Chapter Five: No Complications

Disclaimer: All characters of 'The Avengers' belong to Marvel comics and what not. However, Katherine Torrington is MINE. ^_^ Here goes…

A/N: I got a positive feedback so far for the last chapter, I hope people enjoyed it. Letting you in on a secret, Clint originally kissed Katherine's lips but it would've been too easy. Here's chapter five and from now on, I'll be publishing according to US PST (+08:00) time. Thanks again for your support, and don't forget to check out the cute video. watch?v=TPi4rB5v8iY (YouTube)

Kat and Steve sat still in an uncomfortable silence. The Captain was speechless, for the first time in weeks – he wasn't totally lost but it didn't seem like it was his place to point it out. But he knew it had to be said. "You two like each other." Before they took another breath, Kat's phone began to vibrate uncontrollably and flashed a red alert. It was time to work.

She finally got a hold of herself and began to head for the door with Steve not far behind. "Please don't mention this to anyone."

Steve nodded briefly before watching Kat disappear down the many flights of stairs.

Meanwhile, Agent Maria Hill briefed Clint and Kat about their mission as they made their way to a helicopter as time was not on their side. It was a simple skills evaluation where they were to be tested in a virtually stimulated recreation of a battlefield and given target to protect. S.H.E.I.L.E.D held these so-called 'tests' every month or two to keep their 'Best of the Best' in line and on point. This time, it was Clint and Kat's turn.

"You'll have just enough time to retrieve the hostage and bring them back to safety before it all goes dark – however, if you return without a hostage, the safe-house will not accept you," she nodded to them before standing back as they took off. "Good luck."

During the whole exercise the two agents had limited eye contacts and made little use of their communication systems. It didn't seem possible during the time, but both of these individuals would look back at their first argument and laugh. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
At the ten minute to detonation mark, Clint had used up his arrows and was about to sacrifice his bulletproof vest when he was saved by a long range shot of the sniper's fire. He immediately looked up and acknowledged her for the first time that night.

"Hurry up and get to the safe point or you'll be disqualified!" he yelled through the explosions.

Kat chuckled. "My hostage if already at the safe point. I'm just covering your ass!"

"What? You got shot in the ass?"

"NO, IDIOT, I'M LOOKING OUT FOR YOU!" the sniper shouted, destroying Clint's hearing altogether.

"What about you?" he asked, shielding his target by the edge of a virtual building. "You won't make it."

There was a pause. "You need this gig more than me, how are you going to support your family?"

"What are you talking about?" Clint asked, before he suddenly fitted the pieces together in his head. Everything became so clear. He didn't imagine someone standing behind him during his phone call – it was Kat all along. She must have overheard the wrong part of the conversation and jumped to conclusions. "Kat, I'm not having a baby. One of my close friends is having a baby."

In the middle of a rain of bullets, Kat stopped watching what she was shooting and turned towards where her colleague was hiding. Her world lightened just a little to know that he wasn't snatched away from her in the blink of an eye. Her thoughts were interrupted by JARVIS's counter attacks.

"Kat, for f**k sake get down here before you get killed!" Clint yelled, making a run for the safe-house. He chucked his hostage into the door and waited for his partner. "NOW!"

"Yes, sir!" the girl semi salute before she hauled her hostage onto her back and sprinted down the virtual fire escape with a blind leap of faith.

The two agents made it just on time before the virtual reality collapsed with their rescued victims sprawled before them. "Mission: Completed." JARVIS announced as their surroundings pixelated out and the ran-down abandoned warehouse was revealed. It may have been a virtual world, but their bruises were very real. Kat sat crossed legged on the floor and caught her breath while Clint loomed over her.

"You alright?" he asked casually, less out of breath than his partner.

Kat nodded. "Thanks for waiting for me."

Clint smiled with a small chuckle, reaching out his hand to help her up. "I'll always wait for you."