Avenger's One-shots and Preferences

New Year, New Start- Clint Barton

This one-shot came to mind in the Spirit of the New year and because I don't think Clint gets enough credit for his big heart and willingness to give people (Such as Natasha and the Maximoff twins) a second chance. Enjoy and Happy New Years.

It was New Year's Eve and a party was held at Avenger's Tower in celebration. Everyone was there, including yourself, though you had been reluctant to come at first; the only reason you showed up at all was because Clint asked you to come. You knew full well the man had a certain talent in persuasion. He was also after all the reason you became an Avenger in the first place.

Four months before then you had been on your own as a free-lance mercenary. It didn't matter what needed to be done whether it was theft, espionage, or even assassination; as long as there was money involved you took the job and always completed it to the letter. It wasn't until you got the Avengers' attention was when your life was about to change. You had been hired by HYDRA to infiltrate the labs at the tower to steal some highly advanced and dangerous alien tech Stark was apparently studying. You had almost succeeded, but it wasn't until you actually stole the equipment and made your way out of the tower did the team notice. The moment they did notice, they wasted no time tracking you down. At the time, you realized they were onto you big time so you ran as fast as you could, dodging cars and people left and right until you made your way underground to the subway. You looked back and relaxed a little, thinking you lost the Avengers, but when you turned around you bumped into Hawkeye. "Excuse me, ma'am but I think you have something that belongs to me and my fellow teammates." he says with a smile on his face, "I'll be taking it back now if you don't mind." You weren't about to go down without a fight so you through the hardest punch you could at him. He blocked it and than the two of you engaged in a fist fight. At first you were winning but than Hawkeye turned things around and got you into a headlock. "You really want to keep this up, kid?" "I'm not a kid," you retort. "Huh. Coulda fooled me," Hawkeyed replied sarcastically, "Do you even have any idea what that tech you stole does?" You think about it for a second, "No not really." He lets you go. "Neither do I," was his response, "but I do know if in the wrong hands it could potentially be apocalyptic. Who hired you? HYDRA?" "What if they did? Who cares?" You ask, "they promised to pay me as long as I get my money it doesn't make a difference what they plan to use it for." "Well it does to me," Hawkeye tells you, "What if I told you that you may not even have the chance to spend the money they pay you because of the apocalyptic potential I mentioned earlier?" "I really don't think they would destroy the world just like that. Besides it's not like you all didn't nearly do that once before." Now it was your turn to smile, "I know who you guys are and I know about that little incident that took place in Sokovia." "Fair enough," was his reply, "but you really think that tech would be safer in HYDRA's hands?" Unable to hear more you pull out a pistol and shoot him in the shoulder and make a run for it with the alien tech  

At the time you had been able to escape Clint after that conversation but his words kept springing into your head and you wondered if he was right. It wasn't until you delivered the tech to HYDRA did you realize his words rang true. When they went to give you the money in exchange for the tech, you pulled out your pistol and bolted for the door before they could retaliate. You came back to Avengers' tower to return the tech. Naturally the Avengers were very wary and untrusting of you at first but Clint came up to you, shoulder in a sling from where you shot him and vouch for you. After that day, you slowly became one of them. It took a great amount of trust and persuasion on Clint's part but it all started to work out.

Now it was New Year's Eve and here you were at the party. You were standing on the balcony sipping your drink when Clint walked up to you. "Sure is a great time to celebrate," he said casually, "a new year, a fresh new start, a new outlook on life." You could only smile a stare down at your drink as he spoke. "What's on your mind, kid?" he asks you. "I was just thinking about what did for me four months ago," was your reply. "What about it?" "Why vouch for me? Why take my side at all especially after what I did to you?" you gesture to his shoulder. "You're not the first one to question that," Clint replies, "I see things in people; people like you, people like Nat and the twins. What I saw in them I saw it in you." "I'm not sure if what you saw in me was worth exploiting," you say somewhat sullenly, "Nat thought the same thing at first." Clint says back, "I guess it took her some time to get used to the concept of second chances." "I am grateful for it though," you said, "I promise this new year I won't let you down," you meant it.

Before Clint could say anything else, Wanda pulls the two of you back inside for the countdown to New Years. Once midnight approached, all you could think about was how lucky you felt to be given a second chance and to be with such amazing people. A new year and a new start indeed.