Chapter 25

Rosie sat on the bed with her injured foot on her knee, Jayden sat on the couch by the window awkwardly, Clint paced the room and Natasha sat with a pair of tweezers and some medical supplies.

"This is probably going to hurt but I don't know as I've never been stupid enough to get glass in my foot," Natasha smirked up at her.

"Shut up," Rosie stropped. Natasha laughed and pulled out the glass. Rosie squeaked as she yanked it out. Natasha laughed and started to treat the wound. Jayden stared at the man pacing the room. Was he? She kept saying Barton? Does that mean – oh my. It's him.

"Excuse me?" Jayden finally got the courage to say. Clint stopped pacing and looked at the boy.

"Yes?" Clint asked.

"Are you Hawkeye?" he asked a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yes I am." Clint furrowed his eyebrows.

"WOW! This is brilliant! This is such an honour! You're my favourite Avenger! You're my hero!" he cried.

"I LOVE THIS KID!" Clint cried pointing his thumb at Jayden causing his 'girls' to look at him. Rosie leant over to Natasha and whispered in her ear.

"This is just embarrassing."

Natasha laughed and turned back to Rosie, "At least he's not you're partner I have to deal with him every god dam day of my life."

"What are you whispering about? It's about me isn't it!?" Clint cried.

"He sound more like a teenage girl than me. OW!" Rosie cried as the liquid went into the cut.

"So I'm guessing you're not Rose Barton then?" Jayden pointed to Rosie.

"Nope." She breathed as the liquid continued to sting.

"Who are you then?"

"Can't you tell?"

"No."

"Imagine a blue light here." She tapped her chest which made the sound of tapping metal.

"NO WAY! You're Rosie Stark!"

"Yep, one and only."

"And she is?" he pointed to Natasha.

"Black Widow." Natasha smirked. Jayden fell forward and landed face first on the floor.

"He did not just faint!" Rosie laughed. Clint walked over to Jayden picked him up and put him back on the couch.

"Yes, yes he did," Clint smirked. They all burst out laughing and stared at the unconscious boy.

"So the Hydra attack what does that mean? Are we compromised?" Rosie asked through gritted teeth.

"No. We carry on as planned. Just be on high alert tomorrow," Natasha instructed.

"Ok what do we do with him?" Rosie asked pointing to Jayden, "His Mum's dead we can't just leave him with no family."

"What do you suggest we do?" Clint asked.

"I'm sure S.H.I.E.L.D could put him in some child protection program or something." Natasha glared at Rosie.

"No. we are not taking him back to base." Natasha growled. Rosie knew she would never get Natasha to cave; if she did it would be a miracle.

"Clint please. He deserves a second chance, it's not his fault his Mum's a terrorist! Please Clint," Rosie begged. Clint groaned, she was right, he deserves a second chance.

"Fine, but he's your responsibility until we get back to base." Clint groaned.

"Thank you," Rosie smiled, grabbed her PJ's, kissed Clint on the check and went it the bathroom.

"Really Clint?" Natasha hissed.

"Mini-Stark's right, he deserves a second chance. I gave you a second chance so she can give him one."

"It's just because he said you're his hero."

"We killed his Mom what were we supposed to do? Leave him with no parents?! You read his file his Mom was all he had!"

"My Mum's dead?" Jayden whispered. The pair had been to bust arguing they hadn't realised he'd woken up. Natasha and Clint turned to look at Jayden who was now sitting up.

"Em… yeah… sorry Jayden…" Clint muttered.

"YES!" Jayden cried, "Finally the hag's dead!"

"Not the normal reaction when you find out your Mom's dead. Jayden we work for S.H.I.E.L.D, do you want to come back with us?" Clint asked. Jayden nodded. Rosie came out of the bathroom in her PJ's and plopped down on the single bed.

"Right both of you get some sleep, Jayden take the couch, Rosie take the single bed." Clint instructed.

Three hours later

Clint sat up in the double bed. Natasha was asleep next to him and Jayden was asleep on the couch but Rosie wasn't. Her constant shifting and uneven breathing gave her away. Clint got up and walked over to her bed.

"I thought I told you to get some sleep," Clint whispered as he sat down on the edge of the bed. Rosie grunted before opening her eyes to look at Clint.

"I…" she trailed off.

"Rosie?" Clint asked concerned.

"In two days it's going to be nine months since Coulson died," Rosie balanced herself on her elbows. Clint sighed, why was she thinking about this now?

"What brought this on?" Clint pushed her over so he could lie down beside her.

"I don't know… I couldn't sleep so I started to think about how Coulson used to look out for me and instead of him in my ear it was a certain Hawk."

"Is there something wrong with me looking out for you?" Clint joked.

"No, you know what I mean!"

"It's fine now get some sleep. You're not going to be much use if you're tired," Clint got up and headed back to the double bed. Once he heard Rosie's breathing even out he looked over to Natasha to check she was still asleep. She looked so peaceful and beautiful Clint couldn't help but smile. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear before allowing sleep to take over him.

Natasha was woken by someone getting onto the bed. She was about to grab the knife that she kept under her pillow when she realised it was Clint. Keeping her breathing even and eyes closed she waited until Clint had gone to sleep. She felt him watching her and took all her strength not to look back at him. When Clint leant over and put a piece of hair behind her ear she nearly leaned into his touch. Natasha mentally slapped herself for being so stupid. They were on a mission, she needs to be professional.