Avenging Flash
Chapter Seven: Barton Family.
The Quinjet lands in a large field just outside a big farmhouse. Clint and Tony wake the rest of the team up and then help them out of the vehicle and up to the house.
"What is this place?" Thor asks.
"A safe house apparently?" Tony replies, looking to Clint to confirm.
Hawkeye nods. "Let's hope." He mutters. "Honey I'm home!" He then calls out, walking across the threshold of the house and into the living room.
A heavily pregnant brunette woman walks out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. Clint smiles softly at her. "Hi. I brought some company. Sorry I didn't call ahead, we've had a... stressful day."
"Hey." The woman replies, bringing Clint into a hug. Clint then kisses her softly on the head.
Tony turns to thor. "This is an agent of some kind." He whispers, making the Asgardian smirk in amusement.
After reuniting with his beloved, Hawkeye turned to his friends and fellow Avengers. Deciding to introduce the most important person in his life. "Gentleman, ladies, this is Laura. My wife."
The Avengers were all shocked, well most of them were. Natasha just smirked and gave Laura a wave. She knew about her already, Clint was her best friend after all.
Laura Greeted the Avengers with a sweet smile and a nod. "Hi, I know all your names."
The awkward silence was interrupted by the sound of feet running down the stairs.
Clint's smile widened even more. "Ooh, incoming."
Two preteen kids run in, rushing the archer and colliding with him in a big hug.
"Dad!" They exclaim.
"Hi, sweetheart!" Clint replies, kissing the top of his daughters head before doing the same to his son's. "Hey, buddy! How you guys doing?" he chuckled, having missed them greatly.
Tony, still shocked and taking it all in. Comments: "These are...smaller agents."
Lila, Clint's daughter hadn't seen the Avengers as they rushed downstairs and instead had been focused on greeting their father. So she asked Clint: "Did you bring Auntie Nat?"
Natasha Smirks as she slowly creeps up behind her. "Why don't you hug her and find out?" She teases. Lila turns and rushes towards Natasha, who catches her and picks her up in a close hug.
Steve clears his throat once the touching moment is over. "Sorry for barging in on you."
Cisco snorted. "Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed." He drawled, only for Caitlin to whack him around the back of the head.
Clint Barton chuckled nervously. "Yeah, well Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files, I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low."
The other Avengers nodded, smirking slightly after hearing Barry snore. (They had brought him in on a stretcher)"Is that the flash?" Lila gasped, eyes wide as she saw the torn uniform. Clint cleared his throat. "I think speedy gonzales could use some sleep, so it's best to leave him alone, sweetheart."
Laura nodded in agreement befofr wrapping her arms around her husband. "Honey. I missed you." She whispered against Clint's cheek.
He turned and kissed her softly.
Once they were done, Natasha walked up and began touching Laura's stomach carefully. "How's little Natasha, huh?" She asked with a smirk.
Laura winced. "She's… a umm, Nathaniel." She revealed.
Natasha playfully frowns and bends towards Laura's pregnant stomach.
"Traitor." She tells the baby, making Steve smile softly.
The other Avengers raise an eyebrow at that, but Natasha doesn't notice. Steve clears his throat and gives them a small glare in return.
After that Thor is plagued by another hallucination, reminding him of the one he suffered at the Oil tanker, earlier in the day. Disturbed, he quickly leaves the house, with Tony and Steve following after him.
"Thor, what's eating at you?" Cap asks, worried about his friend.
Thor sighs. "I saw something in that dream. I need answers, I won't find them here."
Steve nodded and Thor twirls his hammer and then jumps into the air, flying away from the area.
Steve turns to go back into the house, only for him to hear Peggy's voice. "We can go home." She whispers, only for her voice to fade into Natasha's. "don't you want that?"
Feeling a headache coming along, the super soldier walks back into the house. Maybe a relaxing warm shower could help...
~ - ~
Laura checks Barton's wound that Doctor Cho had healed using the cradle. And even though everything seems okay, she frowns slightly.
Clint however, doesn't see this, as he is sitting down and Laura is reaching around from behind to feel the new skin. "See, you worried for nothing. Can't even feel the difference, can you?"
Laura snorts. "If they team is sleeping here, some of them are going to have to double up."
Clint laughs. "Yeah, that's not going to sell for some of them."
Laura hums. "What about Nat and Captain Rogers, How long has that been going on?"
Clint Blinks. "How long Has what?" he asks in return, confusion obvious on his face as he turns to face her.
This time Laura laughs. "You are so cute." She teases, shaking her head in disbelief.
Clint, still not getting the hint, double checks that he heard her correctly. "Nat and… and Steve?"
Laura, still shaking her head. Gives her husband a kiss on the head. "I'll explain when you're older, Hawkeye." She teases him.
Clint Nods. "Oh. Okay." He shrugs, getting up from the bed before putting his shirt back on.
Laura's smile drops, not wanting to bring this up but knowing she has to. "It's bad, right? Nat seems really shaken."
Clint Nods with a sigh. "Ultron has these allies, these uh, kids, they're punks really. They carry a big damn stick and Nat took a serious hit, Someone's going to have to teach 'em some manners." He tells her.
Laura bows her head. "And that someone needs to be you. You know I totally support your Avenging, I couldn't be prouder. But I see those guys, those 'Gods'. And.."
"You don't think they need me." Clint finishes, catching on to her train of thought.
Laura shakes her head, looking back up at her husband. "I think they do, Which is a lot scarier. They're a mess."
The archer Nods sadly. "Yeah. I guess they're my mess."
Laura smiles again at that before turning serious. "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 time, you and me are going to be outnumbered. I need-- ...just be sure." She tells him.
Clint gives her a reassuring smile, Yes, ma'am." He promises, bringing her into a hug.
Laura uses this as an opportunity to touch his new skin again. "I can feel the difference." She mutters softly.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Natasha and Steve are still experiencing the after effects of Wanda's hallucinations; Steve walks out of the bathroom and sees Natasha waiting outside
Steve gives her an awkward smile. "I didn't realize you were waiting."
Natasha waves him off. "I would've joined you, but uh, it didn't seem like the right time." She replies
Steve winces. "I used up all the hot water." He tells her with a mutters.
Natasha chuckles softly. "I should've joined you."
Steve sighs, his face becoming dejected. "It seems we Missed our window."
Natasha drops her gaze. "Did we?" she asks softly.
Steve sighed deeper. "I don't know. But we just got hit down, hard, and it's just... brought some things into perspective."
Natasha scoffs. "And you assume it hasn't for me? I had this, um, dream. The kind that seems normal at the time, but when you wake..." she trails off, shaking her head.
Steve frowns. "What did you dream?" He
"That I was an Avenger. That I was anything more than the assassin they made me."
Steve. "I think you're being too hard on yourself, you've changed and become more, way more. Don't do that to yourself, this... self deprecating."
Natasha chuckles. "Here I was thinking that was what you did." She jokes, making Steve laugh for a second.
Natasha takes a few steps forward, getting close to the man that had captured her interest.
"Im going to fight on then. If you believe I've changed, that I'm more than I think... then I'll fight on, with you." She tells him, looking into his eyes.
"Are you... are you sure this is what you want. I'm not a perfect man Nat, I've made mistakes, I'm not the man I want to be." Steve whispers.
"I want you to understand that I don't care if you're perfect, you try your best and that's good enough for me." The redhead assassin replies.
"I-I could hurt you." Steve blurts out, still scared.
Natasha shakes her head. "You won't hurt me, I can handle it."
Steve swallowed the lump in his throat. "You really want a future with me? I don't know if I can ever... because of the serum, I might be sterile Nat. I don't think I could give us children."
Natasha bites her lip, tears appearing in her eyes. "Neither can I. In the Red Room, where I was trained, where I was raised, um, they have a graduation ceremony. Its a surgery, They sterilize you. It's efficient. One less thing to worry about. The one thing that might matter more than a mission. It makes everything easier. Even killing."
Steve looks horrified before his eyes fill with empathy and love. "Oh Nat.." he mutters, bringing her into a hug.
"You think you're the only imperfect person on the team now?" she whispers, burying her head in his chest.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Tony Stark: "Thor didn't say where he was going for answers?"
Bruce shakes his head. "Sometimes my friends don't tell me things. I was kind of hoping Thor would be one of the exceptions."
Tony Snorts. "Yeah, give him time. We don't know what the Maximoff kid showed him. Might be something important."
Bruce chuckles sadly. ".'Earth's Mightiest Heroes.' They Pulled us apart like cotton candy."
Tony sighs. "I know buddy...I know. It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't hulk's either. It was Ultron's, he's using those kids, who probably have no idea of his real plan."
Bruce nods. "Tony I worked so hard to lock Hulk away, but sometimes he'd still come out, So I ran. But people needed help, they needed a doctor every now and then, so I didn't run as far as I could have... as I should have."
Tony shook his head. "Don't do that to yourself Bruce, you didn't start this and you are not a monster. You hear me?" he told his friend, getting up to walk over and kneel in front of his friend.
"How do you know?" Bruce whispered.
"What?" Tony asked, having not heard him properly.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW!?" Bruce Yelled, his eyes and veins flashing green for but a moment before returning to normal. The man put his head in his hands and sobbed.
Tony didn't do well with emotions, but Banner was one of his best friends, and he couldn't just leave him like this. So he stood up and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Making sure his friend at least wouldn't be alone while he cried
~ - ~
Later on during lunch, Laura suddenly remembered something. "I'm sorry. Mr. Stark, uh, Clint said you wouldn't mind, but, our tractor, it doesn't seem to want to start at all. I thought maybe you might...you know."
Tony nods, eager to do something that would distract him from his ADHD and anxiety. "Yeah, I'll give her a kick. Its no problem."
The man quickly gets up and heads out the door, heading for the barn where he noticed the tractor earlier.
Upon entering the barn, he kneeled beside the tractor, taking off the top so he could have a look at the motor and electronics.
"Hello, Deerie. Tell me everything. What ails you?" he says playfully, looking it over.
A noise from across the room gets his attention, so he looks up to see Nick Fury walk in from the back entrance. "Just Do me a favour. Try not to bring it to life."
Tony groaned. "Ah, Mrs. Barton, you little minx. I get it, Maria Hill called you, right? Was she ever not working for you?"
Nick kept the conversation on topic. "Artificial intelligence. You never even hesitated" he accused.
Tony sighed, seeing that coming from a mile away. "Look, it's been a really long day, like, Eugene O'Neill long, so how's about we skip to the part where you're useful?"
Nick snorts and walks over to stand in front of him. "Look me in the eye and tell me you're going to shut him down."
Tony glared up at him. "You're not the director of me."
Nick chuckled. "I'm not the director of anybody. I'm just an old man, who cares very much about you all."
Tony sighed again, this time looking at the ground. "And I'm the man who killed the Avengers. I saw it. I didn't tell the team, how could I? I saw them all dead, Nick. I felt it. The whole world, too. It's because of me. I wasn't ready. I didn't do all I could."
Nick shook his head. "The Maximoff girl, she's working you, Stark. Playing on your fear. She messed with your mind, of course you got spooked."
Tony scoffed." I wasn't tricked, I was shown. It wasn't a nightmare, it was my legacy. The end of the path I started us on."
"You've come up with some pretty impressive inventions, Tony. But War isn't one of them." Nick pointed out.
Tony ignored him. "I watched my friends die. You'd think that'd be as bad as it gets, right? Nope. Wasn't the worst part."
A new voice butted in this time. "The worst part is that you didn't."
Both Nick and Tony turned to see Barry Allen standing there, being supported by his best friend Kara.
"Barry, what the hell are you doing standing!?" Tony exclaimed, going to help support the teenage speedste before he fell over.
"Kara heard two old idiots arguing outside." Barry replied with a smirk.
~ - ~ - ~ - ~
Nick Poured himself a drink in the kitchen while the Avengers sat at the dinner table. Kara and Clint were playing with the kids in the living room, but kara was listening in using her super hearing.
"Ultron took you folks out of play to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing."
"What about Ultron himself?" Steve asked, worried about what had happened in their absence.
Nick chuckled. "Ah. He's easy to track, he's everywhere. Guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though."
Tony Stark: "Let me guess, he still going after launch codes."
Nick "Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway."
Tony frowned. "I once cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school on a dare, so this should be easy as cake for him."
Nick nodded. "Yeah, I know which is why I decided to contact our friends at the NEXUS about that. Because it didn't make sense to me either."
"NEXUS?" Steve blinks, not knowing what that was. He's still getting used to the modern world after all.
"It's the world internet hub in Oslo." Cisco replied.
"Every byte of data flows through there, it's basically the place to go for the fastest web access on earth. You can essentially connect to anywhere or anything from there. Think of it as a human heart, its the place where all the blood comes and goes. If somebody is having a cardiac arrest do you shock the liver or the brain to get your system started again? No, you go for the heart. Its the direct way and it works" Barry Explained, getting looks from everyone except the Star team.
"What, just because I'm young I can't know important stuff or be smart?" Barry smirked, making a small tower of sandwiches in a flash before sitting down to share them with Kara.
"Anyway...the codes are constantly being changed So fast and efficiently, that Ultron can't decode or access them." Nick continued.
Tony asked the question on Everybody's mind. "By whom?"
Nick shrugged. "Parties unknown as of now."
Natasha raised an eyebrow in question. "we have an ally?"
Nick shook his head. "Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing. Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is." He replied, picking up an apple before biting into It.
Tony Stark hummed. "I might need to visit Oslo, find our quote, unquote, 'unknown.'."
"Well, this is good times, boss, but I was kind of hoping when I saw you, you'd have more than that." Natasha sighed.
Nick smirked at that. "I do, I have you."
They didn't know how to respond to that, so he continued: "Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere and ears everywhere else. Yet here we all are, back on earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."
"Technically he's made of –"
"Cisco." Harrison sighed, facepalming.
"Yes Dr Wells?" The young man replied with a cheeky grin.
"Shut the hell up."
Natasha Romanoff: "Careful Doctor Wells, Steve doesn't like that kind of talk." She teased, giving the Captain a sultry look while she thought nobody was watching.
Steve Rogers smirked: "You know what Romanoff?" he trailed off.
"So what does Ultron want?" Nick interrupted, having seen the way they looked at each other, but wanting them to focus on the threat at hand.
"An oil change and wax clean?" Cisco called out, only to be slapped up the side of the head by both Wells and Caitlin.
Steve Ignored them and answered properly. "To become better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies, creating new ways of reinventing himself."
Tony nodded, adding on to what Steve said: "The human form is very inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded. But he keeps coming back to it. He's obsessed with it."
"When you and Bruce programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed." Natasha smirked, biting into her sandwich after saying that.
Bruce snorted. "He didn't say humanity needs protecting he said we need to evolve. Ultron's going to evolve."
"How would that be possible though?" Nick Fury asked.
"Has anyone been in touch with Doctor Helen Cho recently?" Doctor Wells asked.
(End of chapter seven)
