Agent Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, was still thinking about what Agent Coulson said about her partner. On the way to retrieve Bruce Banner, she could not help but remember how the archer came into her life.

Flashback

Agent Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye, has been in S.H.E.I.L.D. for about five years when he got the mission that would inevitably change his life. His mission was to kill a Russian assassin, Natasha Romanoff. She is commonly known as the Black Widow. She was essentially a ghost like Clint was when he still freelanced, and she is now in Russia.

About a month after he left for his mission, Hawkeye finally was able to make his move. While watching Romanoff, he realized that they were similar. Both were essentially alone in the world, and could only rely on themselves for support. He also noticed that she moved like a dancer when she fought. One night while walking in the park, she was approached by ten men.

"Hey red! Want some lovin' tonight," one burly guy taunted her in Russian.

"Are you offering?" she asked with a grin. Clint, who was watching from a nearby tree, was the only one to see the look in her eyes. He could tell that she was already calculating how she would take each one down. As the burly guy approached her, she sprung into action. First she grabbed him by the collar, and then spun him around taking out three other guys. Then she did a spin kick to knock the others out. After a minute she slunk further down the walkway like a cat. Romanoff moved so fluidly. This was the first time Hawkeye knew he would be in trouble. The second time was the night he went to kill her. Before taking the first shot he saw her tears.

When Natasha was done with her job, she went home to take a shower. She felt so dirty after the killing, and could not stop thinking about the man's family. In her mind she added another name to her ledger. She started keeping track after the first time she killed, and with every name came more sadness. Afterwards she went for a walk in the park.

Natasha loved to walk at night because no one would be around to see her tears. About five minutes into the walk she sat down on a bench so she could try to calm herself down. Thinking she was alone, Romanoff broke down in tears. "Why do I do this?" she asked out loud through her tears. What she was not expecting was an answer. "Because you know of nothing else," said a gentle male voice. Within a second, Natasha shot up with her gun raised ready to fire.

"Who's there? Come out know and face me," she spoke in a deadly tone.

She heard a noise behind her. Then she spun and fired without thinking. There was nothing there except for a scared rabbit running away. Natasha lowered her gun and turned. Doing so she came face to face with a man, or rather face to arrow tip. The man had light brown hair, and had warm gray eyes. Then she started processing ways that she would be able to take him down.

"Don't even think about it Natasha Romanoff," he said in an even tone.

Of course she did not listen. Before he knew what was happening, she crouched, and swiped his legs out from under him. He retaliated by taking his bow, and slamming it into her back. Within a second she flipped around facing him, but he immediately sat on her torso. With the position she was in, her arms were trapped at her side between the man's knees. An arrow was pointed at her head. The man was getting ready to shoot, but started to talk instead.

"I should tell you what's going on before I do anything. You know…cover all my bases. Alright my name is Agent Clint Barton, and I work for an agency called S.H.E.I.L.D. I was originally sent to kill you," he passed before grinning. Natasha noticed that he had a crooked smile.

"Are you not going to kill me," she asked confused.

"Well…that is up to you. I have a few questions first, and trust me I will know if you are lying," he spoke clearly.

"Question one. Do you feel more comfortable talking in Russian," Barton asked. When she nodded he continued speaking in flawless Russian. "Alright then, second question. Do you want to get rid of all the red in your ledger?" he asked.

When asked this her eyes widened. How could he have known that she kept a ledger? She thought to herself. Hesitantly, she nodded again.

"Alright. I have been watching you for a while now, and I want to make you an offer even though my neck is on the line," after this he winced. Then bellowed, "Shut up Coulson or you will wake up sometime without your Captain America trading cards!" Noticing Natasha's confused look, he went on to explain.

"Sorry. Agent Coulson can be loud and obnoxious, but he is my handler so I cannot do him bodily harm. I can get to his stuff though," he said then he leaned in to whisper to her. "Between you and me, he seems to have a weird fascination with Captain America." A few seconds later he winced again. "Coulson! You better say by to those cards before you go to sleep for the night," he growled out.

"Sorry. Back to business. The offer is this: I will not shoot you in the head if you join S.H.E.I.L.D. Of course if you don't, I will have to kill you," he stated confidently.

"Why should I trust you? How do I know that I will not be killed once I get there?" she asked.

"I never go back on what I say. I will also make sure that no one kills you there. I will look after you, but know this. If you kill me, you will have at least a hundred agents hunting you down. If I were you I would take the offer," he said silently hoping she would just take the offer. He didn't know if he would have the power to kill her.

After what seemed like forever, she nodded. "I will take the offer, but know this. If one of you kill me, I will gladly haunt you for the rest of your pitiful lives," she warned in a sweet, yet deadly, voice.

Clint nodded, and then rose. Then he pulled back the arrow and bow string. Natasha closed her eyes, waiting for the pain. Instead she heard the arrow hit the ground by her ear, and opened her eyes. Then everything went black. Making sure she was asleep, Clint told Coulson he was ready to leave. After picking up all evidence that they were there, he gently picked up Natasha.

Upon arriving at the S.H.E.I.L.D. base in the United States, the fighting began. Clint refused to leave Natasha's side, so he ended up carrying her everywhere he went. This included the dreaded meeting with Director Fury. After taking his seat by Coulson, he turned to the other man. "Don't think I forgot about the Captain America cards," Barton said in a threatening tone.

Coulson looked into the other agent's eyes, and knew that he meant what he said. Then Barton went on, "You are so lucky that you did not damage my eardrum." Neither spoke until Director Fury entered the room. They were in so much trouble, both men thought. Clint opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by someone muttering curse words in Russian. All three men turned towards the sleeping woman, but then they got down to business.

"Agent Barton, if I remember right, the mission was to neutralize the Black Widow. Will you please enlighten me on why you did not complete it?" Fury asked.

Clint breathed in and out for a few minutes to calm himself down. "Okay. I gave Miss Romanoff a choice: I could either kill her, or I would let her survive as long as she joined S.H.E.I.L.D. She chose to join, and I kept my word to her. I still believe that I did the right thing, and no one is going to change my mind," he said with conviction.

"She is an assassin Barton! She kills people, both innocent and guilty!" Fury bellowed.

"Do you have selective memory or did you just forget that I was just like her when Coulson found me. The only difference between us is that I killed way more people than she has. I saw her fight off ten attackers in less than two minutes, and I am telling you that those guys were huge compared to her. She didn't even use a gun. Romanoff wants an out, and we can give that to her," Clint said passionately.

"Director Fury, I agree with Agent Barton. From what I have been told, she is on the same level as him. Romanoff can be a huge asset to us, and we have an advantage when it comes to her," the agent paused before continuing, "No one would expect an assassin like her working with us."

Director Fury looked in deep thought. "Alright. Romanoff will stay, but she will be your partner Clint. You will do everything from eating together to sharing the same rooming quarters. This includes training. If she turns against us, your neck will be on the line. Agent Coulson, you will also be Miss Romanoff's handler. The same goes for you if she turns. Barton will explain the lay of the land including rules and repercussions. Do I make myself clear?" the Director asked at last.

"Yes sir," both men answered.

"Take her to the medical ward to get a check up, and get some sleep Barton," Fury ordered.

Clint immediately replied, "No sir. I promised her that I wouldn't let anything happen to her while here. If she is alone, someone here will more than likely kill her. I am taking her to our sleeping quarters." Then Clint went to pick her up, and left the room without an answer.

Coulson turned to his boss and flat out told him, "We are in some serious deep shit."

"I believe you are right Coulson. It will be interesting to watch thought," Fury stated before dismissing him.

End Flashback

It took a few hours to get Bruce Banner onto the plane to go to the Hellicarrier. Banner did not want to go at first, but thought he could use some good karma. He was also looking forward to meet Tony Stark, and see how his mind works. Bruce also wanted to see if Stark was as annoying in person as he appeared on the news.

Natasha kept her distance from him after getting into the air. She could not stop thinking about what would have happened to Clint if she was there instead of in Russia. He was the only on that knew her fears and true nature. He started to earn her trust when he didn't kill her. Barton saved her, so now she has to return the favor because she cannot help clear the red from her ledger alone. She hated to admit that the handsome archer kept her sane all these years.