#mcu fanfic series

Series Summary: She was done and retired. After Thanos and after the battle of a lifetime, she had called it quits and had distanced herself from the Avenger lifestyle. But word finds her that someone from her past is in danger. What the journey entails was never one she wanted to face nor one she saw becoming her reality again. The rollercoaster that comes with fighting evil odds arrives on her doorstep not leaving much room for a no…

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 3600+

A/N: 

Chapter 5:

The rest of the plane ride, Y/N went to the back for some privacy and Bucky took the time to review the files she had come up with and had handed over to him.

There was still no background of who the head doctor or facilitator was of the whole operation in present time, but they learned that the group’s name was called Chimera. And if you can’t guess from the name, they were a branch of Hydra. 

Real original picking another greek monster with three heads, huh?

Anyway, for the last 40 years they had been hunting down children who were a part of the mutant gene pool and scouting them out to fight. Majority of the time selling to the recruitments that they were starting a new group like the Avengers that they could train on. Other times, promising them a safe place and new home where their powers were appreciated. With these two types of promises, there wasn’t much convincing outside of that to get young kids and teenagers on their team.

But in it, there were harsh experiments that ended with many dead. They didn’t care though, they had them at their disposal at this point.

It seemed as though the operation was the same one that Marley had been a part of, but after all this time, it was being led by a new group of scientists and division. Whoever they were, they knew what they were doing and what their project was.

However, they were being tracked by SHIELD as soon as they picked up on their activity. But it seemed as though each location found, was a shell of what actually had been going on there.

There were left over experiments, failed serums, and what looked like ransacked dens as they packed and moved to their next location. Clearly whatever was going on, they were steering clear of SHIELD and what would be the end that would soon come to their operation.

The evidence showed that Marley seemed to be once again used as their main guard dog. She had been left behind at operations to tack off any agents that came to snoop.

The first few raids seemed to be clear, but as of the last two missions, Marley was there to show SHIELD who they were messing with. It most likely was a scare tactic to keep them from following them, but all it did was now put one very pissed off and powerful Avenger on their trail.

And boy was she tracking them… All the research of some high level agents and Tony himself came nowhere close to what Y/N was able to put together. It helps when you’ve gone against these people before and know how they work. When they’ve hurt someone you love once, you dive into who they are and how to make them extinct.

Unfortunately, rats can easily flee without being noticed and build their nest all over again.

After 13 years of thinking they had killed off the group, just this last month Tony got more intel and thus brought it to Y/N’s attention. Now they were headed to Plyos, Russia in hopes of finding some run down building where they normally would set up camp and operate.

Y/N and Bucky had been to two different warehouses and one abandoned barn so far and nothing had come up. Each time both of them being just that… Abandoned. Not ever a sliver of evidence of a possible evil scientist lab being of use at some point.

They were back on the jet at this point. It was close to 7 at night and a blizzard was making its way in town.

Bucky slowly approached a defeated Y/N as she sat staring at the same papers that got them there. Hoping that something new would catch her attention and point her the right direction after so many wrong turns.

“Y/N,” he said quietly. She stayed staring at the notes. “Listen, I know you want to keep looking, but there’s a big storm moving in. As great as Stark’s Tech is, I think it would be better if we found a motel or something to stay at for shelter.”

Like snapping out from a daze, she shook out her head and looked up at him as if just noticing he was there.

“What?” she said, blinking and rubbing her eyes. Come to think of it, he wasn’t sure when she had slept last. Even beings with that much power need rest, right?

“A decent sized blizzard is coming. I think we should find a place in town to stay,” he summed up.

It took her a second, but she shook her head in agreement and began to stand up and brush her pants off.

“зимы здесь суровы, как горечь смерти, the winters here are as harsh as the bitterness of death,” she muttered, and Bucky let out a low chuckle.

“некоторые могут даже сказать резче, some might even say harsher,” Bucky responded with a wink before turning back to grab his bag.

She smiled at that softly before grabbing her own luggage.

_____________

The two were able to find a run down motel to call shelter for the night. Because it was an extremely small town, they didn’t want word to get out two Avengers were in the area and scare off a possible raid they were working on. Even though it was starting to look like they weren’t in the right place for that raid.

Y/N had just gotten done taking a shower, and was coming out of the bathroom with her pajamas already on. Bucky had already taken his when they got there and Y/N went out to get them dinner.

The motel was tiny with just 10 rooms and of course, only three of them were actually in service. After some miscommunication with the motel manager, they ended up in a room with two queen sized beds. It wasn’t an issue for Y/N, so it wasn’t an issue with Bucky. They were professionals and Y/N didn’t seem to be one that was apprehensive about sharing a room with a stranger.

Bucky was sitting on the bed with files laid out in front of him and a few new ones they were able to print off in the jet showing a layout of the town.

He could tell Y/N was frustrated and on edge after the last failed search and all she had been doing was pacing as she read and researched more trying to find what she missed.

She was ruffling her wet Y/H/C hair with a towel in one hand and the other held a chunk of papers with new information Tony had sent them before they found the hotel. She paced the floor with some old cabin socks on, sleep shorts, a large t-shirt sticking out from a sweatshirt that was 3 sizes too big, and a pen in mouth that she was nervously chewing the tip of as she read passages in front of her.

Bucky was scanning a map and would look up every once in a while feeling the stress radiate off her. This was the first time he hadn’t seen her hair up in a braid, bun, or some other intricate style laced with a scarf of some sort. It was a different look on her, but it was nice. Her hair had a soft mix of curls and waves as it dried and it looked soft like silk.

Maybe this wasn’t the best time to be watching her like he was, but even in the short time they’d known each other, there was a comfortable and friendly energy between them instead of the stranger-like awkwardness.

But as he was watching her movements and analyzing her, she stopped in her pacing and began to turn around. He quickly looked down at the work in front of him again in hopes he didn’t get caught.

“I don’t get it,” she groaned, fisting the towel in her hand by her side and throwing it on the back of the chair as she took the pen out of her mouth. “It lined up to be the places we went and we didn’t even see a single piece of evidence that someone could have been there within the last month…”

Bucky stayed silent, worried anything he said would only make the frustration levels higher. Plus, it seemed she was thinking out loud, so he gave her the space to get it all out.

“Every place was the perfect hideout, and hit all their requirements to work a lab in…” she started pacing again. “I know that the first place we landed would probably be just a stepping stone to where we needed to go, but I wasn’t planning on coming up completely empty. There was a 99% chance of finding something.” She threw the papers in hand down on her bed and stared at the wall like it was the reason for her coming up short.

Bucky took notice of how her eyes furrowed, her nose scrunched just a tad, and her fingers wiggled by her side.

“I’m killing my brain,” she mumbled.

Bucky let out a small laugh and she turned her head to him with a defeated look.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh,” he apologized, attempting to wipe the exhausted smile off his face, but he failed.

“No, please do. One of us needs to find some form of happiness on this trip,” she smiled softly back.

“This isn’t much of a happy mission,” Bucky replied, watching her intently as she turned and sat on the bed.

“No, but I’d rather not focus solely on the inevitable bad that’s to come,” she sighed, falling back in a star position on her bed, with her legs dangling over the edge.

There was silence for a second, then Bucky spoke up with one of the many questions he had.

“Hey, when you were talking about your friend Lori earlier, you said ’one of the many times you attended college.’ What did you mean by that?”

Y/N sat up with a grunt, but still slumped in her position. Exhaustion was clearly winning at the moment.

“You live as long as me, a college education doesn’t hurt,” she smiled faintly. “Plus you get bored and might as well educate yourself.”

Bucky nodded in agreement. “How many times did you go?”

“Oof,” she huffed, letting out a breath as she thought about it. “Well, there was a good chunk of time where a woman going to college was outrageous and inappropriate. Not that that stopped me. I still got an education, although it was under the table. There’s no documentation of that.”

“Whatisdocumented?”

“Let’s see… Bachelor wise; Bachelors of Arts in History, Bachelors in Environmental Health Sciences, also Environmental Law. A few others in art studies, oh! Also a Bachelors of Science Education in Elementary education. I have a few masters and doctorates that expand on each of those, but you get the gist.”

“Wait, Elementary Education? Like a teacher?” he asked somewhat shocked.

“It’s quite the trying field to go into, but boy is it worth it,” she smiled at the thought.

“How long were you a teacher and what grades did you teach?”

“Um, well I was off and on for about 20 years. I had to modify my degree so it didn’t look like I graduated back in the 70’s and was somehow 27 during 2001,” she laughed. “But I stayed with the middle school aged kids. They’re so hormonal and trying to figure themselves out, I may or may not have used my powers to give them a sense of calm in the raging times.”

“Wow…. What haven’t you done?” he chuckled lightly under his breath.

“Even with all the extra time given to me in my life, the human race has created so many things and hobbies that I truly have so many more to experience,” she laughed, looking down at her hands clearly more to her thought process than just that.

There was a minute of silence as Bucky took in what she said and Y/N didn’t elaborate on her meaning beyond her comment.

Bucky was going to question on, but her phone began to ring and she jumped up to grab it.

Looking down at the caller ID she looked back at Bucky.

“It’s Tony. I’m going to take this,” she said with an apologetic smile as she swung her legs fully over the ledge and moved to the door. “Y/L/N,” she said professionally into the phone, walking out into the frigid cold with just a sweatshirt and shorts on.

Bucky realized that last part right before the door shut and cocked his head. Maybe her power protected her from the cold?

He went back to the maps on the edge of his bed and stared at them even though his mind wasn’t on what they contained. To be honest, sleep was on his mind, but also he was trying to imagine Y/N as a teacher.

She seemed to have the spirit for it and she was right. In a middle school room, those kids would probably thrive on any form of energy that wasn’t their hormones and moods shifting every two seconds.

He had laid back on the bed with a map in hand to look busy if she came back in, but slowly, he started to drift off to sleep, realizing he had been up for over 30 hours at this point.

___________

Y/N had stayed outside for close to 20 minutes on the phone. She was cold yes, but she was able to form somewhat of an invisible bubble around her that kept any heat she had in. Pro’s to energy bending. You could do a lot more with it than most could imagine.

Tony was discussing sending new coordinates her way and an old map they dug up of some underground coal mines. But just as he was explaining what could possibly be in those mines, Y/N heard what sounded like screaming coming from the door behind her.

She turned not hearing it once she looked at the wooden barrier and tuned out Tony. She waited a second and focused in on the energy in the room and felt distress.

“I’ll call you back, Stark,” she said quickly and hung up the phone as she opened the door.

Bucky was laying on his back, but was twitching and tossing his head side to side in a violent manner every other second. Grunts were trying to come out of his mouth, but his jaw was so tight and tense, nothing came out.

“Buck,” Y/N started walking quickly to his bedside.

She looked seeing maps and papers thrown haphazardly from the edge of the bed, likely from him kicking them off. The ones close to his hands were scrunched and some slightly torn.

“Bucky-” she started again, gently touching his arm, but in that quick moment, his metal arm reacted by grabbing hers and beginning to bend it back in a way it shouldn’t have. “Ow!” she shouted, and looked up to see Bucky staring at her hard, but that wasn’t the Bucky she knew. It was a scared, angry, and frightening version of him.

Instantly she brought her other hand up without hesitation and pressed her palm to his forehead. Right away, a breath of relief was let out and his body went lax, including his grip on her arm. As if snapping out of the trance, Bucky realized his position and that he still had a grip on Y/N. Even if it wasn’t harmful anymore, he dropped it immediately and quickly distanced himself from her by crawling back on the bed more.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he said repeatedly, eyes rapidly checking her from a distance for any injuries. “I’m sor-”

“Bucky, it’s ok. It’s fine,” she said, putting her hands up in a way to show she was harmless. She knew for him getting closer would scare him as he worried about hurting her any further. So instead she put her hands up and showed with a small reassuring smile she was ok. “I’m ok. It’s all ok.”

“I-I-”

Another apology was on the way, but she put her hand up in a way to stop him from saying anything further. Instead, she moved that cautious hand toward the arm that was red and already bruising from the incident. In a slow gesture, she waved her hand over the arm and the white light illuminating from her palm caused him to squint slightly at the brightness.

When he looked back, any sign of injury was completely gone. Her arm was normal. As if she had just walked in and he hadn’t almost snapped it in half.

He looked at it bewildered and then looked at her kind eyes that sent a consoling look.

“If you’re going to have nightmares around anyone, might as well be someone who can heal themselves,” she shrugged. When he looked back at her with uncertainty, still not trusting himself she assured him again. “It’s ok, Buck. I’m not hurt. If I was, I’d say something.”

He looked from her arm back to her eyes, still trying to get his bearings from just waking up and seeing what he had just did.

“Can I show you?” she asked after a minute of heavy breaths and fear still radiating off of him. It took him a second and he nodded so slightly that she barely caught it, but she laid her palm face up and silently offered him to take it.

He looked down on it. His rigid posture still present and anxiety clear, but slowly he put his hand in hers. And like all the times before, that wave of relaxation and comfort flowed through his body. However it wasn’t the feelings that she was giving him, but instead she was sharing what her own feelings and disposition was. She was showing him just how unbothered by the situation she had been.

“I promise I’m ok. I’ve been through a thousand times worse,” she winked in a way to comfort him some.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, his hand still gently in hers, but his tensity gone now.

“You’re absolutely fine,” she said just as soft.

There were a few long moments that carried out with the atmosphere of serenity.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime,” she nodded before going back to her bed. Their hands sliding off the other slowly as if to drag out a second of the touch as long as possible. “Wanna talk about it?”

He shook his head no and brushed back his hair.

“Just nightmares… They usually happen when I don’t sleep for a substantial amount of hours.”

“I’m sorry,” she said genuinely. “I feel like that’s my fault.”

“No. No, it’s not. I-” he let out a small relaxed laugh. “I rarely sleep the hours people are supposed to.”

She tilted her head at his confession.

“So you have nightmares often then?”

He caught how he just gave himself away and shook out his head, moving to the small kitchenette on the other side of the room.

“What was Tony calling about?” He avoided eye contact as he grabbed the glass cup from the motel and wiped the rim with his shirt before filling it with water.

She noticed the change in topic and went with it.

“New blue prints and maps are coming in. I’ll go to the jet in a little and get them. He said he would send them over, so it should be about 10-15 minutes before they’re all printed.”

“I can grab them,” he volunteered, chunging the glass of water before filling it again.

“Yeah, no. You’ll catch a cold,” she shook her head, grabbing a pair of thicker pants to change into.

“And you won’t?” he countered, but when she gave him a certain look, he put what had happened in the last few minutes into context. “Oh right.”

“Plus, I can fly. You’ll have to take the car and it’ll just be faster for me,” she let out a long sigh.

But not from irritation, it sounded like exhaustion. Which Bucky had detected long before they even arrived at the motel.

“Can you promise me something?” he asked, turning and putting his hands on both sides of the counter behind him.

“Maybe…” she replied, pulling her cargo pants over her sleep shorts.

“You need rest like I do. Promise you’ll sleep when you get back. We can look at everything tomorrow with fresh eyes,” he bartered. She hummed considering his offer. “We’re no good running on fumes. Either of us.”

She took in his reasoning and nodded. She hated to admit it, but she was tired. A good night’s rest would be helpful for her straining eyes and tired muscles.

“Ok, I’ll make that promise. But you’re a part of that deal too.”

“Me getting rest?”

“Yes. Are you ok with me using some of my magic,” she fiddled her fingers in the air like a magician. “On you to make sure you sleep well?”

“I think I can get behind that,” he chuckled. She nodded in agreement as she moved to the door to start her journey to the jet hidden off in the forest. “You sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

“I’ll be fine. Besides, if I were to get hyperthermia, I could heal it,” she winked, opening the door, letting in the air that was similar to the arctic water.

“Be safe,” he said with slight concern still.

“Will do, partner,” she saluted before disappearing into the winter weather.

TAGS:

Everest Tags: (if I missed you in tags, comment on this chapter to let me know:)

@ginger-swag-rapunzel​@annazierden​

Marvel Tags:

@thejourneyneverendsx​@death-unbecomes-you​@lizzymacy555​  @srrymydood​@xa-dia​@redhairedfeistynerd​@morganclaire4​@connie326​@captain-asguard​@mollygetssherlockcoffee​@teenagedreams-bucky​@shower-me-with-roses​@livstilinski​@basicallylool​@starryeyeseunbyul​​

My Lovelies forever:

@natura1phenomenon​​@lauravicente​​@kakakatey​​@traceyaudette​​@notyourtypicalrose​​  @laneygthememequeen​​@awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce​​@sandlee44​​@thorne93​​@thefaithfulwriter1​​@essie1876​​@greyeyedsmile14​​@capsiclehan​​  @xostephanie​​@averyrogers83​​@awesomenursingstudent​​@gh0stgurl​​@cs-please​​@torayuri777@jjlevin​​@rainbowkisses31​​@anise-d-castle6@deannotmoose​​@their-bibliophile​​@kitkatd7​​@willowbleedsonpaper​​@mariaenchanted​​@snffbeebee​​@couldabeenamermaid​​@rebekahdawkins​​@alyispunk​​

Bucky Barnes Tags:

@chloe-skywalker​​@charmedbysarge​​@jbarness​​@bellamy-barnes​​@katiaw2​​@aikeia​​@stopjustlovethemcu​​@enchantedbarnes​

Chapter 11

Day by day, Harper got stronger. She and Bucky still spent time together every day, but it was less than before. There was a growing tension between them when they were together, but they did their best to ignore it. Of course, it didn’t help that they always ended up entangled when she sparred with him. Sometimes he would just grab her around the waist and pull her in close; other times, he would let her knock him down so that she would be on top of him.

They both knew they had feelings for each other, but Harper was adamant about not acting on those feelings. She would admit that she owed him her life, but she didn’t want him to know that. That wasn’t to say that she didn’t enjoy his company; she loved spending time with him. He was a fantastic sparring partner, and he made her laugh more often than she thought possible. But it didn’t matter how much she enjoyed his presence; she couldn’t allow herself to get attached to someone.

Harper sat alone on the sniper range. The wind blew softly against her face as she stared at the targets through the scope. Her heart beat rapidly as she took aim at one of the targets, allowing her finger to dance over the trigger. The bullet hit true each time.

“Damn. It’s like you never missed a beat,” a voice behind her said. She turned and saw Bucky approaching. His hair was slightly disheveled, which usually meant that he’d been running. There was a proud grin on his face as he got closer to where Harper stood. She couldn’t help but smile, especially when he looked at her like that. Like he actually cared what she was doing or thinking. She could have gotten used to that look every single day.

“You need something?” she asked. Bucky shook his head. “Then why’re you here?”

Bucky shrugged and moved to sit in the empty chair next to her, crossing his arms over his chest. They were quiet for a moment before he spoke. “I just thought I’d check on you.”

Harper smiled again, her heart skipping a beat. “You see me all the time, Barnes,” she reminded him.

He nodded. “That may be true. But I only see you when we train weapons or spar together.” Bucky paused, looking out toward the targets, “Besides, this is one of my favorite spots,” he chuckled, trying to ease the rising tension. Bucky turned his attention back to Harper, smiling gently.

She glanced up and met his gaze, returning the expression. “You want a shot?” she questioned, gesturing toward the weapon still propped on the ledge. He shook his head no, so she stood and picked the gun up, slinging it over her shoulder so she could head back to the compound.

The two of them continued to talk while they walked back to the building. As Harper and Bucky approached the doors, Clint stepped through to meet them. “Harley! There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” he said, walking toward her.

“Well, you found me,” she replied. “What do you need?”

“I found them,” he said flatly. “I think anyway.”

“Found who?” Bucky questioned, stepping up next to Harper.

“The men that attacked her,” Clint answered.

Harper rolled her eyes. She had figured Clint would find them, but a part of her hoped he would fail. “Are you sure it’s them?”

Clint nodded. “Positive.”

Harper sighed. “Okay, tell me what you found,” she gently demanded, leading them all inside the building.

Clint relayed everything he knew. From where they were living to where they were currently working jobs. All of which matched up perfectly with what Harper had already discovered from digging on her own.

“So, what’s our next move?” Bucky asked.

Harper stopped dead in her tracks, “Our? There is no ‘our next move’ soldier. This is something I need to do.”

“You’re not going alone, Harley,” Clint reminded her.

“The only reason you are allowed to tag along, Hawk, is because they pose a threat to you too. Trust me; I’m still not thrilled over the idea,” she pointed out.

“Harley-” Bucky began.

“No,” she interrupted, “You have done more than enough for me, Barnes. This… This is something Clint and I need to finish alone.” She watched as Bucky’s jaw clenched, obviously not pleased with her response but unwilling to argue further. She appreciated that. Harper turned to Clint, “When are you expecting to leave?” she asked.

“As soon as you feel ready, I guess,” he shrugged.

Harper nodded, “Then let’s get packed.”

The next evening, Clint and Harper arrived at a hotel outside Cedar Falls, Iowa. Harper had to chuckle to herself when she had found out where they were headed. How cliche for them to finally close this chapter in their lives, in the exact same place it all had started.

As the pair worked to unpack things for the task the following day, Harper looked to her brother who seemed just a little on edge. “You sure you’re ready for this?” she asked, propping their quivers and bows next to the dresser.

“It’s just another job, right?” Clint replied. “Taking out the bad guys to keep my family safe?”

Harper chuckled a bit, shaking her head. “These guys may be old, Hawk, but you saw what they can still do.”

Clint shrugged again. “If it was too easy, I’d start to question our own skills.”

Harper nodded, “Fair point.”

Clint closed up his suitcase, having only brought his bow, arrows, and a few articles of clothing. Harper, on the other hand, brought all of her favorite weapons. She pulled out two of her knives and her handgun, along with a few other items, before setting her suitcase on the floor. She took a seat at the small desk in the room and began wiping down her knives first.

Clint sat on the edge of his bed, watching his sister work. He couldn’t help but notice how calm she seemed in her movements. Clint realized that this was the first time, in their adult lives anyway, that he had ever truly seen his sister. They had been on opposing sides for so long that even when they did get along, there always seemed to be tension. But now, even though she was getting ready to kill someone, she wasn’t upset or scared, or even nervous. It was almost like she was going through the motions from pure muscle memory.

“Harley, can I ask you something?” Clint suddenly broke the silence between them.

Harper looked over at him, giving him a curious look. “Sure.”

Clint hesitated. His hands shook slightly from nerves as he spoke. “What… What happened to us? I mean, what really happened? We used to be so close. And then…” he trailed off.

“Is this really a conversation you want to have right now?”

“Yes, actually. I need to know, so I know I can trust you while we’re out there,” he told her. “I mean, it can’t honestly just be that stupid petty jealousy from when we were kids, right?”

“Petty jealousy?” Harper repeated, raising a brow in confusion.

“Yeah, Jacques overlooked you for me?” Clint questioned.

She blinked, “You honestly think that is why we had a fallout? Because some asshole with a sword and gambling issues chose you over me to be his little bitch?” she laughed.

“Then what? What happened between us, Harley? Why are we always fighting now?” Clint asked.

Harper shook her head, looking back down at her weapons as she set the first knife on the desk. “Look, I’ll admit, I was a little jealous when he chose you. I mean, let’s be honest, I’ve always been better than you with weapons. He knew it, you knew it, everyone knew it. So yeah, I was jealous. But I grew up, Hawk. I got my life together, got my G.E.D., even had a couple really good jobs.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Clint pressed.

Harper finally looked up and met his gaze. “You know, Clint, there was never a day that passed that I didn’t think about my little brother. The years I was gone, never a day went by that I didn’t wonder if I did the right thing by breaking my promise to mom. Always questioning if you were alive or if you were dead in a ditch somewhere.”

“Wait…” Clint trailed off, “…Mom? What promise?”

“’You know how your father is, Harper Lee. You need to keep him safe… from everything,’” she began to recite. “’I’m trusting you to be his guardian angel. Promise me you’ll always keep him safe, Harley.’”

Clint stared at her in silence as he processed what she said. “Harley…” he trailed off, unsure if he wanted to continue.

“Then, on my first assignment as a rookie agent, not only does the house I’m working at get robbed… but it’s my brother who happens to be the one breaking in. At least I knew you were alive, though, right?” she laughed, trying to lighten the mood. Harper grabbed her other knife and began cleaning it as she continued her story. “After Buck left you behind that night, I got right back into that ‘big sister mode.’ He shot both of us that night… but I was older, stronger, I had to keep you safe. Nothing else mattered. But it was painstakingly clear that we couldn’t work together.”

“But… Why?”

“Hawk, you got hurt because you were more concerned about me than yourself.” She paused, glancing at Clint. He remained silent, waiting for the rest of her story. “So, once we were healed up, I left. I left my job; I left my life because I needed to make sure that my brother stayed alive.”

“That’s why you started using the symbol again. So no one actually saw us together,” Clint realized.

Harper nodded. “Yeah, pretty much,” she agreed. She put away her other knife, moving on to cleaning her gun. “I knew it wasn’t enough, though; staying away from you. So, I did the only logical thing I could think of. I called Fury. I told him I had a prospect for him to check out that would be a great addition to his team. Not to mention a perfect fit when he finally made his little Avengers club,” she chuckled.

“That still doesn’t explain why we fight every time we see each other. If you’ve been protecting me all this time, why is it always a fight?” Clint asked, confused. “You ruined my wedding… You…” he groaned, “I mean, for god’s sake, Harley, you shot me the last time we crossed paths. Why?”

Harper sighed, setting the gun back on the desk. “Because,” she began slowly, choosing her words carefully, “If I hadn’t kept you away, I was afraid something would happen to you. I’ve worked for some really bad people, Hawk. If they thought I cared for you, even a little, they’d use that as leverage.” She laughed a little, adding, “Except the wedding. That was personal. I knew Bird was no good for you.”

Clint rolled his eyes, “Wedding aside…” he started, “You’re saying, all these years, it’s just been an act?”

“Basically,” Harper shrugged. “When you started hating me for it, I was a bit hurt, but it made the act far more believable.”

“So, this whole time, I thought it was me. I thought it was my fault that you hated me. I thought I got the job on my own, and you were jealous again; I thought the reason my family was safe was because of the steps I took. And you just went along with that?”

“What would you have wanted me to do, Hawk? Tell you the truth? Put your kids’ lives in danger? Fuck that! I’d rather you hate me than have to go through the pain of losing a child,” she responded angrily.

“We could have kept them safe, Harley. We could have kept you safe,” Clint argued, his voice rising slightly in frustration.

“Iwas safe, Hawk,” she snapped back. “And you know, you’re right. If I had told you the truth, maybe you would have actually helped me when I came to you. But what’s done is done. So can we just focus on moving forward? Once these two are gone, I won’t need your help ever again, and your family will be safe. You can go back to hating me, and you’ll never have to see me again, I promise.”

Clint shook his head, looking at his feet, unable to respond. He sighed heavily.

“For what it’s worth… I am sorry, Hawk. For everything. But I did what I had to do. I made my choice, so you didn’t have to. I couldn’t live with myself if I caused anything to happen to you, the kids, or even Laura,” she explained.

He glanced up at her, his face softening slightly. “It’s okay, Harls,” he replied. “I’m sure if the roles were reversed, I probably would have done the same thing.” He paused, looking down as he continued, “The choice is yours, Harper Lee, but…” Clint took his time, searching for the right words. “Look, the kids seemed to really enjoy your visit. And…”

“Hawk, stop,” she interrupted him, causing him to lift his eyes from the ground. “I know what you’re trying to get at, and I appreciate it. But, I can’t be the sister I once was to you. I can’t stick around, and I can’t join your little team. I’m alone in this, and that’s how I need to stay. It’s for the best,” she explained, staring him in the eyes.

Clint looked back at her silently for a few moments before nodding, accepting the answer without arguing. “How about we agree to disagree? And we can talk about it after we’re done with this job?” he suggested.

“Sure, Hawk,” she smiled.

Harper left her weapons lying on a cloth on the desk. She bent down, dug out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from her suitcase, and made her way to the bathroom to change. Maybe working with Clint won’t be so bad. She mused as she pulled on her shorts, turning to look at her reflection in the mirror as she ran her fingers over the scars on her shoulder. Then again, I do my best work alone.

Chapter 13 –Masterlist–Taglist

Chapter 10

It had been a month since Harper was brought back to the tower. She had been going to physical therapy every morning, despite the fact that she no longer required assistance with anything, and she was finally feeling back to her old self. It would still take some work for her to use her bow, or a gun, at least as she once had, but she was determined to get out of the care of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers as soon as she could.

Fury decided that the best option for her was to move to the compound. She would be able to heal in peace, mostly, and she would be able to work with weapons any time she wanted. Harper begrudgingly agreed, if for no other reason than knowing she owed her life to him. What harm could a few weeks in a guarded vacation home do anyway?

Four weeks at the compound passed quickly. Thanks to the serum, she was healing rapidly, felt stronger than ever before, and was finally able to use her right arm without much issue. She still wasn’t a hundred percent yet, but she was close enough.

Bucky had stuck by her side as much as she allowed, helping her to regain her strength and accuracy both in combat and with weaponry. She trusted him enough to let him take care of her, but it wasn’t always easy. Harper had never been one to allow anyone to get close to her. She was always guarded, cautious, and wary. But Bucky made her feel relaxed in a way that she’d only ever been able to relax around him. Harper now knew what it felt like, to be vulnerable, and it wasn’t a feeling she ever wanted to experience again. Bucky understood this and was very patient with her.

One afternoon, they were in the gym sparring with each other. He was careful with her right side, knowing her shoulder had taken the brunt of the damage and had yet to heal fully, or so he assumed.

“Come on, soldier, I know you can do better than that,” Harper taunted him.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Bucky protested.

“I’ve told you, soldier. I’ll be fine. After everything I went through, you’re nothing,” Harper retorted.

He scoffed, “And I’ve told you, call me Bucky. I’m not the Winter Soldier anymore, okay?”

“Fine… Bucky. Now show me what you got,” Harper challenged.

There was something going on with her. No one should be healing as quickly as Harper was. She was stronger too. Not wanting to press things though, Bucky just sighed as they both jumped into a fight stance, fists raised, ready to strike. They circled each other warily, sizing up their opponent and gauging if they could land any hit on them. Then Bucky threw a punch at Harper, who blocked it easily. She quickly retaliated with a kick to Bucky’s leg, causing him to stumble.

Harper followed that up by tackling him to the ground. She landed squarely on top of him, pinning his arms down underneath her. Bucky growled, trying to buck Harper off of him. She smirked and leaned in close to his ear. He froze instantly, his breathing labored.

She whispered, “Remember what happened last time we were like this? Remember how we nearly killed each other?” Bucky swallowed hard and nodded his head. A faint smile spread across her face, “Don’t worry, soldier… Bucky… This time is different,” she said softly.

Harper shifted her weight, so she was sitting astride Bucky’s hips, straddling his waist and allowing his arms to move freely once again. She saw something familiar in his eyes, something she had seen before when she was with the Winter Soldier. It was the same glimmer in his eye she remembered seeing each time he learned he would be working alongside her.

She knew it was wrong, but something in her heart pulled her forward. Something she had never felt before. That same pull grew stronger with every passing second until their lips met. Hard. Bucky responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

After several minutes, they pulled apart. Both were panting slightly. Bucky rested his forehead against hers. He gently ran his fingers through her hair before resting his hands on her lower back. They stayed like that for a few moments until Harper finally broke the silence, “I’m sorry…” she muttered.

Bucky shook his head, “For what?”

“I shouldn’t have kissed you…” she trailed off, sitting up on her knees still straddling Bucky’s hips.

Bucky smiled, “It’s alright.”

“No, Bucky,” she started. “I mean… we can’t…” she sighed softly, “It’s too dangerous.”

“What?” Bucky asked, confused.

Harper pushed herself off of him and stood up. “I’ve been walking this world alone for a long time, Bucky. It’s kept me safe all these years; I can’t risk doing something reckless like this.”

Bucky stood up, “I don’t understand, Harley.”

Harper turned to face him, “The last thing I need is someone getting hurt because I let my guard down,” she said firmly.

Bucky frowned, “Why don’t we just talk about this?” he suggested, brushing himself off.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Bucky. It just isn’t possible,” she insisted.

Bucky stepped forward, putting his hands lightly on her waist, “Look, Harley, I understand… I really do. But you’re not alone anymore.”

She backed away from him, pulling out of his grasp. “Listen, soldier. I’m not staying. Once I can use my bow again, I’m gone,” she stated firmly. Harper sighed, shaking her head when she saw the disappointment in his eyes. “It’s safer this way… for everyone,” she finished quietly. With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Bucky in the gym alone.

Standing at the line at the archery range, Harper pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back. Taking aim, she released her hand, nailing the target perfectly in the center. Smiling, she placed another arrow to her string, lining up for another shot. The next arrow was much faster than the first and hit the target dead center again, just to the side of the first.

“Looks like someone’s back to themselves,” a voice said behind her.

Harper sighed and turned to face the man who had spoken. “Still not perfect, but I’ll get there.”

“How are you feeling?”

She shrugged, “Better than before. The shoulder still has some healing to do, but with as much damage as that arrow did, I guess that’s to be expected.”

“You going to tell me yet just how you managed to heal almost completely in just over two months?”

“I told you, Hawk, I don’t know.”

“That’s bullshit, Harley. Why won’t you just tell me the truth? What harm could it do?” he questioned.

Harper glared at him, “Why is it so important that you know?” she spat.

“Because you’re my sister, Harley,” Clint replied simply. “Here I am, trying to reach out to you, giving you a chance, and you just turn it into a fight.”

“You’re only bitching because you feel guilty, Hawk. I’m not stupid,” Harper retorted sharply.

Clint sighed, “Guilt or not; it doesn’t matter. I’m trying, Harley. Why can’t you?”

“Because I don’t need your pity, Clint. I needed my brother. I reached out to my brother. And you brushed me off like I was dust on your bow,” she hissed angrily.

Clint sighed, “I’m sorry, Harls. I should have listened… I shouldn’t have reacted so cold toward you when you first showed up. I’m sorry. Just -”

“Just stop, Hawk. Save your ‘sorry.’ I don’t need it. Not from you. Not from anyone,” Harper snapped harshly.

Clint flinched, “Alright,” he mumbled softly. “Then what do you want?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. I’m healthy enough. I think I’m just going to go,” Harper answered.

“Go where?” Clint questioned.

“Back to work. Back to what I do best,” Harper answered.

Clint looked shocked, “You want to leave? To do what? Find the two people that tried to kill you? That’s suicide, Harley!”

“I have an advantage this time. I’ll be fine,” Harper assured him.

Her brother stared at her intently, studying her facial expression. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully before taking a deep breath. “The serum,” he murmured.

Harper gave him a quizzical look, “Excuse me?”

“The serum you were searching for. Fury told you where to find it, and you took it. Didn’t you?” Clint guessed. “That’s why you survived the attack. The serum was already trying to heal your wounds before Barnes ever found you.”

Harper nodded slowly; there was no sense lying to him. “Yes,” she agreed. “I injected a small dose before they ever found me. When Barnes brought me here, Fury found the vials in my bag and had Banner give me a second dose.”

“That explains it,” Clint nodded. “Listen, Harley. Why don’t we make a deal? One where we can both get what we want?”

“Like what?”

“Before you leave, give me two weeks. I’ll find the men that attacked you, and you have more time to heal and practice; get yourself back where you know you need to be,” Clint negotiated.

“Why?” she questioned. “Why help me now?”

“They are as much a threat to me as they are you. Not to mention, if you go at it alone and fail, they become a threat to my kids. They made us into what we are… so what do you say we end it the same way we started? Together.”

Harper hesitated before saying, “Fine. I guess we’ll see what happens,” she replied. “But only two weeks, Hawk. That’s it.”

Clint nodded, “Good enough for me,” he said with a smirk before heading towards the exit.

Chapter 12 –Masterlist–Taglist

Chapter 9

Two weeks had passed since Bucky found Harper clinging to life in Atlanta. One of the doctors helping to care for her in the tower felt that she was at the point that they could safely bring her out of the drug-induced coma. They began to lower the dose of the anesthetic she was being given in hopes of easing her awake slowly.

Though he had spent the better part of the last fourteen days by Harper’s side, Bucky was away on a short mission when they began the process of waking her. When he returned early the next morning, he rushed to the clinic and was thankful to see she was still asleep. Bruce was checking her vitals and I.V. medications when Bucky walked in. He froze for a moment when he saw Clint seated in a chair on the other side of Harper’s bed.

“Ah, Barnes, welcome back,” Bruce greeted. “She should be awake soon, so you’re just in time.”

Bucky looked over at Clint, who met his gaze. He could see the sadness in Clint’s eyes as if he was fighting with himself not to show it. Bucky swallowed thickly before walking over and taking a seat in an empty chair next to Harper. “Barton…” he began softly.

“I know,” Clint whispered before placing his hand gently on Harper’s. “She wouldn’t want to see me anyway. I just didn’t want her alone if she woke up before you got back.” He stood from his chair and began walking to the door.

“If you want to stay, then stay, Clint,” Bucky told him. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you when you first came to see her,” he said apologetically. “I know she is the only family you have left besides your kids, and-”

“Maybe by blood, Barnes, but Harley and I haven’t been family for a really long time,” Clint argued softly, opening the door of the room and walking out without another word.

Bruce watched him leave before turning back to Bucky, who was looking down at his hands before running them through his hair nervously. “He’ll come around. They both will,” Banner assured him. Bucky nodded but did not respond. Pulling out a book, he leaned back in his chair and began reading, trying to find some way to keep his mind off of everything that was going on.

Bucky was so lost in his book that he didn’t notice Harper had begun to stir ever so slightly. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the light and surroundings. She gave a weak smile when she finally noticed who was in the room with her. “Well, hey there, soldier,” she said hoarsely.

Bucky looked up from his book, smiling slightly when he saw her awake. “Hey yourself, Angel,” he responded softly. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he closed his book and set it aside.

“I’ve been worse,” she joked, trying to laugh but instead wincing when pain flared through her body. “Where am I?” she questioned, confused.

“You’re at the Avengers’ Tower in New York,” he answered. “Try not to move too much yet. You’re banged up pretty good, and need to rest.”

“How’d I get here?” she questioned further. “The last thing I remember was being in a hotel room.”

“You were hurt pretty bad, Angel, and-”

“Please, soldier, call me Harley. Keep that Angel shit for work,” she cut him off.

Bucky hesitated slightly before nodding. “Alright… Harley,” he replied. “The short version, I guess, is that I found you in your hotel room in Atlanta. You were… in rough shape. You have a couple of gunshot wounds, some cuts, and scrapes, bruising, a couple of broken ribs, and an arrow wound to your right shoulder,” Bucky explained.

“Damn,” she muttered, trying to remember what happened. “How long have I been here?”

“About two weeks now.”

“Why’d you come looking for me?” Harley asked curiously.

“Honestly? I overheard Fury tell Clint that he was worried. He thought something had happened to you. Clint didn’t seem too concerned and said you could handle yourself. But you saved my life before, so, I don’t know, maybe I felt like I owed you one,” he shrugged.

“If Fury was involved, I can see how you knew what city to look at, but Atlanta isn’t exactly a small town. How’d you know where I was?”

Bucky chuckled a little, “I know you always stay in the most expensive hotel when you’re on a job. I also remembered the alias you used to use and took a shot. With a little white lie, I managed to get into your room. When I walked in, I saw you on the bed…” He hung his head as he finished his explanation.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For coming for me,” Harley added. “I know I’m not really worth saving, but thank you.”

“Youare worth it,” Bucky said firmly, meeting her gaze.

Harley smiled weakly, “You know that’s not true, soldier. You should know better than anyone.”

Bucky sighed deeply, knowing entirely too well why she felt the way she did. He also knew there was no winning the argument over the matter. “Do you know who did this to you?” he asked, changing the subject.

“I didn’t see their faces if that’s what you’re asking. But I know who sent them, and I have a pretty good idea of who the two men were that attacked me. And believe me, I am going to make them pay for this,” she swore, a fire burning behind her green eyes.

“Harley. We-”

“No, soldier,” she interrupted, causing him to fall silent. “This is my fight, mine, and I’m going to take care of it. They made the mistake of leaving me alive, and that mistake is going to cost them dearly,” she told him, determination burning behind her words.

“Harley, please. You don’t have to fight alone. You’re going to be out of action for a few months, at least. Let us help you,” he pleaded. “We can protect you.”

“No,” she shook her head adamantly. “I won’t allow you, or anyone, to put their life on the line for me. These people would give the Winter Soldier a run for his money alone, let alone as a team. I won’t let any of you risk yourselves for me,” she continued to argue.

The door to the room opened, pulling their attention away from the conversation. “Sorry to interrupt,” Bruce apologized sheepishly. “How are you feeling, Miss Barton?”

Harley offered a smile, “Been better. Been worse,” she joked.

Bruce smirked faintly, glad that she could still joke about all of this despite how badly she must feel. “There’s a couple of people who would like to see you, if you’re up for it, that is?”

She nodded, “Sure, why not.”

“I’ll go,” Bucky said quickly, standing from his chair. “I’ll come to check on you again later if you want?”

Despite the annoyance Harley was feeling at their argument moments ago, she found herself smiling at him as she spoke, “Yeah, alright.” He moved closer to the side of the bed and took her hand in his. Harley squeezed his hand lightly. “Thanks, soldier. For everything.”

“You’re welcome, Harley,” he answered quietly before grabbing his book off of the chair and leaving the room.

Once he was gone, Bruce turned to her. “Are you hungry?”

Harley nodded, “A little, yeah.”

“I’ll see what I can get for you,” Bruce said. “I’ll let Fury and Clint know that you’re awake, but to give you a little bit of time before they come to see you, okay?”

“That’s fine. Thank you,” Harper told Banner as he headed towards the door. As soon as he was gone, Harley laid back against her pillow. Her eyes drifted shut after a while as exhaustion started to weigh on her tired body.

Harley awoke again a few hours later to find her brother sitting next to her bed. “Hey,” she mumbled.

“Hey,” Clint said back softly. He reached out and brushed some of her hair away from her face. “How do you feel?”

“Like a semi-truck ran me over,” Harley replied with a slight chuckle that quickly turned to a groan.

“You look like it too.” Clint laughed.

“Thanks,” Harper said sarcastically. She sighed, trying to sit up but still unable to move much.

Clint watched as his sister struggled. He’d never seen her so helpless before. She was always the one taking care of him, always there to ensure he was safe. Now, when she had needed him most, he wasn’t there for her.

Harper could see in his eyes that he felt responsible. “I’ll be fine, Hawk. Really,” she tried to assure him. “I’ve been hurt before; this isn’t anything new.”

Clint looked at her sternly. “This is different, Harper Lee.”

“First, you know I hate when you use my full name. I’m not some kid in trouble, Hawk,” she scolded. “Second, how is this any different than any other time? I’ve been shot before, I’ve had bones broken before,” Harper tried to reason.

Clint just shook his head. “Not like this. This is different.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Clint paused. He took a deep breath. “Harley, you almost died. You needed blood transfusions and surgeries. You have so much morphine pumping through you that I’m surprised you feel any of the pain at all. For fuck sake, you were in a coma for two damn weeks. And now you’re trying to brush it off because your stupid, selfish ass can’t deal with being vulnerable.”

“You’re right,” she stated simply. “But you know what else? None of that is your fault, Clint. Not one thing that happened to me is anyone’s fault but my own. So why should I take the charity of you and your friends because of my own stupidity?”

“Harley-”

“No,” she cut him off. “I get it, Hawk. You’re my brother. You feel bad because it wasn’t you that jumped to my rescue. You blew me off, and now you feel responsible for what happened. But I am not a damsel in distress. I don’t need you, or your friends, to save me. I can take care of myself.” She glared at him. “I’m stronger than you think I am.”

“I know you’re strong, and I respect that. But damn it, Harley, you don’t have to be. If you had just told me you were in trouble instead of playing your bullshit games, I could have helped you.” He glared at her, willing her to understand what he was saying.

She stared at her brother. “It’s my fight, Hawk, not yours. This isn’t some back alley fight or a bunch of aliens from outer space. This is my life, and if I can’t handle it, then that’s my problem.”

“Do you even hear yourself? This isn’t about you or your bullshit jobs. This is about you getting hurt. This is about you almost dying for fuck sake!”

Harper rolled her eyes. “I’m. Fine. Hawk,” she snapped. Her tone was angry.

Before Clint could say anything, Director Fury walked into the room. “Barton, good to see you awake,” he greeted.

“I can only assume I owe you a thank you for saving my life?” Harper asked sarcastically.

Director Fury smirked slightly. “We’ll call it a personal courtesy,” he answered calmly. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time, Barton. I know you need to rest. But I have to ask…”

“I know what you want, Fury. I didn’t see their faces, but I have a pretty good idea who it was. I’m not as worried about them as I am who sent them. If they found me in Georgia, I can only assume they found Scorpio.”

Director Fury nodded. “Don’t worry about that. They are safe,” he assured her.

Harper nodded. “Thank god.”

“We need to know who attacked you, though, Barton. We need to make sure that they won’t try to come after you here at the tower. It could put all of us at risk,” Fury continued.

“They think I’m dead, Fury. They won’t try to show up here as long as I lay low until I’m healed enough to fight again,” Harper stated.

Clint frowned. “And what if you’re wrong?”

“I’m not,” she glared at her brother.

“We can’t take that risk, Barton,” Fury insisted. “We need to know who targeted you.”

Harper shook her head. “Fury, this is all a personal vendetta. Against me, and you. They aren’t stupid enough to try to hit a S.H.I.E.L.D. location. That would be suicidal.”

Fury raised an eyebrow. “Me?”

“I did my research while I was figuring out their identity. Think about it, Nick. Who else do you think would involve Scorpio?”

He paused for a moment, hoping he was wrong. “Leviathan?” Fury questioned.

Harper glared at him. “Yes, Leviathan.”

“What are you two talking about?” Clint asked curiously.

“It is - well, it was, a Russian-based organization. They were similar to Hydra, but when they failed, the organization’s leader turned his efforts to destroying the other members of the Zodiac. I’m the last surviving member,” Fury explained.

“Then, who’s Scorpio?” Clint questioned.

“My son,” Fury replied simply. “It’s part of the reason I know your sister so well,” he continued.

Clint looked between the two, trying to decipher what they meant. “I don’t understand.”

“Fury and I met while I was enlisted. When I got out, he got me a job with the CIA working under him. But when he joined S.H.I.E.L.D., I left the agency and went rogue,” Harper answered. “He tried to recruit me, but I was making better money on my own. It didn’t seem worth it to give that up. So, instead, he gave me a job. No one knew about his kid, and he wanted to keep it that way, but Fury also wanted to ensure his son was kept safe. I still took on jobs for the highest bidder, but between jobs, I was with Marcus and his mother.”

“So, this Marcus, is Fury’s kid, andScorpio?”

“Yeah. I don’t know what mess Marcus got himself into or why he took up the moniker. I just know, I was contacted by Orion to take out Scorpio. As soon as I learned who it really was, I canceled the contract. Orion didn’t like that, so he sent people after me. The only two people that could actually pose a threat to me when teamed together.” Harper looked to her brother, her eyes pleading with him to understand.

“I thought they quit the game when they couldn’t kill me?” Clint asked, confused.

“They couldn’t kill you because you had help, Hawk. I don’t.” She paused, letting her words sink in. “But, now that they think I’m dead, it needs to stay that way until I can take care of things. If they know they failed, they will do what they can to get me out of hiding. That includes making a little trip to Missouri if they need to.” Harper’s words hit hard, causing Clint to realize exactly what his sister was suggesting.

“You’re not taking care of shit, Harley. This is far beyond anything you can handle alone. Not to mention the risk involved if you fail again. Screw your pride for once. You’re out of commission for a few months at least, so we’re helping whether you like it or not. This is no longer a personal problem for you, Harper Lee. It’s now an Avenger problem,” Clint spoke firmly, not letting her protest.

Harper sighed, knowing that arguing wouldn’t change her brother’s mind, but she hated that he was right. She’d be risking her life if she tried to go on alone. Harper knew this, she understood it, but… she still hated the idea of accepting help. She still wanted to prove to herself that she was stronger than she had ever believed she could be. She just wanted to prove to herself that she could do this, that she could defend herself against those who would attack her.

Clint left the room quickly before Harper could even agree with him. As soon as the door shut behind him, Fury spoke up again. “Are you going to tell them about the serum?”

“Clint is pissed enough. I think it’s best if I wait before I tell him,” she answered honestly. “He’s not ready to hear about it.”

“I think he deserves to know,” Fury responded. “They will all know something once they realize just how quickly you are healing.”

“Banner injected me with a second dose, didn’t he? Or at least a proper dose?”

“Your injuries were -”

“That’s a yes,” she sighed, cutting him off. “I appreciate it, Fury. All of this. I’m sorry it got to this point.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Barton. We share the blame on this one.”

Harper smiled ruefully at him. “Thanks for everything.”

“Anytime.” He nodded to her before turning and walking out of the room.

Harper leaned back against the pillows, running a hand slowly through her hair. God, she felt exhausted. She closed her eyes briefly, hoping the meds would help calm her thoughts and calm her nerves.

Chapter 11 –Masterlist–Taglist

Chapter 8

Bucky found himself in Atlanta the next afternoon. He knew enough about Harper that he hoped it wouldn’t take long to locate her. Opening the browser on his phone, he looked up the most expensive hotel in the area. Clicking on the number, he called the front desk.

“Hello, thank you for calling. How can we help you today?” a young female answered.

“I am looking for my wife, and I’m hoping you can tell me if she has checked out yet or not?” Bucky lied confidently.

“I would be happy to look for you, sir. Can I have the last name?”

“It should be under Samael,” he told the girl. It was the alias she had always used when working for Hydra, so it was worth trying now. “I’m not sure which first name she used, but it should be either Lilith or Freya.”

There was a pause, but he could hear the clicking of the keys as the girl typed on the computer. “It looks like she is still checked in and has the room booked for another couple of days, sir,” she informed him.

“Wonderful,” Bucky said, “Can you put me through to her room? She isn’t answering her cell phone, and I just want to make sure she is doing alright.”

“Of course, sir. Just one moment.”

After another brief pause, the phone began to ring. Bucky let the tone play through a few times and then hung up. Harper wasn’t answering, which could mean one of two things. Bucky could only hope that it meant she was out of the room, but he still had a bad feeling in his gut about this entire situation. Plugging the address into his phone’s GPS, Bucky made his way to the hotel.

He approached the front desk, where a young woman stood behind a large counter. “Hi, there,” he said, trying to appear friendly. “My wife is currently checked in here. I tried her cell phone and room phone, but there was no answer. Is there any way you can help me out?”

“Oh yes, you called for her not too long ago,” the clerk said. “Let me try calling her room since we don’t usually give out guest information. If she doesn’t answer, I will make an exception this once for you.”

“Ireally appreciate it,” Bucky smiled at her. He walked over to the seating area in the lobby and waited while she called up to the room.

The young clerk tried to call Harper’s room three times over twenty minutes before giving up and creating another key for the room. Placing it in the small sleeve with the room number, she walked around the counter to the lobby and approached Bucky. “I tried calling a few times, but there was no answer,” she explained, handing him the card. “Here is a key for the room. If you have any trouble, just let me know,” she smiled at him kindly.

“Thank you so much,” he told her.

She left the lobby and went back to work, leaving Bucky alone. He quickly made his way to the room, knocking on the door first, hoping that Harper might answer. When there was no response, he used the key and opened the door, thankful she didn’t lock it with the safety locks. Bucky stepped inside and quickly closed the door behind him, glancing around the room. He could tell immediately something was wrong.

Walking farther in, Bucky saw Harper laid out on the bed with blood staining the sheets. She was unmoving, and her breathing was shallow. Her skin was pale, and her usually bright blonde hair now had hints of a dull copper-red. She had been beaten pretty badly and was bleeding from multiple wounds all over her body.

Bucky’s heart ached. The Dark Angel was untouchable, just as he had been as the Winter Soldier. Seeing her so weak, so helpless, broke something in his heart that had never been touched before. He couldn’t help but kneel down beside the bed, tears pricking his eyes as he gently brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from her face. “Damn it, Angel,” he whispered with a sigh. “You’re going to be okay. I promise,” he murmured.

He stood back up, pulled out his phone, and took a seat in the chair at the small desk. Scrolling through the names in his contact list, he knew there was only one person he could call.

“What is it, Barnes?”

“It’s about the Dark Angel, Fury,” he replied.

“What about her?” the director asked.

“I found her, sir. And it’s not good.”

“Hang on a minute,” Fury responded. Bucky could hear shuffling on the other end for a few moments and then heard a door slam shut. “Where did you find her?” Fury finally spoke again.

“At a hotel in Atlanta,” he replied.

“Was she conscious when you found her?” the director questioned.

“No. She is unconscious, and her injuries are extensive.”

Fury groaned. “Is she breathing?”

“Yes, she’s alive, but barely. She is severely wounded, sir.”

“How serious are her injuries?”

“She was bleeding profusely, though it seems to have stopped for the time being, and has severe lacerations across her chest and abdomen. A wound straight through her shoulder, but I don’t know what from. She has bruises all over her as well. I don’t know what happened to her, but she’s in bad shape.”

Fury sighed. “Send me the location and room number. I’ll have someone come and collect her. Whatever you do, do not give them any information about who she is. Clean her up as best you can, and I’ll have a clean-up crew handle the room.”

“Understood, sir,” Bucky said, hanging up.

Setting his phone down, Bucky ran his hand over his face before standing and walking to the bathroom. He turned on the water at the sink, allowing it to warm up while he grabbed a couple of the small face towels. Wetting each and wringing them out, he shut off the water and walked back to the bed. Bucky gently began to wipe the dried blood off Harper’s exposed skin.

As he cleaned off her face, he heard a quiet groan escape her lips. Bucky froze. His heart was beating faster than usual as he looked at Harper. “Hey, Angel, stay with me, okay?” he whispered softly. Bucky placed his hand in hers, wrapping her fingers around his palm. “I know you’re weak, but if you can hear me, please, try to squeeze my hand. Or twitch your fingers. Something,” he begged her.

Harper tried her best to close her hand around his, only able to curl her fingers a little. Her eyes flitted open briefly, and he felt a pang of hope. “You’re okay, Angel. I need you to keep fighting for me. We’re going to get you out of here and fixed up. I promise, okay?” Harper moaned again in response, squeezing his hand as best she could.

Once Bucky had gotten her as cleaned up as he could, he set about packing up all of her things. He picked up the room and ensured everything was where it needed to be. There was a knock at the door that took his attention. Approaching it carefully, he looked out the peephole to see a pair of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on the other side. Bucky opened the door and ushered them inside.

“We’re going to take her out the back door and directly into our van. She’ll be transported to the hangar, where we will be getting her onto a quinjet to fly her back to New York. Fury said you could fly back with her, if you want,” one of the agents explained to Bucky.

“Yeah, okay. What about clean-up in here?” Bucky asked.

“We have a team coming in. Just give us your room keys, and one of the agents will check her out once the room is clean,” he replied.

Bucky nodded at him and handed the man the two room keys. The agents thanked him, carefully picked up Harper, and walked out of the room. The second they were gone, Bucky grabbed her bag and made his way to the front of the hotel. He avoided the front desk and quickly got into his car to follow the van to the S.H.I.E.L.D. hangar.

Within two hours of Bucky calling Fury, he and Harper were back at the Avenger’s Tower safe. Bruce was hard at work figuring out just how extensive Harper’s injuries were. While he worked on the scans and tests, Bucky stayed by Harper’s side, watching the monitors, waiting for any answers Banner could give him.

Clint walked into the room while a nurse was cleaning up a few more wounds on Harper. “What happened, Barnes?” he asked, concerned.

“Why do you care?” Bucky asked him sharply, looking at him coldly.

“She’s my sister. Why wouldn’t I care about her?” Clint replied simply.

“You didn’t seem overly concerned when Fury told you he was worried something happened,” Bucky snapped. “What if I hadn’t overheard? Huh? What if I hadn’t flown down there to find her? If it had been left to you, she’d be dead, Barton!”

Clint put his hands up defensively. “Okay. Yeah. You’ve got a point. But she’s still my sister. We may not like each other, but I still love her,” Clint admitted quietly. Bucky stared at him for a moment in silence before turning away. “Do you know what happened?” Clint inquired after several minutes.

“No,” Bucky said bluntly, shaking his head slowly. “I took a shot in the dark that she still used the same alias, and I knew she only ever stayed at the most expensive hotels. By the time I got to her, she was unconscious and barely breathing.” Bucky paused for a long moment before continuing. “I called Fury, got her cleaned up as best I could, and we came back here. The doctor has her in a medically induced coma, but there’s no telling how bad things are yet.”

“Shit,” Clint muttered, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at the monitors and frowned. After a few minutes of silence, Barton turned to leave. “If anything changes, let me know,” he called over his shoulder. Clint looked back at Bucky with a somber expression as he stepped through the door. “Thanks, Barnes,” he added, closing the door as he left.

Chapter 10 –Masterlist–Taglist

Chapter 7

Harper arrived in Atlanta and parked outside the house. It had been several years since she had last seen the mother and son that resided inside. The home was dark when she entered, but as soon as her footsteps fell upon the creaking floorboards, a form appeared in the hallway between the living room and where Harper needed to go.

“It’s been a while,” said the man who appeared before her.

“Marcus, now isn’t a good time,” she warned.

The man raised his left hand, aiming a gun at Harper’s heart. “Seems like that choice is up to me, not you.”

She sighed, shaking her head slightly. “I taught you everything you know, junior. But I didn’t teach you everything I know. Just let me do what I need to, and I’ll be gone.”

“Who sent you?” Marcus questioned.

“No one fucking sent me,” she scoffed. “I’m here to get something, that’s it.”

His finger slowly moved off the gun’s trigger, relaxing only slightly. “And just what would that be?”

“That’s my business, not yours.”

“So you’re not here for me? Or my mom?” he questioned.

“No. I’m not. You know damn well, if I was here for either of you, you’d both be dead already. I wouldn’t be standing here making small talk with you.”

He looked away from Harper, lowering the weapon and placing it back in its holster. “So why are you here?” he asked.

“The safe in the office. I just need to get something out of it. Then I’m going on my merry way,” she answered.

“How do you expect to get in? My mother has the key hidden, and neither of us knows the code.”

“I have the code, dumbass. Otherwise, I would have shown up when I knew your mother was here. Not when I thought the house was empty.” Harper took a few steps toward the hall where he stood. “Now, are you going to let me get what I came for? Or are you just going to cause a problem?”

Marcus stepped aside, allowing Harper to walk down the hallway to the office. “What’s in there that you need so badly?”

“Nothing you need to know about,” she stated. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to be quick. The longer I’m here, the greater the risk to you… and your mom.”

Marcus watched Harper until she disappeared around the corner and into the room. It wasn’t long before she reemerged, tucking something into the pocket of her jacket. She paused briefly at his side to pat his shoulder as she passed him. Once she reached the front door, Harper turned back to face the young man. “Listen, Marcus…” she started, locking eyes with him. “You’re like a brother to me, and you know full well I would never let harm come to you or your mother. I don’t know what kind of shit you got yourself caught up in. Hell, I don’t think I want to know. But promise me something, alright?”

“Sure.” He shrugged. “I guess?” he replied, not sure of the question.

“Promise me you will reach out if it gets too bad? Your mom knows people to call. They can help protect you both.”

Marcus nodded his head, “I promise,” he assured her. “But what about you?”

“Keeping you two safe is the reason I can’t stay now, nor can I have contact with either of you until I know this threat is squashed. I know damn well that whoever you pissed off has someone tracking me, even if they’re doing a shit job of it. That’s why I have to get back to New York before they can find me here.”

He studied Harper’s face for another moment, trying to read some sort of emotion that he couldn’t see. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of her words. She had always been cryptic, and he never really knew how much she meant by anything she said, but he could tell she meant everything this time. He trusted her. That’s what mattered most in this situation. “I understand,” Marcus told her. “Be careful.”

“Always am,” she assured him with a smirk as she walked out of the house.

It had been five days since Fury had seen Harper. He wasn’t expecting her to reach out once she had acquired the serum, but he had thought someone would have mentioned her visit. While sitting in his office, he decided to call once again.

“Hello?” a man answered.

“I’m looking for Nia,” Fury replied.

“Sure, just a second.”

Fury could hear some shuffling before a woman spoke up. “Hello?”

“Nia, has the Angel arrived yet?”

“She was here two days ago. As far as I knew, she was heading back your way. Why?” Nia asked.

“I haven’t heard from her. Not that I expected to, but what she said before she left has me wondering.”

“Nick…” her voice trailed off. He could hear the worry in her tone, though.

“I’ll figure it out. Just stay alert. When I know more, I’ll fill you in,” Fury told her, hanging up the phone without another word.

Fury sat there for a moment with a troubled look on his face. Things like this didn’t typically phase him, but knowing the people involved made this situation different. This was a possible threat to people he cared deeply for, not just friends and colleagues.

Standing from his desk, Nick walked out of his office and down to the archery range. He found Clint working with some recruits and called him into the empty hallway to speak with him. “It’s about your sister, Barton,” Fury began.

“What about her?”

“How much do you know about her life?” Fury questioned. Barton looked at Fury in confusion. “Let me put it this way,” he tried, “Before a couple of weeks ago, when was the last time you saw her?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “Close to fifteen years. Why?”

“She was in my office last week, wanting that serum. She said there was someone after her,” Fury said.

Clint rolled his eyes, “There’s no one that could be a threat to her.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Barton. Someone, or something, has her spooked enough to seek me out.”

“Look, Fury, with all due respect, Harley has made more than her fair share of enemies through the years. I’m sure she is fine and just said what she felt she needed to say to get what she wanted,” Clint insisted.

As Clint and Fury continued their conversation about Harper, Bucky approached from a side hallway. Before he could turn the corner, he heard the two men talking. Stopping in his tracks, Bucky stood with his back against the wall and listened.

“Barton, your sister was last seen in Atlanta two days ago, and there has been no sign of her since. I’ve got a bad feeling that something happened to her,” Fury explained.

“And that makes it my problem how exactly?” Clint responded. “Just because she is my sister doesn’t mean I would go on some wild goose chase to find her because of some ‘bad feeling.’”

Fury sighed heavily; he couldn’t argue with that. “Look, I just want to make sure she’s okay. If she isn’t, then we might need to think about how to protect ourselves,” Fury reasoned.

The two men stared each other down for a few seconds before Clint turned around and headed back towards the range. “I’m sorry, Fury, but I can’t help you,” he said as the door shut behind him.

Bucky let out a breath and walked down the hall, back the way he had come. He knew the Angel, and he knew Fury. If something had the two of them worried, it wasn’t anything good. Bucky knew Clint wouldn’t do anything, not until it was too late anyway. Still… he couldn’t shake the idea that something terrible was going to happen, if it hadn’t already…

Chapter 9 –Masterlist–Taglist

Chapter 6

Fury opened the door to his office, flipping on the light as he stepped inside. He seemed unphased as the light revealed someone sitting in his chair at the desk. The stranger had their head tipped back and hands behind their head, eyes closed, and their feet kicked up on the desk with their ankles crossed.

“To what do I owe the visit?” Fury asked.

“I just have some questions… Director.”

“Those questions wouldn’t have anything to do with the files that you copied from S.H.I.E.L.D. servers, would they?” He stepped further into his office, closing the door behind him.

“They might.” The person lowered their feet to the floor and sat up in the chair.

Fury stood at the corner of his desk. “Then allow me to ask a question first,” he began. “Are we playing fair?”

“That entirely depends on you, Fury,” the visitor shrugged.

Nick took his weapon out of its holster and placed it in the center of his desk. The visitor stood, placed a knife on the desk and walked around to the other side, allowing Fury to take a seat in his chair. “What questions might you have, Barton?” he asked.

“I want to know where the vials from Project Gladiator are,” Harper answered.

Fury sat back in his chair. “You won’t find them,” he responded.

“You really believe that?” she challenged.

“I can assure you,” Fury answered, leaning forward onto his desk, “That no one can find those vials.”

“I think you underestimate me,” Harper stated flatly.

“What do you want them for?”

Harper smirked. “That’s my business.”

Fury sat up straight again. “It’s going to come out, either way, Barton.”

“Maybe,” she agreed, “But on my time, not yours.”

“So… you want it for yourself,” he reasoned.

“Never said anything to the contrary, did I?” She asked.

“No,” he confirmed. “But you know as well as I do that there are plenty of people who would love to get their hands on those vials.”

She took a seat opposite him, resting her arms on the desk with her hands clasped. “You’re right; there are. But none of them matter. I’m not doing this for the money. Now, we can either do this the simple way, and you just give me what I want. Or we can do this the fun way, for me anyway, and I take what I want. The choice is yours, Fury.”

Fury sighed, knowing that he couldn’t win an argument against her without giving something away. “Let’s be honest, Barton. You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t already have an idea of where the serum is. So you don’t actually need me to give you thatinformation.”

“Fair point,” she acknowledged.

“Why come then?”

The young woman smirked again, leaning back slightly. “Call it a professional courtesy,” Harper shrugged.

“I see,” Fury nodded. “Is that why no one has been hurt?”

“Yet…” she clarified. “No one has been hurt yet.”

Harper kept her eyes locked on Fury. She could tell he was trying to process all the information he had thus far. His eyebrows furrowed, thinking about how to proceed. Eventually, his shoulders relaxed, and his gaze became less serious. “Alright, Barton. Let’s make a deal.”

A smirk crept on her lips again. “What sort of deal?”

“Call it a personal courtesy,” he countered. “You get what you want, and no one gets hurt in the process.”

“What’s in it for you?” she asked.

“Answers, Barton. I want answers.”

Harper sat up in the chair, folding her arms over her chest. “How specific do these answers have to be?”

Fury looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. “Specific enough that I can justify what I’m agreeing to.”

She nodded in agreement. “Fine. But only out of respect.”

“Fair,” he replied. “Why do you want the serum?”

“Personal use,” Harper replied shortly.

“Personal for yourself?”

“Yes.”

Fury nodded, understanding. “What for?”

“Call it precautionary.”

“And why would you need any sort of safeguard?”

Harper sighed, “What are we doing, Fury? Playing twenty questions?”

“You could give me the short version if you’re in a hurry,” he offered.

Harper considered for a moment before responding. “Someone contacted me to take out a target. They wanted me to take down someone going by the name Scorpio. I took the job without question.” She watched Fury’s eyes widen slightly. He knew exactly who she had been sent after. “Once I found out this Scorpio’s real identity, I changed my mind. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize the reach the original contact had. Now… the hunter has become the hunted,” she explained.

Fury raised his eyebrows slightly. He had known Harper for many years and never knew her to be the one under attack.

Harper continued, “There’s not many that can do my job better than me, Nick. You know that better than most. I can’t take that risk this time around. Not without a safety net.”

Fury sat quietly for a moment. Then he nodded in agreement. “What happens next, Barton?”

Before she could answer, a knock on the office door interrupted them. A voice came through the door, “Director Fury?”

Fury looked towards the door. “Yes?”

Agent Hill opened the door, just enough to poke her head inside. “Sorry to interrupt, but they’re back, sir.”

Fury nodded, and Hill closed the door. He turned back to Harper, “Unless you want to see your brother again, I’d suggest heading out the same way you arrived.” He wrote some information on a piece of paper and handed it to Harper. “I’ll let her know to expect you.”

Harper took the paper and offered a respectful nod before standing up and quickly leaving the office. Fury sat in the silence for a while, taking in all the new information. He didn’t like the thought of Harper, or anyone, having those vials, but he was sure that he chose the lesser of two evils this time around. Besides, he owed her one for turning the job down. The least he could do was help her survive the consequences.

Fury stood from his chair and left his office, locking the door behind him. As he walked the halls toward the briefing room, his mind was racing with the possibilities of who could have Harper concerned enough to seek out his help, even if it was just to confirm what she already knew. And who had tried to hire her in the first place?

Fury walked into the large meeting room, took a seat at the head of the long table, and looked around at each team member seated around him. “So,” he began, “What did you find out?”

“Well, sir, I know who has been breaking into the different S.H.I.E.L.D. locations,” Clint spoke up first.

“And it is?”

“My sister, sir,” Clint answered.

“Do we know what she is looking for?”

“Not entirely. We know she wants information on something Laura worked on when she was with S.H.I.E.L.D., but aside from the name of the project, we have no idea what it is,” Clint said.

“She wants information on something called Project Gladiator, sir,” Steve added.

“It was a project intended to try to replicate the Super Soldier Serum. After some setbacks, Laura succeeded in not only making the Super Soldier Serum but a combination serum as well. Laura and I were the only ones that knew about that accomplishment,” Fury explained.

“What could she possibly want with that?” Natasha asked. “She seems to be going through a lot of trouble if she just wants it to sell to the highest bidder.”

Fury looked between the three Avengers, not wanting to reveal more than they needed to know. “I couldn’t say. Did she mention if she is working for anyone?”

“No. Not directly anyway. She mentioned something about a client, but there’s no telling with her if it was just empty words or not,” Clint replied.

“This isn’t going to be a problem for you, is it Barton? Possibly having to take down your sister?”

“No sir,” he assured. “She and I haven’t been on the best of terms in a very long time.”

“Good,” Fury stated. “Let’s keep our guard up then until we figure out exactly what her intentions are,” Fury instructed.

“Yes, sir,” the trio answered in unison.

Once Fury was back in his office, he locked the door and sat at his desk. After several minutes of debate with himself, he picked up the landline and dialed a phone number.

“Hello?” a woman answered cautiously.

“I’m sorry to call you like this,” Fury replied.

“Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I’m calling to tell you that the Dark Angel will be stopping by. Whether or not she’ll stop when you are at the house, I don’t know, but she is picking up something.”

The silence on the line lasted for what seemed like an eternity. “Are we still safe with her?” the woman finally asked.

Fury hesitated before answering. “I trust her,” he said.

A small sigh could be heard from the other end of the line. “That doesn’t answer the question?” she pressed.

“The Angel won’t do anything to hurt you, you know that. I’m sure she will make it a point to show up while you’re both away. She is taking something from the safe, and that’s all,”  Fury told the woman.

“Okay,” she agreed. There was no arguing against him. The woman knew he would never lie to her. “Thank you.”

After hanging up, Fury stared down at the phone for a moment. I hope I’m not wrong.

Chapter 8–Masterlist–Taglist

Chapter 4

Laura stood in the kitchen, quietly making dinner as she listened to the children play outside. She could see them from the small window above the sink as she washed a few dishes.

“Hello, Little Bird,” a voice spoke behind her.

She turned around quickly, coming face to face with a woman she hoped she would never see again. “What are you doing here?” Laura asked, feeling behind her for something to use as a weapon.

“No need to get hostile,” the woman said, putting her hands up in defense. “I just thought it would be nice to meet my niece and nephews, is all. Maybe see my sister-in-law again.”

“Harley… How did you find us?”

“I have my ways, Bird. You know that.” Harper took a seat at the small table in the kitchen. Her calm demeanor and honest eyes trying to ease the tension in the air.

Laura shook her head, turning back around to continue cooking though keeping her guard up just the same. “What do you want, Harley? I mean, what do you reallywant?”

Harper sighed heavily, looked down at the table, and then back up at Laura. “I told you, I just want to meet the kids,” she answered sincerely.

“That’s bullshit, and we both know it,” Laura stated calmly, turning her head to try to get a read on the woman sitting at her table.

“I promise,” Harper insisted. “Look, my niece and nephew are teenagers, not to mention your third kid is damn close to starting school, if not enrolled already, and I’ve never met any of them. I haven’t had any family in a long time. I want to change that,” she explained.

“I… I can never tell when you’re lying to me, Harley. But fine, you can stay for now. Just know, if you so much as look at one of my kids wrong, I will end you.”

“Of course, momma bear,” Harley agreed with a smirk. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Laura shot her a quick glare before opening the small window and calling for the kids to come inside. They entered moments later, each wearing a confused look on their faces as they spotted the stranger in their home. “Kids, I’d like you all to meet someone,” Laura began, motioning towards Harley. “This is Harper Lee. She is…” Laura paused, thinking of how to explain this.

“I’m your aunt,” Harley cut in.

“Why have we never heard of you before?” the oldest boy asked.

“It’s a long story,” Harley answered. “But, I’m here now, so what do you say we start off on the right foot, huh?”

“And how do you expect to do that?” he asked.

“Well, first, why don’t you tell me your names?”

He let out a sigh, “I’m Cooper.” He gestured to his sister, “This is Lila. And our brother is Nate,” he finished, gesturing to the last child in the room.

“You can call me Harley. It’s nice to meet all of you finally,” she smiled at the three children.

Laura watched as they interacted briefly, never taking her eyes off Harper. “Why don’t you guys go wash up for dinner?” Laura suggested softly. The children nodded happily, walking off to wash their hands.

Once the children were out of earshot, Laura turned to Harley, “I don’t know what game you’re playing. But don’t act like their friend, if you intend to abandon them, because-”

Harley held her hand up, “I’m not going to do anything to them. Believe it or not, Laura, I’m not the heartless monster you and my brother seem to think I am.”

The five of them all sat around the larger table in the dining room, quietly enjoying a meal together. The kids talked about school and sports, and Harper answered some innocent questions about herself.

Once dinner was over, Harper helped to clean up the dishes and even helped the older two kids with their homework. Laura was surprised, she had expected something terrible to happen, but Harley kept to her word so far.

After the kids did their homework and put everything away from dinner, Harper decided it was the right time for her to head out for the night. “I should be heading back to my hotel,” she said.

“Do you have to?” Lila asked.

“I’ve put enough stress on your mom today,” Harper replied. “But don’t worry, I’ll come back tomorrow to visit again.” She looked up at Laura, who was still cautiously watching her former sister-in-law interact with her kids. “As long as that’s okay?”

Laura looked at her kids, who were all waiting patiently to hear an answer. Finally, she nodded. “I guess that would be alright,” she finally answered.

Harper smiled at Laura and gave each of the kids a hug before leaving the house. This is easier than I thought it would be, Harper thought to herself as she got in her car, waving goodbye to the kids as she drove off.

Harper arrived at the farm a little before the kids were due home from school the next day. She knocked on the door, waiting until Laura answered it. “Hey,” she greeted, “I figured if I came by early, I could maybe help you with some things before they get home.”

Laura looked at her skeptically. “Help me? Why would I want your help?”

“I told you yesterday. I’m not the monster you think I am. I’ve changed, Bird,” Harper stated as she followed Laura into the house.

“You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t believe you, Harley.”

“Believe me or don’t, it doesn’t matter to me,” she shrugged.

The two women set to work in silence - picking things up around the house, sweeping, mopping, washing dishes, regular everyday tasks that Harley hadn’t done in a very long time. With the help, Laura got dinner going and finished before the kids ever arrived home.

They all ate dinner together later that evening, chatting idly. The kids took turns talking about their day, telling stories, and making jokes. As Harley watched the kids, a small smile formed on her face as she listened to them talk.

Once everyone had finished eating and had cleared the table, the kids went to work on their homework while Laura and Harley cleaned up the dishes. With everything finished early and the sun still out, Harley suggested they all spend some time outside. “I know I just kind of showed up yesterday, but I brought a gift for each of you kids today,” she said.

“A gift? Really, Harley, you… you didn’t need to bring anything,” Laura said hesitantly.

“Yes, I did,” she replied. “I wanted to. They’re in the car, come on,” Harper urged.

The kids hopped up and ran off outside, following Harley to her car. Laura trailed behind slowly, not wanting to ruin a moment for the four of them but always skeptical of Harley.

After opening the trunk of the car, Harper pulled out a large bow and a quiver, “This set is for you,” she said, handing it to Cooper. She pulled out another set with a slightly smaller bow, giving it to Lila. Nathaniel stepped forward, looking into the trunk next to his aunt. “Don’t worry, little man, I got one for you too,” she said, pulling out a small plastic toy bow with a small quiver holding plastic suction cup arrows. Harper couldn’t help but chuckle a little as the little boy squealed with excitement.

“Really, Harley, you shouldn’t have,” Laura said, trying to sound grateful but failing miserably.

Harper walked over to Laura, “The arrows all have plastic tips so that no one can get hurt. Clint and I started when we were barely older than Nate is now. Besides, this is the only thing I know. Might as well keep the skill in the family, right?” she joked gently.

Laura didn’t reply but instead smiled weakly. “Alright then, I suppose I’ll allow it.” She turned away from Harper and headed back to the house, leaving the kids with their aunt and new gifts. Once inside and out of earshot of Harper, Laura took out her cell phone and called Clint.

Clint answered by the second ring. “Hey, what’s up?” he asked.

“Hey, are you busy?” Laura asked.

“No. No. Just going over some files, but it’s fine. Is everything okay?”

“I think so,” she said. “You just didn’t tell me that your sister would be stopping by the farm.”

“What?” Clint questioned, worry filling his tone.

“Well, I assumed you told her where we were…” Laura began, suddenly even more concerned than she had been the last two days. “But from the sounds of it, you had no idea.”

“Did she say what she wants?” he asked.

Laura paused briefly, glancing out a nearby window to see Harper showing Nate how to hold his little bow. “She showed up yesterday and said she wanted to meet the kids.”

Clint’s heart dropped. “Shit, shit, shit,” he muttered quietly.

“What does she really want, Clint?” Laura asked softly.

Clint stayed silent for a moment. “I don’t know, Laura,” he admitted.

“Well, what am I supposed to do?” Laura asked. “Do you think she’s safe around the kids? I mean, so far, she seems like an entirely different Harley, but I can never tell with her.”

Clint sighed heavily. “It’s not the kids I’m worried about. She won’t hurt them, that much I know. She wants something from you, Laura.”

“What do you mean?”

“Harley targeted S.H.I.E.L.D. facilities all down the east coast. She took any file that so much as mentioned your name. We don’t know what she is after or what she is doing. But you know my sister. If she’s going through all this trouble, it’s nothing good,” he explained.

“Has she hurt anyone?” Laura asked.

“No.”

“Then why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?!” she yelled into the phone.

“I’m sorry. I thought we could handle it,” Clint tried to explain.

“Handle what? Your sister? Are you kidding me, Clint?!” she snapped.

“Look, we’ll be there tomorrow, and I’ll take care of it. Okay?” Clint pleaded.

Laura relented. “Okay. I trust you,” she said, sighing heavily as she ended the call.

She hung up her cell phone, throwing it onto the couch beside her. Laura sat on the sofa and rubbed her hands down her face in frustration. “Damn it,” she cursed, running her fingers through her hair. “I knew it was too good to be true…” she mumbled under her breath.

Chapter 6–Masterlist–Taglist