Worth (Sequel to Games of Deception)

Chapter 4 - Assignments

-Jacqueline-

Not long after I'd woken up, we'd began the trip back to SHIELD. Even though I'd agreed to drive back beforehand, Clint decided it was best for him to take the wheel again. Probably a good thing too, because I hadn't even had the ability to hold my breakfast down. Classy.
Most of the ride was spent in silence, as I was still recovering from the alcohol-induced sedation I'd tried to force myself into. And, honestly, was still wishing for. Not my smartest move, I would have to admit. I hadn't reacted to the news like I knew I should have, and I was beginning to sorely regret it.

But it had been my one fear all along, the underlying feeling they were still out there. And it had only been further confirmation of the nightmares, the visions of what was to come. I needed answers to my questions, but I knew there was likely nothing to be done. At least not yet. I was in a state of not feeling; what happened to me didn't matter anymore. But I couldn't let anyone else get hurt in the process, if I could at all prevent it. I glanced at Clint as he drove, my eyes falling onto his that were then intently staring at the road ahead of us. If what I'd seen was true, our time together was short. And that was what hurt most of all.

We arrived back at SHIELD without any problems, and thankfully no one had even seemed to notice we had been gone.

Well, except for one person.

"You know, I wish I could say this was a surprise." Fury sighed from behind his desk as we'd stepped into his office. It was like we were children or something. I'd only been there once before, when I'd first joined SHIELD. It was a place you never wanted to be. Especially if you'd done something like sneak off base for an extended period of time.

"Lately I've been wondering how often you people actually think things through. What you did was dangerous, and I have a feeling Stark probably told you why."

A couple of us nodded slightly in agreement. Fury looked downward while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Leave it to Stark to be the one who..."

He paused and sighed before looking to Clint. "Barton, I expect you to better guide your team. We have things to accomplish that are too important for-"

"Sir, sorry to interrupt," Evangeline began, "but the whole thing is really my-"

"I don't care which one of you instigated this; Agent Barton is responsible for all of you. Any problem he has with any of you individually he will take care of himself."

I swallowed nervously as Evangeline blinked back at him in forced silence. So far, this wasn't going too well.

"That being said," Fury continued, "Barton, you're off the field for a couple weeks. Romanoff, you'll be with Scagilla or Adams."

Ouch. I knew there would be punishment, but taking Clint out of the field was especially harsh. I felt a pang of guilt, maybe I was partially to blame for this. Clint, however, stared straight ahead as he and Natasha nodded simultaneously.

"Yes, sir."

Fury looked between us all in silence for a moment, his eyes seeming to linger on me a bit longer than the others. "As for the other topic at hand...we will discuss that later. You know your assignments. You're all dismissed."

This was just grand.

We then filed out one by one into the hallway, and the door to Fury's office clicked shut behind us.

"Well, that went exceptionally well." Clint stated once we were out of range of Fury's office. He was the first to reach the elevator at the end of the hall, and quickly let us all inside.