Chapter Four:
Steve's POV:
Things were finally getting back to normal between Sophie, Bucky and I. He was relaxing around us again. Sophie and I agreed that ultimately having Barton talk to him had been a good thing.
Sophie installed teleportation devices in Barton's, Hank's, and Hope's houses, as well as a few other places we had secured and taken off the grid for our cause. All of the devices were linked and based on a number you could teleport yourself to any of the properties with ease. It was making our team harder to track. I walked down to the lab to find Hank and Sophie having a debate, not long after the installations were completed.
"Do you really think that Stark is wrong to say that teenagers with superhuman abilities should be trained, Sophie?"
"On that point, Hank, no. I don't disagree with Stark, but that's the only point in the superhuman registration act that I don't disagree with," Sophie stated. "I have control of my abilities, but it was a matter of survival for me. I had to learn at an early age and my mother recognized what happened because of the experiments. So there were no issues with having to hide it. But I was lucky in that respect, Hank."
"You don't think every parent would accept their child unconditionally?"
"In a perfect world, they would. But this isn't a perfect world, Hank. And in this imperfect world there is a lot of fear of what those of us who are labeled as 'superhuman' can really do, what we really are, if we're even actually human at all," Sophie admitted.
"So what would the two of you do? If we won and the superhuman registration act was repealed, what would you suggest be done about those with superhuman abilities?"
I looked at Sophie. We had talked about this before. We both felt the same way on the important issues.
"We would offer any person with superhuman abilities that we found training. We may not be able to control what they would do once they learned how to control their abilities, but we would know who they are and what they could do, without the entire world having to know. If we had to stop them after, then we would," I explained. "But having us registered, it makes us vulnerable. For people like Sophie, it puts her family at risk."
"That's why we don't agree with the registration, Hank. We do agree with teaching anyone who needs the help, but if we are forced to be on a registry, people can get that information and track our families. Teenagers with abilities would have to worry about their parents. Parents with abilities would have to worry about their children. And in all of this, who worries about protecting the people? Because so far, all this registration act has done is turn everyone who used to protect the people and even the villains against each other. It's become the registrants vs. the rogues, and the registrants aren't exactly being cautious coming after the rogues in public places. They're willing to have firefights with us even if it puts innocent people at risk, then Stark goes on tv and spins a story blaming us for any casualties and damages while his companies are hired to clean everything up," Sophie explained to Hank.
He looked between us. By this point, I had walked over to Sophie and taken her hand in mine. After a minute he nodded at us.
"Alright. I can see why the registration act needs to be repealed. I wouldn't want Hope or Scott on it," Hank said. "I just needed to understand why, you understand, don't you? On the surface, the registration act sounds like a good idea, centralizing and training those with abilities. But you're right, it also puts them all at risk."
"I understand why you had your doubts. Being part of an underground group of rogues isn't easy, I'm sure, Dr. Pym. But underneath the surface of that good idea lies a great deal of danger. People like Stark don't think about that. They just think of the short-term effects of getting control," I reminded him.
"Thank you for being patient and honest with me," Hank replied.
"Anytime, Hank. After everything you've done for this team, for me, this is the least I could do," Sophie told him.
"I'll leave you two alone. I have a feeling Steve needs your attention right now, Sophie," Hank said, taking his leave from the room.
Sophie's POV:
"Do you think we have to worry about Pym?" Steve asked when Hank left.
I looked to where Hank had just left the room.
"No. I think if he had any other issues, he would have brought them up. Besides, the registration act directly affects Hope and if Scott registered, it would put his daughter and ex-wife at risk," I explained. "Hank doesn't want that. We can trust him, he just needed to understand why he's fighting something that on the surface seems like the perfect solution."
Steve hugged me to him and kissed the top of my head.
"That's not why you came down here, though, is it?" I asked him.
"No, it's not. We have a mission with Bucky that we need to go on. And it's going to be risky," Steve replied.
"Why?"
"It's in Manhattan, Sophie."
"Manhattan…" I said thinking about why we would need to get there. "The Young Avengers! Shit, you're right. Those guys aren't ready to face all of this on their own."
"We picked up intel that Stark was closing in on them. We need to get there."
I jumped up and grabbed my bow and quiver. After hitting a few keys on my computer, a room opened with our new uniforms, made with new tech to help withstand our fights.
"Get Bucky. I'll start changing."
Bucky, Steve and I got into the city and went straight to the lair of the Young Avengers. Kate, Teddy, Eli, Billy, and Tommy were already in a battle against a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives and a superhuman that looked like one of the Runaways.
"Captain America!" Kate shouted when she saw us.
Steve, Bucky, and I actively jumped into the fight, taking on the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives, leaving the Young Avengers to take on the Runaway. Not long into the fight, Stark showed up in his Iron Man suit. I was prepared for this. Steve and Bucky knew this.
"Guys, grab the kids and fall back," I said as Stark got closer to us.
"You think you can take me on your own, Sophie?" Stark asked. "You've gotten arrogant."
"Says the man who wants to take away our freedom," I said sarcastically.
"Well if you and Metal Gear Solid over there hadn't blown up…"
Before he could finish his sentence, I surrounded him in an inferno. I knew it would take him a minute to put it out. While he did that, I shot the net arrow I created over him. The tech in the net would disable his Iron Man technology completely. Once I let the arrow fly, I ran back to Steve and Bucky. With Steve and the Young Avengers between me and Bucky, we opened a fire portal back to our house.
Bucky's POV:
We got back to the house and Anya came right to the Young Avengers. After checking them thoroughly, she checked Sophie then Steve and me. Satisfied that we were all okay, she left our house, returning to Pennsylvania through the teleportation device.
"Thanks for the help," Billy said.
"We didn't think you guys would risk it, coming into the city," Kate said.
"Why not?" Steve asked.
"Well, it's just… You guys have been able to keep Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. off your scent even after you broke Sophie out of the prison. They're pretty pissed about that. The fact that you were crazy enough to come into Manhattan, knowing Stark Tower is in midtown… we just didn't expect the three of you," Teddy said.
"I thought we would end up in jail. How would we explain that to our parents?" Tommy said.
We all laughed.
"We may not always agree with what you guys do, but we're not going to just leave you to Stark's mercy," I said. "The guy's an ass with a superiority complex and it's one thing for him to come after us, it's another thing to go after you guys, you're kids."
"Hey, Cap's fiancée is barely older than us," Tommy said.
Steve blushed. Sophie slapped Tommy in the back of the head.
"Child abuse!" Tommy cried out.
"Do you want to go back to Manhattan?" Sophie asked.
"Never mind," Tommy said.
We all laughed at him.
"Bucky, do you have them?" Sophie asked me.
"Yeah, go relax with Steve."
Steve and Sophie walked away and I started showing the Young Avengers around the property.
"You guys have new uniforms," Kate mentioned.
"Sophie made them. Our old uniforms, our old equipment, was Stark tech. She's been replacing all of it with her own," I explained.
"You guys have a decent set-up here," Eli said.
"It's connected to several properties around the country. We'll probably move you to another one in the next few days."
"How can you move us? Those portals have to release energy signatures that Stark can trace," Billy said.
"Actually, while we're on the linked properties, he can't. Sophie's made scramblers so no energy or communications can be traced. But we don't need that," I said leading them down to the basement. "This is a teleportation device Sophie created. There is one at all of our underground locations. The menu has them numbered, no coordinates or information, so we would have to teach you how to use them. We use this to get everyone in and out of here without me and Sophie doing all the work. Our portals do require a certain amount of our own strength and the more people we're moving, the more it takes out of us. It's why the two of us are always together if there are more than two people to move. It makes it easier for both of us."
At that moment, Barton came through the teleportation device. The Young Avengers looked at him in astonishment.
"Hawkeye. What are you doing here?" Kate asked.
"I came to see Sophie," he replied.
I realized the Young Avengers didn't know. Most people didn't know.
"Why?" asked Kate. "Didn't she take over your job as an Avenger before her arrest?"
He looked at Kate like she had two heads.
"She's my daughter, Kate. So try to take it easy on her. She has my temper and is enhanced."
It was the Young Avengers turn to look at us like we had two heads.
"I thought your oldest was a boy," Billy, aka Wiccan said.
"So did I, until last year," Barton replied.
"Sophie had been with me for a year and a half before that, training, honing her skills," I said.
"Getting on the wrong side of the Avengers' radar," Sophie said from the door to the lab, before coming over and hugging Barton. "Hi, Dad. I saw the notification that someone came through."
"How did things go?" Barton asked.
"The net deployed exactly like we thought it would from the arrowhead. Stark's suit was sparking when we left through the portal and he was surrounded by a fire. Any back-up he would've had would have had to focus on putting that out, not trying to find us as we got these guys out," Sophie replied.
"Wait, you guys get notified if someone comes through this thing?" Tommy asked.
I pulled out my phone and showed him the program.
"Actually, Steve, Sophie, and I get notified when anyone enters the property. We bought this property before everything got out of hand and took it off the grid. We've just been connecting it to new properties as the resistance team has gotten bigger," I explained.
"Like my house," Barton said.
"So a push of a button and we'd be at your house?" Eli asked Barton.
"Yes, and Anya and I would be notified on our phones. Sophie installed the program onto the phones of the owners of the properties as she installed her security systems," Barton answered.
"So are you a super-soldier like the Captain and Winter Soldier or a tech genius like Stark?" Tommy asked Sophie.
Sophie looked at me. She was uncomfortable discussing things like that.
"Sophie is special," I replied instead, smiling at my adopted little sister. "She is one of a kind and we are lucky to have her."
"What, are you in love with Barton's kid, too?" Tommy asked me.
With that, Barton and Sophie walked away.
"No, she's like my sister. I protected her and taught her what I could. I don't think I could ever look at her as anything else. I've been big brother, teacher, and mentor to her. And if you ever ask me if I'm in love with her again, I'll pulverize you, you twerp," I told Tommy.
"You'd have to catch me."
"Keep in mind, I can run a lot faster than a normal person, Tommy. I can even outrun Steve."
Tommy's look of confidence wavered. I smirked at his sudden wave of fear.
Barton's POV:
The Young Avengers were moved from Sophie's place and the battles continued. We were losing ground and it was hard to keep hope. I was in the woods, having target practice with Kate when Anya called us back to the house.
"The battles between the anti-registration superhumans who are in violation of federal law and those who are following the law need to come to an end. Every time we go to battle in the streets we risk the safety of the civilians around us. It is with this in mind that I invite the leader of the resistance movement, Captain America, to peace talks," Stark was saying in a news conference.
"Captain, I know you and your resistance team are watching this. I am inviting you to these talks in good conscience, in an effort to put an end to the fighting so we can come together for the greater good. We'll call a ceasefire for the meeting. No weapons. You know how to contact me if you want to do this."
I looked at Anya and ran to the teleporter. When I got to Sophie's place, she, Steve, and Bucky were arguing.
"You can't trust him, Steve!" Sophie exclaimed.
"I have to try to end this peacefully, Sophie. He's right. It would be for the greater good."
"Steve, he's playing on your morality! You know he'll have some kind of contingency to screw you," Bucky argued.
"That's why we need to outsmart him. And we have the ability to do it," I cut into the fight.
"Dad! No, we can't do this. Stark's got Natasha, Rhodes, The Vision, and how many others? He said no weapons, but I can guarantee he means it only for him and Steve. I can't lose him, and this is too risky," Sophie argued with me.
"Exactly. You said that Steve and Stark would be unarmed. So what, he has Nat, Rhodes, and The Vision? We've faced off with them and won before. Steve goes in unarmed, you carry his shield, Bucky, and all of us will surround the building, armed and ready for anything," I tried to argue.
"Your father is right," Steve said.
"NO!" Sophie yelled, running out of the room.
Steve's head dropped in defeat. He hated arguing with her, but he would never put one person above the greater good. I was about to try to go talk to her when Bucky stopped me.
"I got her, Barton," he said, leaving me and Steve alone.
"Do you really think this is a good idea, Steve?"
"It doesn't matter, Barton. If we can find a way to stop this, isn't it my job to do that?"
"She's right, Stark will stab you in the back."
"That's why I need to have faith in my team, just like I've asked them to have in me to go against Stark and the government."
"She's scared for you. She's never talked about what happened after Sudan, while Stark had her in prison."
"I know," Steve said. "I try to get her to talk about it, but she won't. She shakes her head and changes the subject. But sometimes she has such bad nightmares, I can't help but suspect things, Barton. She wakes up screaming. Bucky and I take turns comforting her because some nights she can't handle me, others him."
"You shouldn't tell me this, Cap."
"Why?"
"Because I may technically be retired, but I am a master assassin. And you're talking about my little girl being hurt."
Steve gave me a weak smile.
"This is the best thing to do right now. Besides, it's not going to help our case if we refuse to try to work out a peaceful resolution to this," Steve said.
"Don't rush into it. Make sure your team is fully prepared before you go in. Don't leave anything to chance," I advised. "And make sure that whatever you do, you don't go into this while Sophie is mad at you."
"Why?" Steve asked confused.
"Can you imagine how either of you would feel if you go into this and one of you didn't come out alive? To have the last time you have together be on bad terms isn't a good way to go into something like this. It will have you in the wrong headspace, make both of you more likely to mess up."
He nodded at me.
Sophie's POV:
I wasn't happy. Steve wasn't going to back down. I put my feelings aside, trying to understand his. While he may have had some good points, he knew I was right too. Still, in the end, I couldn't stop him, especially not when part of the reason the registry existed was me blowing that village square in the Sudan.
Our team was fully prepared. I had contacted Stark and told him to be prepared for a follow-up with the location and time, which would be within a few hours of the second contact. In the time between the resistance team spent all their free time training, running tactical strategies to take on the pro-registration team.
"Sophie!" Kate yelled, running into the basement.
"What's wrong?"
"Stark sent S.H.I.E.L.D. agents after the Runaways. They have no back-up in Los Angeles. We need to help them. It can't wait anymore," she answered, talking about our general stance to let the Runaways stay neutral as long as possible.
"Go get Bucky and Steve. We'll go. We need to use our portals, this is our best option. Hurry," I told her and started getting battle ready.
Half an hour later, Steve, Bucky and I were opening a portal from Hank's house to the Runaways, finding them in a battle with Cape-Killers. One of the Runaways was injured, so I threw Steve the electromagnetic bomb I had on my belt. He took it, threw it at the Cape-Killers, and we opened a portal to the Runaways' lair.
As the Runaways put Victor down, I quickly started setting up tech to hide us from Stark tech scans. As soon as I was sure we have enough up to hide temporarily, I went over to Victor. While I checked Victor, Steve and Bucky started checking the other Runaways.
Looking at the damage to Victor, I knew that I needed to get him to my lab or as a temporary measure, Hank's. I did what damage control I could to save his circuitry and told Bucky to be ready to make the jump. As soon as he and Steve finished with the other Runaways, I grabbed our tech, and we opened the portal to Hank's house.
"You guys should probably take the Runaways to the Young Avengers," I told Steve and Bucky as I take Victor to start working on him. "They'll be worried. Let them know I'll move Victor once I've got him semi-functional."
Steve and Bucky nodded at me and opened the teleporter. Half an hour later, I had Victor charging. Steve and Buck came back.
"How is he?" Steve asked.
"Working with Hank's equipment, I've done what I can. I can't move him for a few more hours. He needs to charge before I can tell if I've salvaged his circuits."
Steve's POV:
"Can you leave him here unattended?" I asked Sophie.
"I can, but should we be leaving this safehouse?"
"As long as we're not using our powers, I think we'll be alright," I told her.
I looked at Bucky. He nodded. I couldn't believe he made me see the sense in this. Part of me knew we were going to get hell for it.
"What are you two up to?" Sophie asked us.
"Go get changed," Bucky said, giving her the clothes he picked out for her. "We'll get changed and meet you in the living room in twenty minutes. We have to hurry."
"Hurry for what?" Sophie asked.
"We'll tell you in the car," I told her. "Hank gave us the keys to his car."
Two and a half hours later, Sophie, Bucky, and I walked out of the county clerk's office. We had just gotten married with a confidential marriage license, one that allowed for us to get married without the license being searchable without a court order. We used Hank's address on the license since we did not need to give proof.
"My father is going to kill us," Sophie said before she kissed me.
"Maybe, but now there is nothing for us to regret," I said to her.
"We should get out of here. Just because you two lovebirds were able to tie the knot without getting caught doesn't mean we should push our luck out here," Bucky said.
"You're right," I said, leading us back to the car.
"Thank you, Bucky," Sophie said when we got in and were on our way back to Hank's house.
"For what?" Bucky replied.
"I know that Steve wouldn't have asked me to elope after going through the trouble of asking my dad if we could get married without you putting the idea in his head."
"Should I be offended that you think that, Sophie?" I asked my new bride.
"No, I think it was sweet that you wanted to be a gentleman and make sure that Dad was okay with this," Sophie told me.
"I wanted to make sure the two of you didn't let this war keep you apart. Things may not be going great, but you two have come so far. You needed this," Bucky said.
He was right. A little over a year ago, before I actually met Sophie, she had shot me when the Avengers were trying to find her. We didn't even know who we were looking for at the time. A few months later we captured her and Bucky and the two of us clashed immediately. It wasn't until after she found a way to reverse the problem with Bucky's memories, successfully restoring his memories, that we started to get close. By the time she turned eighteen, I had fallen in love with her.
"Just know that you're just as guilty in all of this as we are, Buck," I warned my best friend. "Barton's going to kill all three of us."
"Why would I want to live without my two best friends, Steve?" Bucky said sarcastically.
"Very funny, Bucky," Sophie said.
When we got to Hank's house, Victor was sitting in the living room.
"Victor!" Sophie said in shock. "How are you…"
"I assume that you are the one who repaired my circuits?" he asked Sophie.
She nodded.
"Thank you. But where am I? Where is the rest of my team?"
"You don't remember, Victor?" Bucky asked.
He shook his head.
"You took some damage from missiles that had Teflon on them, which deflected your abilities. It burnt out your circuitry. Your team was attacked by Cape-Killers. The Young Avengers told Sophie, so she brought Bucky and I out here to California to help. When she realized that she needed tech to help you, we got your team out, returning to the Hostel, but she needed different tech to help you. We tended to your team's urgent injuries before coming here, then treated anything else when we did get here. Bucky and I took your team through the teleporter downstairs to the Young Avengers. Sophie stayed to work on you," I explained.
"Where is here?" Victor asked.
"San Francisco," I told him.
"And where were all of you when I came around?"
"Personal business," Bucky replied.
"We should get you to the rest of your team. I'm sure they're anxious to know that you're okay," Sophie said.
Sophie's POV:
We got back to our house and I sent Victor with Bucky to his team. I told him that Steve and I would be back in a bit, that we were going to Dad's house. We went through the teleporter and exited in Dad's basement.
Walking upstairs, I could hear Mom giving Lila and Cooper their lessons. It had been an uphill battle, but Cooper was finally accepting that Mom wasn't there to replace Laura, but did love Dad with all of her heart. Entering the living room, Mom stopped the lessons.
"Is everything okay, Sophie?" she asked me.
I nodded.
"Where's Dad?"
"Behind you," Dad replied. "What's going on?"
I looked from Steve to Dad. My nerves were going.
"Maybe you, Mom, Cooper, and Lila should sit down," I told Dad.
He looked at Steve and I suspiciously, but they sat down in the living room.
"What's going on, Sophie?" Lila asked.
"Mom, Dad…" I said, trying to work up the courage. "Steve and I… we, uh…"
I took a deep breath and looked at Steve. The love I saw made me realize that no matter how mad Dad was, I had him.
"Steve and I got married a few hours ago," I blurted out.
Lila was excited. Cooper looked like he wanted to be happy. Mom was hiding her excitement. Why?
"SOPHIE FRANCIS HOLDEN!" Dad shouted, jumping off the couch. "What were you thinking? I thought you weren't going to rush into this!"
I pulled Steve behind me. He put his hands on my shoulders. I relaxed with his touch.
"Dad, it wasn't planned, we were in California on a mission and had some time to kill before we could come back, so we eloped," I said. "With everything that's happened, with everything that's still happening, how could we not take advantage of the moment?"
"She's right, Clint," Mom spoke up.
"Excuse me, Anya?" Dad asked.
"She's right. Nothing is guaranteed anymore," Mom started. "Look at the state of the world. Look at what everything the two of them have been through to be together. And all of this, while they are trying to make a better future for all those with superhuman powers, one where they are free to have their identity protected."
"But, she's our little girl, Anya. You can't tell me that you didn't want to see these two have an actual wedding," Dad said.
"Dad, I never said that was out of the question. Maybe, when all of this is over, we can have that wedding you want. You know how I feel about these things, but I would do it, because it's one day that I can give you that would make you happy. But now, Steve and I won't regret waiting if anything happens before that can happen," I told him.
"Where's Barnes?" Dad asked suddenly.
"Not here, Clint. He's with the Runaways and Young Avengers at our place," Steve said finally speaking up.
"You let him talk you into this?" Dad asked. "Why would you let him make you think this was a good idea, Steve?"
"He's right, that's why. You made the same point, Clint. If anything happened to either of us, how would we feel if we wasted the time. I'm the biggest example of waiting too long. I wasn't going to do it again," Steve told Dad.
Mom just smiled at him before getting up and hugging us both.
"Welcome to the family, Steve. He'll get over this," Mom whispered to Steve while she hugged him.
"Don't hold your breath," Dad mumbled and I started laughing, remembering how well my new hearing aides worked for him.
"You will if you don't want to alienate your daughter, Clinton," Mom said.
Dad and I winced at the same time from Mom using the full form of his first name. We both knew she meant business. Lila jumped into Steve's arms.
"Does this mean you're my brother now, too?" Lila asked.
"Kinda," Steve said.
"Cool!" Lila exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck.
"Cooper?" I tried to get his attention. "What do you have to say? You're the only one not saying anything."
He looked to Dad and wouldn't say anything.
"Alright, Cooper. I understand. But if you change your mind you know how to get in touch with us," I said before turning to Dad. "You know where to find us, Dad. We have to get ready for the peace talks with Stark."
Barton's POV:
"Clinton Francis Barton, if you let our daughter leave this house without fixing this…" Anya started, looking at Cooper.
I looked from Anya to Cooper. My boy, trying to stay on my side of things. I wasn't being fair to him. He had a right to be okay with his sister being married if he wanted to be.
"Sophie, wait," I called out to her as her and Steve were heading back to the teleporter.
I ran after them in case they didn't hear me.
"Sophie," I started.
"I knew you'd be upset, but how could you sit back and let Cooper be stuck in the middle, Dad?" she asked me.
"You need to give me time to adjust here, Sophie. You got engaged a few months ago and all hell's broken loose since then. The last thing I expected was for you to just show up and tell me the two of you eloped, especially not with someone like Steve Rogers as your fiancé!"
"Why does everyone think that I wouldn't be that spontaneous?" Steve asked, sounding offended.
"Did Barnes put you up to this?" I asked him.
"That's not the point!" Steve exclaimed defensively. "I could be spontaneous if I wanted to. It's just that I would have preferred to do this with all of you there. But I didn't want to wait and risk the regrets that either of us would have to face if the other didn't make it out of this alright, Clint."
I couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Listen, I'm sorry. Maybe you guys are right and a wedding isn't a bad thing right now," I conceded. "I just really hate that you went behind my back. I mean, come on Sophie. You and Barnes can open portals. You could have just called me and asked me to use the teleporter to come to Pym's house and I could've met you there. Did you really need to do this without telling me?"
"She didn't know until there wouldn't have been time to call you, Clint. That's my fault. Bucky and I brought the Runaways back here and she was in California on her own with Victor, working on him. She didn't know what was going on until we were in the car on the way to the clerk's office. If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at me," Steve told me.
"Or me," Barnes said, coming through the teleporter. "I was the one who told Steve that he should stop putting it off."
"You… I might just kick your ass," I said to Barnes.
Barnes smirked at me.
"Dad, if you touch Bucky, you know you'll have to go through me."
"You'd really take me on, Sophie?"
"You already know the answers to these questions."
"Fine!" I exclaimed, exasperated by the way they were with each other. "I won't kick his ass."
"Good," Sophie said simply.
"We should get back to the house, guys," Barnes said. "We need to figure out what we're going to do with the Runaways before we set up the peace talks."
"Wait," I said, stopping them. "I'll find a way to deal with this, Sophie. Just please, don't cut us out."
She smiled at me.
"Then fix things with Cooper," she said to me. "Make him see that he doesn't have to choose sides between us and we can talk."
I sighed and nodded at her.
"Fine. I will. And you let me know what's going on before you go into the peace talks. I want to help. Besides, I know Nat better than anyone then maybe Barnes."
She nodded at me and the three of them left together.