Trying a new POV here, tell me if you like it.

Chapter 12

Previously:

A man who I thought was dead.

"Coulson?!"

Natasha's POV

My blood turned to ice. Coulson – my handler, teacher, and friend – was alive?!

Apparently, because he steps out of the shadows behind Taylor and the reaction is instantaneous. Glass shatters as Steve drops his water glass, Tony jumps up from his chair, swearing vehemently, Bruce looks shocked and his eyes spark emerald, Thor faints, and Clint goes pale and just stares.

"Miss me?" Coulson asks nonchalantly, like he had just been on a milk run, not deceased for five years.

I stand and march up to Coulson, proceeding to do what few are brave enough to do.

Slap him.

"Of course we missed you! We grieved for you! We held a funeral! We waged a war in your name. Steve spiraled into guilt because of those stupid, stupid cards, Tony got drunk and cursed you and everything you ever did because of your last stupid mistake. Thor swore vengeance on his little brother. Bruce locked himself in a lab and when Hulk did come out, he screamed at the sky and howled and smashed. Taylor flew off to…"

"Maine." She supplies.

"Maine and dropped off the grid completely for a week and a half. She then proceeded to lock herself in the lab for another week and build a freaking statue. Of you. It's at the Manhattan memorial."

He just raises an eyebrow. "You and Barton?"

I look him in the eyes and make my voice monotone. "You were not there when I had to tell Clint you were dead. You hear the screams, the shouts, or the late-night whimpers we all heard when he woke up in a cold sweat because he saw himself killing you. You also never saw my masks shatter, the bullet holes riddling the gym walls, and you never saw the tears. We CRIED, YOU IMBECILE!" I scream as I curl my fists and stomp my boot like a five year old throwing a temper tantrum.

The noise leaves us all stunned as an uneasy silence settles over the room, the only sound being my labored breathing and someone clicking a pen.

"Okay." Steve starts quietly. "Why don't we all disperse and wait for our blood to cool down? Bruce, Hulk room down the hall and on your left. Lab two floors below that. Taylor, Tony, the labs are open. Barton, you know where to go. Romanoff, you know where the range is. Will someone help me with Thor please?"

Two doctors rush forward and help drag Thor down the hall as we all scurry to our safe places. I storm off towards an empty hospital room, kicking the door closed and sagging onto the bed. I listen to the muffled roars of the Hulk as Bruce lets off some steam and grab a rubber ball off the nightstand and bounce it off the wall.

Thump.

He is alive.

Thump.

But we needed something to avenge.

Thump.

So Fury lied to everyone, even Clint and I, making us go through all that grief just so we would win.

Thump.

Sometimes I wonder if his compassion disappeared with his eye.

Knock.

I fumble the ball and glance up, sighing as I see an all too familiar head poke through the door.

"Come in."

The door swishes closed and Coulson joins me on the bed, close but not touching. "I'm sorry."

I shake my head. "Wasn't your choice nor your decision. I should be apologizing, not you."

"For what?"

I rub the back of my neck. "Blowing up at you back there. I should have yelled at Fury. Instead I took it all out on you."

He shakes his head. "I could have told you sooner. I should have told you sooner."

"Could, would, should, Phil."

"Pot, kettle."

"Touché."

"So what did I miss?"

"They didn't tell you?"

"Nope." He pops the p. "I have been in Tahiti and completely isolated. So spill!" He whines, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

I chuckle and think of what to tell him first.

"Clint is dating now."

"Good for him! Our little hawk has finally grown up. In team or out of team?"

"In the team."

He smiles, but his brow furrows. "You?"

"Nah."

"Then who?"

"Stark."

Phil blinks at me slowly before shifting awkwardly. "I did not know he swung that way. Um…"

I look at him oddly before I realize what that sounded like. "No! Oh god no. Not Tony." I shudder. "Taylor. Taylor Stark. His daughter, remember?"

Recognition dawns over his face. "Oh. That makes much more sense." He thinks for a moment. "I can totally see that. And may I just say, that is adorable."

I nod. "It is, was, and always will be. But please do not become a Clint + Taylor shipper slash fanboy. They already have like twenty in the PR department at the tower, they do not need you too."

"I would not do that!" he protests.

"I watched you while you were sleeping." I mimic him in a very good imitation of an awkward Phil Coulson.

"I corrected myself." he mumbles.

"Doesn't mean you didn't scar poor Steve?"

He perks up. "First name basis, eh? Explain. Explain everything."

I do. I explain about the cards, the bloodstained cards, about how I woke Clint back up, and how we all – every single one of us – rallied and fought for our country, our city, and our lives.

Then I told of how, in the year between Manhattan and London, we warmed up to each other, letting our shield lower and our walls crumble. London itself was a rollercoaster of emotions. He nodded with understanding as I introduced Zygones. He visibly paled at the missile attack and diversion. He frowned when I mentioned the Paris car crash, although he was smiling at Taylor's antics just before that. He laughed as I mentioned the birth of the Sparrow. His eyes were full of fury as I got to Tony's kidnapping. He winced and rubbed at his chest when I brought up Loki. He whimpered when I told of Taylor's accident and smiled when I brought up the new arm. He snarled when I explained Fury and the split from S.H.I.E.L.D. His eye twinkle when I bring up the Paris vacation.

And then comes Utah. He grins as I explain about Clint and Taylor's 'not date', openly laughing when I recount their first kiss. He groans and clutches at the bed sheets when I hesitantly describe Taylor's kidnapping. I think I see tears in his eyes while I tell him about Clint's-almost sacrifice. His eyes light up as I describe Asgard and then darken as I get to Utah. He mutters about how Loki is a psychopathic snake as I retell his monologue to Taylor – including the jab at her mother – and he facepalms when she crash lands in the lake. He cheers loudly when he dies, though.

He almost falls off the bed laughing as I describe the Bobbi incident about six months ago, cheering Taylor on the entire time.

"So now we get here. Over the past week and a half, the Avengers have been stolen from, lied to, mislead, chased out of house and home, sent into hiding, and then dragged back out again. Only to be put into a prison in Germany, where Taylor woke up screaming. She did learn how to fly a Quinjet, though."

Phil chuckles. "Well, at least you've been busy. Now, about those moles…"

"Agent Pierce is the current leader of HYDRA, which has been growing inside S.H.I.E.L.D. Now, we believe that an attack-"

As if on cue, an explosion rips through the air.