Budapest operation

Budapest 2009

"Why Do you trust me?" Natasha questions

"I don't know.. it's not important why. All that matters is I do trust you, so what's your plan?" You ask.

"Dreykov has a lot of different people protecting him... but he has one weak spot.. his daughter" Natasha explains. "If we can get to her, he'll be anywhere we'd want him too"

"So how do you plan on getting his daughter?" Clint scoffs.

She looks silently down at ground.

"You already have her don't you?" You question.

She nods her head.

"Right so you kidnapped a girl.. what now?" Clint chuckles.

"I text him a location where he can pick up his pride and joy, then we blow the place up" she says sadly.

"I'm sorry what?" Clint hisses. "You want to kill an innocent girl"

"It's the only way to stop him... I don't know what else to do.. I've tried everything" you can hear the desperation in her voice.

"Alright.. Let me think" you say as you wander around the room. You try thinking of every possible outcome, every little thing you could try. But you have nothing.

"I'm not doing that" Clint says determined.

"Fine ill do it alone" Natasha grunts.

"Absolutely not.. let's just not do anything rushed" you stop them as they're about to walk each their way. "Clint please, I trust her okay.. I can feel you do too, he's ruined thousand of young girls life's.. we have a chance to stop that" you say softly.

He takes a deep breath. "Fine.. how do we do this?" He asks.

Natasha walks into the other room, bringing out a giant sports bag, she opens it up. It's filled with explosives.

"You really we're prepared for this huh" you chuckle nervously. This is a long way from what you normally do.

"That's because we have to do this today.."

You turn to look at Clint, he has a worried look on his face. You don't doubt saving her life was the right choice. But if blowing up a building with a ton of people in it, is the right one.. you'll probably never know. But as long as you end this, then it's going to be okay.

You lay out a detailed plan. You and Clint will go into the building planting 7 bombs. Two in the basement and one in each of the remaining floors. Clint hides them in the vents, as you plant the two bombs in the basement floor. Natasha waits outside with the girl, waiting for your signal so bring her in. Dreykov took the bait, waiting in his office for his daughter to walk through the door. As soon as you're done, you give her the signal, walking out with Clint, like nothing ever happened. As you walk past the young girl, the guilt hits you.. she's just an innocent girl..

Clint grabs you hand pulling you out of your head. "Y/n.. we're doing the right thing okay.. we're stopping a man from ruining other young girls lives" he says reassuringly. It's like he could read your mind. You nod your head as you follow him into the back seat of the car. You decided it would be better to split up, meeting back at the safe house. Natasha would take care of the rest.

As you arrive back at the safe house you can't stop panicking. Roaming around the room. Waiting for an update on Natasha. But it takes forever.

"What if something went wrong... we shouldn't have left her" you mutter.

"She had to do this on her own... I'm sure she's alright" Clint calms you down. He takes out his phone.. "that's her.. she's on her way, everything went according to plan" he smiles sadly.

It's done.

"What now?" You ask nervously. You have a bad feeling about this.. like it was far to easy.

"I'll go call Fury, then we'll go home" Clint sighs.

As Clint is speaking with the phone, Natasha runs through the door, pure panic in her eyes.

"They saw me, the Hungarian special forces.. we need to go" she murmurs as she starts packing her bags. "Where's the other guy?"

"He's talking to SHIELD they're going to help us get out of this"

"There's no time, we need to move... Now" she exclaims.

You, Clint and Natasha, spend the day looking for shelter. There's no plan, no extraction plan. Nothing just the three of you. As you drive slowly out of the city, you hear the sirens closing up on you. They're right behind you. A bullet hits the back tire, throwing you off the road. You leave all you belongings in the car as you run into the Forrest. The adrenaline kicks in, you've never run this fast in your life. But it seems your instincts kick in. They're right behind you, they're muffled yells dissolve into meaningless words.

Natasha then stops seeking cover behind the trees, opening fire. You look terrified back at her, as you do the same. Starting a heavy firefight. As soon as you've slowed them down you continue running. You turn your head around, seems as though you've lost them.. you just killed someone.

You're on the run for hours on end, until you stumble across a small cabin on the edge of the city. You take shifts at sleeping. You and Clint get the first 5 hours of sleep as Natasha is on the lookout. But you can't fall asleep. You stumble into the living room, she's sitting by the window looking out. She hears you walk inside looking over at you, smiling softly.

"Are you okay?" She questions.

"Yeah... just couldn't sleep" you sigh.

"Is this your first time on the run?"

"You could say that.. I'm usually on the right side of the law" you chuckle nervously.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into all of this.." she says sadly.

"Hey" you say kindly. "I wanted to do this.. I still do, you're not alone" you smile warmly.

"Thank you.. for trusting me"

"I actually talked with Nick.. If you're interested we might have a job for you.. on the right side of things for a change" you smirk.

"Wait really?" She says questioningly, her eyes light up.

"Really.. I've seen what you can do, and once we're not being chased anymore I think you could become so much more" you smile. You grab her hand.

"We'll get you home.. you probably have a family or something you're missing" she chuckles.

Your expression softens. "This is my family, SHIELD. I don't really have a lot of friends" you sigh sadly.

"Me neither.."

You both look at each other.

"What's your excuse?" She asks.

"This is probably going to sound insane.. but I have a feeling you're used to that." You grin. "I woke up in Brooklyn back in the 40's.. I didn't remember how I got there, but I found a home, fell in love. Thought I had gotten a second chance at life. Until I found out, I can't die.." you explain.. "But I was in love, and I thought why not just risk it.. but that wasn't in the cards for me.. he.." you trail off, as you feel the tears swell up. Natasha grabs you hand looking at you softly. "He died.. and I spent years trying to open myself up, but instead I ran away.. I fell in love again.. but I ruined it. Because I was so scared to get my heart broken again..I just kept running." You whimper quietly.

"Keep going" she says softly, as she wipes away a tear from her cheek.

"I realized that I was going to watch all the people I love die. So I isolated myself once again. Then I was recruited by SHIELD again, they took me in. And I know now that no matter what happens I'll always be a part of that.. it's some twisted kind of family.." you smile weakly.

"Did you ever fall in love again?" She asks.

Your mind lingers to Tony... then to Stephen. "I was beginning to.. I think I was falling in love again. But then I got this mission and I thought it was best to just say goodbye"

"Was he in love with you?"

"I think so.."

"Then why don't you go get him.. he'll still be there when we get home right?" She smiles.

"Yeah"

"Then don't stand in the way of your own happiness" she assures you.

You give her a warm embrace. "Thank you.. for listening.. I know it sounds crazy"

"That's what friends are for right?" She smirks."I think I've had my fair share of crazy"

You and Natasha spend all night talking about your lives. The pain and the sacrifices you've made. It felt so good to have someone like her in your life. Even though you hadn't known each other for long. Going on the run together really brings you close to someone.

You spend 6 days in the safe house, until your cover gets blown. Once again you have to find a new place to stay. But you're to far in the city to find shelter. When Clint gets an idea. You end up hiding in a ceiling of a subway station for 2 days. Contacting SHEILD. But it's a dead end, you can't reach anyone. Which means you have to do this on your own. You crawl for hours on end in the ceiling. Finding an exit just on the edge of Hungary. Sneaking your way through the Slovakia borders, getting on a plane from Silač airport. After 10 days on the run you finally find your way back home.

You're tired, severely dehydrated and starving. But you're going home, and you're doing it together. The three of you walk into the SHIELD facility, you're dirty and exhausted from walking for days on end.

"God.. you look.." Agent hill sighs.

"Tired?" You chuckle.

"I was gonna say horrible.. but that as well" she says softly. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Agent Romanoff" you smile. "She's our newest addition to the team"

Natasha looks at you with soft eyes.

"Welcome miss Romanoff.. Barton and jones.. Nick is waiting in his office"

You grab onto Natasha's hand as you walk into his office. The three of you collapse onto the chairs. As Fury looks you up and down.

"I'm really glad you're okay.. you had me worried for second there" Nick sighs relived.

"Yeah well.. the jobs done.." Clint scoffs.

"You must be Natal-"

"It's Natasha" she corrects him.

"Well Natasha.. we're happy to have you here"

"Yeah I couldn't have done it without these two"

"I have an offer for you" Nick says. "All three of you actually"

You look confusedly at each other..

"I want to open up a division for the three of you.. you seem to work good on your own.. but what I saw you do together.. that could be something extraordinary" Nick explains proudly. " I want you as part of our newest project.. STRIKE team: Delta" Nick adds. "You do your thing.. I'm just going to be a helping hand"

You can't believe it.. this could possibly be the start of a new chapter for you. You're very own department at SHIELD.

"But first.. I want all of you to go home.. get some sleep. And please a take a bath. Miss Romanoff, we've got an apartment set up for you, across the street for Y/n." Nick says happily.

As you drive home with Natasha in the driver seat. Showing her, her new apartment.

"If you need anything I'm just across the street, you can come over anytime"

"Thank you.. for everything" she smiles.

"Don't worry about it"

"So are you gonna go get that guy?" She teases.

"I think I am" you chuckle.

On your way home, you decide to stop by the hospital, your face lights up as you see him through the windows. You're just about to go in when you see him laughing and smiling with another woman. You feel your heart stop.. He's happy here, and as much as you want him to be happy with you. There's something in you that just can't go in there. You stand in silence watching as he hands her the coffee. Then you turn around and walk back home. Alone.