We have a battle scene! It's my first one involving everyone (except for the Chile faux mission), so I hope it makes sense. Thanks to those of you who are still here for this journey. And, yes, Bucky's finally here! I've been inspired by watching the trailers for the new show. If you haven't seen them, that's the look he has in my story, albeit a different background.

I'd love to know what you think!


The sliding door opened. Clint and Natasha turned to see Sam stepping outside. "I'll leave the bird bros to their flock." Natasha grinned as she stood up and went inside, playfully slapping Sam on the arm as she passed him.

"Flock? Really?" Sam shook his head, sitting down in the chair recently vacated by Natasha. "I expected more originality from her."

"Give her time, Sam." Clint laughed, then got serious. "What's up?"

Sam leaned back in the chair. "I kind of figured Mikayla was taking your place for the attack."

"Yep, thanks to my brother," Clint said through gritted teeth.

"Man, I know you can't wait to kick his ass." Clint nodded. "Anyway, Barnes is ready to help out where he can, so I thought he might be useful shadowing her, using his sniper skills in the process," Sam explained how Gregory was overjoyed to have the Winter Soldier on his side, then told Clint how he and Bucky would join the fight against Gregory once it started. "You did a damn fine job of preparing me. Gregory thinks I'm a patriot and has made me the unofficial secretary or something. At our meeting this evening, we'll go over the plans at the ranch, and I'm the only one he'll give them to. I've got an apartment close to the warehouse and the ranch, so Red Wing will fly from there to get the info to Mikayla. They're already bonding. I think I know what to get her for Christmas now."

Clint smiled. "I guess that means I won't have to get her the GoPro for the fight now. Thanks, Sam."

"No worries. Bucky's talking to Cap about it now, and then he'll go introduce himself to Mikayla."

"I guess I should go meet him, too, since I missed out on all the fun in D.C."

"He's a good guy and is up to date on using technology."

"Cap's improved. I think he and Thor sit around and read manuals in their spare time."

"Hey, I need a sparring partner. Any volunteers?"

Sam piped up. "I'm in." He turned around and grinned at Mikayla, then the grin faded, and he gulped. "On second thought, I think this one's yours, Barton." He stood up, patted Clint on the shoulder, and whistled at Mikayla as he walked by her.

Clint looked up, and he swore she never looked sexier. She was wearing a dark purple tank top and yoga style pants, which hugged and accentuated every curve. She was using a towel to wipe the sweat from her face, the same sweat which was causing the fabric to glue itself to her. "Guess that means you've got me."

"Good. Let's go." Mikayla turned around and walked back to the gym, Clint right on her heels. When they got to the gym, Clint went to lock the door but saw someone else was in the room.

"Oh, hi." Bucky turned around. He was about to sit down on the weight bench. Mikayla took in their newest team member. Thankfully, she knew about the metal arm, so it didn't bother her. What no one had told her, however, was how built he was. 'Just because I'm engaged to the hottest man alive doesn't mean I can't appreciate another male human form,' she thought.

Mikayla heard Clint clear his throat. "We haven't officially met yet." He walked over to Bucky. "Clint Barton and this is my fiancée Mikayla Fitzgerald." The two men shook hands, and Mikayla waved.

"Hawkeye and Lady Hawkeye, right?"

That seemed to break the ice. "Along with several other nicknames," Mikayla chuckled. "Tony seems to prefer Robin Hood and Main Marian, so take your pick. Mikayla's fine, though. It's nice to meet you finally."

"Thanks. Steve filled me in on everybody. I'm still trying to get used to Thor."

"Don't worry. It'll take a while. Anything we can do to help, just let us know."

Bucky nodded. "I heard I'll be working with you during the fight tomorrow. They're going to put my sniper skills to use."

Mikayla glanced over at Clint, who nodded. "Sounds good. It'll be my first one in the field, so it'll be good to have someone else alongside. We'll know more details after the meeting."

Bucky smiled. He was worried about meeting them, not knowing how they would take everything. Bucky didn't want Clint to think he was trying to move in on his girl, but he wasn't getting that vibe from him. Steve had given him the condensed introduction about each team member, their skills, a few personal details, etc. He was anxious to see them in action. "I was going to work out, but I can come back."

"No, man, it's okay. We were going to do some sparring." Clint told Bucky, who nodded and went to go work out on the various weight machines. "Now, I believe you said you were looking for a sparring partner, correct?"

"Don't worry. I'll take it easy on you since you're injured."

"Oh, you're in trouble now, Fitzgerald."

"Big talk, Barton. Prove it." The two walked around each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. Mikayla knew Clint's dominant side was his left, so even if he wasn't injured, she still planned to strike his right side first. She sent a roundhouse kick with her left leg, which he deflected and tried to grab her ankle, but she flipped just out of his reach, landing on her feet. He smiled, knowing she'd be overconfident, so he lunged out for her, but she avoided him by ducking under his arms. When Mikayla got behind him, she leaped, wrapped her ankles around his neck, and took him to the ground. "Hah!"

"Good move."

"Learned from the best." She grinned as she danced around him.

Clint jumped back onto his feet. "I don't remember training you that."

"You didn't. Nat did."

Bucky was watching them as they sparred. He thought he'd recognized that move. It was one of his memories that remained from Russia. Bucky had trained the female recruits that maneuver to overcome attackers who were bigger and stronger than themselves. Ever since the debacle in Washington and his final mind wipe in Wakanda, he reminded himself her name was Natasha, not Natalia. He also remembered she was the best of the best, the only one to survive the Black Widow program. Bucky hoped his presence wouldn't put a damper on the team dynamics and camaraderie they had going.

Clint responded to Mikayla by rolling onto his right side, immediately popping up, then grabbing Mikayla's legs, taking them out from underneath her. Even with his one arm holding her down, she wasn't strong enough to push him off of her. "You still love me, don't you?"

"Of course." Mikayla grinned, then raised her head and kissed him, which caused him to lose focus for the briefest of moments, giving enough time for Mikayla to flip him off of her and jump up to her feet. "Gotcha." Her grin grew larger until she saw his shoulder. "You're bleeding. We're stopping."

Clint looked and saw the blood. "Damn," he said as he stood up. "I had you on the ropes, too."

"Oh, please. I was whooping your ass, but you just won't admit it." She slapped him on the ass. "Now, go, get your shoulder looked at. I'm going to work on my arms."

"Yes, ma'am." 'I'll let her win this battle, but the war is mine.' Clint got up and walked out to get rebandaged.

"Nice moves," Bucky commented.

"Uh, thanks." Mikayla had forgotten he was still in the gym.

"Steve told me you were as smooth as Natasha in the gym. I believe it. You'll hold your own."

She smiled. "Thanks. Hopefully, I won't have to fight hand to hand and can take care of them with the bow and arrow, or at the very least by throwing knives at the bad guys."

"I'm sure with your training that you'll be fine." Bucky walked toward the door. "It was nice to meet you, Mikayla."

"You, too." She watched as he left the gym. "Yippee, another brother. My family keeps growing by leaps and bounds." Mikayla sat down on the weight bench, picked up a weight in each hand, reclined, and began lifting them. "Something's missing. That's it, music." She pulled out her phone, hit the playlist, and listened to "House of the Rising Sun" as she worked on her arm strength. Shortly after the music started, she switched the weights for something heavier, then went back to curling them in time with the beat.

She was concentrating so much on the music and her workout that Mikayla never heard the door open. When Clint stepped back into the gym, all he could do was focus on his fiancée. Up until that moment, he hadn't realized how much muscle she'd developed. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door jamb, mesmerized by her motions. When the song ended, Mikayla asked her phone to play the song again. Clint noticed the song started slow. Mikayla used that brief moment for her cool-down period and worked on her breathing. Once the song picked up, Mikayla focused on the beats and working her arms. Clint caught his breath when he noticed how with each rep, her tank top rose, revealing more of her abdomen each time. 'Damn, how did I miss those abs? Hmmm, she's sweating. I'd better take care of that.' He locked the door behind him and ordered Friday not to let anyone in, then slowly slid his way over to the bench. Clint looked down, and Mikayla had her eyes closed, focusing on her exercising. He put one leg on each side of her, knelt, and ran his tongue across her abdomen. When she tensed up, he softly ran his fingers along her abs, noticing she immediately started breathing faster but kept up her reps.

She almost jumped when she felt someone licking her abdomen but realized who it was as soon as she felt Clint's calloused fingers trailing across her stomach, so she relaxed and continued working out. Mikayla almost dropped the weights when Clint started moving his right hand lower down her body. "You might want to hold that thought," she breathlessly told him, "otherwise these weights might land somewhere neither of us will enjoy." He gave her abdomen a final long lick before leaning back on his knees. She put the weights down on the ground and looked up at him, noticing his dilated eyes, which she was sure matched hers. The music stopped, so Mikayla panted, "track 86," then nodded for him to continue.

Clint said nothing but returned to paying attention to her abdomen and torso. He listened to the song, realizing it was the one they danced to in Vegas. He smirked, stepped away, and pulled her up with his right hand. Once she stood up, he put his right hand on the small of her back and held her to his waist. They began a seductive dance, hips moving in sync with each other to the beat. Mikayla shimmied up and down Clint's body, stopping at various points to utilize her body parts to their advantage. By the end of the song, both of them were so aroused it took them no time to strip, and before Mikayla knew it, she was clawing Clint's back, and he was stifling her screams by kissing her harder and deeper than he ever had.

They held onto each other until they could breathe normally again and could stand on their own again. Clint stepped away from the wall, and Mikayla stooped over, propping her hands on her knees, still working on catching her breath and forming her thoughts. "Now that's what I call a workout."

"Got your heart rate up, didn't it?" He smirked.

She nodded. "I'm going to go take a shower. Alone, flyboy." She picked up her clothes, whacked him on the arm with the towel, and went to the shower. Clint, of course, didn't listen. He picked up his clothes and followed her into the showers. "Clinton Barton – out! Get in your own stall!" That was proceeded by sounds of giggling then no sound at all.

Later that day, the group could be found lounging around in various areas of the house. Clint and Mikayla found themselves in the main living room, watching a Ghost Hunters marathon with most of the group. Tony and Bruce were in the lab, and Pepper was getting caught up with the thousands of emails she missed while on her honeymoon. Mikayla had already checked in at work, and the systems were running smoothly. Clint and Mikayla were curled up next to each other on the loveseat as Clint combed his fingers through her hair. "I used to think these shows were scary," Mikayla said, "then my logical side kicked in, and I figured there had to be some reasonable explanation. Well, that and, I found out real life is much scarier." She snuggled even closer to him as a chill went up to her spine.

"We'll get him," Clint whispered. Mikayla nodded and burrowed her head in the crook of his neck. Clint turned his head and kissed her temple.

"I guess this is the calm before the storm," Mikayla said. "I know Sam took off after taking Misty to work. Who's picking her up?"

"Steve is."

She nodded. "I was kind of hoping – "

"Nope, you're staying here until the battle."

"I figured as much." Clint watched Mikayla as she got what could best be described as a resigned look on her face. She didn't outwardly sigh, but he could feel it the way her body moved. Mikayla's shoulders slumped slightly, and he saw a little bit of the light go out of her eyes. 'Damn you, Barney. Haven't you taken enough from me? Do you have to take away the one person in my life that is true, and right, and is a mirror image of me? I swear this is causing more pain than Loki taking over my mind. This is the worst part of being injured. Most people think it's the pain, but it's not. It's the inactivity.'

Mikayla sat up and stirred him out of his brooding. "I'll be back. I need some me-time." She looked at Clint. "I'm okay." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, then got up and walked down the hall.

Clint watched her until she disappeared. "Everything okay with the lovebirds?" Natasha asked.

"She said she needed some time to herself. I think being cooped up is getting to her." Clint sat up and propped his arms on his knees. "I'm going to take you up on your safe house offer. I'll see if Stark can get us a private plane. Thanks, Tasha." She nodded as Clint headed in another direction to the lab.

Mikayla went into the office, sat down at the desk, and took out the journal Bruce had given her for Christmas. She put in her earbuds, turned on her playlist, and started writing. After a couple of hours of non-stop writing, she put her pen down and straightened up, rubbing her neck. She was softly humming the song on her playlist when she felt her favorite pair of hands taking over the neck massage. "Oooh, that feels amazing."

"Shh," Clint murmured as he dug his thumbs into the top of her spinal column. He left soft, feathery kisses along her neckline.

Mikayla tried to resist but let a soft "mmm" escape her lips. She swore if he weren't holding her, she'd sink right out of the chair and melt onto the floor.

"Better?" She nodded. "Good." He turned her around to face him. "Tony wants to see us. He found out how Barney got so close." Clint stepped back and held out his hand. Mikayla took it, and they went to the lab.

"How much do you trust Misty?" Tony asked the second they walked into the lab.

"With my life. We've been friends for almost twenty years. Why?"

"I've been trying to figure out how Robin Hood's brother always seemed to know where we were, so I played a hunch." He pulled out a cellphone. "I cloned all the phones not issued by Stark Industries or SHIELD. I looked at hers, and it was tapped."

"What?"

"There was a tracker implanted in it that recorded every call she made or received. Meaning, every time you two talked, and you told her where you were because, let's face it, every woman does that – "

"The point, Stark?" Clint was getting irritated by Tony's ramblings.

"The group knew exactly where Mikayla was at all times. I've removed it, and it's been destroyed, but the damage's been done."

Mikayla turned to Clint. "She can't be in on it, Clint. She can't! She's my best friend. We've been through everything together. I refuse to believe she's working for them! She'll have an explanation. I know she will." Mikayla spun around and ran out the door.

"Can you find out who and when her phone was tampered with?" Clint asked.

"Working on it, Barton. If we find out it was deliberate and she's in with them, she's out of my house at the very least. I've already had to talk Mean Green here off the ledge." Tony pointed to Bruce, who didn't say anything and looked like he was trying to hide.

"Let me know when you find something," Clint ordered, then calmly walked out of the room.

"That went well," Tony said. He looked over at Bruce, and they continued taking Misty's phone apart.

Clint went to the bedroom, but Mikayla wasn't there. He went to the living room, and the group said she hadn't been through there. "Where's Steve?"

"On his way to pick up Misty," Natasha answered. "Misty's leaving early today on account of the mission."

"Send her to me when she gets here." Clint disappeared down the hallway. Everyone looked at each other, trying to figure out what was going on.

Clint heard grunts coming from the gym, so he opened the door and found Mikayla attempting to destroy a punching bag. "She's not working for him, Clint," she growled. "I refuse to believe it." He was grateful to see Mikayla had at least taped up her hands before she started beating the punching bag to death. "She's my best friend. Nothing would split us up. She wouldn't deliberately hurt me or let someone hurt me." The more she talked, the fiercer her punches grew. She then switched to kicking the punching bag, eventually causing so much damage it fell off the ring holding it to the ceiling. Mikayla collapsed onto the mat and started crying. "She couldn't betray me, and she couldn't."

Clint went over and knelt next to her, putting his arm around her. "Tony will figure it out. If he doesn't before she gets here, Misty will tell us what's going on." He bit his lip before his next statement. "Babe, you're going to have to prepare yourself for that possibility."

"No, Clint, I don't. That would be like believing you were working for Barney. There is no way either one of you would betray me. I refuse to believe it."

"What the hell is going on around here?" Misty burst into the gym. "I can't get anyone to talk to me, and all I'm getting is go to hell looks or cold shoulders." She saw Mikayla crumpled on the floor. "What happened?"

"Defending you," Clint said softly, stood up, and backed away.

"Who from? The Hulk?"

Mikayla took a deep breath to compose herself, then looked up at Misty. "Did you get a new phone recently?"

"No, why?"

"Tony's been trying to figure out how Barney knew so much about where I've been. Misty, he found out your phone was bugged. Every conversation we've had has been recorded, so they've always known where I am. How did someone get hold of your phone?"

"What? No! I wouldn't tell anyone where you – wait a minute. Before Christmas, I left my phone at a café and didn't discover it until I got back to my apartment. I used my landline to call around once I found it was missing. It was out of my hands for about an hour. That's the only time it's been out of my possession."

"Do you remember what the person looked like who found it?" Clint asked.

"Let me think." Misty took a few moments to think back. "It was a female, about 5'4", orange hair. I remember thinking to myself that there is no way I'd use that color in any place I would redecorate."

Mikayla threw her arms around her best friend. "I told them you wouldn't willingly hurt me."

Clint breathed a sigh of relief but soon realized the description sounded familiar. "Damn it!" He rushed out of the gym and could be heard yelling for Tony.

"Hey, hey, bestie," Misty grabbed Mikayla's arms and pulled her away. "Did you really think I would do something like that?"

Mikayla shook her head. "The hard work was trying to convince Tony and Clint. It was so bad Bruce almost hulked out because he was so mad."

Misty hugged her again. "Thanks for having my back."

"Thanks for proving me right, bestie." Mikayla grabbed Misty's hand. "Now, let's find out what got Clint's boxers in a wad." The two walked toward the lab but stopped first in the living room. "It wasn't her. She lost her phone, so someone got hold of it and tampered with it. Did Clint happen to come racing through here?"

"Your archer is in the lab. I'm glad all is well."

"Thanks, Thor." Mikayla dragged Misty to the lab, where they found Clint, Tony, and Bruce. "I told you she wasn't involved."

"We know," Tony said. "Sorry about that."

"Why did you go off running?" Mikayla asked Clint.

"The description of the person who found your phone rang a bell, a couple, actually," he replied. "When this whole thing first started, Tony said he discovered a gang was robbing places around the old apartment. One of them was a female with orange hair. To top it off, when we were in Chicago, that description matched the salesperson in the store where I purchased your dress."

"You're saying I have a group of stalkers? Great. Now can I hunt the bastard down? Please?"

"No!" Clint, Tony, and Misty yelled. Bruce shook his head in agreement with them.

"Fine. I'll be in the gym working off steam." Mikayla stomped away and went back to the gym.

"No punching, or you won't be able to shoot!" Clint shouted after her. "I never thought I'd find anyone as stubborn as me," he muttered.

"I could've told you she'd give you a run for your money, Clint," Misty said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Natasha saw Mikayla hurrying to the gym and followed her. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, talk," Mikayla answered as she hung another punching bag and began kicking it.

"You're turning into a regular Clint Barton." Natasha talked as she leaned against the wall.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not necessarily, but if you're going to be a Barton clone, you need to develop the most important quality, which isn't sarcasm, before you respond. It's patience."

"How much more patient do I have to be, Nat? Wait until Barney actually kills me?"

"It won't get that far, Mikayla. We're closing in, he knows it, and he's making stupid mistakes." Natasha walked over and grabbed the punching bag. "Stop and listen. Do you know how long it took Clint to catch me?" Mikayla shook her head, then moved over to the weight bench and started doing arm curls. "Three years. He chased me all over Europe, half of Asia, and parts of Africa before he finally caught me and made the decision not to kill me."

"Where did it end?"

"Ottawa. I was after two targets, and with only two arms, I wasn't able to shoot at him, and that's when he snagged me."

"Translation. I pinned your feet to the ground, Romanoff." Clint had stuck his head in the gym just in time to hear the conversation.

"I let you, Barton. I wasn't on my game."

"You believe whatever helps you to get over the trauma of being bested by me." Clint smiled and put his arm around Natasha. "Best day of your life by far, I'm sure." Natasha elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to wince a bit. "That pains me, Nat."

Natasha rolled her eyes and tried not to smile but caught herself grinning. "That's my purpose."

"She's right, though, babe. You're going to have to put your patience to the test when it comes to Barney. Remember, he's a marksman, too."

"Yes, but you're better."

"Thanks, Nat, but don't overlook him. My best advice is to remember your training and focus on the task at hand. He will screw up, and that's when we'll get him, and the threat will be neutralized."

"How do you do that when it's a personal attack?"

Natasha answered. "You take yourself out of the equation. You think of it as another assignment."

"Have you ever had to do that?"

"I have, on the helicarrier during the attack on the city." Natasha glanced over to Clint, who nodded and backed out of the room. "I got the call from your uncle, saying words I never thought I'd hear. He told me, 'Barton's been compromised.' It was like a piece of me died. I finished my mission I was on, then was sent to get Bruce from India. After being chased by Hulk during the battle, I was cornered in an inner part of the helicarrier. Fury came over the comm and announced Clint was on his way to the detention center. I knew then I would have to fight him, even if it was a fight to the death. I had to be willing to kill someone who'd become like a brother to me. The Red Room drilled it into our heads to never let anyone close, and at that moment, I knew why. If you got close to someone, they could be your weakness to be used against you. When I told Fury that I'd take care of it, I put aside that it would be Clint I would be fighting and thought of him as another opponent. We'd sparred enough times I knew his moves, and he knew mine. However, when I saw him, I realized I wouldn't be fighting him, but Loki through him. His eyes told me it wasn't him in control of his mind. It was his body I was fighting, but his mind was being controlled by someone else. Not until he woke up in the cell he was in, and I saw his eyes did I know if I'd succeeded or not. If I would've gone into the fight thinking about fighting Clint, I would've lost, and he probably would've ended up killing me. I knew I had a chance of winning, though, when I got his bow away from him. During a battle, he never lets anyone handle his bow, so that was another sign that it wasn't all him in the fight."

Mikayla didn't immediately respond. After several minutes, Natasha saw her demeanor and resolve change. "OK, I'll do my best. I'll channel my inner Clint Barton."

Natasha shook her head. "No, not Clint. You'll challenge your inner Mikayla Fitzgerald. You have a different fighting style than he does, even different than I do, so you need to be yourself."

"Got it." Mikayla nodded.

"Are we good?"

"We're good. Thanks, Nat."

"Consider me the queen of pep talks." She smiled and left the gym.

Mikayla called it quits about 30 minutes later. She was on her way to the shower when her phone buzzed. "Friday? Can you have everyone meet me in the office in 15 minutes, please?"

"Of course, Miss Fitzgerald."

Mikayla sprinted down to her office and looked out the window. She saw Sam's drone flying toward the house, and she opened the window. Red Wing flew in and landed on the desk. Mikayla found the USB drive, took it from the drone, and plugged it into the computer. While the info was loading, she sent a quick message to Sam via Red Wing that the information was received. As she reviewed the data, she was astonished about the amount and types of weapons the group had. "How in the hell did they get RPGs?"

"They have what?" Clint said the first one to arrive.

Mikayla pushed away from the computer so Clint could get a better look. "RPG's, Clint. How do we dispose of those?"

"We don't," Steve replied. He and the rest of the team entered the office shortly after Clint. "We handle the people who have them."

The team gathered around the computer to look at the list of weapons the group had amassed. "Is that all he sent?" Tony asked.

"Nope, there's also schematics for the ranch, along with an audio of the meeting." Mikayla pushed play then stepped back as they listened to the group's plans. Afterward, everyone had chills going up their spines. "What's our plan?" She looked to Tony, who deferred to Steve.

"He said they would start moving the weapons to the ranch around 7 tomorrow morning, so we need to have those who will be onsite in place by 5. Nat, you, Mikayla, and I can crawl through the hole in the fence here." He pointed to the area he was talking about. "Once they start bringing in the weapons, Mikayla will signal Tony, and he and Thor will provide air cover. Bucky will be stationed on top of the water tower. Mikayla, there's a ladder on the side you'll use to get onto it, and he'll be up there with you. Sam will take flight once he sees Tony and Thor. Nat and I will circle the entrance and take out who we can. Bruce? Should the other guy's services be needed, you'll take the weapons they're able to unload to the trucks we'll have stationed here. Otherwise, hang back in case we need medical. Everyone clear on their duties or have any questions or comments?" He looked around, but no one had anything to add. "One last thing. Mikayla, you're our eyes in the sky. Don't be afraid to call out anything you see or any place that needs defending." She nodded. Steve took a deep breath. "Good. Now, let's go eat dinner." All the group except Clint and Mikayla left the office.

"This is really happening, isn't it?" Mikayla said, running her hands up and down her arms.

"It is. What did we say earlier? Remember your training. Trust me. Cap wouldn't give you the responsibility if he didn't think you were ready. You've got this. If it helps, I'll have a comm in my ear, too. Even though I won't be able to see the fight, I'll be able to hear and offer suggestions. It'll be like I'm right there with you." Clint hugged her. "Come on, Pepper and Misty went and got dinner. I think it's Thai." The couple met the rest of the team in the kitchen. They fixed their plates and sat down on the loveseat. "Not as good as the restaurant in New York, but it'll do. I know how much you love that place, so we'll go when we get back. You know, like a date."

"You know how well those usually turn out." Mikayla grinned. "I'll give it another shot, though. I'll be with you so that it won't be all bad."

"That's my girl." Mikayla was too keyed up about the upcoming fight to talk a lot. She went over the diagram in her head where everything was located, where Nat and Steve could do the most damage, and where to have the air fighters battle. Clint brought her back to the present. "You're overthinking again, babe. You're biting your lip." She turned her head and smiled at him. "That's my job." He smirked.

"Well, like the song says, nobody does it better."

"Sappiness alarm going off," Natasha said.

"Can it, Romanoff."

"Why? It's so much fun, Barton."

Mikayla shook her head and grinned. If this kept up, she could convince herself it was a typical night with the team. However, she knew it wasn't. She needed to prepare her mind for the battle ahead and knew she'd need rest. "I'm going to bed. Get a good night's sleep. See everyone in a few hours." Mikayla took her plate and glass into the kitchen, put them in the dishwasher, then went to her bedroom.

The group broke up shortly thereafter and also went to their respective rooms. When Clint got to the bedroom, Mikayla wasn't in bed. "Mikayla?"

"In here, hold on a sec," she said from the bathroom. "I realized I hadn't had a chance to wear my battle armor, so to speak. What do you think?"

"Damn, I've never seen a hotter or sexier superhero, babe." Clint walked over to her. "You can rescue me anytime."

"Oh, I do that without the suit, Clint." Mikayla was moving around, stretching, bending, seeing how the suit felt. "Hold on a sec." She went into the closet and came back out carrying her bow with the quiver over her shoulder. Mikayla held up the bow and went through the motions of shooting arrows. "OK, the suit doesn't get in the way."

Clint was feeling regretful he wouldn't be able to see her in action. 'Not the only thing I'm feeling,' he thought. He couldn't get over how sexy Mikayla looked in the uniform and how perfectly she filled it out. "OK, enough of this." He strode across the room and took the bow from Mikayla. "Don't forget about the quiver." She took off the quiver and placed it next to the bow. "Good way to relieve stress, you know. It'll keep you from overthinking and having an attack."

"Smart thinking," Mikayla whispered as she untucked his shirt.

Clint unzipped her outfit and went to put his hand under it to massage her thigh. "Ow!"

"Oh, crap, forgot about those."

Clint pulled his hand back and was holding a knife. "Really?"

"I'm always prepared, remember? Hold on." Mikayla removed several knives and both Glocks from the suit.

"The guns won't do you any good inside your suit."

"That's where I was keeping them until tomorrow, and then I would put them in their holsters."

"Damn, you are getting sexier by the minute."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Clint whispered. "You know me better than that. Now, all the weapons removed?" She nodded. "Good." He picked her up, carried her bridal style to the bed, and helped her not overthink.

The alarm went off at 3. Mikayla groaned and sat up, reaching over to turn off the buzzer. She wasn't surprised to see Clint was already awake.

"Morning, Ladyhawke."

"Good morning, Hawkeye. Thanks for last night. It helped me to, uh, refocus."

"Sure, that's what we'll call it now. The others will never catch on."

"I'm sure they will." Mikayla stood up and stretched. "I'm going to jump in the shower."

"I'll have coffee ready for you, babe." She leaned over, kissed his cheek, and went into the bathroom.

When she finished in the bathroom, she found a piping hot coffee cup and a muffin waiting for her. She ate it and drank the coffee while getting dressed. After putting on the suit, Mikayla looked at herself in the mirror. "I'm glad these guys know me. I won't have to be so self-conscious in this tight suit, though they have seen me with a hospital gown on, so it's not like this will be any more revealing." She took a deep breath. "I hope I make you proud, Uncle P." She looked upward, blew a kiss, then met the others in the living room where they would go over any final arrangements. "Morning, team."

"Fair Mikayla, we are excited to have you with us today."

"Thanks, Thor."

"Nice suit. It reminds me of someone's." Natasha smirked. "Did you add the extra weapons?"

"Yep, and I've got the guns holstered, too."

"Good. Trust your training. You'll be fine." Natasha leaned over and whispered. "Your uncle would approve." Mikayla nodded.

"Okay, now that we're all here, let's take a group picture in honor of our newest teammate, who, I might add, fills out her suit to perfection."

"No, Stark, you may not add that," Clint said, smiling at her.

"Hold that thought. I forgot something, be right back." She ran to the bedroom and came back wearing her GPS glasses. "Okay, now I'm ready."

Steve rolled his eyes but understood what an important day this was. "Barton, if you'll do the honors."

Clint stood, held up his phone, and aimed it at the group. "Say, Avengers, everyone." The group smiled as Clint took a couple of photos, then sent them to everyone's phones.

Once the impromptu photo session was over, Misty and Pepper appeared. Pepper looked her usual put-together self. Misty looked like she just rolled out of bed (which she had). "We wanted to make sure to wish everyone well before the mission."

"That, and I wanted to make sure my best friend got up on time, which it looks like she did."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Misty." Mikayla grinned as she went over and hugged Misty.

"It took your mind off things, didn't it?" Misty whispered.

"Yeah." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to picture the ranch.

"Let's load up, time to go," Steve said. They would travel in the trucks they would use to haul the weapons to the SHIELD facility. Bruce would be on standby with the Quinjet.

"Give 'em hell, babe," Clint said as he kissed Mikayla.

"See you in a bit." She stroked his cheek, then followed her other teammates out.

The drive to the ranch was quiet, everyone going over their part in their heads. When the trucks parked, Nat, Cap, and Mikayla got out of the vehicles and found their way to the hole in the fence. They climbed through, and Mikayla immediately went to the water tower, found the ladder, and stealthily climbed up and found Bucky was already positioned. She nodded at him, and he nodded back. "Ready?" He asked.

"As I'll ever be." Mikayla scanned the landscape for suitable positions for Nat and Cap. "Widow, two clicks to your right. Cap, three to your left. Start there, and I'll keep you updated."

"Got it." Mikayla heard them answer her in her comm.

After about 30 minutes, she heard a rumbling coming down the street. "Have an extra scope I can borrow?" She asked Bucky. He pulled one out from a pocket and handed it to her. Mikayla looked through it toward the noise, then gave it back to him. "Guys, they've started early. Stay alert." Several military vehicles pulled up, and people dressed in camouflage poured out of them. "Looking at about 75 people." She noticed one slip away from the group and figured it was Sam, which was confirmed when he went to the truck to meet up with Thor and Tony. "Nat, Cap, move one click closer. You should be able to do maximum damage there." Once the advance team went through the gate, Nat and Cap pounced on them. Mikayla realized something. "Guys, there aren't any weapons in their trucks, just soldiers."

"They must've moved them earlier and not said anything," Sam muttered.

Mikayla looked over at Bucky. "Nothing was said to me."

"So, we're winging it."

"Good one, Maid Marian. Robin Hood would be proud."

"Metal Man, shut up and start shooting things, would you?"

Once it was discovered they weren't bringing weapons, the mission's aim changed, especially after the soldiers started shooting at the team. Mikayla barked out directions until she realized it was becoming a free for all. She looked over at Bucky. "Can you hold the fort? I've got to find out where the arms are being stored."

"How in the hell are you going to do that?" Bucky asked.

"I have a plan."

"Maid Marian, that doesn't instill confidence."

"Shut up, Stark. You do your job, and I'll do mine." She looked around and realized where the armory was. She was too far away to hit it with any arrows, and the flyers were busy taking care of the soldiers. "Cover me." He nodded. Mikayla judged the distance between the tower and the next building, then started running. She quickly leaped onto the roof, landed with a tuck and roll. She felt a bullet fly by, so she shot an arrow in the direction of where the gunshot came from and was pleased to hear the thud of a body falling. She performed the same maneuver moving to the next three buildings. Mikayla needed to get one building closer. She looked down and saw a couple of soldiers headed toward the armory, so she pulled out a dual arrow, aimed and fired, watching both of the men fall with arrows in their chests. She calculated the distance to the next building and realized she couldn't leap. Mikayla pulled out a grappling arrow, shot it, and was able to cross the space easily. Looking back, she saw a soldier attempting to climb the ladder of the water tower. "Falcon! The water tower!"

"On it, Ladyhawke!" Sam immediately flew over and took that soldier out, along with a few others headed that way.

Mikayla stood up, pulled out a couple of exploding arrows. "Cap! I found the armory!"

"Take it out! There's too much distance to cover to get them to our trucks."

"Consider it done." She visualized the shot, nocked the arrows, took a deep breath, and let the arrows fly, scoring a direct hit. The building exploded upon impact. Mikayla allowed herself a little cheer then got back to the business at hand. From her vantage point, she saw the others had the fight in hand. She was able to take several more enemies out with arrows and thankful Clint had suggested she take a double quiver. "Anyone seen Gregory?"

Everyone responded negatively. "Damn," she muttered.

"That's because I'm right behind you." He grabbed the quiver and ripped it from her back, causing her to fall to the ground.

"Found him," Mikayla growled. She was using her bow to strike at him, but it was awkward, so she tossed it to the side. He'd already pulled both guns out of the holsters and flung them away from her. Gregory began punching her, splitting her lip and forehead open. She felt like he'd broken a couple of ribs, or at least bruised them.

"You blew up my weapons! How did you know about this place?"

"Not telling." Mikayla was able to reach into her suit and pulled out one of her knives. She began swinging it, connecting with mainly superficial cuts, hoping they would slow him down enough until she figured out how to take him out. She could hear the battle winding down below her. "Guys, little help here."

"Mikayla!" She heard Clint screaming through her comm. "Where the hell are you?"

"By…what…was…the…armory." She continued swiping and stabbing until Gregory twisted the knife out of her hand. Mikayla heard a cracking or crunching sound, knowing that could only mean he'd broken her wrist. "Glasses."

"What about them? Didn't you wear your contacts?"

"GPS."

"Son of a bitch. How could I forget that?" He turned on the app and found her signal, giving the coordinates.

"On my way to Ladyhawke," Thor said.

Before Thor could get there, Mikayla had enough strength to wrap her ankles around Gregory's neck and flipped him over onto his back. As she crawled to her arrows, Gregory grabbed an ankle and twisted it, causing it to break. 'That'll leave a mark,' she thought. She was able to grab a couple of arrows and drag herself back over to him, putting one through a wrist and the other one through a calf, then collapsed in pain.

"Fair Mikayla, I shall take you at once to Doctor Banner." Thor quickly picked her up and flew her back to the compound.

"Don't…forget…bastard," she mumbled.

"We'll get him." Tony and Sam landed on the rooftop shortly after Thor left with Mikayla.

"Damn if she didn't do a number on him," Sam said. "Almost like she gift-wrapped him for us."

After checking for stragglers, the rest of the team made their way over to the rooftop. "I told you the glasses would come in handy. Stark tech at its finest."

The group shook their heads or rolled their eyes. "Anyone else hurt?" Steve asked. Looking around, he saw most of the team had scrapes and bruises, but nothing needing immediate attention. "Let's head back to the house and check on our other teammate."

"She's here," Clint said. "Doc is examining her now."

Natasha could hear the worry in his voice. "I'm with Cap. Let's head back. I'll call Fury and let him know about the prisoner."

"What are we going to do with him?" Sam asked, holding back an urge to stomp on Gregory's stomach.

"I'll call the local SHIELD office and let them know where they can find him," Natasha said. "I say leave him here. I don't think he's going anywhere anytime soon."

Steve spoke up. "You all go ahead. I'll stay and guard him." Natasha nodded, pulled out her phone, and made a couple of calls. "SHIELD should be here in ten. We'll leave you a truck. Barnes and I will ride back in the other one." Steve nodded as his teammates left to go back to Tony's to check on Mikayla.