With a soulmark like 'You do know that you are in a red zone... don't you soldier' etched on his skin, William James saw no other option but to throw himself into the fire. How was he supposed to be there for her, if he chose to remain in safer waters? Lexi Branson, however wasn't the kind of woman that needed saving. He would be there to offer it though, even as 'Clint Barton'.

Years after Iraq, Clint Barton, once known as Will James, meets a blast from the past.

After his tour with the D-Company, William James returns to his old life.

People like you, you live for the thrill. When that is gone, what do you do? You sit. And you wait. Or you jump at the next opportunity.

An assassin and a bomb tech with some rather odd habits . . . NOW CROSS-POSTED ON AO3

It was just a scouting detail and nothing was supposed to happen. Until he found her.

When there's a bomb on the helicarrier, the Avengers learn a little bit about Clint Barton's past.

The Avengers never realized with the death of Agent Phil Coulson would led them to learn more about the life of one of their members before recruitment. AU.

After Coulson dies, Clint has no reason to stay. So he goes back to one of his previous jobs. That is until three months later when something unexpected happens. Clint/Phil Slash. Clint is William James

It's not when they encounter something Tony can't handle do they see more of their resident sniper, and his strange fetish of collecting things that almost took his life. T for swearing.

The past never really goes away. It's a small world, really, and Brandt wasn't surprised when he ran into someone he used to know.