"This is one hell of a walk."
"More like a perspective of where you've been."
"Right," the marksman trudged along.
"We should be at the end." Phil looked at his watch. "Running a little behind schedule. Pick up the pace."
Even in purgatory, his ex-handler was still giving out orders. The scene morphed from the arid desert and now to the city streets. The cement was damp, as they walked across the empty thoroughfare.
"Back to the beginning." Clint glanced around, realizing he was back in the city that started it all. He can just picture the alleyway when the Black Widow escaped from him the first time.
"Everything comes full circle." Phil leaned against the brick wall, watching how the teenager he found had change so much. "Well kid, it's the end of the road for me."
"This is it?"
"I'm better off staying here just to keep you two out of trouble," he smiled. "And besides, who knows who else might show up. I have to keep the Avengers out of here as long as I can." A soft voice echoed in the darkness, "You better go now."
"Phil…" The older man turned around, wearing the same grin the first time Clint met him back when he recruited him for S.H.I.E.L.D. "Thanks," he stuffed in hands in his pockets, "I never had a chance to say it."
"I'll be seeing you. Now get out of here."
The ramp slowly lowered from the cargo bay. She flew down with all her strength as she could muster. Mentally her mind screamed at her to run, but her legs were still adjusting to the months of disuse.
Tony cut the distance shorter for them, as he carried the barely conscious Barton towards his partner. "Hang in there."
"We got company," the redhead shouted as she reached for her Glock. The bullets ricocheted off the brick walls, as she readjusted her aim.
"Get back to the jet," Tony shouted as he put his facemask down again. His screen locked in on the targets. "I need more firing power, JARVIS."
"Sir, you only have 50% remaining."
"Fine then."
"Talk to me, Barton." She synched up the tourniquet around his left arm and heaved him back up the ramp, as Stark gave them cover. "Don't you dare quit on me," she yelled at him and punched him in the face to wake him up. She felt a bullet rush pass her face as she shielded him from the chaos. "What were you thinking?"
"Tash."
It was the one syllable that sent her over the edge. She got up from her position and started firing away, alternating each Glock that was in her hand. Deep down inside, she couldn't let him die. "Who are these people?"
"Most likely the Red Guardian's cronies." Stark backed up behind her, as he wondered what their odds would be.
In all the craziness, Banner managed to get Hawkeye back into the jet and stabilized him temporarily. Before descending back down onto the roof of the building. He was being pushed to his limits as well. Two of his friends were close to death's doorstep in just matter of hours.
Natasha looked over her shoulder. "We better get out of the way." Not sooner than three seconds, a blur of green rushed past them with the floor vibrating beneath them.
The Hulk picked up the rag dolls and tossed them aside. He took the brunt of their firepower, but he surged forward, knocking down the masked men like dominos. As the Hulk cleared the path for them, Stark managed to jettison Natasha back into cargo bay.
She bounded back to where Clint was. By now, lines were inserted into him running with saline and blood. She moved aside some of his hair that was matted with sweat. "You're such an idiot, Barton."
He managed to let out his boyish grin. "You first."
~Flashback~
She could tell he had something on his mind. He drummed his fingers on the table absentmindedly as she tried to read. Ever since coming out from Loki's mind control, all the walls she fought to break down were building up again. Clint was Clint after all, but the incident with Loki was enough to keep him on the edge.
Being on a long hiatus from S.H.I.E.L.D. was another thing. The two master assassins weren't used to this blissful down time. She was surprised that Fury kept his word, even though they both knew there were bigger anomalies out there. With Loki back in Asgard, only time would tell when he would make his next grand appearance.
"You need sleep." She gazed up from mid-chapter.
"I can't." He leaned back into the couch, staring back at her.
"Why not?" She set aside her book on the table, as she looked into his sleep deprived eyes. The sinister blue flashed in her memory when he was under the control of half brother of a demigod.
"He's still there," his voice rose. He ran his hands through his hair. The cognitive recalibration from his longtime partner was only a temporary patch. Yeah he was no longer his puppet, but the thoughts weren't easily erased. "Fuck this."
"Where are you going?"
"Out to clear my head." He slammed the door as he walked out, not taking a second look at his partner.
Natasha leaned back into sofa, wondering how long would take Clint to come out of the nightmare. She tried confronting him, but what was the point, they were both stubborn in their own ways. In truth, they were starting to fall apart. The spark was dwindling and she was desperately trying to hang on as much as she could.
Her phone vibrated off the coffee table and she reached down. The familiar phone number flashed on the screen. "I'll be there in ten minutes." She grabbed her black coat and walked out from their high-rise apartment. Tony initially had offered them to stay at Stark Tower, but they both declined.
The city streets were filled with blank faces of everyday life. She walked further until she came across the café.
A pair of familiar eyes spotted her from the door, and she made a beeline to the table. "I thought you would be long gone by now, Cap."
"Pleasure meeting you again, ma'am."
"No need for formalities. This isn't military business."
"Right, Agent Romanoff." He took a sip from coffee cup, as she still flashed her stern green eyes at him. "Where's Barton?"
"He's blowing off steam somewhere." She shifted in her seat, while removing her coat. "He's not the same."
"Loki, I presume."
"Right…you are." Her eyes looked down at the mahogany table that was littered with carvings of names. "Before I forget, I have something for you." She held out a file that she had clutched. "I believe this might help you." Rogers gingerly took the manila folder. A picture of Peggy Carter was clipped on the left-hand side, and the red word was stamped…ALIVE.
"How did you get this?"
"I pulled a few strings, but I think you should know."
"I don't know what to say," he tilted his head to the side, "but thank you."
"My pleasure…after all, you're indeed the man out of time and you need closure as well." She got up from her seat and began to walk away.
"Hey Romanoff," he caught right before she stepped out, "I know Barton will turn around."
"I sure hope so," she smiled weakly. "See you around. Enjoy the freedom for now."
She found him leaning against the window with his arm bracing his weight when she returned. The skyline was clouded with a veil of low-lying clouds that drifted off from the ocean. She walked up behind him and slid her hand on his shoulder. She felt the tension between his muscles. He was still fuming. "Talk to me." He let out a puff of air, wondering where to begin. "You have to let me in, Clint."
"It's not simple." He looked blankly out the window.
She remained silent at his side. It was no use. Whatever was left, faded with each passing second.
A buzz vibrated off the coffee table breaking up their moment. "You should get that." His eyes were still trained on the skyline.
"It can wait."
"Are you sure?" His voice was distant, "You might be up for a mission."
Quickly, she laced her fingers around his chin and forced him to directly look into her jade eyes. "Barton, it's you and me." She dug her fingernails into his flesh. "Nothing else."
A small hint of realization came over his grey eyes. His calloused hands reached out for hers. Every alarm in his mind was going off, and there was no turning back. "I'm afraid…to lose you."
"You had me worry back there," she unlatched her hand from his grasp, wondering how to tread on this topic that reared its head every so often. The memory of Phil's phone call came back to haunt her. The moment her former handler said those words, her mind kicked into overdrive. Maybe it was time to change perspectives, but acknowledging the feeling would make her sound weak. She was trained to be a deadly assassin and that was all. The less connections, the easier it was.
Clint hoped she would reciprocate the feeling, but he knew after all he was standing next to the infamous Black Widow, a product of the Red Room.
"I've always been compromised." She whispered looking back into him.
The archer let out a small grin, realizing he'll take what words came from her. Slowly, he was returning back to himself. It was a start in the right direction.
~End of Flashback~
Sorry about the lack of updates, I've been trying to publish a paper and working crazy hours. I wrote a longer chapter to make up for lost time! Thanks for the reviews, story alerts, and faves!
Send me some early birthday presents, I would greatly appreciate that!