Eleventh Hour

Chapter Fourteen

Once Natasha found Clint again, he was inside his room, working on bandaging his own ribs, rather than allowing himself to be checked over by Bruce or any other doctor. As she entered, he knew that she was there, but refused to look up at her as he continued to do what he was doing.

"You know, you don't have to do that yourself," she said quietly. "Bruce is more than willing to help you if you don't want one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doctors. I don't blame you for not trusting anyone here, seeing as we've had three traitors. Clint, what's happened is not…?"

"I know what you're trying to do," Clint responded as he finally looked up at her. "Don't. Don't try to defend me. If anyone knows how I feel, it's you and I know that you don't pretend to believe that your past mistakes weren't your fault. Instead you fight to correct them, which is exactly what I'm trying to do. And I don't need a doctor to bandage me up. I've been doing it since I was a kid. I'm used to doing it on my own."

Natasha nodded and sat down on his bed beside him as she replied, "You're right, that I do fight to make up for the things I've done, but we're no longer alone. We can do this together."

Clint answered, "Why do you think that I'm not trying to run away? I'm in no condition to fight Jacques, his men, and whatever alien race we're about to go up against on my own."

"But as soon as we finish, you're going to leave again," she whispered sadly.

"I don't belong here, Natasha," he responded solemnly. "I'm not…"

Natasha interrupted angrily, "That's bull crap! If you really didn't belong here, then you can be darn well sure that I don't belong here either and yet I do, because of you. You saved my life when not even Fury saw what you did; when everyone else just saw me as Black Widow. After all the blood I've spilled, you gave me a second chance and I will never, ever be able to repay you for that."

Clint looked into her eyes, as he saw not only a plea for him to understand what she was trying to get him to understand, but also a compassion that no other person ever saw except for him and it was in that moment that he slowly leaned over and gently kissed her on her lips, until she abruptly pulled away and stood up from the bed with surprise and fear etched on her face.

Clint very quickly said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I love you, Natasha. I know that you don't… that you can't allow yourself to…"

"Stop!" she suddenly shouted. "Just stop. I have to go."

She quickly turned and left his room, but as the door closed behind her, she stopped walking and leaned back against the wall just outside in order to try to gather the thoughts that were racing through her mind. Clint sadly watched her storm out and when she was gone, he threw his pillow from his bed against the wall angrily and then slowly got back to bandaging his ribs. Natasha heard the pillow hit the wall and she realized that she had just ruined what she had gone in to see him for in the first place. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she slowly walked away.

"So, how did it go?" Tony asked when he and Steve suddenly ran into her in the hallway a few minutes later, as she quickly finished wiping the tears from her eyes. "Did you manage to convince him that he's being an idiot?"

She and Steve glared at Tony as she replied, "No, actually, I didn't. He's stubborn, as you are a conceited prick."

Steve raised his eyes in surprise at her remark as Tony answered, "Nicely said, Miss. Romanoff. And you are right. I apologize, but Agent Barton is preparing to come with us, is he not? I mean, I certainly wouldn't let a few broken ribs and a gash on the side of the head get in the way of finishing a fight."

"I tried to talk him out of it, but I couldn't convince him not to do that either," the Black Widow responded. "He won't let his pain or his anger jeopardize our mission, Captain. He's a soldier to the end until the dust settles."

"I know," Steve replied. "I have complete trust in him, as I have complete trust in the rest of our team despite our, differences."

Tony added, "If it wasn't for us coming together like we did when we battled the Chitauri, I wouldn't be so quick to put my trust in the Avengers, but after how all that played out, I think I can now. However, I still don't play well with others."

Natasha patted his shoulder and walked by him as she answered, "We know."

About twenty minutes later, most of the team were gathered around the table in the Helicarrier's conference room, all dressed in their uniforms, except for Tony, as well as Director Fury, Agent Hill, and Agent Stanton. Agent Barton was the only one, who had yet to arrive. While they waited, Fury asked around for ideas on how to locate and track down both the scepter and the canisters, since Thor was unable to do so anymore. So far, none of their suggestions were helping them any.

Finally, Hawkeye walked in dressed in his uniform as well, with his bow and quiver secure around his back. Everyone turned to look at him as he entered, except for Natasha, who kept her eyes trained on the others around the room, or the computer screen displaying their targets.

"I think I can help us with tracking Duquesne down, Sir," Clint said as he lifted the handle on his bow and pushed one of the buttons, as a light on it suddenly began to blink. "If he's still driving his car, as it appears that he is, then the tracker I placed on it will lead us right to him and hopefully the scepter and canisters as well."

Fury nodded in approval as he responded, "Good thinking, Agent Barton. Are you sure that you're up to going on this mission? As I recall, I pulled you off of active duty until you got yourself the proper rest and I know that you haven't done that. Can I trust you to not jeopardize this mission?"

Clint spoke up saying, "You know you can, Sir. Besides, this is my fight. I started this mess and I plan on helping to clean it up."

"Very well then," the director replied. "Avengers, you have a go. Do whatever it takes to find the scepter and the canisters, and bring these scumbags down once and for all."

"You heard the man," Steve answered as they all stood. "Let's fly!"