Partners

Clint had opened the door and there she was. No weapons or anything, asking for help. He didn't know what to think at the time, and he still didn't know. She was currently standing in his bedroom while he was getting changed in the bathroom connected to his room.

He was taking as long as possible because staring at himself in the mirror was a lot easier than trying to comprehend Natasha's presence. He hadn't needed to get changed, he was already in his costume from trying to shoot the arrow in the training room before.

He made the shot, regardless of what any of them say. At least Steve had his back.

There's a knock on the bathroom door and Clint opens it. This time, it's Tony. Whenever he opens doors nowadays it's never who he expects. He sighs.

"What?"

"You left her alone while you got changed? She could have escaped, taken down my systems or done something to JARVIS or—"

"She already did something to JARVIS, remember?"

Tony glares at him, or, Clint assumes he does. It's hard to tell when he's got the mask on. He should ask Natasha where she got the EMPs to shut the suit down. They would come in handy.

"Hurry up, Clint, or we'll take your girlfriend and leave without you."

Clint glances over Tony's shoulder at Natasha, not caring if he sees her eavesdrop. He catches her eye and looks away quickly.

"She's not my girlfriend, and I'm coming." He shoves his way past Tony and gets his quiver off of the desk. Pretending to check the arrows are all in order – he doesn't need to check, he always knows how many arrows are in there – he nods to Tony and Tony walks to the door.

"Don't be too long."

Clint hears him walk down the hallway, his suit making the weird noise it does when he walks. Clint wonders what it's like, being trapped in that iron. Suffocating? Probably.

"Do you need anything?" Clint asks without looking at her. He's still fumbling with the arrows.

"No." There is a pause. "What are you doing?"

He shrugs. "Just checking everything's there."

"You know it is."

He looks at her, now. "We should go." He slings the quiver into place. "Come on, the others will be waiting for us."

He holds the door open for her. Natasha walks past and stops right in front of him. Their faces are close and her hand momentarily brushes his; he tells himself it's not intentional but anything Natasha does is never unintentional.

"I am sorry, Clint."

He'd forgotten how green her eyes were. "We have to go." Determined not to look at her, he stares at the wall opposite. Too green. Ridiculously green.

There is an awful, long silence that probably only goes for half a second and then Natasha leaves the room. Clint leads her down the hallway after shutting the door.

"So. Got all your arrows, then?"

He nods curtly.

"I do need something."

"What?" he asks as he scans his ID card to get through a door. There's nothing he can give her; she's got the highest tech out of everyone except Tony, and he won't share his toys with her.

She doesn't say anything and he turns around to glare at her. He's been doing a lot of glaring, lately, and it's starting to hurt.

"I ... nothing."

He doesn't like her eyes. They see too much of him. Continuing into the next room, they soon arrive at the hangar. Tony tells him to get into the smaller jet with Natasha and Hank. Hank's already in there, normal sized. He gives a wave and Clint nods back at him.

"You'll go for the tracer first, we'll follow, give you back up," Tony says, his faceplate lifted. He leans in and speaks quietly. "If she tries anything, Hawkeye, you have to take her down. Can you do that?"

"Is that why you've got Hank in our plane? In case I'm weak? Look, Iron Man, I don't have any powers or some high-tech suit but I am not-" He exhales sharply. "I'll take her out if I have to."

He's said this all too loud and everyone has heard. He pretends not to have noticed and waits for Tony's reply.

"Hank is in there because if we get separated, you won't be able to hold off anyone on your own. Now get in the jet and do not compromise our mission because of her."

The faceplate comes down and Tony walks away. Natasha is already getting into the plane. Clint hurries to catch up with her, aware that everyone is watching him.

After Natasha is in the jet, Steve waits for Clint at the bottom of the ladder. He puts a hand on Clint's shoulder when he's near enough.

"I'll be fine, Captain."

"I can switch with you, if you need it."

Clint shakes his head. "I need this." Without any further word, he climbs up into the jet and Hank shrinks, climbing onto Clint's shoulder.

"Is your seatbelt on?" Clint asks her.

A click. "Yes."

"Good. Let's go."

He doesn't like that she's sitting behind him. She could do anything. Hank can see her, but she could easily take him out if he's the size of a god damned ant. The skin on the back of Clint's neck prickles and he suppresses a shiver.

Why in hell did she have to come back? Why now? Where is Fury? Maybe she's taken him out.

But it's time to focus on the mission, now. He fires up the jet and prepares for the flight.