The Story of a Bird and Spider || Clintasha

12

"I'm not much of a team player. Okay, I can work in teams-- that takes up a huge part of my missions. But I'll admit I'm more of an outcast. The 'lone wolf,' as Maria put it. Beside her and Coulson, I do usually stick to myself.

"I enjoy solitude, but the idea of always being alone doesn't sound so appealing. Especially after my time in Budapest."

"I'm not a man who dwells in the past, thinking about what he would change if given a second opportunity. As an agent, second chances don't come often. But because I've had this thought, I've been thinking about the few things I would change.

"At first, I thought of Barney. Naturally, of course. That's something that never really leaves my thoughts. After all, he sacrificed himself to save everyone else-- I would say I'm forever in his debt, but that's not how I want to immortalize him in my mind. He wouldn't want me to be using him as inspiration to survive. That's not how it works. And because of that, I wouldn't turn back the clock to save him. He was big on lessons... He left this world with the knowledge that he'd redeemed himself of his own dark past, and that taught me some things, too.

"Then, I thought about Bobbi. Even though it didn't work out, I still value the time we spent together. I wondered if I regret proposing to her; and being rejected. But I don't. It leaves an emotional scar that keeps your head under the clouds. And I don't regret that.

"Lastly, I thought about Nat. Life would be a lot more luxurious in Russia if I'd just killed her like I was supposed to. But how could I possibly even imagine doing that now? After all this troubling time? I am a man of treacherous past. But I am also a man of no regrets.

"C'est la vie."

"How does someone effectively plant a whole other life in someone's mind? I'd better talk to Fury when I get the chance, to ask him if he's aware of this trend."

"Sometimes I find myself wondering how many superheroes there are.

"Of course I've heard the rumors of Daredevil. Based on the life I've lived, it doesn't seem too far fetched, and at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if there were many masked heroes. If he's really out there, he's kept a low profile. I haven't read anything that has figured out who the man behind the mask is, but honestly, it could be anyone. At S.H.I.E.L.D., you have to stop believing there are limits to possibilities.

"Then there's the rumor about Spider Man. That one is a little harder for me to grasp, since the thought of a radioactive spider bite giving your spider powers sounds absurd. But, once again, I am an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and I am Hawkeye. How many people have the characteristics of a hawk? Either way, Spider Man has kept a low profile as well, so far.

"And everyone knows about Captain America from when he was famous back in his time, but he's long gone, now. I'm certain that there are other people with superhuman qualities, whether it's from a science experiment by Howard Stark, or some blast of radioactive material.

"The only thing I hope is that, if they exist, that they live up to the good qualities in a man, not just a superhero."

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31. Hungary: Budapest, Wednesday, August 19, 6:54

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Their first mistake was splitting up.

Katya went ahead to talk to two police officers, expecting to find some information about Natasha. Her police badge is as believable as the next, after all. Clint turned the other way to look.

He was so lost in his thoughts at the time that he didn't expect a group of three men to ambush him and knock him out on the pavement. Katya has the officers' attention, and none of them see the men carry Clint away. He groans softly, and once in the back of an SUV, they tape his mouth shut and tie his hands back and feet together.