Chapter 1
She watched the girls PR team flock around her, her hair and makeup were to be perfect for the evening; it was some ball or another and Nicole - her protectee - had tried her best to talk her into going with her, telling her that she 'looked as though she could use a night of fun' but Natasha had declined. Enthusiastically. She heard Phil Coulson over the comms chuckle and tell her that it wouldn't kill her to try to relax for once.
She might be working but that didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy her job for a change. She'd grumbled in response and told him to shut up. Both of them knew though that she didn't want him to do that; Phil was probably the closest thing that Natasha had to an actual father. His voice on these ops was probably the one thing that stopped her going crazy.
"Tonight might get a little crazy, Natasha. Keep your guard up." Phil warned gently.
"Always do, papa." Nat responded softly.
She was happy he cared so much about her. She may pretend otherwise but she really did appreciate his concern.
Her green eyes didn't leave her assignment for even a second. So far it had been an uneventful few days and she'd wondered why SHIELD had been pulled in on this detail in the first place; she knew the girls father spoke - avidly - for mutant acceptance around the world and that he was powerful and very influential which probably explained that well enough but so far, it had been boring.
"When exactly do I get out of here?" She sighed.
Phil must have been able to tell from her tone that she was bored out of her mind because he let a small chuckle crackle over the comms.
"I don't think it'll be too much longer; she gives her speech tonight and her father finalises his endorsements of the mutant alliances with the governments of Europe and you should be able to come home by the end of tomorrow."
In truth she felt relieved. She watched the girl stand and her security - assigned by her father - rise along with her and they walked to the door. She looked back at Natasha over her shoulder and asked her one final time whether she was sure she couldn't talk her into coming with her. Natasha smiled but politely declined anyway; she hated parties. She hated parties of any kind and she had a job to do. The head of the security team gave her a once over and sneered.
Natasha balled her hands into fists at her side, reminding herself over and over that SHIELD wouldn't be pleased if she kicked the crap out of this asshole regardless of how much he might deserve it.
Everyone cleared out of the room and Natasha made her way down to the lobby about five minutes after them; Phil made sure to tell her that they had eyes on hotel CCTV which meant that she didn't directly have to follow them. It gave her a few moments to calm down anyway. She wanted nothing more than to finish this goddamn assignment and get out of there because if she had to stay for much longer, she felt pretty damn sure she was gonna wind up going toe to toe with the big guy and he was going to come out worse off.
She hated guys like him.
She made her way up to the balcony overlooking the ballroom below and she cast a glance to the floor above her and the beautiful skylight window there; it was a clear night tonight, summer so it was warm and she could see the stars and the big, bright full moon overhead. It was a shame that all of the electric lights in the place were dulling out the natural night so badly. She wondered idly in the back of her mind why Phil had warned her it might get a little crazy, and she'd been about to ask when movement overhead caught her attention.
She frowned, turning on her heel and heading out toward the fire escape leading up the side of the building. She didn't bother with the stairs, that'd take too long; she'd been trained well enough to vault up effortlessly and she landed then on the roof; he had his back turned to her at first. The silhouette shifted just momentarily and he wheeled around, his bow nocked and pointed, lined perfectly with her heart.
Her hand rested against the handle of her gun. She studied him, his grip tightened and she heard the bow flex in protest of his grip. Well - she guessed - this was why things were about to get crazy. He took a step forward, pushing the hood from his head and he studied her; his smirk was almost menacing and he laughed. Shaking his head, she could honestly swear that he rolled his eyes at her.
"Oh how far you've fallen." He commented, it sounded dismissive.
She could see the way he looked at her, it was almost like he knew her and she guessed from his words he did. She tilted her head slightly to the side and decided on reaching for her gun anyway; he just laughed.
"You're not going to get off a shot before I do." He stated it simply.
Matter of factly.
"You don't know that." She countered.
"Oh, I do."
She frowned, her brow furrowed softly. He smirked as he looked her up and down and Natasha shook her head gently. She recognised him in a sort of odd way, a face that she'd seen in dreams that she'd tried to forget; his was a face that she'd seen on the nights that she'd woke up screaming and shaking in a cold sweat. His was a face that she'd thought she'd imagined for years now.
"Come on, let the wheels in your head turn: Where do I know him? How does he know me?" He relaxed his grip on his bow.
Only barely, but she noted the way his knuckles started to regain some color. They'd been white under the strain.
"I don't remember." She spoke guardedly.
The two stood there, weapons pointed at one another but neither of them took a shot though they'd both had more than ample opportunity. He tapped his foot, rolling his eyes impatiently.
"Either take your shot or I will." He warned.
"No, you won't." This time it was her that spoke simply.
This time it was her that seemed sure of herself.
"No?" He questioned.
He was intrigued. A daring look flashed across his features; if she hadn't been trained as well as she had she'd have missed it completely but she didn't.
"If you were going to shoot, you would have." She shrugged her shoulders.
"By that logic, so would you." He laughed.
"Maybe you just aren't worth my arrows; I have a job to do and you're nothing but an inconvenience. I'll tell you what: Step aside now and I'll make this as pain-free as I can. You know they want you dead, they'd rather get you back but dead works for everyone, too." He took a step forward; his grip had tightened again.
The bow creaked once more under the pressure.
"Move, Natalia. I won't ask you again."
And move she did, she dropped to the floor and with one swift kick to the side of his knee he was down on one knee, the bow slammed into the ground as his hand hit it wrong and she saw the way blood sprang from his knuckles immediately; it was only a graze but she knew it'd irritate him nonetheless. She rolled to the side as he swung out one leg, recovering fast just like she'd known he would but she wasn't quite quick enough. His foot connected with the back of her arm and she yanked it to her chest.
She sprang back to her feet, her gun was at least seven feet away whereas his bow lay perhaps four from him; she cocked a brow as he rose almost lazily from the ground and she immediately moved to the side as he tossed a knife at her. If she hadn't, it would have connected with her stomach. She had a feeling that he'd missed on purpose; it had been a sloppy throw.
One she knew was intended to distract her; he had his bow back in his hand and she plucked the knife off of the floor with a swift dive, she threw it with no intentions of missing and it hit him straight in the thigh. He let out a growl, yanking the knife out and he let it drop to the floor.
"Smart girl." He commented.
She had her gun pointed at his head the second he stood up and he faced her unarmed.
"Take the shot, Natalia. We both know you've got no problem killing."
"You're wrong." She shook her head.
"We have a choice. Both of us. You can choose to let what they put in your head right now rule you or you can choose to listen to me: I can help you. Someone helped me once, he broke into that facility and he took me somewhere safe. I can do the same for you. I can take you someplace safe if you'll just stop for a goddamn second and listen. You knew me once, you knew the girl that they create and now I'm here to save someone."
"To save them from me." His brow rose curiously.
"If that's what it takes, yes. I'd rather it didn't come to that. You're Clint, aren't you? American orphan taken in and trained from 11 years old. I remember your story just as I've no doubt you remember little pieces of mine. I want to help you, Clint. I can help you. I don't wanna kill you here." She put her gun away.
"Even if you don't trust me just yet? Take a goddamn chance. Do you wanna go back there to be wiped and put back in a tube for years until they have a use for you? Do you wanna miss the world around you? Do you really want to be nothing but a caged dog until someone gets a good enough shot on you to put you down?"
His hand was applying pressure to his leg; she tugged her jacket off and tossed it to him.
"Wrap that around and use your belt. I can call us both in a medevac in seconds. You have no reason to trust me or anyone else but I'm asking you to take a chance. You're better than what they made you. You can be better than what they turned you into. I'm proof there's a life outside of all of this. Clint, please just listen to me. Let me take you in. Let me show you that you can choose different."
She could see it in his face, he was considering it. He did exactly as she suggested though and he lowered himself to sit on the ground to take the pressure off of his leg. He glanced up at him and she noted the blue in his eyes was brighter underneath the moonlight but the flecks of grey looked silver so bright it practically glimmered.
"Say you're right and I do trust you, what's to stop them throwing me in a deep dark hole for what I've done?" He was suspicious.
She couldn't blame him even a little bit.
"I won't let them, you have my word. I proved you can be redeemed with what I've done. I've proved that there's a life after that place and I promise you I won't let them throw you in a hole. I won't let them lock you away. I'll vouch for you just like someone did for me once. If I'm wrong? I'll help you escape again and I'll let you kill me if that's what it takes. Just take this goddamn chance. If you go back there and you've failed tonight? Is it worth what they'll do to you."
"No, but it won't be worth what they do to me if they catch up with me and I trust your dumb ass, either. You're a traitor. They labelled you a traitor and you're on the top of their hit list so I'm betting if I take you in, all will be forgiven."
"Maybe you're right, but is it worth taking that chance? They might kill us both but if you take my offer? I'll fight for your damn life the way someone once fought for mine. You knew me. I was a kid but you knew me. You know my moves and you could've taken that shot any time you wanted but you didn't and so could I. You helped to train me so let me help to save you."
He moved so that he was laid looking up at the moon and he held up his hands.
"Fine, cuff me and haul me in but if anyone tries anything? I'll take you up on your offer an put a bullet in your brain and in theirs."
"That's something I can live with."
Or die for. Either one.