Chapter 21
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
AN1: Thank you for the support.
December 13th 2016. Avengers Compound.
Morning.
It's early morning and Tony and Natasha, who have just gotten off the phone with T'Challa, are walking into the dining area, both looking quite happy.
"Are you two happy for the reason I think?" Hope asks in a teasing whisper, making sure that the teenagers, and children, in the room don't hear.
"No." Natasha and Tony say together.
"Of course not." Hope say, looking a little amused, and like she doesn't believe them.
"We just got off the phone with T'Challa." Natasha explains, before getting into inappropriate territory something she would be all for doing if Peter, Vance, Cooper and Lila weren't in the room.
"Was it about Clint? What did he say?" Laura asks, sounding interested.
"He took the deal. He'll be home this afternoon." Tony reveals, smiling at Laura.
"Daddy's coming home?" Lila asks excitedly.
"Yeah, he is." Natasha confirms smiling at the young girl.
"Excuse me." Cooper says, getting up and heading out of the room.
"Us too." Peter says, giving Vance a look and the two of them both head out of room too.
A couple of minutes later Peter and Vance find Cooper standing out in the courtyard.
"Coop." Peter says as he and Vance walk out, Vance feeling not as comfortable as while he wants to make sure that Cooper is okay he doesn't want to intrude, "Do you want to talk?"
"I don't know." Cooper admits, "I'm still so mad at him."
"I know." Peter says.
"He chose Captain Rogers over us." Cooper says angrily, "He didn't even bother to read the Old Accords, he just went against them because perfect Captain America asked." He says angrily, "We weren't good enough."
"Yes, you are." Vance says, hating that someone who has become so important to him is talking like that, "Coop, you and Pete have become the only friends I've ever had. You both mean everything to me, partly because you're both amazing people." He says, "Your Dad's an idiot for not seeing that."
"Thanks Vance." Cooper says gratefully.
"When your Dad gets here tell him everything, tell him what you're feeling." Peter tells his friend, "You don't have to forgive him, I would be surprise if you did, but you need to be honest." He says and Cooper nods.
"You three okay?" A voice says and the three teenagers turn to see Tony, Natasha and Laura.
"Yeah, I think so." Cooper answers.
"So, considering everything Nat, Tony and I talked and we decided that you kids can stay home today if you'd like." Laura explains, only talking about Cooper and Peter as Vance hasn't gone back to school yet, partly because no one thinks he's ready.
"That would be good." Cooper admits.
"Sure." Peter admits, "Can we play X-Box?" he asks, causing the three adults to exchange looks.
"Sure." Natasha answers with a smile.
"Cool." Peter says and the three boys head inside, Laura giving her son a hug as he goes.
"Today's going to go great." Tony says, sarcastically.
"We all knew that Cooper was hurt by Clint, and I don't blame him." Laura admits, "I just hope he doesn't hold onto the anger, I don't want him to keep hurting." Laura admits, looking sad and seeing that Natasha and Tony exchange looks and Natasha gives her friend a hug, once they break apart Tony puts an arm around his friend, gives her shoulders a squeeze and then let's go.
December 13th 2016. Avengers Compound.
Morning.
Ever since leaving Wakanda Clint has been wondering, or more accurately worrying, about how everyone is going to react, but as the pilot in the plane he is in warns him that they are approaching The Avengers Compound, Clint feels that worry turn to excitement and joy as he looks forward to seeing his family again, he just hopes that they are as happy to see him as he is to see them.
Ten minutes later the plane has landed and Clint walks out of the plane, into the hanger, where Laura, Lila and Nathaniel are waiting.
"DADDY." Lila yells happily as she runs up to her father.
"Hey Sweetheart." Clint says, picking up and hugging her, "I've missed you."
"Missed you too." Lila responds.
"Where's your brother?" Clint asks curious, pain in his voice, as he knows that things must be bad for Cooper not to be there.
"With Vance and Peter." Lila answers.
"Vance and Peter?" Clint asks confused as he knows that Peter is the teenager who Tony adopted, but he doesn't know who Vance is.
"Peter's Uncle Tony's son. Vance's Auntie Nat's." Lila reveals, with a smile, "We're basically cousins." She reveals, causing Clint to be completely confused.
"Sweetie, I think you're confused Auntie Nat doesn't have a son." Clint tells his daughter.
"Yes, she does." Lila says with a determine look on her face, "She adopted him." She reveals Clint just looks at Laura who is walking up with Nathaniel.
"She's telling the truth." Laura reveals.
"Nat adopted a kid?" Clint asks sounding completely shocked, "Guess I have missed a lot."
"That's what happens when you leave your family for months." Laura says, an undertone of anger to her voice, something which tells Clint he is far from forgiven.
"Laura…." Clint starts to say.
"Come on, you need to meet with Tony to put the tracker on." Laura tells her husband.
"Of course." Clint responds and she follows Laura out of the hanger.
A few minutes later Laura, Clint, Lila and Nathaniel who are being heled by their parents, walk into Tony's office where Tony and Natasha are waiting.
"Nat." Clint says with a smile, though the smile disappears when he sees the look on Natasha's face.
"Barton, glad you made the right decision." Tony tells Clint.
"Why'd you do this for me?" Clint asks, needing to know.
"I didn't do this for you, I did it for your family." Tony says simply, "Did King Kitty give you the file?"
"King Kitty?" Clint asks, slightly confused, "Are you talking about T'Challa?"
"Of course." Tony answers and Clint opens his bag pulls out the file and hands it to Tony, who opens it and checks it, "Good, thank you."
"Put your leg up. We've got to put the tracking bracelet on you." Natasha tells her friend.
"Okay." Clint says with a nod.
"It's not that bad, you just have to stay on this, very large, compound. Despite what has been said in the past there are worst places to be." Tony tells Clint.
"And you won't even notice the tracker, I had one on for a little while." Natasha tells Clint as he puts his leg up against the table and Natasha puts the tracker around his foot.
"You leave the compound and you're going to get electrocuted, not enough to harm, just to stun." Tony tells Clint, "Same thing will happen if you try to take it off."
"Got it." Clint answers, putting his leg down, "I know we have to talk, but I want to talk to Cooper first." He tells Laura, "Where can I find him?" he asks curious.
"The boys are still playing x-box." Tony reveals.
"Still? They're been playing all day." Laura says with a frown, not liking the idea that the three teenagers have been playing video games all day.
"They've taken a couple of breaks." Natasha reveals, "Of course several of them were snack breaks." She admits.
"Of course they were." Laura says, "We should really limit how much time those three can spend playing video games." She says, looking between Natasha and Tony, making Clint feel pretty out of place.
"They don't play video games that much." Tony points out, "If it becomes a problem we'll deal with it."
"Where's Cooper?" Clint asks again.
"The second lounge room. I take it you remember where it is?" Tony says to Clint.
"Yeah." Clint confirms and he puts Lila down on the ground and turns to leave.
"Clint." Natasha says, stopping Clint and he turns and faces her, "One of the boys with Cooper's name's Vance, I adopted him." Natasha reveals, "He's… not comfortable around new people." She explains, "For very good reasons, keep that mind." She requests as she doesn't want to make things harder than Vance.
"Okay." Clint says with a nod, knowing that he'll ask about that once he has a right to, before leaving the office.
"He's home." Laura says with relieved look, though it is clear to both Natasha and Tony that he is still angry.
"Yeah, Laura, he is." Natasha assures her.
A few minutes later Clint walks into the second living room where he finds three teenage boys playing X-box together Cooper, and one of the other boys are sitting on the couch while the other is sitting on the floor.
"Cooper." Clint says, and as he does the boy on the floor jumps and a chair goes flying, but then the boy on the couch next to Cooper uses webs, that came out of his wrists, to catch the chair before it can crash through the window.
"Thanks." Vance tells Peter, as Peter lets the chair falls to the ground.
"Not a problem." Peter assures him.
"Huh, that explains a lot." Clint realises, now knowing exactly who Peter is and having a better idea about Vance, "Can we talk Cooper?"
"I guess." Cooper says annoyed.
"Come on Vance, let's go practice." Peter says, standing up.
"Yeah." Vance says, standing up too.
"it's nice meeting you Mr Barton." Peter says, "Or I guess seeing you again." He adds and he and Vance walk past Clint, Peter and Clint both noticing Vance tense as he walks past Clint like he is preparing himself to get hit, which Peter knows is exactly what he is doing.
After the two other boys walk out of the room Clint walks over and sits down on the couch next to his son.
"So are you home for good?" Cooper asks.
"Yeah, I am." Clint answers.
"Good."
"I'm sorry, Cooper. I didn't mean to hurt you." Clint tells his son.
"Well you did, Dad." Cooper explains, "Everyone here has been trying to keep what happened from me, but I know that you went to help Captain Rogers without knowing everything that is going on, knowing that it would take you away from us." Cooper says, betrayal in his voice.
"It's not that simply Buddy." Clint tells his son.
"Isn't it? Aunt Nat sent you The Accords and you said you were retired. Yet you went as soon as Captain Rogers called." Cooper points out.
"Captain Rogers through people were going to die. I had to help, because Tony wouldn't. It's what I do." Clint tells his son.
"Uncle Tony didn't know what was going on!" Cooper says annoyed, "Neither did Aunt Nat, or Rhodey, or Vision or even T'Challa!" he explains, "Captain Rogers kept secret, more than one, and everyone else got hurt." Cooper says angrily, "Uncle Tony would have helped if he knew the truth, he did!" Cooper tells his father, "You have no idea how things have been here the last few months. You have no idea how much Uncle Tony, Aunt Nat, and T'Challa, and everyone else, have been doing to try and fix what happened, and how much it has cost them, how much work they had to do." Cooper explains.
"Coop…."
"I'm glad you're home, Dad. I've missed you so much." Cooper admits.
"I've missed you too." Clint explains.
"And I'm sorry if I was mean. I just wanted you to know everything that's happened around here." Cooper tells his Dad, "I love you Dad, and I'm proud to be your son, I just don't think you thought everything through."
"I love you too Coop." Clint says, feeling that his son has made him feel guiltier than he has ever felt.
"I'm going to go catch up with Vance and Pete." Cooper says, standing up.
"Okay." Clint says and Cooper heads out of the room, leaving Clint to wonder what he can do to try and make everything right.
A few minutes after leaving his father Cooper walks into the room designed for Vance's powers where he finds Peter and Vance using their powers together to work as a team.
"Hey. How'd your talk go with your Dad?" Peter asks curious.
"About as well as I was expecting." Cooper admits, "How's your team work practice going?" he asks curious.
"Not bad." Vance asks, "It's kind of cool to see not just what I can do, but what I can do with help." He admits.
"Well, you know, I don't have powers but if we can get into the weapons vault I can get one of Dad's bows and training arrows and I can join, we can see what the three of us can do, you know, if you want…" Cooper says, sounding nervous.
"That would be great." Vance says with a small smile, "But none of us know how to get into the weapon's vault." He points out.
"I do." Peter says, causing Vance and Cooper to look at him, "Don't ask how, just follow me." He requests.
Hearing that Cooper and Vance exchange looks, then shrug, and follow behind Peter.
In Tony's office Lila has gone off to find Vision, who she really likes spending time with, and Nathaniel has been put down for his nap. Tony, Natasha and Laura on the other hand are all sitting on the couches in Tony's office, each having a drink.
"So, you going to talk to Clint?" Natasha asks curious.
"Eventually. Once everyone is asleep." Laura answers.
"BOSS, Mr Peter, Mr Vance, and Mr Cooper just accessed the weapon vault." FRIDAY reveals.
"What?"
"Why?"
Tony and Laura say together.
"FRIDAY, what did they take?" Natasha asks.
"A bow and training arrows." FRIDAY answers.
"Where are they now?" Tony asks.
"Mr Vance's training room." FRIDAY answers.
"Thanks FRIDAY." Natasha, Tony and Laura say together before they all get up and head out of the room, literally running into Clint as they walk out.
"What's going on?" Clint asks seeing them.
"Vance, Cooper and Peter are doing things they shouldn't be." Natasha answers simply and she, Tony and Natasha continue to walk, Clint right behind them.
After a few minutes Natasha, Tony, Laura and Clint walk into Vance's practice room where Vance is using his powers to cause things to go flying while Cooper hits then with arrows and Peter pulls different things out of the air with his powers while setting up things for Vance and Cooper to use.
As they walk in and see the sights Natasha, Tony, Laura and Clint stop and watch the three teenagers for a few moments.
"Not bad." Natasha says, causing the three boys to stop what they are doing and turn around, and admittedly Natasha feels a little proud when she realises Vance didn't even jump.
"Thanks." Cooper says with a grin.
"Now do you three want to explain how you got into the weapons vault?" Tony asks, looking at the teenagers and as he does they all come to the same conclusion, they're in trouble.
"It's my fault. Don't blame Coop or Vance." Peter requests.
"It was my idea to go the weapons vault in the first place." Cooper reminds him.
"I got us in." Peter point out.
"And we all agreed to go in there even though we know we're not allowed." Vance points out, making Natasha realises that this may actually be one of the first times that he's defending himself, "It's not just on you, it's on all three of us."
"He's right, it is." Cooper tells Peter.
"You shouldn't have gone into the weapons vault, any of you, you know the rules." Natasha tells the teenagers sternly.
"You should have asked." Laura says, "If you wanted to get a bow and arrows then you should have asked one of us, or Hope or Jim or Vision or Bruce and we would have gotten what you wanted." She reveals.
"Really?" Cooper asks.
"Really." Natasha, Tony and Laura confirm.
"You're not in trouble… this time." Tony reveals, "But Peter, you and I are going to have a conversation later about how you got in, and all three of you are never going to go in the weapons vault again without asking first." He says.
"Yes Tony." The three teenagers say together.
"Good." Natasha says, and honestly Clint is a little surprised by Natasha answering for Tony and is even more surprised that no one else looks surprised, "We'll leave you too it, if you need help just ask FRIDAY."
"And don't forget about dinner." Laura adds.
"Nat and Tony miss dinner all the time." Peter points out.
"And breakfast." Cooper adds.
"We don't miss it all the time. Just sometimes." Tony corrects.
"You two miss breakfast most days, or are at least late, and then you're both late for dinner often or more often than not Nat arrives at dinner, realises you're not there and then returns a few minutes later with you." Peter explains, causing Clint to become even more surprised, and interested
"Okay, you've made your point." Natasha says, looking a little amused, "Have fun you three." Natasha says before heading out of the room, Tony, Laura and Clint following behind, Clint being more confused as the others and feeling that there is a lot that he doesn't understand.
December 13th 2016. Avengers Compound.
Night.
Hours later Clint is walking around the compound, trying to find Laura. He is just about to ask FRIDAY for help when he walks into the lounge room and finds her sitting on one of the couches.
"Laura." Clint says, a few steps away from the door, "Can we talk?" he asks.
"Sure." Laura responds and Clint walks over and sits on the couch too and right away it feels completely awkward.
For a little while Clint and Laura sit, neither honestly having any idea what they should say or do.
"So…." Clint says after a few minutes, needing to say something, "Is there seriously no alcohol here anymore?" he asks curious as he noticed at dinner that none of the adults were drinking and there was no beer in the fridge.
"It's all in Tony's office. He did that when the kids moved in." Laura explains.
"Oh." Clint says, not overly sure how to respond to that.
"Just say what you want to say, Clint." Laura tells her husband, honestly not that interested in beating around the bush.
"I'm sorry for how much I hurt you, and the kids, for leaving. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I didn't really think it through." Clint explains, "Steve said he needed me and I didn't think any further than that."
"No, you didn't." Laura tells him.
"I am sorry." Clint tells Laura, "You and the kids mean everything to me, and I'm so sorry for hurting you all." Clint says, completely meaning that, "I will make it up to you, Laura, you and the kids, but I need to know, is there even a chance that you'll ever be able to forgive me?" Clint asks.
"With time." Laura answers as she reaches over and takes Clint's hand, as she does the two of them drift into silence.
December 15th 2016. Avengers Compound.
Morning.
It has been two days since Clint returned to the compound and ever since he has been getting used to being back and everyone has been getting used to him being at the Compound. For most people they are dealing with Clint being back, but it is clear that Cooper still isn't too happy with his father.
It's breakfast time and everyone who lives at the compound permanently, apart from Natasha and Tony are at breakfast. Something which Clint has come to suspect isn't unusual, though he was surprised to find that everyone eats breakfast and dinner together.
"FRIDAY can you tell Nat and Tony that I'm going to need one of them to fly me to the city." Peter requests.
"No need, Kid." Tony says as he and Natasha walk in.
"We're right here." Natasha finishes and Clint wonders just when Natasha and Tony become a we.
"Good, I didn't' want to be late." Peter reveals.
"Have you been late once?" Tony asks curious as he heads over to get coffee while Natasha heads over to the food.
"No." Peter answers, "Though that might be because both of you fly pretty inventively." Peter comments as Clint watches Natasha exchange one plate of food she's put together for one of the coffee cups that Tony has.
"What are you saying Kid?" Natasha asks curious.
"I'd say it's pretty obvious." Peter says with a teasing smile.
"Come on, Kid. We should get going." Tony says with an amused look on his face.
"Sure." Peter says standing up, "Your list." He says to Vance.
"Here, you don't have to do this." Vance says, handing a piece of paper over.
"I'm just picking up a book Vance, it's not that big of a deal, I really don't mind." Peter assures his friend, knowing that he's still worried about doing stuff like that.
"Thanks Pete." Vance says gratefully as Tony and Peter head out of the room, Tony carrying the plate of food and coffee, as Natasha sits down next to Vance.
Hours later Clint has come to the decision that if he wants answers about what is going on with Natasha and Tony then he has to go to the source, and considering that he and Natasha haven't really talked since he got back Clint knows that he has to go to his best friend, they need to talk, and what's going on between her and Tony is just one thing on that list.
Having a pretty good idea where to find his best friend, if she is still that, without even asking FRIDAY Clint walks into the gym where he finds Natasha beating the crap out of a punching bag.
"Nat." Clint says, "Can we talk?" he asks curious.
"Sure." Natasha says, turning around to look at her friend, "You were an idiot."
"I know." Clint responds, "I'm sorry. I should have thought things through more."
"Yeah, you should have." Natasha assures him.
"Thank you, Nat for everything you've done for my family since the airport, for what you've done for me." Clint tells her.
"You're welcome, but It's not just me you have to thank." Natasha informs him.
"I know." Clint responds, then never being one for a sense of self-preservation he just says, "How long have you and Stark been screwing?"
"We're not." Natasha tells her friend.
"Seriously? I know things are bad between us right now Nat, but didn't think you'd lie about something everyone else here clearly knows about." Clint says, pain In his voice as he worries that things might be so bad between them that he'll never make it up to her, and if he can't make it up to Natasha then he'll never make it up to his family.
"Tony and I are not screwing." Natasha once more says, "But we are in a relationship."
"You're dating?" Clint asks and Natasha nods, "Without having sex?" he asks and once more Natasha nods, "That's….." Clint starts to say, but then trails off as he can't think of the right thing to say.
"Something new for both of us." Natasha explains.
"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Clint asks, "I mean it's Stark, and he doesn't have the best reputation and you two first meet when you pretended to be his assistant and lied to him for weeks, that's not really the best foundation to build a relationship on." Clint points out, and Natasha gives him a look, "What?"
"Sometimes I forget how little you know." Natasha admits as everyone around the compound now know that she and Tony have known each other a lot longer than they first believed, but she completely forgot that Clint doesn't.
"What are you talking about?" Clint asks confused.
"Walking into Tony's home gym as Natalie Rushman wasn't the first time Tony and I meet, we've known each other for a hell of a lot longer." Natasha reveals.
"What are you saying?" Clint asks, "When did you and Stark first meet?" he asks.
"She kidnapped me." Tony says, as he walks into the room, having heard the last bit of the conversation.
"What?" Clint asks shocked.
"Technically I wasn't involved in the actual kidnapping." Natasha corrects.
"And technically if you where I would have come willingly so it wouldn't have been kidnapping." Tony reveals, as he walks towards Natasha and Clint.
"Yes, it would have been because while you may have come willingly Mel and Hope wouldn't have, they're too smart for that, always have been." Natasha tells Tony, causing Clint to become even more confused.
"They really wouldn't have." Tony admits, looking slightly amused.
"Did you need something?" Natasha asks Tony curious.
"Yeah, I wanted your opinion on some new designs, but you're clearly in the middle of educating Legos so it can wait." Tony admits.
"I'll come to the lab when we're done." Natasha tells Tony.
"Thanks." Tony says, and Natasha can hear the gratitude in his voice, "See you later." He says before heading out of the gym, leaving Natasha and Clint.
"Okay, can you start explaining…. Everything." Clint requests.
"Hope, Melinda May and Tony have known each other since they were eight, they were at boarding school together, became a family because they had no one else." Natasha explains, knowing that that is the beginning so that is where she has to start, "When they were fourteen they were kidnapped, by people who wanted make their respective parents pay and well, because it was believed that they would be the perfect people to make into, well me, who I used to be." Natasha explains to Clint, "I was brought in to keep them under control. The people thought that they would be more unlikely to try and fight back if there was someone around their age." Natasha explains, "At first I thought they were taken just for the money, Howard Stark's son and Hank Pym's daughter would have gotten a fortune each, plus the tidy sum that Lian May would have payed, but after a little while I learnt what they were really going to use those three four, and I couldn't allow that, I couldn't let them become me." Natasha reveals, an undertone of pain in her voice, "So, I helped them escape."
"You did?" Clint ask surprised.
"Yeah, it cost me a lot." Natasha admits, "Do you want to hear the rest of the story? Why all this was kept a secret, who knew, everything?" Natasha asks her friend.
"Yes." Clint answers and Natasha starts to explain.
It takes almost half an hour but Natasha finally manages to fill Clint in on everything about her, Tony, Melinda, Hope and Rhodey's history and everything they've been through.
"That's just…. wow." Clint admits, "I get that you have this whole history, but Nat are you sure that you and Stark trying to be in a relationship is a good idea?" he asks concerned, "I mean he's…..." Clint starts to say.
"Don't." Natasha says in warning tone of voice, "I've talked to T'Challa I know what you and the others were saying about him in Wakanda, and that's told me one thing, even after all these years none of you really know Tony." Natasha says annoyed.
"Nat…" Clint starts to say.
"No, I've stayed quiet for too long." Natasha tells him, "You think Tony's a cocky asshole who doesn't care, but that's not who he really is, not completely anyway. He's protective and he's the person who I've always been able to count on to never judge me no matter what. Do you know how many times Tony's taken the blame for things that The Avengers as a whole have done? More than a few. He deals with the public hate, and government hate, and he protected the rest of us from it and you all threw it in his face and became more people who used his own weapons against him." Natasha reveals.
"Nat…." Clint starts to say once more.
"You're a spy Clint, I would expect you more than anyone to be able to see through someone's mask." Natasha says before walking out of the room.
"Holy crap, she's in love with him." Clint realises, feeling completely shocked, "And she doesn't realise it." He realises.
A couple of hours later Natasha almost storms into the lab and sits down on one of the benches near Tony.
"Want to talk about it?" Tony asks, being able to tell that something is wrong.
"Nope." Natasha tells him, "I want to see your designs." She admits.
"Okay." Tony says, knowing better than pushing, and so he picks up one of his tablets and walks over to Natasha, "So, I'm thinking that for my fiftieth suit I want a complete re-design." Tony reveals, "What do you think?" he asks handing he tablet over.
"I think that you having made fiftieth suits is incredible." Natasha admits, before looking down at the tablet, "I like it." She admits, "What brought on the new colours?" she asks curious.
"Part of it was Peter's idea, the other part was me wanting something different." Tony says as he sits down next to Natasha.
"I like it." Natasha admits.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Natasha confirms and the two of them drift into silence while looking at the designs.