Chapter 7: Laura Barton

Laura Barton stood next to her truck as the plane approached. She received the restricted text message to meet at the small, unoccupied airport near mid-afternoon to pick up her new charge. Laura leaned against her door, thinking about the decision she made a few days ago.

She should have consulted with Clint before agreeing, but she knew he would have reservations. After all, her husband did not hold back on his bitterness towards Tony Stark. He refused to acknowledge him by name for a long time. He only addressed Tony as Futurist or Asshole.

It broke Laura's heart to see the team broken and scattered. When Clint first returned home and he relayed everything that happened, she held him close, knowing how the dismantling of the team—his second family—brought distraught. So, she didn't scold or get mad over all the craftsmanship projects he started to undergo for their house. It kept his mind occupied and held off the nostalgia, which Clint needed for the time.

So, when she received a call, asking her to take in a teenage boy, Laura hesitated. Her family may not have a lot of electronics in their home, but she wasn't cut off from the world. She knew who the teenager was. Everyone around the world heard of him and his flight. Sympathy and compassion overrode her concerns for her husband. She accepted and immediately went to prepare for his arrival.

She honestly meant to tell Clint of her decision and yet, every time she spoke with him, she couldn't bring herself to tell him. Would he be angry? Call it off? Be despondent over it? She had no idea. All she knew was that a young, innocent boy needed shelter.

Laura straightened when the plane's door opened and stairs came down. A minute later, a boy not too much older than her own son, stepped out of the shadows. His brown hair was a bit longer than in the photographs, but Laura recognized him.

Peter Parker.

The teenager finished his descent, studying Laura from a safe distance as if wondering if he needed to go to her. His steps were careful and cautious, wary of her. That didn't surprise her at all. For him, the whole situation was bizarre and frightening and new for him. He couldn't trust anyone. Not anymore.

Laura, however, wanted to make him feel welcomed. She walked over to him, slow and steady to not frighten him. "Peter Parker, right?" she said, smiling as she brushed a few wild strands of hair from her face. "Hi! I'm Laura."

She stuck out her hand to shake his. Peter tentatively stared at it before accepting. He had a strong handshake. "Hello," he responded, quiet and still unsure. "Nice to meet you."

He was a polite boy. Raised right. Laura kept her smile as to keep the peace between them. "I hope your flight was okay. No problems?"

Peter shook his head. "No, ma'm."

"Laura," she insisted. "Laura is fine." She looked over him, noticing only a small duffle in his hand. "Is this all your stuff or do you have more?"

Again, Peter shook his head. "No… this is it," he said, cheeks tinging a bit red. "I don't have very much."

Laura understood. Life on the run meant little possessions. He was lucky to have what he had. "Okay—great," she said. "Then we can get going if that's all you have. Unless the pilot has more instructions—"

She looked back to the plane, expecting someone else to be walking down the plane's stairs. Instead, the stairs disappeared and the plane's door sealed shut. The roaring of an engine alerted Laura and Peter that they needed to move. Laura stepped aside, taking Peter with her as the plane turned around to depart.

There goes that, Laura thought. Now, it was only him and her.

"Okay, well, I guess not," Laura said and then gestured to her truck. "We better get going. I don't particularly like driving at night and I don't want my husband to get overly concerned."

Laura led Peter to the truck and he hopped into the passenger seat while she took the driver's seat. She revved up the engine and steered the truck around down the dirt road that took her to the abandoned airport.

The first few minutes were uneasily silent. Peter gazed out his window, not saying a word. Laura imagined he had a lot on his mind and a lot of fears. She was nervous as well. A teenage boy with super powers. She's met the Avengers once before and they lived under her roof, but she never had to care for a super-powered person before. Ever.

Not only that, she worried over Clint's reaction. She still didn't tell him and feared he may not take the news very well.

But, as Clint always reminded her, she should not focus on her fears. Focus on the goal. Focus on the present. And right now, that included getting the teenager to feel more comfortable. "So, did anyone tell you what's happening or—no? Okay. That's a bit surprising, I thought someone would tell you," she said when Peter shook his head to her question. "Okay, then I guess I'll tell you what I know. You will be staying with us until further notice."

Peter's brows furrowed to the center. "Us?"

"Me, my husband and my three kids."

Peter blinked. It appeared he knew very little about his new home. "A family?"

Laura nodded. "Yeah, but don't worry. They're easy-going," she assured him, although she may have been stretching the truth on that depending how Clint reacted. "My oldest, he's eleven. And the second is eight. Then our baby just turned two."

Peter nodded in acknowledgment. "Sounds like you have a good family," he said and then paused. "I… I-I don't want to intrude or bring any trouble—"

Laura waved him down. "Stop! Stop—don't worry. I once had to house the entire Avengers team while they were hiding from the world," she said. "So, trust me—you're fine. Besides, I wouldn't have picked you up if I didn't want to."

Peter seemed relieved by her response, but the tension still lingered in his muscles. "Is that how you know Agent Ross? From the Avengers?" he asked.

"I don't who that is," Laura said. "Who is he?"

Peter's face twitched in warning. "Oh, um, no one," he quickly mumbled. "What about King T'Challa? You know him?"

Laura knew of the King of Wakanda was, but not personally. She shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't know him either," she told him as she turned onto a country road that led them further into nowhere. "I received a call from another friend asking for a big favor."

"Who was that?"

"Someone you've probably never met," Laura said, not wanting to expose her friend's secret. "I know this must be scary for you—"

"It's not," Peter stated. "I'm quite used to it now."

Laura believed him. Peter has already been away for three months. He's probably used to the uncertainty of his future and the fear that goes alongside it. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's not fair."

Peter shrugged. "It's the Parker luck."

Laura didn't know what that meant, but she decided they needed a better subject to converse. "Well, I have faith that things will get better," she said. "Gotta believe it will or it won't. My husband says to me the moment you start to think negatively, then everything will go wrong."

"You have a smart husband."

"More like a smart ass," she commented. "Sometimes I wish he took his own wisdom from time to time."

That got a small grin to crack on Peter's somber face. Laura was pleased. They continued driving as the sun set behind them, talking a bit here and there. Laura learned a little more about Peter such as he's an avid Star Wars fan, a member of the decathlon team at his old school and that he worried for his aunt. Pity burned Laura's heart as she listened to Peter tell her that his aunt was the last of his family and he was afraid of losing her. Probably as much as his aunt was afraid of losing him—Laura assumed.

Finally, Laura turned off the asphalt road and onto a dirt and gravel driveway that weaved between the woods and over the rolling hills. Laura saw her home in the short distance. The lights were on, meaning her family was inside and waiting for her return.

She pulled the truck right outside the barn and turned the engine off. "Welcome to your new home," she said to Peter, who was studying his new surroundings with a mixture of curiosity and strangeness. After all, Peter grew up in the city, not in the country.

"Come on," Laura said, nudging her head in the direction to the front door. "Let me introduce you to the family."

Laura led Peter to the front door, pulling the screen door open first before unlocking the front door. They always locked the front door, even when they were home. No need to invite unwelcomed strangers into their home with such ease.

She held the door for Peter, who stretched his legs over the threshold, eyes shifting left to right as he took in everything. Their small home was cozy. A good size for their family, but to Peter, he looked at it like it was some kind of mansion. Lips parted as his eyes roamed all over the foyer and living room.

Laura closed and locked the door. "Kids? Hey kids! I'm home!"

She heard them before she saw them. Two pairs of feet came trotting from different directions until she saw her two oldest children appear.

Her daughter, Lila, squealed. "Mommy!"

Peter stood awkwardly as Cooper and Lila ran to their mother. Lila rattled off everything she's done for the day and waving up a drawing for her too see. It was of Clint, in his Hawkeye gear, firing arrows at aliens to save their family. She thanked her for the drawing and suggested she showed her dad. Cooper was begging to go to some basketball game in town on Friday. His friends were going and he wanted to go too. Laura consented to his requests.

After all that did her children realize that a stranger stood in their living room. Lila's eyes went wide as saucers upon seeing him. Cooper coldly regarded Peter, distrustful of him. Just like his father.

Speaking of which. "Kids—where's your father?"

Cooper jerked his head toward the backyard. "He's playing with Nathaniel out in the sandbox."

That meant Clint would come into the house soon enough once he brushed the sand pebbles off Nathaniel, who always managed to get sand everywhere on him. It was an annoying skill their youngest had.

Better make introductions before the storm. Laura waved Peter over. "Kids, I want you to meet someone who will be living with us for a while," she said as Peter strolled over, his duffle slung over his shoulder. "This is Peter Parker. Peter? These are my kids—Cooper and Lila."

Cooper and Lila respectfully greeted him in return as did Peter.

Laura moved from the foyer to the living room and gestured to the couch. "Peter—I haven't exactly set up a bedroom for you quite yet. It was all last minute," she said to him, "but our couch is a pull out and you can sleep there until we get you a room."

"Mommy! He can stay in my room," Lila eagerly offered. "He can stay in my room and I can sleep with you and Daddy."

Laura was proud of her daughter. Always willing to sacrifice her things for others. Another trait from their father bestowed upon their child. She imagined Nathaniel would get his recklessness based off the baby's wild attempts to escape his playpen.

"That's very sweet of you to offer, Lila dear," Laura said to her daughter, "but I don't think he will fit in your bed."

Lila had a small, handcrafted bed that Clint made a long time ago for her. It fit perfectly for her size, but she doubted it would fit Peter. Lila appeared downtrodden at the rejection, so Laura playfully squeezed her daughter's cheek. "You are a very sweet girl," she said. "You know—I do need help in getting sheets, blankets and a pillow for him. Do you think you can get those for me?"

Lila enthusiastically nodded and dashed past them. Cooper stayed behind, arms folded in front of him as he continued to regard Peter. "So—you're the fugitive super-hero on the news?"

"Cooper!" Laura admonished, hotly embarrassed by her son's brazen attitude.

Peter only knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "Um… yeah, I guess."

Cooper nodded. "Cool," he said. "What can you do?"

"Cooper!" Laura snapped, abashed by her son. "You don't ask those questions. You know better."

Cooper innocently shrugged. "I was only curious, Mom."

"No, it's all right," Peter interjected to quell them. "I don't mind. I, um, I can do lots of things," he said to Cooper, which got her son interested. "I have heightened senses. I can climb on walls. I'm faster than I used to be. I also have some super strength too."

Cooper's cold demeanor defrosted at once. "Is it true that you caught a speeding car with your bare hands?" he asked, excited. "My friends showed me a video of you catching a car about to crash into a bus. Is it true? Or was that fake?"

Peter didn't say anything. He looked around the room, spying all the objects and furniture in the house. He must have seen something for he dropped his duffel and walked over to their couch. Laura and Cooper followed him, watching with both wonder and trepidation.

Peter examined the couch for a few more seconds before, with one arm, he lifted the couch straight over his head. No pauses and strains. He lifted the couch straight over his head as if it weighed like a slip of paper. Then, carefully, he put it back down in its original place and turned back to them.

"Yeah," Peter mumbled. "I'm kind of strong."

Laura and Cooper just stared. Too amazed at how easy it was for him to pick up that furniture. Even Clint had some difficulty moving the couch. It was old and heavy. Far heavier than other furniture they own. She was amazed.

And Cooper… he was beyond amazed. He was star-struck. "Wow!" he gasped. "What else can you lift? Can you hold up a car that easy? What about a tractor? Or a trailer? Or—"

"Okay, that's enough Coop," Laura said, "He's not a circus clown. He's a kid just like you."

"Not really," Cooper said, eyeing the couch.

Laura glared at her son. "Don't you have homework you need to finish?" she questioned. "And what about your chores? I know your dad left something for you to do."

Cooper groaned, but he did not talk back. He knew better. He thanked Peter for the show before running up the stairs to his own bedroom. As Cooper made his way up, Lila made her way down the stairs, arms full with blankets, pillows and sheets.

"Mommy! I got you the stuff," Lila said, holding up the items to her. "Are these okay?"

Laura took them into her own arms. "They're perfect! Thank you, sweetie," she said as she moved back to the couch that Peter easily picked up seconds ago. She laid the items down and looked back to Peter. "I'll set it up later tonight, but I figured I can give you a tour? Or maybe you want something to eat? I have a crockpot cooking, so dinner will be ready soon. But if you are hungry now or thirsty—"

Her words were drowned out by the sound of the backdoor opening. The screen creaked and groaned as someone pushed it back. Feet pitter-pattered on the tile before Laura heard the shoes come off. The footsteps moved from the back room and around the kitchen. And then her husband appeared, with baby Nathaniel in his arms.

"Hawkeye?" Peter said, flabbergasted with his mouth hanging open in awe. "Y-You're Hawkeye."

Clint stared at Peter, his stance positioned into defense. There was distrust behind those eyes as he looked at Peter, unsure as to who the strange boy was. But then recognition kicked in and Clint turned his gaze sharply from Peter to Laura.

"Hi honey," he said to her as he moved to stand next to her. "You didn't tell me we were having guests over."

"Not guests," Laura corrected him as she took Nathaniel from his arms. Nathaniel gurgled in delight at being in his mother's arms. "Just him. This is Peter—"

"Oh, I know," Clint responded, voice somewhat clipped. He disguised his anger enough to hide from his kids. "Peter Parker."

Peter numbly nodded, still in shock at seeing her husband. His brown orbs kept bouncing from Clint to her, almost as if trying to figure out if he's hallucinating or not. Laura guessed Peter was unaware of Clint being her husband. No one told him anything it seemed.

Lila, however, didn't notice the tension at all. "He's going to be staying with us Daddy," she beamed at her father. "Mommy said that he's going to be with us for some time. Isn't that great?"

Clint's face showed nothing, but kindness and happiness. "Sure is," he said to Lila, hiding the fact that he was in a sour mood. "That's great. That's really great."

It was time to have the talk. Laura went over to Peter. "If you don't mind," she said, passing Nathaniel over to him. Nathaniel's face immediately began to crinkle in displeasure. "Could you take him and Lila upstairs to her room? Just play or something? Keep them busy as we get dinner ready down here."

Peter took Nathaniel as the baby began to cry. He looked helpless and uneasy with Nathaniel in his arms, but Laura had confidence. Lila was excited and took Peter's other hand to lead him straight to her room as she rattled off games they could play.

Once Peter and the kids were gone, Laura and Clint moved to the kitchen for extra privacy.

Clint started first. "What the hell is he doing here?" he demanded. "Don't you know who that is?"

"Of course I do."

"Really? That's Tony Stark's protégé," Clint said pointing upstairs. "Do you know what that means?"

"Means that he's a kid who needs help now?" Laura countered in a ridiculous tone. She was not pleased by Clint's reactions, but it wasn't unexpected. "I know you are still hurt by what Stark did, but that doesn't mean Peter is the same. He's a kid, Clint. He needs our help."

Clint started to pace. "How? How can we help him?"

"Provide him with some normalcy," Laura answered. "A kid has no place living on the run. With us, Peter at least has some stability and comfort. He's safe here."

Clint snorted. "Yeah, that is until Tony Stark gives us up to cover his own ass."

"You said he wouldn't."

"That's what I was told," Clint corrected her, arms crossed as he stopped his pacing. "I don't trust Stark to keep his word. He does whatever he thinks is best, damn those who say otherwise."

"It's not his word I'm trusting."

"Then whose?" Clint asked, grabbing the back of a kitchen chair for support. "Who asked us to take in the kid?"

"Fury."

Clint snorted incredulously. "Of course," he grumbled. "So—what? Fury called and you said yes? Without talking to me about it."

"I knew you would object."

"Of course I would have object!" Clint steadfast agreed, and he let out a huff of air as he dropped his chin to his chest, "but… I wouldn't have said no."

"What?" Laura was surprised. She predicted begrudgingly surrender, not… not agreement.

Clint nodded along. "I saw what Ross and his men did to that kid," he said, tired as if the memory itself brought a sudden burden on him. "I know the trouble he's facing. You're right, Laura. He needs ours help. Maybe in a lot of different ways." He sighs loudly, releasing all the tension he held onto. "In the end, I would have said yes."

Then Clint pointedly added, "Doesn't mean I forgive Stark. He's still an asshole."

Laura hugged her husband and whispered a thank you.

Clint returned her hug. "It's the right thing to do."

Laura and Clint hiked up the stairs to their daughter's bedroom. They found all three on the floor as Lila introduced Peter to her small collection of dolls. Nathaniel was on Peter's lap, eyes raw from crying. When they entered, everyone turned to them.

"Thanks Peter," Laura said as she scooped Nathaniel from his arms. "If you want, I can show you where everything is and all that."

Peter nodded, rising to his feet as he followed Laura out the door. Clint opted to stay with his daughter and get her to clean up the mess in her bedroom. They descended the stairs, the wood creaking under their combined weight. Once they got to the landing, Laura began the tour.

"So, as you know this is our living room—"

"Hawkeye doesn't trust me."

It scared Laura for a second by Peter's interruption, considering the teenager stayed relatively quiet since she met him. "What? No, of course not," she soothed. "He's not mad at you."

"He's mad at Mr. Stark," Peter corrected. "Blames him and doesn't trust me because of my association with him."

Laura readjusted Nathaniel on her hips. "Why do you think that?"

"Because it's what he said. Just a moment ago," Peter tapped on his ear. "Super hearing."

Laura's shoulders sagged completely. She forgotten that she's dealing with a super-powered individual. He did tell her and Cooper that his senses have all been heightened. "I'm sorry for that Peter," she said. "Clint… ever since the incident in Berlin, he's having a hard time adjusting. The Avengers were like a family and… to him—"

"—Mr. Stark destroyed that family," Peter finished for her. "Yeah, I know the story. And… I'm sorry things couldn't work out for everyone. I still wish that things did."

"That's very nice of you," she said. "The Avengers meant a lot to Clint and it hurts him to know that the group is broken. Yes, he doesn't like Mr. Stark, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like you. Remember that. It has nothing to do with you. Just…"

"Just Stark," Peter finished again, feet shifting as he dug his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, my aunt doesn't like him much either."

"Then Clint and your aunt would get along well," Laura smiled and gestured for Peter to keep following her. "Now, this way is to the kitchens…"


Peter only had to sleep on the couch for the first three nights. They cleaned out the only spare room available, the attic that stored a few boxes of memorabilia and tokens. Once it was cleared and the objects stashed away in the cellar, Laura purchased bedroom furniture at a local store and hauled it back to the house in the truck. Clint and Peter unloaded the furniture and carried it up the two flights of stairs to Peter's new bedroom. Laura and Lila made lemonade for them as Clint, Peter and Cooper assembled the furniture together. It took only a day to convert the empty attic into a genuine bedroom, complete with bed, desk, bookcase and dresser. Laura threw a duvet cover and a quilt on the bed, and it began to look homely. She also installed a space heater as the attic often got cold at nights.

The first week was awkward. Laura did her best to make Peter feel at home, but the boy always acted as if he didn't belong there at all. Perhaps he didn't. After all, he's not their actual child. But, Laura didn't want him to feel like an outsider. She wanted him to join in the family fun and daily life. So, she used her children as the first step of getting Peter to open up.

Laura was surprised how well her kids took to Peter. Lila adored him, looked at him with star-struck wonder. Anytime Peter complimented or even talked to her, Lila's face blushed true red and a silly smile lifted her cheeks. Cooper admired Peter. Laura noticed the subtle changes Cooper made to his appearance. Her son began to dress similar to Peter's attire and even attempted to change his accent to the way Peter talk (it failed though, but nonetheless, he tried). Little Nathaniel also enjoyed Peter's company. At first, their youngest wailed whenever he was transferred from his parents' arms to Peter's. But eventually, the toddler warmed up to Peter once the teenager started playing with him and making silly faces at the table to get him to relax in his high chair. Soon enough, Nathaniel screamed whenever his parents took him away from Peter.

Laura found it all amusing. Peter was a sweet boy, always helping around the house whenever he could. Clint took advantage of that. He needed a helping hand with his projects and soon, whenever she and the kids left for work and school, Clint and Peter would be hard at work on either Clint's craftsmanship projects or the farm. To both her and her husband's surprise, Peter had a real knack in engineering. He fixed all the mechanical issues in the house that included the busted coffee pot, lawn mower and replacing the engine in the truck.

Clint also taught him something about farming. Peter grew up in the city. His knowledge on country life was limited, but Clint got him up to speed. By the second day, Clint had Peter on the tractor, working the fields. Peter struggled to get everything done correctly, but Clint was patient. He promised Peter that he would get better at it after some practice. Next, Clint taught him how to chop wood. Peter found the task easier than plowing. Clint went on to tell Peter how Captain America used his bare hands to split wood rather than an axe. Peter was in awe and promptly tried to do it too.

"Let me try!" Peter said, reaching for a new log.

Clint tried to warn him against it. "Hey, kid," he said, "Don't hurt yourself—" He immediately shut up when Peter split the long with his hands just as easily as Steve Rogers did.

"You know?" Clint said one day to Laura, "I think Pete here may be stronger than good old, Cap."

Clint came around to Peter far quicker than they both expected. Laura believed Clint enjoyed having another "older son" around the house who could help him with all the maintenance. It was lonely for Clint when she and the kids headed into town for work and school. With Peter around, he had another person to hang with around the house. Being grounded to the property brought them closer. Clint enjoyed Peter's company, finding the boy gifted and funny. The two often engaged in banter, jesting one another that it almost felt Peter was truly their own son.

But then of course she remembered that he wasn't. Going into town, she would see newspaper articles about him, his abilities and the problems that followed him. Tabloids mentioned his Aunt May, writing scary news titles about her that Laura was certain would cause Peter to freak out. She never bought any. She only read them at work and then reported it all back to Clint. Her husband told her to never bring home those tabloids. She agreed.

Peter seemed fine overall. Occasionally, Laura thought she caught a flicker of sadness in those brown eyes as he watched their little family interact. She knew some of Peter's history. Only child, orphaned at a young age, lived with relatives and one of them died in front of him. It must be difficult to see a whole family, happy and loving one another when he's all alone.

But, those moments disappeared quick enough. Her kids hardly let him have any peace and quiet. Peter assisted Cooper and Lila with their homework. He even helped Cooper on a science project with such enthusiasm that he basically did the whole project for Cooper (Clint made Cooper start over again so that he didn't take Peter's work). He also helped Lila with her equations and would read bedtime stories to her. He also participated in helping Nathaniel learn to use the bathroom. It wasn't the most exciting job, but he helped Laura and Clint when it came to Nathaniel, either potty training, feeding or simply rocking him back to sleep. When he was with the kids, he showed no signs of depression or frustration. He radiated excitement and happiness.

It was only when the kids were tucked away in their beds that Clint and Laura noticed the change. Peter deflated, sat somewhere off to the side and kept quiet. When either Clint or Laura asked if he was all right, he answered quickly that he was before running upstairs to his room to sleep.

"I'm worried about him," Laura confined to Clint one night before bed. "He acts lonely when he thinks no one is watching him."

"The curse of being separated from everything you have ever known," commented Clint.

Laura turned on her side. "Maybe we could help him? You know... maybe let him get in contact with that aunt of his?"

Clint immediately shook his head. "No. Bad idea. Not that I don't like your idea, but it's too dangerous," he explained. "For him and the kids. All it takes is one trail."

Laura sighed, hands gripping her pillow. She knew Clint was right. All it took one was slip and then the government could be storming through the front door. She always known that. Even their kids. It's why their kids don't have many electronic devices. No mobile phones or iPads or even the Internet. Not that they weren't allowed, but they couldn't have it in their home. They often went to the public library to use those computers for anything they needed. No, if Peter managed to get into contact with his aunt, too many incidents could happen that would lead to catastrophe. It's not fair or kind, but it was necessary for everyone's safety.

"I wish it didn't," Laura whispered, but Hawkeye heard her and nodded.

"Me too."


Their wish was granted soon enough. By the beginning of Peter's second month staying with them, Laura and Clint were finishing putting breakfast on the table. Lila and Cooper were getting ready for school and Nathaniel was already seated in his high chair, chopping on small cheerios.

Once the eggs, fruit and sausages were on the table, Laura yelled for the kids to come down. She heard their stomping feet running down the stairs as they slid into the kitchen. Lila frowned.

"Where's Peter?" she asked, noticing his absence.

"Wait for it," Clint said as he took his seat.

A couple minutes later, the teenager lethargically crossed into the kitchen. He yawned, arms stretched high over his head and hair tousled in a mess. "Morning," Peter mumbled as he pulled out a chair to sit down.

Lila took the chair next to him as she always did. "Your hair looks funny."

Peter stopped pouring the orange juice and started to furiously comb his hair down. Clint stopped him. "You're only making it worse, kid."

Laura took her seat and the family all scrambled for the food they wanted. Peter helped dump some eggs on Lila's plate before helping himself. Clint told Cooper that he cannot take four sausage links and Laura helped mashed some banana for Nathaniel to eat. It was a normal day for them. Nothing new or out of the ordinary.

Until Lila spoke up. "Mommy? Did you sign my permission slip? It's due today."

Laura paused to think. "I thought it wasn't due until March 1?"

"Today is March 1."

"Today is March 1?"

They all turned their heads to Peter. He looked stunned as his switched his gaze between Clint and Laura. "Is it really March 1?"

Clint nodded. "Yeah. Why do you ask?"

Peter lowered his fork. "It's… it's my birthday today."

All at once, the whole table went silent. And then, it burst into a loud song of sweet birthday messages. "Happy Birthday, Peter!" Laura said after her daughter squealed her own birthday wish to him. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

Peter embarrassingly shrugged. "I lost track of time," he admitted. "Didn't know."

Laura shared a quick look with Clint. Her husband consented as he knew exactly what was on her mind. "Well, then we are definitely going to be celebrating your birthday tonight," she announced. "What is your favorite meal? Do you like Chinese? Pizza?"

Peter waved his hands dismissingly. "Oh, no, you don't have to do anything," he said. "It's just a birthday."

"Don't worry about it kid," Clint said. "Birthdays are a big deal in this household. How old are you now?"

"Sixteen," Peter mumbled.

"Sixteen?" Clint repeated in a surprised undertone. "Oh, then we definitely need to celebrate."

"Sweet sixteen," Laura said. "That's a good birthday. You have to celebrate. Gotta be big. So, tell me what you want for dinner and I'll pick it up from the store to make. Oh—and cake. What cake do you want?"

"It's really not a big deal—"

"Peter, here's some birthday wisdom for you," Clint said as he leaned in to speak directly to Peter. "If a girl says it's a big deal, then it is. No matter what you may think. Laura is going to make you your favorite dinner one way or another. And she will get you a cake, one way or another. Best you tell her what you want so you can enjoy it."

Peter resigned to the fact he wasn't going to win. He told Laura he enjoyed Asian foods and she promptly began thinking of different foods to either make or order depending on the time. He also told her to go with vanilla cake, since most people enjoy that cake. Peter begged nothing fancy though.

Laura, however, already had an idea.

She took Lila and Cooper to school and headed into work. At work, she called in a local Chinese restaurant and ordered an array of entrees, hoping Peter liked something in one of those boxes. During her lunch break, she made a quick trip to the mall, searching for something Peter may like. It was hard to pick something out for the kid. She couldn't get him anything electronic. Fury was strict about what Peter could have. She knew he would like something to play around with once Clint ran out of things for him to do. Something along mechanical engineering perhaps. She searched and searched, eventually purchasing two items she thought would be good.

At the end of the day, she picked up Cooper and Lila from after school, got the food, and went home. Peter and Clint (and Nathaniel, riding along on his big wheel) were outside when they arrived. Clint was instructing Peter on how to spray pesticides on the small batch of crops they plant on their land.

Clint waved to them. "Hey," he said, walking over to his wife to help with the groceries. "What did you get?"

"Dinner and presents," Laura responded, taking the bags away. "Finish up out here and then shower. I don't want to smell bug repellent on you at the table."

"Or else you would be repelled by me?"

Laura gave him a look as he ushered her children inside the house. "Exactly and I would hate to have you sleeping in the barn," she said to which earned a laugh from Clint before he kissed her forehead.

"We'll finish up now," he promised.

Laura placed the food on the table, setting the Chinese groceries to the side as she quickly whipped up a batch of cake mix. She's trained in the art of cake cooking, knowing the ingredients, measurements and temperature by heart. Finished, she poured the mix into two rounds tins and threw them in the oven. She grabbed the bag with all the gifts and raced to the storage closet to grab leftover wrapping paper.

In her room, she wrapped her two gifts up, marking the gifts from the Barton family. She hoped he liked them.

Clint came into the bedroom after she finished writing the card. "Oh? You got gifts?"

"Small things," Laura answered. "I wasn't sure what to get him."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate whatever it is," Clint assured her. "I'm going to take a shower. Oh—your cakes smell good."

"Don't they always?"

"I always said you should open a bake shop."

Clint hopped into the shower and Laura proceeded down the stairs with gifts in hand. She dropped them off on the living room table before hurrying to the kitchen. She could easily smell the waft of vanilla that sweetened the kitchen. She checked on the cakes. Another ten minutes.

Best to get dinner started or else the food would get cold. She hurried and set the plates around the table. She went to her china cabinet and pulled out a large, red plate that read Your Special Plate. The plate they used for birthdays or honorable moments in one's life. She placed it at the head of the table. The one Clint usually occupied, but she was sure Clint would gladly abdicate his throne for one day.

She put the Chinese cartons on the table and a pitcher of water and milk. Once done, she called for everyone. Peter appeared first, hair wet and sticking to his forehead. He carried Nathaniel in his arms, muttering to her son, asking if he was ticklish here or there, and then proceeded to tickle her son. Nathaniel giggled and wretched away in protest, which got Peter to laugh. He put Nathaniel in his high chair and nearly sat in a random seat until Laura stopped him.

"Nope," Laura pointed to the head of the table. "You sit there tonight."

Peter glanced at the chair with the red plate. "But, Hawkeye sits there."

"Not tonight," Laura declared. "Tonight, Peter Parker sits on the throne. Now, take a seat."

Peter sat in Clint's normal seat, feeling somewhat uneasy as he kept glancing to the doorway. Almost like expected Clint to come and yell at him. Lila and Cooper came next, followed by Clint. Her husband didn't even take notice of his seat being taken. He acted as if it was a normal occurrence for him to not sit in his seat. He took the chair next to Cooper, teasing his son long hair style. Laura checked the cakes. A nice gold coloring. She took them out to cool.

She joined her family at the table. "All right, so I ordered Chinese in honor of the birthday boy," she gestured across the table to Peter. "As you know the rules, he gets first dibs on everything. So, pass each carton to him first."

They did as instructed and Peter chuckled at the bizarreness. But, he smiled all the way through it as he loaded his plate with different Chinese foods. They all dug into their meal, swapping stories and laughing at jokes. After they had their fill, Peter took the kids to the living room to play another round of Uno. It's an ongoing game the kids have. So far, Lila was the ultimate champion, winning ten games overall. Peter was second with six games and Cooper with five.

Clint finished the dishes while Laura decorated the cake. She took a baking and decorating class when she was much younger, but those skills never faded in time. As she neared finishing her decoration, Clint came over and examined the cake.

"Wow… you think he'll like it?" Clint asked.

Laura hesitated with the black icing. "Why? Do you think he won't?"

"No, I think he'll be very impressed with your decoration skills," Clint said with a grin. "But, I must ask… why don't you ever make me a Hawkeye cake? You've only ever made me a carmal cake."

"Well, when you de-age to fifteen, I will," Laura promised and she put the last finishing touches on the cake. "All right… send in the kids. It's cake time."

Clint called for the kids. They came marching back in with Peter giving Lila a piggyback ride and Cooper rolling Nathaniel into the kitchen on his baby walker. Clint swung Nathaniel up in the air, making funny faces at him before settling the boy in his high chair. Peter was redirected back to the head of the table.

Laura arranged sixteen candles on the cake and began to light them up. "Okay. Turn off the lights."

The light went off and only the soft, warm glow of the candles lit up the kitchen. As if on cue, Laura heard the off-pitched "Happy Birthday" chorus as she carried the cake to the birthday boy. She placed the cake in front of Peter. She heard a stunned gasp from Peter as he saw the cake in its entirety.

The song ended, with the exception of Cooper and Lila carrying the tune to include the funny lines of many more. "All right, kids," Clint said to silence the two. He turned to Peter. "Make a wish kid."

Peter didn't even hesitate. He blew out a puff of air and the flames vanished. Everyone clapped and whooped in happiness. Clint turned the light on and everyone got a better view of the cake. It was decorated as Spider-man, swinging through a city.

Clint handed Peter a knife. "Birthday boy cuts the cake."

"Do I have to?" Peter questioned. "It looks amazing!" He turned to Laura. "You did all this?"

Laura nodded. "I figured you would enjoy a taste of home after being so far away," she said and then smiled at Peter. "Happy Sweet Sixteen, Peter."

There was a shine to Peter's eyes as he swallowed with a bit of difficulty. He turned away, taking one more look at the Spider-man cake. A quiver of a smile pulled his lips up. "Thank you."

Before Peter carved into the cake, Laura stopped him. "Wait! Wait, hold on," she hurried to one of the cabinet drawers in the kitchen and pulled out an old camera. "I think this still has a timer." Laura worked the camera, fiddling it up to get it to the exact frame she wanted. "Okay, everyone gather around Peter."

Laura picked up Nathaniel as Clint, Cooper and Lila gathered around Peter. The red light beeped rapidly, warning them the camera was about to go off. "Smile everyone!" Laura said.

The camera flashed a few times, capturing their beaming faces. Laura was happy with it. Peter cut the cake, the kids each requesting a part of the design. Lila wanted Spider-man and Cooper wanted the tallest tower. Nathaniel was the only one not picky with what slice he got.

They ate the cake eagerly and when they licked their lips and plate, they paid their compliments to the baker. Laura wrapped the cake up and Peter, still being the kind boy he was, picked up all the dishes and put them in the sink.

"Everyone to the living room," Laura told her small horde. "Got presents to open."

Peter looked up from rinsing the dishes. "Oh—no, please tell me…"

"That we got you gifts?" Clint finished for him as he slugged an arm over his shoulder. "We sure did." And Clint dragged Peter off from the sink to the living room.

Everyone seated on the couch and chairs. Peter was in the middle, right between Clint and Cooper. Lila sat in one chair and Laura in another with Nathaniel on her lap. Laura passed the two, Christmas wrapped gifts to Peter.

"Happy Birthday," she said. "From all of us."

Peter thanked her and tentatively unwrapped the first gift. It was a shirt. He lifted up the navy T-shirt and put it against his chest. It had a silly graphic design that read Never trust an Atom. They make up everything.

Peter laughed. "I love it," he said, moving it around to look at it more closely. "This is great! You know because atoms are responsible for—"

"We get it, kid," Clint said, not wishing to endure another science lecture. "Open your next gift."

Peter unwrapped the next gift. It was robotic arm. He had to build it from the pieces inside the box, but Peter was enthusiastic over it and already started opening the package to get started.

"Whoa! Easy kid," Clint said. "You still have one more gift."

Laura shot a look to Clint. She didn't get a third gift. What was he talking about? Clint reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small envelope. He passed it onto Peter. "Here you go."

Peter took the envelope and tore it open. He pulled the letter out and read it. His eyes went wide and he jerked his head to Clint. "Are you serious?"

Clint nodded. "Yeah… unless you goof around and not take it seriously, then I will stop."

"No—I promise I won't goof off. I'll take it seriously," Peter swore.

Laura leaned over in her chair to get a look at the letter. "What did you get him Clint?"

Peter turned to Laura. "Archery lessons," he said. "He's going to train me to shoot a bow and arrow."

Cooper shot up in his seat. "Hey! That's not fair! I always asked for archery lessons."

"And I said you will once you turned sixteen," Clint said. "Are you sixteen?"

Cooper slouched and pouted. "No."

Clint patted his son's knee in comfort. "In a few more years, kiddo."

Peter gathered up all his gifts, still wearing his stupid smile. "Thank you! Seriously!" he said to both Clint and Laura. "I… I know having another kid is tough financially, so I appreciate everything you did for me today. It… it made the birthday bearable."

That melted Laura's heart. "We're glad you had a good birthday," she said, rising up and ruffled Peter's hair. "And, of course, we are happy to have you join our family."

Peter gathered his gifts and carried them upstairs to his bedroom. Clint put Lila and Nathaniel to bed. Cooper asked if he could watch some television before his bedtime. Laura consented as she tidied up the kitchen, finishing cleaning the dishes that Peter started.

When she finished, she found Peter, Clint and Cooper in the living room, watching one of repeats of The Simpsons. The show ended and the credits rolled. Laura tapped on her son's shoulder.

"Bedtime," she pointed up the stairs.

Cooper moaned. "Can't I stay up a little later?"

"Do you have school tomorrow?"

Cooper said nothing. All he did was get up his seat and begrudgingly stomped up the stairs to demonstrate his protests. Laura rolled his eyes. "I'm heading to bed," she told Clint. "Don't you two stay up too late."

"I'll be up there soon enough," Clint said to her. "I'm going to ask Peter when he wants to start—"

A commanding voice cut Clint off. Both he and Laura turned to the voice, their eyes redirected to the television screen. A lady dressed well and sitting behind a desk stared directly into the camera as she announced breaking news.

Breaking News—we have confirmed reports that May Parker, the aunt of fugitive Peter Parker, has died tonight after suffering another heart attack earlier this afternoon. Inside sources are saying the May Parker has been unwell since the disappearance of her nephew and has been in and out of the medical wards. Let's go live—

Clint launched to the television and slammed the powered button down. The screen zapped to black, but the damage was done. Laura and Clint snapped their attention from the screen to Peter.

Peter stood erect. Eyes glued to the black screen and lips drooped from that easy smile to a grave frown. The muscles in his face went rigid, tensing the longer he stood there.

"Peter?" Laura called to him, worried. "Hey—Peter?"

A choked sob slipped from Peter's mouth. "Aunt May…"