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Thanks to NotMarge and downrangedragon for their lovely reviews!
The Bartons
"Kids, supper!" Laura called up the stairs before setting the bowl of mashed potatoes down on the table and going back into the kitchen to check on the meatloaf.
"Need me to set the table, Mom? Animals are all fed." Cooper popped into the kitchen, startling her. She could hear Lila's footsteps on the stairs, but hadn't heard him come in.
"I think it's your sister's turn," she reminded him. "But thanks for offering. You can make sure Nate is in his chair. Here, Lila." She handed her daughter a stack of plates for the table. The knock on the door surprised her, and she frowned towards it. "Guys, finish setting the table, I'll be right back." Moving as quietly as she could, she peeked through the curtains in the living room to see a slight woman with dark hair standing out on the porch. Frowning, she hesitantly opened the door.
"Laura Barton?" the woman asked, although her tone made it more greeting than question. She extended a gloved hand. "My name is Dr. Nyssa Taylor. Your husband sent me." Laura stared at her, unsure of the implications. The woman fished something out of her pocket and held it out towards her. "He gave me this, to let you know that you can trust me." Laura reached for it, and felt her heart skip a beat when the woman dropped Clint's wedding ring in her hand. Her fingers quickly closed around it.
"Is Clint okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Dr. Taylor nodded reassuringly.
"He's fine. Unfortunately, it may no longer be safe for your family to stay here. I'm here to take all of you to him until he can find another safe place for you to stay."
"We have to leave? Right now?" Her head started spinning as she started making mental arrangements for everything. The Watsons could feed the animals, maybe, and the kids have to get everything packed, can't forget Lila's antibiotics or Cooper's retainer, what are we going to do? How long will we be gone? Is this forever? What does it mean that we're not safe? What am I going to tell the kids? How do I tell them we have to leave the only home they've ever known? Dr. Taylor clasped her hand with a small smile, and the panic slowly started to fade.
"You can pack tonight, we can leave in the morning. Hopefully just for an extended vacation." Laura nodded, took a deep breath and stepped aside to let the woman into her home.
"Lila, set another place at the table. We have a guest for dinner!" she called.
Dinner started out subdued, but once Nyssa explained why she had come and that they would be going to meet their father, the children perked up. They didn't seem fazed by having to leave the farm. Upon hearing that they were going to go see Daddy, Nathaniel immediately dove away from the table and sprinted for the door as fast as his two-year-old legs could carry him. Apologizing, Laura got up to go chase him down.
"Why isn't Natasha bringing us?" Cooper asked suspiciously. Lila kicked him under the table. "Ow, what?"
"It's Auntie Nat, stupidhead," she scolded him.
"You know she isn't really our aunt, right?" he shot back. "It's not like she's really Dad's sister." Lila stuck her tongue out at him. Nyssa watched the exchange with amusement, but then Cooper turned his attention back to her.
"So?" he asked. "Why did Dad send you instead of her?"
"Natasha is being watched closely, and he doesn't want to draw any more attention to you or to where he is," she explained honestly. "I'm not one of the Avengers, so they aren't looking for me." He stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay. That makes sense," he decided. Laura returned, slightly out of breath, carrying a crying Nate back to the table. She deposited him into his chair before maneuvering her growing belly around the table and back to her place, where she sat down with a sigh.
"I wanna see Daddy!" Nate sobbed.
"He's not here right now, Nate," Lila said, patting his back. "She's going to take us to where he is. So you have to be good about going to bed tonight, and then tomorrow, we'll get to see him. Right?" She looked hopefully at Nyssa for confirmation.
"It might take a little longer than that," Nyssa said. "We'll have a long drive, then a long flight after that. It will be an adventure. It's a quest to find your father!" Even Cooper brightened visibly at this perspective, and Laura smiled in gratitude across the table at her. The rest of the meal was discussion of what they wanted to bring and questions about what it was like where Clint was. As plates emptied, Nyssa cleared them and brought them to the sink.
"I'll clean up, if you guys want to start packing," she suggested. Laura herded the kids upstairs, leaving Nyssa to finish clearing the table. She filled the dishpan with hot, soapy water, looking out the kitchen window as she washed the dishes. An evening breeze rippled through the hayfield, carrying with it the scent of timothy and clover. The sun was creeping closer to the horizon, just beginning to touch the top of the weathervane on the barn. Nyssa heard quiet steps behind her and didn't turn around as Cooper snuck past her, then sprinted towards the barn. She leaned forward, her eyes following him as he pulled something out from under a bale of hay. Glancing nervously towards the house, he tucked the bow under one arm and pulled the quiver of arrows over his shoulder before disappearing behind the barn.
The noises from upstairs gradually quieted, as the sun dropped out of view, leaving behind the swollen waxing moon, a chorus of crickets and the silent sparkle of fireflies. Laura came back downstairs, her expression contemplative after tucking in her two youngest and kissing them goodnight. Cooper had decided he was too old for such things in the past year. He was growing up so fast. They all were. Taking a deep breath, she looked around the sparkling clean kitchen, feeling suddenly both sad and nostalgic. Would she ever see this kitchen again?
"Your oldest is still out behind the barn," Nyssa said quietly from the couch. Laura sighed and went to sit down next to their unexpected visitor.
"He's probably practicing with that old bow of Clint's that he found a few months ago. He spends every spare moment he has out there." She half-smiled. "He thinks I don't know what he's doing. I think it helps him feel closer to his dad." Nyssa nodded, and leaned forward, frowning as she turned her head to look out the window.
"He may have the right idea. Do you have any weapons in the house?" she asked. Laura's eyes widened as she swiveled her head towards the smaller woman.
"A few, secured in a locker upstairs. Why, do you think we're going to need them?" she asked.
"I hope not, but… better prepared than dead," Nyssa replied. Laura paled, then swallowed and nodded.
"Maybe I should get Cooper back in the house," she said in a strained voice. Nyssa nodded.
"Tonight might be a good time to let him know you know about the bow and that he doesn't have to keep it in the barn anymore," she suggested. Laura gave her a sharp look, and Nyssa shrugged. "Luck favors the prepared and all that."
After getting all the suitcases moved into the van, Nyssa quickly went through the weapons Laura had brought downstairs, making sure theywere loaded and ready. She had selected the Glock 17 9mm for its capacity, the Sig Sauer P320 45 ACP for heavy impact, and a Springfield XD for backup. Laura seemed partial to a Marlin 336C hunting rifle, and while it wouldn't have been Nyssa's choice, the best firearm was one you were comfortable using. It also seemed Clint liked to experiment with his gun ammunition the same way he did with his arrows. Nyssa was particularly impressed with the diamond-tipped .45 armor-piercing rounds, and intrigued by the 9mm explosive rounds, despite the many warnings on the packaging not to jostle, throw or crunch them. There were also a precious two fist-sized explosives, cradled in a mostly-empty case and stashed in the back of Clint's home armory. Upstairs, the children were all sleeping, though Laura was still tossing and turning fitfully. Nyssa was tempted to stay up, but also didn't want to face the journey ahead of them on no sleep. Trusting her senses to alert her if anyone came around, she lay down on the couch and closed her eyes.
It seemed like minutes later when her eyes popped open, but the clock on the mantle said it had been five hours. She sat up abruptly and listened for a moment. There was no sign of anyone outside yet, but she could feel someone – actually, a dozen someones - approaching with ill intent. She estimated they were only a few miles away. Sprinting up the stairs, she found Laura's room and shook her awake.
"Timetable's been moved up. We need to leave… now," she said tersely. Laura struggled out of bed and went to wake the kids while Nyssa went back downstairs. A surge of panic brought her attention back to the second floor. Nyssa started back towards the stairs. Laura appeared at the top, eyes wide in a pale face.
"I can't find Nate. He's not in his bed," she said. Lila peered out from behind her mother, wearing a nightshirt with spiders printed on it, eyes still sleepy. Nyssa closed her eyes for a moment, widening her senses until she found him.
"He's in the barn," she said grimly. "I can go get him, but we're running out of time."
"Lila, go get dressed, quick!" Laura shooed her daughter towards her room as she went to change clothes herself. "Cooper, get moving!" Nyssa headed for the side door to get Nate from the barn, but froze as two vehicles with government plates pulled up by the house. One was an armored transport, the eight men inside tense and ready for a fight. She swore and went back to the living room, picking up a gun in each hand as Laura came back downstairs.
"Change in plans," Nyssa said grimly. "They're here. We're either going to have to talk our way out of it, or it's going to be a fight."
"I'll talk to them," Laura said shakily. "Maybe they just want to ask some questions."
"It's three in the morning," Nyssa pointed out. "I doubt they are stopping by for coffee and a chat." Laura grabbed the Marlin rifle and headed for the door.
"This is my home," she replied. "I'm not going down without a fight." Nyssa met her eyes, then nodded. Lila came down the stairs, clutching a red-haired doll.
"Lila, go hide in the safe room Daddy built downstairs," Laura directed. "I'll come and find you when it's safe to come out, okay?" Lila nodded and ran off. Laura strode out the door, rifle in hand. The men outside stopped talking as she appeared, half of them outfitted in flak jackets and helmets, the other half dressed in uniforms. One of them wore only a suit and tie, and he approached the bottom of the porch steps.
"Mrs. Barton, is your husband home?" he inquired. Laura adjusted her grip on her weapon.
"No, he hasn't been around. Not since the last time you guys chased him out of the country," she replied. "What do y'all want, coming to my home this time of night?"
"I'll ask the questions, Mrs. Barton," the man replied. "If he isn't here, who does that van belong to? We both know it isn't yours." He gestured to the van sitting ready to go.
"My cousin came for a visit," Laura replied blandly. "Not that it's any of your business."
"I'm afraid it is my business," he informed her. "I'm also afraid that you're going to have to come with us. Your children and your cousin, too."
While they were talking, a pair of men in flak jackets edged around the house and charged in through the side door. Nyssa was waiting for them on the other side, sleeve pushed back. One of them grabbed her arms to drag her back outside the house, and she let herself go limp. He stumbled and adjusted his grip, caught off guard by the sudden dead weight, and called for the other man to help. The second man grabbed her other arm. Then both of them dropped to the floor, unconscious. Nyssa slid out from underneath them and kicked the door shut, sliding the lock closed as a deterrent for the ones coming behind. Grabbing the handcuffs from the belt of one of the sleeping men, she quickly handcuffed them together. Closing her eyes, she touched the face of one, searching to find their plans and intentions. She then dove around the corner seconds before the glass on the door shattered in a hail of bullets.
"We're not going with you anywhere," Laura informed the man in the suit. "We aren't under arrest. We've done nothing wrong." The man chuckled.
"I don't think you're understanding me, Mrs. Barton," he drawled. "You seem to be under the impression that was a request. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way, but either way, you are coming with us." Laura jumped slightly as she heard shots from inside the house behind her, and a handful of the troops ran around the side with weapons drawn.
"I've known men like you," she told the man in the suit. "Men who can't take no for an answer. Usually it's just a matter of finding a language you can understand." She leveled the rifle at him, aiming for his purple-pinstriped tie. "We're not going anywhere with you. Leave me and my children alone."
"Mrs. Barton, this is not a negotiation…" He unbuttoned his suit jacket and laid one hand on the handgun that had been concealed beneath it. "Your husband is a dangerous criminal. Either you cooperate with us, or we will forcibly take you into custody. If you resist, then you may be made an example of." Laura's eyes widened.
"That doesn't sound legal," she said. The man in the suit seemed unbothered.
"These are special circumstances," he noted. "I have been given wide latitude to try to catch the rogue Avengers any way I see fit. And I think you'll find it is much more difficult to contest the legality of things when you are -" There was the sharp crack of Laura's rifle, and he broke off abruptly as he jerked backwards, then stared down at the holes torn in his shirt and tie, burrowing through to the Kevlar vest underneath. Laura blinked, surprised that he was still standing after taking a direct hit. He sneered and pointed his gun at her face. "- dead." Time slowed down. She closed her eyes, saying a silent apology to Clint and her children as she waited for death, her heart pounding in her ears. She flinched as she heard the report, but opened her eyes when she didn't feel anything. Before it even registered that the sound had come from behind her, not in front of her, she was being pulled backwards. She stared, astounded, as the man's gun dropped to the ground. Blood trickled from the hole in his forehead, and time seemed to stop as he fell forward. She gaped at Nyssa as the smaller woman slammed the door behind them. She pulled Laura with her as they dove behind the couch, the glass in the windows shattering as the men outside opened fire.
"They're all wearing Kevlar. Aim for the head to kill or for their legs to slow them down," Nyssa instructed quickly. She rolled towards a window, firing off several shots before ducking down and to the side, using solid wall for cover. Laura was frantically trying to reload as bullets whizzed overhead, burying themselves in walls, dishes and décor. Nyssa turned as the side door banged open, kicking over the table to provide a modicum of cover. Going down on one knee, she pointed the Sig Sauer at the windows and the Glock at the door. She emptied both clips, dropping another armored thug with each shot, and the pile of bodies by the door grew larger by the moment. She threw the pistols down as they emptied, and dove for the Springfield XD just as one of the invaders advanced towards their position. She pointed the gun at him, but before she could get a shot off, an arrow sprouted from his throat. He gurgled, dropping his weapon to grasp at the shaft protruding from his Adam's apple, then collapsed on the floor. Behind him, Cooper stood at the base of the stairs, eyes wide as he slowly lowered the bow. There was a pause in the attack, and Nyssa slid the Springfield into a leg holster as she closed her eyes briefly to assess the situation.
"Get to the basement!" she snapped quickly, opening her eyes. There were four men left outside, but their attentions were divided. "I'll run and get Nate." Both Laura and Cooper stared at her. "Go, now!" She grabbed an assault rifle from one of the men lying on the floor and sprinted towards the door. Seconds after the Bartons arrived downstairs and the door closed behind Nyssa, the living room and the front of the house exploded. Nyssa quickly shot the man holding the grenade launcher in the knees, and he swore as he fell. She tossed one of the explosives in the direction of the remaining men, sprinting to the barn as they dove for cover. Flames were shooting out of the windows, and Nate was awake and screaming. The livestock and horses were also panicking, frantic lows coming from the cattle as the horses screamed in their stalls. Nyssa ducked in through the back door and quickly climbed the ladder into the hayloft. Thick, black smoke filled the hayloft, and she could hear Nate crying in a corner as far from the fire as he could get. Pulling her shirt over her nose and mouth to block out the smoke, she crawled quickly over to the toddler's hiding spot. Still sobbing, he threw his arms around her neck, and she backtracked with him to the ladder. He clung to her as she scaled down it, though it wasn't as fast as she would have liked with twenty-five pounds clinging to her torso. Her grip slipped on the last two rungs, and she landed heavily on the hard-packed dirt floor of the barn.
She tried to set Nate down, but he only clung to her more fiercely. She could feel the fear and panic surging through him, and with flames jumping beside her as tall as she was, she didn't really blame him. The eighteen cows were restless and bunched together in the center, mooing loudly as they shied away from the fire. Two stalls had been built near the barn doors. One held a chestnut quarterhorse with a star on his forehead, rearing and kicking the walls of his stall as he whinnied and screamed. The other horse was a darker, heavier draft breed, head held high as he showed the whites of his eyes and snorted. Nyssa opened the stall door of the quarterhorse, letting him charge out, then turned her attention to the other horse. Gently stroking his nose, she drew away enough of his fear that he stood still for her, despite the fire raging around them. I need your help, friend. After hoisting Nate onto his back, she climbed halfway up the stall to jump on behind him. Sitting astride the powerful beast, she had a moment of disorientation as she split her attention between guiding the horse and controlling her own body. The smoke was getting thicker. She squeezed the horse's sides with her legs, and he charged through the stall door she had left unlatched, then over to the barn's double doors. Rearing up, the Percheron knocked the doors open with its forelegs and stormed out into the fresh air. Behind them, the cattle charged ahead, stampeding towards the armed men that were now running toward them. Two of them were knocked over and disappeared beneath the trampling feet of terrified bovines. The last one stood back and leveled his rifle at the huge horse galloping towards him. Nyssa fired at him as they charged. He got a short burst off while ducking, and Nyssa felt the sharp, stinging pain as the bullets penetrated the horse's hide. The beast stumbled, but did not fall. The man was trying to back away quickly while keeping his weapon trained on them. The horse spun and kicked, his massive hooves connecting with the man's head, which snapped to the side. He fell to the ground, his head and neck at an unnatural angle. The horse stumbled, blood dripping on the ground from where he had been shot. Nyssa tightened her grip on Nate and dove off the horse in an emergency dismount. She landed on her feet, crumpled and rolled, keeping the toddler safe inside her arms. The draft horse slowed to a trot, then a walk, disappearing into the trees.
Standing, she looked around at the devastation. The barn was in flames. In the absence of an immediate threat, the cows were now milling about in the cornfield. The chestnut quarterhorse was still galloping away in the distance. The farmhouse had half caved in on itself, the obliterated kitchen exposed to air like a gaping wound, smoke rolling out of the upstairs windows in the back of the house. The two government vehicles stood abandoned, doors open. Bodies were strewn about in the grass, mostly around the house. Some of the motionless bodies had arrows jutting from them, and she realized that Cooper had been firing from the upstairs windows long before he came downstairs to assist them. All the men that had been sent to apprehend them were motionless, and Nyssa could not sense any life in them. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burning. Nate looked up at her, bewildered. She grabbed his tiny hand in hers.
"Let's go find your mom," she told him. He sniffled and nodded.