Chapter 1
Clint sat in a corner booth with his back to the wall, his ankles crossed and his bottom foot tapping rhythmically against the table leg. He still couldn't believe that he'd agreed to do this favor for Phil's sister-in-law's student. When he'd said yes at the family dinner, it had seemed like an easy way to make brownie points, but now that the day had arrived he felt sick to his stomach. The only thing that was making the idea of the interview better was that Phil was sitting across the room watching him over the rim of his frosty beer mug. After Budapest, he wasn't sure if Phil would still be in his life let alone if he would still have a job with S.H.I.E.L.D. His eyes drifted away from Phil and made contact with the intense gaze of the reason that he'd had his doubts about both.
Natasha was sitting next to Phil eating French fries dipped in house-made mayo and taking in everything going on in the nearly empty grille. Clint still didn't know if he was more surprised that Fury had allowed him to stay in his relationship with Phil and continue in his job or had finally allowed The Black Widow out of H.Q. He wondered how much Phil had to do with any of the above. As part of her deal, much like the one he'd been given when he'd joined S.H.I.E.L.D., she'd had to stay in H.Q. until the Psych Department cleared her. Even Clint hadn't been forced to stay on H.Q. property for as long as Natasha. Phil was starting to warm to her after he came to realize that Clint hadn't refused to shoot her, because he wanted to sleep with her, but because she reminded him of himself in the bad old days. Clint pulled himself out of his revelry and turned his complete attention on the entry way when he realized that Tasha's eyes had suddenly darted in that direction.
Before he could rise and greet the woman who was rapidly approaching his booth, Natasha had cartwheeled over the tabletop of her and Phil's table, turned handsprings across the floor, and landed between him and the woman who fit the description that Carina had given Phil.
"Uh, Tasha," Clint said as he stood, his eyes darting between her and Phil, who was pulling his sidearm as he started toward them, putting his body between Clint and the two women.