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Chapter 6

August

It had been a month. A month since I'd seen Pepper. A month since I'd hacked into the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. (which I have officially dubbed as SHIELD, why no one has seen that the initials spell shield is a mystery to me).

I was sleeping more, less alcohol consumption thanks to Happy and Uncle Rhodey checking up on me. I was walking more, plus I started doing yoga again. Nothing to the level I was used to before but it was a start. Turns out whatever Creepy Doctor had injected me with was working so I made a point to get at least six hours of sleep (courtesy of the sleeping pills I was taking). My memory was returning; if I had to put a percentage on it I'd wager that I remembered 86 percent of what had happened, including that they had been using Stark products. I told Uncle Rhodey about that immediately. All in all, I was taking better care of myself.

Peter and I talked everyday. He was apologizing to me all the time at first but after yelling at him to stop because I didn't blame him for Pepper sending him home, our relationship went back to normal. Well as normal as him telling me his adventures of being a superhero while I constantly warned him to be careful because I don't think I could handle something happening to him because of it, and my tasks of breaking into different government agencies to find my dad. Peter laughed when I finally told him how I actually snuck my way into the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division.

And speaking of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, notes kept popping up in my file about what I had officially dubbed the "Store Front" (Stark Industries). I wasn't suspect number one anymore but was still on the list of possibilities. Which made me a little mad that they thought I would do that to my own company but the fact that they couldn't figure it out either softened the hurt a little.

I was lost in my thoughts as I walked to the living room where JARVIS informed me that Uncle Rhodey was in there. Unfortunately that was a bad thing because if I had been paying attention I would have seen Uncle Rhodey sitting with him.

"What's up Scarlett?" Clint asked my as I made my way fully into the room.

I stopped in my tracks. You have got to be kidding me, this guy clearly couldn't take a hint. But sure enough there he was sitting on my couch with Rhodey and my dog… traitorous bastard.

"Um, what the hell is this?" I asked.

"Clint called and said you hadn't made the last couple of appointments," Rhodey said shooting me a look.

I scoffed. "More like the last couple of months," I said to myself. I noticed Clint's lips curl up to a quick smile.

Damn it, I thought to myself.

"Easy, Scar," Rhodey warned, "Clint is here to help."

"Sorry," I said shooting Clint a smile. "Didn't mean to ruffle your feathers."

Ha! Bird joke, point for me.

Clint's eyes flashed uncertainly at my joke, I could see his brain trying to figure out whether or not I knew.

"Well, let's get this done with, Uncle Rhodey you're staying." I snapped making my way over to Clint's table. The sooner we got done with the sooner he will leave.

I sat on the table as Clint started to do stretches on my legs. "You're almost healed," he commented.

"Yeah," I agree rolling eyes. "It's amazing what just little bit of sleep will do."

Clint glanced up at me but I didn't return the look, I knew I was pushing this whole he's-a-spy-and-I-know-about-it, but I didn't care. I was lied to and made into a lab experiment because of these people.

They weren't going to know what hit them when I was done with them.

Uncle Rhodey snuck away and I didn't notice until I heard Max bark. My head shot up and all of that confidence that I had was sucked dry.

Clint seemed to noticed that too because he immediately invaded my personal bubble.

"Do you mind?" I asked him.

"Nope," Clint said flashing me a smile.

"Are you going to explain why you decided to push these meetings now?" I asked him again.

"Call it concern," Clint said as he picked up my left leg and started to bend it.

"I call it bullshit," I snapped back.

Clint ignored me again and finished his stretches on my leg. "On your back".

"How about you? On your way out of my house?" I countered.

Clint visible huffed. "Scarlett," he began.

"Clint," I countered. "You show up after months of not having appointments with me, lie to my uncle and won't answer a single question that I ask and you want me to lay on my back now and be even more at your mercy?"

Clint stopped and took a step back from me. "Is that how you really feel?" he asked

"You and that creepy doctor haven't given me a single reason to trust you and a thousand reasons not to," I said.

Clint stopped for a minute.

"Clint," I asked quietly, my panic level at an all time high. He still ignored me so I called out again. "Clint?"

That snapped him out of whatever trance he was in. "Sorry," he said.

"You ok?" I asked, "You spaced out a little."

"Inner monologue," he countered.

I nodded my head. "Well was it a good one?" I half-heartedly asked as I looked around the room, hoping that uncle Rhodey was coming back.

"Depends on your answer to my next question," he said.

I was 96% percent sure I was going to be kidnapped or experimented on or something terrible at that point so I just threw caution into the wind. "What was your order concerning me?" I asked, even I could hear the fear in my voice so I knew he could.

His head snapped towards me and he took a half step towards me.

I flinched and he stopped. "You know," he said there was an emotion in his voice that I couldn't figure out.

"Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out?" I whispered.

Clint sat down next to me. "Is that why you fired me?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, I found out after, I fired you because you were hired by Creepy Doctor and he had just injected me without my consent."

Clint picked up my hand and looked at it. "You were never supposed to find out," he said.

"Then you should have picked a better doctor," I countered.

He laughed and then put my hand back into my lap. "Well, Doctor Maxfield has never been known for his bedside manner, but he is the best."

"So I've heard," I mutter.

Clint laughed. "You are indeed one of a kind," he said.

I just rolled my eyes. "What was the orange chemical that you guys injected me with?" I asked.

Clint took a deep breath. "It's a serum for our agents when they get hurt. It speeds up the healing process while you sleep. Which is why you have almost gotten the full use of your legs back."

I nodded as I took in all of this information. "Do I need any more?" I ask.

Clint shook his head. "No, you have been given the allowed dose for one person and technically you are fully healed, it's all just your muscles getting back to the strength to hold your body up."

We were quiet for a few minutes while I pondered what was going on and Clint, I'm going to assume, was figuring out ways to keep me quiet.

"So are you going to Men-in-Black my memories or?" I asked. Max barked and trotted over to us.

"Nah," Clint said. "Besides you probably have at least 4 backups to remind you."

"6," I corrected.

"See?"

"What do we do from here?"

"Well believe it or not I am actually concerned about your health."

"Really?" I asked stunned.

"Course I am," he said as he threw his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. "So I'm going to make sure you get better."

"And I pretend you're someone who is a legit-qualified physical trainer?" I ask

Clint laughed again, "If you want."

Clint hopped up off the table and helped me down before starting to pack up his stuff; I stood there and watched until he headed for the door.

"Hey Hawkeye," I called out, Clint turned around and quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not the one dealing under the table at Stark Industries. Have them take my name off the list or I will do it myself."

Clint nodded his head and then left the house.

"Hey Clint?" I asked during one of our physical training sessions. Clint had me doing lunges and if he had me doing this torture then I sure as hell was going to get some answers from him.

"Hm?" He hummed from the couch where he was sitting going through a magazine. Max was laying on his lap.

"Do you do this? Is this your job?" I asked as I stood up and went back down into another lunge.

Clint laughed. "No," he said setting the magazine down. He stood up and Max whined and let him up, only to steal his spot once Clint was standing. "My job is more of the dirty kind. Which I thought you already knew," he finished as he walked over to me.

"No," I groaned as I finished my last lunge. "The only thing I know is your code name, which is pretty awesome if you ask me. When I realized that you were apart of that organization I did some research, but I didn't read the rest of your file."

Clint didn't say anything while I started to stretch. "If I answer your question, I'm not going to lie to you. So before you hear this answer, be careful."

I stood up. "Clint, I'm not going to judge you based on your past." I said.

"I'm an assassin," Clint said.

I was quiet for a second as I processed this. "So they give you a name and you just go and shoot them?" I asked.

Clint nodded. "Well, I use a bow and arrow," he said. "But other than that, yes."

"A bow and arrow?" I asked. "Like full on Legolas?"

Clint has a ghost of a smile, "That's me."

"Huh," I said as I sat on the bench.

Clint sat next to me. "What's going through your head?" he asked.

"How you got the name Hawkeye when you shoot a bow. I can think of a dozen more names that fit for that," I ask

Clint let out a full laugh, "You just said that it was a cool name," he countered.

"It is a cool name, but I hear Hawkeye I think you have some super power that can control birds or you can fly, not shoot a bow," I tease him.

Clint gave me a playful shove. "Come on, you're done for today let me break up the scar tissue."

I shrugged my shoulder while I moved around so Clint could get to my back.

"You are truly one of a kind," he said. "I tell you that I kill people for a living and you worry about my code name."

"I think you forget that while you kill people, I sell the weapons that make it possible to kill." I said softly. "Although, I don't think we have bows and arrows."

Clint laughed and started working on my back. "Everything is healing quite nicely."

"Yeah, it took a while but I think I've finally got a handle on everything, my new life for now until my dad gets home again."

"Do you honestly think he is going to come home?" Clint asked me.

That stopped me for a moment, Clint has never asked me that. In fact, Clint has always made it a point to move the topic of conversation away from my father and the very illegal things that I had done and was still doing. To find him.

"Yes," I said and I was proud of myself of the confidence in it. "I know he is coming home."

Clint nodded as he helped me up. "Well that's it for today, I'll see you next week?"

"Yep," I said popping the p.

We walked to the door and as Clint walked out I called out to him again. "Hey Hawkeye!"

He turned around and faced me.

"Can I shoot the bow?" I asked with a big smile on my face.

Clint just rolled his eyes and left without a word.

"Hey Clint?" I asked one day during our training. "If I was in, say a carnival, what would I do?"

Clint stopped and looked at me. "Where did this come from?" he asked.

"I was thinking maybe tight rope walker?" I said thinking about it. "That would be fun I think."

Clint laughed. "Tight rope walking is a very hard trick, takes a lot of practice and training."

"So do you think I would be good at it?"

"I don't know, if I had to guess I would say yes, you would be good at it, you're tiny enough."

"Hey!" I exclaimed, "I'm not that tiny."

Clint just laughed. "You're like five foot two, maybe."

"Well," I said looking straight up at his six foot frame. "You're just a big bird."

We both stopped as I realized what I had just said. I grinned like the Cheshire cat.

"Oh, no," he said. "Scarlett, don't start."

"Sunny days," I started to sing, "sweeping the clouds away."

Clint clamped his hand over my mouth. "If you continue I'm going to have to give you your own nickname."

I licked his hand and laughed at his expression as he wiped his hand on his pant leg.

"We're done for the day," Clint said as he headed towards the door.

"Next week?" I asked.

Clint nodded, "Of course."

Clint opened the door.

"Hey Clint?" I asked.

He turned back around. "Don't do it," he warned.

"Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?" I asked.

Clint growled as he playfully slammed the door leaving me by myself laughing hysterically.

According to Clint my new nickname was to be 'Tweety', as long as I called him 'Big Bird' he called me 'Tweety'. I didn't really see a problem with this if I was to be honest. I loved Tweety Bird and any chance to shake Clint I was up for.

"What is your favorite carnival food?" I asked him as I lay on the table he was pulling my leg towards my chest, I had almost full mobility back and couldn't wait until I could be back to 100 percent.

"Funnel cake," Clint responded. "What about you?"

"I don't know," I said as he let go of my leg to return to the original position. "I've never been to one."

"That's really depressing," Clint said as he grabbed my other leg.

"It is what it is," I said shrugging my shoulders as much as I could lying on the table.

"Maybe the next time one is in town I'll take you," Clint offered.

"You mean if you aren't on some super-secret spy mission?" I said. "Or you aren't posing as somebody else's physical therapist?"

"Ah come on Tweety, that was low," he said chuckling. "Besides you know that I only do undercover work for you."

"Big Bird," I said. "I live in a world of reality where not everyone can be carnies who become James Bond."

Clint pushed my left leg right up to my chest. "Your mobility is back," he said.

"Yep," I said closing my eyes and biting my lip. Trying to ignore the pain that was shooting up my back.

"Tweety," he asked, "Are you ok?"

I opened my eyes and looked at him, his blue eyes.

I remember those eyes; I've seen it before.

And then the damn broke.

The terror I felt as I squeezed my way back into the hole in the side of the wall was all consuming. I was going to die. From bleeding out or this man was the question. A question I wasn't sure I knew what the answer should be. The footsteps were getting closer as my vision became blurry

.

"No," I said shoving him away. "No!"

"Tweety?" he said in confusion.

I scrambled off of the table, landed on my feet, and backed as far away from him as I could. I was angry and hurt, this man, this man who I had come to trust and even started to think of as a friend. He was there, he was who I had been dreaming of at night when I woke up in a cold sweat. Terrified that he could be coming back. And he was here the entire time.

"You were there," I said the tears coming up. "You were in my Humvee."

"Scarlett—" he said.

"Why?" I asked. "Why were you there?"

"You need to calm down before you have a panic attack," Clint said as he moved around the table, both hands up in a show of peace.

"Did you—? Did you plan the attack?" I asked.

"No." He said firmly and without hesitation. "Of course not."

"I don't believe you," I said shaking my head. I wasn't paying attention to where I was backing up and ended up tripping on the step that lead down to the sitting area of the living room. "Ah!" I yelled out as I felt that immediate sense of falling.

I expected to fall and hit my head what I didn't expect was Clint catching me and pulling me into his arms.

"No," I cried out again pushing my hands against his chest. I found myself wishing for my dad to be here, so he could come and save me from this. "Let me go!" I cried out.

"I wasn't part of the attack," Clint said not letting go of me. "I was there because the agency that I work for wants you to come and work for us."

"I don't believe you!" I cried pushing against him. "Let me go!"

Clint kept repeating over and over that he wasn't a part of it but I was too scared, where did Uncle Rhodey go?

"Jar!" I started to cry out for Jarvis but Clint slapped a hand over my mouth. I screamed into his hand and started to kick my legs.

"Scarlett!" Clint growled out after I managed a good kick to his shins. "We weren't a part of it!"

There was something in his voice, an urgency to believe him and that I knew he wasn't part of the plan to kidnap my father. I froze; my breathing was labored but once Clint realized I wasn't going to scream he removed his hand from my mouth. "You weren't part of it?" I asked.

"Of course not," he said. "I was recruiting you."

He was recruiting me? "Recruiting?" I asked unsure of what that meant.

"Yes, Tweety," Clint said.

I nodded and the sniffed, I returned the hug that he was giving me.

When I was finally okay I backed away from him. "I think we are done for today," Clint said. "Get some sleep."

I nodded and Clint pulled me into another hug.

"See ya later, Tweety," he replied.

I didn't go to sleep like Clint wanted me to. I couldn't. My mind was racing with all of the information I had just received. Yes, I believed Clint when he said wasn't part of the attack, I don't know what it was but I knew in my gut that he was telling me the truth about wanting to recruit me and not being involved.

It wasn't a blind trust, I'm not that stupid, I haven't been since I was fourteen and a boy named Henry broke my heart. My dad in one of his rare moments of actually being a dad had bought me ice cream and told me that I had learned a lesson that day. Well he said I had learned two, the first being that it was proof that no other guy was good enough for me and I had to stay here with him forever, and the second being that to go on feelings alone is childish, I needed cold hard facts to back up my feelings.

But I remember reading my file when I broke into the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. And there were notes about my recruitment status in them, which backs up Clint's story.

But I needed to clear my thoughts so I pulled up all of the video feeds and started watching them live, I needed my dad and I knew that I was the best shot at getting him back.

One hour passed.

Nothing but two missed calls, both from Pepper; she had been doing that recently. I knew I should forgive her. She was only looking out for me, one of the few who did. And I know that Happy and Uncle Rhodey were giving her updates about my health, I wasn't upset about that. I was still hurt at what happened but I could feel myself wanting to talk to her again. She really is only the woman in my life and I still loved her like she was my mom.

Two more hours passed.

Max came over and laid his head on my lap. He licked my hand as I petted him.

Three hours passed.

I was looking of one of the surveillance feeds when I saw it, a huge explosion.

"JARVIS zoom in!" I yelled as I pulled that screen up to full size, this could be it.

"Right away," he answered and booms it was done.

"What the—?" I asked seeing a giant robot looking thing attack a group of people, with a flamethrower. "It's him!" I yelled, knowing that only my dad could escape in a giant metal suit.

I picked up my phone and started to call Rhodey.

"Scarlett?" he answered.

"Uncle Rhodey I found him!" I yelled into the phone. "I found him you need to go pick him up!"

"Scarlett I need you to calm down and give me the coordinates," Uncle Rhodey said.

"I already sent the coordinates to your phone. Please, Uncle Rhodey go get him," I said as I felt the tears well up.

"I will," Uncle Rhodey said. "But Scarlett you need to calm down, if this isn't him—"

"No," I said shaking my head, the tears falling. "Uncle Rhodey it's him, I know it is!"

"I'm on my way," he said before hanging up.

"I found him," I whispered.

I raced out of my lab and downstairs to the living room. I needed to let them know that I did it, I had found him, ignoring the pain shooting through me at my first attempt at running since the accident.

I stopped once I got there; it was empty like it had been for a month.

I started sobbing then, there were a few people who I wanted to tell and let them know but there was only one person who I knew would understand. Ignoring every feeling I picked up my phone and called the only person I wanted to see.

"Scar?" she asked picking up the first ring.

"Pepper I found him!" I said crying hoping that maybe she understood what I was saying.

"I can be there in fifteen," Pepper said not asking any questions.

"Please hurry," I sobbed.

She hung up not needing to say anything else. Once the phone was as silent as the house was I lost it. I collapsed on my knees and started to cry, letting everything out.

"He's okay," I said to no one. "He's fine!"

Pepper showed up in twelve minutes, she came running in and saw me still on the floor.

"Scarlett," she said running over to me.

I immediately wrapped my arms around her. "I found him," I sobbed into her shirt, ruining it I might add. "He's coming home."

Pepper wrapped her arm around me and ran a hand through my very tangled hair. "Everything is going to be okay."

She held me until I stopped crying, the two of us sitting in the same position on the floor. When I was done Pepper stood and helped me up. "Let's get you some food," she said as she walked over to the kitchen. I grabbed her arm to stop her from going any further. She turned around and I grabbed her to hug her again.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh, sweetie," she said rubbing her hand on my hair. "It's alright."

"No," I hiccupped, "it's not, I shouldn't have acted like a brat. You were just being what you have been to me my entire life."

"What's that?" she asked.

"My mom." I replied not worrying about her reaction to me saying that like I had been since I was eleven and wanted to tell her that. I just buried my head into shoulder.

She didn't have a chance to answer, because my phone rang again.

3rd POV

"Well I'll be damned," Rhodey said as the helicopter went to the coordinates that Scarlett had sent him. "She found him."

"Alright," he said to the group of men he had brought with him. "I want a ground search team while we go up in the air, he can't have gone far."

It took Rhodey all of ten minutes searching in the air to find Tony and when he did he felt an emotion he hadn't felt in three months, happiness.

He had the pilot land the helicopter and he took off running towards his best friend.

"Tony!" he yelled as he put his hands on Tony's shoulders. "Next time you ride with me."

"Where is Scarlett?" he asked looking Rhodey in the eye. "Is she alive? Is she safe? Was she hurt?"

Rhodey smiled and gripped his buddy's arms. "Who do you think found you," he asked.

Tony smiled and allowed Rhodey to lead him to the helicopter.

"No," Tony said as the doctor on the plane tried to look him over.

"Tony," Rhodey said walking over to them. "They need to make sure you're okay."

"I need to talk to Scarlett," Tony said. "I need to talk to her now."

Rhodey smiled and handed him his phone. "She's expecting you."

Tony gave Rhodey a half smile and dialed his daughter's phone.

Scarlett

"Have you found him yet?" I asked not bothering with the helloes. Rhodey wouldn't have been upset with my rudeness at that moment.

"What do you think?" a voice came over the phone.

I stilled, every muscle every thought in my mind went still as I heard a voice I hadn't heard in three months. Pepper looked at me as I stilled.

"Dad?" I asked.

I hadn't slept since my dad had called me, in fact I hadn't done really much of anything than cry and laugh and mumble incoherent things about him being back.

I had eight hours, eight hours to wait for him to get back home and back with me.

When it had finally been seven, I was bouncing around waiting for Happy to get his shit together so we could leave.

"Go shower and look presentable," Pepper told me. "As soon as you are done we are going to leave."

I looked at Pepper and then booked it as fast as I could to my room.

I dressed in a pair of jeans and a lightweight blue top as I threw my hair up into messy bun.

"Let's go," I said as I walked back into the room.

Pepper and Happy looked up and smiled.

"Well," Happy said as he walked over to me. "You look a little better, still skinny as hell but you don't look like a drunk."

I rolled my eyes and hugged him. "He's coming home," I whispered.

"You did good, kid," he whispered back to me.

I laughed and stepped out of the hug. "Well let's go," I said.

We were in the car driving, well, Happy was driving, and Pepper and I were sitting in the backseat.

"Happy," I said leaning forward in the seat. "We need to stop at a Burger King."

Happy didn't say anything he just smiled and nodded his head and made a left turn.

"Burger King?" Pepper asked turning to me.

"Dads been kidnapped for three months," I said looking at her, "he is going to want a cheeseburger."

Pepper didn't say anything and I jumped out of the car and headed inside.

I ordered three cheeseburgers and was standing around waiting for them when I felt someone walk up beside me.

"Miss Stark," the man said.

I turned to face him. "Yes?" I asked.

"I'm Agent Coulson," he said holding out his hand.

"Agent," I said taking his hand and shaking it. "From what agency might I ask?"

"I believe you have met some of our other agents," Coulson said.

"Ah, the fake physical therapist and creepy doctor," I said. "You're with Shield."

"Shield?" he asked.

"Your name was too long, so I came up with a nickname," I said. "By the way, how come no one else figured out that your initials actually spelled something out?"

Coulson shot me a smile "It was brought to my attention that you figured it out," he answered ignoring my comment about the name.

"You didn't exactly make it a challenge for me," countered.

"Which is why we need to talk," Coulson said.

"Listen, Agent," I said turning to face him fully. "My father who was kidnapped for three months is coming home today, are you really trying to set up a recruitment meeting for me right now?" I asked.

Coulson opened his mouth when the guy at the counter yelled out 'Clara'.

"Think about it," I said as I grabbed the bag and walked out of the restaurant; I slipped my sunglasses on and got back into the car.

"Are you ready?" Happy asked looking at the rear view meeting.

"I am," I said breaking out in a smile. "Let's go get my dad."

AN: SHE DID IT! she found her dad ;)

I want to say a huge thank you for all of the reviews, it's like a tiny personal gold star from each and every one of you and it lets em know that you guys are enjoying the story!

JJAdrews: aw thank you, I'm glad you don't think that Scarlett is a Mary Sue!

ShigureAyameHatoriFanClub: Thanks, I always wanted this fear and paranoia to drive her, not comsume her. She's always had the answers and people treating a certain way and she needed to stumble and find a way to live with her situation. and i think that this chapter shows that

twitilda: aw thanks!

Yovllelova: thanks, i strived to find a balance between her intelect and the normal feelings that comes with being a kid, so i'm glad its working!

Lady Syndra: i've always viewed SHIELD like that as well, especially with the winter soldier plot line and scarlett is someone who isnt ok with the end justifies the means thinking. I think that feeling alone is something that is going to affect scarlett in the future when she has her family back together again, two months of feeling alone and confused and paranoid isnt healthy for a seventeen year old

Guest2700: don't worry, i have to say that i'm really passionate about this story so its staying for a while :) and i loved your thought! It's something that i've been toying with as i write ;)

Guest: Yay for Hawkeye! and this chapter actually ;)

Maddy: aw thank you! and dont worry that moment is soon!

Elvira Silver: I'm glad you like her personality, its the complete opposite of mine so its sometimes difficult to write

NicoleR85: thanks again for the review, We'll get a little bit more of creepy doctor here and there

Guardian of Heaven: Thanks for the review! i'm glad that you like scarlett just as much as i do!

mun3litKnight: that's perfect! it's scarlett's tag line, like father like daughter just subtler

Guest: I'm glad that you like peter in this story!

jj12: there is definitely a Game of Thrones joke in there, my beta and I keep going back and forth about it, she draws the line at letting one of them say Winter is coming ;)

The Lead Mare: thanks, I think Scarlett's deepest desire isnt money or fame or even how smart she is, it think deep down its family,