Dani could feel Clint's eyes on her as she looked through the case file while they waited for their food. She ignored it. Until it felt like his eyes were burning a hole into her forehead. Rolling her eyes and sighing dramatically, she looked up, " What?"

"I guess I'm a little surprised you are planning on eating what you ordered."

Shaking her head, Dani looked down at the file in her hands again, "Hate to tell you this, but I really am not the type with delicate sensibilities."

Clint made a sound that sounded like a snicker hidden by a soft cough but didn't say anything as the waitress appeared with their food. Shutting the file and tucking it away, she looked up in time to see Clint giving the waitress a flirty smile; the woman was practically simpering over him.

When she left and he looked back at her he asked, "What?"

"Do you turn it on or is it like default?"

"What?"

She wiggled her fingers at him, "The charm."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He took a bite of his burger.

Dani rolled her eyes as she grabbed the ketchup, salt and pepper and drowned her fries with the condiments. Silence fell between them as they both ate, each in their own heads. The waitress had brought refills for their drinks and moved away again when Clint finally spoke.

"So, who's Dean?"

"A hunter." She evaded. This time it was Clint who rolled his eyes. Which amused Dani, she had a thing for snark.

"Wow, what an informative answer." His tone was all bland sarcasm.

Laughing she dropped her napkin on the empty plate, "Okay, okay, fair enough. Dean Winchester is basically one of the people I consider my found family."

"Found family? Interesting phrase." He stood up when she did, pulling out his own wallet and dropping money on the table. When she looked at him in surprise he just shrugged, "Can't expect you to pay for everything sweetheart."

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her bag and headed back out to the car, when they had both climbed in Clint continued, "So, father figure then?"

Dani pulled a face, " God no. That was Bobby. No, Dean and Sam are more like the big brothers I never wanted."

Clint nodded and didn't say anything else until they had pulled into the motel parking lot. When he looked at her, she explained, "The bodies were found in a nature sanctuary. I'm not tromping around in a skirt and heels. I need to change."

"Right." He climbed out of the car but instead of following her, Clint walked over to a white jeep in the parking lot. Shrugging, Dani headed to the room to change.

Five minutes later, now wearing a pair of faded jeans, a soft button up plaid shirt and a pair of scarred hiking boots, Dani returned to the car. Clint had changed after all and was leaning against her car with his ankles crossed as he waited. He was wearing black tactical pants, a long sleeve shirt and a pair of black boots. His pants looked like they had a million pockets.

When she was next to him he held up a bag, "Mind if I put this in the trunk?"

She eyed it, "What is it?"

He grinned, "My weapons."

Nodding, she popped the trunk and pulled up the hidden catch to open up the weapons storage. Clint let out a low whistle as he took in the site before him, "Damn, this is like a mini arsenal."

Clicking her tongue, she surveyed it all, "Well, hunting requires a lot of different tools. Each monster has a weakness and not all weaknesses are the same. Since I spend so much time just traveling from job to job, I carry with me all that I can."

Clint nodded as he let his eyes travel over everything once more before he gently set his bag down. She closed the storage and slammed the trunk shut before climbing into the driver's seat. When she started up the car and pulled out, Clint said, "How about we listen to something else."

Dani had the car playing instrumental rock most of the day because that was the mood she was in. She waited until she saw his hand reach out for the radio and then she slapped it.

His face showed nothing but shock as he yanked his hand back, "What the hell?"

Dani grinned at him, "In my family we have a saying."

Eyes narrowed he asked, "And what's that?"

"Driver picks the music. Shotgun shuts his cakehole."

Clint stared at her for three long seconds. Then he threw his head back and laughed hard. Smiling herself, Dani tapped on her phone to switch the music to something else.

Thirty minutes later she was pulling into a gravel parking area near the sanctuary and parking. Clint followed her to the trunk and watched as she tucked a knife into each of her boots and a gun at her back.

"Why two knives?" he asked her.

Dani glanced up from where she was bent over the trunk, "You telling me you only carry one knife at a time?"

She had him there, "Guess not. But I also was a highly trained spy and well you're–"

He stopped talking and she looked at him again with an eyebrow raised, "And I'm just an average citizen?"

Embarrassed, he ran a hand through his hair, "No, that's not what I was going to say."

She shrugged and turned back to the trunk, "It's fine, I get it. I haven't been trained by any kind of government agency or anything like that. I'm not a superhero. And if you didn't know anything about the supernatural, I would definitely seem like some normal woman."

"I don't think I could ever think you were just some normal woman if I spent longer than five minutes talking to you." Clint reached in and pulled his bag out, resting it on the edge of the trunk and unzipping it.

"So, it just comes natural to you then," when he flicked his eyes up to hers she continued, "The charm."

He smirked as he pulled out his quiver and adjusted it across his back. Reaching into the bag again, he pulled out his bow and flicked it so that it opened fully. When he put the bag back into the truck he caught her look of incredulity.

"What?"

She gestured to the bow, "Really, a bow?"

Clint shrugged, "Well, you know, it's kinda my thing."

Dani clucked her tongue, "Certainly you'd be better with a gun or something?"

He snorted, "No. I really wouldn't."

She snorted out a laugh, "Okay, whatever you say dude. C'mon, let's go."

Dani was crouched on the ground, looking over the site of where the fourth and most recent body had been found. Clint had no idea what she was doing. At each site she had walked around it, staring intently at everything. Then she would crouch, arms braced on her thighs and just stare at it some more. Everytime she did it, Clint wanted to ask what she was doing, but didn't. Glancing up at the sky he noted that it was starting to darken.

Reaching down and digging her fingers into the ground, Dani brought up a handful of dirt and sniffed it before she poked at it. Finally, she stood, turning her hand over to drop the dirt from her hand before she brushed them clear. Clint had been standing back and leaning against a tree watching her but straightened as she turned to him.

"Alrighty, let's go." She moved past him without explaining anything.

Once they were back on the road and driving back to town he finally couldn't keep his silence anymore, "So, what did all that tell you?"

Dani glanced at him before focusing back at the road, tapping her fingers on the wheel, "Basically, it tells me that this is definitely not a case of some human sicko."

"What is it then?"

"Well, there are a few creatures that like to feed on human hearts. Skinwalkers, werewolves, and this thing called a Nachzehrer, which is something we only recently learned about"

Clint knew what the first two were at least in theory but he had no idea what the last was, "What is a Nachzehrer?"

"It's this vampire and ghoul like creature. Some of them feed only on the flesh of the dead and some of them feed on the blood and hearts of living victims. But I don't think that is likely here."

"Why not?"

Dani clucked her tongue as she considered, "Well, first off they are exceedingly rare in this country. Second, there doesn't seem to be enough victims, Nachzehrer run in small packs and they tend to run super under the radar. We didn't even know they were a thing until late last year.. And that was mostly dumb luck."

She looked at Clint and saw his interest so she continued, "There was this pack alpha in Quaker Valley Oregon who after The Darkness was released panicked and turned 13 people in a month to try and build up some kind of army. Unfortunately for said pack alpha, one of the people he turned was not clever enough in hiding the body of her victim and it was found. Which attracted the attention of Sam and Dean. So, they rolled into town and eventually figured out what was going on–and killed the pack alpha by shoving pennies down his throat and decapitating him. Once he was dead all the people he turned returned to human so that was a nice win."

Clint wasn't usually one who was left completely speechless but at the moment he absolutely was. When Dani caught the look on his face she started to laugh. Laughed so hard that a tear leaked out. She wiped it away when she had settled back down and said, "Welcome to the club Clint. We deal with the 'what the fuck' all the time."

Pushing a hand through his hair, Clint asked, "Um. Right. Uh, question. What is 'The Darkness'?"

His fingers traced quotes in the air and Dani smirked knowing what she was going to say would completely blow his mind, "The Darkness is God's sister—Juedeo-Christian god not a pagan god, those are different beasts entirely. She goes by Amara and she was locked in a cage by God for eons. Then last year, in an effort to save Dean from the effects of the Mark of Cain they killed Death and this witch named Rowena did a spell that removed the curse from Dean. Unfortunately the reason the curse existed was literally to keep Amara caged and removing it released her."

Clint's mouth fell open and he blinked several times in quick succession as he attempted to process. Dani pulled into a parking lot of a bar and tilted the rear view mirror towards her face, pulling out a small bag from the center console. She smudged up the make-up she was wearing, giving her eyes a much smokey and seductive look.

When she started to unbutton her shirt, Clint pulled himself out of his own thoughts, "Woah, hey. What are you doing?"

She shot him a bland look as she opened the door to the car and stepped out. Trying a knot in the shirt across her stomach, exposing the lacy camisole she was wearing under. She finished the look by rolling up her sleeves. Clint leaned towards the driver's door and watched as she pulled a few pins out of her hair letting it fall free. Dani grabbed a can of hair mousse from where she kept it in the door and squirted some into her hand. Tipping forward she ran her hands through her hair, bunching it up before she tossed it back again.

Clint climbed out of the car and came around to where she was checking her face out in the side mirror, applying something to her lips.

"Seriously, what are you doing?" Clint asked as she stood up straight.

Not bothering to look at him, Dani gestured towards the bar, "I'm going to get the local gossip about the case."

"Surely you aren't expecting people to tell you anything, you came into town as the FBI remember?"

Resting a hand on her hip she smiled at him waving her free hand down her body, "Clint, do you really think anyone in there is going to see an FBI agent when they look at me?"

Before he answered he took a good look at her. Dani had gone from looking like a professional that morning in the police station and morgue, to casual while in the sanctuary. But now, he couldn't deny that she didn't look like anything more than an attractive woman looking for a good time. Clint was actually impressed. Her transformation reminded him heavily of the kind of things that Nat could do.

Begrudgingly he said, "Okay, so it's not likely if any of them will think that you are some kind of agent. But why is it necessary to go in there and get gossip?"

She moved around the car to the trunk, opening it and storing her gun inside it again. He noted that she didn't remove the knives that were still in her boots. Finally she turned to answer him, "I want to get the gossip because I want more information. I'm pretty sure this is a case of a single werewolf, but it could be something else, and small towns are known for being pretty aware of "strangers' or weird shit going on in their town. Someone in there might know something they don't even know is something."

Dani paused as her eyes swept over him and then she said, "I figured a spy would know what reconnaissance was."

"Har har," Clint deadpanned and then he waved a hand at her clothes, "What do you even call this look?"

Dani's smile was slow and seductive, as she fingered the collar of her shirt before she said, "Oh this? This is called Rural Midwest Sexy."

With a wink she turned towards the bar. Clint watched as she walked away from him, her hips swaying before she pushed through the door and disappeared inside. He was starting to wonder what exactly he had gotten himself into. He shouldn't feel this ill-equipped. He had taken on literal aliens and a god of Norse mythology. He fought side-by-side with another god, with uber-geniuses, and with enhanced humans. Hell, he literally knew a being that was a sentient robot. He'd been involved in covert operations and helped divert world ending events.

"Maybe I should have just gone with the plan to retire," Clint muttered to himself as he rubbed his hands over his face. Then he looked down at what he was wearing. If he followed her in wearing this, he would probably stick out like a sore thumb. Popping her trunk he pulled the bag he brought closer and pulled out a well worn tee-shirt out of it. Tugging his current shirt off and replacing it, he shut it and started to walk towards the bar when his phone rang.

Pulling it out of his pocket and noting the blocked number he answered, "Hello?"

Nat's voice came through, with a little bit of static, "Clint. Are you still in the US?"

"Uh. Yes, why?"

"I figured you would retire to somewhere else. What are you still doing there?"

Clint's eyes tracked to the bar again as he considered what to tell her about what he had been doing. He must have been silent for a while because he was brought back to himself by Nat saying his name again.

"Yeah, I'm here." Clint answered.

"What have you been doing?"

"Oh, just taking it easy." he answered evasively.

Clint had no idea why he wasn't telling Nat what he was actually up to. They had been best friends for years. He trusted her more than he trusted anyone else. She was the only one besides Fury who knew about his family before the Ultron incident. They told each other everything. But Clint just didn't know how to tell her about this. Or about Dani for that matter. How to tell her he spent nearly a month tracking down a woman he had such a brief encounter with. Nat would ask questions and make observations that he didn't want to consider right now, even if she was thousands of miles away.

"Right. I totally believe you." Nat's voice broke into his thoughts. Deciding to try and distract her he asked her what she had been doing. Listening as she explained that she, Cap and Sam had started to root out terrorists that had somehow gotten ahold of Chitari technology.

When he realized how long they had been talking Clint suddenly said, "Look Nat, I gotta go."

"Go where?" She asked.

Clint rubbed the back of his neck, "Look, I swear I'll explain what I've been up to eventually. But I need to get a better handle on it first."

Her silence spoke volumes before she finally said, "You didn't actually retire did you?"

"No. I didn't." Clint sighed. Rolling his eyes when he heard her tell him that she knew he wouldn't.

Then she said, "I expect you to tell me what's going on and soon. Don't make me track you down and beat it out of you."

Even as he laughed, he knew that she would make good on the threat. When he finally hung up with her he realized that she had been in the bar alone for nearly 30 minutes. Clint tucked his phone into his pocket again and walked into the establishment. His eyes tracked over the interior, automatically assessing things like the number of people and exits.

Dani didn't interrupt the conversations she was currently having with two men that she could tell from one look were friendly regulars at the bar when she watched Clint walk in. He had changed his shirt, which was probably a good idea. She watched as he surveyed the bar with a critical eye before he started to walk towards her.

She hadn't known if he was going to follow her into the bar or not, so had spent the last thirty minutes talking with the two regulars carefully treading a fine line so that she could adjust one way or another depending on what he did. Dani had been just flirty enough to keep their attention without being too flirty and making it seem like she was looking for a hookup or something. It was a skill that she was a natural at.

When Clint was close enough, she cranked up her smile and said, "Hey baby! About time you join us."

Hopping off the bar stool she had been perched on, she wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her hand on his chest as she kissed his cheek. Then she turned her attention back to the regulars who had been eyeing Clint up and said, "Guys, this is my boyfriend Frank. Frank, this is Mike and Jim."

If he was taken aback by the way Dani had greeted Clint didn't show it, which she had to admit impressed her. He held his hand out to grip both of theirs, his voice neutral and polite as he said, "Pleasure gentlemen."

Dani rubbed her hand on his chest for a moment before she perched herself back on her barstool, gesturing to the bartender to bring another two beers. Then she turned her attention back to Mike and Jim as Clint leaned on the bar behind her.

"So, I was just telling these guys how we came up here for a fun little vacation. We just love hiking and I haven't been up this way since I was a little girl and came up here fishing with my dad."

"There is definitely some great hiking in this area." One of the men said, smiling at her.

She leaned forward towards them slightly, her tone dropping just the slightest bit as she said, "We were hearing some of these rumors about bodies being found near here? Do you know what that's about? There's nothing dangerous here is there?"

Clint sipped his beer as he listened to her talk to these men. If he had been impressed with her before he was beyond impressed now. The way she managed to work these guys was something to watch and listen. She was flirty and outgoing, drawing out answers in a way that if he didn't have the knowledge and skills he did, if he didn't know she was pumping them for information he might not have picked up on it.

Suddenly she spun in her stool towards him, sliding her hands across his chest as she said, "Baby, you said you'd teach me to play pool. Can we do it now?"

Dani hopped off the barstool and grabbed his hand, leading him over to the empty pool table. When they were there and they were momentarily alone she leaned closer to him saying in an undertone, "You know how to pretend to teach someone how to play pool right?"

"Yes."

"Okay good, then let's go, make it a good show."

Dani let Clint break. Handing the cue to her he said louder, "Go on sweetheart, line your shot up."

Clint waited until she had leaned over the table, then he stepped up to her, sliding a hand down her side to rest on her hip and using the other to adjust the cue. He caught the slight catch in her breath when he leaned down, his breath fanning across her face as he said, "Like this."

Dani tried to ignore the skip in her heart at the closeness of Clint's body as his hand slid down her arm to adjust her hand. His voice was a murmur in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine as he said, "Ease into the shot and follow through."

She turned her head towards his face keeping her voice low, "Really leaning into this aren't you."

His answering smirk set her pulse racing as he responded in a tone just as low, "Just playing the role, sweetheart." In a slightly louder voice he said, "Go on and try the shot."

Just as Dani was going to hit the cue ball he brushed his lips along her neck, causing her to gasp, missing the shot and barely being able to keep the instinct to leap away under check. When she stood straight again and glared at him his eyes glittered with humor. His hand was still resting on her hip and she stepped delicately away as she handed him the cue back.

They played through the round, Clint occasionally stepping up and crowding into her space to 'help' her line up properly. When he sunk the 8 ball and straighter up again, he walked over to her arm snaking suddenly around her waist to pull her into him. He caught the surprise in her eyes at the move as he leaned towards her.

"Why don't you rack 'em up once more, while I get us fresh beers. We'll play another round."

Her voice was a little high as she breathed out, "Okay."

Clint let her go and headed to the bar, setting their empty bottles on the surface as he waited to be served. The bar had gotten progressively busier since they had entered. And as he was leaning against it and waiting for the bartender to come back with his beers he heard one of the men next to him say, "Hot damn, they do not make them like that around here."

"Man the things I'd do to her," another responded.

He turned his head towards the voices, looking over the two men whose eyes were currently latched on to Dani's ass as she bent over the table for the break. Judging by their looks, they were late 20s, blue collar and likely had never left this small town for long.

"Maybe I should go over and introduce myself." The one who had spoken said. Clint slide money across the bar for the bartender when he set the beers in front of him.

Picking them up, he couldn't stop himself from saying, "Sorry guys, she's taken."

The two men turned to look at him as he walked back over to Dani, setting her beer down on the edge of the table and running his hand possessively over her side and pulling her against him again.

She scowled at him, "What are you doing?"

"You've got fans of the less nice type." He tilted his head slightly to the bar, watching as her eyes slid over and spotted the two men still leering in her direction.

"Ah." Eyes returning to his, she ran her hand up his chest and around his neck before she leaned into him more and pressed her lips to his. The hand Clint still had resting on her hip tightened in surprise.

When she pulled away from him, pushing the cue stick into his hand she said, "C'mon, let's finish this round and head back. We've got an early day tomorrow."

Dani picked up her beer and took a long sip as she kept those green eyes of hers on him. Nodding he set his beer down and lined up a shot.

Clint made sure to end the game quickly, but not so quickly as to draw attention to his actual skill level. Returning their empty bottles to the bar, Dani wrapped her arm around his waist again and walked with him out of the bar. Once they were outside again she dropped her arm and moved away slightly.

Inside the car she paused in the act of turning it on and looked at him.

"What?"

She clicked her tongue and said, "Pretty good at the improv thing aren't you?"

He lifted his brows, "Did you forget the fact I worked as a covert operative for years?"

Shaking her head as she turned the ignition over she said, "Being given a role to follow exactly is completely different than thinking on your feet."

"You really don't know what it's like to be an actual spy do you?"

"Nope." She popped her lips on the 'p'. Clint stared out the passenger window as she drove them back to the motel. When they arrived, he popped the trunk to grab his bag as she headed in. When he walked through the door he nearly ran into her where she was currently bent over just inside untying her boots.

If his reflexes weren't what they were he would have definitely plowed right into her, instead he managed to pivot on his foot and spin around her body. She glanced up through her hair and said, "Oh, right sorry."

Straightening, she kicked her shoes off and said, "I'm kinda used to working solo."

He didn't respond, just moving over to set his bag on the table. When he turned back he saw her stripping her pants off. Jerking his eyes to the ceiling he asked, "What are you doing?"

She paused, "Taking my pants off so I can catch some sleep. You can take the couch."

Clint kept his eyes trained on the ceiling until he was sure she had climbed into the bed and covered before he moved over to sit on the couch. He still kept his eyes away from the bed as he asked, "So, what do you think did this?"

Dani hummed as she stretched out on her stomach, "I'm pretty sure it was a werewolf. And giving the lunar cycle, probably pure blood. Likely pack-less too since there haven't been that many bodies."

Clint risked a glance at the bed then, seeing her burying her face into the pillow, her voice came out muffled, "If it was a skinwalker, there probably wouldn't be any bodies since most of them now have attached themselves to families as Fido. And what's the point of hunting when you can be given food, shelter and love on a silver platter."

Her voice trailed off and Clint knew she had fallen asleep. Taking his hearing aid out and setting it on the coffee table next to his phone he stretched out on the couch. It wasn't at all comfortable but he could sleep anywhere and was used to less than comfortable accommodations. But when he shut his eyes, his mind wandered back to the feel of her body against his. Her lips sliding across his.

Clint pressed his hands into his eyes, he didn't need thoughts like that in his head. He had no idea why he was reacting to her like this. Clint hadn't been drawn to anybody since Laura and for some reason finding himself attracted to Dani made him feel like he was betraying her memory.

He blew his breath out on a gust and shoved those memories away hard and fast before they took hold. Willing himself to sleep, he dropped into dreams of a farmhouse, laughter, and love.