AN and Disclaimer: I don't own them - just borrowing them for a bit. Anyways, I've pretty much gotten this story planned out. So enjoy and be prepared for a wild and bumpy ride! Feed back is always welcomed!


Chapter 7:

"She wants to do what?" Fury asked a little confused. He had come to check on Emma's recovery and found that Clint was still wide-awake watching over her. They had moved into the hallway and were now talking softly about Emma's last request before she had fallen back into a state of unconsciousness.

"She mentioned coming back to S.H.E.I.L.D., sir. I'm not sure if it was the drugs talking or if she really meant it. I'm going to talk to her about it when she wakes up again." Clint said, leaning up against the bulkhead. A lack of sleep was catching up with him. He had too much on his mind at the moment. What did Emma mean when she had said that she wanted to come back to S.H.E.I.L.D.? What would they do with Audrey? Would Fury even allow Emma to return? How would Natasha react to possibly loosing a partner? How would the other Avengers react? Would he even stay an Avenger?

"You know as well as I do, Barton, that she never really left S.H.E.I.L.D. If she wants to come back to active duty that is something that the two of you have to work out. Believe me, I would love to have her in my pocket, especially after loosing Coulson."

"Yes, sir."

Inside the infirmary room, Emma began to stir. Fury stepped back and allowed Barton to reenter the room. Fury could tell that he was having internal conflicts about having Emma rejoin S.H.E.I.L.D. Hell, what man wouldn't have doubts about putting someone they love in the line of danger each and every day? He wasn't going to push the point any further. They could work it out for themselves.


After being released from the infirmary, Emma had put on bed rest at home under the direct supervision of Clint. The medic in charge had remembered her from her days with S.H.E.I.L.D. and the many times that he had to basically put her back together again. Clint promised to make sure that she took it easy.

Before they left the helicarrier, Clint wanted to have that talk with Emma to make sure that he hadn't misheard her the night before.

"You really want to come back on active duty?" he asked as he found an empty room off the main corridor.

"Yeah," she said as she slowly sat down in a chair and looked down at the floor. "I miss you Clint. I miss seeing you all the time. I miss the missions. The adventure. I hate worrying that the next phone call I get is going to be from Fury that I have to come pick up your body. I would rather be there watching your back. Then I would only have myself to blame and no one else."

Tears slowly rolled down Emma's cheeks as she quickly tried to wipe them away so that Clint didn't see them before he knelt by her side. But being engaged to a man with the alias of Hawkeye did have its disadvantages.

"Hey, this isn't like you," he whispered. "You are the agent who took out the top five most wanted dictators in the world in a two year time period?"

"I had help."

"True, but you did all the hard work. I just did the shooting for the distractions. You did the actual killings."

A small smile formed across Emma's face. "Then there was Brunei when the role was reversed. That was priceless."

Clint cringed at the memory. He was never cut out to be an undercover spy. Undercover ops was never his thing. Sniper shooting was. "Now that smile is what I want to see. And the stone cold stare of your assassin's glare. I always find that a turn on."

Emma rolled her eyes at him before speaking again. "But if I do come back, what are we going to do with Audrey?"

"You know that Mom has a pretty big place in Iowa. It's safe. No alien invasions happening there that I know of."

She sighed. Iowa was so far away from their home. But it was safe. Besides, she grew up with only her aunt and turned out fine. And if something were to happen to both her and Clint, then at least Audrey would be taken care of by family.

"I'm in."


"Two weeks," Fury said. "Get healed up. Take care of everything that needs to be taken care of then report to your new assignment. Both of you."

"New assignment?" Clint asked.

"Yes Agent Barton. Both of you." Fury reiterated as he took a datapad from Agent Hill, who was standing next to him and handed it to Emma. "Get to know your new teammates, Agent Carter. You've got some catching up to do. Barton make sure to help her if she needs it."

"Teammates?" she asked confused.

"Yes teammates," he repeated. "You're the newest member of the Avengers."