Took us all by surprise
No, we never saw this coming
Always were, always will be our hero
-Memories by EarlyRise

He had left... Just like that. After they had talked, Natasha had thought that she'd be able to pull him out of there in a few weeks, but now... He was gone. She felt hollow inside as she sat on the small bed provided to her by S.H.I.E.L.D. The woman remembered the times that she and Clint had sat together on the bed to talk about everything that had happened on their previous missions. It was one of the very few things that kept them sane after all the bloodshed.

Her hand caressed the worn fabric as she stared at it. He had left them. Clint had gone and betrayed all of them. He had betrayed her. She gripped the fabric tightly in her fingers and clamped her eyes shut to stop the tears from leaking out. She couldn't cry even over something like this. She was the Black Widow. She manipulated the emotions of others. So why did she feel so weak now?

A sharp knock on her door brought her out of her haze as she turned to the white door. "Come in." She said, her cracking voice betraying her true emotions.

The door slid open and Captain America stepped into the room. The man without the suit looked so different. With it on, he was a domineering figure that seemed to exude confidence. Now he looked as if he was coming to bring news that someone had just died. Somehow she doubted it was Clint, but perhaps instead of a death it was a death sentence. Either would be unwelcome.

"Hey Romanoff." The captain had never really gotten used to being around the only female avenger. Some little demon in the back of his mind kept on freaking out whenever he saw her gear up for battle. In his time women were beginning to be integrated into the army, but they still weren't normally seen on the front lines. Peggy was one of the few exceptions because she was given a fairly powerful role. Seeing a woman like Natasha was a smack in the face sometimes.

"What do you need, Rogers?" Natasha quickly gathered herself and looked back towards Rogers. Black Widow never showed more emotion than was necessary. She'd keep to that oath for as long as she could, though a part of her was just waiting to break down.

"Fury wants us all in the bridge. He wants to talk about that." Clint's escape was a sensitive subject for them all. It had been a year since Loki had been sent back to Asgard the first time and so many things had happened. The Avengers were allowed to disperse for awhile, but for Rogers, S.H.I.E.L.D. was all he had. Being stuck 70 years out of time made it hard for him to readjust. Things from cars to transportable phones boggled his mind.

So, he had returned only a few weeks after being released. Over the past few months he'd begun to reincorporate himself back into society starting with his driver's license. He could remember as if it were yesterday how all of the Avengers sans Thor had thrown him a small celebration. He missed when it was so simple. It seemed as if they'd all have to return to duty once more.

"Right. Thanks, Rogers." Natasha ran a hand through her short hair before turning back to the bed. It was a silent action that Steve took as a dismissal.

He turned back to the door and put his hand on the side before pausing. He cast a glance over his shoulder and said, "Just tell me if you ever need to talk, alright?" He felt bad for Natasha. Clint and her had always been close and it was easy to tell that she was distressed by it. It was bad timing for the meeting, but it had to come sooner rather than later if they were to apprehend them.

Natasha hummed back as an acknowledgement. Steve nodded and gave her a small smile before leaving her compartment.

Natasha exhaled sharply before forcing herself up from her bed. It would do her no good to dwell on it if she had to be at the bridge soon. She had to look composed. She walked over to her mirror and stared at herself. Her face looked thin and hallow. Eyes once filled with sly amusement were slightly puffy and red from tears. She'd have to remedy that.

She turned the tap on and splashed water into her face. After a few moments she turned the knob off and rubbed a sleeve across her face. When she looked up again her eyes were filled with fierce determination. She'd have to do this.

She exited her apartment and headed towards the bridge. Her shoes clacked against the tile flooring as she hurried along. Fury normally liked them within five to ten minutes of his summons. Something about every moment mattered.

She placed her hand in front of a detector and watched as a blue light scanned her hand. It blinked green in confirmation as the door opened to let her inside of the airship's control room. The round table stood overlooking the many desks of grunts working on getting the ship operational. She couldn't say that she actually knew any of them though they knew her. They were just there.

Above the men and women was the circular table. Already Natasha could see the forms of Steve and Bruce sitting around the table with Fury at the control panels. The woman quickly walked up the pathway and took her designated seat around the table. Bruce sent her a sympathetic smile as she sat down.

She was beginning to hate all the sympathy she was getting. It wasn't as if he was dead, right? There was still a chance to get him back if he would just come back to his senses. It was if she was the only one thinking that he could still come back. Had they all given up hope so early?

Stark sauntered in through the doors a moment later and took his seat beside Natasha. He twirled around in the revolving chair and gave innocent looks to his stupefied companions. Well it seemed as if one of them wasn't feeling gloomy.

"You all know what happened yesterday. Loki got into the airship and broke into the prison ward. From there he extracted Agent Barton and absconded with him. We no longer know his location because Barton's tracker was broken before he was imprisoned. We have to assume now that Barton is on the enemy's side." Fury's voice sounded monotone in Natasha's ears. It was if he was a teacher reciting facts. It wasn't a fact that Clint was an enemy. What if he was kidnapped? Loki could be trying to brain wash him again as they spoke! They didn't know that it actually happened yet.

"We're currently spending all of our resources to locate them, but have so far come up with no results. We'll be continuing the search, but Professor Banner and Stark? We want you to begin your own independent search. Heavens know that you seem to find things faster than the rest of us." Fury grumbled disgruntledly.

"Ah, ah. Why are we even chasing after them? I mean, dude. Last time they stole the tesseract, but this time what have they stolen? They kind of took, Clint, but the dude tried to run away from us just a few days ago. I really doubt that he didn't leave of his own volition. No signs of struggle were found, you know? Even a bit of blood on the ground would have helped his case. There was nothing." Tony pointed out lazily. He stopped his chair from rotating and cast a glance down the table.

"I just don't see the point in this. If Thor isn't back then they must not think that Loki's return is that big of a deal." Tony shrugged before going back to rocking his seat.

Bruce frowned. It was true that once Loki appeared on earth, Thor had been back within the day. This time a few days had passed and he had still not arrived. Did this mean that the thunder god either didn't know of Loki's disappearance or would he not intervene until Loki caused trouble?

The professor sighed and rapped his fingers on the table. This was becoming so complex and so quickly. He didn't see a way that this wouldn't become another war unless Loki just wanted to help rescue his friend. Bruce strongly doubted that. Wouldn't the mischief maker ever give it a rest?

"Loki wouldn't kidnap Clint if it was nothing." Natasha snapped back. Stark's blasé behavior was beginning to really frustrate her. He was just being so childish! Did he think this was all a game or something?

"Kidnap isn't the right word, my dear." Tony replied in his sing song voice. He smiled and looked over towards Natasha. "Didn't we already say that he decided to leave on his own?"

"You might all believe it, but I don't." Natasha hissed back. In the back of her mind Natasha quietly whispered, "Oh Clint, why did you have to do this?"

I thought it would be good to flash to how Natasha is coping with it all. (: Don't worry, just because the two are separated now doesn't mean that they'll be forever apart.

Also reiterating my plea for a beta if anyone is willing. xD PM or reviewing is ok for a response. I would kind of like someone who would be willing to bounce ideas with me before I write more than a grammar checker. I want to make sure I know definitely where my story is going. ;3;

Edit: This wasn't really edited. As a not for all future chapters: Chapters starring the Avengers/Natasha will not be edited. Clint is the only character that I really had problems with in the beginning. Thanks for reading!