Tightrope

Hurts to be Human

Natasha's arm is completely twisted by a Black Ops agent when Maria rushes to her aid, helping the Black Widow break free. There is hardly time to thank her before another incoming attack. And it would appear that the large, green Jennifer Walters is currently borrowing the Captain's shield to stall.

Natasha charges her bite and fires toward the incoming attackers. With blood on her forehead she tries to catch her breath. She clutched her com after Steve's call;

"What's wrong."

'Alexei is getting away.'

She mumbles, barely audible, "I'll handle it."

She forces the incoming attackers to fall back with a bullet. Clint appears overhead, taking a swing as he pulls an arrow from his quiver;

"Don't be too passive."

Romanoff looks out on the field, searching for Shostakov or her 'father', "Steve?"

'Romanoff?'

"Where are they coming from?"

'The southern border. There's too many.'

She fights her way through, dodging when she can. Seeing those few familiar faces triggers an emotional response she's quick to acknowledge and ultimately ignore if it's an attack on her teammate.

Alexei makes brief contact with Romanoff. Their eyes meet in a rage. Even then she can't charge for him and neither can he. He turns to knock out an agent with the assurance that she will see his decision not to kill. It doesn't feel any better to Natasha when she tightens her jaw and decides to ignore, leading Clint down a different path just to avoid him.

"Nat!" Clint pushes his friend to the ground, ducking over a bomb.

Natasha makes her way through the smoke, her face covered in debris when she fires her gun from the ground in a truly accidental kill. It helps her side, even if it feels wrong. All she can hear are his words;

'Self-defense...'

It's becoming too much. Clint is calling for her. Though Natasha is ready to lay in the ground and never move again until she sees a hand extended in her direction.

"Get up Natasha."

His figure is dark but his voice is unmistakable. She takes his hand, suddenly back to back with Fury as she lifts her secondary weapon. Barton is further away but having Fury beside her feels just as safe.

Her hair is in her face so she quickly brushes it back, "Head back towards Rogers and keep pushing them away. I've got this."

He obeys her orders without question, leaving Natasha to push forward.

Barton is panting as he struggles to keep up with Natasha's running, "I might retire. You like Laura right?"

Natasha swings to take out an impending enemy, "Yeah! Why?"

"I'm thinking about asking her to marry me."

"Oh,' Natasha's eyebrows lower, 'A little soon?"

"Maybe. But if I make it out of this I wanna-,' he fires his arrow, 'You know. I'd like to start a new chapter in my life."

"Uh huh."

"Sorry, too deep?"

"No I follow," She sighs, trying to catch her breath as she fires her pistol off into the distance, "Why not right? You love her."

"You think she can handle me?"

"Clint,' she smirks, wiping the blood from the fresh cut on her mouth, 'no one can handle you. But if I had to choose a human it would be Laura."