Thank you, everyone, for your patience! I struggled with this chapter, along with having some personal struggles of my own. This is more of a filler chapter. Several members of the team do make an appearance, so I hope you enjoy it! There is a Renner reference (a couple of them, if you squint, you'll find one of them, the other is pretty obvious). Thanks for sticking with me through this!

"Shit!" Clint turned and sped into the house, making his way to where he'd left Mikayla sleeping. He knew he'd been careful, ensuring no one had followed them. The only slip he could think of was letting the restaurant know her last name, but she wasn't famous like other team members, so Clint hoped someone hadn't picked up she was associated with the Avengers. Entering the bedroom, he found his fiancée sitting up in bed, thrashing the air. He knew immediately she was having a nightmare, reliving her time in captivity. "Mikayla?" Clint said softly.

"Get the hell away from me!" Mikayla was throwing fists in the air, aiming for an unseen enemy. "I'm not going to let you hurt me anymore, you bastard! I'm not giving you that satisfaction!" Suddenly, her head flung to the side as if it were struck by someone or something. She followed that by curling up in a fetal position and shivering. "Please, I'll be good. I'll do what you say." She started rocking back and forth in addition to shivering.

Clint sat next to her on the bed and whispered to her. "Sharky? It's Clint." He hesitated to reach out because he didn't want to cause her to lash out again. "Wake up, babe. You're safe." He repeated this until Mikayla opened her eyes. "Hey, back with me?"

"Clint?" Mikayla peered out from behind barely opened eyelids, afraid she wouldn't see what she wanted to see. "Is he gone? Where am I?"

"You're here, with me, in Tony's beach house in the Hamptons. Barney's dead. He can't hurt you anymore. Want me to help you sit up?" Mikayla nodded. "Can I hold you?"

"Please." Her voice was little more than a squeak.

Clint slid over next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay. You're okay. We're okay." Mikayla laid her head on his shoulder and started sobbing. He rubbed her arms, trying to calm her shivering. "Cold?"

"Ghosts." "Scared, not cold." Mikayla scooted until she was curled up in Clint's lap, seemingly trying to get out of her own skin.

'Damn, I was hoping she was done with those,' Clint thought to himself. Though, to be fair, he'd been haunted by his own for years, starting with his family. Unfortunately, those followed him to his time in the circus, which added to his list. He brought those to his short stint in the military, though he didn't seem to be as consumed with them when he was in the service, so he hoped they'd retreated, but then came SHIELD. If he were honest with himself, they didn't reappear until Loki. Hell, that time in his life seemed to open an entire can of worms. Going through that, he still felt he was the best equipped to help Mikayla. They'd chased the ghosts off once before, so he was sure they could again. Clint kissed the top of her head. "You've stopped rocking and shivering. They going away?"

Mikayla nodded and sniffed. "Yep. You're always good about that, making sure they leave. We'll get them to stay away, right?"

"Right. You've been through a lot this week, had your brain played with a little. Speaking from experience, this is probably the result of that."

"Makes sense." She yawned. "I don't think I'm going to be able to get back to sleep."

"Want to move to the living room? I'll turn on the TV to some mindless show, something we don't have to think about. That seems to help me."

"Sure."

Mikayla got out of bed, Clint following behind. The couple shuffled into the living room, heading to the couch. Clint made sure to grab a blanket to wrap around her, plus he'd be prepared in case his ghosts returned. He picked up the remote, turning the TV to a classic movie channel. "Here, babe, go ahead and stretch out. Even if you can't sleep, your body needs to relax, 'k?" Mikayla followed his instructions, laying down on the couch, placing her head on his legs, which he propped up on the coffee table. Once she was settled, he draped the blanket over Mikayla, then carding his fingers through her hair. Before he knew it, Mikayla was softly snoring. He continued working his hands through her hair, not wanting to disturb her. If that helped her get some rest and take a break from fighting, he'd continue this for as long as she needed him to.

The rest of the night, Mikayla tossed and turned, sometimes moaning. When that happened, Clint, if he'd dozed off, would immediately wake up and begin massaging her scalp and trailing his fingers through her hair. He made sure the television stayed on as the noise seemed to be soothing. At one point, Mikayla began repeating herself. "Don't hurt me, please don't hurt me anymore," she said over and over. Clint wondered if he would ever know the extent of the injuries Barney caused her. As quickly as those incidents would appear, they would disappear. The cycle continued for a couple of hours until Mikayla finally settled into a calm slumber, and only then did Clint allow himself to grab a few moments of sleep. He'd run on much less during missions, so he wasn't concerned with being able to function. "Clint?" Mikayla asked sleepily a few hours later.

"Hey," he looked down at her and smiled. "You got some sleep."

Mikayla yawned. "You didn't, though."

"I'll be okay."

"I kept you awake, didn't I?" Mikayla bit her bottom lip. "I'm sorry, I should be over this by now."

"Mikayla, stop, just stop it, babe. There's no time limit on healing. Don't worry about my sleeping or not sleeping. On missions, I've gone days without sleeping. It's been trained in me over my lifetime. I adapt to the situation. Right now, I'm supporting you, helping you through this, okay?"

Mikayla nodded, then sat up, wiping her eyes. "Okay."

"Besides," Clint continued, "I still have nightmares sometimes, and you help me through those. Your struggles are more recent than mine, so, see? There's no set schedule."

"I know. I just hate you're missing sleep on my account."

"You're worth it, Mikayla. Besides, once you get past the worst of this, your sleeping will become more regular." Clint thought for a bit. "We can always call Wanda, see if she can help you again."

"I'd – I'd like that. I think that's a good idea." Mikayla curled up next to him. "What's on the agenda for today?"

"How does a winery tour sound?"

Mikayla seemed to perk up at that idea. "I've never been on one before. Have you?"

"Undercover in Napa Valley. We were tracking an arms dealer." Clint nodded.

"You and Nat?"

"Nope, Bobbi."

"Did you get him?"

"Of course. When do I not get my target? I got you, didn't I?" Clint smirked.

Mikayla kissed his cheek. "You're adorkable when you're trying to be cocky." She kissed his cheek again. "I love the idea of going to a winery." She stood up. "I'm going to go take a bath and get ready."

Clint watched his fiancée as she left the living room, then went and grabbed his phone from the charger, sending a text. The phone buzzed shortly with a reply. "I hope this helps," he said to himself, then went to grab some clothes, taking them to one of the other bathrooms to shower and get ready.

Mikayla returned to the living room after her bath. Not seeing Clint but hearing water running, she figured he was taking a shower, so she went into the kitchen. She found a plate of bagels and various cream cheeses, along with a bowl of fruit, a carton of orange juice, and a gallon of milk. Mikayla went to the cabinets and pulled out a couple of plates and some glasses. After toasting a sesame seed bagel, she spread some cream cheese on each half, then grabbed an apple and a banana. As Clint came into the kitchen, he found her pouring a glass of juice then taking another glass, filling it with milk. As she sat down, Clint kissed the top of her head. "Thanks for setting out breakfast, Clint."

"My pleasure, babe. I figured we'd be walking a lot, so didn't need anything too heavy." Clint followed Mikayla's actions, sitting down next to her with his breakfast. They ate their breakfast in comfortable silence. "Ready to head out?" Mikayla nodded. The couple headed out to the car. Clint's phone buzzed as he opened the car door. He pulled the phone out and read the text, then put the phone back in his pocket. "Change of plans."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, the winery is closed for a private gathering, so we're going for option two."

"Which is?"

Clint smirked. "Patience, my young padawan. You'll see when we get there." He leaned over and kissed her. "Just sit back and enjoy the drive."

"Yes, sir." Mikayla gave him a jaunty salute, then leaned back and looked at the scenery as Clint drove to their destination. Before she knew it, Clint had turned onto a dirt road, and at the end of it were a couple of familiar faces. "Misty!" Mikayla flung the car door open and flew over to her best friend. "I didn't know you were going to be here!" The two women hugged as Sam and Clint did the 'bro hug' thing.

"Clint reached out to Sam last night, knew I hadn't seen you since you've come back. Plus, I needed to make sure I left you some of your ass after I chewed you out."

Mikayla spun around. "Yep, still there." She leaned over to Misty and whispered, "Don't worry, Clint checked."

Misty chuckled. "TMI, M."

"So, you haven't killed each other yet, I see." Mikayla was laughing as she went over to Sam. They hugged.

"Nope, not planning on it for a while."

"Heard she got along great with the family. She's always been a schmoozer."

"Yeah, they couldn't help but adore her. They're simply happy I'm in a relationship. Course, now my sister wants to know when she'll have nieces and nephews to fawn over."

As Sam and Mikayla talked, Misty greeted Clint. "Welcome back to the present, Arrow Man."

"Glad to be back, Misty."

"How's she doing?"

"Bad night last night. Trying to catch up on sleep, didn't sleep much while she was gone, don't think either of us did. The group was getting to her, so decided to bring her out here. Now that you and Sam are here, you're welcome to stay with us at the house. It's one of Tony's, so there's plenty of room. Thought she might need some help getting grounded again."

"That's me, the official Mikayla grounder." The two looked over at Sam and Mikayla, who were laughing about something. "She'll get back to herself, won't she?"

Clint sighed. "It may be a different version of her, but she will. She's been through a hell of a lot and comes out stronger every time. I keep thinking I should have Stark implant a tracker in her or build an Iron Man suit for everyday wear. Just when I think I've lost her, she reappears and thankfully proves me wrong every time."

"You and me both, Barton." They went back to watching their respective partners carrying on a lively conversation. "Clint? Thanks for loving my best friend. She was so lost after her uncle died. I was afraid she wouldn't find her way back after that, and then she met you. It's like he sent you to watch over her and bring her back to life. Mikayla was just going through the motions of living. She'd lost the sparkle in her eyes, and I felt like I'd lost my best friend, my sister. Then, this goofball who was dropped from the heavens came along, and there was a glimmer of hope things would turn around. I'm choosing to believe you that she's on her way back to being that person again."

Clint was quiet as he absorbed what Misty said. She might as well have been describing him. He was lost after the battle, wondering if he'd ever be himself again. Thankfully, he and Mikayla both had best friends who stood by them as they grieved and came to terms with Phil's death. "Nat would be slapping me upside the head about now if she heard all this sappiness." He turned to Misty. "She's been so busy talking. She still has no idea why we're here." 'This place doesn't look like a farm, so I hope it won't cause her to have a relapse. Damn it. I didn't think about that.'

"She'll be okay with this, Clint."

"You get mind-reading skills all of a sudden, Randall?"

Misty smirked. "Nope, I just know my best friend. Once she sees the words 'horseback riding', she'll forget everything else."

Clint breathed a sigh of relief. "I hope so."

Mikayla bounded up to them. "Want to tell me why we're on a dirt road, Clint? I'm looking around, and thankfully it doesn't appear we're reenacting Children of the Corn."

"Ahem." Clint pointed to the sign Mikayla had missed seeing in her excitement at spotting Misty.

Mikayla looked up, and a broad smile appeared on her face. "You remembered!" She threw her arms around him. "I told you months ago I wanted to go horseback riding." Mikayla plastered his face with kisses.

Misty linked her arm with Sam's. "You have been horseback riding, haven't you?"

"It's been a long time, but yeah."

The foursome went and checked in and was taken to their horses. Clint went over details with the staff. He was given an overall view of the various trails and the options available, immediately knowing which trail he wanted. The guide led him to the others who were already on their horses. He hadn't been on a horse since he was a kid, but once he flung his leg across the saddle, it came back to him. It was one of the few good memories of his childhood and his circus days. Once the staff found out how much experience he and Mikayla had, they agreed to let them ride without a guide. The foursome headed out at a leisurely pace. Clint led, followed by Mikayla, then Misty, with Sam bringing up the rear. As the trail wound through a small grove of trees, the men kept their guard up, eyes constantly moving to take in the surroundings.

Misty was watching Mikayla's back and could almost feel the tension rolling off her best friend. She knew this would bring back some good memories for Mikayla and hoped she would focus on those, replacing the memories Mikayla was trying to forget.

'After all that's happened,' Mikayla thought, 'I can't believe he remembered I wanted to do this. When I think I can't love him more, he does something like this.' An opening appeared, and the horses led them to a sandy beach. Mikayla was speechless. The only noise coming from her was a gasp of surprise and awe.

Clint smiled, always happy to surprise his fiancée. Once the group was about halfway across the beach, he stopped his horse and dismounted, walking over to Mikayla to help her dismount. "Glad I can still surprise you."

Mikayla threw her arms around his neck. "This is amazing. I never even knew they had horseback riding on Long Island."

"To be honest, neither did I. I was looking for something to do and found this place. After seeing your reaction to the beach at the house, I knew this would be perfect."

"Nice going, archer man." Misty elbowed Clint in the side as she and Sam joined Mikayla and Clint. "You might be a keeper after all."

"Of course, he is." Mikayla wrapped her arms around Clint's waist. "Definitely not throwing this one back."

"Is this helping?" "Ditto, babe." Clint kissed Mikayla's temple, putting his arm around her shoulders. He turned her around and the couple began walking along the shore, with Sam and Misty staying a safe distance behind.

Mikayla nodded. "More than I thought it would. Something about the air. It's helping me focus, to clear my mind and concentrate, to get back to my center, I guess is the right term."

"Good. We'll do whatever it takes. We can come out to the house every couple of months, even if it's only for a weekend. Sound like a plan?"

Just as she went to reply, her phone rang. "Hello?" She covers the microphone. "Damn, it's Nick." Clint rolled his eyes. "Me? You want me? Seriously? Shutting up now. Yes, sir." Mikayla turned to look at the others. "Well, apparently, I have a mission," she shared, shock resonating in her voice.

"Yes! My kick-ass fiancée has her own mission!" Clint beamed with pride. "Is it confidential? If you tell me, will you have to kill me?" He leaned into her and seductively whispered, "As long as you promise to use your thighs, I'm good with being killed by you."

Mikayla, who started blushing, playfully shoved him. "He didn't say it was classified, so I guess I can tell you. Some secretive government agency is trying to create super soldiers with a new drug. He wants me to check them out, see what I can find. It's something called the National Research Assay Group. He said it didn't appear to be from the serum, thinks maybe Ross had a connection to them."

"Do we need to go back home?" Misty asked.

Mikayla shook her head. "Nope. I brought my laptop so that I can work from here. It doesn't mean you have to stop having fun."

"Oh, please. You and I are the most fun people around, M. You won't be working all the time."

"Ahem." The women turned around to find Clint and Sam, each of them standing. Sam, with his arms crossed across his chest, Clint, hands on his hips. It was Clint who cleared his throat. "I believe we know how to have fun, too. I mean, I did come up with the horseback riding idea."

"Good point, Clint." Mikayla smiled. "Let's get back to the beach house so I can get started hunting. The sooner I find out what's going on, the sooner it can get shut down."

"Hmm, laser focus. Wonder where she got that from?" Clint smirked, taking Mikayla's hand and leading her back to the horses. Sam and Misty followed him to their horses and getting back in the saddles. Clint helped Mikayla back up on her horse, then once he climbed back onto his horse, the quartet finished the trail ride, then drove back to the beach house.

Clint gave Sam and Misty the tour. "I'll stay here and get lunch going." Once the trio disappeared, Mikayla pulled leftovers from the night before out and warmed them up, also setting out plates and glasses. "Lunch is served," she shouted. She heard voices coming from the hallway. "Everyone okay with tea?" They agreed, so Mikayla filled the glasses with ice.

Clint came into the kitchen to help her. He was planning something for after lunch, but some events had to fall into place before it could happen. "Need some help with the drinks?"

"Sure, thanks." Mikayla filled the glasses with ice, Clint following with tea. They carried the glasses into the dining room. After they sat down, the foursome starting eating, chatting about various topics. It was a pleasant and easy time. Nothing forced among the friends. After the meal, Sam and Misty cleaned up and met the other couple in the living room. "What's next on the agenda?"

Clint glanced out the window and saw clouds approaching in the distance. "I thought we'd just hang around here, take advance of Tony's extensive movie selection and theater room."

"That'll be nice," Sam said. "No worries about Stark's running commentary or Steve asking questions."

Clint looked outside again, noticing how dark the sky was growing. "Let's head down there. He's got a popcorn machine and a soda dispenser. I'm surprised he didn't install a ticket counter." He stood up and reached for Mikayla's hand. Sam followed by helping Misty stand. As Mikayla went to stand, she opened her mouth to say something, but Clint stopped her. "No, Agent Fitzgerald, you cannot bring your laptop and start working. Two hours is not going to make a difference."

Mikayla huffed. "Fine, Agent Barton." She pouted, sticking out her bottom lip. "You can explain to Fury and Hill why they didn't get one of my glowing reports sooner."

"Deal." They made their way to the theater room. Sam grabbed some sodas as Clint started the popcorn machine, then sat down next to Mikayla, putting his arm over the back of the chair. "Friday? Surprise us."

"Of course, Agent Barton." The sounds of Doris Day singing came through the speakers.

"Pillow Talk!" Mikayla exclaimed. "Thanks, Friday. Have I ever said you're my favorite?"

"Many times, Agent Fitzgerald. The sentiment is returned." Clint shook his head as Sam and Misty snickered.

"What? She is."

"So, I'm being replaced by a faceless computer now? That's harsh, babe."

"You're my favorite human. She's my favorite A.I." Mikayla patted Clint's cheek. "Nothing for you to worry about, Clint. You're still my favorite Avenger and my number one guy. And before you say anything, missy," Mikayla turned toward Misty, "you're my favorite human female."

"Never worried about that, unlike some people," Misty joked, nodding her head toward Clint.

"Hey, no fair! Wilson, help a guy out here, would you?"

Sam put up his hands. "Nope, not getting in the middle of that."

"Putting an arrow through Red Wing next chance I get," Clint muttered.

"Now, now," Mikayla patted his hand, "don't get all worked up over inanimate objects, Sharky. Just sit back and enjoy the movie."

"Rather be enjoying you," Clint whispered in her ear, making sure only Mikayla could hear him. He pulled away, and even in the light from the screen, he could see her immediately flush, and her eyes dilate. Clint smirked, and knew how to send her over the edge, putting a hand on her thigh, stroking it, then murmuring in her ear in a gravelly voice, "How about I just wreck you?" He punctuated it by squeezing her thigh, causing her to stiffen and grip the armrests. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sam slightly nod, so he stood, grabbed Mikayla's hand, and the couple exited the theater.

The two couldn't keep their hands off each other on the way to their bedroom. Once Clint shut the door with his foot, clothes were shed and left on the floor as the couple made a beeline for the bed. "You've turned me into a horny teenager, Clint." Mikayla gasped as he nipped her collarbone. In return, she tugged on his hair enough to elicit a groan from him.

Clint shoved her hands away. "Told you I was going to wreck you." He grabbed her arms and held them over her head. "Good?"

"Green, so green." He then proceeded to follow through on his promise.

After cleaning up, Clint was holding Mikayla, running his hand up and down her arm, as Mikayla traced patterns with her nails across his chest and abdomen, fascinated by watching his muscles twitch. "Guess that means it worked, then."

Mikayla smiled. "Yep, utterly wrecked."

"Mission accomplished, and without you making a sound."

"Didn't think the walls here were soundproofed."

"I'm proud of you for even thinking of that."

Before Mikayla could answer, her phone rang. "Hold that thought." She reached over to the nightstand, looking at the display, then answered. "Hello?" She mouthed, "Mr. Hawkins," to Clint. "Really? Are you all okay? Good, thanks for letting me know." After putting the phone back on the nightstand, she turned back to Clint. "There was a storm, and a tree fell through the roof. I'll need to find a company to repair it."

"No, you don't. I can do it."

Mikayla sat up against the headboard. "When did you have time to start a roofing company?"

Clint smiled. "I didn't, just some skills I picked up along the way. I'll take a SHIELD SUV up there so I can go get any needed supplies."

"No need to. Mr. Hawkins already got the supplies and dropped them off. He had similar damage to his roof, so he estimated what we would need, probably overestimated knowing him."

"That makes it easier then. I'll take my bike."

Mikayla nodded. "I figured you would. I'll stay and work on my mission." Her voice softened. "Still not sure I'm ready to be up close and personal with it yet."

Clint squeezed her shoulders. "You'll get there. It'll be okay. It's nothing I can't handle."

"Yeah, but I'm going to miss seeing you all hot and sweaty, using those biceps." Mikayla caressed his arm.

"Well, we'll have to do something about that then, won't we?" Clint smirked as he climbed on top of Mikayla, leaning down and kissing her.

Later that evening, Clint came downstairs, leaving Mikayla upstairs to work. "Do I smell pizza?"

"Good nose, Hawkeye," Misty quipped. "I made some and found some salad mixings. Sam got called away for a mission. You two were, uh, otherwise occupied, or he would've let you know."

Clint smiled and nodded his head. "Awfully kind of you. Guessing I'm still on the shelf waiting for the whole cruise ship thing to fall into place, or they want to make sure my brain is clear again."

"Sam didn't say."

"Didn't figure he would." Clint reached into the cabinet to grab plates and glasses. "Not my first rodeo. If I worried every time I wasn't sent out on a mission, I'd given up by now and gone to work at a diner. I'm more than happy to sit in the background and watch Mikayla do her thing, make sure she's okay. Besides, I have a roof to fix."

"Oh, I'm sure it's a real hardship for you to keep an eye on her. Farm sustain some damage?"

"Yeah. Mr. Hawkins called Mikayla. I'm heading up to fix it. I'll leave as soon as I drive you two back."

Misty picked up her plate. "Did you want to leave this evening?"

Clint nodded. "Probably a good idea, that way, I can get a head start for the farm in the morning." He nudged her. "Go on up, spend some girl time. She's in the office. I'll clean up down here." Misty kissed his cheek, grabbed a couple of plates, laid water bottles on the plates, then headed upstairs. Clint knew they hadn't had any alone time lately and knew how important that was to the two of them, so he was happy to let them have it. He took his plate and sat out on the veranda, enjoying the quiet evening and able to do subtle reconnaissance, thankfully not finding anyone. After finishing his pizza, he downed his tea and went out to the beach, remembering how calming the water could be. Sometime later, after making his way back to the veranda, he felt a presence behind him and then a feathery kiss on his cheek. "Hey, babe. Good time with Misty?"

"Yep." Mikayla bent over, wrapping her arms around Clint. "Thanks for inviting her and Sam up."

Clint put a hand over hers. "I figured you needed some Misty time."

"You always know what I need and what will help me." Mikayla walked around and sat in his lap, draping her arms over his shoulders, laying her head just under his chin. "I enjoyed the horseback riding. I still can't believe you remembered I mentioned that."

"Never forgot. Even when I was my younger self, I knew there was something familiar about you, that you were important to me somehow."

"Not making that mistake again, leaving you."

Clint ran his fingers through her hair. "I know." The couple sat in silence until he noticed Mikayla's breathing had slowed, signaling she'd dozed off. Doing his best not to wake her, he stood and carried her bridal style up to their bedroom. After laying her on the bed and pulling the covers over her, he stripped to his underwear and a t-shirt, then climbed into bed, curled up next to Mikayla and fell asleep.

Clint woke up early the following day, Mikayla still curled up next to him. He smiled when he realized she had slept through the night, no nightmares waking her up. He slid out from underneath the covers and slipped on a pair of sweatpants, then made his way down to the kitchen to cook breakfast for the three occupants. Clint pulled together ingredients to whip up omelets and pancakes, then pulled out orange juice and milk containers and brewed coffee. After setting out plates and glasses on the island, he went back upstairs, passing Misty. "Morning, Clint."

"Morning, Misty. Help yourself to breakfast. It's on the island."

"Thanks. I'll see you down there."

Clint nodded and continued up the stairs. When he walked into the room, he noticed Mikaya slowly opening her eyes. "Morning, babe." He bent down and kissed her temple. "Breakfast is ready."

"Mmm. Who cooked?"

"I did."

"Good. It'll be edible, then." Mikayla chucked. "Misty's not known for her cooking skills." She pushed the covers back and sat up, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. "OK, getting up now." As she stood, she looked down at her clothes. "Damn, I must've been tired. I'm still wearing my clothes from last night." A flicker of recognition crossed her face. "Wait a minute. I don't remember a thing after us sitting on the veranda. Does that mean?"

Clint smiled. "No nightmares."

"I'm back on the road to recovery." Mikayla grinned.

"That's my kick-ass fiancée."

"You know, I'm never going to get tired of hearing that term."

"Fiancée?"

Mikayla shook her head. "Kick-ass."

"Good, because I'll never stop using it." Clint took her in his arms. "You will always be my kick-ass woman."

"Clint, we'd better stop now, or we're never - mmrrppgg." The rest of her sentence was muffled by Clint's kisses.

"One more wrecking for the road," Clint murmured, lifting off her shirt, tossing it to the side.

Eventually, the couple made their way down but had to warm up their breakfast. Misty just smirked and snickered at them. "I made fresh coffee. The other pot went stale a while ago." She turned her head from her vantage point on the couch. "Nice bird's nest on your head, Barton."

Clint ran a hand through his hair, trying to tame it unsuccessfully. "She loves my bed head."

"Yep, no complaints here," Mikayla added, pouring two cups of coffee as Clint put their plates in the microwave. They hurriedly ate, then went upstairs to pack, finally meeting Misty back downstairs.

"I meant to ask," Clint said, "did you find out any info about that group you're looking for?"

"Nothing definitive," Mikayla answered, helping Clint carry their luggage to the car. "I'll dig deeper once I get back to the tower."

Once all the luggage was in the car, the trio made their way back to the city. "Nice of you to let me drive my car back, RH."

"I figured it would be easier for me to be cramped up in the back seat than Misty. It also made it easier for the two of you to talk about what women talk about. I tuned you out about fifteen minutes after we left."

"Now, if that's not a supportive fiancé, I don't know what is," Misty laughed as she grabbed her bags from the car.

"Friends!" Thor bellowed as he approached the trio. "Friday was kind enough to alert us of your arrival. Here, fair Misty, allow me to assist you." He quickly took her bags from her after enveloping Mikayla in a giant bear hug. "Lady Mikayla, you are looking hale and hearty. Your time away appears to have aided in your healing."

"It did, thanks. I needed some space to clear my head and refocus."

Thor helped Clint carry in the luggage. "Time away from crowds can be beneficial, but your family is always pleased to see you return."

"I'm glad to be back myself."

"Friday?"

"Welcome back home, Agent Fitzgerald."

"Good to be here again. Where are we putting Misty's things?"

"Boss has a suite set aside for her and Agent Wilson. It's the floor below yours and Agent Barton's."

"Thanks, Friday. Come on, Misty. You can stay here until Sam gets back from the mission. Someone's got to keep me company with everyone else away."

"Fair Mikayla, you will not be alone. Master Barnes and I are here, as well. Our expertise was not required on the mission. The good doctor is away at a conference, so he is also not present."

Mikayla nodded as Thor and Clint went to put away the luggage, returning shortly with Clint having donned a backpack. She knew he wouldn't need to take much since he still had plenty of clothes at the farmhouse. "Do you have movies picked out already, Thor?"

A voice came from the living room. "We're now making our way through all 140 seasons of Law and Order." Mikayla looked over and saw Bucky sitting in one of the chairs, feet propped up on the coffee table.

"Hey, Bucky. I happen to love Law and Order, but just the first five seasons."

"Oh, no, here we go," Misty groaned. "The patented Mikayla Fitzgerald rant about how those were the only seasons worth watching because there weren't any hot actors on the show after that."

"It's true. Fight me." Mikayla handed Misty a bottle of water.

"I thought I was your hot guy," Clint pouted.

"You are now, but this was way before I met you. 'Except for Tim, of course,' she thought to herself. 'That's what happens when I go against type.' Ask Misty. She'll tell you I've always had a thing for tall, dark, and handsome bad boys."

"Damn, I haven't left yet, and my fiancée's already talking about other men."

"RH," Mikayla spun around and grabbed his hand. "You are here in person. You are real, not some actor I've met, and I'm not letting you go."

"Ditto, Sharky." They kissed as everyone groaned except Thor, who had a broad smile on his face. "I'm headed out. I'll call when I get up there and let you know the damage."

"I'll be waiting." Mikayla watched him as he exited the hallway to go back down to the parking garage, then turned around to face Thor and Bucky. "There was some damage to the farmhouse, so Clint's going up to do the repairs while I work on my task." She filled the others in on the search. "I still can't believe this is going on inside our government. Though to be fair, there was HYDRA, so I take back what I said."

"Think these are HYDRA holdouts?" Bucky asked, always ready to take out anyone associated with his former handlers/brainwashers.

"I don't have enough info yet, but I don't think so. The little info that Fury gave me said it's a longer, more drawn-out process. From the scant data I've gathered, it's not so much complete brainwashing as replacing memories. I guess it would be the best term. They give them a series of pills over a longer time frame, and the drugs affect both their physical and mental abilities. I need to try to figure out where the drugs come from, how deep this group goes, and if they're tied to HYDRA in any way."

"I have complete confidence if anyone can locate that information, it shall be you, Lady Mikayla."

"Thanks, Thor. Go ahead and start the marathon. I'm going to go grab my laptop." Mikayla ran up to her suite, returning with her laptop then getting comfortable on the loveseat.

Several hours into the marathon, Mikayla's phone rang. "Carly Simon? Really?" Misty shook her head.

"Well, it's true. No one does it better than Clint." She answered the phone. "Hey."

"Hey, babe. Made it up here okay. Tree fell onto the second-story roof. This may be more than a one-person job."

"Hold on a sec." She pulled the phone away. "Anyone up for a road trip? Clint needs some help fixing the roof."

"I'm in," Bucky piped up. "It'll be better than sitting around here."

"I am available, as well," Thor added.

Mikayla nodded. "Got your help lined up. Bucky and Thor have volunteered. We'll be up there once we figure out transportation. We won't all fit in my car."

Misty spoke up. "We can take my SUV. It won't be a problem."

"Problem solved, then. Once we get our stuff together, we'll head out."

"Okay. I'll see you when you get up here."

"See you then." Mikayla closed her laptop and placed it on the coffee table. "Good thing we haven't unpacked yet. I'll go get a bag and be right back." She motioned to Misty and as the two of them went to their suites to get bags, Bucky and Thor went to their rooms to pack. "Friday? Is Pepper here?"

"She is. She's on a conference call."

"Would you let her know the four of us are going up to the farmhouse, please?"

"Of course, Agent Fitzgerald."

As the elevator doors were closing for the trip back to the common room, it hit Mikayla where they were going. "Damn it! I'm not going to have a breakdown. I'm not." She slumped down onto the floor of the elevator, brought her knees to her chin, wrapping her arms around her legs, then started slowly rocking back and forth. "I can do this. It's a different farmhouse. Barney won't be there. Barney's dead." She was repeating this when the elevator door opened.