Alright guys, new chapter. I'm honestly debating if I should continue this but I may just be struggling with writer's block right now. Please let me know if you want me to continue. I will bring Peter back in the next chapter if I continue. Also I know I've been experimenting with using flashbacks a lot in the story but I kind of started In Media Res so forgive me while I get caught up.

As always, please review :) I may not update unless I get a couple more reviews to see if you guys actually want the story to continue.

~ "So, this is it?" Steve asked. "It's everything?"

He stood in the lab with Bucky, Kate, Rhodey, Vision and Tony.

"I think there is too much here for us to be certain it's everything." Kate said carefully as they all stared at the digital files.

"But it's enough for now." Tony said.

Kate looked at Tony. Was it going to be enough? ~

If someone had told her a month ago that she would be sitting with Tony Stark working on upgrades for her arrows, she would have thought they were crazy. Clint wanted her nowhere near the Avengers, while he trusted them with his life, he wasn't quite to a place of trusting them with hers. A lot of things had changed.

Though he had an idea from the moment that he saw her hack into the compound's systems, it was a random accident when Tony found out how good she was with computers and engineering. He had been speaking about the complexities of the Raft prison security system to Steve and Bucky but in such a way that they did not understand because the guy was hyped up on caffeine and was going a million miles an hour. Kate had reiterated it in a way that they understood.

Out of curiosity Tony had her take an aptitude test though he didn't share the results. However, he was willing to let her into the lab after the test so they must have been good. Right?

…

~ Kate sat cross-legged on the hotel bed twirling one of the arrows that she had selected out of her quiver. She had been stuck in this room for over 12 hours and she was doing everything possible not to have a panic attack. She almost wished she had stayed to be arrested instead of waiting for potential capture in this room.

Explaining to Happy what was going on was interesting because the man just seemed to have a level of stress built up impossibly high, but he was no longer surprised by the random things Mr. Stark asked him to do. He had also been willing to go get her bag from the safe house she had been using. The Loft was burnt anyways so she could never use it again. At least now she had clean clothes.

A knock on her door startled her out of thought. She looked up, tensing, fingers closing around her bow just in case as the door opened. It was just Happy.

"Come on kid." Happy said somberly. "It's time to go."

Feeling her heart jump into her throat, she moved to comply, throwing her weapons into her duffle bag and lifting it so she could follow him out through a back exit.

They arrived at a section of the airport where the private planes and helicopters were kept. She immediately noticed the Stark Industries helicopter already waiting for them. As she got out of the car, Kate noticed familiar red hair.

Natasha was waiting for her but that wasn't necessarily a good thing at the moment.

Kate paused as she stood in front of Natasha, but the Black Widow didn't give her a moment as she hurried her into the helicopter. Kate was surprised, though she didn't know why, to see Tony Stark in the helicopter already.

Natasha climbed in after her and shut the door. ~

"So, how did you meet Peter?"

Kaye looked up from her book in surprise at Tony's sudden question. They had been at the compound for two weeks, Peter had been back in the States for one, but Kate had yet to see him. "We ran into each other in Berlin. It was complete coincidence." She replied.

Tony smirked. "You left quite the impression on him." He said. "Most of his questions when I saw him were about how you were doing. He seems quite smitten."

Kate smiled faintly, feeling a faint blush creep into her cheeks. She rolled her eyes good naturedly.

"Boss, Secretary Ross has arrived." FRIDAY announced.

The occupants of the common area all tensed and rose. They had been over the plan a million times, but Kate couldn't help the nerves that were eating at her insides. If they were wrong, if they miscalculated, she was about to join her brother in a cell.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at Tony who offered her a smile before he moved forward, and Vision stepped up to her side with Bucky and Steve nearby.

Ross walked in with several secret service agents, his face set in a hard line but there was a look of glee in his eyes that made her skin crawl. The man thought he had won but he was about to find out how wrong he was.

"So, it is true." Ross said looking at Kate.

Vision stepped more in front of Kate obscuring the new arrivals' view of the teen. The fingers of her left hand twitched, feeling unsettled without any of her weapons nearby.

"So good you could make it today Mr. Secretary." Tony said lightly like he had been invited. "It saves us from having to come find you. There is a matter we need to discuss."

"There isn't anything more to discuss Stark." Ross said. "You hindered an active operation, caused millions of dollars in damages and you are harboring three fugitives. You'll be in the Raft with all the rest of them where you belong."

Kate's lip curled a bit at the threat, but she kept silent.

Tony, for his part, smiled in amusement. "Yeah, I don't think that's going to work for me." He said lightly. "See if I've at the Raft, then there will need to be press conferences, apologies, and all that, especially after I'm released."

"What makes you think that you would be getting released?" Ross asked.

"Because we have something that you might want." Kate said softly but confidently, meeting Ross' gaze without flinching.

"You see, something really wasn't sitting right with the circumstances around the manhunt around Barnes." Tony said casually. "It was too convenient. We were all blinded to what was happening for one reason or another, until the Sokovian sought out the other Winter Soldiers."

Ross' face was impassive, which was impressive, but Kate could see a nervous tick in his jaw, subtle as it was.

"You see, the little Miss over here, the one you called a fugitive?" Tony said indicating Kate. "She has quite a talent for finding things, even I was impressed with how much it took for her to find it. Seems Pierce wasn't alone with his plans in Washington."

"What are you talking about Stark?" Ross asked.

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." Steve spoke suddenly. "I was told that in 1945, it would seem that a lot of heads have come up during the time I was in the ice. They just got better at hiding."

"Miss. Barton." Tony said looking back. "Would you like the honors?"

"I would." Kate replied with a smile. Bringing up the data they had recovered so it was on full display, she turned to look at Ross. "That's you right Mr. Secretary?"

Ross had paled as he looked at the H.Y.D.R.A. files that were thrown in his face.

As the secret service agents reached for their weapons, Tony raised a hand. "We dumped all these files onto the internet about 30 minutes before you got here." He said. "Every known H.Y.D.R.A. agent is being arrested and taken into custody."

With that, Rhodey came out of a back room with two dozen soldiers to arrest Ross and the agents with him.

…

~ Kate sat on the floor of the secluded farmhouse, arms wrapped around Lucky, her dog. Well, technically he was Clint's dog, but she always argued the dog liked her more.

"There's so many ways this can go wrong." She said looking at her brother.

Clint shrugged, sitting on the edge of the sofa looking at her. "Cap needs my help, so does Wanda." He replied.

Kate's eyes softened at the name of the girl who lost her brother so Kate's brother could live. "Then I'm coming with you." She said. Before he could protest, she spoke. "You need all the help you can get and we both know if there is dirt to find with these Winter Soldiers, I can find it." She paused. "Don't leave me alone again."

Clint sighed and looked away for a moment, lost in thought. He turned back after a moment; his grey eyes hard. "Alright. Get ready, we leave in thirty minutes.." ~

Kate was sitting on the floor in the common area playing tug of war with Lucky, using a knotted-up rope while Steve, Bucky, Rhodey, Tony, and Vision spread out doing whatever thing was occupying them at the moment. After Ross' arrest Tony had helped arrange for her to get Lucky from the neighbor that she had left him with in Iowa, though he wasn't particularly happy about having a dog in the compound. The brief trip had allowed her to get some more clothes though Pepper had offered to take her shopping for new clothes.

"Wow, Tony, you let Lucky in here?" A familiar voice said behind her. "Don't tell me you've gone soft."

Turning around, Kate's eyes widened as she saw Clint walking in with Sam, Scott, and Wanda. Clint offered her a half smile. Scrambling to her feet faster than anyone was prepared for, she raced over to her brother.

Clint barely had a moment to brace before Kate collided with him, arms wrapped around him tightly. His arms tightened around her as he felt more than heard her sobs, tears soaking the collar of his shirt. "Hey kid, it's okay." He said quietly.

"You're back." She whimpered quietly. Though she didn't say it, her meaning was clear to both of them. You left me alone.

Clint hugged her close. "I'm sorry."