Author's note:
Sorry I missed last weeks' update, and that this chapter is shorter. I will update a much longer chapter next week.
Thank you to everybody who has faved, reviewed and followed the story. It really motivates me.
Thank you to my beta: My aesthetic is peanut butter.
UPDATED AN: I do not know what happened with the first posting of this chapter. Thank you to those who made me aware of the problem!
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Clint had talked to Coulson about everything. Well, he talked and Coulson listened.
"As she's currently between homes, it shouldn't be a problem. There is still a lot of paperwork," Coulson explains, "and many people need to sign off on it. Including Natasha."
"She'll sign," Clint says without hesitation. "What paperwork?"
"Legal papers, mainly. However, Kristina will need to answer a lot of questions about what has occurred. We will need it for our records and to determine what she is allowed to know. Until we receive the answers and conclude her clearance, it may be best if you did not tell her who you are."
Clint nods. "I can ask her the questions. She'll talk to me, and I'll know, anyway."
Coulson gives a tight smile. "I'll gather all the paperwork and talk to Hill."
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Clint doesn't go back into the room to see Kristina until the next day, and it had changed. A small bed with a plain blanket sits in the corner, and Clint sits down on the chair. He places a tray of hot food on the table and a rather large file in front of himself. "How are you today, Kristina?"
Kristina, who had been watching him, flinches when he speaks. "Oh, I'm fine," she replies, moving to sit opposite him, and as an afterthought, says, "You?"
"I have a few questions I need to ask you. Are you okay with that?"
She shrugs. "I guess. Is this food for me?"
"Yeah," Clint nods, eyeing the hot shepard's pie, mash, and green beans. The delicious scent wafts over to him, and Clint tries not to get hungry. Kristina picks up her folk and starts eating while he organises the paperwork.
A couple minutes pass, and she swallows a bite of the pie. Half the dinner remains. "You can ask me while I eat," she tells him, taking another forkful.
"I don't mind waiting," Clint responds with a small shrug, but when he sees Kristina about to push the food away, he stands with the file. "I'll be back in a couple minutes."
Kristina watches him leave before returning to the food and her thoughts.
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Natasha looks at Clint as he walks up to her with pleading eyes.
"You sure you can't do the interview?" he asks her.
"I can't. I have a mission."
"What mission?" Clint asks, not bothering to hide his surprise.
"Just a standard one," Natasha replies curtly.
"Nat-"
"She's finished eating, you may wish to get started," Natasha interrupts, turning her attention away from Clint and back to Kristina through the mirror.
Clint lingers but eventually turns away from Natasha, deciding they can talk later. He walks back into the interview room and sits opposite the girl.
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"I'll ask the questions, you'll answer them truthfully. Understood?" Clint asks, arranging the paperwork on the table in front of him.
"Understood."
Clint picks up a few pages of questions Coulson wanted answered first. "You hired a private investigator to find your parents, is that correct?"
"Yeah." If he just asked yes and no questions, she'd be happy.
"How did you pay him?" Clint asks next.
Kristina falters. "Uhm... with money."
The inevitable question followed. "Where did you get the money?"
"I..." Kristina swallowed the lump in her throat, "I stole it. I wanted to find them, I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice. Who did you steal it from?"
"There was this guy in the foster home, the one I was in a few months ago. He robbed a store and got arrested. So I took some of that money," Kristina explains, trying to calm her shaking hands. "It was already stolen, so it was okay."
Clint scribbled down the relevant information before looking back up. "You have a few violent incidents in some of your homes and schools-"
"I know, but I had to," Kristina blurts out.
"I am listening," Clint says.
Kristina takes a deep breath before looking up. "Should I just say the incident and then my explanation?" she asks.
"That works for me, I have a good memory," Clint replies. He briefly wonders if Natasha is still there or not.
"Okay, can you tell me the incident? I can't think," Kristina asks.
Clint clears his throat and looks down at the list. "24th April, last year, pushing a girl off the swing set."
"She pushed me off first, I just wanted it back. Not my fault she was a baby and went crying to the teacher." Before she has a chance to think about what she said, Clint was already posing her with another incident.
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Natasha had been silent on the way to the mission and during it, although that was not uncommon of her. She did her job effectively, and by the end of the mission they had more data on the locations of the remaining Hydra agents. Although, Steve thinks for a moment, it seemed as if Natasha actually wanted to beat somebody to a pulp instead of doing the mission. He notices that the guards in the way were bloodier and had more bruises than usual.
It was on the way back to base that Steve decides to question her. "Natasha, are you okay?"
"Fine, you?" she replies shortly.
Steve shakes his head. "Is something bothering you? You know, you can talk about it."
"I'm fine," Natasha repeats. Steve gives her a tight smile before falling back into silence.
