Thanks for your comments. I'm glad you liked their background.

So now we have a serious problem: Clint and Natasha were being held by Komarov. Many things happen when your life is being threated.

Moments later Komarov left them alone in the room. The warehouse was dark and empty; there were just a table on one of the corners, the chair where Natasha was sitting and the chains holding Clint. The few light passing through small windows allowed them to see. Clint was still trying to wake up completely. He coughed hard a few times for the pepper.

"Clint?" Natasha called him.

"Nat." He replied.

"What are you doing here?" Natasha asked.

"You really thought I would have left my partner alone." He said. "What happened, Nat?"

"I was returning from taking Ivan to the airport. When I got to the hotel, I noticed the door unlocked. I entered the apartment with my gun but there must have been someone waiting 'cause I suddenly felt a strong hit on the head. When I woke up I was here." It was hard for her to admit the she was taken just like that, but honestly, with everything that was happening during those last weeks her mind was not there. "Does SHIELD know where we are?"

"Well, they should know I'm missing by now. Hopefully..."

"You came alone? Clint!" She said.

"They were going to let you die here, you know? For the Council, you're expendable. They gave orders to Fury to not compromise the mission with an extraction team for you." He interrupted her. "But Fury couldn't do it and let me come, of course without SHIELD's name."

"He should have. You should have. Komarov wants revenge and he's not going to stop until he gets it."

"What part don't you understand? I'm not leaving you!" Clint said almost shouting. It really frustrated him that Natasha couldn't understand how important she was for him. He had to argue with the Council until Fury let him free to go for her. "I..."

"What?" She said realizing that Clint wanted to say something.

"I love you."

"Oh God, Clint, not now."

"No, I have to tell you this." He started. "I love you and I'm sorry I didn't notice it before or perhaps it was just in denial. The point is that now more than ever I realize how important you are for me. When I heard Komarov's voice through the phone, I thought I would lose you for real." Clint finally opened his heart. Natasha couldn't believe it. "Nat?"

Flashback-2009

Natasha was visiting Russia for a week. She ran into her old friend Anastasia. They met in the Ballet Academy and became best friends; she was even her maid of honor at Natasha's wedding with Alexei. But then Alexei "died" and Natasha was taken back to the Red Room to be brainwashed and trained to become officially the Black Widow by the Winter Soldier. When Natasha joined SHIELD, she reestablished contact with Anastasia who was fascinated. She missed Natasha so much. Natasha had to be honest with her and told her who she was before becoming an agent of SHIELD (most of it). Even when Anastasia didn't like it, she recognized the Natasha she met long ago and decided to continue their friendship. Anastasia didn't know much about Natasha's work, all she knew was that she was a top agent at SHIELD and many times she had to do dangerous missions risking her life. She had to admit that she got worried but what could she do? Anastasia was still a dancer at the Bolshoi and had been a prima ballerina for five years then.

"Really? That's amazing!" Natasha congratulated her friend happily taking café at a small place.

"I know. I'll be on tour for the next month all over Europe." Anastasia replied smiling. Natasha was so happy for her friend even when talking about this made her feel a little melancholic thinking of what her life could have been if she hadn't gone to the Red Room. She still danced in her free time but it wasn't the same, she remembered how people loved to see her dancing on stage, how many flowers she could get from her fans. "But enough about me, what about you? How are things going in the States? How's Clint?" She asked interested. She met Clint a year ago and totally she loved him.

"He's fine." She said not very convincingly.

"Come on, what's up?" Anastasia noted her tone.

"I don't know, it's just...it still feels weird being there working together after a year." She confessed.

"Oh God, Natasha" Anastasia took her hand. They were at a cafe drinking and talking like normal friends. Natasha loved to have a friend outside all the spies' world, talking to Anastasia was a way of getting out of there for a moment.

"I'm pathetic." Natasha said resting her head on her right hand with her elbow on the table.

"Why? For being in love? That's not pathetic at all, it's amazing."

"It is when he doesn't even look you back. And I never said I loved him." She replied.

"Whatever, I seriously doubt that Clint doesn't look at you. Again, why did he break up with you?"

"Yeah, apparently our relationship could harm both of our careers." She said taking her coffee. "I guess that being Morse doesn't harm his career," she murmured.

"Who's Morse?"

"She's an agent; she's training to work on the field. Barton met her when he had to substitute Mark while he was sick six months ago. Anyway, you know the problem is that she's really nice...I mean, she even talks to me very cool when Clint is working with me. And I get it, she doesn't have any big traumas with an organization or her dead husband, her life is pretty normal, she is normal." She said looking at her coffee kind of sad.

"Don't say that, he cares about you," Anastasia tried to comfort Natasha.

"Yeah, he cares. As much as he can cares for a friend. I'm the girl he saved because he felt pity for her and now is her partner."

"Nat, you have to tell him?"

"What could I tell him?"

"That you're crazy for him. Natasha you're dying inside. He's going to continue hurting you."

"Maybe, but I can't risk it once more. Clint is the best friend I have there...I can't afford to lose him even if it tortures me." She said and a small tear started to form on her eye.

-End of flashback-

"Sorry," she said after a moment of thinking. She wished they were not there, that Clint wasn't telling her that because there was the very high possibility that they might die soon. "I..." she was about to answer when Komarov and his men entered.

"Well, you had your time for a little chat. Now it's my turn." He said opening a suitcase. "You're going to tell me everything about SHIELD."

.

.

.

Around an hour later, Clint was still struggling in pain. Komarov have been cutting him with knifes with acid and punching him as hard as his men could. Barton was bleeding through his mouth, some wounds in his head and body. Natasha was being drowned every time they didn't answer the question. A guy was holding her with her wrists and feet tied up kneeling. She was coughing trying to breathe again.

"We can do this as long as you want. All you have to do is give me some answers, and then I'll make it quick." He said but they stayed silent. "Once more." He ordered to one of the big guys and he punched Barton on the abdomen. Natasha just closed her eyes. She blamed herself for getting caught and then Clint went to find her and he got caught too. Plus the anger because the Council and SHIELD let her alone got her pretty angry. Is not that she really cared of being liked but she had done and given so many things up for SHIELD that she at least expected some kind of concern or at least not being cataloged as 'expendable'.

After a few more minutes of torture, Komarov was starting to get bored. "You're not telling me anything right," he looked at Clint. Clint just stared back strongly. He looked back at Natasha still kneeling. "Oh dear, you could have stayed with me." He said stroking her cheek while Natasha looked at him with repulse. "And instead, you chose a pathetic agent."

"Well not anymore. Tied her up." He ordered.

"Wait, what do you think you're doing?" Clint shouted.

"Clint, leave it. It's ok." She tried to convince him. The guards took her by the arms to hang her like Clint was. The moment they pulled her up she felt an agonizing pain in her stomach that made her kneel again.

"Nat?" Clint saw her falling groaning in pain.

"What's wrong?" Komarov asked to his men. They defended themselves saying that they didn't hit her but she couldn't get up.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Clint shouted. Komarov then hit him again. He then turned back to see what was going on with Natasha who was still on the floor breathing heavily. They were about to move when they heard a helicopter.

"Viktor Komarov, this is SHIELD. You and your men come out with your hands free." Coulson's voice was heard.

"Kill them." Komarov ordered in an act of desperation. The men didn't have time to take their guns. Barton took the opportunity to act. Since he had Komarov backwards he lift his legs and put them around Komarov's neck not letting him move or breathe very well.

"One move and I twist his neck." He warned the men who were about to shoot him. Natasha kneeling looked up at one of the guards and noticed he had a knife on his pants. She reached it quickly and cut the man's brachial artery causing him to bleed out instantly. Blood dropped reaching Natasha. This all happened in a matter of seconds but there was still another man standing.

Thankfully, a group strike SHIELD agents entered the room shouting an ordering the man and Komarov to drop their weapons. They had no other option than to comply. They took the guard and then Komarov letting Clint free. He stayed on the floor trying to let the blood reach his arms again, it hurt like hell. After the agents had already left with the prisoners, Coulson get in to see his agents.

"Good, you're still alive."

"How did you come?" Clint said standing up.

"Fury informed the Council of your disappearance and the Council didn't have any choice than to let a team come when Fury threated to do it himself. Plus Stark and Rogers realized of your disappearance and threated too." Coulson informed him while Clint got closer to Natasha who didn't move and stayed on the floor.

"Hey, you're ok?" He said and a medic team got in.

"Yeah, go with them. I'll be back after you." She said and he agreed going to be checked up.

"The guys are here?" Clint asked.

"Stark and Rogers? Yes. How do you think we get so fast?" Clint nodded.

"Coulson?" Natasha said after Clint left. "I need help."

"What is it, Romanoff?" He asked concerned.

"I'm bleeding and it hurts like hell. I can't get up." She said in pain passing her hand through her pants and looking at the blood showing it to Coulson.

"…Ok," Coulson reacted still confused but he had to help Natasha now, he called the medical team and took Natasha to the closest hospital a fast as they could. Natasha asked Coulson not to tell Clint, he'll get worry and right now he had to be attended for his injuries too.

OMG! What's happening to Natasha? Next chapter it's not going to be easy, I warn you.

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