"I've got fifty on Black Widow," an agent whispered to another.
"No way, man," the other replied, "gotta be loyal! It's our agent all the way. Fifty on Barton!"
Though the two agents were standing right next to the boxing ring in which the two contested fighters were sparring, neither noticed the bets being placed. The gamblers were part of an enormous crowd that had formed around the ring and everyone was whispering and chattering.
The day had started simply enough. Clint and Natasha had gotten to S.H.I.E.L.D early and started working on getting back into shape. However it became more difficult when the two realized how equally matched they were. Half an hour into the match and neither had fallen.
At first only a couple other early agents watched them while they ran on the treadmill but it soon grew to a crowd of fifty agents around the ring, any semblance of working out gone.
A hush spread quickly through the gawkers when, unnoticed by the assassins, Fury showed up flanked by two agents.
"How long have they been at this, Coulson?" The director asked the man on his right.
"Half an hour, sir" he replied.
Fury watched the two in the ring as they tried to find a weakness in their opponent. He thought the match might end when Natasha leapt at Clint but the attack was easily blocked. Neither did Natasha fall, refusing to be beaten on her first day. Clint swung his hand toward Natasha in an attempt to knock her down but she ducked and returned the favor with a leg swung towards his. Clint stepped over the kick as though it was nothing. He reached down and grabbed her extended leg, trying to throw her off balance, but she used this opportunity to climb on his back and wrap her arms around his neck.
"Yea- ooh!" Shouted the man who had put money on the Russian. "Thought she had him there." He shouted after Clint twisted and threw Natasha off his back. She flipped and was, once again, on her feet facing Clint.
"Come get me when they are done." Fury rolled his eye and left Coulson to watch them.
Ten more minutes passed and the crowd grew larger. Neither Clint nor Natasha showed any sign of slowing down though the sweat on their faces was clear to anyone watching. The fight wouldn't last much longer.
Natasha swung her leg at his again, managing this time to hit her target. As he fell, however, Clint grabbed Natasha's wrist and yanked, bringing her tumbling down after him. The crowd was speechless and all anyone could hear was the heavy breathing of the two tangled assassins lying on the floor of the ring.
"W- how do we call it?" Asked the second gambler.
"A tie I guess? Damn." Rattled the other. The crowd dispersed with a flurry of half heard comments leaving Coulson the sole spectator.
"Impressive." He remarked to the fighters. Clint chuckled but made no move to stand. Natasha turned her head to Coulson but said nothing, fighting to get her breathing under control.
"Good… fight. Again?" Clint said laboriously.
"No." Natasha replied vehemently. She managed to sit up and untangle her limbs from Clint's. She looked over Coulson and nodded. "How'd I do?" She exhaled in her exhaustion.
"First person to beat Clint since he started training." Coulson replied.
"She didn't beat me!" Clint forced himself upright so he could glare at Coulson. "It was a tie." He added, trying to hide his smile.
"When you two have had a chance to breathe and clean yourselves up meet me in my office. We'll talk then." Coulson smiled and left the room before Clint collapsed back to the floor. Natasha stared at him for a moment before flopping back down herself.
"Haven't had a fight like that in a while." Though her breathing was labored her voice was deceptively calm and measured. She turned to Clint to see his reaction and laughed when he just laid there panting. "Come on. We should go clean up. We have a meeting to get to."
Clint gestured lazily with his hand before forcing himself to sit up. "Yeah yeah. Ok. Let's go."
Coulson clicked his pen open and wrote something down on the paper he was holding. The Russian had passed every test put in front of her as though it was no more difficult than breathing or walking. Clint was right. She did have the necessary skills and was better at them than the agents already employed at S.H.I.E.L.D.
"So the only thing we have left to do is create your new identity. New name, new story."
"Does that mean I passed? Do I work here now?"
Coulson laughed. "Honestly the worst thing we could do is turn you away. With your skills and what you know about us and the Red Room we would be stupid not to take you."
"Thank you." She said calmly, though she really wanted to jump up and down and grin like a fool.
"Come back here in a few days and we'll have all your papers together and ready. You won't be able to go on missions for a while but you'll be officially an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
As Natasha left Coulson's office she saw Clint emerging from Fury's office. She finally grinned like she had wanted to, ran over to him, and leapt onto him for a hug. Clint was taken aback but wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Good news I take it?" He asked with a laugh.
"I'm in! I'm an agent!" She relaxed and allowed Clint to set her back down. She unwrapped her arms from around his neck. "Let's celebrate."
"Sure. I've got an idea. But it's a surprise."
Natasha nodded and started walking towards the door to leave S.H.I.E.L.D. Clint followed after a moment, the feeling of her hugging him lingering.
"So where are we going?" Natasha asked, the moment Clint's door was closed. He started the car but only shook his head in response. Natasha sighed. Watching out the window she tried to figure out where they were headed but it was somewhere he hadn't taken her yet.
After a while he parked and climbed out. Natasha followed unsure where she was; no buildings around and few people. There were a lot of trees though. She followed him down a shaded path that led to the top of a hill. From there you could see miles of forest and hills uninterrupted. A few steps behind Clint, Natasha nearly walked into him when he stopped.
"This is my favorite place. Able to see for miles, no people, it's so peaceful." He led her to a bench and they sat silently for a few minutes before he spoke again. "I'll tell you my story of you want."