Chapter 5

I do not own The Avengers in any way.

A/N-This is where the story starts to go off into the Clintasha pairing. 4 chapters, 14 favs, 30 follows, and 11 reviews. Thank you!

"Where are we going?" Madison asked Steve.

"To the secure files", he said.

"I can get us in", she said, "I could lose my job in the process".

A cute blush spread from her cheeks, down her neck, and to her ears.

Steve titled her head up and kissed her.

Madison's hands came up to rest on Steve's chest as she returned the kiss.

Luckily, they were in the deepest part of the helicarrier, so there were no agents to disturb them.

Steve pulled away, breathing heavily.

"Never knew you had it in you, Cap", Madison said.

Steve stepped back and took Madison's hand.

They made their way to the secure files.

Madison swiped her badge and the door opened. "I think you can handle it from here", Madison said. She pecked Steve on the lips and left. She made her way to Loki's cage.

Natasha was already there.

Madison, who had perfected her father's art of stealth, climbed up into the catacombs of the room and found a place to nest. She listened to the conversation.

"And once you've won, once you're King of the Mountain, what happens to his mind?" Natasha asked Loki.

"Oh…is this love, Agent Romanoff?" Loki asked.

"Love is for children. I owe him a debt", Natasha said bluffing.

Madison had it on good authority that Natasha loved her father.

"Tell me", Loki said.

"Before I worked for S.H.E.I.L.D., I uh… Well, I made a name for myself. I have very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on. I got on S.H.E.I.L.D.'s radar on a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call", Natasha told him.

Madison remembered that day like it was yesterday.

"Baby Bird", Clint said knocking on his daughter's door.

She opened it wearing one of his old uniforms that swamped her.

"I have someone I want you to meet", he said, "Go get changed".

She shut her door and came out a few minutes later.

He picked her up and carried her to the control room.

"Baby Bird, this is Natasha", Clint said.

Madison looked at the woman with fire red hair.

"She's going to be Daddy's new partner", he said.

"I thought Mama was your partner", Madison said.

"Mama's gone. Tasha is going to be my partner now", Clint told her.

Madison had been 6 at the time. At 17, she looked to Natasha like a mother figure.

"And what will you do if I vow to spare him?" Loki asked.

"Not let you out", Natasha said.

"No, but I like this", Loki said smirking, "Your world in the balance and you bargain for one man. But maybe you're not doing it for yourself, but because you promised a certain someone you would bring him back".

Madison saw Natasha's resolve crack a little.

"Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that. I'm Russian. Or I was", Natasha said.

"And what are you now?" Loki said.

A mother, Natasha thought. "It's really not that complicated. I got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out", Natasha said.

"Can you?" Loki asked, "Can you wipe out that much red? Dreykov's daughter, Sao Paulo, the hospital fire? Barton told me everything. Your ledger is dripping. It's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? This is basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer. Pathetic! You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you. And they will never go away", Loki ranted.

He slammed his fist onto the cage.

"I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you. Slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear. And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I'll split his skull", Loki spat, "This is my bargain, you mewling quim".

"You're a monster", Natasha said fake sniffling.

"Oh, no. You brought the monster", Loki said.

"So, Banner. That's your play", Natasha said.

"What?" Loki asked, not understanding.

"Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab. I'm on my way. Send Thor as well", Natasha said into her ear piece, "Thank you for your cooperation". Natasha left the room, leaving Madison and Loki alone.

Madison made her way down.

"Ah…I knew you were here", Loki said.

Madison sat down in front of his cage.

Loki copied her movements. Loki thought it was curious that Agent Barton's daughter was really a wide eyed teenage girl.

"Did you mean what you said?" Madison asked, "About my father?"

Loki smiled and said, "Truthfully? I honestly don't know".

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I don't know", he said. Loki wondered what was making him say these things.

"I heard you were adopted", she said, "Is that why you want revenge? Revenge for being lied to?"

Loki, wanting to get under skin, said, "Did your father ever tell you what happened to your mother?"

"She died giving birth to me", Madison said.

"What if I told you that wasn't true?" Loki asked.

"What?" she asked him, "That's not true! My father would never lie to me!" She stood up.

Loki felt bad for upsetting the girl and stood up.

"I was lied to my entire life", he said soothingly.

"It's not true. He wouldn't lie to me", she said softly. She turned and walked out of the room.