A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter.

Chapter: 2

The night seemed much darker than the others before it. There was unrest in the air that kept him on edge as he followed the woman to where she had called home, for a little while at least. They didn't talk as they traveled through the silent streets. Barely anyone else was around to be seen and Clint came to the realization that it was getting late. He shivered slightly when the coolness of the night breeze grazed his skin. It didn't seem to bother her the slightest bit. Then again she was Russian so he figured she was used to it. He watched her as she walked slightly ahead of him. The confidence he had been so used to seeing had once again returned but he found himself wondering just how much of it was an act. Was she not worried at all what would happen? He would be lying if he said that he wasn't at least a bit concerned himself.

"Can I have your name?" He asked suddenly. It was mostly to break the silence that had settled between them but also because, well they had to start somewhere right? He didn't think having a conversation while fighting in some dark alley really counted. She stopped and turned to him. Her face held a blank expression.

"What's yours?" She asked and he let out a sigh.

"Is it really that hard just to give me your name?" Her eyes hardened and she didn't hesitate with her response.

"I don't trust you." He had to suppress a laugh at that.

"You trust me enough to follow me to my organization where you may or may not be killed but you don't trust me enough to give me your name?"

"What if you're leading me into a trap and I need to escape? It wouldn't be very wise of me to give you my name for you to be able to track me down later now would it?" She crossed her arms over her chest almost as if she were challenging him. He didn't know what to think about that, was this woman testing his reactions? Did she really think that way? Would she really even try to escape if this was all a trap? She was like a puzzle to him. Part of it was her ability to be able to keep a perfectly straight face. If she would just show him something he might get a hint as to what was really going on in her head.

"I doubt it would be to much of a task for you to get a fake identity and completely drop off the face of the earth, he simply replied. She didn't answer immediately and started to walk again. He shook his head and followed. "I'm only asking for your name, not your whole life story."

"What if I simply just don't want to give it?" He thought he heard a slight annoyance in her voice and he smirked to himself.

"I would have to ask you why it's such a big deal." They walked in silence some more until they reached an old run down looking building and walked up to the entrance. He held the door open for her and she led the way up some rickety stairs and down a dark hallway that had that old must smell to it. At the last door on the left she reached into her pocket and pulled out a key. She got it unlocked but before she could turn the knob Clint reached over and grabbed her wrist to stop her. She looked up at him with a look that was definitely annoyed and he looked down at her with complete seriousness shinning in his own.

"Why won't you give me your name?" She moved her hand away from him and turned around to pin him with a serious look of her own.

"Why do you want to know so badly?" He leaned in just slightly closer. They stared intently into each others eyes.

"I would like to know the name of the person I'm risking my career, and quite possibly my life for." She stared into his stormy blue eyes, both admiring and hating the determination she saw in them.
"If you would like to take back your offer than just leave," she said "or kill me." That made him pause for a moment and she didn't hesitate to take advantage of it. "Complete your mission and no one will care about anything else that happened here tonight."

"Why do you want me to kill you so badly?" He shot back at her, moving a bit closer. She noticed and took a step back only to find herself against the door.

"Why do you want to save me so badly?" She shot back with fire in her words.

"Once upon a time there was a boy who felt like he had no way out," he said in a steady voice "then one day someone did."

"What is it that you're wanting?" He shrugged his shoulder slightly. "I don't know, maybe I want to pay it forward." He leaned in even closer. "Or maybe, just maybe, I saw something in someone else that I thought might just be worth a second chance." The annoyance was seeping into his voice as well and didn't go unnoticed by the Russian.

"And if your organization doesn't feel the same?" She shot back. "Don't kid yourself into thinking I'm anything than what I am. I'm a killer that's what I have and always will be." She said in a dark but equally annoyed voice.

"Oh I'm not kidding anyone, I know without a doubt that you're one of the most deadly people I've ever met. I've been following you for a while which I'm sure you're aware of, I think I've got the idea." He all but snapped at her. "But you want to know what else I know? I know that if you really wanted to you could've killed me by now but you haven't."

"That is a dangerous game to play with me Hawk." Her voice held a deadly edge to it a she spoke and he froze at the mention of his code name coming from her mouth. A slight smirk pulled at her lips. "I've heard of you for the same reason you've heard of me." She said now being the one to move closer but in a much more obvious and threatening way than he had. He was no doubt talking to the Widow now. "The archer who sees best from a distance. A deadly quick and silent killer. One that creeps in the shadows of rooftops and goes unnoticed until it's too late." If he were anyone else he was sure that her voice would've sent chills through his body.

"I know my resume, thanks." He shot back at her.

"What's in it for you?" She moved closer so that there was little space between them. Both refused to be the first to back down. He didn't like where he knew the conversation was headed.

"All I asked you for was your name." He said getting back to the original conversation."I don't expect or want anything else from you."

"And what if your boss decides I'm better off dead?" She said back to him. "Will knowing my name somehow make that any easier for you?" Something shot through him at that comment. "It only makes it harder."

"Are you concerned more for me or yourself?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"I'm fully prepared not to make it past tomorrow." She snapped back. Clint groaned inwardly at the statement. Why did this woman care so little about her life. Then again, hadn't he been there himself at one point? He found himself wondering what had happened in her life to make her feel that way and doubted he would be getting an answer anytime soon.

"And if you do live to fight another day?" She let out a frustrated sigh and practically glared at him.

"You know what fine. If this all does end up working out somehow then I'll give you my name. Are you satisfied now," she hissed at him.

"I'll hold you to that," he said reaching behind her to open the door. They stared at each other for a moment longer before she turned to step into the room.

About an hour and a half later the two of them where walking up to the jet that had arrived to pick them up. A young man Clint recognized as one of the regular pilots, had turned in his seat when they had stepped on board. He was about to say something but froze when he saw the woman standing there. She looked him straight in the eye and fought back a smirk when she saw him swallow nervously. Clint noticed the interaction and shook his head. She glanced at him and shrugged as he pointed to a seat. She looked away from him and silently took the seat that he indicated.

"Is...is that the..." the poor man stumbled over his words while pointing to the extra passenger.

"Yep," Clint replied.

"You mean you didn't..."

"Nope," he said as he took a seat in the co-pilot's chair.

"Does Agent Coulson know that you're..."

"Are we gonna take off anytime soon? It's getting pretty late and I've got a handler that's pretty eager to shoot me in the head right now. It would be rude to keep him waiting." The pilot couldn't help but glance back at the woman sitting silently behind them. She flashed him a deadly smile and winked. She thought the man's heart would give out. Clint turned in his seat and gave her a look that clearly said to be nice. She morphed her features into an innocent look and he raised his eyebrows at her, as if he would believe that look. She let her face fall back into the blankness that he was used to seeing and he turned back around in his seat. He nodded to the pilot to take off and with slight hesitation the pilot obliged.

The flight only took a couple of hours. None of them spoke a word until the pilot announced they would be landing soon. Clint glanced back at the Widow but saw no hint that she was nervous about the hell that was surely about to head their way. She kept her face completely void of any emotion. The pilot looked relived when he finally set the jet down and Clint felt kind of bad for him. He started to get unstrapped when he saw other agents, all armed and ready, come out of the building and head their way. There where eight all together and one man who held no weapon but the look on his face. Clint wasn't too sure if he'd rather deal with the guns.

"Good luck," the pilot whispered as Clint stood from his seat and watched the Widow do the same. He nodded and looked to where she stood.

"You ready?"

"Let's get it over with," she replied before heading to the back of the jet. The sun was just starting to come up as they stepped off the jet and into the morning air. Guns where immediately trained on their target though she didn't even glance at them. Her eyes stayed focused in front of her to the obviously seething man who was waiting for them at the entrance of the building. When they reached him he removed his sunglasses and glared at his agent.

"Do you have any idea what kind of hell you're about to be in?"

"Good to see you too Phil."

So there's chapter 2. I hope you enjoyed reading, let me know what you thought.