Summary: After suffering a crippling and devastating betrayal from someone he trusted, Clint struggles with his demons as he goes on a quest for vengeance. Grace Melnychenko Drăgoi struggles to cope, after a traumatic ordeal that collides her with a vengeful archer. Co – Written with snowqueen79. Clint/OC, Bucky/OC, Steve/Natasha, and other pairings. Rated M for violence, upsetting scenes and eventual smut.
We are so pleased, that you are all enjoying the story so far. Things get confrontational in this chapter.
Downfall Of Us All
Chapter 2
Clint managed to put on a t-shirt, and a pair of jeans, he tied up his boots with some luck. He stood up and looked at the right side of his stomach where Laura had stabbed him. His heart ached for the loss of his children, he would never see them again. He'd never hold them, watch Cooper become a good man or see Lila walk down the aisle.
They were gone, but he'd never forget them.
He walked to the conference room where the others were waiting, and Ross was there already. He glanced at the Home Secretary with hatred burning in his eyes, as he looked at the man. He wished he hadn't taken the deal with Ross, he'd wanted to see his children, and this was the price he was paying. If he'd been with Nat, Steve and the others... would things have been different?
Maybe.
"We have discovered that two sisters, Sophie and Grace Drăgoi Melnychenko are the daughters of a Red Room Operative. Her name was Anya Melnychenko, she was born in Ukraine, Kiev." Ross said coldly and pressed a remote that showed a photo of a blonde haired young woman.
"Was she around the same time as Natasha?" Tony asked cautiously, he knew Natasha's past was a sore subject to be asking about.
"Anya Melnychenko wasn't around when I was being trained. But, I heard whispers about more young girls being recruited," Natasha admitted quietly, Steve squeezed her hand tightly.
"Stark, pull up the file on here." Ross ordered harshly, and Tony's face darkened but he did as the man ordered. He pulled up the file, and Clint felt his stomach roll in nausea.
"They were impregnated by Winter Soldiers, who were HYDRA assassins." Steve said sickened, and Clint glanced at Bucky whose face had darkened in anger.
"I don't understand," Bruce said, "and with all respect, Nat, because I know it's an unpleasant subject. But weren't the Red Room agents forcibly sterilized?"
"This came from the Red Room," Ross explained, "but it was a different program. It was called the Widow Program. A breeding program. According to the intel we've gathered, they intended to hand select young women from the Red Room and breed them with the Winter Soldiers. Their intention was to breed a superior class of elite female assassins. Instead of training them as small children, as they have for decades in the Red Room, they would begin shortly after conception."
Clint shook his head. "After conception? What does that mean?"
"Anya was the test subject in this program," Ross went on. "They selected her to be the first in this program. Both times they used a soldier named Adam Drăgoi, Romanian in origin, to impregnate her."
At the name, Bucky glanced up at Ross. Did he know who he was? Was the name familiar?
"And he was a Winter Soldier? Like Bucky?" Steve asked wearily.
"Not exactly," Ross replied. "While he was part of the program, his tendencies were not as violent as the other soldiers. It was why he was selected."
"It's rape either way," Nat threw out, looking disgusted.
Ross nodded but went on. "Once they were certain that the pregnancies were viable, and the foetuses' female, they experimented on each child in utero."
"Before they were born?" Steve shook his head. "And female? So, if either of the babies were male…?"
"The first one was a male foetus," Ross said nonchalantly. "They terminated that pregnancy."
Nat's head lowered. Steve took her hand under the table as Clint watched, trying to comfort her.
"What kind of experiments?" Clint asked. "What did they do?"
"The intel that we've recovered, suggests that they were injected with a rare form of spider DNA. A radioactive spider to be exact and were injected with its blood, and the blood of seven uncommon spiders. They were also given a weaker of the Super - Soldier serum," Ross said bluntly, no empathy in his voice.
"What happened to Anya? After she gave birth." Natasha asked quietly, her voice hard but everyone heard the anger in her voice at what they were hearing.
"She and Adam escaped the Widow Program, they left and took the children with them. After that no one knew what happened to them, until after this." Ross said calmly and played a video.
Clint's eyes widened at the sight of two young blonde-haired women, fighting off a group of men. He'd guess they were HYDRA, two of the men ended up in spider webbing, while the other two were blasted away.
"They are wanted by the UN for refusing to sign the Sokovia Accords, you are to arrest them and by force if necessary." Ross said coldly and looked at them.
"Any questions?" He asked calmly, and Wanda was the one who dared to ask the question.
"What if we can't convince them to come with us?" Wanda asked bravely, Ross regarded the young woman with no emotion.
"They will be sent to the Raft, you will be leaving in an hour. So, I suggest you pack a few things." He said sharply and paused.
"Arrest Agent Grant Ward, he was protecting the sisters and broke the Sokovian Accords. So, bring him in, and Parker." The Home Secretary said coldly, and left.
"Fuck, so we're dealing with two sisters who have spider abilities?" Bucky asked darkly, he was trying to remember any memories that had Adam in them.
"Looks like it, Bucky." Steve said grimly and sighed.
"Suit up."
Grace Viktoria Melnychenko Drăgoi sighed quietly, as she cleaned up the small cake shop that her mother had owned. It had been Anya Melnychenko's pride and joy, and she had raised her two daughters to help her run it.
"Well, that's Mrs Carmichael's cake order done, Gracie." Sophie Melnychenko Drăgoi said softly, glancing at her sister reassuringly.
Grace attempted to give her older sister a smile.
The cake she'd done for Mrs. Carmichael was a masterpiece in shimmering white frosting with three layers, intricate doves, and flowers. Her sister's artistic abilities never failed to amaze her. Grace loved a good cake as much as the next person, but her sister's were so beautiful she wasn't certain she could bring herself to eat one if it were offered to her.
The counters were all done save for Sophie's counter space, the floors swept. Most of their supplies and ingredients were put away.
Grace couldn't overcome the sense that something wasn't done. Something was out of place.
Something wasn't right.
"What's wrong?" Sophie asked her as she eased the cake into the refrigerated display case beneath the counter.
Grace shook her head. "Can't you feel it?"
The cake safely tucked away, Sophie wiped her hands on her apron and studied her. "Feel what?"
Hanging up her own apron and setting aside her broom, Grace tried to give a name to the restless energy that had filled her mind with dread. It had started only a couple of hours ago. Granted that was at five o'clock, their busiest time when people were on their way home from work. And they had been busy so maybe that's why she'd told herself it was just daily stress, supply and demand.
Only the feeling had grown worse.
"Sophie, something is coming," was all Grace knew to say. "Someone is coming."
"Who?"
"If I knew I wouldn't ask, now would I?" Grace wrapped her arms around herself, feeling like her skin was crawling.
"Does this have to do with that dream you told me about?" Sophie asked gently.
"It wasn't a dream," Grace said impatiently. "I talked to him. And he's… coming with them. They are coming here. Oh, God! Can't you feel it?"
Sophie stilled and tuned into her senses, sensing nothing for a moment but then felt like her own skin was crawling. She shivered and looked at Grace.
"Let's drop off this cake and go home." She said quietly, keeping her voice calm despite her inner fear. Grace nodded and pulled the cake out as she carefully got it onto the table.
Sophie pulled out a cake box, so they could deliver it carefully in the car. Sophie took the cake, while Grace closed the store and put the closed sign in front of the front door. Taking in a few deep breaths, she took off her apron and placed it behind the front counter. She had been on edge since she'd had that dream, with that mysterious man who had talked to her.
Clint, his name was Clint.
She heard Sophie honking the horn, and she quickly left the store and walked to the black 1967 Chevrolet Impala. She got in, and they started driving back to their apartment. Their apartment was in downtown Brooklyn, a blue-collar area for working class families. When their parents had emigrated to New York, Brooklyn following the collapse of the Soviet Union, they had decided Brooklyn would be a good place to raise their two young daughters.
She missed her parents so much, she sighed as she listened to the radio. Sophie was watching the road, as the car was one street away from their apartment.
"We'll pack a few things, and take the cats with us," Sophie said reassuringly to Grace who nodded quietly, they drove into the apartment parking lot and turned the engine off.
They walked not too quickly to the apartment building, and Grace walked beside her as they reached their apartment. Sophie unlocked the door, and they went inside quickly, and locked the door. Grace hurried into her bedroom and took out a small travel bag, she packed a few pairs of jeans, underwear, and shirts. She then packed a few tank tops, and t-shirts, and her toiletry bag.
She quickly packed it with her shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and her soap, and packed it all in her bag. She took in a deep breath and found Starling fast asleep on her bed. She picked him up gently, and put him in the car carrier with Custard, Tom, Jack, Reg, Bonnie, Clyde, Paul and Oscar. Sophie came in with Patch, the tuxedo cat purring.
"Got everything packed?" Sophie asked quietly, Grace nodded and picked up a framed photo, she kissed it lovingly and put it in her travel bag.
"Yeah, have you packed everything?" She asked nervously, Sophie nodded and looked at their mother's bedroom.
"I took the passports from the safe, and the money that mom saved up for us." Sophie explained softly, and they started leaving the apartment.
Sophie had just grabbed the doorknob when a loud thump sounded behind them. They whirled around to see a large man climbing through the door of their balcony, an assault rifle slung over one should and the other arm was…
Metal? Wait, isn't that…?
Flinging the door open, carrier in hand, Sophie tried darting out the door, nearly colliding with the huge shield of Captain America. Steve Rogers stepped forward, forcing Sophie to step back. To say he filled a room was an understatement. His gaze darted from Sophie to Grace and back.
"Ladies," he said. "Going to need you to come with us, please."
Grace glared back over her shoulder at the Winter Soldier, who was slowly coming in behind them.
"Stop, right there," Grace warned him.
He froze but once they turned their attention back to Captain America, he took another step.
Sophie zinged webbing back at him and in his surprise, she was able to jerk the rifle out of his grip and into hers. She wasn't unfamiliar with firearms, so she hauled it up, pointing it at Captain America's face.
"Get over here, soldier!" Sophie yelled at Bucky, "where I can see you both."
Grace heard the machinery of his arm working as he contemplated his next move. Lunging, that arm swung out to grab Gracie who scaled the wall, staying just out of his grasp, clinging to the ceiling and staying just out of his reach.
"Buck, stop," Captain America told him. "Come here."
Sophie kept the rifle pointed at America's hero and Grace watched warily as the soldier went in the direction of his leader, his eyes not leaving her once.
Captain America lowered his shield, not so much out of fear that Sophie would shoot one of them. It appeared he wanted to talk.
"We're not here to hurt you," the Captain told them. "We're trying to help you."
"Shit!" All of them turned to see Spider - Man just inside their balcony door, his gaze riveted on Grace.
"Grace?" He asked, pulling the mask from his head to reveal Peter Parker who had once been their neighbour. "Is that you?"
Sophie and Grace exchanged glances. Grace dropped from the ceiling, her heart pounding in her chest. She'd always liked Peter. His presence made whatever was going on a little less threatening.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Wait. How do you know each other?" the Winter Soldier asked, frowning.
"We used to be neighbours," Peter explained, walking forward to hug Grace. "Me and May have missed you guys."
"We've missed you too," Grace told him, wishing they could be talking under other circumstances.
Peter looked to Steve and Bucky then. "Guys, what are we doing here? Did they do something wrong?"
"They didn't register under the Sokovian Accords, and Ross considers them to be a risk to Homeland Security." Steve explained quietly, although he didn't like this either.
"We don't want to be used as weapons, by any governments. Please, we just want to be left alone." Sophie pleaded imploringly, hoping they would understand.
"Wait, you've got powers?" Peter asked startled, he knew that their mother, Anya was very protective of them. She was very strict about what boys they dated and had a soft spot for him.
Sophie and Grace glanced at each other, and it was like they were having a silent conversation. They turned to face Peter, and Grace threw webbing at the wall, causing it to stock.
Peter stared at them in shock, and they looked at him sadly. Grace especially looked remorseful, while Sophie simply looked defeated as she looked at Steve and Bucky.
"You're both like me?" Peter asked finally, shocked at what he was seeing in front of him. They nodded, and Sophie was the one who spoke up.
"We wanted to tell you, Peter. Honestly, we did, but mama was terrified at the thought of the government using us as weapons. She forbade us from telling you, but we tried to protect you," Sophie said quietly, regret in her voice.
Peter was just a kid, and she was a grown woman. Peter should be at home studying, or with his friends or with May. Not fighting dangerous criminals, and dangerous organisations. Peter shook his head, he wasn't mad at them, but he was confused as hell as to why the Avengers, and Tony wanted with them.
"We'll go with you, just please... can we take our cats?" Grace said defeatedly, she knew they had no chance against two super soldiers and the Avengers.
Not to mention, the Hulk.
Steve nodded in understanding, and gently took her by the arm while Bucky took Sophie, as they left the apartment. People had come to see what was going on, and were shocked to see the Avengers with them.
Grace was trembling slightly, as they were led outside the apartment building, and showed to a black armoured truck. It looked like a prison van.
"Sophie Vera Melnychenko Dragoi, and Grace Viktoria Melnychenko Drăgoi, you are both under arrest for failure of not signing the Sokovian Accords. Barton, you'll ride with the younger one, while Barnes will take the eldest." A man in a black suit ordered coldly, and two soldiers walked over.
"This way, mam." The soldier said quietly to Sophie she looked over at Grace who looked scared.
"I'm not leaving my sister." Sophie said firmly, refusing to leave her little sister in the hands of this man.
"Are you resisting arrest?" Ross asked challengingly, Sophie squared her shoulders and glared at him.
"Come on," Steve stared down the man in the suit. "They aren't resisting arrest. Let them stay together."
"And pose more of a threat together? No," the man replied.
Grace hadn't paid attention to the other soldier standing next to the scary one with the metal arm. He was flinching slightly in pain as he dug out a pair of handcuffs. Then he looked up, his gaze meeting hers.
It was him. Clint.
The way his grey eyes widened on her gave it away. He recognized her. He was the man she remembered meeting.
"It's okay, Soph," Grace told her sister before her insistence made their situation worse. "I'll be okay."
Sophie frowned at her, mouthed "what the hell". Grace nodded, trying to assure her she didn't feel in any danger.
If Sophie wanted to worry about someone, she should worry about the warrior who carefully placed her in handcuffs, strange-looking, thick handcuffs, and helped her into the van. As Grace watched, she was surprised with the care he took with her sister.
Maybe there weren't all bad. They were in custody. She had to hope for the best now. The soldier slammed the door behind him and Grace watched the van drive away.
Clint stepped up, Grace put down the carriers and held her wrists out in front of her, not contesting when he placed the handcuffs on her. His gaze met her, such sorrow shadowed those kind eyes as they gazed into her eyes. She remembered his children. How much he loved them, how he'd cried for them.
He had his initial reaction to their meeting under control, but still, he handled her with care. He winced as he bent to pick up Grace's carriers.
"Your side," Grace warned, not wanting him to hurt himself. He only picked up one.
The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. "I'll be okay."
Steve grabbed the other carrier at her feet, walking behind them as Clint helped her into another black van and set his carrier down. Steve placed the other carrier in the van, slamming the door shut leaving Grace there on the bench seat next to Clint.
"Thank you," Grace said to Clint in the quiet of the van as the engine started.
Grace hadn't had a chance to tell her sister about meeting Clint, what she knew about him. Hell, they might have an ally in him in getting away from these people at some point. It broke her heart to have to give up their mother's cake shop. The small business had not only sustained them, it was the one thing their mother was so proud of, had worked so hard on.
Their dreams weren't just going to end like this, right? They also had Peter. Maybe he could help them without compromising himself. He could tell them, in truth, that he hadn't know about their abilities before today. That they'd never posed a threat. That had to count for something, right?
"Grace?" Clint's lowered voice pulled her from her thoughts. "You do remember me, don't you? That was real, wasn't it?"
"Yes, that was real. I was in your dream last night when you were flatlining. Thought I was going crazy at first, but I wasn't." Grace said quietly and looked at the street where their cake shop was.
What if they weren't allowed to run the business? That was their mother's legacy, and Grace felt like she'd let down her mother, and to a degree her father.
"Felt real to me, I saw you with your children. I'm sorry, no parent deserves to lose a child." Grace said sadly, her mind drifting to a little boy with dark blonde hair, and a sweet smile.
She wiped her eyes quickly, and stroked Starling through the pet carrier, the cat purring softly.
Clint looked at her quietly, she seemed to genuinely understand what he was going through. That confused him though, Ross had said that she didn't have any children.
'Maybe she's just being kind, she lost her mom and dad.' He reasoned silently and nodded at her in thanks. Grace smiled quietly and bit her lip.
She hoped Sophie was alright.
Enjoy, and we hope you enjoyed the latest chapter :)
