I'm so sorry this has taken so long! I've been loaded down with homework, so I haven't had the time lately. But I am working on it, never fear. I should hopefully have TTAD updated sometime this week. I am taking requests for one-shots, just PM me or leave a review with your idea or prompt. This one goes out to .StarLord, I don't know if this is what you had in mind but the idea just wouldn't go away. So here is some short, cute, pointless fluff with Clint. Sorry if the quality isn't up to snuff.

We found her on the side of the road, all alone in the rain. The circus was on the way to another city somewhere in Texas when we stopped for the night. After the falling out I had with my little brother Barney right before he left, I tended to stick to myself; so I was the one who found her in the ditch. At first I thought she was dead, but a small whimpering noise proved otherwise. She couldn't be older than six, and she was covered in scrapes from head to toe. How on earth did she end up out here? When I reached out to help she flinched away, it made me wonder what she'd gone through.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to help."

A pair of wide hazel eyes stared up at me in confusion.

"Y-you want to help?"

The look on her face was heartbreaking, like she couldn't understand why I was helping her.

"Yeah kid, I want to help. My name is Clint, what's yours?" She blinked at me.

"A-anna. My parents...they..."

Her lip started to quiver and tears began to drip down her face.

"Where are they Anna? What happened?"

"The car...we wrecked. Mommy told me to climb out and run...and then it blowed up. They were still in it."

We had passed a smoking pile of debris a couple miles back, but all of us assumed no one was still there. She must have walked all this way, poor thing. There were already a couple of other kids in the circus, some were runaways and a few were children of the performers. Looks like we might have another if there isn't anyone for her to stay with.

"Do you have any other family that I can take you to?" She shook her head.

"No, it was just us. What is gonna happen to me Mr. Clint?" I smiled at her.

"Why don't I get you out of this rain and into some dry clothes. For now you can stay with me, we can figure it out later. Now c'mon lets go."

"Really?! I can stay with you?" I just nodded.

"Thank you Mr. Clint, thank you!" I grinned.

"Just Clint alright? None of that mister stuff." I stuck my hand out and she latched onto it like a lifeline.

"Okay, just Clint." Then we headed over to the circus truck, to get out of the rain.

Looking back on that day, I realize that finding that little girl was the best thing to ever happen to me. She was the reason I started to heal from the hurt my brother leaving caused. Maybe, just maybe she could be my second chance.

Anna had been with the circus for nine years now and she had become an important part of my life. One of the acrobats had been training her so she was a part of the show now. She had even talked me into letting her be a part of the William Tell act I did. Somehow, I'm not sure how, she had wormed her way into all of our hearts, we were her family now. Even the crusty old ringmaster Nick Fury, came to love her.

There were a few that were closer to her than others though, like our resident strong man Thor and the escape artist Bucky. Both of them had little brothers around Anna's age, Loki a magician in training, and Steve a beginning acrobat. The three of them were inseparable, but as they grew older there was a noticeable tension growing between the two boys when they were around Anna. It was everyone's favorite thing to gossip about, the crush they had on her. I knew she liked one of them, but I wasn't sure which one. As her honorary guardian I was the one that teased her the most. Especially when Fury put the three of them together for an act.

It was a magic and acrobatic act; Loki would make her 'disappear' and she would reappear up in the trapeze with Steve. It was actually a good little act.

They were practicing when I decided to have a little fun. Steve and Anna were coming down from the trapeze when I spotted my opportunity. Loki was on the ring floor messing around with his magic box, so I hid behind one of the thick tent poles, and when Anna was close enough I stuck my foot out. As she tripped, I called attention to what was happening.

"Loki think fast!" He whirled around, only to have Anna fall in his arms.

"Er, hi Loki." Both of them turned red and jumped away quickly, while Steve glared at the two.

"Are you alright Anna?" She smiled at him.

"Yeah I'm fine, thanks Loki."

But I wasn't done yet. As she started to walk away I stuck my foot out again, only for her to fall into Steve's arms. If her face wasn't red before... Once again she jumped back and looked away.

"Careful Anna, you're going to hurt yourself." I smirked and stepped out.

"Yeah Anna, you should be more careful." The three of them snapped around to look at me.

"Uncle Clint! Don't sneak up on us like that." I grinned, I loved it when she called me that.

"You know me, I can't help myself. You should get going Janet was looking for you."

She rolled her eyes and ran off. Then I turned to the boys with a serious expression.

"I know about your little crush on Anna, everyone does. But you should know that if I ever find her crying because one of you broke her heart...well we'll be playing a little game of William Tell. And I just might miss. Are we clear?"

Both of them gulped and nodded quickly.

"Yes sir."

"Crystal." I snorted.

"Good, now you need to go find Bruce. He wanted to go over the technical details of your act."

I watched as they ran off to go find Bruce, chuckling to myself. There's going to a broken heart all right, just not hers.