Red Thorn

Chapter 16

May 2003

Natasha, Clint and Phil Coulson were all sat on the porch of Barton's farmhouse, watching as an unimpressed Fury stormed down the path towards them.

"Would someone please care to explain why I received a coded message summoning me to Barton's farm?" the tall, tanned man asked, placing both hands on his hips as he stopped just in front of the three agents. "And while you're at it, why you two haven't reported that you're back from your mission?"

Coulson stood, Clint and Natasha following suit.

"We had a slight hiccup," the archer explained.

"Hiccup?" Fury questioned. "You two are the best in the business, you don't have hiccups."

"But we did," Clint told him.

"And she just might be better than us," Nat continued. "Well...better than him at least."

Clint quirked an eyebrow at his partner. "I seem to remember her kicking your ass too."

"What else can you tell me about her?" Fury asked, ignoring their bickering.

Natasha let out a thoughtful breath. "Chestnut hair, blue-green eyes--"

"Sea green," Coulson cut in.

"Young," Nat continued explaining. "Sir, she had Widow training."

"You're not exactly a senior citizen yourself, Miss Romanoff," he pointed out before adding, "And what do you mean 'Widow training'? I thought you took care of that. It was the final step in your defection to SHIELD"

"I can confirm that we did, Sir," Clint assured. "And Nat didn't recognise her. When asked she denied being a Widow."

"So what?"

"She could have been sent on a mission when we were kids," Natasha suggested, "Been undercover ever since."

Fury nodded then turned to Coulson, his lip tightening. "Sea green eyes?"

"Yes, Sir," the well-dressed agent confirmed.

"And how exactly do you know the colour of her eyes, Agent Coulson?" the deputy chief queried. "Seeing as you weren't in France with Agents Barton and Romanoff, were you?"

"No, Sir."

"Then how do you know the colour of her eyes?"

Coulson sighed. "I think you already know."

"And why bring her here, not back to HQ like you did with Miss Romanoff?"

"You sent me on that mission to eliminate a threat," Clint explained. "We knew who the Black Widow was. But we have no clue who she is."

"And if we don't, more importantly, I don't," Natasha added, "There is a good chance no one does."

Fury was quiet for a moment, a plan forming in his head, before voicing his thoughts. "We'd have a ghost..."

"Sir, that's not what I was--"

"With all due respect, Miss Romanoff," Agent Fury cut in, "As a former KGB operative, you have no say in this, or any decision made at SHIELD."

"She may not, Sir, but I'd hope that you would value mine," Coulson spoke up.

"And what might that be?"

Coulson looked towards the house before turning his attention back to his superior. "She's a kid, no older than Natasha, we can't be sure because of both the mask and her silence. But we could give her a chance at being just that, a kid."