Summary: As the team try to come to terms with Michelle's death, a new terrifying threat is looming over them. Clint and Grace are forced to confront their darkest fears and enemies, as they prepare for their baby's arrival. Co – Written With snowqueen79. Clint/Grace, Bucky/Sophie and other pairings.
The Cradle Will Fall
Chapter 13
After three more days of being in the medical bay, Lilia was allowed to leave, and a small party was thrown to celebrate. Sophie, Grace and Adrian had made a cake, and Lilia was enjoying herself. Tony stayed close to her and Howard, smiling as Lilia talked to everyone and sat down on the black velvet sofa. It had been a long day, but his Lilia was back.
They hadn't slept together though, that was something Tony wasn't going to push Lilia into after what Hammer had done to her. He looked around for Clint and saw him going into the kitchen.
He knew that Clint would know more than anything about to cope and support someone, who was a victim of rape. Clint had supported Grace through her ordeal, when she'd testified at The Hague and he knew that his friend might be able to help him.
He didn't want to hurt Lilia, not after what Hammer and Pepper had done to her. He'd wait for her, until she was ready.
For once it seemed that the team had caught a break, and were all now recovering, while tracking down any leads on Pietro, Sophie's supposed twin sister and the leads on Dmitri and Misha. Grace played with Connor who was sitting on her stomach, happily babbling and cooing, as Clint came into their living room. He smiled widely at seeing Grace and Connor playing on the carpet and joined them as Connor babbled to him.
"Hey there little man, how's my little hawk doing?" He asked amused and scooped him up with Grace watching on with a smile as she watched her two amazing boys.
"He looks like you, Clint. He's got your thick hair, and eyes," she said softly, her hands touching the thick but soft tufts of dark blonde hair that was turning dark brown.
"Yeah, but he's got your beautiful smile and laugh. I'm so happy that I've got you, and our little boy, Grace. Truly, you've given me something that I thought I'd never have again." Clint admitted quietly, Grace hugged him tightly.
"You've given me everything too, Clint. And I know that Connor is going to have your fearlessness, and skills of archery," she said softly, and Clint held her tightly as they played with Connor, Tom and Starling, the black cat purring. Tom on the other hand was simply sleeping on the sofa, stretched out with his paws in the air.
The team were all in the living room watching the final episode of Game of Thrones and watched in disbelief as Jon was exiled to the Wall again by Tyrion and Bran.
"What the fuck?! I mean, seriously what the hell?" Natasha raged appalled at what she was seeing, Grace looked like she wanted to throw a temper tantrum and Sophie looked displeased. Clint shook his head in disgust, Steve sighed, and Bucky looked at his phone to see that Shuri was calling them.
"Bucky, I'm assuming you've seen the utter travesty that D and D call the end of season 8?" Shuri asked displeased, Bucky grimaced as the show ended.
"Yeah, none of us are happy. I wanted Jon to be king, if I'm honest and kick ass." He admitted mournfully, Shuri sighed. It was a fuck up, and all of them knew it.
Sophie had gone outside to take out the trash, when she felt her senses warning her that danger was around. She spun around to see her twin glaring at her murderously.
"You're coming with me, Сестра." She snarled coldly, pressing the gun into her side warningly, when Grave stepped outside. Sophie felt her stomach drop, when Grace saw what was going on.
"Sophie, no!" Grace cried horrified, running over when one of the HYDRA agents, shot her in the stomach with a silencer.
"Grace!"
The same agent pointed again at Grace's head while Sophie's lookalike whispered in her ear. "You come with us or the next one goes in your sister's pretty skull. Your choice."
Sophie glared at her but there was no way she was going to put her sister in harm's way. Not when they were surrounded by a good six HYDRA agents.
"You'd better hope she lives," Sophie whispered menacingly.
"Or what?" her double asked.
"Or you'll regret your very existence," Sophie warned.
"How do you know I don't already?"
Sophie smirked cruelly at her. "I don't care."
She shot webbing at the gun pointed at her sister's head, pulling it into her hand and shooting that agent in the head.
Sophie's double aimed her own weapon when webbing hit it and it was flung away.
"Get away from them!" Peter Parker shouted as he swung into the scene, knocking down two other HYDRA agents as Sophie subdued the other two.
"Gracie!" Clint dashed out to find his love bleeding on the patio, writhing in pain. Glaring up, his gaze met that of the woman who looked like Sophie who laughed.
Until Peter punched her in the mouth.
Steve's shield took out one of the agents Sophie fought while the other got out of there. Two of the others scrambled away and Sophie's double appeared to be on their heels. Before she could make it two steps, a muscular arm wrapped around her throat and the blow of a metal hand to the back of her head knocked her out.
"Bitch," Bucky spat, dropping her to the ground and joining Sophie, Peter, and Clint around Grace.
Medical staff arrived in seconds with a stretcher. Nat was right behind them.
"Helen's on her way back from her meeting," Nat told them. "Bruce is going to get started for us. Come on!"
Holding onto her hand, Clint blinked back tears. His Grace's face was ash white, her eyes looking around in a daze.
"I love you, Gracie," he whispered. "You're going to be okay."
Sophie watched them speed away in horror, following them back into the kitchen where Connor sat screaming in his highchair.
"Come here, love," she whispered, gently picking him up to soothe his tears and clean him up. Peter stayed with her until she had Connor ready and then they fled to medical too.
By the time Tony reached the patio, SHIELD agents were taking care of the three HYDRA agents they'd stopped. One was dead. Two were unconscious, including the one that looked like Sophie.
"She's after my girl," Bucky told Steve, his eyes wild with fear and anger. "I want to know who the hell she is exactly. I want to know what her deal is."
"Didn't the records say Sophie had a twin sister?" Tony asked.
Bucky nodded. "She supposedly died."
"Well, we can do a little testing and that can tell us a few things," Tony told them. "A DNA test can tell us if that's actually her sister. Or, God forbid, a clone."
"A clone?" Steve looked incredulous.
"With all the shit HYDRA's done, would you really be surprised?" Tony asked. "I'd like it a little better if that ended up being her sister."
"If that's her sister," Bucky replied, "their sister, do you know how bad this is? It's not just Sophie involved. There's Adrian and Grace too."
Tony nodded. He did understand that.
"Whatever we're going to do with them," Steve told them. "We'll need to move fast. HYDRA's not going to be overly concerned with that one agent, but something tells me that they place a lot of value on the one that looks like Sophie. They'll be coming for her. I'd really like to be ready when that happens."
"I want to talk to her," Bucky told them.
"Not sure that's a good idea, tin man," Tony answered.
"Considering Buck's knowledge of HYDRA," Steve interjected, "I think that's an excellent idea. Maybe we can ever get some intel on what they are up to now."
After a moment, Tony nodded. "I'll leave you to it."
"You okay, Tony?" Steve had to ask. He couldn't remember the last time Tony looked so tired, so… humble.
"Yeah," Tony told them. "I will be."
Steve studied him for a moment. "Tony, all things considered, why don't you get Lilia and Howard out of here. At least until we can deal with this. After what Lilia's just come through, I sure don't want her being scared when HYDRA comes back after that woman."
Tony seemed to consider that. "Huh... I could make it like a getaway."
"Exactly," Steve explained. "We'll be okay here. Just take care of them."
Tony's gaze wandered to the pool of Grace's blood on the patio and he shook his head. Steve was right. His girl shouldn't be here for what was coming. He'd take her and Howard to another of his properties. They take some time to relax. He could try to get Lilia to talk to him about what happened.
"Something just feels wrong about not being here," Tony told them.
"Fuck that," Bucky shot back. "If we're not fighting for our loved ones, what are we fighting for? Don't worry about it, Tony. Just go. The sooner the better, you know?"
The super soldiers made a good point.
Tony headed back into the compound, turning back to the other two before he walked in. "Take care of Clint and Grace, okay? They've, ah, they've been through enough already."
Steve nodded.
His mind already spinning with all that he had to do, Tony dashed in to start making arrangements.
Bucky just smiled. He couldn't wait to talk to the woman who looked like his Sophie. He wanted to know who she was and what she wanted. And if she didn't cooperate?
Bucky really hoped that she didn't cooperate. He knew what she was like, she was like Yelena Belova and both of them had psychopathic personalities who got pleasure out of murdering innocent people.
Since regaining his memories, he was ashamed at the knowledge that he had murdered so many people, some had deserved it, but many of them hadn't deserved to be killed by him on the orders on HYDRA and the Soviet Union.
He would question her, and find out who the hell she was.
It was two hours before Grace was out of surgery, fortunately the gunshot wound had gone through her stomach, and the bullet wasn't inside her body. Grace was in a stable condition, and Clint sat by her bedside with Connor, Sophie, Natasha, Adrian and Wanda by her side.
Lilia had come to join them with Tony and Howard, Clint gave them a grateful smile as he squeezed Grace's right hand gently. She would asleep for a few hours, as she was on heavy painkillers.
"Bucky's questioning the Sophie look alike, and from what I'm hearing, she's very loyal to the Red Room. Keeps on going on about how Natasha and Bucky betrayed the motherland, and how Yulia was supposed to take them both out." Adrian explained quietly, Clint nodded grimly and stroked Grace's hand.
His Grace was tough, she was gonna pull through this. He and Connor needed her, they loved her.
Bucky sat in the interrogation room as he looked at Sophie's double, who was glaring at him in contempt. A DNA swab had been taken from her, and they would have the results in the morning, and Bruce would let them know.
This bitch had tried to kill his Sophie, nearly killed Grace and had been terrorising his family, for the last three months. He was going to stop that right now, as he glared at the young woman.
"You claim that your parents were Adam Drăgoi and Anya Melnychenko, and that you're related to Adrian, Sophie, and Grace who are their children?" Bucky asked calmly, not giving away any emotions as he looked at the blonde-haired young woman.
She glared at him darkly, her hands balling up into fists of anger as the young woman glowered at him. She looked hauntingly like Sophie, the only difference was that her hair was lighter than Sophie's dark blonde.
"I'm not claiming anything, soldat. It's the truth, I am the twin sister of Sophie and Ilona Melnychenko Drăgoi, the younger sister of Adrian Melnychenko Drăgoi and I am the older sister of Grace Melnychenko Drăgoi. I'm not lying about that, but our parents were traitors to HYDRA, the Red Room and to the motherland. Yulia had better luck, seducing Hawkeye and gathering information on SHIELD. You won't win, soldat. You know what HYDRA can do, after all you were their top assassin along with my father, and mother and you know what HYDRA says. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." The woman said smugly, and Bucky wanted to wipe the arrogant smile off her face.
Before he could ask her more questions, he saw Steve through the glass and left the interrogation room. Steve didn't say anything until they were in the medical bay and were in Grace's hospital room with a pale but slightly better Grace.
Tony was there with Lilia and Howard, Fury was there as well with Maria Hill, and Phil Coulson. He knew from the expression on Jemma's face, it wasn't good news.
"I processed the DNA swab and I'm afraid it's true, that woman is the twin sister of Sophie. Natasha double checked the file, and it was forged, a copy of the true dossier. The SHIELD team in Ukraine, Kiev sent us the real file." Jemma said gravely and handed out the real document to Sophie.
Bucky watched with a heavy heart as Sophie, Adrian and Grace read the file in silence. Grace had turned pale, her hand gripping Clint's, while she cradled Connor in her arms, Adrian had an expression of pure anger on his face, Wanda comforting him but it was Sophie's silence that worried him.
She'd turned white as a sheet, her beautiful sapphire blue eyes wet with tears as she read the file that was turning her life upside down once again. Her hands were shaking, Bucky held her as Peter and May moved closer with Ned.
"Her name is Yulia Melnychenko Drăgoi, she is twin sister that survived from a triplet pregnancy. Once...once we were old enough, she willingly joined the Red Room Program," she said numbly, and felt sick.
They had the same face, same eyes and identical hair colouring, she felt like throwing up. She ran out of the room, sobbing and Bucky went after her.
'My life is a lie, everything I thought was true is a lie. Mom and dad lied to me, and Grace about almost everything.' Sophie thought numbly, tears trailing down her face as she sobbed.
She didn't know what to believe anymore, she really didn't, she felt like she was slowly drowning in the sea. She sobbed heavily, and felt Bucky's comforting, soothing presence near her.
"She's my twin sister, Bucky and she won't stop until I'm dead or with HYDRA. She tried to kill Grace; I don't know what to do! Am I evil like Yulia, Bucky?" Sophie asked distraught, Bucky held her tightly and shook his head.
"No, sweetheart, no you aren't evil like Yulia. You're beautiful, brave, compassionate and loyal, you aren't anything like Yulia. Trust me, doll. I love you," Bucky said fiercely, Sophie sniffled, and she whispered her biggest hope.
"I want to have children Bucky with you, but...what if there's something wrong with me that stops me from having multiple pregnancies. I know you want a big family." She said quietly, she knew that Bucky had always wanted a big family as he came from a large Catholic/Eastern Orthodox family.
Bucky pulled her from her spot next to him on the couch to his lap and she let him.
"You're trembling," he whispered by her ear. "Doll, yeah, I always thought I'd like to have a big family. Seventy years ago. Then HYDRA got their hands on me and I never thought to have anything. To be anything. Looking back on it now, it's amazing to me how your father and mother were able to even try to have a family. You think they lied to you. Just maybe they weren't left many choices by HYDRA. You have to understand just how corrupt and manipulative they really were… And still are."
Brushing a lock of hair off her forehead, Bucky pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I never once thought I'd get away from them, but Steve decided I would. Then somehow, I got lucky and found you. And you are enough for me, Sophie. You are. I'd love any children you gave me more than anything. Even if there were only one or two… I'd be grateful for any of them. If children aren't in the cards for us, you are enough, and I want you to understand that."
She felt him panic when she dissolved into tears at that. Swiping at her tears with the backs of her hands, she said, "Happy tears."
"We'll deal with Yulia," Bucky told her, holding her close. "She's not going hurt you or our family anymore. She's not taking anyone back to HYDRA. I don't want you to worry about a thing."
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she took the comfort he offered. Burying her face into his neck, she allowed Bucky to hold her.
"They're going to come for her," she muttered against his neck. "They are going to come for her. They're going to come here. Lilia…"
"Tony is getting her and Howard out of here," Bucky told her. "Steve talked him into it right after they attacked you. Lilia needs to heal right now, not deal with this. They'll be okay, doll."
"But Grace?"
"We will help Clint and Adrian watch over her and Connor. You know that." Bucky pressed a kiss into her hair. "How is Grace doing?"
Sophie felt tears welling up again, choking on them a little.
"Why is it always her who gets hurt, Bucky?" Sophie had always suffered from survivor's guilt. And the guilt of an older sister never in a position to protect her younger sister. "She was taken and attacked by HYDRA. Now this. Why is it always her? I wish I'd been shot instead Bucky."
"Shhhh," Bucky told her. "None of what happened to Grace is your fault, Sophie. None of it. And she doesn't blame you. She loves you. The best thing you can do for her is to be there for her and love her."
She nodded, pulling back to looking into his beautiful blue eyes. "I do love her. And I love you."
Bucky gently kissed her. "I love you more than anything, doll."
Lilia looked around the beautiful view in Tony's chalet in Brides les Bains. The furnishings were all rich, shiny wood and gleaming chrome. The beautiful view of the gentle alps and the smooth, white snow. Howard was placed into a playpen near those beautiful glass doors, squealing in delight at the sun shining off the snow outside.
It was so hard looking at the view outside to believe that anything evil could happen in the world.
But evil was happening.
Tony strolled into the living room with a snifter of brandy and smiled at her. Her smile. And she walked up to him, seeking the comfort of his embrace which he was all too happy to give.
"What do you think?" Tony asked her, his hazel eyes lit up with excitement.
Lilia knew he was trying to make her happy, knew he wanted her to be safe.
But how could she feel safe and happy with everything going on back home.
Tony must have read the doubt in her face.
"Honey, they'll be okay. Steve's got this," he told her.
"I don't doubt Steve," Lilia admitted. "I don't doubt any of them. But they just shot Grace and they keep attacking our home and it just seems so easy, Tony."
"I know," he told her, leaning to place his drink down on the bar next to them. "But right now, you need to recover. You don't need to be there."
"What if they are able to take one of our family… and do to her… what they did to me?" Tears entered her voice and she hated it, but she had to say what she felt. "They did the same thing to Grace."
Tony's embrace was gentle, but she felt a slight trembling in his body.
"You couldn't be more different from her if you tried," Tony said low next to her ear.
She did shiver. She just knew the way he said that meant he was referencing Pepper. He just wouldn't say her name anymore.
"You take care of me, of Howard," Tony told her. "You have such a big heart, Lilia. How did I ever get lucky enough to find you? How can I ever deserve you?"
Enjoy, and review :)