Clint wasn't sure how long he slept on the roof, but it was well after midnight and getting cold when the sound of a SHIELD chopper approaching the landing pad woke him up. He quickly retreated back to the barracks, hoping that Rogers was in the gym as usual. Luckily – he was. Barton collapsed on his bed, wondering what Nat was doing right then.
Natasha was just about asleep in her hotel room when her phone buzzed:
Miss you the text read.
Miss you too
What did Fury say?
He talked to her on the phone.
And?
She said no, but her face said yes.
That's good.
I'll call you in the morning. Bye hotshot.
The next morning, Barton was not at all surprised when he heard Fury's voice in the mess hall. The tall man dressed in black strode over to the table where Barton and Rogers were having breakfast. He sat down and out of nowhere a private delivered a cup of coffee and disappeared just as quickly.
"Morning sir," nodded Barton. Rogers copied him.
"So, Cap, how's it going helping out with Stark-sitting?"
"Fine sir, he stays in his lab most of the time." Sighed Steve.
Fury glanced at Barton who took a sudden interest in his eggs. Fury continued to address Rogers "Rogers, we have to talk about something…" Fury hesitated. Rogers sat up straight having noticed the serious tone in the Director's voice. "Rogers, you need to take a trip. There's someone you need to see."
"See who sir?" Steve asked.
"Someone you used to know…"
Fury looked down at his coffee cup, not sure what else to say. Steve gulped a little, realizing that there was only one person left to see. And he had decided weeks ago that he was not going to-that he couldn't. He glanced at Barton, who was also looking down. It was clear that Clint was aware of what Fury meant. But how could he?
"Cap, Barton will fly you down. I suggest you go today. Before it's too late." Fury said in a softer tone, his eyes pleading his case.
Rogers leaned back, blinking, trying to grasp what Fury was saying. "Too late?" he choked a little.
Fury stood up, he wasn't exactly good with things like this anyway, and this damn situation was too sad for too many words. He nodded to Barton, "There's a G550 fueled and waiting."
"Yes sir." He nodded, glad that Fury had the heart to make to tough call.
Fury grasped Rogers shoulder for a second and then simply walked away. Barton looked at Rogers, who was looking at the ceiling, refusing to acknowledge Fury, or anyone for that matter. Clint cleared the dishes from the table and walked back to Steve, who still hadn't moved.
"Rogers? You ok?"
"How the hell could I be ok?"
Clint took a step back, surprised at Roger's anger, but understanding the pain behind it.
Steve looked up at him "There is nothing OK about this Barton. There is nothing OK about having the life you know ripped away from you. There is nothing OK about waking up one day to find that everything and everyone you know and loved is gone. There is nothing OK about having time suddenly turn into this evil thing that rips you apart." He spat out.
"I know." Is all Barton could say.
"Really? How could you possible know that?"
"I know that Peg Carter loved you."
Steve sat up straight again, this time really pissed, "What did you say?"
"I said I know that she loved you. She never married, you know. Never had a family. She worked. She worked her whole life right up until 5 years ago." Said Clint, relieved to finally be able to say the truth.
Steve looked at him with a mixture of shock and anger "How could you possibly know that Barton!"
"She's a friend, Rogers. She's a good friend to me and to Natasha. Nat especially."
Steve shook his head in denial, "How? When? I don't understand?"
Barton leaned in closer. "Steve, get on the plane with me, man. We'll talk on the way, ok?"
Once again, reality had taken a bend and Steve Rogers felt helpless. He nodded in surrender to Barton who grabbed his arm and hauled him up out of the chair.
"So, you'll come?" Barton asked hopefully.
Steve nodded. Barton realized that was all he was going to get out the man and left the mess hall, Rogers trailing behind, feeling as dazed as the day he had woken up from the ice.
Ninety minutes later Barton was piloting a small but fast jet from New York to Virginia Beach, Rogers in the co-pilot seat. Steve stared out the window, not ready to talk. Barton gave him the space. After a few minutes, Rogers softened a bit. "Is this where Natasha went to?" he asked. Barton nodded his head.
"H-how long have you known her?" Steve asked tentatively.
"About 8 years, I guess. I've been with SHEILD 11 years, but I didn't meet her until she came in to help with Natalia."
"Huh? Who is Natalia?"
"Natalia Romanova was a Russian assassin who was taken into SHIELD custody 8 years ago. Margaret Carter was Director of the Congressional Archives at the time, but Director Fury asked her to return to SHEILD to help re-train Romanova. And she did." He said while still looking at his gauges.
"What? You mean? You mean Natasha?"
"Yep."
"Peggy trained Natasha to be a SHILED agent?" And suddenly that didn't seem so strange to Steve. It even made sense, in some weird way. Peggy would have been the perfect person to oversee someone like what Natasha must have been back then. But then his mind raced back to something else, something he didn't want to think about.
"Barton, how old is she?"
"She's 96."
"But? You said 8 years. You mean she was 88 when you met her?"
"I guess she was, yes."
"What was she like?"
"She was a spitfire, but I guess you know that, don't you?"
Steve nodded. He needed more time to think. More time to process all that had happened in the last 2 hours.
Barton looked forward, at his gauges, at the sky, thinking about that time, 8 years ago, when things were so different…