Chapter 1-The News
Clint's POV
I was in my bedroom when the phone rang. I quickly moved into the kitchen to answer it. I looked at the caller id and saw that it was SHIELD. Great I love these phone calls.
"Agent Barton." I answered.
"Agent Barton, It's Fury. I need you to come in. I'll be at the New York base. " Fury said.
"Yes sir. I'll be there soon." I said hanging up. Wonder what's so important? It must be life threatening because he called me in on my day off. I went back into my room and exchanged my pajamas for real clothes. I put on jeans, a purple t-shirt, a grey hoodie, my black combat boots and my SHIELD jacket. I grabbed my keys, phone, and sunglasses off the nightstand. I quickly walked out of my apartment and into the hallway. I locked my door and ran down the stairs. I stepped outside to the street and unlocked my car. The sleek black car didn't look odd in this part town. Being an agent did have it's perks. I sat down in the drivers seat and started the car up. I quickly drove to the SHIELD base. If I was late Fury would have my head. I arrived at the boring looking skyscraper. You could never tell this was a top secret organization. I parked my car and took the keys out of the ignition. I got out and locked the car. I walked inside and Fury was standing there waiting for me.
"Well this must be important." I mumbled.
"Barton. " Fury said. "Follow me." He said quickly. He walked to an elevator. I followed him inside and he hit a button to go up. The ride up was quiet and awkward. The doors opened and we walked out. I followed him to his office. He sat down in his chair and I sat in front of him. I felt like a little kid who got sent to the principal's office.
"I know that this is your day off but we have news on Natasha." Fury said. I perked up as I heard her name. I haven't seen her in forever. It's like she disappeared.
"Did you find her?" I asked with hope in my voice. Fury was quiet.
"She was investigating something for us." Fury said after a while. "It was dangerous but she kept persisting she could handle it. She went in without backup." Fury pulled out pictures and laid them across the desk. They were pictures off a burned ruins of a building. "She never made it out." Fury said. I was in shock. She was gone. Natasha was dead. It seems impossible but I guess it was the truth.
"She's dead? But we've made it out of things worse than this." I said hoping this was a sick dream.
"I'm sorry Clint. She is gone. But she did leave something behind." Fury said getting up.
"What is it?" I asked.
"More like who is it." Fury said. I got up quickly and stared at Fury. He walked out of his office and I followed. We walked down the hall a bit to a small debriefing room. A female agent was standing outside. She looked like she was waiting for us.
"Agent Meeker." Fury said. The female turned to us.
"Director Fury. She's still silent." The agent said.
"I'll head in. Barton stay here and come in when I tell you to." Fury said walking in the room.
"Agent Cindy Meeker." The agent said. She was about my age. Her wavy chestnut brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and her grey-blue eyes starred at me. Freckles ran underneath her eyes. She held her hand out for a handshake.
"Agent Clint Barton." I said shaking her hand.
"It's an honor to meet you sir." Cindy said.
"Really to meet me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You helped save the world." She said with a smile. Fury stepped out of the room.
"Barton. Please go in." He commanded. I wearily walked into the room. As I did a young girl stared at me. She looked to be about ten or eleven. She had a hood over her head. Was she a superpowered criminal?
"Hi." She squeaked out.
"Hi. What's your name?" I asked
"Hawke." The girl said. That's an interesting name.
"So Hawke why are you at SHIELD?" I asked again.
"My mom worked here." She said. She said worked. That was in the past tense. Was this Tasha's kid?
"Was your mom Natasha Romanov?" I asked. Hawke nodded.
"She worked with you?" Hawke asked.
"Yeah. Actually she used to be my partner." I said.
"Is that why you're talking to me. For help? Because I told Fury that I was fine." Hawke said with a hint of anger in her voice. She just went from quiet girl to angry teen in five seconds flat.
"Hawke I'm going to step out for a moment." I said. I walked back outside to Fury and Cindy. I shut the door so Hawke wouldn't hear us.
"So why am I talking to her?" I asked impatiently.
"Because she is yours." Fury said.
"Mine? Like responsibility?" I asked. She couldn't be my kid.
"No like your daughter and responsibility." Fury said. "Agent Meeker has offered her help with taking care of Hawke."
"When is she in my care?" I asked running my hand through my sandy blonde hair.
"She was in your care ever since you stepped in there." Fury said.
"Agent Meeker, please go tell Hawke to get ready to leave." Fury said to Cindy. She nodded and went into the room.
"My kid?" I asked running my hand through my hair again.
"Yes. I'm sorry we put you through this now. But we just found out also." Fury said putting his hand on my shoulder. I stayed quiet knowing that what I wanted to say was not nice.
"I'm ready." Hawke said. She now has her hood down. She had sandy blonde hair that curled just like Tasha's. Her green-blue eyes stared at me. There was no doubt that she was mine.
"Let's go then." I said. Fury turned away and went back to his office.
"Agent Barton. When you need me. Just call." Cindy said. She handed me a card and smiled.
"Thank you agent Meeker." I said taking the card. I slipped it into my pocket. Hawke and I went to the elevator and rode down.
"So you must be happy it's summer right?" Hakwe asked. I smirked and looked at her. The doors opened and we exited. We walked out to my car.
"How old are you?" I asked.
"I'm thirteen." Hawke said. I took her bag and put it in the back seat. She sat in shotgun. I sat down and put the keys in the ignition. I started the car up and started to head home.
"So mom didn't tell me about you?" Hawke asked.
"I didn't even knew where your mom was. No one did." I said.
"I did." Hawke sassed.
"Of course you did." I said. "What do you like I do?"
"Um I like to draw." Hawke said. We arrived at my apartment and I parked the car.
"What do you like to do?" Hawke asked me.
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah. It's bonding." Hawke said. She seemed pretty comfortable.
"Well I like archery." I said getting out of the car. Hawke grabbed her bag and we headed to my apartment. We walked up the stairs and I unlocked the door. I walked in and motioned for Hawke to follow. She walked in and looked around. I wondered what I was going to do now. I pulled out Cindy's card. Maybe I should call. I walked into the kitchen for the phone. But I sat down at the table instead. Hawke walked in and sat down in front of me.
"How come Agent Meeker was with you?" I asked.
"She was one of mom's friends. I've known her most of my life. She was the only agent who knew about us." Hawke said. "I was staying in her care since mom died." We were both quiet for a second. It gave me a minute to think. She was going to need a room. There was one room that used to be Tasha's before she disappeared. It was easier for SHIELD if agents shared apartments.
"I can show you to your room if you'd like?" I asked. Hawke nodded and I stood up. I walked to the door that hasn't been opened in years. I opened it and prepared myself. Hawke was standing right behind me.
"Here it is." I said gesturing to the room. There was a simple bed with white covers, a desk, a pretty nice closet and nightstand with a light on it. "I'll let you get settled." I said walking out.
"Thanks." She said bringing her bag in. I nodded and walked back out to the kitchen. I picked up the phone and dialed Cindy's number.
"Agent Meeker." Cindy answered.
"It's Agent Barton." I said awkwardly.
"Oh hi. What's your problem?" She asked. She sounded distracted like she was taking care of something.
"I honestly don't know how to raise a kid. I wasn't raised like normal people." I said.
"Do you need me to come over?" She asked. "I was just leaving work now."
"That would be nice." I said.
"Ok I'll be over in a bit." Cindy said.
"Thank you. Bye." I said.
"No problem. Bye." Cindy said hanging up. I sighed in relief. Help was coming. I have no idea how I'm going to survive this.