Chapter Three
The sun was setting low as James and Griffin walked down the gravel drive way. Griffin swayed back and forth as he spoke slowly, "I don't know how, but you can drink and not get drunk. Truly remarkable." James looked over at his friend with a playful smirk. Griffin was never good with consuming alcohol. James had spared him the blistering hang over in the morning when he cut him off at a glass of whiskey and four beers. "Why didn't we drive truck back?" Griffin asks while looking around.
"Because," James starts slowly slightly amused, "You got it stuck in a mud pit earlier." Griffin smiles remembering.
"James, you got like super strength. I still don't understand why you don't use it." Griffin slurs while stumbling up the hill. It was true, James could of easily gotten the truck out. But he didn't want the attention he would of received from it. Griffin knew about James's abilities, but he didn't know why he was the way he was. Griffin suspected he has super human genetics, but every time he would bring it up James would change the subject. James stops infront of the barn with a heavy sigh.
"Dude, we are graduating in like what? Two days?" Griffin asks now amazed by life. James looks over at him amused.
"Yes, we are." James says entertained. Griffin looks at James with a smirk.
"Maybe Cecile will come home for the graduation." James rolls his eyes before commenting on the subject.
"You know she's not." James says not believing him. Griffin laughs as he looses his balance little.
"But what if she is?" A familiar voice calls out from behind. James looks at Griffin confused before turning around quickly. He spots Francis only a few feet away. A massive smile breaks onto James's lips before he takes off running towards his big bother. James gives Francis a bear hug while Francis and him laugh joyfully.
"I wasn't expecting you to be so happy to see me." Francis says shocked and amused. James chuckles before pulling away from their hug.
"I wasn't expecting you." James says astonished to see him.
Francis smiles that his plan was successful, "I was going to surprise you. I knew that it would make your graduation more memorable."
"You did one hell of a job." James says unable to stop smiling. Griffin walks up with a smile on his face.
"Hey, Griff! Long time no see, how's everything going?" Francis says happily. Griffin shrugs his arms casually.
"It's going." He answers vaguely with a sigh. Francis nods his head kind of confused.
"Does Mom and Dad know your here?" James asks overwhelmed with joy.
Francis nods his head before answering, "Yeah, they know. You boys look a little smashed." Francis looks at Griffin noticing him acting differently. Griffin looks away sheepishly.
"I look drunk?" James asks surprised. Francis looks at him suspiciously.
"Not you, but he does. Say, where you two drinking before now?" Griffin looks at him now guilty.
"What if we were?" Griffin asks scared.
"Nothing, I'm just glad y'all weren't driving." Francis says with a smirk. James looks over at him a little annoyed but amused. "Come on, Ma, made dinner." Francis says to both of the boys before turning to head up to the house.
They eat with joy as they talk about Francis's new exciting job as a photographer. "Do you only shoot pictures of animals?" Griffin asks curious before stuffing a spoon full of mash potatoes in his mouth. Francis smiles at the question knowing how boring that seem to a seventeen year old. Francis clears his throat before speaking, "Actually, my most recent project was on people in poorer parts of countries. I wanted to capture what we don't usually see."
"That's brilliant." James remarks proud of his brother. Bobbie smiles broadly before sighing with joy.
"I just want to say how happy I am to finally have both of my boys at the same table again. It's been two years since we've actually had a sit down meal together in this house." She says with light sparkling in her eyes. Griffin looks at her with a silly grin before speak.
"I'm happy too! I don't usually get to eat with y'all. You're cooking is better than my mom's, don't tell her I said that, though." Griffin looks down guilty before taking another bite of chicken. James looks at Griffin with a smirk before chuckling.
"Alright, I think my food has settled enough, so I am cracking to that delicious cherry pie." Clint announces before standing up to walk into the kitchen. James leans back in his chair letting out a loud burp. Francis and Griffin laugh while Bobbie glares playfully at James.
"Do you not know to say excuse you?" She asks with a loving smirk. James squirms in his chair pleased with himself.
"Yes, I know how to say excuse me, mother." James responds with a big smile. Clint walks back in with his slice of cherry pie before sitting down.
"James, We were thinking since your brother lives in New York City that maybe you could stay with him rather than the dorms." Clint offers with a hopeful look.
James looks over at his dad before answering, "I have a scholarship. I have to stay in the dorms," James quickly looks over to Francis, "It's not that I don't want to live with you. It's just I have to live there." Francis nods his head understandingly.
"Nah, I understand." Francis adds while leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table, "I wouldn't be there often enough for you. I have a lot work most of the time." Clint groans disappointed while taking another bite of his pie.
"Just trying to save a buck that's all." Clint murmurs with laughter in his eyes. James looks around the room noticing the peaceful, joyful atmosphere. Even though, James missed his parents he wouldn't change anything. He loved his adoptive family more than he can remember loving his birth family. It was in these moments he knew he was alright. He knew that life would be better, and that eventually the darkness that clouded his mind could fade into light. He knew this because of the love and peace he found in this family, and that made everything turn colors. Life was good for now.
A phone starts ringing randomly at the table blaring "Single Ladies". Griffin looks around before realizing it's his phone. Embarrassed his picks up the phone, "Mom?" He says before speaking agin, "Alright, alright I'm coming home." He agrees reluctantly. After Griffin hangs up the phone he looks around the table with red cheeks.
"We won't tell a soul that your ring tone is the song Single Ladies." Clint says trying not to laugh. Griffin looks downwardly about to laugh.
"Thank you, Mr. Barton. That's sounds really formal, okay, I got to go." He says before standing up. James stands up as well.
"I'll drive you home." James and Griffin walk out of the house towards James's car.
After James and Griffin left the room suddenly turned still and thick as they all shift in their seats knowing really why Francis came early. Francis sighs before preparing to speak, "I told you that I had something important to tell you, and what I didn't tell you it involves James's parents." Francis swallows before contuining nervously, "While I was in the Ukraine, not too long ago, doing some photoshoots for my documentation. I had come across something that might have been a cause of his parent's death." Clint and Bobbie become anxious at the news.
"What was it?" Bobbie asks with teeth clinched. Francis looks down knowing this is difficult news for them.
"People around the village had told me about an explosion that happened eleven years ago. Then they said that not everyone had died, but many had escaped. They said had seen two well known faces, and said the American heroes. Referring to Captain America, and Black Widow. They said the men dressed in black took them to a place that many know of as the execution ring. And that was the place where the explosion happened, and they had the American heroes come out alive, but not with the men dressed in black." Francis explains heavy hearted. Clint looks at him confused.
"What does that mean? Their bodies where found. They did an otopsaeis of the bodies it was their's." Clint explains frustrated. Francis looks down knowing this was going to be hard.
"Look, I'm not saying they're alive. I'm saying there could be a possibility. You superheroes do it all the time. You mask death to protect the ones you love for whatever greater good you believe in. But if this is true then James can't know. He'll go after them." Francis stresses. Bobbie looks away with tears lining her eyes.
"You know something, don't you?" She asks softly. "You saw them, didn't you?" Francis nods his head no.
"I thought I did at one point, truly. But it wasn't. HYDRA may know about where James is located. Don't ask me how I know." Francis pleads with a look of guilt. Clint shakes his head now angry. "You didn't." He states furiously. He stands up quickly. "What did you do?"
Francis looks up at his father mouth agape, "Me? All I did was asks around about this so called HYRDA business. All James ever wanted was answers, and I thought maybe since I'm here I could get them! Seeing this is where it all went to hell!" Francis yells now feeling attacked. Bobbie shifts feeling uncomfortable by the tension in the room. Clint pinches the bridge of his nose while he takes in deep breath.
"You had no right to start meddling into things you have no understanding of." Clint berates while he starts passing the room.
"I was meddling? If I was meddling then you are hiding something." Francis slams his hand down on the table feeling defensive for James. Bobbie jumps at the loud noise before speaking very calmly, "I think this conversation needs to happen once everyone has calmed down."
"How did you find this out?" Clint asks now lowering his voice. Francis looks downwardly before speaking.
"I went to what they called the excution ring." Clint bites his bottom lip trying to keep control of his anger. "They didn't see me, but it's rebuilt and I saw you two on their screen. I have no idea whose running this, or why they want him so badly."
"We have to get him away. They know now." Bobbies stresses fearful. Clint look over to her with glazed eyes. Clint covers his face with his hands as he thinks. He flings his hands away from his face in surrender.
"Alright, Alright. After graduation, he will go live with Francis until he starts school." Clint declares feeling ill. "In the meantime we will investigate, Okay?" Both Francis and Bobbie nod their heads in agreement.
Griffin and James sit on Griffin's front porch unaware of the time. "Can't believe we are about to embark on a journey we don't know where it will lead." James says perplexed. "Yeah..." Griffin sighs before looking over at his best friend.
"What are we going to do about my truck?" He asks remembering about his truck. James eyes grow wide with realization.
"Oh, shit, man I forgot about it being still stuck in the mud." James and Griffin laugh at the situation. Griffin shrugs while taking a ship of his coke.
"I can get it out tomorrow since we don't have school." Griffin says with a sigh. James looks at his phone realizing the time.
"Alright, man, I got to go home. I'll see you at graduation in two days." James stands up to leave. Griffin waves good bye while James walks to his car.
James gets in his car turning it on, and feeling overwhelmed by the sudden excitement towards his graduation. "This is it. This is when life truly begins." James whispers to himself with hope before driving home.
Author Notes: Alright, Guys! I'm sooo sorry I haven't been updating in a very long time. lol College has started, and it has been crazy with homework. But everything has settled down now. I will try my hardest to update three more chapters up by Sunday. Thank you so much for reading this story, I hope you all like it! :)
-C.R.