Here it is! I know, I know, it's been too long... But I have been soooo busy... I should be updating regularly now. :3
Thanks to Kitty Am I for helping with this fic! I really appreciate the help... :) And thanks to the lovely people that reviewed (you know who you are :) )
Disclaimer: Still don't own Clint, or any of the other Avengers... Dang it... XD
Clint paced back and forth in front of the open door of the SHIELD-issued van.
"Calm down, Clint." Natasha watched him from the driver's seat. Fury had sent her along to be back-up in case something went wrong. "She'll be here."
"What could she be doing?"
"If I remember correctly, she's braiding her hair."
"What?" Clint stopped pacing and looked at Natasha.
"On missions like this, she wears her hair up in a ponytail and braids it," Natasha explained. "And she wears a black t-shirt, black jeans and her traditional black high-tops."
"I told her to wear boots." Clint frowned.
"Ten bucks says she'll wear her high-tops."
"How do you-"
"I worked with her for quite a while," Natasha interrupted.
"People change, Tasha," Clint said as he leaned against the van. "I'll raise the bet to twenty bucks..."
"Twenty bucks for what?"
Casey walked toward the van. To Clint's dismay, she looked exactly as Natasha said she would, right down to the high-tops. A holstered gun and several pouches hung from her belt.
"To prove I need to keep my mouth shut..." Clint muttered as he pulled a couple of crumpled bills from his pocket.
Clint handed Natasha a twenty dollar bill as Casey climbed in the van.
"Thank you." Natasha accepted it with a smirk.
Clint sat across from Casey. They were dressed almost alike, except Clint wore combat boots. Natasha started the van and pulled out of the garage. The ride was silent as they drove to the hotel.
"Here we are," Natasha said as the van pulled to a stop. "Remember, go in the back door. The more you can avoid the innocent people, the better. Ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." Casey took a deep breath and opened the van door.
Clint followed her out of the van and into the hotel. They paused once they were inside the building.
"Room 408," Clint said. "That's on the fourth floor. Elevator or..."
Clint's voice trailed off as he watched Casey open the door to the stairwell and walk in.
"Stairs, it is," Clint muttered before following her.
The two agents moved swiftly up to the fourth floor. Casey cracked open the door and peered down the hall.
"I only see two guards," she reported. "This'll be easier than I thought..."
"Let's do it." Clint cracked his neck.
Casey and Clint walked into the hall. Clint slipped his arm around her waist as they walked down the hall toward the guards. The dark-haired guard didn't seem to notice them, but the blond guard couldn't take his eyes off Casey.
Casey met the gaze of the blond guard and gave him a small smile. She pulled away from Clint and stepped closer to the guard. He broke into a grin and took a step toward Casey.
"Who could be so important that he requires two guards?" Casey asked innocently. "And two very strong-looking ones, at that..."
"Some guy named Cranfield..." The blond said and the other guard elbowed him. "What? It's not like she's-"
Casey cut the guard off by grabbing him and flipping him to the ground. Before he could even think to cry out, she knocked him out with one swift blow.
"Mind telling me what the flirting was about?" Clint asked.
"Had to make sure that we were at the right room." Casey shrugged.
She glanced over at Clint and saw that he had taken care of the other guard.
"I'll get Cranfield," Casey said as she pulled a syringe and bottle out of a pouch. "You take care of his guards. Just give them this and they won't remember a thing."
Clint nodded and took the items from Casey. She pulled something from a pouch and worked on the door handle. Within a moment, the door swung open. She placed a hand on her gun holster and walked into the room.
Clint moved quickly and silently as he injected both guards. As he finished with the second guard, Casey came out of the room, half-carrying/half-dragging Hollis Cranfield. Clint raised an eyebrow at her.
"He tried to pick a fight." Casey frowned. "But it only took one punch and he was out."
"Want me to carry him?" Clint glanced at Cranfield.
"If you don't mind," Casey said with a nod.
Casey lowered Cranfield to the floor and Clint picked him up in a fireman's carry.
"I really hope no one sees us..." Clint muttered as they started down the hall.
"In the city, who's gonna notice?" Casey asked with a shrug. "We can just say the party got a little wild."
Clint grinned and the moved back to the stairs and down to the first floor.
"We done here?" Clint asked as they reached the exit.
"Did you take care of the guards?" Casey looked at him.
"I did." Clint nodded.
"Then we're done."
Clint followed Casey back to the van and they climbed in, dropping Cranfield on the floor. Natasha turned from the driver's seat to look at them.
"How'd it go?" She asked.
"No problems." Clint answered.
"Let me guess," Natasha glanced from Cranfield to Casey. "He tried to pick a fight..."
"You know me so well..." Casey grinned and leaned back.
Natasha smiled and turned her attention back to driving.
"I'd say it went well," Clint said. "Our first mission, I mean."
"Yeah," Casey nodded slowly. "They won't always be this easy, though..."
"True," Clint shrugged slightly. "But we can handle it."
"You're very sure of yourself."
"Why shouldn't I be?" Clint looked at her before giving her a goofy grin.
"What have I gotten myself into...?" Casey shook her head and smiled.
Thank you for being such loyal readers and reviewers! I will try to update this soon... :) :) I also welcome any ideas for future chapters. ;) :D
Don't forget to leave a review. You are truly wonderful! :3
BTW, how would you feel about the next couple of chapters having some slight Casey/Clint pairing? :)