Problems: From Rookies to Babies.

[istillbelieveinheroes]

They were on a mission in Canada. Nothing too bad about this one it seemed. Or so it was meant to be pretty easy. There was word of a device being set up there by some unknown group, that was putting off strange readings. For one, they had no intil on the group, for another they had no idea what kind of device. Both things they needed to know about. Why? Because it’s SHIELD and they need to know everything.

It wasn’t top priority however. A training mission, really. Scout and Scoot as Coulson would call it. Since the events in New York, (and, you know, living and all) Fury had been placing him on smaller training missions, when he wasn’t keeping an eye on the Avengers. He had been officially moved to the ‘Ambassador to the Avengers’ as Sitwell laughed.

The point being? This was a simple training mission that won't stay so simple. Because of the need for eyes from a distance, Clint was pulled along as well, which suited Coulson fine, really, and it might have suited Barton fine as well.

But as I said, the mission was simple that didn’t stay simple. One of their rookie Agents got himself into a spot of trouble, captured by a dart to the neck and dragged inside. Another Agent followed him in, tracking. Phil knew she was a good tracker, but he didn’t like the next problem that followed.

Communications ceased to function once the Agent’s stepped inside the small base set inside the hill side. Great.

“Barton. Lost Meyers. Lost Hutchinson. Do you have eyes on Jackson?” Their third rookie who was with them.

Comments

[istillbelieveinheroes]

HE gave a small huff, smiling a bit more at that. "Our line of work's no good for a family. Barely good for meeting people let alone a family. I don't think there's really much to worry about there. I'll be sticking around to toss you orders for some time."

Or so he hoped. If he didn't get the man killed on some foolish mission. Ug, bad thought. He wiggled the sleeping babes hand again.

[from_a_distance]

"You meet people at work, don't you?" Clint asked. He couldn't think of anyone at SHIELD that he'd pair with Coulson--well, other than the obvious, but that wasn't going to happen--but maybe there was someone he hadn't considered.

[istillbelieveinheroes]

He snorted at that. "Most of those people thing I'm an android, no thanks to you, or a LMD. I heard one that I was from mars?" He shook his head on that one, then shrugged, peeking back to the baby, though his gaze lingered on Clint for a moment. "Can't really see anyone there wanting to...hmm, communicate with me let along date me."

Where did they get off track to this topic anyhow?

[from_a_distance]

Clint was going to blame that one on Coulson...

"Most of those people are idiots then. If they took any time to talk to you, they'd want to date you.

"I mean...get to know you. Better. Get to know you better."

Smooth, Barton. Very smooth.

[istillbelieveinheroes]

"Oh?" He asked, glancing back to the man driving. In his mind he kind of wished that was true, at least for one person. Though he was sure the man as just humoring him right now. "Bet you cant name a few." Then added, after a short pause... "You're more the type around the base. Heard a few whispers inquiring about you. I could always point them out to you, if you need."

[from_a_distance]

Clint was actually a little surprised by that. He knew a lot of people were intimidated by him, and he hadn't ever really made any effort to see who wasn't. He shook his head.

"Nah, I'm...not really interested in any of them."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

Too interested in Natasha to be interested in others, he suspected. Though he knew they had this weird complex thing going, he wasn't sure to what point. He never pushed or asked either.

"So, that's it? Just sticking to the same old people?" He tried letting go of the babies hand again, rolling his shoulder as he did.

[from_a_distance]

Clint glanced over at him, smiling, his gaze lingering a little. "The same old people aren't so bad from where I'm sitting."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

He chuckled at that, smiling a bit sadly. "You ever thought about it? Talking to her about it?" A pause, oh he thought he was clever. Thought he'd figured it out. "Natasha I mean. See if--ah... no. Sorry. Not my place." He said, waving his hand off at that, shifting in the seat, turned a bit to look back at the sleeping child. The tips of his ears burned, just a little.

[from_a_distance]

Clint frowned in confusion. "Talk to Tasha about what? About...?"

And then he laughed as it clicked. "Oh, god. You think... With Natasha? God, no. Nuhuh. I would...she would kill me.

"I mean, I love her, but not like that."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

He raised a brow at the laughing, though he did love the sound. He tried to ignore the fact that he wanted to watch the mans face as he did so. Instead he focused on the baby. "Oh? I always thought you and her had something going."

There was odd relief there but also an odd feeling he couldn't place. "Guess I don't know my specialists as well as I should."

[from_a_distance]

"Well, you know...we hooked up once or twice a while back, but it was never going to be anything serious."

He looked over at Coulson for a moment. "She's not who I'm interested in."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

Hooked up. Well, he couldn't blame her. Or them really. Couldn't blame him either. Still... he didn't react to that, just watched the kid who looked angry again until he gave a finger back in return.

"So you do have someone who holds your interest."

[from_a_distance]

Clint smiles faintly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, maybe."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

He smiled, catching the sight of the neck rub. It amused him, somewhat, to think that Clint had a crush on someone. He wasn't sure who, if not Natasha, but he didn't keep an eye on the man 24/7. "And you haven't said anything to them yet?"

[from_a_distance]

"I don't wanna ruin anything," Clint said after a moment's hesitation, his gaze coolly on the road ahead.

[istillbelieveinheroes]

"How do you know it will ruin anything?" His thoughts are only half here, or else he wouldn't be having this conversation. Though he's not pieced it together either, half distracted with watching the baby in the back sleep as the man drives.

[from_a_distance]

"I don't. But there's a possibility. And it's...too important to me to risk," Clint said quietly, frowning a little. He isn't sure why he's letting this conversation go on, really, but he does.

[istillbelieveinheroes]

Too important. And it's not Natasha? He couldn't help the fact that he was staring at the man now, just watching him. Someone was too important to Clint to risk? He didn't want to flatter himself, because maybe it was just wishful thinking, but he was pretty sure the people Clint listed as important was small, and he thought... perhaps he was on that list.

After a moment he realized he was staring and looked back at the kid. "So you'll never say anything to them?"

[from_a_distance]

It took every ounce of his self-control not to look back at Phil as the man stared at him, but as soon as he asked the question, Clint's gaze flicked over to him.

"I...don't know. Maybe if I thought there was a chance..."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

He rested his head back on the car head rest, eyes flicked from Clint to the baby and back. He wasn't sure how to reply, not wanting to seem.... what? Like he thought he might be important to Clint? He sucked in on a lip a moment then said.

"Maybe you have a chance and you just don't know it. That there is a chance, I mean..."

[from_a_distance]

Clint swallowed a little nervously. He didn't want to assume that Coulson was saying what it sounded like he was saying.

"Do you...think I might? Have a chance?"

[istillbelieveinheroes]

Why ask him, unless he... ah, was on that list. His ears pinkened a bit, and he allowed himself a moment to think it really could be him that the man was talking about. Licking his lower lip a moment he thought about the problems he always thought about when convincing himself it was stupid to think of the man that way.

And yet he still managed to say. "I think you could have anything you wanted. Never knew you to shy away from a challenge." He said with a bit more of a smile.

[from_a_distance]

Clint managed a wry smile. "It's not the challenge that scares me. It's..."

He thought for a moment how to say this, if he even should say it.

"If I lost...this person, the relationship we have now...I don't know what I'd do with myself. They..." he glanced over at Phil, "mean a lot to me."

[istillbelieveinheroes]

That glance with those words. He couldn't help but pick that up. Maybe he was wrong, maybe not. He wasn't sure but he liked the feeling of... well, the thought.

"I've thought that as well, about some relationships. What if I say this or do that? It will ruin everything." He looked out ahead of them where Clint drove, trying to find the right words. "I end up regretting not... saying something, more then I think I would if I did say something."