Chapter 9: Three Years Later

I watch the preschool teacher, Mrs. Smith, as she nervously sets the folder down and takes a seat. I have no clue why she's so skittish. Then I glance at Natasha who has her arms crossed and a very serious expression on her face. There's my answer.

"Mr. Barton I called this meeting because I think your children are extraordinary."

"Really? God, that's a relief. I thought Natalya had gotten into another fight." Natty has a short temper for a three year old and when a classmate does something she deems 'stupid' she'll lash out. Recently I've started training her, hoping that will give her outlet.

"Well she DID slap another child repeatedly this week but that isn't why you're here. As you know your children are bright but we had no idea of how much so until you allowed us to test them." She pushes her glasses up a bit as she pulls out a few papers. Natasha and I exchange looks. Natty and Ro are pretty damn smart. I caught Natty reading the newspaper one morning. She had it laid out on the floor. Naturally I assumed she was looking at the pictures but then she said mentioned a civil war somewhere in Europe that had been getting a lot of attention. I've seen Ro look through Tony's Iron Man notes like he actually understands them. It's freaky. "Your Natalya and Roman are very gifted. Their IQs are above average for ADULTS Mr. Barton and they're only three. Here. I thought you might want to look at these." I'm not sure exactly what I expected. I knew my kids were smart, hell everyone does but I guess seeing actual proof of it makes me feel I'm not one of those parents who thinks everything their kid does is genius. "I just don't think we can stimulate their minds enough. That might be part of the reason Natalya acts out so."

"Are you basically saying they're bored?" Natasha asks. Mrs. Smith nods.

"Very much so. I can recommend other learning centers that might be able to help but quite frankly I've never seen anything like this. And then there's…"

"There's what?" I look up sharply. She sighs a little dramatically.
"Have you ever seen Matilda?"

"A classic but the hell does that have to do with my twins?"

"I've seen Roman move things." There's a pregnant pause. Natasha unfolds her arms to take the papers from me. I rub a hand over my face. Fuck. Once. I'd seen Roman move something without touching it once. He was watching Dora and didn't want to get up to get the remote to turn up the TV. After whining for me to get it for him, I was in the middle of an argument with Steve over who was the greatest boxer ever, I caught something move out the corner of my eye. Steve and I watched in amazement as the remote floated to him. He simply took it out the air and turned the volume up. I hadn't seen him do it since. I tried talking to him about it but despite the fact that they're smart they're still only three and his explanation didn't make any sense. "I just….it's been nice having them here Mr. Barton but there's nothing I can offer them. I think you should seriously consider placing them in another center." There wasn't much I wanted to say after that. Mrs. Smith hands us all the papers from the tests.

I don't speak until we get to the mansion where as soon as I walk in the door a mop of hair comes flying towards me and attaches itself to my leg.

"Mommy!" Natty yells. She has on a pink princess dress and crown, made of real jewels by the way. It was a gift from Frigga but I don't think she intended for it to be used like this. I lift her into the air as she laughs. "Mommy Uncle Thor said for our birthday he's going to beat up Hulk!" It doesn't bother me as much as I thought it'd would that my kids call me 'mom'. It started off as a joke. Tony swore he would get them to call me that as their first word. He succeeded, only they never stopped calling me that. Eventually I got tired of correcting them.

"Is that what Thor told you?"

"Yeah. Hi Aunt Tasha." She holds her arms out, clearly wanting Natasha to take her which she does. Natasha and Natty beginning a whispered, secretive conversation which I'm not included in so I head to the game room where I find Tony playing pool with Bruce. Roman is sitting on a stool reading a book.

"Hey Bruce look at these." I hand him the folder.

"So how'd the meeting go Clint?"

"It went-wait is my son reading Jules Verne?" Tony shrugs and ruffles his hair.

"It's the kid version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

"Yeah but it's still a big book for a preschooler."

"He said Verne is his favorite and that you used to read it to him when you were preggers."

"How the fuck does he remember that?" I mouth silently.

"Hell if I know." Tony mouths back.

"My God Clint, your kids are geniuses," Bruce says.

"Well duh. Let me see those," Tony walks over to him as I grab the book from Ro. His eyes brighten when he realizes it's me.

"Mommy!" I lift him up.

"How was your day?

"Good. Uncle Bruce let me go with him to Franklin's house." Franklin being Reed's five year old. The two of them are the best of friends for some reason. "I really missed you and guess what!"

"What?"

"I drew a picture." He pulls out a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

"Let's see; there's me, you, Natty, Barney and Thor but who's this?" I point to a dark figure next to me.

"Daddy." He leans his head against me. "I see him when I sleep."

"What do you mean?"

"When I sleep I see Daddy." He yawns and closes his eyes. I turn to Bruce and Tony who are just as confused as I am.


Since it ended up being a nice day out I decided to take Natty and Ro to the park. I'm sitting on a bench watching as they run around chasing each other. I love being a parent. It seems like each day is an adventure with them. Natty finally manages to tag Ro who trips and falls on his face. Another parent moves to help him up but he gets up on his own, brushes his pants off and goes after his sister. I'd replayed over and over what my little boy had meant when he mentioned seeing Loki when he sleeps. I can't ask Thor because Odin needed him for something. It'll have to wait until he gets back. It isn't as if I've kept silent on Loki. In fact every night they press me to tell them something about him. When Thor's here he'll tell them stories about the two of them growing up. My phone goes off. It's a message from Bobbi. She's sent a picture of an expensive looking school with the message:

What about this one? It's called Miss Roger's School of Higher Learning. Coulson mentioned it. – Bobbi

Looks like a fucking college. Ro is still 3! – Clint

Oh come on! It doesn't look that bad and they have an excellent reputation – Bobbi

Bring me the info on the place and I'll think it over –Clint

;-) - Bobbi

Jeez what the fuck has Bobbi found? I shake my head and return to watching my kids. They're now using sticks as swords. When my ID goes off I mutter a few words about my peaceful afternoon ending. Cap's face is on the screen.

"We've got a breakout on the Helicarrier."

"On my way." I slip the ID away. Before I can call them over I sense something headed my way. I dodge a green blast that blows a hole in the ground. People start screaming and grabbing their kids. Where's mine? After a frantic few seconds I catch sight of them hiding under the slide. They see me and make to move put I shake my head.

"Well if it isn't Hawkeye? Was this your day off?" I turn to see the Enchantress standing only feet away. God I can't stand her. She's beautiful but has an obsessive love towards Thor which has led to some pretty fucked up shit happening.

"Where's your bodyguard?"

"Wrecking havoc on the Helicarrier. There they are! The two children said to be Loki's. You know when I knew him he despised mortals."

"I'm pretty sure he's changed his mind about us." Keep her distracted Clint. "Thought you were locked up."

"A minor inconvenience. Don't worry I'm not here for you. No I want them. Come out children."

"Leave them out of this!"

"Of course not! My plan hinges on them."

"Roman, Natalya stay where you are!"

"Mommy!" They cried.

"How cute. They refer to you as mother. Breaks my heart but fear not. I won't hurt them…yet." When she made to move towards them I attack. Tried to anyway. She sends a green blast at me causing Natalya to run from her hiding place. "Oh? If I hurt you they'll come out?" She sends another blast my way but I manage to get away. Once on my feet I run towards Natty, yanking her up and heading for the slide. I can feel the blast coming and duck down, covering Natty with my body.

"Leave them alone!" Roman shouts. I feel the ground shake. Looking around, I see the playground equipment floating in the air. Even the Enchantress is shocked. So much so that Roman is able to fling all of it at her while she's distracted. He runs to me while she's under, clinging to my shirt and crying. There's a bright green light then the playground equipment disappears.

"Amazing! Maybe I should keep you for myself." Fuck. I inch backwards.

"Can you do that again Roman?" I whisper. Sniffing, he shakes his head.

"He gets tired if he does it too much," Natty whispers.

"Try for me one more time."

"Okay," He mumbles. "But will you still love me after?"

"Of course I will Roman." My little boy then does something unexpected.

"If we go with you then you have to leave Mommy alone."

"What?!"

"Of course dear. Come over. You must realize a sorceress as powerful as myself would notice you," The Enchantress smiles. Natty wiggles to get down but I won't let her.

"Trust us Mommy." The look she gives me is of someone much older that tells me they know what they're doing. Numbly, I let her down. What the hell is wrong with me? Enchantress already has Ro in her arms. When she has Natty I want to kick myself for allowing this.

"That was easy. So long." She grins making me lose it. I'm about to try and stop her when Ro places a hand on the side of her head. Natty does the same to her other side. She freezes. I watch in stunned amazement as their eyes glow. It lasts for only a minute then she collapses on the ground.

"Clint! Are you okay…." Iron Man's voice trails off when he sees Enchantress unconscious and me holding my twins who are crying. The whole team is right behind him.

"She made twins cry! Hulk will smash!" The big green guy says enthusiastically.

"I think we're too late," Cap walks up to check Enchantress. "It was a distraction, the Helicarrier attack. She wanted the twins."

"What happened to her Clint?" Falcon lands next to me.

"They did this. Natty and Ro did this."

"JARVIS use the camera footage from the building across the street and play it back." After a few minutes Falcon kicks a rock at Iron Man.

"Well?"

"He's right."

"Hulk is confused. Two little people hurt powerful sorceress?"

"They're magically inclined," Thor answers walking up. When we all give him blank stares he shakes his head. "It happens at times on Asgard. You will have sorcerers who become so gifted at what they do that the magic becomes part of who they are. When they have children it can pass on to them."

"So the kids end up able to use magic without having to do the grunt work their parents did?" Tony's face plate comes up.

"Exactly. I think you will all consider it an understatement when I say my brother is gifted when it comes to magic. He's passed that on to his children." I look down again at the twins. Both have stopped crying and are simply clinging to me.

"Is there any way they can learn to control this?" Thor nods.

"But it will require they go to Asgard."