The Proposition

Extraction Pt. 1(10)

Extraction Pt. 1-Chapter Ten

Natasha walked out of Fury's office and paced to the bathroom, a file under her left arm.

Her jaw shook slightly and her eyes were watery. Yet she refused to show her pain, so, quickening the pace she went into the bathroom. She scanned her eyes around the place to check for other people. There were none. The tears were threatening to spill over now, she held a hand the her mouth, covering it partially as she stormed to the end stall.

She slammed the door open and dumped the file on the closed toilet seat before slamming the door back in place and locking it. She leant her forehead on the door and pressed her sweaty palms against it, silently sobbing. Praying Clint was ok and wishing he were there to hug her and be there for her as they always were for each other.

She turned around and pressed her back on the door, putting her face in her hands and sliding down the door to sit on the floor. She sat there and recalled the meeting.

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She sat down in the interview chair in Director Fury's office, her poker face on full blast as she waited impatiently, annoyed Fury was taking so long to get to the point, to just talk.

Fury breathed in heavily, knowing full well the woman in front of him could kill him in 3 seconds flat. He glanced up at her with his one eye and sighed heavily. Natasha's blank expression told him to get to the point and not bother with an introduction.

"Barton sent us this." Fury turned the screen and showed the message he'd received from Agent Barton.

Natasha eyes few wide for a second and her lips parted by a fraction, she quickly covered it up. But this was a lot to take in and keep a blank expression in one go.

26210 3, 5, 9.

It was his ID and a distress signal.

Fury turned the screen back to face him.

"Is there an extraction team??" Agent Romanoff asked calmly, a tiny break in her voice as she tried to process Clint was injured and possibly held captive. Her mind was racing, she knew Clint well enough to know he'd not talk and do it until he died. This had only ever happened once before, the Loki incident, but she'd had enough experience with him to know what could possibly be happening right now.

She shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"He's your partner Romanoff, you are the Extraction team. You have a team. Here's the file on what we know." Fury handed her the file hesitantly.

"Banner knows and has volunteered to accompany you as the medical." he added.

She stood up and put the file under her arm. Nodded slightly out of respect and walked straight out.

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She ran her fingers through her thick hair and sniffed loudly. She took a shaky breath in and let it out slowly, calming herself down. She closed her eyes and focused on calming herself down.

On breathing.

It was a meditation trick Clint taught her not long after they became partners and witnessed her having a nightmare.

But this was worse than her most fearful nightmare. Slimply because this was real and this was Clint.

Clint had never used his SHIELD phone before. He found it useless, Natasha had made him promise he'd keep it on him at all times.

He always kept his promises.

He never let her down.

And neither had or would she.

Natasha opened her eyes and rested her head on the door and reached out for the file.

She looked at the file and hesitantly opened it. Reading about Clints mission again and what he'd reported in and when the messages were sent.

He had a base, he had a fake base, he had transportation and he had discovered the gangs warehouse.

There was also a bit where he'd reported that 'the gang has grown more since the original stats and reports, usually another one or two each day.' She read his quotation out loud to herself, trying to hear his voice, tears threatening to spill out again.

Suddenly, the door opened and someone came in. Natasha kept quiet and her breathing quiet and steady, despite how shaky she was, she kept it up. The woman eventually left the bathroom and Natasha came out.

If one person came in, more will soon. She looked in the mirror and saw her eyes and cheeks were red and puffy from crying. She ran the tap and cupped her hands. She filled her hands with the water and splashed her face with it.

Natasha put her hands either side of the sink, steadying herself and letting some of the water drip off. She then dried her hands off with a towel and patted her face dry with it. She breathed in and out, steadying and composing herself before she went out again. The redness was almost completely gone. Natasha felt she'd outstayed her welcome and walked out the bathroom, grabbing the file on the way out.

She walked and read more of the file on the way, her team consisted of a few SHIELD agents; her, (being the leader) and Agents; Brandt, Hunt and Carter, Hill and Bruce Banner.

She knew all the agents in this op.

She also knew they'd be down on the deck waiting for her so she set off for her destination, her pack on her shoulders and mind set. She walked out onto the outer deck to see her team packing some of the equipment into a Quinjet, Hill waiting by it, instructing the other agents where to put the cargo of equipment.

"We won't need all of that." Natasha snapped, pissed off her partner was hurt and somewhere where he couldn't get to them.

Hill looked at Agent Romanoff questioningly, deciding (wisely) not to argue, Agent Hill handed Natasha the check list. Natasha asked for a pen and put an asterisks next to what she wanted on the jet and handed it to Agent Carter.

"Where's Banner??" Natasha inquired. Looking for him.

"Were gonna pick him up along the way." Hill replied.

Natasha nodded in response.

Agent Romanoff then set off and walked onto the jet, dumping her bag in the pilots seat she turned on her heels, walking back out. She helped load the rest of the equipment. Hill was the co-pilot. Where Natasha would normally be, but since Clint wasn't there to take the lead, she stepped up to it, feeling a little closer to Clint in that position.

They went through final checks and took off. Natasha fingered her necklace before doing so, a spur of the moment wear before her run. It was one Clint gave her on their first Valentines day together. Neither of them had participated in the event until then, so they just took the day off and went to the movies. Clint then surprised her and gave her the necklace. One she'd seen through a shop window and liked, never knowing Clint had payed so much attention to her and knew exactly what she wanted it needed.

He needed her. She was there for him. She was going to go and get him, and then never let him go. Because she needed him more than anything and she knew that she was exactly what he needed.

The quinjet slowly raised off the Tarmac and then off in the direction of Brazil.

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Agent Brandt, Hunt and Carter; sorry; I couldn't resist.

Mission Impossible fan (especially since Jeremy Renners in it.) :{)

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