As always, thank for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Your support means a lot to me.

Also, I raised the rating just to be safe.

Anyways, here is the next chapter.

One Year before Battle of New York

Clint was grateful to be back in the carrier with Natasha, he didn't want to relive the images embedded in his mind.

Child slavery and human trafficking rings were by far the most emotional exhausting missions. It sickened Clint to see children younger than his own left in these explicitly inhumane lives. For Natasha, it revisited her to a place that she generally would oppose to letting her mind go to. Strike Team: Delta saw its heart being pulled out at every horrific sight these past few days, they couldn't take the mental torture anymore for a moment longer.

As they were known for, the mission itself was a success, but there were no victory parties aboard the two man shuttle. They had barely spoken a word since they boarded, Clint flew for hours without asking to switch out, while Natasha stayed in a dreamlike state in the copilot seat. Her arms clenched her sides to cover her chest and her head lay to the side facing Clint, although from the emotion in her eyes it was very clear she wasn't looking at him, she was much farther away. Occasionally she would shiver suddenly and her lips would mouth words with no sound, as if she thinking hard about something.

"I'm not taking you back to base like this," Clint said in almost a growl. He didn't need to elaborate, she already knew what he meant. Coulson would be understanding, Fury would be bothered but not nearly enough to order them back.

Natasha's only response was a slow nod. If she was honest with herself and perhaps less broken at the moment, she'd be ecstatic right now to go to the safest and happiest place she knew. She valued her trips to the farm as a time for much needed peace in a life that revolved around the disorder in the world.

They arrived just after the children's bedtime, Laura was pleasant as always as she prepared them both dinner. The meal was similar to the first one the trio had shared, Clint and Laura talked tirelessly while Natasha observed, somewhat dazed.

As the late dinner concluded, Clint dismissed himself to the basement. The small exercise area in the basement is where you'd customarily find Clint after a particularly rough mission, working and training the pain away. Natasha settled restlessly in the living room finding small trinkets to busy her hands and distract her mind.

Natasha didn't feel as if she could sleep at moment, but she was capable of lying in a dark room until sleep overtook her. And with that thought she headed to the guest bedroom. On her journey there she past the master bedroom where the door was open and Laura was braiding her hair for the night.

"Hey you, you're like a cat with those silent footsteps," Laura called out to Natasha who stopped and spun on her heel to face her, "Well, come in Nat, we definitely need to talk."

Natasha entered the room and took a seat on the bed, she wondered if she was supposed to talk first but Laura interrupted that thought.

"How are you?" she asked while taking a seat next to the agent, "and be honest with me, please"

Laura's eyes were pleading and Natasha sighed, "I need to wipe the images from the front of my mind, once I push them back I can stop reliving m-my past." She sounded like she was reciting a drill, "I need to think about anything else just to help me forget, at least temporarily."

Laura followed her intently before deciding to speak. She opened her mouth to give her response, then stopped and smiled, "I know what you and I need." And with that she rushed from room. She returned less than a minute later with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"Now I am a mother, so I can't officially condone this, but off the record," she handed a full glass to Natasha, "you're going to need this."

Natasha smiled before taking a long sip, she did need this, and she might need a few a more of these.

"We're also going to need some chocolate," Laura announced, already proud of her first idea.

"I thought you couldn't keep candy around because Barton always got into it?"

Laura smiled triumphantly, "A wife ALWAYS has a secret stash." She pulled a small box out from behind a picture frame and waved it before joining her best friend. "Okay Nat, a conversation about anything besides that mission, start now."

"Hmm well, your husband is an idiot." Nat smiled at Laura's laugh.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this conversation." The night went on and the two woman drank while discussing every annoying trait Barton has. Natasha explained all the SHIELD gossip of who hooked up with who, who had a crush on who, and who accidently shot who on a mission.

At some point, although neither of the ladies knew when, they were asleep sprawled out on the bed with empty wine glasses and candy wrappers. Clint entered the room hoping to get some sleep, when he found Natasha on his side.

"NA-TA-SHA!" his voice didn't go above a harsh whisper. Nat let out a muffled groan. Clint poked her ribs, "Tasha!" A slightly louder groan, "I am not about to sleep in that uncomfortable guest bed because you and Laura drank a bit too much while complaining about like… tampons and celebrity gossip or something."

Natasha rolled over to face Clint with her eyes still shut, "You're an idiot. Anyways I don't feel like moving, go away now."

Clint rolled his eyes, "don't feel like moving, not a problem," he mumbled to himself. He scooped Nat into his arms and lift her up. Natasha, who was still half asleep, lashed out weakly against him. Clint carried his partner to the guest room and dropped her impolitely on the bed.

She was now fully awake, "You know I'm going to kill you for this in the morning, right?"

Clint laughed, "Yep, just don't do it in front of the kids, we wouldn't want to traumatize them now would we?"

"You're a jerk, Barton"

"A jerk that gave you a place to sleep, besides the floor, I must be so evil."

Natasha's eyes softened as she sat up, "Seriously though, thank you, I needed someplace to go, someplace safe, and this is all of that."

Clint placed a hand on her shoulder, "People tend to say that about their own homes, Nat" She smiled. She was home.

"Goodnight, Tasha"

"Goodnight, idiot" Clint chuckled, she always had to add in something. Clint retreated to his own bed where he pulled his wife in close to kiss her neck, she smiled in her sleep.

The next morning both Laura and Natasha were slightly hungover leaving Clint to get his kids dressed and fed while babysitting his wife and best friend.

"Never...again..." Laura moaned at the kitchen table where she was sitting with Nat and her husband.

"There are those famous words," Clint laughed, "Romanoff, you certainly handle your alcohol well, as always."

Natasha smirked, "Don't be ashamed that I can drink you all under the table." She grinned and took a long sip of coffee.

"Well, you're alcohol habits might come in handy, we have to get back to base by tonight, Fury is sending us on solo missions."

"Solo missions? Where's the fun in that?"

"I think yours will be loads of fun," Clint smiled darkly, "what's more exciting than babysitting Tony Stark for a few weeks?"

"No, you're joking, Clint please say you're joking, please?"

"Hey you enjoy yourself, I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere with Coulson, to look at a weapon or crater or something!"

Laura laughed while shaking her head, "your jobs are weird."

Okay, were starting to line up with the movies, and the fun really begins! I think I will take the suggestion I was given and write some of these in Clint or Natasha's point of view. Thank you for the support, next chapter will be up soon!