The transition from KGB to S.H.I.E.L.D. was a tough one. For starters, Natasha was certain that the KGB would come after her. She had been a vital asset to them and if Alexi had proven anything, betrayal was not taken lightly. She didn't know when and she didn't know how, but they would come for her.

The next few months were spent in a state of constant hypervigilance that was compounded by the fact that she wasn't sure who she could trust. It was clear from the moment she stepped into the Triskelion that her journey with S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to be an uphill battle. She was a spy so she knew the score.

In the world of espionage, trust was key. It wasn't something that was easily given. It had to be earned. By defecting to the United States, she had marked herself as someone with shifting allegiances. If she wanted to earn their trust, she'd have to work hard to prove that she wouldn't turn on them like she did with the KGB. The question she had to ask herself was if it was worth it.

Clint had promised Natasha a better life the night he chose not to kill her. A life where she would have more control and the freedom to choose her own path. He guaranteed her a chance to atone for her past. But if S.H.I.E.L.D. admired her for her skills and made good use of them, were they all that different from the KGB? Natasha wasn't so sure. So until she decided just where her allegiances lay, she would play their game to the fullest and be the perfect agent.

Unsurprisingly, S.H.I.E.L.D. partnered her with Clint. He was the one who brought her into the fold so of course he would be the one that would be held accountable for her actions. Natasha's initial assessment on him had been on the money.

Francis was his middle name and he definitely did not like it. Natasha made a point to call him that whenever he annoyed her, which was more often than not. The arrogance was spot on as well, though he backed up his claim about never missing. He was good with a gun, but with a bow and arrow he was a technician.

The idiot thing she was still on the fence about. There were times that his actions bordered on the ridiculous, but she wasn't quite sure if it was one hundred percent genuine or part of an act to get people to underestimate him. She leaned towards the later. Clint grew up in the circus. Conning people was in his blood.

"If we're going to be partners, you're gonna have to learn to trust me sooner or later, Tasha," he said to her in the middle of a mission.

Natasha trusted him to an extent. She had confidence in his resolve to get the job done. She also had faith in him not to get her killed. He had spared her life at the cost of his reputation within S.H.I.E.L.D. so he was unlikely to cut his losses so soon. Still, trust wasn't something Natasha was used to dealing with. There were less than a handful of people in her entire life she had unequivocal trust in. Clinton Francis Barton wasn't one of them.

"I have your back," Clint told her seriously. "One day you'll realize that."

It was like a cruel twist of fate. During the very same mission, things took a turn for the worst. Even the best trained operatives could be thrown off their game. They had to be able to think on their feet, reassess and change course.

"Alright," Clint replied breathlessly while they were tucked together into a tight corridor. "Get the prototype out of here. I'll cover you." He drew an arrow from his quiver and moved first. "Whatever you hear," he began before going his separate way. "Just keep moving."

Natasha didn't question it. She just moved. Prototype hidden about her person, she fought her way towards the rendezvous point. Clint promised a distraction and she believed he could deliver. Halfway to safety is when she heard it. She clutched her ears in pain as the high pitched sound rang out. People dropped around her but she kept moving. It wasn't until later that she realized exactly what had happened.

Clint was in recovery for days before they finally let Natasha him see. The sound she heard was emitted from one of his sonic arrows. It was painful to her from far away, but with Clint being ground zero, the effect had ruptured his eardrum rendering him deaf.

"You're gonna have to speak a little clearer," Clint joked with a rueful smile when he greeted her from his bed. "No, but seriously. Lip reading is tricky enough without you mumbling." His face contorted in concentration. "Are you speaking English or Russian? Enunciate."

Natasha was angry for reasons she didn't immediately understand. How could be so stupid? How could he be so reckless? And now he was making light of the whole situation like he hadn't just sacrificed his hearing to assure their mission's was a success? Why would he do such a thing?

"I told you," Clint said, seemingly reading her mind. "I've got your back."

Natasha nodded and silently took a seat when he patted the spot on the edge of his bed. He had her back. She understood that now. She couldn't say if her future with S.H.I.E.L.D. was certain or not, but there was one thing for sure. Clint had her trust and she owed him a debt.