Chapter 34
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AN1: Thank you for all the support you give me. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW. I know that a lot of you have been looking forward to this chapter so I hope you like it.
February 16th 1994
It has been three months since Natasha checked in Howard and after spending two days with her father Natasha felt bad about leaving because she knows he's far from okay, not that she told anyone that as the only person she could tell is Peggy and that wold just hurt her. Since then Natasha hasn't had another chance to visit Howard though she has made a promise to herself to make sure that she checks in on him at least once a year to make sure that he doesn't go off the rails or destroy himself trying to make it safe to come home.
It's a Wednesday morning and because they don't have a mission and are avoiding paperwork Natasha, Phil and Melinda are in the gym. Melinda and Phil are sparing while Natasha watches, or more specifically Melinda keeps knocking Phil to the ground and Phil keeps getting up while Natasha watches in amusement.
"Agent Romanoff, Director Fury wants to see you." An agent says walking into the gym.
"I'll be right there." Natasha tells the agent, "Have fun you two." Natasha tells her sister and friend, "Try not to hurt Phil too badly." Natasha says amused.
"Wouldn't be a problem if Phil stayed down when I knocked him to the mats." Melinda comments.
"I never stay down long. You know that." Phil comments as he once more stands up as Natasha leaves the gym with an amused look on her face.
A few minutes later Natasha is shown into Fury's office.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Natasha asks her boss.
"Yes. I have a mission for you." Fury says handing Natasha a file.
"What's the mission?" Natasha asks as she had a look.
"There is a twenty-three-year-old in Iowa called Clint Barton who also goes by Hawkeye. He's had military training. He's a better shot than basically anyone I've ever heard about. His weapon is a bow and he's not shy about using it." Fury tells Natasha, "I want you to handle him."
"Yes sir." Natasha says, realising that Fury is letting her chose her own definition of handle, "Where can I find him?"
"It's in the file." Fury tells her.
"Yes Sir." Natasha responds
"Dismissed Agent Romanoff." Fury says and Natasha leaves.
Two hours after she left Fury's office Natasha arrives at the location, a circus, where she will apparently find Clint Barton. As the circus isn't open for the day Natasha sneaks around the boundary so that she isn't seen. After about five minutes of searching Natasha finally sees a young man out behind everything shooting arrows at a target and right away Natasha knows that he is Clint Barton.
Instead of approaching Natasha just stands between trees watching him, trying to get a read on him. For several hours Natasha watches Clint Barton fire at the target, only stopping to go and grab his arrows off the target and re-load his quiver.
"Got to admire the dedication." Natasha mutters to herself as she watches.
"BARTON. THE SHOWS STARTING." A voice yells and Clint walks back over to the target and pulls out his arrows before heading towards the voice. As she watches him go Natasha decides that she wants to spend a bit more time observing because she handles him.
Two Days later
For two days Natasha has been observing Clint Barton, trying to get a read on him, and as she does she has realised a couple of things, one, he is extremely dedicated to training, two, he is an incredible shot, and three, he pretty much sticks to himself, in fact Natasha is sure that in all the time she has been watching him she hasn't seen him interact with anyone other than the people who tell him that the show is starting.
As Natasha has learnt that Barton spends several hours in the woods before lunch shooting at trees Natasha makes herself comfortable in a tree with a great vantage point of clearing where he has gone the last few days.
A few minutes after Natasha made herself comfortable in the tree Clint arrives in the clearing and he starts firing at trees. After a couple of minutes, he fires an arrow at exactly where Natasha is sitting, narrowing avoiding hitting on her on purpose.
"You might as well come down; I know you're there." Clint informs Natasha and with a grin she jumps down from the tree that she is sitting in.
"Impressive. Not many people notice me when I don't want to be." Natasha says as she lands in front of Clint and isn't even phased by the arrow that is pointed at her heart.
"Who are you?" Clint asks.
"Agent Natasha Romanoff, with S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha tells him.
"Never heard of it." Clint responds.
"That's kind of the point." Natasha says with a smirk, "Are you going to put that thing down?" she asks curious.
"Are you going to make me?" Clint asks curious it being clear that he is basically daring Natasha to try.
"I could, with ease, but I'm not going to." Natasha says as she wants him to listen to her, not be afraid of her.
"I doubt that." Clint responds, causing Natasha to realise that if he is going to listen then she's going to have to get him to take her seriously. And so, with a smirk, Natasha moves and knocks the bow out of Clint's hand with ease, "Okay, I was wrong." Clint says, "Are you going to arrest me?"
"No, I want to talk." Natasha says as she hands the bow back as she wants to make him feel like he is in control.
"I'm listening." Clint says as he takes the bow back.
"I've been watching you the last couple of days, and I read all about your history." Natasha tells Clint.
"Fascinating read that." Clint says sarcastically.
"I've read more interesting." Natasha responds, "Your skills are impressive though."
"Thanks. I take it you don't say it that much." Clint responds, causing Natasha to realise that while she is reading him he's reading her, and honestly she has to give him points for that.
"I don't." Natasha confirms, "You're good and you should be doing something better than preforming tricks at a show."
"Why not? It pays for me booze, gives me a place to stay, what else do I need?" Clint asks.
"How about a purpose." Natasha suggests and Clint laughs at that, "I'm serious."
"I doubt that." Clint responds.
"What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word shield?" Natasha asks, doing so for a very specific reason.
"Protection." Clint answers without hesitation.
"Exactly. That's what S.H.I.E.L.D does, we protect people, whether they want it or not from things they don't even know exist." Natasha informs Clint.
"Why are you telling me this?" Clint asks, not understanding why she would tell her this.
"S.H.I.E.L.D always needs good people, people who are dedicated and willing to do what it takes to protect people." Natasha tells Clint, taking a step forward, "And there are three types of people who excel at that, people who have needed to be or should have been, protected from horrors, and people who feel like they failed to protect someone." Natasha tells Clint.
"You said three types, that was only two." Clint tells Natasha, "What's the third type?"
"Someone who has been in both groups, like you." Natasha tells him, causing Clint to shift awkwardly, "And after watching you for the past few days I think you have the potential to be a great S.H.I.E.L.D agent, maybe even one of the best." Natasha explains, and she notices that Clint looks a little disbelieving so she decides to go with another tactic, "Of course if that doesn't tempt you then you should know that S.H.I.E.L.D's pay isn't horrible. It will give you even more money for booze."
"Well then, in that case sign me up." Clint tells Natasha who just grins back.
Three hours later Natasha and Clint are at the Triskelion. Clint is being assessed by medical and other agents while Natasha is standing in Fury's, who is far from happy, office.
"I told you to handle him, Agent Romanoff, not recruit him." Fury informs Natasha.
"In my defence, you weren't specific." Natasha defends and Fury gives her an annoyed look, "May I speak freely, Sir?"
"Go ahead." Fury responds.
"When Mom and Dad brought me into S.H.I.E.L.D they gave me a chance that not one else would have given me because they thought I deserved it, well I think he deserves one." Natasha explains, "You didn't see him out the Nick, he spends hours and hours practicing with his bow, and he was able to figure out I was there, you know how rare that is. That kind of skill needs to be used for more than entertainment." Natasha explains, "He needs training yes, and he needs something stable, but with that, and time, he could be an incredible agent, maybe even better than me." Natasha tells Fury.
"Well then, he can stay, but he's your responsibility." Fury informs Natasha.
"Thank you Sir." Natasha says.
"Dismissed." Fury says and Natasha walks to the door, "Oh Natasha." He says and she turns back around, "I want monthly progress reports." He informs her.
"Yes Sir." Natasha responds and he leaves his office, being pretty sure that Fury is having her do that because he knows how much she hates paperwork.
Hours later Natasha is waiting outside medical for Clint to be finished his intake medical exam, having already had the psyche evaluation and polygraph.
"Agent Romanoff, you waiting for me?" Clint asks as he walks out of the medical area.
"Yeah, I thought I would show you to your bunk." Natasha explains.
"Thanks." Clint says and the two of them start to walk.
"So I've learnt something in the past few hours." Clint tells Natasha, after a couple of minutes of walking in silence, "It turns out that for a bunch of superspies S.H.I.E.L.D agents really love their gossip." He comments.
"Yeah, it's a bad habit." Natasha comments "You'll learn to take all the gossip you hear with a grain of salt."
"Huh, so what about the rumour that you weren't set on recruiting mission. That you decided to bring me in even though it wasn't your orders. Is that true?" Clint asks curious and Natasha doesn't answer, "Thank you." He says gratefully.
"You might not be saying that tomorrow." Natasha informs Clint.
"What happens tomorrow?" Clint asks confused.
"Meet me in the gym at 0500 and you'll find out." Natasha says, "Here's your bunk, enjoy." Natasha says with a grin before walking off and leaving lint to wondering what the hell he just got himself into.
After leaving Clint Natasha goes and collects all the reports on him that are finished and then once she has then she heads home. Even though it is pretty late Natasha doesn't doubt that her mother is awake so she heads to the office and just like she suspected she would Natasha finds the door open, the light on, and Peggy sitting on the couch reading.
"Mom, I'm back." Natasha tells her mother, knocking on the doorway.
"Good. Did the mission go well?" Peggy asks her daughter.
"Yeah, I recruited someone." Natasha reveals.
"Really?" Peggy says, putting down what she is reading to have a look at her daughter.
"Yeah. He's an archer, had a hard childhood, incredible shot and has great instincts." Natasha explains, "He could be an incredible agent one day."
"Sounds like you made the right call." Peggy tells her daughter.
"Yeah. Fury said he's my responsibility." Natasha says as she walks over and sits next to her mother, "And I have to give monthly progress reports." Natasha reveals with an annoyed look on her face, causing Peggy to laugh,
"You mission wasn't to recruit him, was it?" Peggy asks her daughter.
"How'd you know?" Natasha asks her Mother.
"Because Fury just continued a tradition." Peggy explains, "He approves of your choice but can't come right out and say it so you get extra paperwork."
"That doesn't seem fair." Natasha comments.
"It's not." Peggy confirms, "Why don't you tell me about the agent." Peggy says and Natasha does just that.
After spending about twenty minutes talking to her mother Natasha heads upstairs, planning on going straight to bed, but when she walks into her room she finds her sister lying in her be, clearly close to asleep. Looking around Natasha picks a cushion up from the chair and throws it at her.
"Mean Tasha." Melinda tells her sister.
"You do realise that this is my room, right?" Natasha asks.
"Of course, but I wanted to talk to you." Melinda explains, "You recruited someone."
"S.H.I.E.L.D agents really need to stop gossiping." Natasha tells her sister as she takes of her jacket and walks over to her sister.
"You love listening to the gossip." Melinda says, knowing that.
"Not when it's about me" Natasha comments as he lies down next to Melinda, "What do you want to know?"
"Why?"
"Because he deserves a chance." Natasha explains
"Okay. I'll be happy in any way I can." Melinda tells her sister.
"I know." Natasha responds and the two of them drift into silence, "You going to go to your own room at some point?" Natasha asks curious.
"I don't know; I am pretty comfortable." Melinda comments.
"Don't hog the blanket." Natasha tells her sister and before long both sisters are fast asleep.
Just like Natasha told him to be Clint was in the gym at the Triskelion at five am and at ten when Melinda and Phil walk in they are still training together. In the past five hours one thing that Natasha knows for sure is that Clint is a damn good fighter.
"Okay. Let's pause here." Natasha says as Clint blocks her latest attack.
"Oh thank god." Clint comments, "Can I collapse now?" he asks.
"I wouldn't." Natasha responds as she signals for Phil and Melinda to walk over, "Barton I would like you to meet Agents Melinda May and Agent Phil Coulson, you'll likely be working with them a lot, Mel, Phil this is Clint Barton." Natasha introduces.
"Nice too met you." Clint says.
"You too." Phil says, sticking his hand out for Clint to shake which he does.
"So, Tasha been putting you through your paces?" Melinda asks curious.
"Yeah, you could say that." Clint comments.
"Huh." Melinda say and she and Natasha exchange a look, "You mind?" Melinda asks, knowing that Natasha will know exactly what she is asking.
"Go right ahead, could help me figure out some things to watch." Natasha responds, causing Clint to become confused as it seems like Melinda and Natasha are talking in their own language and as he looks to Phil he realises that he doesn't even look a little confused, "You and Mel are going to spar together now." She informs Clint.
"Okay." Clint says and Natasha and Phil walk away leaving Clint and Melinda on the mats, and then once Natasha and Phil are clear they start to spar.
April 4th 1994
It has been six weeks since Natasha brought Clint into S.H.I.E.L.D and ever since he has been training with Natasha, and on occasion, Melinda and Phil, and completing all the tests that a new S.H.I.E.L.D agent has to complete.
It is early on a Monday morning and Clint has been called to Director Fury's office, which he can't help but worry about.
"Go right in Mr Barton." Fury's assistant says as he approaches and hearing that Clint walks in. As Clint walks in he can feel his fear grown when he sees that not just Director Fury but Natasha, Melinda and Phil in the room too.
"Is something wrong?" Clint asks concerned.
"No." Natasha says, walking over, "All the results are back from every test that you've taken." Natasha informs him.
"Oh, what does that mean?" Clint asks.
"It means." Fury says standing up, "You've got to decide, right now, in this moment. Do you want to be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent?" He asks.
"Yes." Clint answers without hesitation.
"Then repeat after me." Fury says, "I, Clinton Frances Barton."
"I, Clinton Frances Barton." Clint repeats.
"Swear to serve when everything else fails."
"Swear to serve when everything else fails." Clint repeats.
"To be humanity's last line of defence, to be the shield."
"To be humanity's last line of defence, to be the shield." Clint repeats.
"I make this oath without reservations."
"I make this oath without reservations."
"And I vowel to uphold it to the best of my ability until such as time when I am unable to do so."
"And I vowel to uphold it to the best of my ability until such as time when I am unable to do so." Clint repeats, feeling that for the first time he might really have a place to belong.
"As the Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics division, it is my honour, pleasure, and privilege to welcome you to S.H.I.E.L.D. Congratulations Agent Barton." Fury says sticking his hand out for Clint to shake, which he does, then he hands over a badge.
"Thank you Sir." Clint responds, "And thank you." Clint says to Natasha who just gives him a half smile.
"Now that's done you've got a mission." Fury instructs as he has a something he wants to set up, but first he needs to see just how the four agents in front of him work together in the field.
"What's the op sir?" Phil asks.
"Tech retrieval. A team in Tibet has tracked down some stolen tech, but they don't have the skill to retrieval it. The four of you do." Fury explains, "You're to go in, get the tech and get out." He says
"We're going in alone? Just the four of us?" Clint asks.
"Yes. If the locals know they'll want the tech and we really don't want that." Fury explains as he hands a file to each of them, "Here's everything you need to know." He says and then he walks over to his desk and grabs a laptop, "And you're going to need this to get up to date information." He says as he hands it to Phil.
"Forty minutes?" Natasha asks Melinda.
"Thirty." Melinda corrects.
"You heard Agent May you've got thirty minutes to grab your crap and be in the hanger." Fury says.
"Yes Sir." Natasha, Melinda, Phil and Clint say together and the four of them leave.
Twelve and a half hours after being given the mission Natasha, Clint, Melinda, and Phil are sitting in the plane in a hanger in Tibet looking at screens which have surveillance of the building where the stolen tech is.
"That's a lot of people." Clint comments.
"Yep. And the black spot right in the middle floor would be the tech." Melinda points out.
"But going from above or below won't be easy." Natasha comments.
"Then how about we don't." Phil comments and the others turn to look at him.
"What are you thinking?" Natasha asks as she knows that Phil is an expert at coming up with plans, and she, Clint and Melinda are experts in executing those plans.
"This building here, it's abandoned and has a pretty good view and is a decent distant." Phil says, pointing to it, "From there Tasha and Melinda will be able to zip line across and straight into the middle level and deal with the guards there and get the tech out." Phil explains, "And while you're doing that Clint can fire arrows from the same place and deal with any person who comes into his view." Phil explains, "I can and by with the truck. Move it into place when needed and get us out quickly."
"That might just work." Natasha says, "You two in?" she says, looking between Clint and Melinda.
"Oh yeah." Clint confirms.
"Definitely." Melinda confirms.
"Then let's gear up." Phil says and the others nod.
Half an hour later Natasha, Melinda are in the building that Coulson pointed out while Phil is getting the truck into position.
"In place." Phil's voice says through the coms.
"Roger." Natasha asks, "Barton, would you?" Natasha asks.
"Of course." Clint says and he fires two arrows, giving Natasha and Melinda their zip lines.
"We're going in." Melinda says and she and Natasha travel down the zip lines and into the building. As soon as Melinda and Natasha are inside the building Clint starts to fire arrows at all the guards that he can see.
As soon as they crash through the window Natasha and Melinda take advantage of the fact that they have the element of surprise and take down the that were on the floor and they hear more coming from both above and below.
"Barton get your ass over here. We could use another set of hands." Natasha says through the coms as she and Melinda continue to fight.
"On it." Clint says and he fires another zip line and travels across. As soon as he lands in the building Natasha and Melinda automatically duck, allowing Clint to fire several arrows in one go.
"Coulson. Now." Melinda says.
"There's more coming. I noticed as I was coming over. We're going to need another way out, heading downstairs is out." He says as he fires another arrow.
"We go out the say way we go in." Natasha comments.
"Cover us." Melinda tells Clint.
"Happy too." Clint says and while he stands in the perfect place to fire at anyone coming up the stairs. While he does that Natasha and Melinda grab cases of tech and they head to the window.
"Barton, support line." Natasha requests.
"Got it." Clint says and he fires an arrow backwards and out the window, before he turns back to the stairs and starts to fight with the people who are coming up the stairs. As soon as Clint fires the arrow out of the window Natasha and Melinda uses the support line to climb out the window while still holding the tech and Clint makes sure that no one can follow them.
"Barton, get your ass down here." Melinda says though the coms about two minutes later.
"Trying." Clint says as he knocks someone down then runs to the window having to fire backwards as he runs and then he jumps out of the window, landing on his back on the top of the truck that Natasha, Melinda and Phil are in. As he lays backwards Clint fires several more arrows before he climbs into the cab of the truck and as soon as he is inside Phil speeds off.
Thirteen hours later Natasha, Clint, Melinda and Phil are all back in DC and as they have been de-briefed by Fury they are in the locker rooms getting changed.
"We should go for drinks." Clint tells the others, "First rounds on me." He offers.
"Really?" Natasha says surprised, "I didn't think you would buy for others."
"That's exactly why you should accept my generously." Clint says, "So, you coming?"
"Yeah, I'm in." Natasha comments, "Mel? Phil?"
"Sure, I could use a few drinks." Melinda answers.
"Same." Phil confirms.
"Great. I'm betting one of you know a good bar." Clint comments, looking between the other three.
"Yep." Melinda and Natasha say as they close their lockers in almost perfect unison.
"Let's go." Phil says and they leave.
Half an hour later Natasha, Melinda, Phil and Clint are all sitting in a both together at a local bar, all four of them nursing beers.
"Mel, three?" Natasha asks her sister.
"Make it four." Melinda requests.
"Okay. Phil?" Natasha asks.
"No way, I know better." Phil responds, knowing what Natasha and Melinda are taking about as he learnt to speak their language a long time ago, he had to.
"Your loss, Clint?" Natasha asks curious.
"I have no idea what I'm agreeing to, but sure." Clint responds, being completely confused.
"Be right back." Natasha says, getting up and heading to the bar.
"Don't you think you should have asked what you're agreeing to before you did?" Phil asks Clint.
"Probably, but where's the fun in that." Clint responds with a smirk, "So, you and Natasha know each other pretty well." He says, looking at Melinda.
"Yeah, we do." Melinda confirms.
"How well?" Clint asks as he's been trying, but hasn't really had much luck in figuring out what the relationship between Natasha and Melinda is. In response Melinda just smirks and drinks her beer, causing Clint to frown.
About a minute later Natasha returns to the table carrying a tray of shots.
"Not worried are you?" Natasha asks Clint with a smirk as Melinda grabs one of the shots and drinks it.
"No way." Clint says, taking a shot of his own and drinking it, as Natasha sits back down.
"Guess I'm the designated driver." Phil realises, knowing that he can finish his beer but then switch to water.
"Yep." Natasha and Melinda say together.
"Okay, how long have you two known each other? Because seriously you do the whole talking in unison thing way more than what's normal." Clint comments.
"Oh it's been a while." Natasha says with a mysterious smile, partly because she knows it will annoy Clint.
"The pool table's clear. How about we play a game." Phil suggests, wanting to distract everyone before Clint can get too annoyed with Natasha and Melinda.
"Sure." Melinda answers and the four of them grab their drinks and head towards the pool table.
August 8th 1994
It has been four months since Clint, Natasha, Melinda and Phil spent a night drinking and playing pool together after their first mission as a team and since then the four of them have completed a lot of successful missions together and have spent a lot of time together outside of work, though, to Clint's annoyance neither Natasha or Melinda have explained their relationship.
It's a Monday morning and as soon as they arrived at the Triskelion Melinda and Natasha were told to report to Fury's office and when they get there they find Clint and Phil waiting.
"Okay, this can't be good." Clint says when he sees Natasha and Melinda.
"Okay, what have you two done?" Phil asks, looking between Melinda and Clint.
"Why are you blaming us?" Melinda asks annoyed.
"Because you two have been on a pranking spree lately and it's getting annoying." Natasha tells them.
"Please, you've been enjoying it." Melinda tells her sister.
"And helping." Clint adds.
"Really Tasha?" Phil asks disapprovingly.
"I've been bored." Natasha explains with a shrug.
"Director Fury will see you now." Fury's assistant says and Melinda, Natasha, Clint and Phil walk in.
"Please take a seat all of you." Fury tells them.
"Okay, this is feeling remarkably like being sent to the principal's office." Clint mutters as he sits down besides Natasha.
"Is something wrong sir?" Phil asks curious.
"No, no more than usual." Fury tells them, "I've been watching the four of you for the past four months and I think you're just what I've been looking for." Fury explains.
"For what Sir?" Melinda asks curious.
"A team, S.S.S." Fury answers, "A team that answers directly to me, gets your missions right from me, and handles the type of missions that other can't." Fury explains, "Time and time again the four of you have proven that you can handle things that others can't and you work as a team, both in and out of the field, better than any other agents. You're exactly what I've been looking for." Fury explains as he hands each of them a file with the information.
"Definitely sounds like it." Natasha confirms, "But one question, S.S.S?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D Strike Scorpion." Fury answers, "And trust me when I say, it will be dangerous, often lack exit plans, and more often than not no backup other than each other." As Fury explains that Natasha, Melinda, Phil and Clint exchange looks.
"We're in."
"I'm glad to hear it." Fury says, "I've already got your first SSS mission." Fury reveals and he starts to explain the first mission that he is assigning for them as their new team.