"So, how does it feel to be rejected, brother?" He spat.

Clint's eyes tried to adjust to the sudden darkness. "Barney? Is that you?"

"I told you I'd be back for you one day. Today is that day. I'm going to finish you once and for all."

He grunted as he felt a knife slash through the ropes that bound his wrists behind his back.

"Get up," his assailant growled. "I want this to be a fair fight before I end you."

He looked up, trying to assess his surroundings. He took in the high beams, the plastic rings, the bleachers, noticing the many figures hidden there. "How is this fair when you brought your circus goons?" Clint asked, turning his attention back to his brother.

Barney shook his head. "That's just a precaution. In case any of your meddling friends turn up. Or that red-headed beauty you've been hanging around with."

"You leave Natasha out of this!" He shouted, rushing forward to make the first move.

Barney laughed. "But she's not coming, is she? Because she rejected you!"

"No!"

"She doesn't want you. She never did. All that time, she was just using you. And you're so pathetic, you didn't even see it. That's your weakness, brother. You trust everyone around you. You'd follow the devil blindly into hell without your friends to save you. But they're not here, are they?"

"Guess again, you circus freak!"

Clint's head snapped up to the rafters. "Kate!"

Barney looked up. "What? Impossible!"

She shot an arrow directly at him, pinning his jacket to a beam.

"After her!" Barney shouted.

All at once, his lackeys, all dressed in purple jumpsuits, sprang to life. Just then, Natasha jumped to the ground, kicking and punching to hold them off of Kate.

"Nat!" Clint shouted. "You came!"

Kate threw his weapons to him, which he easily caught. "So, how many of these guys are there?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure."

"Fantastic," she muttered.

In the back corner of the tent, Natasha had taken out a handful of enemies. She rushed to Barney, who had just managed to pull free. "Trick Shot," she hissed. "Did you really think you would go unnoticed?"

He lunged himself at her. "It's just the icing on the cake, that you're here, my sweet. Of course, when I planted that distraction, I had meant for it to fall on his new sidekick, but this works out even better."

Natasha landed a swift blow to his shoulder. "You fool. You'll never be able to distract him long enough to get the best of him."

"We'll see about that," he growled, knocking her to the ground and raising his sword high.

"Natasha!" Clint shouted. He jumped high into the air, taking hold of a dangling rope.

"Clint, no!" Kate shrieked. "It's a trap!"

"I don't care! I have to save her!" He moved in between his brother and Natasha, catching the brunt of the blow in his chest and the air sizzled with energy as he fell to the ground.

"Clint!" Natasha cried.

Kate ran over to them, blindly shooting arrow after arrow at their attacker. She wasn't shooting straight, but it was enough to get his attention on her.

Natasha sprang up from her crouch on the floor and took off, knocking out his lackeys left and right as she ran.

"You stupid little girl!" Barney laughed. "Thinking you'd be worthy enough to wear the name of Hawkeye? I'll destroy you!" He raised his sword once more, and Kate moved to cover her face, but he stopped suddenly midair before he choked and collapsed in a heap.

Natasha flexed her wrists, pulling the needles back into her bracelets. "You can thank me for that later," she said.

Kate nodded, breathing heavily. "You poisoned him?" She asked incredulously.

Natasha shook her head. "It's just a tranquilizer. I'm going to call in a S.H.I.E.L.D. cleanup crew to deal with this mess." She held out her hand to pull the younger girl up.

Kate ran over to Clint. "You'd better have them send a medic, too. He's still unconscious."

Natasha's eyes widened in alarm. She knelt down beside him, feeling for a pulse. "Is he breathing?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah."

"Good. His pulse is strong." She tore open his shirt to check on his injuries. "We'll have to put pressure on that," she told Kate. "Clint? Clint, honey can you hear me?" She cradled his head in her lap. "Clint," she murmured. "Wake up, baby."

He coughed loudly. "Tasha?" He said hoarsely.

"Don't try to move," she said softly. "It's okay, I've got you." She looked up at Kate. "We should take him to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. A doctor will look at him there."

Kate shook her head in protest. "He won't want that. Let's take him to the Avengers."

She nodded slowly. "Okay. You're right."