A/N: So sorry for the overwhelmingly late update, but I've had some issues with fanfiction recently. Also, apologies if there are any grammatical or spelling errors.

If you like this story, please review; it means a lot!


Chapter Four

"Natasha, what the hell did you do to my room?" Clint approached Natalia, who had managed to clear out the recruit training room yet again. She spun around, throwing a knife at a target, which was behind Clint, barely missing his head?

"What are you taking about, Agent Barton?"

"Oh, haha, you know what I'm talking about." When Clint had returned to base last night, he had walked into a room, which he didn't recognize. Everything was orderly and had a place in the room; not like a bird's nest with miscellaneous treasures.

"No, I don't believe that I do."

"Natasha, I know it was you. The room's spotless, and the only person who'd have the gall to bypass the room's security would be you."

"How do you know someone with an access card didn't go into your room and clean it?" Natalia countered, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't believe that the higher-ups would drop by my room just because they felt like cleaning."

"I took nothing, if that's what you're worried about," she shrugged, "I was bored last night, and assumed your room was a mess, so now it's clean."

Clint suppressed a sigh, unsure of whether or not he should thank her or hurt her for trespassing in his room. "OK, whatever. That's not what I wanted to talk about, though."

Clint pulled up a file, turning it around to face Natalia. "Steve and I are being sent on a mission to bring back a target."

"And I'm guessing you want me to tag along because your boss doesn't want to talk to them over tea."

"Yeah, something like that. We'll be going to a remote area in Europe."

"You're not allowed to tell me where?"

"It's not relevant to the mission. Anyway, the target is an assassin from Hydra, but that group has disbanded, leaving a rogue killer, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier wandering around Europe murdering innocents."

"And how do you know his location?"

"A C.I. tipped us off."

"What time are we leaving?"

"Tonight, 19:00. Meet me at my room and don't be late." Natalia nodded, before leaving the training center.


Like clockwork, Natalia had arrived at Clint's room dressed in her cat suit and already armed with a pair of matching handguns and knives, which were sheathed and strapped around her thighs and belt.

The trio said nothing as they walked to one of the subterranean hangars, which held S.H.I.E.L.D.'s advance planes that were equipped with special cloaking features. Before boarding, Clint and Steve were pulled to the side to be briefed once again by Agent Maria Hill.

"What if she remembers anything?" Steve asked.

"She hasn't recalled any of her memories so far, so let's hope it stays that way."

"Yeah, but we're gonna be in Russia, Agent. That's where she was born and raised for half her life, so I'm pretty damn sure at least one thing will trigger her memory." Clint responded in a harsh whisper.

Maria hesitated before responding. She was aware that Clint had had an intimate relationship with Natalia previously and knew better than to infuriate one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best agents. "Just do what you think is best, Barton."

Clint sighed and turned to walk back to Natalia, knowing that his conversation with the agent was over. Steve followed closely behind, feeling his friend's uneasiness.

"Anything that you two can tell me?"

"No." Natalia rolled her eyes and boarded her plane, strapping herself into a seat near the pilot, who shot her a wary look before hurriedly looking aware. It was long enough for Natalia to notice, however, and she simply smirked, seemingly satisfied that her presence unsettled people.

"The flight's going to be about six hours, so make yourselves comfortable." The pilot spoke through the headphones, which in Clint's opinion seemed unnecessary since they were all in such close proximity.

"Being in planes always makes me happy."

"Even if you know you're on a mission?" Natalia raised her eyebrow.

"I just don't think about it." Steve replied.


"We're here." Clint nodded at Natalia. "The parachute is right behind you. Make sure to put it on tight and don't deploy the parachute until we're at canopy level."

"What, do you think you're talking to an amateur, archer?"

Wordlessly, Clint slid open the door. "Jump after Steve. We plan at the bottom." With that, Clint jumped out, descending in what looked like a slowed state due to the snow encircling him. After him went Steve who looked more like a firework spark falling after it burst. Finally Natalia, whose body looked fluid; clearly something she had done many times before.

On the forest floor, the team regrouped, each of them adjusting to the cold environment. "The target's been reportedly spotted lurking around this part of the woods. Specifically at one of Hydra's old bases."

"Hydra?" Natalia shot a look at Clint, knowing that he couldn't refuse answering.

"It's a debunked secret division of the German military, which created and stole advance weaponry to further their cause primarily in the world war eras."

"A member of my squad and my best friend got killed by one of those Hydra bastards." Steve added quietly.

"Okay, so we're looking for an empty fortress in these woods? That seems completely sound, Barton." Natalia quipped.

"We have it's location," Barton responded irritably, "It's due north, so we just have to go forward, and we should be there in half a mile or so."

"Oh how delightful, that means lots of team bonding time."

"Uh huh." Steve and Clint responded in unison, both unsure of how to react to the assassin's seemingly deceitful enthusiasm.


"Clint, could this be a part of the base?" They had been walking for half an hour when Steve knocked his foot against what looked like a secret passage into the base. "Yeah, looks like it. I'm gonna go in. You and Natasha can go look around some more for the target."

"So where are you from, Cap?" As the two departed, Natalia continued with her interrogation-like questions, which had started when they started their trek. Apparently, Natalia's definition of team bonding was no euphemism for her sedating or torturing them.

"Brooklyn, circa 1930s."

"Yeah, I can tell, you're still too damn nice."

"Is there a problem with being nice?"

"No, it's just… It's just so uncommon in this day and age. It's refreshing, but at the same time makes you stand out, which isn't really something you want if you're working as an undercover agent, now is it?"

Steve shrugged, "It's a habit that I just can't shrug off."

"It's a good habit." The two were quiet for a couple minutes. "You said you lost your best friend, I'm sorry to hear that," she paused, "Is anyone else you used to know still around?"

"Yeah… She makes me wish that I didn't take the serum sometimes."

Natalia turned. "You mean you'd rather be that scrawny kid just 'cause you love her?"

"Definitely. She was the first girl who gave me the time of day… Before the serum, that is."

"It sounds like the relationship was short-lived. What happened?"

"We were going on a date before the crash… I still haven't danced with my best girl."

Natalia stopped in tracks as if suddenly paralyzed. "Natasha, are you alright?" She merely blinked, not able to respond.

"Natalia, that absolutely dreadful! You're practicing that fifty more times!"

Whack! "I will take absolutely no excuses as to why you're late, Natalia! Ballet demands absolute dedication!"

"Natalia, how could you get second place! No dinner for you until you've practiced for six hours!"

Natalia collapsed onto the ground, shaking as the memories began to flood her mind. "I'm sorry I failed you." She whimpered softly, rocking back and forth on the snowy ground. "I'll train harder, I promise," she continued quietly, prayer-like, "I won't embarrass you again."

Steve wrapped his arms around her shoulders, trying to comfort her, but the assassin was completely detached from the world. "Clint, do you copy?" Steve waited anxiously, head whipping around in search of any threats.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Natasha. We were talking and she just went into this fit. She's not responding to me at all."

"I just took out our target, I'll go call our ride. Just hang tight, OK?"

"Affirmative."

Natalia had moved into a fetal position, hugging her knees as if they were protecting her. Lines from tears had been lightly frosted over, but Steve didn't dare touch her face, lest it worsen her already unstable state.

"Steve, is she alright?" Clint emerged from the steel door with a man thrown over his shoulder.

"I don't know. I think she is, but something I said triggered this, I feel terrible."

Clint placed his hand on Steve's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Steve. Her memory's a time bomb, and it was bound to explode at any moment, it's not your fault."

Steve sighed, still unsettled. "She's strong… She'll be fine," he paused, "I think she would be more upset if we didn't get our target than what happened to her."

"You'd be surprised. She doesn't like being vulnerable."

The roar of a helicopter could be heard overhead and two ropes had been lowered. Clint nodded and Steve carefully lifted Natalia, hoisting her over his shoulder and getting a firm grip on her before grabbing onto the rope. This was definitely a mission Steve wouldn't forget.