An Assassin Never Tells

E I G H T E E N

June 18th, 2010

I took a deep breath before knocking. It had been a while since I'd seen anyone other than dad because of my mission, and I missed my crazy crew! I heard loud laughing from within the house, and a grin spread itself across my face. I could only imagine what had just happened in the house...maybe Clint did something stupid? Yeah, Clint definitely did something stupid. I stood there for a while before realizing I hadn't knocked yet. I turned around and faced the road to see if anyone had been watching me. The only other person outside was a little girl, around seven maybe, riding her little bike up and down the driveway. I lightly giggled before I turned back around to look at the door. I lifted my hand and stuck the door sharply three times. The laughing stopped, and I could hear everyone shuffling around. I hadn't told anyone of my visit, so no one knew I was coming.

"Who's there," Uncle Nick called out from inside.

"Do you really not know how to use a peephole? I mean, come on, it's right there," I said, exasperated.

"Who's there," Uncle Nick repeated.

"What? Don't recognize your own niece's voice? I mean, I've been gone for a while, but it hasn't been that long, Uncle Nick," I paused, "God, it's Rosemary."

The door swung open to reveal Uncle Nick holding a gun, dad laughing his ass off, Natasha rolling her eyes, and Clint standing there, dumbfounded, a mustache drawn on his face with a red Sharpie. They stood silently, wondering how I got here without them knowing (I read their minds, oops). "I thought you were dead," Clint yelled.

"I'm sorry?"

"I mean, you just disappeared off the face of the earth for months. The last I heard from you was in April! April, Boots! I mean, where did you even go?"

"Jesus, Clint, I was on a mission. I still am, actually, just on vacation for the week."

"On a mission where?"

"That's classified. That is what I'm supposed to say, right Uncle Nick?"

"Yes, however, if they can keep their mouths shut, you can tell them where you've been."

"Well, can you two keep a secret?"

"Two? Coulson already knows?"

"Just answer the damn question, Clinton."

"Fine, yeah, I can keep a secret, and we all know Nat can keep a secret, so spill."

"I've been in California with Tony Stark, protecting him from more dangerous threats."

"Such as?"

"Terrorist organizations, death threats, fake business partners, himself, you know, stuff like that."

"Himself," asked Natasha.

"Yeah, himself. He's a very self-destructive individual. The man spends days down in his workshop, but it can go at least a week before I hear from him again. It's really quite worrying. Can I come in now?"

"Oh, right, sorry," laughed Clint.

We made our way into the living room and sat down on the couch. Uncle Nick was on the far right, then dad, then me, then Nat, and finally Clint on the far left. We talked for a while about everything I had missed. Nat and Clint had gone to Budapest for some unknown reason, and the former couldn't speak the name without a slight giggle. Uncle Nick and Clint both went to bed around eleven-thirty that night as they had to go to work early the next morning. Dad went to bed around midnight because he wouldn't be going in until eight in the morning, and Nat and I went to bed at 1.