𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 || ⍟⧗

Chapter VI

As a Team

Clint was in the half-destroyed Helicarrier. Thanks to her polished espionage skills, she located him on a passage catwalk near the "Premium Class" bathroom.

He must have sensed her arrival as he immediately turned around and locked his shot at her. She twisted his arms to block the shot, and in turn he hit her head with the back of his. As he tried to swing his bow to strike her, she kicked his guts, and slid away underneath the pipes, popping up on the other side if the passage. She swung on the poles and kicked his jaw. He shot another arrow, which she dodged by dropping across to the next passage.

Clint followed her as he caught hold of her wrists and twisted them behind her back. She stomped on his feet to loosen the grip, elbowed his collarbone, and punched his face to push him back. He caught her by pinning her arms with his and choked her with the bow string. She tugged on the string and used the bow to brutally sock his throat.

He tried jabbing her with the sharp end of the bow as she pulled on the string and ducked underneath to dodged him. She jumped up to railing as a boost with one leg, wrapped her thighs around his neck and choke-slammed him on the ground, her knees digging into his windpipe. He loosened himself and received another blow to the stomach. He tried to grab his bow but she snatched it and pushed herself up, pointing the bow at him.

He groaned and pulled out his dagger. She dropped the bow, grabbed his left arm and twisted it on his back, pining his abdomen against the railing. He huffed as he passed the dagger to his free hand. Natasha grabbed that hand too but he broke the grip, grasped her shoulders and pushed her against a pole, banging her head against it.

He grabbed her hair and pulled on it, exposing her neck to his dagger. She sunk her teeth into his arm, tasting the salty, metallic blood. He yelped in pain as he let go. Taking this advantage, she got up, holding onto his arms as a lever, spinning 360° and pulled his arm and banged his head to the railing. He grunted as he tried to get up ground, then looked up with frightened, slightly less blue eyes. She stared at him, blowing the sweaty and bloody lock of hair out of her face.

Did he break control? Or is it Loki's ploy to let her guard down?

'Natasha,' pleaded Clint.

Can't be too sure.

She punched him a left hook.

She heard a static hiss. 'Agent Coulson is down.'

No. This can't- No!

She glanced at Clint's unconscious body.

'I'll just take care of Clint.'

* * *

Steve, Tony, and Fury were gathered at a table to mourn Coulson. Maria stands beside Steve, avoiding his eyes. Fury pulled a handful of cards out.

'These were in Phil Coulson's jacket,' he said solemnly. 'Guess he never did get you to sign them.'

He scattered them on the table. Some were stained with blood. Steve picked up a bloodied one.

'We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor. I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye. Think I had that coming.'

He began to make his way around the table to Steve and Tony.

'Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number, though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called the Avengers Initiative.'