Disclaimer: I do not own any characters.
The team minus Hawkeye was quietly waiting outside of Maria's door. Clint was currently inside talking to Maria as he had been for the last half-hour.
"They've been there for awhile" Jan said pressing an ear to the door.
"Jan! Let them be." Hank said as he lightly tugged at her shoulder.
She straightened and stuck her tongue out. "We should be there with her to!" she practically whined. "He can't make these decisions without us."
"He can, Jan. She's his family."
"So are we."
"Be as it may," Captain America interrupted, "we are but she's not part of our work. I enjoy having her around but Hawkeye has a point. We can't keep her here to train as a hero. She needs to choose on her own and if she stays to close she may get hurt."
"I must also agree with the Captain." Panther put in, "She is more prone to getting hurt and it would be in her best interest to have a more normal upbringing."
"But why not let her decide?" Tony said from where he leaned on the wall. "I don't see why she can't stay."
"Indeed I understand Hawkeye's concern but I feel it would be better to have her here to watch her closely" Thor grumbled. "She would be safe here."
"How? With all this violence and chaos it would be complete unsafe for her. Think how it would affect her."
"She seems to have handled it good so far." Tony smiled.
Hank narrowed his eyes, "Hardly."
"I wish I could hear what they're saying." Jan sighed.
"But I don't want to leave!" Maria had her arms crossed her eyes narrowed and a grumbling pout on her lips. "I want to stay with the Avengers here."
"I know but you gotta see, Maria. You can't stay here. It's too dangerous." Clint was leaning on her desk with a sigh. She was too stubborn sometimes. They had been arguing for the last half hour and had pulled every card on each other. Every card. He straightened up with a chuckle. "You make it seem as if I'm shipping you off cuz I don't want to be with you." He meant it as a joke but when only silence met him he turned to her. "Maria?"
She had turned her head to the side, her heavy hair covering the side of her face and he realized what she had been thinking.
He crossed the room and sat on her bed. "Maria, you can't really think that."
"Well I don't know." She mumbled "That's what it seems."
"Aaww kid c'me here." He pulled her to him and she sat with her back to his chest, him practically cradling her. "You know that's not it. I just can't let anything happen to you." He put his chin on her head.
"I know but it's not right. I want stay here. With you." She whispered.
After a paused he put his forehead in her hair. "I know. I want you to stay here to. But I can't stop yet."
"I know, I know. Not till your paranoia is satisfied and you child proofed everything." She rolled her eye.
He grinned. "Absolutely. But if you want I'll stay with you and your grandparents for a day or two. Just so you can settle in better."
"Really." She smiled at him.
"Yup."
She was quiet as she thought, "When do I have to go back to school?"
"Monday."
Her I-pod blared out "Bubbly". She grumbled and rolled herself and snuggled deeper into her bed. She still ignored it when her door creaked open and she heard footsteps cross her room. Then she felt a hand shaking her awake.
"C'mon." a voiced grumbled.
She made a muffled protest in an attempt to stay asleep.
Suddenly the blankets and pillows were pulled swiftly from her she practically whipped and landed half on the bed and half on the ground.
"What the heck man?" she pouted and looked up. Clint had a playful smirk.
"If you wake me up from all the way in the living room with that crap then you have to wake up to."
She stuck out her tongue but her eyes drooped close.
"Nope, none of that." He dropped the pillow on her head.
"Hey!"
"C'mon you got school."
Suddenly he got hit with a pillow.
Maria showered, dressed while listening to music, and grabbed her purple backpack. On it was a patch of a bow and an arrow and a black spider on the smaller pocket. She smiled seeing it, Clint and Natasha had gotten it for her once they came back from a mission. They were hesitant if she would want it but she loved it. No idea how they got it but she loved it. She thoughtfully sat on the edge of her bed, tracing the red hourglass shape on the spider. She jumped at a knock on her door.
"Yeah."
Clint walked in, "Breakfast is ready." He saw her on the bed and her hand over the spider. Something flickered in his eyes. "Are you okay?" he sat next to her.
She was quiet not sure where to start but then simply spoke. "She saw me. She saw me and kept telling me to leave or else I would get her. And her face. Clint, the look on her face!" She shook her head almost violently. "Clint it doesn't make sense! If she did leave us . . . but why that look, she was scared! I just don't . . . I just don't get it." She sighed.
"I know sport, I know." He sighed as well. He glanced at the backpack and had half a mind to tear it off. But instead he stood. "Let's go eat."
"You know I don't have to go, right?" she smiled. They were in his black sports car weaving through traffic. He gave her a skeptical. She pouted but smiled, "Just saying."
"You'll be fine. You already did most of the work. Just go get whatever else you need and any test."
"Fine." She crossed her arms.
"And no P.E. or soccer or anything extraneous."
"I know, I know! Hank made that perfectly clear along with all the other Avengers." She waved her hands up as Clint parked right in front of the school. As she got off she saw him sigh.
"And speak of the devil."
"What?" she scrunched her eyebrows in confusion and glanced around. She saw a red convertible sports car across the street with a blond man and brown haired man in the driver's seat. In the back was a small thin pixie cut haired women and a man in a lab coat next to her. When they saw them looking they all waved.
"Have fun at school!" Jan cried out.
Maria smiled and waved back as Clint face palmed. "Ugh. At least Hulk didn't come."
They walked in the school and straight to the office. As Clint talked to the office lady Maria smiled at it. The lady was probly in her thirties but was flaunting around Clint offering him coffee and donuts. As she turned to get some paperwork Maria snickered.
"Don't be jealous." Clint whispered. Maria snorted.
"Here you go." She handed a paper to Clint.
"Thanks." He gave her a rather charming smile. Maria bit her lip.
"Anything else you would like?" she fluttered her eyelashes.
"No thank you. Have a nice day."
Outside Maria burst out laughing. "You're so . . . uh." She smiled.
"It's part of my personality. Natural."
She just rolled her eyes. "Whatever." Then they heard the bell ring. "I guess I gotta go." She sounded bummed.
He kissed her cheek. "Take care. I'll see you after school."
She was eager for school to end. She was bombarded with questions by her friends but she merely said she went on a trip with her aunt and uncle. During the trip they went hiking and she fell, hurting her ribs. It was easy because they weren't there. When the bell finally rang ending the day she was quickly out. Sure enough in front of the school was the black sports car blaring music, waiting for her.
"Guessing your uncle's still around." One of her guy friends asked slightly bumped. He knew firsthand how protective her aunt and uncle were.
"Yup." She grinned. "See ya tomorrow." She made her way to the car. She saw some people inspecting the rather nice car but she ignored them. She threw her backpack in the open window that Clint caught easily. She open the door, slipped into the passenger seat, closed the door and just like that everything else was gone. "Hey!"
"Hey sport, how was your day?"
"So tiring." She groaned leaning back with closed eyes.
"Hhhmmm, since you're so tired I guess you won't want ice cream?" he shrugged.
She sat up quickly. "What? Of course I want ice cream! It's ice cream! Let's go!"
He grinned. "Hold on!" And leaving behind tire marks he flew through traffic. They made it to the small ice cream parlor were they usually went. Their waitress was a blond fifty year old with the attitude of a twenty- one year old. She was happy to see them again and immediately served them.
"So how was school?" Clint asked as he scooped up from his sundae. Maria was doing likewise.
"Good. Tony did get me most of the work, so the rest isn't much. Mrs. Laivene gave me a hard time but that's just her." She waved her spoon dismissively.
"So in other words a lot of homework."
Her shoulders dropped. "Yeah."
"What the hell Clint? Where were you guys today?"
Clint rolled his eyes. He was currently in the backyard of the house by the shed fixing up some arrows. He had a tool set stashed there for good keeping. His Avengers card began beeping with a transmission from Jan. "We were out and about, why?"
"Well, we were here waiting for her and you."
"Well we didn't go."
"Obviously. Where is she, can I talk to her?"
"She's doing her work so no. And I'm not sure when the next time she's going to the mansion is."
That sent Wasp on a rampage. Clint sighed as he put the card down and let Jan get it all out. After awhile she yelled. "Clint, are you even listening?"
"Nope." He said easily as he wiped down an arrow.
"I was saying how you and Hank are the same. You separate yourselves from the people who care for you. But you guys aren't only hurting yourselves but the people around you." Clint looked at her almost blankly. She gave him a hard look in return. "And I'm tired of people hurting." And with that she left him.
It had been almost two weeks that Clint stayed with Maria. She loved having him around as did her grandparents and he loved being there. But he knew he had to get back to the mansion soon. The others had already contacted him asking how he was. They also asked about Maria. Even Panther had. He knew he couldn't keep Maria hidden either like he used to. The secret was out. So that Friday he was in front waiting for her as usual. He tried to keep down his paternal instincts when he saw a guy walking out with her. She smiled and waved good bye at him before going to the car.
"Hey." She greeted.
"Hey kid, how you been?"
"Aced my math test." She beamed.
"Hey!" he brought up a high five. "That's great." He merged into traffic and was weaving through. "So I was wondering if you'd want to go to the mansion."
"Really?"
He shrugged. "Well, yeah cuz they've been asking a lot and you know how Tony gets."
Something in his tone caused her to really look at what he was saying. She glanced in the backseat were in the floor was one of Clint's backpacks. She began to get mix feelings. She was happy to go to the mansion but she didn't want to lose Clint. She bit her lip pondering and forgot he was expecting an answer before saying "Oh. Yeah let's go."
He hated himself for doing this but he had already been putting things off for awhile. Time to get the costume back on.
He pulled into the mansion and they made their way up the steps. They didn't even knock when the door was swung open by Jan. She let out a squeal and tackled Maria with a huge hug. "You're back! Look you guys Maria's back. Hank!" She pulled Maria inside while yelling.
Maria gave Clint a slightly frightened face but he merely smirked. Hulk came in with a huge turkey leg and gave her a grunt acknowledgement with the slightest of smiles. Hank came in, in his lab coat and smiled.
"Hello Maria, how have you been?"
"Good, lil sore but good." She gave him a hug which he returned.
Tony appeared from the top of the steps. "Great, Maria's back!"
"Oh yeah great to see you guys. I know it's been a long time but I'm fine how bout you?" Clint exclaimed sarcastically.
They all smiled and Jan gave him a hug. "Nice to see you Clint."
"Good to have you back soldier." Captain America appeared from behind as if coming from a jog with a towel around his neck but Clint didn't seem surprised.
"Yeah. Needed someone to get in a fight with." Hulk grumbled. Maria was now sitting on his shoulder proving to Tony she could climb.
"Where's Thor and Panther?" she asked glancing around.
"Thor went to see Jane and Panther had to settle some stuff at the embassy but will be back soon." Tony answered.
"I'm sure she's been doing well but I'll feel better if I give her a quick check up." Hank told Clint.
"Yeah." He nodded and saw that Hulk had her standing on the palm of his hand outstretched. She seemed to be fighting with Tony. "Maria time for a doc check. And don't you dare think about jumping off!"
She cringed sheepishly as Hulk lowered her and she carefully stepped on the ground. She beamed at Hank. "That's the worst of physical activity I've done. Honest!"
"Uh hu." Hank smiled as Clint rolled his eyes. "Let's go."
"Don't worry we'll train after." Tony smiled.
This is how Maria began to spend her weekends and eventually spread throughout the week. Unbeknown to her she was being watched.