The Bonds of Principle
by
Alobear
Category: F/M (Canon Relationship)
Notes: I re-watched Captain America: Civil War recently and realised how screwed Clint is at the end, despite not being in prison any more. So I thought I should add another movie tag to my Avengers collection.
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Clint looked out over the dense jungles of Wakanda, absently passing a cellphone from one hand to the other. It had been days since Cap had broken them out of the floating prison, and Clint still didn't know what to do next. The one thing he did know, was that he couldn't hide in the jungle forever, no matter how nice the accommodation.
He scrubbed one hand through his hair, and used the other to punch in Nat's latest burner phone number from memory. They had a long-established system of regularly replacing disposable phones, for just such an eventuality as this. Clint felt his heart-rate increasing as the call connected.
"Hello?"
Clint squeezed his eyes tight shut at the sound of Nat's voice. "It's me."
"Hang on." There was no trace of emotion in the words - no surprise, no anger, nothing.
Clint imagined Nat extricating herself from whatever she was doing, and strolling casually to a place she knew they wouldn't be overheard. When she spoke again, her voice was still utterly calm.
"Are you okay?"
"For now." Clint felt all the emotions he'd been suppressing start to build. "How are things there?"
"Boring."
Clint couldn't help a half-smile. "Somehow I think we'd both be happier if our situations were reversed right now."
"Did you call Laura?" Nat's tone was light, but there was so much weight behind this question that Clint felt it pressing down on him.
"Um, I was hoping maybe you could do that for me?"
"Not a chance. That's one bullet I will never take for you, my friend."
"So we're still friends?" Even after their brief conversation at the airfield, this was something that had been worrying Clint.
Nat snorted. "Stupid question."
"Will you take Laura a secure phone?"
"Sure." Nat made things so simple. Even though they couldn't speak openly, just knowing she was back in the real world, keeping an eye on everything, gave Clint a huge sense of relief.
"Thanks. I'll call again in two days."
"Be safe." That was as close as he was going to get to any expression of real feeling from her today.
"You too."
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Laura picked up on the first ring. "Clint?"
The smallest part of Clint's heart unclenched. "Hey."
"You total asshole."
Clint drew in a sharp breath. He'd known Laura would be upset, but cursing was new.
"I'm so sorry about all this," he said.
"Sorry doesn't cut it. Not this time." The words were clipped, her tone cold.
Laura had always accepted the risks of his job. He couldn't think why this situation was different. He bristled slightly.
"I had to pick a side."
"Well, it seems like you picked the wrong one."
"I picked the losing side," he countered. "That doesn't mean we were wrong."
"If the result is that you can't come home, it was the wrong side."
Clint could hear Laura desperately trying to keep her voice under control, while her emotions threatened to break out.
"Okay, I know," he said. "I screwed up. Big time. And I really am sorry. Are you okay? Is Nat there?"
"She's watching the kids." Laura's tone turned bitter. "Our kids. You remember them?"
Clint's heart clenched up again. "Are they okay?"
"They don't know this is any different from one of your usual trips." Clint heard the moment when the tears won the battle. "But I need you here, Clint. We all do."
"I know." He took a deep breath. It didn't help. "I'll fix this. I promise."
"You better." The steel was back.
"I love you," he said. "More than anything. But I have to go now. Can I talk to Nat real quick?"
There was a scuffling noise and muffled voices. Then Nat came on the line.
"Hey."
"Thanks for doing this," Clint said.
"Of course. How's it going? Does Cap have a plan?"
"God, I hope so." Clint was out of ideas. "In the meantime, will you look out for Laura and the kids for me?"
"Always."
With the world falling apart around his ears, at least he could rely on that.
THE END