That Which you Love || Clintasha One-Shots

I Believe You

A/N: Will include other ships, including Betty x Bruce, Thor x Jane, and Pepper x Tony. I also have not watched the Incredible Hulk movie and only saw Bruce and Betty in What if...?, so sorry if I get some things wrong.  

Natasha Romanoff was tracking her target. She pulled up the hood over her jacket carefully and adjusted her sunglasses before she walked towards the university in the distance. Inside, she knew, was Betty Ross who was perhaps the only one who knew the location of Bruce Banner. The silver ring thumped softly over her heart, the gem set into the silver a cold but familiar reminder that he wasn't with her. 

The assassin slipped into the school unnoticed, as most students weren't on campus for the summer vacation. Natasha walked into the lab with the name "Dr. Ross" on a sign outside of it. Sure enough, Betty Ross was inside with the one and only Hulk aka Bruce Banner. Perfect. she thought with a small grin. If all went well, she could be back to base before midnight. Betty spotted her and stepped in front of Bruce. 

"You're not taking him," she said sharply. Natasha smiled and removed her sunglasses and hood, letting a braid of red hair spill out behind her. 

"Relax, Dr. Ross, I'm not here to take Dr. Banner anywhere. I'm here to speak to you on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha explained as she pulled out her card from her pocket. "Agent Natasha Romanoff." She shook hands with Bruce and Betty before sitting down. "We have a proposition for you." 

"What kind of proposition, Ms. Romanoff, because we all might not like it," Bruce said carefully. 

"Nick Fury would like you, Dr. Banner, to come into our base in New Mexico this evening to propose that you speak to several other people about a new initiative that S.H.I.E.L.D. has come up with. A response team of sorts," Natasha explained.  "Dr. Ross, you could stay on base as a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist if you wish to stay near Dr. Banner. Rules restrict romantic interactions between agents, but I'm sure Fury can make exceptions." 

Natasha internally smirked, feeling the ring thump gently over her heart again. Bruce opened his mouth to speak when her cell phone rang in her pocket. Fury. "Agent Romanoff," he said stiffly. "We have a situation. Get Dr. Ross and Banner to base immediately. Coulson is getting Stark and Ms. Potts as well and Hill is getting Captain Rogers. This is a potential war threat. Return ASAP. Fury out."

Natasha paled. The Avengers? Already? she thought in surprise and switched her tone to urgency. "Listen to me and stay calm. I need you to come with me immediately. I have reason to believe your lives are about to get a lot more messy." Bruce and Betty exchanged glances, fear sparkling in the former's eyes. 

"We accept, Agent Romanoff," Bruce said suddenly. He grasped Betty's hand and Natasha nodded, leading them towards an abandoned field when she had parked a Quinjet to return to base in. As they finished the long walk to the ship, Natasha realized something. He had been reassigned to the New Mexico base several days ago. Her heart raced as she grasped the ring at her heart to keep herself steady. 

"Ms. Romanoff?" Betty asked, seeing her panicked demeanor. "Is everything alright?" Natasha nodded as she tucked the necklace back under her sweatshirt. No. she thought, fear tearing at her eyes as she blinked away her pain. No, everything is not okay.

Clint Barton watched as the shadow moved swiftly through the desert. Coulson spoke through his earpiece as he tracked the blonde-haired man as he slipped through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s base. His thoughts momentarily flicked to his fiancé. She'd be safe, right? He shook away his worries and replied to Phil.