A/N I'm sure some of you think that I suck for how long this took. I got wrapped up in life and have been dealing with a lot of shit from people who should be acting more like friends than they are.

I want to give a shout out to one of my friends who has never treated me badly, no matter what. Through 5 years of knowing each other, she has put up with so much and has always been there for me, even after I've made some pretty shitty decisions (underage everything). I can't thank her enough for everything, and I know that I'm going to miss her like hell in a year when she goes off to medical school and I head for college.

I don't own Marvel or any of their trademarks.

I do know that this chapter is a little shorter than usual, I just really wanted to get it out to you guys!

Enjoy!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The first time that Clint took a bullet for Natasha; he got to hear about it in angry Russian for two weeks. The first time Natasha took a bullet for Clint; she heard about it for a month.

Quickly into their friendship, anger became the easiest way for them to deal with the other being in danger or getting hurt. It didn't make sense to many other people; they didn't understand how these two broken people could dance on the line between holding each other together, and tearing each other apart so frequently. It was a hot mess express that was bound to blow eventually, but no one could have predicted the timing, not even them.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

It had been a week since Natasha's release from the hospital, and the partners had hardly exchanged more than basic greetings since being home. After Natasha's confession of being compromised, doctors had burst in the room and kicked Clint out before the two of them could sort through everything that they had been dealing with. Before Clint could go back in and talk to Natasha, Fury had sent him away on a mission that only lasted 7 days, but felt like it put 7 years between him and her.

Natasha didn't want to bring the lost conversation up for fear that Clint didn't feel the same way- it wasn't like he was planning on bringing it up any time soon. Clint didn't want to discuss everything for fear that she would be hurt or mad if they examined everyone's choices throughout the whole ordeal, not to mention that he was afraid to scare her off with how he felt.

The team had noticed of course, but nearly all of them were afraid to bring it up to the assassins. Bruce was spending time with Natasha, mostly for the rehab that her body seriously needed. Bruce was also the only person keeping Tony from ''poking the bear'' and pissing both of them off enough to seriously injure or kill him. It was still well known among the team the Bruce placed blame on Clint for most of what happened. The team also knows that Bruce places just as much blame on himself for allowing everything to go on for as long as it did.

Natasha was the only one out of the three that escaped most of the blame. Sure, she went about her plan the wrong way, but Clint acted like an ass and Natasha was left desperate for one of the very few and rare times in her life.

Every day when Bruce was working with Natasha on physical therapy and observing her during her return to training, he tried to convince her to talk it out with Clint. No one knew for sure what the archer was thinking and that was Natasha's main deterrent.

She knew her partner better than anyone else, and she could read him like a pro, even when he didn't want to be read, but it's hard to get a read on someone that you saw for less than half a minute a day.

Natasha was in the gym, working with Thor since Steve was on a mission and Clint wasn't around, like usual. She was almost back to one hundred percent; another two days and her body would be back in perfect condition. Her enhancers had helped heal a lot, without them she would have died before Tony reached the hospital, but the severe damage to her organs still took a toll.

Bruce was definitely not thrilled with how hard Natasha was pushing her body so soon after a near fatal injury, but he knew that working out and focusing on training was keeping her sane. He could see the signs of sleep deprivation slowly grow on her face but knew that argument and reasoning were impossible.

Natasha fell asleep on the couch in his lab when he was working late (sometimes even with Tony around) more nights than not and though she tried to hide it, Bruce knew that she only stayed asleep for thirty minutes at a time and then just pretended to sleep for the rest of the night. What really got to Bruce were the nights when her nightmares would take over and Natasha would wake up screaming. It physically pained Bruce to simply toss her a cold water bottle and go back to his work like she always told him to do.

While Natasha, Thor, and Bruce were in the lab, the entire team got a message from JARVIS to meet up on the team level.

"It's probably Stark." Natasha offered as they all hopped in the elevator. Her theory as to whom the message came from was disproven when the elevator stopped on a level that was two floors up from the gym and Tony got in. "If it wasn't you, Tony, who called all of us?" She asked.

"JARVIS said it was Fury who just said that it was important and to 'get our asses up there'." Tony responded in a near-perfect replica of Fury's voice, he even covered one of his eyes to make a fake eye patch. The closeness of his voice to Fury's made everyone in that elevator seriously question just how much time he put into practicing it.

Before anyone could think too long about that, the elevator arrived on the communal floor and they all came face to face with Fury. Steve was over by the door, with the stuff from his last mission; everyone was there except for Clint. From the look on Fury's face, Natasha could tell he was annoyed by the archer's absence.

"Where is my second assassin?" Fury ground out between his teeth. He was visibly stressed out and no one wanted to be the cause of whatever made his mood. The team didn't have the chance to guess at an answer because the next moment, the air vent cover above their heads was removed and the resident archer dropped to the floor.

He was met with narrowed eyes by his boss, but no comment was made on Barton's lateness.

"Barton, go pack your stuff, you're leaving with me after this meeting is finished." When Fury saw Clint open his mouth to comment Fury told him "I do not need lip from you today, go." Clint stalked out of the room as he usually did nowadays grumbling under his breath. "Everyone else, conference room, now."

The rest of the team was silent as they moved from the lobby into the conference room that Fury indicated. Natasha noticed that it was the room that had absolutely no surveillance on it. There were no cameras, no microphones, and it was completely soundproofed. To say that Natasha was uneasy would be an understatement. "Stark, Banner, you two are staying here, but starting now, you are going to be increasing security and the safety on this building starting the minute this meeting is over."

"Now Nick, it's extremely rude of you to march your cape and eye patch into my home and demand changes be made without any sort of explanation." Tony told the Director in his most smart ass tone. Instead of getting mad or more annoyed, Fury let his expression drop into weary stress that put the team on edge.

Fury doesn't look weary. Ever.

Not even when Barton's base-wide pranks send junior agents running in terror.

"Look, something is going on-something big. I don't know what it is, or the extent; hell, I don't know anything other than a feeling in my gut that has never been wrong. Hill senses it too, that's why we're moving you all around. Thor, you should stay with Jane Foster until we know what's going on, I will be in contact when the next move is decided. " With a nod to Fury, Thor left the room, presumably to start his flight to New Mexico.

"Captain, Romanoff, you two are coming to D.C. with me for a while, there is no immediate mission, but you will need to be prepared to spend a while there. I expect you two to be en route to D.C. in two hours, Natasha can fly you there with that Quinjet that Stark has lying on his roof." Natasha and Steve exchanged a glance before they too left the table.

"How can we help, Fury?" Tony had lost the attitude and was dead serious at this point in the meeting. Anything that endangered his friends would not remain a danger for long.

"Comb through every piece of SHIELD that could have been compromised-missions, Agents, handlers, officials, records, taxes, anything and everything. And as I mentioned before, this tower needs to be more secure than it is now. I don't care how you do it, I don't care how illegal your methods are, but this tower needs to be the most secure place in America. I might recommend starting with this." Fury told the two scientists as he tossed them a rolled up blueprint and got up to leave the room.

Bruce and Tony were silent as they unrolled the blueprint.

It was plans for an entire underground bunker below the tower.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Natasha had planned on finding Clint before they all left and went their separate ways. Those plans changed when she reached her level and found a note and a small box sitting on her kitchen counter. Natasha had to keep her hands from shaking as she read the note.

Tasha-I know I'm a bastard but I can't leave with Fury without saying something to you. I've been silent because I can't seem to find the right words anymore and I wanted you to know that even if I'm not there to fire them, my arrows will always protect you. I'll see you soon.-C

When she finished the letter, Natasha quickly grabbed the small box from beside it and lifted the lid.

It was a single golden arrow on a necklace chain.

.

.

.

.

.

.

A/N OOOOOhhhhhh the now famous necklace makes its appearance and shows its origin (In my mind for this story of course.)

Don't worry, I don't plan on writing out the entire second Captain America movie, the next chapter will be picking up where the movie leaves off for Natasha at least partially. Obviously it will have to be changed at least a bit. I'm still not sure how much I will keep canon to the movie-verse on where the rest of them all end up other than the Bucky storyline. I'm going to be keeping him just how the movie does (like where he ends up and what he does after the fall of SHIELD).

Why does Fury want an underground bunker?

Where is Clint going?

Why is Fury sending him there?

What is he going to do when he sees SHIELD go down?

Will he find Tasha?

Will she let him find her?

.

.

.

.

Did you like it? Hate it? Love it? Leave a review!

Thanks!