I loved the Hawkeye/Blackwidow angle in Avengers. This is just one possibility to how he was sent to kill her and couldn't. I was listening to Eric Whitacre's Sleep as I wrote it. If you have never listened to it, it's on Youtube. Go check it out!

Do Not Go Gentle

By: JBG

Disclaimer: Don't own Avengers or Dylan Thomas's poem. Please don't sue

The streets in Manali were packed with peddlers and pushers. Traffic wasn't too heavy considering the area, though most of it was on foot. Scarves mostly dotted the street below, making her bright red Shirley Temple curls stand out like a laser dot on the marked woman she was.

Dead woman walking.

Widow traded a little, hustling down this back alley and that. These were perfect places to take her out; sparsely populated, open terrain. Very easy to escape after the kill.

Yes, this is it.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Bow drawn taut, guiding hand with thumb on cheek, arrow shaft locked in place, arrow head sharp as a dagger.

The kill would be quick. The kill would be clean.

"Do it, Hawkeye," He whispered to himself.

So why did he hesitate? He wondered the same thing. Hawkeye sat atop his perch…waiting. The roof had adequate cover but the wind slightly shifted directions. Passer-by traffic picked up, and the opportune moment was gone. Again.

He cocked his head back and hastily raked a hand through his hair. Was he loosing it?

Hawkeye didn't know. He was a trained killer, but so was she.

Still, he could have taken her out five times over already, so why hadn't he? He couldn't figure out this question either. Something was so wrong about this.

Perhaps because she was a woman? No. They were harder, but she wouldn't be his first.

Perhaps because this was so easy. Too easy.

She was evil. There was no doubt about it. Her latest massacre was a hospital fire. She had to be dealt with.

The red head turned in his direction. Hawkeye ducked behind a low ledge, waiting. After a few seconds, he risked a glance.

If she knew he was there, she made no indication.

Black Widow scuttled away from the busy vendors to more isolated streets with wider side alleys.

The buildings were further apart, but still close enough for Hawkeye to jump to from roof top to roof top. Still, if she kept this up, she might get away.

Why did that thought comfort him?

Facing away on the street, she went until she stopped and sighed, shoulders heaving. With a small shake of her head, she came to a decision about something and ducked into an abandoned alley way.

But her place wasn't here. He knew. He had been watching her for two days now. Was she accepting another assignment? Perhaps.

There would be no opportunity as clean as this one.

Complete abandonment. Gift wrapped, signed, sealed, delivered.

Coming in on the nearest rooftop possible, Hawkeye's muscles stretched their familiar ways as he stood tall. He was closer to her, even on this rooftop, as he had been all day. His arrow was aimed, orders were orders, and she had her back to him. It would be over before she knew it, even if she did turn around. The thought that he didn't have to see her bare her soul was eerily comforting.

So much easier than what was explained to him…

It was almost as if she wanted to die.

The fingers that had already started to release the taut string faltered.

The assassin's head rose inquisitively away from his weapon. Never had a mark so begged for death. Had she delivered herself to lure him into a trap? What an idiot had he been?

Hawkeye swept his weapon to the left and to the right, not finding anything amiss. He could see no trap.

Black Widow, all but forgotten a moment before, stood still, waiting.

Hawkeye, as in a trance, lowered the weapon a fraction.

"What are you waiting for?" She spoke as to herself, but he was close enough that it was loud enough for him to hear. Hands that were previously shoved in her pockets were slowly withdrawn. "Are you toying with me, or do you simply refuse to shoot me in the back?"

With his bow back at the ready, Hawkeye's eyes darted around the perimeter.

Deep breathing and slow turning, the Black Widow finally peered up at him. Her angel of death. No surprise shown in her wide, sparkling eyes and only sadness laced her voice.

Hawkeye's steady hand shook slightly. He had orders. He had never defied orders…You did not relent on kill orders.

The Black Widow's hands opened and clenched as she defiantly raised her chin. "Do it, please." Her voice hitched, cracking. As her eyes closed reflexively, a single tear raced down her cheek. She forcefully wiped it away. "I deserve this. I knew someone would come for me. After what happe….No…. After what I've done or allowed, I've decided to quit. I deserve this."

Long beats of time passed before she reopened her eyes.

Hawkeye stood with bow by his side. He didn't know what to make of her. Just like her blood red curly doll hair, she had tainted her innocence, but it was still there somewhere.

"You have to be like, the worst assassin ever." She quipped.

Hawkeye cracked a grin, looking down at his feet. "I won't kill you."

She shook her head at the sky, throwing up her hands. "Why, because I'm a woman?"

Did he know why? And then, the epiphany came as she stared back at him. "Because you're me, before I joined Shield."

Awkward pause aside, she settled for nervously rubbing her neck. His gaze was too intense and she had to look away, almost nervously. "You know there'll be others. I turned down a contract just this week. I know too much and they know I'm finished with this. You'd be doing me a favor."

His posture regained its strength and he pulled himself to his full stance."Seeing as it was my mission to take you out, I'll guarantee you'll live to see the sunset. Besides, reading your file, I think you can handle yourself ….Meet me, tomorrow at the Kullu International Airport. Seven a.m. flight. Jet Blue."

Her eyebrows knitted together as she shook her head and tried to figure out the puzzle." But, why?"

"Got a job for you, if you're interested. We protect people from others, like ourselves. Our former selves. Give yourself a chance to clean up some past, get a little rest, a little more peaceful sleep." He spoke slowly toward the last and inclined his head toward her as he popped the 'p'. An understanding passed between them. There were two kinds of killers, after all. The heartless kind, and the kind that had fitful, horrible dreams from all the past violence and death they had seen or caused. She knew now, for sure, that he had seen her sleep. He must have had the same dreams. She started to believe he was telling the truth as to why he couldn't kill her.

The Black Widow took a long, slow breath. "I just don't know if I can do that. You know. Same job, different employer."

His smirk caught her by surprise. "Listen, Widow. "

"Natasha," She slipped, before she could stop herself. She kind of liked this guy. He made her feel as if she wasn't the only one bearing this horrible burden.

Black Hawk looked away, fully smiling now. "Natasha, all you can control is you." And this time, when he looked back at her, his stare pinned her to the ground. "You have a very specialized skill set. You could be useful, cause a lot of good. Just come see what it's about. I can always kill you later, if you prefer it that way….But you don't want your life to end this way, with this legacy, do you? Do not go gentle…. Anyway, sleep on it,"

And with that, he turned around.

"I didn't catch your name."

He simply waved without looking back. If he did have to kill her in the end, it would be better to be attached as little as possible. Of course, he was kidding himself. If he didn't already like her, she'd already be dead.

"Don't be late, Natasha. Sweet dreams."

…..The End…

Love it. Hate it? I'm thinking about continuing it. Please review. Can't get better without constructive criticism!