She sat against the cold wall and facing her worst nightmare. Just having to restrain Clint to the metal frame of the bed, though it was for his own good. He wasn't in his right mind. He was being controlled by a God of Mischief, Loki. After the medics looked over his minor injuries Natasha kicked everyone and locked them into a room. Not sure what to do or what he was capable of, regardless he did not need an audience.
The last two days starting to weigh on her as she sat in the silence. Her mission is Moscow blown, Coulson just died and Clint went all Mortal Combat on her. Mentally she was not in the right place to work through each issue. Though she felt transparent. Like everyone could see her deepest and darkest secrets oozing from the sides of the closet she kept them in.
Loki seeing into Clint's head and making his first jab by asking if this was love. In that moment it wasn't about love she was doing her job but clearly Loki knew Clint loves her. Instead of pushing the matter he drove straight into her blood filled ledger. But she had dealt with all of the deaths she has caused. That didn't bother her. She was worried that Clint could wake up and only see her as a heartless killer. What if the part of him that loves her was gone? What if the person and partner she loves is now someone completely different? How was she going to help him?
She asked herself looking over at Clint, unconscious and restrained. She had to hold it together the mission wasn't over yet. She needing the person laying in the bed across from her to wake up and be the same person she woke up to in the morning before he left for this mission.
Clint waking up, with sharpen words shooting out his mouth and fighting against the leather restraints.
'Here goes nothing" She thought to herself.
Clint sat at the end of the bed not sure how he was going to fix everything he did wrong. Coming out of his mind control all of his memories were chopped up and mixed together. He could not remember what was real, dream or something Loki just put in his head.
The shower was just background noise while he tried to piece together the timeline of the last week. Frustrated and growing angrier he began internally beating himself up. Constantly asking himself is this true or not.
Standing up and starting to pace the space between the bed and to the closet. Pulling his fingers through his hair. Trying to remember what happened when he got on to the Helicarrier. Nothing of natural a order came to mind. One second he was on the flight deck, then he was fighting Natasha and he was Shooting arrows in the operations center.
"THAT'S NOT RIGHT" he yelled raising his fist and punching the wall between the bathroom and closet.
Just barely missing Natasha, walking into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around her chest and hair dripping wet. She taking a step back and not trying to react like she was under fire. Her eyes wide and worry swept across her face.
"Sorry." Clint said. "I just...I can't remember." His shoulders curled forward and his body heavy with regret.
"It's ok, remember what is true." Natasha taking a seat on the bed. Clint continued to pace.
"I am Clinton Barton. I am a agent of SHIELD." He rumbled off. Taking several deep breaths. Thinking to himself how he could add endangering Natasha to his long list. This was a coping method the S.H.I.E.L.D. therapist recommend to help him with the past events.
"Clint, this is going to take time. You need to be patient with yourself." She spoke softly to him.
"Maybe you stay at headquarters until I get my mind right?" He stopping near the closet, putting distance between them.
"Nope. Your not going to sit in here alone and beat yourself up for something you could not control." She stood taking slow steps towards him.
"Natasha I could hurt you, again." Extending his arms out in front trying to keep distance between himself and her.
"We both know you can try. I will just recalibrate you." She joked. Giving him a rare smile. Natasha learning how to break the mind control by a really, really hard knock to the head.
"It's not a joke. I could not live with myself if I hurt you." He told her. His skin raw with the painful memories of the choices he was forced to make. Placing both of his hands on her bare shoulders.
"You won't hurt me. Stop trying to push me away. Your stuck with me." Natasha hands slowly reaching up to his face and forcing him to look at her. "I got you. No matter what. Plus I live here."
Clint giving in, he nodding and pulling her into his arms holding her against his chest. Her wet hair smelled of vanilla. He didn't know how he was going to get through this but he didn't have to do it alone.
Natasha pulling away giving him a quick kiss on the lips before walking into the closet to get dress. Clint taking a seat on the bed, curling up and extending his fingers several times looking for any possible injury to fingers and knuckles. Glancing at the hole in the wall.
Natasha reappearing from the closet fully dress. Blue tight skinny jeans and a loose black button down.
Clint giving her a quizative look.
"We have a dinner with the team tonight." Natasha told him. "Team bonding as Fury called it."
"Right." He sigh acting like he remembered or had paid any attention to what Fury had briefed them before releasing from their current duties. Since the attack in New York City and the Avengers making their world debut, Clint and Natasha were order to lay low. Fury would be choosing what and when they work, either with S.H.I.E.L.D. or with the Avengers.
"We have team bonding to do." She told him as she laced up her shoes. "Come on, your going to make us late."
Clint finally getting up and following Natasha lead as they head to Stark Tower.
"You look beautiful. I forgot to say to tell you earlier." Clint tilted his head towards her.
Natasha inserting a key card below the panel of buttons for each floor and allowing them access to the Tony Stark personal floors. She taking a step back, standing next to Clint as they rode the elevator up. Natasha was able to feel the heat that radiates off Clint's arms. Standing closer to him than she usually would. Very discretely she slipping her fingers between his.
Her hand felt small in his hand. He could not resist the but smile at her.
Only letting of her hand when the doors up to an oversize living space. Not having any trace of a Hulk-size beat down that had happen a few days earlier.
"Natasha, Agent Barton?" Pepper greeted them.
"Hello Pepper, this is Clint. Clint this is Pepper Potts." Natasha making the introduction, though both knew of each other.
"Very nice meet you." Pepper taking Clint's extended hand and shaking it.
"You too ma'am" Clint shoving both hands into his front pockets.
"You two are the last to arrive, the rest of the team is in the kitchen. Minus Thor." Pepper leading them into the kitchen.
"Would you look at that? Two master assassins late. Who do we need to report you for court material." Tony shouted over the large kitchen island. Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers standing on either side of Tony.
"Director Fury is our supervisor. But I doubt he will write us up for being late for team bonding." Natasha said sarcastically.
"Besides what is he really going to do to us? Ground us?" Clint joke along.
"Nice to see you again, Romanoff. Barton." Steve shaking each of their hands.
"I don't think we have officially met." Bruce walking up and extending his hand to Clint. "Bruce Banner."
"Clint Barton, though I have met the other guy already. No need to bring him tonight." Clint starting to relax.
"He won't be making appearance." Bruce laughing and taking a step back behind the kitchen island.
The everyone joining in laughing seeing that Bruce was ok with the casual conversation about the 'Other Guy'. Clint joining the other heroes along the kitchen island. While Natasha offered to help Pepper setting out the rest of the food and drinks.
Finally able to catch up, Natasha did miss Pepper and felt like she had an actual girlfriend outside of work. Natasha thinking to herself while placing a variety of BBQ type foods on the counter top. There was enough food they could easily feed a small army.
"So Barton, have any embarrassing stories of Agent Romanoff?" Tony had said in a quieter tone. Steve shaking his head in disapproval. Bruce only giving a sideways glance at Clint.
Clint taking a sip of his ice tea, deciding what he could get away with telling to be welcomed into his new team and stay on Nat's good side.
"Nat doesn't have any embarrassing stories. She does love a good prank though. " Clint told them.
"Really? Pranks?" Steve questioned. He wasn't sure if Natasha Romanoff was capable of childish games.
"Oh yea, a good prank gets the blood flowing." Natasha jumping into the conversation. Giving Clint her 'You know better' Look. "Steve how are you adjusting to your new place?" She quickly trying to change the subject. He opening his mouth to answer.
"You probably should not unpack." Tony told Steve before he could ask her question. Everyone turning their attention to Tony, not sure what he was talking about. "Huh?" Steve replied with.
"Pepper and I have been talking about it, Fury agrees that our team should be in one place. We are nearly finished with rooms. You can all move in at the end of the week." Tony announced.
Clint nearly choking on the food in his mouth. 'Moving in as a team?' He thought to himself before analyzing Natasha expression. Who was remaining completely neutral in her facial expression.
"Bruce has already moved in. Thor can teleport in on the patio, and we have rooms for everyone" Pepper explaining she trying to get a read on the super soldier and the two assassins expressions.
"Could I have some time to think about it?" Natasha asked Pepper.
"I would not take too much time, Fury expects everyone moved in by next week." Tony telling them. Natasha did not like getting orders from Fury through other individuals, especially like Tony Stark. Making Clint and Natasha living and relationship more problematic.
"Thank you." Steve said. Maybe normal is a dream for him, maybe being surround with people who aren't normal like himself with make things easier.
Clint looking over at Natasha giving her a quick wink. "When are we moving in?"