My War Is Over (Original Unfinished Version)

Chapter Eight

Natasha left the trashed briefing room, trailed by Steve and Clint. Thor apparently hadn't gone far, for when he sees them from his sulking point down the hall he makes his way slowly to their small group. Clint hurries to her side, his cheeks flushed pink and his eyes burning with anger. She mentally sighs. She expected Clint to be conflicted, yes, and rightfully so, but this burning rage he clung tightly to has only seemed to grow in light of this new information. Clint is better than that, but right now he is behaving like a selfish child.

"What the hell?" he yells, voice hoarse and laden with betrayal. Natasha resists the urge to roll her eyes out of sheer annoyance. Regardless of Clint's behavior though, he is still her closest friend, and she did know he could have an unbearable temper when things did not go his way. So instead, she simply raises an eyebrow, continuing in the direction of the elevators. Steve and Thor awkwardly trailing behind them.

"What, are you on the psycho's side now?" Clint barks, spreading his arms in a bewildered manner as he rushes to keep up with her, still drained from his ordeal."Did you forget that fucker took over my mind? Forced me to try and kill everyone I ever cared about?"

"No, Clint, I didn't forget about that," Natasha speaks smoothly, her eyes fixed ahead of her.

"Then why the hell are you defending him?" He's treading dangerous grounds with her, he knows that, but his anger is getting the best of him; potential repercussions the last thing on his mind. Natasha abruptly stops, turning to face him while Steve freezes behind them, staring intently at the floor while shuffling back and forth on his feet; Thor with his bubble of misery coming to a halt beside him.

"Clint, his mind was controlled too, far worse than you. He was also tortured," she explains slowly, her voice level in hopes that her calmness might soothe him.

"And you actually believe that?" he retorts, though he sounds more accusing than anything.

"No," Natasha admits, holding up her hand when Steve and Thor both open their mouths in protest, "Not yet. From what we know, Loki is a master of deception, and from what Thor has just informed us he is more powerful than we could ever imagine. He could easily have changed his eye color and created fake injuries to deceive us into believing he was innocent and made up the whole pity show with the full intent to destroy us the second we turn our backs. But if he is innocent? If he was controlled this entire time just like you? Then he has been hated for horrible things that he didn't do. He has been tortured and forgotten about for a year, perhaps more He has killed innocents and attempted to take over an entire planet all the while without wanting to, and from Thor's input, he has been through a lot more during his childhood. I saw his eyes. The fear seems real so far. But I can't make the decision to believe him or not until I know everything, and right now I don't. I know what I'm asking of you is difficult, but I need you to put away your emotional response and focus only on the facts, because if he is innocent and we failed to recognize that until now, then we at least owe him that." Steve raises an eyebrow that Natasha purposely ignores, fully aware that Clint wasn't the only one with a personal tie to this. She's killed people before, not from being under mind control, but from a product of years of manipulation and molding. Red still drips from her ledger, Loki himself had pointed that out. There's a small part of her that tinges with understanding, an even larger part of her that recognized the look in Tony's eyes from before. This isn't some stunt the man is pulling, he's serious, and if Tony Stark can be deathly serious for once in his life, then the situation requires her utmost attention.

Clint doesn't say anything in response, instead, he waits for Natasha to continue walking towards the elevators and follows in stony silence. Silence is becoming quite a repetitive theme here.

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