Natasha was taken to her bunkroom where there was only one spare bed left. It was in the back corner which was up Natasha's fancy. As Natasha walks through the large room, she could feel all the stares and judgmental looks on her. She put her duffle bag under her bed looked through the trunk that was at the foot of her bed. She took out a t-shirt and some shorts, both with the emblem of the organization on them. She walked into the bathroom and took a shower. I am so tired. She thinks to herself as she makes her way back to her bed. She pulls herself under the covers and closed her eyes, hoping tonight would be like the previous... nightmare-free.
After the meeting and recruitment of Nat. I follow Coulson to his office, unhappy with the decision that Furry made about her SO. When I get in, I plunk myself on his couch, putting my hands behind my head, hoisting my legs into the chair.
"Coulson I can't be her SO. She seems like she'll be difficult to handle." I say, sighing.
"And you're saying you weren't. You'll be good for Natasha because you have been in a similar position, she has been in. It also seems she trusts you as well. Besides, it might give you a taste of your own medicine." Coulson says, sitting at his desk.
"I wasn't that bad. Besides. You have heard what everyone in this place says. I am reckless and too hard to work with. Why do you think I don't have a partner."? I say.
"You still believe that stuff. Clint, you're the best specialist we have ever had."
I suddenly feel a large binder hit my chest, causing me to groan. "What is this for?"
"Your mission for the Mafia and your SO paperwork. Clint, I have a feeling this girl would be different," he says, giving me a small smile. I complain to Coulson A LOT. He was my SO when I first started here, and I guess we have a pretty good relationship.
"Why is there always so much paperwork with this job," I say, sitting up and starting it. I was halfway through it when I fell asleep on Coulson's office couch.
Next Day
I wake up again in a cold sweat. I had another damn nightmare. This is starting to become a little annoying. I sit up in my bed and look around the room, in between rubbing my hands over my face. There are lines of beds up against each wall. Some girls are awake while others are still sleeping. A girl with blonde hair suddenly walks up to me and smiles.
"Hi, you must be new. I am Lillian," she says, a huge smile on her face.
I give her a half-hearted smile. "I'm Natasha," I say.
"Nice to meet you. Want to join our conversation." she then says, taking my hand and pulling me to a group of girls. It seemed like she didn't give me much of a choice.
I sit next to her and she introduces the group to me. I give a small wave, feeling a little shy.
"So new girl, have you seen Agent Barton yet?" one girl asks me. I think her name was Katelyn. I give a small nod. Of course, I have seen him. He saved my life really and brought me here. But I wasn't gonna tell them that.
"Ok good. He is so cute and his muscles OMG!" another girl cries out. Never caught her name. I don't see what they see in him. He is cocky, makes terrible jokes, complains a substantial amount. I mean he ain't the ugliest guy I've ever seen.
"So, Natasha...who is your SO?" Lillian asks me. I feel 7 sets of eyes, suddenly looking at me.
"Agent Barton," I say, knowing what might happen and I was right. All the girls screamed and shrieked. Saying how lucky I was and how they wanted to swap with me. I'm not sure where Barton got all the information about that no one likes him because these girls prove otherwise.
I shake my head and get up. I grab a clean pair of clothes and decide to take a shower. I put my hair in a ponytail and leave the room. I remember being shown where the cafeteria was and decided I needed to get some food. I haven't eaten since yesterday morning. I walk in and see many different groups of agents sitting at tables laughing and talking. I walk over to the front counter thingy and a lady gives me a bowl of oatmeal and tells me I can choose some fruit if I like and a drink. I took a fruit cup and a bottle of water. I spotted an empty table and sat at it.
I wasn't ready to make friends yet, especially with my past mistakes. I was in a daze, eating my breakfast when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I was brought back to reality and turned around to see Clint smiling at me. He sits down next to me and begins to fill his mouth with oatmeal.
"Do you know how to eat like a normal person? Normal people don't shovel half their food in their mouths." I say, rolling my eyes.
"Well, then you have never met me then. Shouldn't you go and sit at a table with other agents and socialize? You know make friends." he says, slowing down a little.
I shrug. "I'm not very social and I have trust issues. Right now, you are the only one who I can really trust. Anyways, shouldn't you be sitting with your friends?"
"I get on with most people in this room but remember that most people don't really like me. Besides, I generally sit alone, unless Coulson comes in while I'm still here. And I wasn't gonna leave you sitting here all alone and depressed." he says looking at me, elbowing me playfully.
"Clint, please say you have been here longer than 10 minutes, judging by the fact that you have hardly anything left in your bowl." I hear Coulson say, as he sits down at our table.
"He's been here not even 5 minutes," I say flatly, looking up at him
"You need to learn to chew your food before you swallow," Coulson says, shaking his head. Clint shrugs.
"Come on and hurry up your food. You have a training session soon." Clint tells me, getting up.
I finish my breakfast, say goodbye to Coulson, and follow Clint to a training room. I go inside while he heads to the area where the SO's watch.
I am standing at the end of the line that was formed in the room.
"My name is Agent Columbo. This session to judge your skills and place you either up, down or keep you at your current level," she says. I was told by Clint on the way here that I was starting level one then working my way up. Agent Columbo points to me and asks me to go on the matt.
"What is your name Agent?" she asks me.
"Romanoff, Natasha Romanoff," I say, calm and confident.
"Ok. you can choose any one of these agents to spare with," she tells me, stepping away.
I point to a guy that looked too full of himself. He smirks and joins me on the mat.
"I'm Gilmore Halms. Listen, sister, you chose someone who is very highly trained. I might even be the next Clint Barton or better. I'll go easy on you." he tells me. Yeah, the only trait you have of Clint's is cockiness.
"I'm touched that you think you need to go easy on me. However, how will I learn if you do." I say, getting ready to fight. He agrees and says he'll go normal.
We get into our stances and he throws the first punch. I duck and swing my legs under his and knock him off his feet. He tries to do the same while sprawled on the floor but failed miserably. The fight ends with Gilmore on the floor and me feeling proud of myself. Yeah, I've seen Clint in action, and you are nothing like his standard. You're not even close.
I walk up to the So section, where I was greeted by a bunch of agents.
"Hey Barton, we all heard that you're an SO." one says to me. "Working with people isn't really your style but it will be fun to see you try."
I roll my eyes. "I don't mind working with people. It's just working with you that isn't my style." These guys were one of the groups that always tried to get me pissed off. It's harder for them now, but when I was younger anything downgrading to me really made me punch someone.
"No that's right. People hate working with you because you think you are better than everyone else and you can never take things seriously. Also because of what you did in the past."
I just roll my eyes.
"Can't seem to get any reactions of you Barton. Your starting to become a bit boring." another says.
"Well, maybe it's because your so-called hurtful comments are actually full of shit. This stuff doesn't bother me anymore." I say, sitting down and watching Nat talk to Columbo. He was my trainer too when I was doing this. He hated me because I was always messing around and getting into trouble.
"Can't believe Furry actually thought that the most irresponsible agent here could become an SO." the first one says to me.
"Do you guys ever shut up? Or at least come up with something that ain't old news. I've heard all this stuff before and it doesn't bother me at all." I say, rolling my eyes. "Just shut your mouths and watch the training session."
"Watch who you're talking to Barton. In this room, you are still the youngest," he says to me.
"I don't even care," I say, turning my attention back to Natasha who was beating some guys ass. After the session was over Humry - the guy that loves to through insulting comments towards me - comes over to me.
"So, which one's yours?" he asks.
"The red-haired girl," I say respond.
"Looks like you got your handful because she seems like she could be a handful," he says. I was waiting for it somehow to be related back to me. "Like you were." There it is.
"Why don't you go harass another agent or go and beat something up," I tell him walking out of the room. I was heading to Coulson's office to complain. Like I do.
I knock on the door and he tells me I can come in. I flop myself, into my couch position - laying on it - and start to vent.
"Coulson, these guys still think they can get a reaction out of me. It's been like what 7 8 years and they still think that bringing up what I did when I was 17 18 years old is gonna cause me to punch someone." I say, sighing.
"I have a feeling you're not just here to vent about irritating agents."
"It's Natasha. What if these guys are right? I don't even know how to get through to Natasha. I mean I feel like she doesn't want to be around me and she just seems so distant. She glares at nearly all the agents."
"Kinda reminds me of you when you were recruited."
"How. I wasn't that bad."
"No, you were much, much worse." Coulson lets a small laugh loose.
"Ok then. Give me an example."
"Ok, what about that time when you decided to pick a fight with two agents. At least she doesn't do that."
"I don't remember that."
"You must have gotten a minor concussion from the incident. You were supposed to be meeting me in my office for one of your lessons. 20 minutes past and knock on my door looking like you were on your death bed. You had a bloody nose and a couple of bruised ribs. When I asked you what happened, you wouldn't tell me. After a while, you finally told me that two agents were talking about how long-distance shooting never counted and that you didn't like doing fights face to face. So, silly you decided that it would be a fantastic idea to prove them wrong. Up to this day, I don't know their names."
"In my defense, I was what 17 at the time. Besides I was doing pretty well considering both had more training than I had."
"I thought you didn't remember."
"It came back to me."
Coulson shakes his head, a small smile on his face. "Well, I am proud that I no longer need to be in Fury's office trying to sway his mind from firing you or making sure you haven't broken anything. You are finally maturing," he says, with a smile. I like Coulson. He is always someone I can trust. But I also have Natasha I can trust.