A/N: I know you all probably think I fell off the face of the Earth. I'm sorry. I just... Life. I rushed to get this out to you guys, so I didn't even run it through the beta yet. And sorry it's short, I just... Life. :A/N

"Heard anything from Clint?"

Startled, Tony turned off his monitor and turned around, already making up an excuse in his head.

"Why would I know anything about Clint? Hey, have you seen him lately? Have they figured out the power problem yet?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Do you honestly think there's anything that happens on this Helicarrier that I don't know about?"

Tony paused, deep in thought. "Wait, anything?"

Tasha rewarded his question with a silence that seemed to say "yes." Tony's eyes suddenly grew wide.

"I won't tell Pepper."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief and turned his monitor back on. "No, I haven't heard anything from him since the day he left."

Tasha leaned over his shoulder to peer at the computer screen. "What's that?"

"Lola's file."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Tony, all I see is a bunch of numbers."

"Yeah, about that... All her info is on a completely separate database from the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff. And the password changes every five minutes, so I have to try to develop a hacking system that can keep up with the changing passwords." Tony ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know why the actual S.H.I.E.L.D. security isn't this good."

"How does Fury access it?"

"I would guess that he gets the new passcode when it updates, but it's too risky for me to try and get it..."

By the time he finished talking, Natasha was already heading out the door. "Where are you going?" Tony asked.

She paused and only turned her head slightly in his direction.

"I'll take care of it."

"Hooray. San Diego."

"Cheer up. At least we're not roasting anymore."

"Yeah." Clint sighed and leaned back into the driver's seat. "Where to, Lola?"

"It would be easier if I drove-"

"Nope. Nope nope nope. You attract way too much attention."

"And I somehow attract less attention sitting right next to you?"

"I could have you lie down in the back."

"I'm good."

"All right. Where to?"

"My folks live up in Chino."

She waited. She waited until she was certain that there was no one except for her in the small, dark room. But even then, she dared not move from her delicate perch on the shelf, her toned legs neatly tucked underneath her, her arms supporting her at her sides- in effect, pulling her into the smallest ball she could comfortably fit in.

She looked up at the security camera that was perched on the wall across from her. Carefully, she brought a hand to her lips, and puffed through the tiny blowtube she had concealed there. A mass of black glop coated the lens, and Natasha slowly unfolded herself. She silently lowered herself to the ground, and began to search around the Director's desk, her eyes already accustomed to the poor lighting.

She began to despair as she realized that the codes could be anywhere. Trying to go with her best option before the camera was able to see again, she woke up the computer and slipped her flashdrive into the port. Immediately, it began to download all of Fury's files. In the darkness she waited as silent as the shadows themselves.

The download completed and she carefully withdrew the drive. She let herself out, still making no noise whatsoever, and locked the door to keep people from entering before the camera could see them.

"Red one."

"Blue one."

"Blue one."

"Blue one. Blue one. Blue one."

"No fair. That was a car dealership."

"It's still a blue one."

"Let's play a different game."

"Let's play navigator," Clint said, turning off the GPS installed in the car. "If we get lost it's all on you."

"Great." Lola looked around, searching for a familiar landmark. "Turn left onto Grand."

Clint turned, and found himself facing a wide expanse of suburbia; it was probably the most innocent-looking place he'd ever been to.

"This is where you're from?"

"Um, not exactly. My parents moved here after I went away for college." She leaned forward. "Turn left here, on Peyton."

Clint continued driving, following Lola's directions until they came to a smallish house, painted pale yellow and not bigger nor smaller than the surrounding houses. Overall it was very ordinary. Clint was mildly surprised- so far, his traveling companion had been anything but ordinary.

Lola opened the car door and was about to head up to the front door when she realized that Clint wasn't behind her. "Aren't you coming?"

Clint shifted uncomfortably in the seat.

"Clint. I'm begging you to come."

Lola rang the doorbell and waited. Clint took note of the smaller details- the carefully manicured lawn, the rows of planted flowers, the garden hose tucked neatly into the corner. He felt out of place, like he didn't belong in this bubble of innocence and propriety. He casually glanced to the side and saw a young couple walking down the sidewalk, hand in hand. In that instant his sentiments were confirmed; there was no way that he could return to this kind of life- he had gone too far, seen too much, done too many wrongs. An innocence had been taken from him that he couldn't restore, no matter how he tried. He had chosen his path, and he had to follow it through to the end.

The door opened. He heard a slur of words, saw an embrace between Lola and her parents. Clint greeted them with a smile that he didn't feel.

Lola's mother had light brown hair, and luminous, flawless skin, and her face was untouched by age. Lola's hair color and most of her other physical characteristics obviously came from her father, who had a head of curly red hair. His eyes were blue, although not quite as blue as Lola's. He extended a hand toward Clint. Clint returned the gesture, and gave an automatic answer to a question asked.

Stay the night, they said.

Yeah, stay the night. That sounds like a good idea.