"How's it going, Natasha?" Clint asked for the fifth time. He had been watching the clock and now they had a little under a half hour to find Charlie. Natasha glared at him and he returned the look until she spoke.

"I have her location." Natasha clicked a few keys on the laptop she had retrieved from the jet. "She's almost an hour from here."

"We don't have an hour." Steve pointed out. Clint didn't reply and stomped out of the warehouse back to the jet, keying in the new coordinates in the navigation.

"Clint, there's nothing we can do." Natasha said.

He flipped a switch and didn't answer as she sat next to him. The jet rose off the ground and Clint started to fly. Natasha sighed. "This is why we don't get involved with civilians."

"Stop talking about her like she's dead." Clint mumbled.

"She is." Natasha said, unapologetic when Clint growled under his breath. "Even if we get to her today, it's only a matter of time before she's caught by the wrong person and they kill her."

"Are you sure this isn't about something else?" Clint asked.

"Like what?" Natasha asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Like maybe you're jealous that I'm involved with a woman and it isn't you." Clint replied and Natasha stiffened in her seat.

"You're running out of time." Natasha pointed to the clock.

-0-

This must be what it feels like to die. Charlie thought to herself. She had seen death when she had been a surgeon. She had people die on her table before and it always stuck with her. But now she was the one who was dying. She thought about Jeremy and prayed that he would be okay. He'd go to Emma and she'd take good care of him, the way she had with Charlie.

She could hear footsteps in the hallway outside of the closet but she didn't have the strength to move or even open her eyes. The sounds of punches being thrown made her hopeful it was a rescue but she wasn't overly confident that it was.

"Barton, you find anything?" A male voice asked. She didn't hear a reply but if Clint was here, he was going to find her. She forced her eyes open and let them adjust to the darkness around her. When she was able to make out the dark shapes, she saw two buckets stacked on top of one another about a foot away from her. Mustering her last bit of non existent strength, she managed to crawl over to the buckets and send them clattering to the floor with a loud clang before collapsing to the floor herself.

The door opened a moment later and flooded the closet with light. "I found her. I'll meet you at the jet."

"Ma'am, my name is Captain Rogers." He said as he knelt next to her, picking her up. The way he held her, his shield was able to protect her head and body. "You're going to be just fine."

Steve got Charlie to the jet before Clint and Natasha got back, laying her on the floor and placing a spare parachute behind her head, trying to provide a little cushion. Clint came running to the jet a few minutes later and knelt next to Charlie, trying to assess the damage to her. "Charlie, baby. Come on. Open those big brown eyes for me."

Charlie groaned and Clint sighed in relief. At least she was alive.

"You have to fly, Clint." Natasha reminded him.

Clint pressed a kiss to Charlie's forehead. "I'm going to get you home. Steve, don't let her die."

Steve nodded in acknowledgement and watched Charlie as Clint took them back to the SHIELD base. Steve tried to pick Charlie up to carry her inside as soon as the plane landed but Clint brushed him away, picking up the unconscious brunette himself. He whispered assurances into her hair, ignoring the feeling of blood on his arms as he carried her to the hospital.

"What happened to her?" A doctor asked Clint as he laid her on a gurney.

"She was 'interrogated'." Clint replied.

"We need to get her up to an O.R." The doctor said, assessing her injuries as a nurse pushed the gurney. Clint tried to follow but was stopped at the operating room door. "You can't go back here. Does she have any family?"

"Yeah. She has a son." Clint watched Charlie being pushed from his line of vision and he didn't like it.

"Get him here. I only saw the cosmetic part of her injuries but if it's that bad on the inside, he needs to say his goodbyes." The doctor advised then disappeared.

Clint ran a hand through his hair before punching the wall angrily. He didn't want to have to tell Jeremy what happened but if Charlie—he wasn't going to think it. Jeremy was with Tony and he would stay there until something happened one way or the other.

-0-

Once the doctors got Charlie stabilized and stitched up, she was taken to a room until she woke up. Clint was waiting by her bedside for hours, watching the IV drip and listening to the now steady breaths Charlie was taking.

"Can I talk to you? Privately?" Natasha asked, interrupting the monologue in his head.

"Later." Clint replied.

"Now." Natasha insisted. Clint knew she wouldn't let it go so he pressed a kiss to Charlie's head and followed Natasha into the hallway.

"What?" Clint asked, ready for the spiel.

"I just wanted to let you know that when Fury asks for my report, I am going to advise that you terminate your relationship with Miss Harrison." Natasha said, crossing her arms over her chest. "This isn't a decision fueled by jealousy, as you accused me of earlier."

"Then what is it, Nat?" Clint asked angrily.

"You care for her and her son." Natasha said gently. "This was a perfect example as to why ties are a bad thing. Not only for you but also for them. Jeremy could have lost his mother today, a person he loves and needs dearly."

"I love her too, Natasha." Clint said.

"And that makes her a target." Natasha replied. "You can't protect her from everything. If you truly love her, you'll leave her."

Natasha turned and left Clint to his thoughts. He went back into Charlie's room and reclaimed his chair next to her bed.

"Where am I?" Charlie asked. Clint had been deep in thought and hadn't realized she'd woken up.

"You're at a SHIELD hospital." Clint smiled at her, helping her sit up. "Take it easy. You were hurt pretty badly."

"What happened?" Charlie asked, groaning at the pain in her side.

"Let's just say you're stronger than Tash thought." Clint left the statement vague. "Can you tell me what that guy said to you?"

"He told me that you're a super secret spy." Charlie ran through Nightblade's insults in her mind. "He said that I was just a cover for you and that you wouldn't save me. Obviously he was wrong."

"Not about everything." Clint sighed. "Listen, Char, I need to talk to you."

"Sounds serious." Charlie offered a small smile to lighten the newly tense mood in the room. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this." Clint said, making eye contact with her and the smile faded from her lips.

"This what?" Charlie asked even though she knew what he was talking about.

"He was right." Clint said. "You were a cover and it backfired on me. I'm sorry you got hurt."

"Excuse me?" Charlie's words were soft and confused. "Nothing was real? Nothing at all?"

"No." Clint lied, standing up to leave. "We're done."

"Get back here." Charlie snapped as Clint turned his back on her. "I think I'm owed a better explanation than that. Look me in the eye and tell me that I mean nothing to you. That Jeremy means nothing to you."

"You were just a cover." Clint lied, ignoring the lump in his throat. He turned around to face her. "You and Jeremy are nothing to me. I was only so invested so it would be convincing."

Charlie ignored the stinging in her eyes and cleared her throat. "Fine. Goodbye, Agent Barton."

"Good bye." Clint said and he left her alone.

A/N: Just for the record, watching Jeremy Renner movies while attempting to write fanfiction is not productive AT ALL. I mean, sweet Tardis of Gallifrey that man's arms are just...wow. Anyway, back on point. Thanks to all who read/follow/favorite/review this story. I love all of you and please leave a review on your way out. :)