Clint landed the plane, and they slowly made their way across the fields. Jennifer's hands were shaking as the nerves of what she was going to do took root. A house came into view, and the Avengers slowly made their way up the porch and into the quiet farmhouse. Jennifer let the rest of the team walk into the house. She stopped on the porch for a moment looking at the porch swing before slowly stepping through the door. She stayed in the back while Clint introduced the team to Laura and the kids. Clint looked at Laura nodding his head toward Jennifer. Laura flowed his gaze, letting out a small gasp. Jennifer ran over and gave her as big a hug as she could, without squeezing Laura's growing stomach.
"I thought I would never see you again," Jennifer whispered through her tears.
"Clint told me how you were doing, so I wouldn't worry. You're a doctor and now an Avenger." Laura wiped Jennifer's tears from her face. "I'm so proud of you." Jennifer suddenly noticed the rest of the team's eyes on her, and she stepped back. She felt like she couldn't breathe trapped by their looks.
"I need a minute." Laura nodded, and Jennifer quickly left the room, not wanting the team to see her cry.
Laura and Clint went up to their room while everyone got settled.
"How's Jennifer she seems quiet." Laura was sitting on the edge of their bed, looking at an old photo album. They were filled with pictures of Cooper, Lila. She peeled back a page revealing a secret page filled with images of Jennifer throughout the years.
"She is the same person she has been since I first found her all those years ago. She feels she has to pay for her freedom by taking on other people's problems." Laura looked up at him.
"She's going to try and help them. Isn't she?" Clint sat down next to her and rubbed the small of her back. Smiling at one of the pictures where Jennifer and Laura were making cookies. Jennifer must have been 10 at the time.
"Yes, and we will finally be there to pick up the pieces like we always wished we could."
Jennifer sat at the kitchen table, doing her math homework.
"I don't see why I have to do this," she said, sliding down in the chair. Laura stood in the kitchen, cooking dinner. While Clint did his best to help the sixteen-year-old that had been living with them for ten years solve a math problem.
"If you want to be a doctor, you have to know this stuff," Laura called out with her back to them as she mixed the chili.
"Fine but can we go out back and shoot with the bow and arrow after this." Jennifer looked at Clint excitement, flashing in her eye. Clint, smile he had started teaching her to shoot with a bow and arrow, and she loved every minute of it. If he was honest, he loved it too. Jennifer had come a long way from that girl that was trapped in that small room. He didn't like to think what would have happened to her if he and Laura hadn't taken her in when he first found her. Clint was pulled from this thought when there was a knock at the door. Clint sighed, pushing back from the table to go answer it.
"Great a break," Jennifer called out slouching back in her chair dropping her pencil.
"Not so fast young lady I want that problem solved by the time I get back." Jennifer didn't bother to respond; she just rolled her eyes before turning back to her paper. He kicked Jennifer's volleyball shoes under the bench. Clint closed his eyes. Jennifer hadn't touched them in the past 6 months. He wished she would do something. That was part of the reason he started teaching her how to shoot with a bow. Clint opened the door greeted by Nick Fury. Clint stepped onto the front porch so Jennifer wouldn't see him and get curious. He didn't know if she would remember him, but he didn't want to risk it. Laura and Clint had don't their best to limit her triggers, but this could be bad.
"Do you have a mission for me." Clint kept his voice low so they couldn't hear him. Fury had taken his name off the active duty roster since that night. Clint knew he would eventually need to go back to work.
"I'm afraid not. Clint, I'm here to take Jennifer back to S.H.I.E.L.D. where she will be living from now on." Fury said curtly not wanting to show any emotions. Clint let out a deep breath the news was like being hit by a bus. The screams in the dark of the night, filling his head.
"Why she is perfectly fine here." Clint tried to reason, but Fury shook his head, not looking at him.
"After the incident six months ago, it was determined that she is a threat. I'm sorry I wish I didn't have to do this, but it came from the higher-ups." There was a blood-chilling scream that filled the air, and Clint turned around, running back into the house.
"Clint," Laura screamed, she was being held back by two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as Jennifer was being dragged passed him out of the house. Clint ran after her, but two other agents stopped him. He fought and struggled to try to get to her. She reached with all her might and grabbed at his feet. Clint dropped down to hug her, but before he got the chance, the agents pulled her away.
"Dad stop them. I…I don't want to leave…I'm sorry about what I did I won't do it again I promise. Please let me stay." Jennifer was gasping through tears. Clint had to fight back his own. Jennifer had never called him dad before, and the word broke his heart.
"No matter what Jennifer, you will always be my daughter." She looked into his eyes one last time before the door closed, and she was gone.
Clint walked over to the window. Pushing the memories out of his mind.
"You know I totally support your avenging. I couldn't be prouder. You also get to be with Jennifer. But I see those guys…" Laura said, walking over to him. Pointing at Steve and Tony.
"You don't think they need me," Clint said, grabbing his shoe.
"I think they do, which is a lot scarier. They're a mess," she said looking out over the yard where Steve and Tony were chopping firewood.
"I guess they're my mess," Clint said.
"You need to be sure that this team is really a team and that they have your back. Things are changing for us. In a few months, you and I are going to be outnumbered here. I need…" Laura stopped herself looking down at her stomach. "Just be sure."
"Yes, ma'am and don't worry, I am sure." He bent over and kissed her.
"Well, then I guess they're our mess." She said, smiling, he pulled her into his arms. "Do you think that Jennifer will visit more now that she can." Laura looked up at him, hopeful. Clint looked out the window she was playing with Cooper and Lila. She was giving Lila a piggyback ride while Cooper was trying to catch them. Cooper and Lila had grown up knowing about Jennifer, but this was the first time the three of them were meeting. Clint had shown Jennifer pictures, but S.H.I.E.L.D. never allowed her to return.
"I hope so, but this house is full of memories, Laura." He said, kissing her forehead.
"Yeah but not all of them were bad were they," She whispered.
"No, most of them were pretty great."
Steve and Tony were cutting wood for Clint. He was trying to get as much done at the house while they were here, and winters were cold. Clint wanted Laura to have enough wood if he didn't make it back.
"Thor didn't say where he was going for answers?" Tony asked, adding another log to his pile.
"Sometimes my teammates don't tell me things," Steve said, looking over at Jennifer playing with Clint's secret kids. "I was kind of hoping Thor would be the exception." Steve grabbed another large log placing it on the block.
"Yeah, give him time," Tony said under his breath. "We don't know what the Maximoff kid showed him." Steve slammed his ax down, breaking the wood into pieces.
"Earth's mightiest heroes. Pulled us apart like cotton candy." Steve said, tossing them onto his more massive pile.
"Seem like you made it out alright," Tony said, causing Steve to close his eyes. We could go home. Echoed in his head.
"Is that a problem?" Steve looked over at Tony.
"I don't trust a guy without a dark side." Tony chopped another set of logs. "Call me old-fashioned."
"Well let's just say you haven't seen it yet." Steve shot back.
"You know Ultron is trying to tear us, apart right?" Tony said, repositioning his log.
"Well, I guess you know. Whether you would tell us or not is something else." Tony stopped mid-swing looking at him.
"Banner and I were doing research." Tony defended.
"That would affect the team," Steve said, picking up another log.
"That would end the team." Tony spat out. "Isn't that the why we fight. So, we can end the fight. So, we get to go home!" Steve cut him off by ripping the log he was holding in half. A home, he had no home.
"Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time." Tony opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the dinner bell.
Jennifer wished she had come home sooner. It was forbidden when she was working at S.H.I.E.L.D., and when it collapsed, her fears kept her from returning. After dinner, Laura showed everyone to their room, ending with Jennifer. Laura had set her up in the same room as Lila. Jennifer asked if she was sure that she trusted her with Lila. Laura cupped her face in her hands.
"Jennifer, you are my daughter. I trust you." Jennifer couldn't hide the smile. She had always thought of Clint and Laura as her parents.
"Even after everything." Jennifer looked a the small sitting area that use to be a room. Laura grabbed her hand.
"Yes Jennifer I trust you."