Sorry I haven't updated. I wanted to finish it last night, but I fell asleep. This is a longer chapter, so hopefully that makes up for it. :) I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm glad so many people are enjoying it so far. As always, feel free to read and review. Let me know what you think. Also as always, I don't own the Avengers.

Musical Inspiration for this chapter: Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park and Hero by Skillet

Chapter Five: Jail Break

Clint Barton

When my eyes finally mustered enough strength to open, I felt cold. Where was I? What was I doing? The grogginess of injury clouded my mind as I fumbled through my thoughts for the answers to the important questions, and it was then that I started to remember the woman with the fiery red hair and marvelous green eyes. Natasha, his mission to kill her, his proposition to bring her in to work for S.H.I.E.L.D., Belov's men, the car crash: memories flooded back to my head, sending sharp pangs through my body. And then my logic kicked in: Marius had Natasha, and he was going to kill her.

I sat up, still cooped up in the crashed vehicle. Glass shards had wriggled themselves in my arms and I pulled them out painfully. I needed to get out of here. I wasn't sure how long I'd been unconscious or what kind of a head start Marius's men had on me, but I had to try. Giving up now would be unfair to Natasha. I'd promised her I wouldn't let Marius touch her, and the last time I checked I was a man of my word. I turned my comm link on. "Phil?"

"Barton where have you been? I've been trying to contact you for hours! Where are you? The plane's been waiting for you!"

"I, uh, ran into a problem."

"Barton, you always find a way to run into a problem," Phil sighed into the comm link. I could hear his eyes roll in annoyance. "What's wrong now?"

"I've lost the Black Widow again." I said, patiently waiting for Phil's predicted reply of upset.

"What do you mean you lost her again? Your mission details were simple! You go to Barcelona, you track the Black Widow, you take her out, and then you get to the plane and come back home! What is so complicated about that?!"

"Nothing about the Black Widow is ever simple Phil. You read her file, you know that, but it wasn't her this time." I said, suddenly remembering I hadn't told Phil about my proposition to Natasha yet. He certainly wouldn't approve, and I would have a hard time convincing him over the comm links, so I had just told him to send the plane and that I would be there soon.

"What do you mean it wasn't her?" Phil asked, confusion peaking in his voice.

"Well I had her, I had her Phil, but I was interrupted by Spanish mobsters. They've got her."

"Which mobsters?"

"Marius Belov," I answered.

"What would Marius Belov want with the Black Widow?" I knew what I had to say to Phil to get him on my side. It was the only way he would let me go after her.

"I think he's going to hire her." I said.

"Do we have a read on the possible target?" Shit, I was trying to think on my feet, and then it hit me.

"Edward Jones," I said, silently sighing in relief, "She was talking to him closely when I arrived at the party. And I saw the men who took the Widow eyeing James too."

I heard Phil click his tongue. "You just might be on to something Barton. I want you to find Marius and prevent that from happening. And don't forget to finish your mission. Fury wants the Black Widow taken out ASAP."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind Phil," I said, knowing that when the time came to bring my proposition to S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury was going to give me hell.

"What do you need from me to get started?"

"Give me all the information you have on Marius Belov." I turned my comm link off after Phil said he'd work on getting the information I needed. I crawled out from the car wreckage and dusted myself off. If Marius Belov wanted the Black Widow, he was going to have to go through me. "Game on," I whispered to the air around me.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

- Natasha Romanoff

My eyelids fluttered open and closed several times before I finally settled into consciousness. I was lying down, staring up at the bright lights and the white ceilings. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. And that's when I remembered the car crash. Anxiety flooded through my body as I bolted upwards into a sitting position.

Everything was white the walls, the floors, the ceiling. The only thing that wasn't white was the bars, trapping me in a cell. Everything looked sterile and cold, matching the climate of the room perfectly as a chill rolled through my body, causing me to shiver. Then a thought entered my mind: if I was here, where was Barton? I looked around furiously for signs that he was near. I dared not speak his name. That would give Marius even more power over me. "He's not here," a voice suddenly said.

I whirled my head back around to see Marius, himself, standing before me. He hadn't changed much since the last time I'd been involved in his business. He had short, dark hair and a pointed mustache with dark skin and cold eyes that were so dark a brown that they looked black. He was dressed in a black shirt and brown trousers with a long dark brown overcoat. He still looked as intimidating as ever, not that I let him know that. I looked as if I could care less that he was Marius Belov, the most powerful mobster in Spain, or that it was his intention to kill me in retribution for his brother.

I knew exactly what he meant, but any kind of reaction would just be used later against me. I kept my face calm and relaxed, even tilting my head to the side in feigned confusion, "Who's not here?"

He chuckled in my amusement at my game. "The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent you were with."

"Too bad, it could have been a real party." I sarcastically teased. One of the biggest strengths I had in the game of assassination was my ability to never show how I was truly feeling. I looked in control, unafraid, and when the time came cold and uncaring, all the while feeling the anxiety and fear that comes with the job. When you were an assassin, you couldn't show fear at all, because the second you did, your enemies would use it against you in the worst possible way.

He sneered at me. "Play all you want Black Widow, it doesn't change things. I will avenge my brother. And your little protector, he's as good as dead." He waited to see my reaction, but I held it in. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. When I didn't betray any emotions, Marius's face fell into one of annoyance.

"What?" I asked playfully, "Was that supposed to upset me? 'My little protector', as you call him, he means nothing to me. He's expendable, a means to an end. I was going to kill him myself when everything was said and done." I took a hard edge as I approached the bars keeping me prisoner. I wanted to show Marius that nothing that he did would break me or bother me, even when they really did. Barton, I thought, you'd better be okay.

Marius's smile returned. "If that were the case," he said, walking towards me too, "you would've already killed him." He thought he had me, but he wasn't anywhere close.

"It's called strategy Marius. I mean, I know you and your mobster crew wouldn't understand such a complex concept, but some of us actually like to have a tactical approach to our professions." I let the words glide off my lips like the music they were to my ears. I knew exactly what buttons my words would press with him, playing off his secret uncertainties. "You know you like to come off as the powerful, strong mobster, but in reality, you're nothing more than a scared child, trying to make it in your father's family business. Do you think he would like the way you're running things?" I purred in a soft, seductive voice. "We both know he wouldn't. He would abhor everything you stand for. You're all brute force and no planning, which, don't get me wrong, is important, but not your father's game. He would be so disappointed."

Marius banged his hands on the bars of my cell in anger, causing them to resonate wildly. "SILENCE! YOU STUPID GIRL, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY FATHER OR MY BUSINESS!" He screamed at me. I smiled because his reaction meant that I had won. I now had a certain power over him by exploiting his weakness. Unfortunately, it was the type of power that wouldn't break me out of here. Marius was breathing heavily as he stared at me with wide eyes through the bars. He calmed himself and pulled his overcoat straighter. He inhaled deeply. "Well you certainly do live up to the name you made for yourself."

"Would you expect anything less?" I asked, pretending to be offended by his statement. I shot him a devilish grin.

His eyes were tired with weariness. He sighed, "Go ahead and play your games Widow. They won't save you in the end." He snapped his fingers and a wall compartment opened up, as a television screen slid into view. The television clicked on to show the outside of Marius's house, heavily guarded by five men clutching guns at their sides and two others farther out who were armed themselves. "There are guards all over the grounds of the house, and some positioned inside the house as well. Even if you manage to get out of your cage, which I highly doubt you will, you'll never make it off of my property alive." He slowly smiled, finding alertness in his apparent triumph over me. "Game, set, and match."

I had to admit: the situation looked bleak. I'm good at what I do, but as I realized how many men Marius was using to keep me prisoner here, I became possessed by the idea that maybe I wasn't that good. I suddenly realized that I really might have to come to terms with dying. I felt the panic rise in my body, but my face never once wavered. Until the bitter end, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. But I couldn't lie. I was scared, and I had a feeling he was right. Even if I did get out of this cage, I wasn't sure I'd get out alive.

That's when one of the men on the television fell, his gun clanking to the ground, something protruding from his chest. Marius eyed the screen curiously. He got closer to the television, leaning in to watch as one of the other men pulled the unidentified object out of the dead man's chest. I watched myself, and when I figured out what it was, I held my breath. Marius twisted around to look at me before looking back at the screen, once he figured out what it was too. It was a game changer. In the man's hand was a now bloodied arrow.

Marius knocked on the door. A lesser armed man appeared on the other side. "Watch her," Marius growled. "It looks like I underestimated S.H.I.E.L.D.," Marius said before disappearing from my sight. I closed my eyes in momentary relief. He was alive, and he'd come here to rescue me. My eyes fell open at the realization. He came here to save me. Hawkeye was good, but much like me, he was no match for all those men by himself. He would die if I didn't get out of here and help him.

I looked the man Marius had ordered to watch me. He was smaller, scrawnier, more innocent looking. He was a boy. He also looked a tad bit afraid. He had a single hand gun in his tensed hand. I made him nervous I realized. I smiled slightly. "Why so tense?" I turned on every aspect of charm.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you." He was practically shaking in his boots. I almost felt bad for the kid. I remembered being that nervous once.

"I know what it's like you know," I started, "having to prove yourself. I've been there. You're so nervous that you're going to mess up, and nine times out of ten, that nervousness is what screws you up. How many times have you screwed up?" He didn't answer at first, just turned around and ignored me. I saw the shiny gleam of the keys to my cell. I had to get those. "Oh come on, tell me. It feels good to get it off your chest. Trust me." I knew my plan was working when the kid turned around to look at me.

"Way too many times. I'm a screw-up. And I just try so hard to make my dad proud." Something about that made me think.

"What's your name kid?" I had an inkling I knew, but I needed confirmation before I used it.

"Michael Belov," He said. He was Marius's son. Perfect. I contorted my face into one of smooth pity.

"It must be hard," I said softly. He nodded.

"It is," he mumbled.

"I wasn't talking about you." He looked up to me, confused. My face turned cold in a heartbeat, the steely gaze in my eyes taking him by surprise. "I was talking about Marius. It must be hard for him to have a son that's such a disappointment." He was definitely taken aback by my comments. I'd thrown him for a loop switching sides like that. He didn't say anything so I took that as my sign to continue. "I mean look at you," I said, looking him up and down disdainfully. "You're a child, a scrawny, rather pathetic looking child. It's no wonder you've screwed up lots of times. You know I'm really having a hard time believing that you've done anything right ever. It must eat away at you."

"What?" He stuttered as he sputtered the word.

"The fact that your father hates you," I started. I saw his eyes narrow and I knew I was getting warmer. "The fact that he wishes he had a better son, a stronger son. I mean just think about the family business. You think he's gonna leave it to you? He'd never do his family name the disservice." I spit at him, and that did it. He was angry. He hit the bars of my cell just like his father had minutes ago. Like father, like son: the exact thing I was counting on. The Belov family had daddy issues.

"STOP IT!" He yelled at her.

"What are you going to do about it? You're out there, and I'm in here! If you wanna stop me, you'll have to come in here to get me." I said, leaning as close to him through the bars that I could.

He stood up straighter and scoffed. "I'm not stupid. You just want me to come in there so you can get out. You know, you're good, I'll give you that, but not good enough." He said, still visibly shaken from my comments. I'd definitely hit the right nerve. I suppressed a smile as everything was playing out according to plan.

His mistake was turning around. I reached one arm through the bars and pulled him back, wrenching my arm tightly around his neck. I untangled the set of keys from his belt with the other hand as I felt him starting to fade from consciousness. "Sorry kid, nothing personal, my friend's out there, and I gotta help him," I muttered as his legs started to shake and give way. I bent down to gently lower him to the ground. Poor kid, I really could empathize with him. I sighed as I fumbled for through the keys trying every single one until one finally opened my cell door. I wedged it open enough to get up and dropped the keys on top of Michael. I picked up the gun he'd dropped when I grabbed him by surprise. He should really learn how to hold on to this better, I thought as I exited the room. I had a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent to find.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

- Clint Barton

I'd taken out the men at the front door pretty easily. I had a notable reputation as a marksman. After all I was the 'great Hawkeye', or at least that's what they told me. But I had to say, it was getting tougher to fight my way through here. Marius had a lot of men, and I was about to run out of arrows. Not to mention the fact that my body was already pretty damaged from the car wreck. It's not like I'd had time to recoup from that. But I had to find Natasha. I ran down the winding hallways, firing arrows at every man I saw. I had no idea where Natasha was in this house, and the deeper I went into the labyrinth of halls, the more unsure I became that I would ever find her.

A man came out of nowhere. I reached for an arrow, but found none left. Shit, I thought. I had to improvise. I swung the bow at him, but he ducked and grabbed my, taking us both to the ground. He laid a few punches on me before I managed to reach the bow. I'd dropped it in the fall. I gripped my hand tightly around it and used all the force I could muster to swing it and hit him in the back of the head. He was definitely seeing stars as he collapsed unconscious on top of me. I pushed him up. I searched him and luckily found a gun. I held it tightly as I continued. I figured the more guys were around, the closer I was getting to Natasha. So really, this was a good sign. I heard gun fire behind me and bullets zipping way to close for comfort. I quickened my pace, turning a corner. Man, I'd been lucky to not have gotten hit. I leaned around the corner and saw two guys positioned with their guns ready. I readied the gun and prepared myself for what I was about to do.

I had maybe a span of two feet that was exposed to the gunmen. I scooted back and bit and took a running start, sliding across the floor. I fired shots as I entered the opening of the hallway, successfully taking out the two men easily, but not completely unscathed. My arm burned from where one of their bullets had grazed my skin. But it could've been much worse. It was slightly funny, in a non-laughable way, but you'd figure mobsters would have better aim.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

- Natasha Romanoff

The best part about breaking out of the cell was that no one saw me coming. They expected me to still be stuck behind bars, being watched by Belov's kid. I had the best element of surprise in the midst of Barton's arrival. The first two guards I came to never stood a chance. They didn't even get the chance to turn around and see me before I fired bullets into the back of their heads. Their body's fell silently to the floor. I exchanged my weapon for their two guns, holding one in each hand, finger on the trigger, poised and ready. I moved down the hallways, always cautiously checking around every corner before rounding it. "It's the Black Widow." One of the guards said just before I shot him in the stomach. I didn't have time to play games. I needed to find Barton and get out. The other guard pulled his own gun and fired at me. I moved to the side dodging it. I fired another round at him, hitting him in the leg. I picked his gun up off the floor, discarding my almost empty one. He looked at me as I kicked his head into the nearest wall, knocking him unconscious.

I had a thought then. If Barton and I were moving towards each other, we would just meet in the middle. That's when I felt a man's hands grab me from behind. Big mistake, I thought, as I wretched his hands off my body, spinning around and kneeing him in the stomach. The wind was knocked out of him as he stumbled backwards. He recovered faster than I'd expected and came at me again. He kicked me, knocking me down, but I just used it to my advantage, swinging one leg to knock him to the floor as well. I fumbled for the gun I'd drop as he crawled to me. I almost had it when he grabbed my hair, yanking me back to him. I elbowed him, causing him to free my hair, before head-butting him. I stood rubbing the back of my head. I would feel that one in the morning.

I picked up the weapon and continued as a guard rounded the corner. I shot him before he had a chance to do anything and kept walking, careful to step over the trail of blood.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

- Clint Barton

I could hear gunfire from the opposite end of the building. Natasha, I thought. We were close. We had to be close. I quickened my pace even more, running in the direction of the shooting. "NATASHA!" I screamed. I wanted her to know that I was close too. "NATASHA!" I rushed around the corner only to be tripped by something in my way. As I rolled over, I realized it was by someone rather than something. Marius Belov himself stood before me, gun poised at my head.

"Hello, you must be Agent Barton. I would introduce myself, but I take it you know who I am. I have to say, you haven't made a good first impression. I mean you come into my home and kill dozens of my men. I have to say I don't appreciate it." If I didn't do something quick, he was going to shoot me, I thought as he gave his piece. I kept calm, my gaze never wavering as different numbers floated around in my head. Finally I resolved to take the most direct approach. As soon as he stopped talking I kicked him in the shin, taking him off guard. He bent over in surprise and I kicked the gun from his hands before kicking him in the leg one more time to cause him to fall backwards. I rolled onto my feet and rushed towards the gun. I almost had my hands on it when I felt Marius's arm around my neck, pulling me farther away from it. Damn it. He was going to kill me right here right now.

I struggled against his grip as much as I could, trying to pull myself to the weapon. That gun was the only thing that was going to save my life. I gained only a few inches, but my head had grown lightheaded. I was about to black out, and when that happened he would shoot me. I used all the strength I could muster, but it wouldn't be enough I realized. Shit, this is how I was gonna go out: at the hands of a mobster. "You shouldn't have come back to save her." He whispered into my ear. "She's gonna be the death of you. Stupid boy, this is what she does. She tricks people, makes them think you can trust her. All the while she's planning the way she's going to stab you in the back. You don't mean anything to her. You never did and you never will."

My vision had grown spotty. Just a little more time, I needed just a little more time, a little more strength. But I wasn't going to get it. The edges of my vision were already darkening. I begged my body to hold on a little longer, but it was tired from the intense battling I'd been doing. No, just a little longer. And that's when I heard the gunshot. I felt liquid over my arms and I knew it was blood. I just didn't know where Marius had gotten another weapon. I slowly waited to die. I'd always expected it to be more painful. And that's when I realized I wasn't dying, and it wasn't my blood grazing my skin; it was Marius's.

I pushed the dying man off of me and looked back. I saw the red hair and sighed in relief. She'd gotten to me in time.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

- Natasha Romanoff

I'd heard him screaming my name. He'd been close. I'd fought off the last of the guards before rounding the corner to where he should be. Marius had beaten me to him, and I knew Marius was going to kill him. Barton was strong, but Marius had the upper hand and was choking the life out of him. The one thing that surprised me the most though about finding Marius and Barton was how much I was unnerved by the scene, by the thought of Marius killing Barton. It bothered me how much I cared. I shouldn't care. I barely knew Barton, but somehow that didn't matter. I did care, and I cared a hell of a lot more than I should have, more than I would ever let on.

That was the moment I had to make a decision. I had to pick a side. I could let Barton die, and then kill Marius. They'd both be out of my hair, and I could walk out of here and go back to my life as the best assassin that Russia had to offer. Or, I could kill Marius right now and save Barton's life and face the uncertain future, one that may include working for S.H.I.E.L.D. or one that may not. Hell, Fury could kill me when Barton took me to S.H.I.E.L.D., or this could all be an elaborate setup to catch the infamous Black Widow and bring me down when I least expected it. I had no way of knowing. That second option had way too many variables for me to feel comfortable with. I knew Barton was close to dying. And that's when I knew which choice I was going to make.

I pointed the gun at Marius's body and fired.

Barton didn't move for a few moments. Then finally, he pushed the dying mobster off of him and looked back to see me. He sighed in relief as we locked eyes. He pushed himself off the floor as I walked to him. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "You ok?" He nodded at me.

"What about you?" He asked.

"I'm fine. Let's just get out of here before more men show up. I don't know how much more fighting I can take." He actually managed to chuckle a little.

"You and me both, come on," He waved his arm for me to go first. I started to walk and that's when I felt the searing pain tear through my right arm as another gun went off. I was pissed when I turned around to see Marius Belov, a fast fading man, shakily holding a gun. I'm sure he'd meant to hit me somewhere where injury would've been more serious. But he was dying and his aim was way off. I pointed my gun at him and fired one last shot before throwing my gun down. He was dead before my gun hit the floor.

I clutched my arm tightly. "Shit," I muttered. Barton put a hand on the back of my neck.

"The S.H.I.E.L.D. medic will patch that up when we get to the plane." I nodded.

"So that proposition is still open?"

"Well you did just save my life. That speaks volumes. So yeah, that proposition is still open. I wouldn't have come to save you if it wasn't. Now let's go home." Home, the word sounded foreign. I'd never really had a permanent home. There'd been the Red Room in Russia, but it had never felt like home. It had been merely a place I'd lived. I smiled and followed Barton out of Marius Belov's house, looking forward to the warm connotation of the word 'home.'

Also:

I'm going to give you the Chapter Six title so that you can get an idea of where the story's going in the next chapter. I would give you a short tagline, but I feel like the chapter title will be all you'll need to imagine. So without further ado, Chapter Six is entitled: Fury.

I hope you all enjoyed it. I'll try and update soon! Happy New Year everyone!