Hey guys! I had this idea after watching Civil War a while back and I've finally gotten around to writing it. I definitely felt like there would've been tons of issues after Cap rescued the four from prison and I wish they would've incorporated something like this into the movie, but oh well. I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you like it so enjoy!
disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination
I sit on the cot in my cell staring down at my hands, trying to forget everything that's happened. Sam and Scott were both in their cells, but I hadn't even caught a glimpse of Wanda since we arrived and, frankly, I'm starting to get a little worried. My eyes wander to the blue prison uniform that I'm currently wearing, the thin fabric scattering any hope I'd had of putting any of this behind me.
"Looks like I'm one of the bad guys now." I say quietly. It shouldn't be anything new, if my time in the circus was any indication I should've landed in one of these a long time ago. I quickly shake the thoughts from my mind, that was a long time ago. That's not me anymore. My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the familiar sound of a certain billionaire's voice. I let out a scoff and begin to clap loudly, anger boiling in me.
"The Futurist, gentlemen! The Futurist is here! He sees all! He knows what's best for you, whether you like it or not!" I scowl as Tony finally comes into view, donning a black eye and a sling on his arm. I clench my fists tightly.
"Give me a break Barton, I had no idea they'd put you in here." Stark frown at me. I roll my eyes.
"Yeah well, you knew they'd put us somewhere, Tony." The man in front of me waves his arm slightly, gesturing to our surroundings.
"Yeah but not some super-max, floating ocean pokey. You know, this is a place for maniacs, this is a place for..." I stand to my feet and lean my hands against the clear wall.
"Criminals. Criminals, Tony. I think that's the word you're looking for, right?" I look away slightly. "It didn't use to mean me or Sam or Wanda, but here we are." Tony edges closer.
"Because you broke the law."
"Yeah." I don't sugar coat it, I just nod.
"I didn't make you."
"La, la, la, la, la.." I'm in no mood for his "we need to be kept in check speech" and I quickly try to block him out.
"You're all grown up, you got a wife and kids. I don't understand, why didn't you think about them before you chose the wrong side?" Rage fills me and I glare at him and boy if looks could kill, Tony would be dead three times over. He starts to walk away and I can't contain my anger.
"You better watch your back with this one." I walk my hands against the wall. "There's a chance he might break it!" Stark throws a horrified glance at me before slowly walking away, leaving me alone once again. I sit back down on my cot and stare at the wall, trying to figure out where everything went wrong.
It's only two days after Tony's visit when Steve arrives at the prison and releases Sam, Scott, Wanda and I. I've never been more relieved to see Captain America but, at the same time, I've never been more filled with dread. It should never have come to this. I quickly shake my head to clear my thoughts and follow Steve out to where a Quinjet is waiting. Even with the joy of our escape I can't help but notice the sullen faces that adorn the other former prisoners. Sam's eyes look vacant and I can't look past how Wanda flinches every time someone moves too quickly or gets too close. My hands clench as I make my way onto the plane and we take off to who knows where. I glance back one last time before turning to look ahead, finally leaving The Raft behind.
FOUR MONTHS LATER.
I sigh as I pour yet another glass of whiskey into the cup in front of me and bring it to my lips, downing the drink in one swallow. Almost immediately I refill the glass. I'm about to empty its contents once again, when there's a knock at the door. I shuffle to the entrance and slowly open the door, revealing a man with dark hair and a beard. My blood boils at the sight of him.
"What the hell are you doing here Stark?" I growl. The man raises his hands in surrender.
"Relax, I just want to talk." I shake my head.
"Not interested." I go to slam the door but Stark's foot is wedged between the it and the frame. "Move. Now." Venom drips from my words but he shakes his head.
"Just let me explain."
"I don't need your explanation. You turned your back on me, that's all there is to it."
"Barton, please, just listen for a minute!" Something about the look in his eyes convinces me to open the door, albeit reluctantly.
"Alright, you're here. Now talk, before I change my mind." I make my way back over to the counter to where the whiskey bottle is waiting, intent on finishing my drink.
"I'm sorry." The words fly from his mouth so suddenly that at first I don't think I heard him right.
"What?" The billionaire sighs and takes a step towards me, and I step back in return. He frowns.
"I said I'm sorry. What happened four months ago, I should've know where you'd end up." I snort.
"Well that's one thing we agree on." I say sarcastically. Tony frowns.
"It's not my fault that you chose the wrong side, Clint, so I'd appreciate it if you'd stop acting like it was." And there's the old Tony, all traces of an apology gone and replaced by arrogance.
"What makes you so sure that I chose the wrong side, huh? Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, you were wrong? I mean think about it, you caused everyone around you so much pain, while Cap at least tried to hole everything together. He even came back for us when you threw Sam, Wanda, and I into a super-max prison!" Stark throws his hands in the air.
"Well where is he now? Running around calling himself a hero while at the same time he's trying to keep from paying for his crimes. He's a fugitive. At least I'm trying to return the team to some kind of normalcy. I'm attempting to go back to the way things were, the way they should be." I slam my hand holding the whiskey on the counter, sending shards of glass spraying across the area and splashing my once full drink all over the smooth surface.
"Things will never go back to the way they were, Tony! Do you have any idea what you did to us? Do you?" I search his face for any sign that he knows what happened, I find nothing. I holler in anger. "You made Wanda think she was a monster! Destroyed Sam and Scott's lives! You turned me back into a criminal! Do you have any idea how long I've tried to leave that behind me? But, noooo, the one time I disagree with you, you bring every bit of it back. You made me believe that I was the bad guy all over again."
"Clint you know that was never my intention. I was only trying to.."
"Of course that was never your intention!" I say cutting him off. "You only put us in prison, threw us to the wolves." For a while both of us are silent. Finally I turn to him.
"Do you know what they did to me? They took me into a dark room, everyday, for 'enhanced interrogation'. They beat me until every inch of my body was covered in blood, then they'd send me to the infirmary and get me patched up so they could do it all again tomorrow. When that got boring they started using cattle prods and knives." I pull down the collar of my shirt to reveal the ugly white scar that still remained after my last visit. "And that was nothing new to me, but I never thought the people I trusted would be the same people that put me there." Another long silence fills the room and it stretches on for several minutes but I refuse to let Stark leave without hearing the worst part of what his actions caused. I take a deep breath and turn to him. The man gives me a concerned glance.
"Did you know that I can never see my kids again?" A shocked expression adorns his face at my words. "I'm a fugitive now, which means that any contact I have with my family could put them in danger. So I put them in Fury's old S.H.I.E.L.D protection program, he promised me a long time ago that if anything ever happened he'd keep them safe." I search for any trace of regret in the man's features and I look away when I see the pain on his face. Nevertheless, I continue. "I won't be there for Nathaniel's second birthday, or for Laura and mine's anniversary. I'll never be able to teach Cooper how to shoot a bow, or scare off Lila's first boyfriend." I frown, actually voicing these thoughts feels as if it's actually turning into reality, like I'm finally admitting it to not only Tony but myself as well. "I won't be able to watch them grow up." Sorrow overcomes the billionaire's features.
"Clint I'm so sorry, I never."
"I don't want your apology, Stark." I cut him off bitterly. "Not anymore." He opens his mouth to try and say something but I shake my head. "Get out."
"Clint, I..."
"I said get out!" My hands clench into fists and I whirl on the other man. He hangs his head and slowly makes his way towards the exit. He opens the door and just before he walks out, he casts one last glance at me.
"I really am sorry, Clint." And with that my former friend closes the door and leaves. My breath comes in ragged gasps and I run a hand through my hair, a stinging sensation crosses over my palm as soon as it touches my head. Confused I pull my hand in front of my face to discover a gnash running across my flesh, oozing blood. I glance over at my counter and see the shards of glass still littering the surface. I must've cut it when I slammed the drink down, but I must've been to enraged to notice. I make my way to the bathroom in a daze and pull out the first side kit. Carefully I pull out the bandages and wrap them around my hand before heading back into the living room. I look at the door and suddenly the full weight to my situation comes crashing down on me. My knees give out and I fall to the floor, heartbroken. A single tear rolls down my cheek before dripping off of my chin. I bite back a cry and slam my hand on the ground in defeat. I grab one of the glasses off of the coffee table in front of me and hurl it across the room, watching as it crashes against the wall and shatters into a million pieces. I can't contain it any longer and I let out agonizing scream. My voice cracks and I can barely hold back the tears that are threatening to spill down my cheeks. A cry escapes me and I collapse onto the floor, my body wracked with silent sobs. I stay this way for a long time and eventually doze off, hoping that I'll wake up and this will all have been just another nightmare. My heart breaks hours later when I wake up and realize that it's real.
Well that was certainly eventful now wasn't it? I really hope you enjoyed the story, it's my first try at a one shot so... anyway I was thinking about doing a companion piece to this that would deal with Clint, Wanda, Sam, and maybe Scott's experiences in the prison, what do you think? Please leave a review and let me know if anyone would be interested in reading that type of story. Also feel free to leave suggestions as to what I should use in the story if you like the idea. Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated.