A/N: Sorry it's been a while everyone. :'( Hope you enjoy the update! :)

Guest: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! :D

Sympathy for the Lost Love: Hope this soothes your curiosity. Enjoy.

kimbee: Haha, as long as Natasha doesn't shoot anyone in the process, she'll be alright. :) Hulk will be playing with a few animals in this story. He's just a big mush.

Katherine41319: Here's the update! Pepper will be getting into even more action in a future mission. :) Thanks for leaving your comment!

generalbanterer2013: Aw! thank you so much! I'm honored.


Welcome To SHIELD


"What is that doing on my helicarrier?"

Barton narrows his focus, watching Archer sniff up and down Nick Fury;

"Don't be stupid, he's here to work."

His eyebrow lifts up in shock, "A dog?!"

Natasha runs off her mouth as she walks behind him, informally introducing the pet;

"Archer Philip 'Avenger'. Stark gave him a vest and dog tag so he can participate in a battle or two."

Nick's mouth is still dropped open. He tugs at the bottom of his long jacket to pry it from Archer's mouth, "Hey!"

He barks, tail wagging over his new 'toy'. Clint rolls his eyes;

"He just wants to play Fury."

The director scoffs, walking away from the dog, "Let's make one thing very clear, if this dog gets in the way or doesn't follow orders, he's out! And you keep him out of my way understood?"

Barton just smirks, whistling to get the retriever's attention;

"Come here boy! Stay with Uncle Clint."

He barks, paw up to rub over his nose. Hawkeye tries again, whistle a bit more stern;

"Archer, come."

The puppy complies, tail wagging as he playfully runs into Barton's arms. His mouth forms an 'o', eyes closing as he tries to mimic a noise off the carrier. Clint laughs remembering the computer that sort of makes that sound;

"Good boy Archer. Do it again."

Pepper rolls her eyes as she walks by, patting the dog on his head before storming over to Fury;

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you exactly what I'm going to do on this mission? I'm not cut out for anything other than secretarial work. Virgina Potts does accounting not combat!"

Natasha laughs audibly, leaning over the balcony of the bridge;

"Come on Pepper, don't you want to kick butt?"

Potts gives her a look and then back at Fury, "No! I don't!"

The director keeps his focus on a screen;

"Miss Potts, I brought you onboard for empathetic purposes. I'm going to ask you to help care for casualties. We're short-staffed in medical."

She smirks breathing a sigh of relief, "Oh. Tony made it sound like I was going to fly around shooting people. I wasn't going to do that."

"Of course if the need arises for an extra hand on the field I'm going to ask you to throw on one of Stark's suits and dual it out. Excuse me, I have something to take care of."

She freezes, eyes wide as she panics, "Oh..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"And where is 'Archer' going to be?"

Clint rolls his eyes at Tony's question, "Duh! With the archer of course!"

Natasha shrugs, "Better him then me."

Thor chuckles from the corner at the look on Fury's face;

"You are visibly enthralled."

Fury shakes his head at how the demigod has picked up sarcasm from being with his team;

"Oh, you have no idea."

Stark hoots raising a high-five in Thor's direction;

"Point Break! That was sharp!"

Thor just watches his hand, unsure of what to do with it. Tony sighs, dropping his arm back down to his side, "Anyway...where are we putting the Jolly Green Giant?"

Bruce let's his eyes widen from the corner, scratching Archer's ear in an attempt to refocus. The dog nestled into the side of his leg, picking up on his nervous energy.

Rogers has a blank expression when he chimes in, though obviously irritating by Stark's lack of professionalism;

"I think we should keep Barton as high up as possible with Thor to keep enemies from coming down the streets. Romanoff can keep the streets clear on a lower level with the Hulk and I-"

Natasha scoffs, arms crossed. She coughs to remain composed, "I'm sorry Rogers can I offer my two cents?"

Fury nods, "Actually Captain that's not a bad suggestion. You can take the pooch and Stark can do his thing."

"Wacha!" Tony gives a little power fist only to receive a head shake from Pepper. He freezes, shaking his head 'no' after she does, resuming his quiet stance.

Natasha runs a hand through her hair, making eye contact with Banner before opening her mouth;

"Fury! I just think you should know that I haven't worked with the hulk since the incident last fall when he-"

"He nudged her into a crumbling building." Bruce chimes in, scratching at Archer's ear a bit more fervently.

Fury shakes his head, "It was a misunderstanding, and you were forced to change which makes a difference on how he acts around the team."

Stark chuckles, "I'd say so."

Clint makes a face, "That's, not exactly going to help her overcome her fear."

Her head snaps, green orbs darted straight for Barton. He jumps at her facial expression, taking a step back in case she went charging after him. Tony covers his mouth sarcastically;

"Oh! Robin Hood, you're in the dog house tonight!"

Natasha sighs, keeping her focus on Hawkeye;

"For the record, I'm not afraid. It's just that I think I tend to put the hulk in a...very bad mood. I don't think he likes me very much."

Stark tilts his head, "That has to be, the lamest cover up I've ever heard coming from your mouth."

She growls, throwing a punch across his jaw. Steve takes a step forward to catch her from throwing another one while Pepper catches Tony from tumbling backwards;

"Proud of yourself Tony? Don't come crying to me when she gives you a black eye!"

Fury holds his head, voice raising, "Stop arguing!"

Stark clutches his cheek, "We're not arguing, it's just typical banter."

Archer whimpers, foot pumping when Bruce hits a ticklish spot. The doctor's eyes look vacant, cheeks turned pale ever since Natasha opened her mouth. He's hardly aware of the dog's foot and tail knocking into Fury's technology until there's a crash. Archer ducks, circling to the other side of the physicist. He hides behind his leg, nuzzling into him as he cries.

Fury rolls his eyes;

"Oh, and this is really helping me change my mind about that dog!"

Banner puts the computer upright, audibly mumbling;

"Sorry, my fault, it's my fault Fury. I've got it."

"I meant his skittish nature! You expect that thing to go out and attack aliens!?"

Rogers puts his foot down, "We should go Fury, did you hire us to work or sit here and debate."

The director nods, ready to release them. Steve leads the way, followed by Thor. Barton looks over his shoulder at the red-head while Tony and Pepper leave;

"Good luck Nat."

She growls, pushing him out the door, "You shut up!"

Bruce holds the door for Fury, addressing Archer whose still glued to the side of his pants;

"Go on boy, go get Steve."

He tilts his head, tongue handing from his mouth. He barks in reply. His human friend gives a nod;

"Good boy. Now go on, and behave."

Archer stand sup with his tail wagging, running ahead to search for Steve.

Natasha gives Bruce a stare down once he catches up. He sighs tugging the back of his neck;

"I'm sorry Natasha."

She looks over her shoulder, then back straight ahead of her. He narrows his focus, pausing in his tracks;

"Do you hate me? Because frankly I find you very hard to read and to work with."

She remains vague, wishing Clint were a little closer. He was usually better at talking about feelings then she was and Natasha would welcome the idea of having him be her voice right about now;

"No. I don't hate you Doc."

He sighs, nervous smirk over his face, "But you don't trust me."

Natasha returns his smirk, not really having so much of a problem with him as she did his other half;

"I think it's safe to assume that the feeling is mutual."

He just keeps that smirk, without saying another word.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Steve holds his earpiece, yelling at Stark who flies overhead;

"What did you do to this dog!?"

"What Rogers he's not helping you?"

The Captain's eyes widen;

"Are you kidding?! He's blowing up aliens left and right! There are lasers coming from his dog tag whenever he barks at one!"

"Don't worry, they won't go off on you just the enemy."

Tony chuckles, watching the battle before taking off. Sure enough Archer had his vest on, barking and biting at his attackers. The lasers were working at the exact moment the should have been and it looked as if the new addition were learning how to control these abilities and use them to his advantage. He'd lift his paw every so often, snarling when he was uncomfortable and waited for his laser to go off.

Steve gives him a pat on the head, smiling when his tail starts wagging, "You are a funny dog."

He barks, eyeing an enemy off of Rogers shoulder. He barks shooting a missile over at his potential attacker to protect Steve.

Barton eaves dropped over the conversation, clutching his ear piece;

"Guys, next time, I get Archer!"

Rogers takes a step forward, running and dodging the debris with the dog at his side;

"Stark how many missiles are in his collar?"

"572. And the laser is interminable. Neat huh?"

Clint widens is stare from on top of the roof, still conversing over the ear piece;

"You fit all that in his collar!?"

"Surprised?"

Barton fires is arrow, talking as if he's in the living room;

"Widow! You hear this?"

She growls, cringing when the hulk roars behind her;

"A little busy at the moment!"

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah I will be just hang on."

Rogers head for the cornered street, letting Archer do the dirty work while he waits for Thor to arrive. The Asgardian shakes his head with a smile on his face;

"The domesticated beast serves us well."

He nods, "That he does. Stark! Have you gotten in touch with Potts?"

Tony tilts his head, "Yes. Fury wants her to stay in medical. Pity she'll miss out on all the fun."

The Captain nods, "It's better that way. Barton! You clear?"

Clint gives one last quick scan around the general area, "I don't see anything Cap, so I'm going to say 'yes'."

"Romanoff?"

She pants, sounding as if she were ready to collapse, "Yes! Yes, we're good."

Steve gives a nod, making a direct line with Fury, "We're done Sir. Take us out?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tony had made his way to medical just to visit Pepper. Fury took advantage of the situation, urging all of them to head that way to carry out a two-fold purpose.

Stark leaped onto the table with that look on his face;

"Pep I need a nurse."

She nods sarcastically, "Oh do you Mr. Stark?"

He leans forward, eyes looking straight into hers;

"Fix me up Pep? Please?"

The CEO brushes a cotton ball over the cut on his cheek, ignoring his whinning and complaining;

"Jeez! Can you be careful? That hurts!"

She smirks, "I'm just doing my job, Mr. Stark."

He catches her hand, voice sweetening, "Pepper?"

"Hm?"

"You know what I really want in my lab?"

She rolls her eyes, dabbing a fresh cotton ball in medicine;

"Oh here we go! Some elaborate new edition to add to Stark Tower. I knew you were being all cute for a reason, you spoiled little rich boy."

He smirks, letting her touch his injury with less complaining and more smug;

"You like the cute and spoiled little rich boy."

Clint coughs sarcastically, "So Archer did good out there huh?"

Steve nods, giving the dog a pat, "He did. I was impressed."

Fury makes his way inside the room, tossing files onto a table;

"Good work everyone. I was, pleasantly surprised to see how your dog handled everything."

Tony smirks, "Me too. I guess...well. He needs a little more practice with his vest and collar."

The retriever barks, making a mad dash for Bruce as he enters the room. He kneels to give him a typical rub down while Archer licks his cheek, still damp from a shower.

Stark rolls his eyes when Bruce is knocked off balance by the animal;

"Jeez! How come I don't get that?!"

Pepper widens her stare, hand on her hip;

"Because you don't give Archer any attention that's why!"

Natasha sneaks into the room, quickly and subtly wiggling her fingers over Banner's hair before parking herself directly on Clint's lap. Bruce felt it, petting Archer as his eyes shifted up to the red-head. She didn't return his stare in any sense of the word, acting as if nothing ever happened and ready to move on. He lowers his focus back down towards the dog, accepting her brief contact as an attempt to make amends. And he was content, realizing he must've done something in today's battle to earn her forgiveness.

Barton rests his chin over Romanoff's shoulder, bright blue eyes focused on the director;

"Can we go home now?"

Natasha rests her head over his, "Seriously I'm exhausted."

Fury nods, "Yes you're dismissed."

Tony makes a devious expression, remembering how sick everyone got after the last time they tried it. He knew they'd all kill him for bringing it up, but he couldn't resist;

"Shwarma?"