Dark Arrow

Chapter Three

A month later and Steve was on his way back to the tower with Nat. Soft jazz music filled the comfortable silence in the car as he drove. It had been a crazy few weeks, Rain had been on an intel mission and come back bringing Bucky along with her. Steve had nearly passed out when he walked off the Quinjet, an arrow lodged in his knee. Her mission was to gather intel on the Winter Solider and his possible whereabouts. When she'd finally found out who he was and what had happened to him, Rain made the decision to save him over kill him. It wasn't until she had him subdued that she'd managed to break through his mind control to bring back the Bucky that Steve knew.

When Steve had tried to thank her, Rain had brushed him off reminding him that she hadn't done it for him. She'd done it for Bucky, the pair had been all but inseparable ever since. Steve could never understand why Rain despised him. It had led to constant bickering between the two of them. Steve was more than fed up with her attitude towards him and the way she thought she was indestructible.

"So what's the deal with you and little Barton?" Nat asked, pulling Steve out of his thoughts. Her giveaway gleam in her eye giving away the fact that she knew what the problem was. As much as Rain and Steve bickered, they were beyond attracted to each other. If they learnt to act like adults rather than children, she knew they'd be good together.

Steve's eyes didn't leave the road as he answered Nat. "Nothing. Will you drop it?" It wasn't the first time Nat had brought it up.

"It's been a month since you met, yet you avoid her at every opportunity." Nat gave him a knowing look.

Steve scoffed, briefly looking at Nat but not wanting to take his eyes off the road for too long. "She's reckless and doesn't listen."

Nat giggled, "oh she listens. Just apparently not to you." She knew how headstrong Rain could be, but with good reason.

"And that's my fault?" Steve huffed as he rolled his eyes at her. All that achieved was getting Nat to smile. She knew what neither of them would admit to both themselves or each other. "If you two stopped bickering for five minutes, you might actually get along."

Steve didn't respond, he couldn't see what Nat could. Rain was nothing more than a brat who thought she knew better. He didn't know much about the younger Barton and he didn't plan to find out. While he respected her and would always keep her safe, he had no intentions on getting to know her. Not now and not ever. She was trouble with a capital 't'.

***

The impromptu visit to see Clint was proving to be a big mistake as I sat on his bed while he got ready. I was glaring at him, giving him my best unimpressed look. "Don't look at me like that," he attempted to scold me like he would when we were children. His raised eyebrow was the only thing giving away the fact he was enjoying this.

I groaned as I laid back on his bed, placing my arm over my face. "Then don't talk out of your ass." I scolded back, peeking out from under my arm. I could see the smile he was biting back. As close as we were he still always seemed to know how to get under my skin. He turned away, pulling a flannel shirt off the hanger in his closet. "I'm just saying you need to learn to work with him."

What is it with everyone lately?

"No I don't. I'm good at what I do, I don't need his help." I couldn't understand what the sudden obsession to get Steve and I to get along was. I had my friends and people I trusted. Steve fucking Rogers was not on that list, nor would he ever be.

Clint walked over with a roll of his eyes at my dramatics. He was used to my stubbornness at this point, even if it did drive him insane at times. He pulled me up off his bed. "Well that's tough, because you're both on the next mission together."

My eyes snapped to his, irritation coursing through my veins at the idea of it. I couldn't work with that perfect asshole. I wouldn't. "Okay, whose eye am I putting an arrow through?" Clint simply raised his eyebrow at me again. There was only one person that decided who goes on missions together. Nicholas fucking Fury. I gave Clint a tap on the shoulder as I left. He stopped me as I reached the door. "Don't kill him." I wasn't sure who he was referring to at that point. Either way I wasn't making any promises I couldn't keep.

As I left I gave the kids a hug with a promise to come by in a few days for game night. Walking down the porch of the steps, I looked up into the clear sky. It was always so beautiful and calm here, I was almost envious of the life Clint had built. Almost. My life would always be dedicated to SHIELD. I had accepted my fate a long time ago, I held too much resentment in my heart. With a sigh I walked over to the motorbike I loved. The sleek black machine, another gift from Tony. It gave me the freedom I so desperately needed.

I sped off as quickly as I could, one destination in mind.

Walking into Nick's office, I slammed the door open as I stalked towards him. "You're pairing me up with the fucking golden boy?" I avoided the urge to put an arrow through his good eye. Nick didn't even turn in his chair, just called out a casual "good morning to you too Barton." That only irritated me further, I hated being referred to as Barton and he knew it.

I reached his desk, standing with my arms crossed. "Care to explain what I've done to piss you off this time?" There was no other reason that I could think of for him to pair my up with Steve. Especially when he knew how much we couldn't stand each other. Nick finally turned in his chair, leaning against his desk as he looked up at me. "You're acting like a child Rain. I'm pairing you up because you're both best for the job." That was bullshit and we both knew it.

"Barnes is cleared for duty, send him instead." I countered, I wasn't completely against having a partner on a mission. Just not the blonde one that sends me all kinds of insane. Bucky was one of the most amazing people I'd met. He was funny and quick witted, if you took the time to bring his walls down. He'd been through a lot, only letting a select few in. I never could understand how he'd become friends with Steve. They were polar opposites.

Nick sighed, "no. I want you and Cap on this one." His tone and the way he was staring at me told me this was yet another argument I wasn't winning. Reluctantly I asked him what the mission was. He pulled a file out from his desk as he passed it to me. "Terrorist group, looks like they're planning to bomb an apartment block." I took the file from him, skimming over the details that I'd read properly later. It was a simple enough job, find the bomb, defuse it before it went off and get out.

"Are you kidding me?" I looked up from the intel. "I don't need him for this." I could tell that Nick was throughly done with my arguments as he watched me. "You know as well as I do that it doesn't hurt to have back up." I couldn't help the hurt I felt, the thing with Nick was that he'd never underestimated what I could do. It felt like that's exactly what he was doing now. "Fine," I relented albeit unhappily. "I'm just saying I'd get in and out quicker alone."

Nick stood, leaning against his desk as he gave me a stern look. He was talking as the SHIELD director, not the man that had taken me under his wing. "Go make a plan and get it done Barton. Try not to kill the Captain in the process."

Through gritted teeth I asked him how long we had to make this plan. "Two days." I gave him a nod, "fine, but call me Barton again and you'll lose the other eye." He smirked at that, knowing I'd pull him up on it. He dismissed me with a nod.

Walking out I had one destination in mind. If I was going to go on a mission I wanted to be at my best. Stepping into the elevator I called out to JARVIS, "training room please J."