A/Ns: Hey guys, now that I'm wrapping up my semester of school the story should move much quicker. Comments are always welcomed!

5 months ago

"Agent Barton, I am clearing you to return to active duty. But I urge you to come back if you start experiencing any nightmares, anxiety, insomnia, depression, or hallucinations, okay?"

"Doc, I had those before a psycho fucked with my mind." 'and my body.' he thinks bitterly.

She purses her lips, her brown eyes narrowing at him. Sighing, she jotts something down on her legal pad.

"I am here for you. I'm bound to only report your mental health status, I can't reveal any particulars." She had tried this ploy before.

Clint can suddenly feel the slide of Loki's warm hands over his skin.

"I'm fine, Doc." he says, with as much sincerity as he can muster.

3 months ago.

"Clint, you look like hell. Have you been sleeping?" Natasha asks, handing him a cup of coffee. She stares at the dark bags under his eyes, and the slump in shoulders, as if he was carrying an invisible weight.

"I'm fine, Nat. Bed's too lumpy is all," he says, taking the coffee to hide the fine tremble of exhaustion in his hands.

"Clint-"

"I said I'm fine, Agent Romanoff," he snaps, feeling guilty as fuck even as he walks away.

2 months ago

The smooth feel of slick skin pressed against him, makes him moan. He can't stop the demanding nature that his arousal causes as it presses against his stomach. "Please touch me, Loki," comes his own haggard voice.

Slamming into consciousness, Clint sits straight up, panting, stomach contracting into tight knots with every sharp breath.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees a glow, a glimmer of something. When he looks over, Loki is standing there, a small smirk on his lips. Clint throws two knives from under his pillow through Loki's face, which ripples as they pass through, embedding themselves into the wall, but the image fades away.

He holds it together long enough to get to the bathroom before he vomits.

Three weeks ago

"Director, may I have a word with you?" Natasha asks Fury, on the bridge.

"Certainly, what's on your mind?" Fury asks, turning to face her.

"Somewhere private, please, sir," she says, and turns marching toward his office.

Fury follows, curious. Once inside, Fury sits behind the desk, shuffling some files around.

"What's going on Agent Romanov?" he asks, gesturing to a chair.

"It's Barton, sir. I'm concerned he hasn't fully recovered from being under Loki's control," she stands, ignoring his offer to sit.

"He was cleared for duty, by our best psychologist. She said it would still take time for the effects to settle. Is there something specific you see happening?" he asks, hating to hear that something could be the matter. Out of everyone affected by Loki, Clint was probably hurt the most. He had his brain taken from him. It made Fury shudder.

"He's not sleeping. He is anxious on missions, I suspect he is having nightmares. I don't think the effects are settling sir. I think they are worsening." Her report is nothing new for any of the agents under Fury's command.

"Agent Barton has a history of insomnia and nightmares. Plus, this is a stressful job. Keeping things steady might just be what helps him stay stable."

"Sir, I don't think he needs routine. I think he needs something new. Something for him to have to adapt to. Barton does best when he has something in his focus." She shifts as she speaks.

"Do you have a recommendation?" Fury asks, leaning back in his chair.

"Actually, I do."

Present day

45

46

47

BANG. BANG. BANG.

"Clint, you awake?" Natasha's voice cuts through his counting and he paused mid push-up to look at the door.

"Come on in," he says loud enough, and then stands as the door opens.

"Wow," she says entering his room.

"What?" he asks, wiping off some sweat from his face with a near by towel.

"It's four in the morning and you are working out," she states.

"You're awake," he counters. From the purse of her lips, he can tell that's not what she is talking about.

"I'm not talking about it, Nat," he says firmly.

"I didn't ask," she gave a simple shrug, as if she didn't care. Barton knew that that wasn't true. Natasha had 'asked' nearly every time she saw him. She had been around him a long time and knew he was holding something back. Even though he had cleared all his evaluations from the S.H.I.E.L.D. shrinks, it didn't matter to her. She could tell. It took all his willpower to not tell her.

"What's going on?" Clint asks, grabbing a bottle of water. "Fury wants to see you."

...

"Barton, good. Did we wake you?" Fury asked, half turning around from his spot on the main deck of the Helicarrier, as Natasha and Clint approached him. The crew was working with minimum personnel because of the late or, perhaps, early hour.

"No, sir," he responds, straightening his back as he glanced around.

"Good, good," he paused, seeming to search for words before clearing his throat.

"Take a walk with me, Agent Barton." Clint nods, and follows Director Fury as he strode off towards some of the empty corridors.

"I just received word from Asgard, Loki apparently has been punished for his crimes. He has shown a good deal of remorse for his actions. Odin has decided that Thor and Loki will return to Midgard for the continuation of his restitution by helping us."

Blinking, the master assassin tried to process that.

"Um- okay?" he didn't mean to make it sound like a question, but what was he expected to say?

"There's more, Barton," Fury said, stopping to face him. "The Avengers are moving into Stark's new tower to deploy as a team from there. You'll be reassigned there... So will Thor and Loki." His stomach twisted into a violent knot, threatening to rebel in a way it hadn't for a long time. Closing his mouth, all Clint could think to do was nod.

"You will have a week to relocate. Thor and Loki will be arriving tomorrow to move in." Fury kept his face neutral. "I know this will be difficult for everyone. I don't expect things to just change over night, but do me a favor? Try not to kill him, okay?"

Barton nods, only able thinking that killing Loki was not the response he was worried about having.

...

When the archer arrives at the new Stark Tower, six days later, Hawkeye tries very hard to not make a big deal out it. Tasha touches his shoulder and helps him in with his sadly few possessions, most of which tend to be weapons.

They are exiting the elevator when Steve greets them, as he seems to be heading to the gym.

"Tony and Bruce are down in the lab," Captain says, slipping into the elevator as they got out laden with bags. They both nod, as the doors slide close.

"The lab," Tasha explains as they make their way down the hall, "takes up the bottom three floors. Gym is on four. Five is kitchen, dining, and what have you. The rest are either storage, training or our quarters. You share a level with me and Steve. Thor and Loki are the next floor up and Banner and Stark are up two floors from us."

The fact that he didn't flinch at the mention of Loki's name makes him feel a little better.

"Loki has been good here, Clint. He stays around Thor mostly, trying to avoid all of us. He can't hurt you," she says in a low voice.

"I know," he replies, but not sure if it sounds convincing at all.

They get inside the door and she drops his stuff, taking a casual look around the room.

"I'll leave you to it," Natasha states, before patting his shoulder and leaving.

For a moment, Barton thinks that he wished it felt foreign, but after spending his whole life constantly traveling, Stark's Tower feels as familiar and comforting as anything. Clint only hopes that his time spent here is less than other places