"You think we should suit up?" Tony asked, feeling oddly vulnerable without his suit. He liked to believe Natasha wouldn't harm him... At 8 years old she hadn't killed anyone yet, but she'd been trained too, and he'd seen the fear in her eyes as she stared down at him
"I don't think that'd be wise Tony, if one thing is going to set Natasha more on edge, it's a man running after her sporting the American flag"
"Oh, yeah. Right" Tony almost laughed at his ridiculous suggestion, and then a thought hit him and he ran to the elevator
"Tony? Where are you going?"
"The roof"
"What? Why?" Steve stuttered, running after him
"Whenever Barton is on a mission, or she has a nightmare; Natasha goes to the roof of the tower to watch the stars or sit in the rain. Barton sits up there for hours in complete silence; he likes the space to think. It's comfort, and familiar. It's where they'll be..."
"You're sure?" Phil asked, amazed that Tony Stark had paid so much attention to notice these habits
"I – I think so. It's my best shot..."
They disembarked the elevator on the top floor and made their way to the stairs to the roof, Phil waited there; there last thing they wanted was to make them feel overcrowded.
"Clint, Natasha?" Steve asked gently on finding the two children by the edge of the rooftop of shield HQ. Natasha was stood looking up at the sky, not minding one bit about the rain which soaked her hair and ran down her face. Clint was sat with his feel dangling over the edge; watching the streets below with a keen interest.
"How do you know our names?" Clint asked, not looking at the two men
"We're here to keep you safe"
Natasha laughed, not with humour, but disbelief. She looked at them, and Tony saw once again her emerald eyes betray her true emotions; complete and utter fear
"Why should we trust you? We don't know you" she asked sternly, ignoring the slight shake in her hands as the cold rain started getting to her
Steve raised his hands, slowly. And Tony mimicked the gesture; "We're unarmed, we've been trying to find you for a while; we were worried about you"
"Why?"
"We know people have hurt you, but you're safe now. I promise"
Clint finally looked over from his perch at the edge of the building, and Natasha's gaze remained locked with Steve's as she tried to read him.
"We're in America?" Natasha asked
"New York" Tony answered
"Why?"
"Natasha, can't we have this conversation inside; you're cold" Steve said, gesturing to her shaking form as she stood, soaked head to toe in the rain
"I'm fine" she insisted
Clint went to stand by her side, and the two waited patiently for an answer
"This building, those agents; they're shield. They're who got you out, to keep you safe. This is where they're based. New York" Steve answered simply
Tony hoped that would be the end of the conversation; he himself was starting to get cold and he wasn't only wearing a hospital gown
"Why us?" Clint asked, peering round Steve to Tony, to see if he would answer any of their questions
"W- what do you mean?" he asked, unsure what Clint meant by that
"There must be loads of kids in bad situations. Why not them? Why pick a carnie kid from Iowa and a girl from Russia?"
So it seems the two of them had at least traded some of their back stories while they'd been giving shield the run around
"Erm... Because..." Steve stammered, unsure of how to answer
"Because you deserve better; a second chance" Tony offered hopefully
Natasha gave Clint an uncertain glance as he stepped toward them. Steve was right; Clint was easier to convince
Steve's smile of relief as Clint approached the doorway back inside quickly vanished as Natasha took an unsteady step backwards. He was painfully aware how close to the edge she was, and she was so small and frail; he feared a gust of wind would cause her to fall.
"Natasha?" Tony asked gently, not moving from his spot but causing the young girls focus to be placed entirely on him; "Just come back inside, please"
She looked like she might be considering it, their persistence accompanied by the chill she was beginning to feel were wearing her down. But then Agent Sitwell burst through the door demanding to know if they were making any progress, it started all four of them, but as Natasha jumped, he footing slipped on the wet surface of the roof and she fell...