A/N thanks for your reviews and support.

white collar black wolf: thanks for your review my friend. I'm glad to see you back. Hope all is well.

I'm sorry I havent updated in the last two weeks. I had a death in the family followed by a friend passing away. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.

Clint's POV

Two years passed since he joined SHIELD and the wedding. Most of his time was spent on missions. At first it started out as intel gathering. Then they moved onto capture mission and assassinations.

The last ones hit him the hardest as he still hated killing. He knew it was part of why they allowed him to stay. He was the best shot in SHIELD.

His sessions with Panov helped with any doubts he had. Clint rarely missed a session. When he did it wasn't without reason.

In that time he also had earned a pilot's license. He could pilot a quinjet though he preferred to be fighting. Still it was one more skill to add to his list.

He wore a purple tshirt and black pants as he walked down the halls. In his pocket lay his level four badge that allowed him access to most parts of the building. Where it took most agents five years to reach level four he did it in two.

The intercom chimed just as he reached the training room, "Agent Barton go to conference room 9."

Well there went his plans for the afternoon. What did they want with him now? He only just returned from a mission yesterday. There wasn't even time for his usual meeting with Panov.

Conference room 9 was clear on the other side of the building. He turned on his heel and began making his way back from where he came.

Agents made way for him as he passed. They all heard his call out. No one wanted to be the reason he was late. Fury would kill them if he was.

When Clint arrived he swiped his badge. To his surprise the conference room was full. Level 6 and 7 agents at the table. He recognized Coulson, Sitwell who had recently been promoted to level 6, and Hand. There were several agents that he didn't recognize. The only open seat was at Coulson's right. Fury could barely be seen in the shadows.

What startled him was the sight of Panov. The doctor was sitting at the right of the empty chair. What was going on?

Clint took a seat in between the doctor and his handler. Curious he glanced at Coulson. His handler's hazrl eyes were on Fury however. Clint turned his focus to the director in turn.

Fury dropped a folder in front of him and said, "Barton this is not a required mission. However you must make a decision before you leave this room."

Clint steeled himself to see a face from Medusa. It was rare to get an option like this. Where he had to make a decision before he could leave. Normally he would be given time to think about it if necessary. So far it had not been necessary but the option was always there.

What he did not expect was the familiar face of Natalia staring back at him. A kill order had been placed on one of his oldest friends. Even when he became Hawkeye and she the Black Widow they kept in touch. Until he joined SHIELD. To keep his handler from connecting the dots he cut off all ties. It seemed that had not been the right decision.

With a frown he looked over the file the composed for her. It held most of her killed but he knew of a few it was missing. There was a lot on her past that was missing.

All SHIELD had on Natalia was that she had been raised by the Red Room. Few knew of it existence. Fewer still knew what they did to their trainees. Natalia had been the first and only to ever escape. SHIELD had a hand in bringing it down.

What interested him was where they found her. It was a small hotel that they both frequented as assassins. She was trying to reach out to him. Something had happened and he could not ignore her call out.

Clint frowned again. Going through SHIELD would not be the best idea. While some of the agents trusted him it wasn't enough. It would not end the way that Coulson bringing him in did. He would have to go at this alone without backup.

For a brief moment his heart clenched. Coulson was going to kill him over this. The disappointment in the other's hazel eyes would kill him. He hated it but he had to do this. Natalia would do the same for him if their positions were reversed.

Closing the file he said, "I can't in good consciousness take this mission."

Fury's single blue eye assessed him silently. Then he was given the nod to leave. Clint didn't hesitate. He would have to move quickly to get to Natalia before SHIELD.

Coulson's POV

He waited until the other agents had left before he brought up his concerns. Most did not know Barton well enough to see the surprise in his blue eyes. That wasn't the only thing either. If Phil wasn't watching his agent he would have missed the recognition in the other's eyes.

When they were alone Fury asked, "What do you think, Cheese? Barton seemed to recognize the Black Widow. Will he warn her off?"

Phil shook his head as he was replied, "No. There is something more at play here. I saw the recognition in his eyes the moment he saw her picture. The only picture we have of the Widow. He knows her but Hawkeye has no known connections to the Black Widow. We are missing something important here."

Fury replied coldly, "If he warns her I won't have a choice in what to do with him. The council will require his imprisonment at the least. Kill him at the worst. Don't let him do that, Cheese."

Phil wouldn't let Clint ruin the mission. Neither would he allow his agent to be killed.