Hello, this is my first time ever writing a fanfiction. Please review and tell me what you think. Enjoy

The avengers were on a mission. Marco Santoni or the 'illusion' was a wannabe villain who had a remarkable amount of influence. He turned out to be a huge annoyance to the team. They spent months trying to find him but hence the name 'illusion' they never were able to find him. That was until today, they had him surrounded.

A new surge of men came swarming in, but they were no match to the avengers. The battle was over in half an hour.

Natasha was walking to her rendezvous point when the pain in her side suddenly spiked. Looking down at the blood seeping out of a gunshot wound, she quickly pulled herself into an alley. Cursing herself for being so vulnerable, she slipped a piece of gauze from out of a hidden pocket on her suit and pressed it onto the wound.

Spotting the van her teammates were waiting for her in she steadied herself before heading over. When she got there, Celebrations were already in play. Everyone was drinking and eating, even Steve. She couldn't help but be jealous that Clint was able to relax enough to drink straight after a battle.

"3 Months guys, finally" Tony sighed.

"And no-ones injured"

"Aha, that's a first," She remarked, quietly deciding to not show that she was injured until they got back to the tower.

Halfway into the trip home, She started feeling the effects of the blood loss. Desperately trying to keep her eyes open, she started to write the mission report. After ticking the box saying there was no Injuries or casualties, the words started dancing around the page. Cursing herself again she put the papers away, looking out the window. Slowly she succumbed to the darkness.

/-\

"Tony turn the music down, Nat's asleep " Steve whispered from the back. Clint turned around confused 'Nat's asleep, after a mission, in front of everyone' he thought. She had her head against the window, one knee curled up and her arm wrapped around her waist.

"Hey Cap, can you check Nat's pulse for me," Clint asked

Steve looked very hesitant. Moving over Steve reached out to put two fingers when the assassins hand flew up and caught Steve's wrist.

"Not dead yet," She said, not moving. "How far out are we"

"Right around the corner, you good"

"Just tired"

As the car entered Stark tower, Natasha realised she was going to have to move for the first time in 2 hours, without anyone realising she was hurt. Putting her knee down a small gasp left her lips. Clint turned around giving her a quizzical look.

"I'm fine, Clint" sighing, taking his arm and getting out of the car. Somehow managing to hide all the pain she was in. She managed to get into the living room As the rest of the avengers collapsed onto the couches. Pepper walked in greeting everyone.

"Drinks" Pepper offered.

"AHH Yesss"

"Beer for me"

"Same"

"I'm ok, Thanks Pepper"

"Romanoff, not drinking, what's wrong with you"

"Nothings wrong," she snarled, suddenly defensive.

"Right" Tony sarcastically sneered. Everyone knew Tony loved to push Natasha's buttons. It was a 'Love-hate relationship'. Usually, it was just friendly banter but Natasha did not have the strength to deal with that right now.

"I'm going to my room" grunting as she got up, her arm shooting to her side. Staggering to the elevator and disappearing.

Fuck She sighed FuckFuckFuck. How the hell did she get into this mess? She should have been more careful. Heading into her bathroom, cursing at her pale complexion in the mirror. Slipping out of her suit and cringing at the soaking red gauze. She considered going downstairs into the medical room to get numbing cream or even pain meds but she didn't want to take the risk. Deciding to instead stitch up the wound by herself without medication. Moving onto her next problem, Clint. How was she going to explain to Clint why she was in pain. It was a tradition for Nat to slip into Clint's bed each night. Remembering whatever she said Clint would see through her, she decided to just not say anything at all.

"Jarvis, no-one enters my level and if anyone asks I'm in the bath or asleep," and that's what happened when Clint decided to check on Nat when she hadn't come back downstairs. He wasn't surprised to find the door locked but couldn't help being a little worried when Jarvis told him she was asleep, Why was she asleep at 8 pm. He decided just to leave her alone and check on her in the morning.

But it would be much sooner. Just after midnight, the sound of a door slamming echoed through the tower. It was only loud enough to wake up one person, Clint Barton. Knowing that the noise came from Nat's room, he raced up to the floor above.

"Nat," He said, knocking on her door. "Nat, honey, open up" now bashing the door.

"Mr Barton, I should warn you that you are making a considerable amount of noise"

"Jarvis can you open the door, please?" he added. Starting to hear the all too familiar sound of Nat dry heaving

"I'm sorry, I'm under strict instructions to not let anybody in"

Swearing at the AI, he quickly picked the lock on the door and ran inside. "Nat, you all right," he said to the room trying to alert her of his presence so he didn't startle her.

She woke up sweaty and in pain. Shit, it hit my kidney, she realised. But before she could worry too much, she felt a surge in her stomach. Running to the bathroom and promptly emptied her belly into the toilet.

She didn't understand why she didn't feel better, but she quickly realized it was probably because she had a bullet in her kidney.

The sound of Clint trying to get in only heightened her panic levels. Was it just her lightheadedness or was Clint's voice getting closer, damn Jarvis

"Hey, hey, hey" came his voice.

"No" she croaked, barely managing to breathe. his hand softly touched her back. "Go 'm fine"

"No, Nat your not"

After a while, nausea had stopped and she was able to muster enough energy to get to the couch. She was so utterly exhausted she just couldn't help closing her eyes just for a little bit. She couldn't rest for that long as a soft hand squeezed her shoulder.

"Nat", his caring voice cut through her daydream. Her eyes lifted, meeting his.

" 'old you c'int, 'm fine" she mumbled, swaying where she sat.

"Natasha, we've been through this"

"Clint, I'm not kidding, I'm tired"

"Honey," he said, deciding to take a new route, the caring approach practically always worked. But not this time. She was so tired and she was just a slip up away from Clint finding out she had hidden an injury from him, again. God, he was going to be so angry, she told herself, He can't find out

"Clint, I'm fine why can't you just trust me" she snapped

"Nat, I-I-was-try-trying-to-help" stuttering looking more worried

"I don't need help I'm fine, I just need to sleep"

"Nat, please"

"Go"

"No"

"Get out of my floor now or I will make you," She said, suddenly looking awake. Clint jumped back a little, Natasha threatened people a lot, but not him, he was her Clint.

"Nat"

"NOW," he stood up and left, throwing worried glances back at her. She heard the familiar sound of the elevator doors shutting. She promptly turned around, fell onto her bed, and cried.