The Family Business (Steve Rogers)

Chapter 1: Which One?

"Ow! What the- did you just shoot me?!"

Clint looked down at the now bleeding wound on his left thigh. The bullet had just grazed him but it was enough to need tending to. With a sigh he ripped a sleeve from his shirt tying it around his wound, all the while giving Cara a dirty look. Cara shrugged offering a half hearted smile.

"My bad? Don't stand in the way next time."

Without even looking Clint raised his bow away from the two of them and fired an arrow straight into an approaching enemy. With a loud thud they went down hard. Neither one of them broke their deadpan stare at one another, even as the approaching footsteps were growing louder behind Cara.

Raising her eyebrows as if accepting a challenge she holstered her gun on her right hip. She then pulled her collapsible bow from her left hip, drew an arrow and shot behind her just as Clint had. The arrow hit the far wall causing Cara's face to fall and Clint tilted his head in a disappointed way, the blank look on his face never changing. Cara raised a finger, clenching her jaw.

"Don't say it, just don't"

"I wasn't going to say any-"

"Not one word Clint." Cara said as she turned to fire a second arrow, this one hitting its mark.

When she turned back around Clint had his hands raised in a joking defeat. As more running footsteps became clear Cara and Clint nodded at each other. In unison they ran diving out the window of the 63rd floor of the office building. They twisted around in opposite directions, each firing a grappling arrow upwards toward the roof.

Repelling down the building they reached the ground quickly, surprising the people around them on the busy sidewalk. Without hesitation they took off running, collapsing and holstering their bows. A few dark alleyways later they climbed a fire escape to the roof of an apartment building where a SHIELD jet sat waiting. They eagerly boarded and the jet took off quickly, the rear hatch door still closing as their altitude climbed.

Cara sat and buckled as Clint looked at the slowly shrinking city until the hatch closed. When he took his seat he sat slouched, wrists resting on his thighs smirking slightly at Cara. She rolled her eyes returning his look with an annoyed one.

"Not a word Clint. It was one shot, just one, that I missed, big deal! The rest of the mission went perfectly fine, I eliminated the target, secured the drive, and we got out unharmed- mostly unharmed- it was fine."

"So you have the drive then?"

"Of course I have the drive, I have it..." she said as she searched her pockets but was coming up empty "I have it... it's... Shit!"

Clint casually held up the drive she was looking for still smirking. Caras shoulders tensed knowing this was a screw up. Jaw still clenched she slammed her shoulders back against the seat and crossed her arms looking away from him. He chuckled softly for a brief moment before he got up handing her the drive. Reluctantly she took the drive from him tucking it away in a pocket as he sat back down.

"You dropped it when that big guy kicked you over that receptionists counter in the lobby."

"Yeah my ribs still hurt from that but I'm fine, thanks for asking"

"What's rule number 3 Cara?"

"Make sure the package is secure at all times." She said under her breath.

He rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head.

"Listen, I'm giving you a hard time because it's my job."

"And it's my job to not screw up!"

"Cara, mistakes happen, even to the best of us. It takes time to learn everything we do in this business. You just won't be able to go on any solo missions yet, that's all. It's not like you'll be benched."

Cara shook her head slowly looking away jaw clenching harder. Clint looked away in a frustrated defeat, knowing no matter what he said it wasn't going to help. She was her own worst critic and there was no use giving her a pep talk, she would stew over it for the rest of the night and then get over it, pushing herself to be better next time. It's how she'd always been.

The jet landed on the massive helicarrier and was lowered into the hangar below deck. Cara unbuckled and she and Clint stood up waiting side by side for the rear hatch door to fully open so they could exit.

"Can't believe you shot me."

"Oh grow up."

They walked out down the ramp and into the bustling hangar, still arguing under their breath, expressionless. Agent Coulson stood waiting for them with a small smile on his face, which Cara had learned was not to be misunderstood for being off duty or a greeting among friends, he was always working even when he wasn't.

"Big guy wants to see you Agent Barton." Coulson said.

"Which one?" Clint and Cara asked in unison.

"Both of you."

Cara pursed her lips slightly, wondering if her big brother would tattle on her about dropping the drive during their mission. She tried to sneak a side eyed glance his way to plead with him not to but Clint didn't look her way even once as they made their way up to the bridge, making her even more nervous than she already was.