Avengers, you didn't even seem to realize that one was in the room with you." Charlie blinked at him a couple times. Then she took a step back and studied him. It dawned on her.
"Ohhh. You're the archer." Charlie smiled. "Now I get it." Clint didn't look pleased. "What? I was focused on Iron man and Captain America." Clint crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. He's offended! I offended him! "I…"
"Let's start the tour." He said in monotone and walked down the hall. Charlie stared after him in horror. I offended him! Great going Charlie. Clint walked farther down the hall without checking if Charlie was following him. So she had to jog to catch up to him. On their way to where ever they were going, Charlie made several attempts to apologize but she kept her trap shut.
Soon they walked through a pair of automatic glass doors and stepped into what Charlie only guessed as the flight deck. Charlie looked around and was amazed by everything she saw. The view was beautiful from the windows and Charlie's fear of heights was lifted, for now. On the lower deck, agents were stationed at computers or were running around.
Charlie saw Fury standing by the table with a woman in a uniform by his side. Fury was talking to a short haired blonde who sat at the table on the upper deck. Fury glanced up as Charlie and Barton walked closer. The man sitting looked up as well and so did the woman.
"I should have known you would bring her here first." Fury said to Barton.
"I didn't know you were so eager to get away from me, Director." Fury ignored Charlie's quip.
"Thought it was the best place to start." He replied.
"Special Agent Anderson, this is my first in command, Agent Maria Hill." Fury said indicating the woman in uniform. They shook hands.
"Please call me Charlie. My FBI title's way too long."
"Wish you would have told me that." Clint whispered in Charlie's ear. She elbowed him in the side.
"If you joined SHIELD, all you would need in the 'agent' part." Maria said.
"Yes. I know." Charlie replied with a smile.
"And this," Fury said indicating the man that was sitting, now standing, "is Steven Rogers." Charlie turned her attention to Steve and she stared up into breath taking blue eyes. Charlie thought there was something oddly familiar about him and she noticed that he wasn't in any kind of a uniform. When Charlie went to shake his hand, her hand passed right through his.
Charlie blinked a couple of times and said, "Well that's embarrassing." Steve looked like he had no idea what just happened.
"Charlotte has a special ability." Fury began.
"Walking through walls is hardly anything special. I may have used it in the military but,"
"You were in the military?" Steve asked. Charlie smiled at him.
"Yes, sir. For about three years." Then it dawned on Charlie who he was. Wow. I'm horrible at this. "You're not the only one." She whispered to Clint. She glanced up and saw him smile a little. Yes! Fences were mended.
"If that is all, I would like to go back to discussing important matters." Fury said.
"Of course, sir." Clint responded.
"Nice to meet both of you." Charlie said to Steve and Agent Hill before she and Clint walked out of the flight deck. They walked down another long hallway next to each other, shoulders bumping every now and then. "So, where to next?"
"The training room." As they approached a doorway, a woman stepped out in a tank top and sweatpants. Her red hair was tied back and Charlie could tell that she had been working out. She stopped when she saw Charlie and Clint.
"Natasha." Clint said with a smile.
"Hi. Who's your friend?" She asked, looking at Charlie with an unreadable expression.
"Charlotte Anderson." Charlie introduced herself without using her FBI title. She extended her hand and Natasha shook it. Her grip was very strong.
"Fury wants to recruit her but she's too stubborn to take the offer." He said. Charlie sneered at him.
Natasha's eyes scanned Charlie and she said, "She's not the stubborn type, Clint. You're probably not convincing enough." Charlie let out a chuckle and Natasha smiled. "Debriefs in an hour. Don't be late. It was nice to meet you." She said to Charlie. Charlie smiled and Natasha hit Clint on the arm before she walked away.
"Friend?" Charlie asked as they walked into the training room.
"Partner." Clint responded.
"Ah." Charlie took inventory of the room. Several weapons racks along the walls and there were all kinds of exercise equipment. There was a glass wall that separated the shooting range from the room they were in. Charlie walked through the connecting door and into the range. She walked up to a rack of guns and examined them. She eyed a bow that was hanging up and she ran a hand over the modernized weapon.
"Do you know how to use it?" she turned her head to look at Clint who stood next to her. He was looking at the bow.
"No. The only thing I've used close to it was a crossbow for hunting."
"Would you like to learn?" he asked. Clint turned his attention to her and their eyes met. Charlie could tell that this was something he was passionate about. She nodded and he grabbed the bow from its spot and retrieved an arrow from a quiver. "C'mon." He walked over to a shooting stall. It was a tight fit for the both of them but they managed. He handed her the bow and he helped her set the arrow into position. His hands guided hers, his front just barely brushed against her back and his face was inches from hers. "Okay. Now slowly pull the arrow back until your right hand touches the corner of your mouth." Charlie fumbled a little because her hands were shaking slightly. Clint rested his right hand on top of hers and steadied it. "Take a couple deep breaths." She inhaled and exhaled slowly and her arms were getting tired already.
"Anytime now, Robin Hood." He slightly kicked the back of her leg.
"Shh. Clear your mind." Charlie closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Let go." She did. Charlie heard the arrow hit something and when she opened her eyes, it was in the center of the target. Charlie grinned ear to ear. "Good work. You're a natural." Charlie laughed.
"Better watch out. I might steal your job."
"Just might," he chuckled in her ear. Charlie turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder at him.
"It's only because I had a great teacher." He smiled at her and she watched his eyes scan her face.
"This teacher loves flattery."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't let it get to your head."
"Too late." Charlie shook her head and smiled. She eased herself out of the small cramped space and went to go put the bow away. "Are you convinced yet?"
"No. Not really." Charlie responded.
"Well let's go then. There's so much to show you in so little time."