It was a warm summer evening when a young red haired Russian found herself on the porch of a humble farmhouse. Knocking on the door, she stood there quietly until the door opened. In the doorframe was none other than Clint Barton, who simply stared in disbelief at what he saw.

The archer's grey blue eyes almost began to tear up, as he placed a hand on the doorframe to keep himself steady.

"Nat." He said through a breath of relief, and yet there was a pained longing in his voice. He had missed her, more than she would ever know.

She inhaled slowly, preparing to explain everything but before she could, Clint limped forward and wrapped his strong arms around her as he gently held her close. She didn't resist him, in fact she embraced him warmly, as she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're okay..." He said under his breath.

Almost on the brink of tears because a part of him truly was afraid he would never see her again, he gently rubbed her back and held her close. Her smaller build began to shake as several tears ran down from her face. Clint kept a strong hold on her, his hands rubbing her arms in an attempt to comfort her.

He didn't know this, but she was crying because she didn't know what to do. She didn't know if she could still call Clint's home her's after all that happened. She wasn't sure if Clint had forgiven her, or if coming back after leaving him for a year would make everything worse. But the moment he embraced her all her fears vanished within a second. He spoke again, only this time his voice was much softer, to the point it was nearly inaudible.

"You're okay. You're safe."

Looking up at Clint, she remained silent, but her eyes spoke for her. Smiling down at her, his grey blue eyes met hers to notice the few small tears that an down her cheek. He lifted his hand and gently held her face, wiping away the tears. For a moment the two just stood there, before Clint slowly lowered his hand and she spoke in a low and almost raspy tone,

"I've missed you."

Smiling softly as he looked down at his boots so she couldn't see his own eyes beginning to water he added,

"So have I. But...you're here now, and that's all that matters."

As he spoke this he gave her a soft and very loving smile, one in which she had not seen since the outbreak of the war. It was then, and only then, that she knew she was finally home.

Following Clint inside, Natasha spent the next two months living with him and his family before she revealed herself back to the other Avengers. During that time she opened up to Clint about everywhere she had been the past year. There was still tension between them, but after a few days of realizing how much they had missed each other, this tension faded into an oblivion.

Clint's kids had always helped Natasha escape her past, and as she spent time with them over the months, they helped her and Clint regain what they had before. She would spend afternoons watching them play, and sometimes even join in with them. She'd watch from the porch as Clint's oldest boy helped his father with farm work, or would listen as Clint told little Nathaniel bedtime stories.

One evening, Natasha was alone with Laura because Clint had to go in for work. Her and Laura were sitting on the porch, talking for several hours about all that had happened since they last saw each other. It was then that Natasha tried to apologize, for hurting Clint, only to learn Laura didn't know she was the one who shot him.

Clint had told her he was hit in the crossfire of enemy fire, and that if it weren't for Natasha, he wouldn't have made it out.

They had their good and bad days. Some nights Natasha couldn't sleep, so Clint would sit with her all night. Somedays Clint couldn't do the work like usual on the farm because of his leg, or because he had to go into work. Natasha would step up and do his work for him, even though she knew nothing about farming, she learned quickly. They supported each other, and slowly it was as if what happened during the Civil War had no impact on them. They forgave each other, and moved past it all.

Clint still had a limp from his injury, and Natasha's scar from the arrow he shot would always be there. But the two grew past their physical wounds of the past, and realized they were only as strong as each other, and that they needed one another. Never again would their loyalty towards each other be broken.