Chapter Two
Early morning, just after the peek of dawn three months after Natasha arrived in her new world.
Alice Barton nee Sage was tired. But after twenty-five years of gardening, she knew that some magical plants were best plucked by moonlight or the early dawn. Trudging out to her garden at the back of her white, nearing yellow painted farmhouse and stopped in disbelief or at least caution. After all it wasn't every day you had a blue lightening show show up out of nowhere.
The whimpers heard afterwards was a concern. She tip-toed towards her squash, now resembling their namesake and her eyes widened at the sight. There were two unconscious adults and three children under the age of ten. The youngest was somehow awake and trembling from the shock.
She ran as if her fifty-six year old body was half her age. Minutes later she returned to a now awaken young man with piercing brown eyes. Eyes she haven't seen in decades. Alice knew those eyes. Those were her sister's eyes.
Clint Barton didn't know what happened. One moment he was inviting Natasha's sister Yelena to a New Years Eve party, to make up for not inviting her for Christmas, Laura insisted. The next he was in a garden where his barn used to be at the old farm, with his wife and impossibly three small children, two which should have been teenagers and his hearing was better then it ever was.
Somehow he found himself sitting at a dining room table that had years of love written in it, if the multiple cup stains were any indication.
It was very eerie to be sitting in his old kitchen with a woman who claimed to be his dead Aunt Alice, who explained that he and his family somehow popped up in her garden. Clint suspected it was a bifrost portal and his fears were confirmed when Aunt Alice explained the whole lightening show and how they showed up.
Laura came into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. "The kids are down for a nap, they were quite emotionally distraught. What's the play?" She asked in German as if was any other day leaning against the counter in a defensive move that looked causal.
"I'm getting the expression that we're here for good. According to," Clint replied in the same language switching to Japanese nodded slightly in 'Aunt Alice's direction, "she's only seen a portal take from here, so she thinks that how we got here is tied to that situation. What's with the silver lily?" Clint asked in English as his 'Aunt' frowned at the use of the different languages.
"It seems that I am rusty in my languages. I'll tell you what I know in exchange of what you know."
Three hours later the phone rang after the world of Alchemists, Moroi and Strigoi had been reveal and Clint demonstrated his coin trick because why not? By silent agreement, Laura and Clint kept his bow skills and his 'Hawkeye' past a secret. The regular army stuff, not so much.
Alice went to deal with her newest family members who decided it was a great idea to climb her rare bookshelf making a mess of the living room while Laura napped or at least that's what she told Alice. In reality she was training because the world had suddenly to no surprise to her became dangerous. The Alchemists seem like pieces of work she had commented to Clint before the phone started to ring. Clint answered the phone.
He went to find Laura to inform her of the upcoming 'guests.' She was working out in Alice's guest bedroom as quietly as she could. She was not amuse but pleased that Natasha was alive, and she was coming in with reinforcements.
"So what do you think Peggy Carter is really like?"
"Peggy? No idea. I'm just glad that the kids are out of diapers." Laura said stretching out her 'new old' body. It was weird being younger, but the perks were nice.
"You and me both. This is such a clutterfuck. Lay low until we get a handle of this new land?"
"Considering you're officially retired, it's a wise plan. After we scold Natasha."
"Agreed."
"I'm not too keen on these 'tattoos' sounds like it could go sideways, as evident my aunt is running a counter organization to their Alchemist group."
"That's why we're going to be causal about it all. If we do get 'tattoos' it'll not be on our cheeks. Butt cheeks maybe, but not where people can see them. Alchemists don't know the words discrete do they?"
After a full day of wrangling the kids, dodging questions from his sharp Aunt Alice who ran an 'rouge' Alchemist group, go figure, the other guests were arriving after dinner thankfully.
The sun was setting as Clint and his family waited on the porch for their guests. Aunt Alice had charmed the kids so they were doing ok. For now their schooling would be from home until I.D.s and such could be made.
"I want a tattoo." Cooper exclaimed in his eight year old voice. "I am old enough. Mentally."
"No. That's a no." Clint said. Aunt Alice was bemused how in strive her new family had taken the news of the Alchemist's world and who they dealt with. Or in the words of Nate who was only six, "My dad fought aliens before I was born and we died and came back. Vampires are blah compared to that."
That lead to Aunt Alice's introduction to the Avengers, briefly outlined since they didn't know if they could go back or not. Clint felt proud when Alice thanked him for his service to the world, painful as it was.
That led into Clint getting his bow and trick arrows back or at leas the start of the project as it happened that Aunt Alice kept all sorts of interesting things in her barn.
"Someone's rich." Ten year old Lila whispered as a Gulfstream G650 set down a few yards away.
"Manners." Laura said softly, know that being armed would not take away the speed of the vampires but it was a comfort thing for her and Clint. They were almost armed to the teeth but Clint and Laura both had concealed knifes and Clint had a bow, causal like. After all they might be shape-shifter which was a strange thing to find out, exasperating but still strange. Aliens.
"Sure mom." Lila rolled her eyes earning giggles from her brothers.
There was a tense introduction between the two groups of Abe, his guests and guards and the Barton family after everyone departed off the plane and walked the short distance to the house. Aunt Alice broke the tension with a smirk.
"If I didn't know any better I'll say it's Rosemary all over again but then again, she wasn't a fighter. She's legit, same essence as before but bigger. Welcome back Natalia." Aunt Alice was a strong witch and could tell the difference between one person and another even if they were masking their own spirit with a ward. She was unique like that, as all witches had some sort of special ability.
The silence after that was broken by a scream of "Auntie Nat!" as all three kids rushed the
Natasha grabbed her niece and nephew in a tight hug, fighting back sobs. It worked, her sacrifice worked.
Abe and his guardians stood back as Paul reported to Alice Sage the main head of the rouge Alchemist group and observed the reunion.
The man and woman who were the children's parents were more reserved. The man went up to Natalia and whispered something that only Abe and Steve unknown to Abe heard.
"What was the last thing you said to me?" Clint whispered knowing that it was the only way to see Natasha was Natasha.
"Let me go. It's okay," Clint's eyes filled with tears as he took in his best friend's face, just like she looked when she died, brown hair aside.
Clint found himself sobbing holding Nat, knowing it was her. "Hey love, some other people want to welcome her back." Laura interjected a few minutes later as Clint was wiping away Nat's teas as she did to him.
Natasha got the patented Laura Barton hug and sigh. She made it, she did it. She got them back.
She shared a teary-eyed hug with Steve as Peggy looked at her and nodded in respect, high praise indeed from former/current? Director of SHIELD. Freaking time travel.
Abe smoothly interjected. "I don't know about you but a cup of something would be good. Plus my guests need dinner.
Two hours after everyone got caught up with each other and had dinner with teasing and more proof of Steve, Peggy and Natasha being themselves, the peanut butter sandwich was a great story, an annoying version of "American Pie" ringtone interrupted the slow movement towards the living room.
"Guess our other guests are incoming soon." Clint commented as he read the cell phone screen.
"Other guests?" Peggy asked wondering if she would have to bring out her gun.
"Friends and family. Yelena Belova and the Barnes, Bucky included."
The low whisper of "James?" was caught by Steve and Abe before Natasha's face closed up. She knew her sister was here as Clint mentioned her in passing. As for James he was a surprise by the knowing look Clint shot her with a smirk which was echoed by Steve smirked like the cat got the canary.
Author's Note
Kudos are awesome, comments are life and I swear I was going somewhere with this. Something to do with rhyming. LOL No serious I would love to hear your thoughts on this story good or bad. Please and thank you. :)
