A New Avenger

Chapter 67

Word count: 1000
Clint's POV

Harper and left with Wanda but I was still worried about them. They were both still kids in my mind and I was scared for what could happen. Someone would hurt them, kidnap them or they could get lost. I didn't think they would get lost but it was still a possibility. Turns out I didn't need to worry about them at all. I needed to worry about the rest of the city.

Harper and Wanda returned home with an injured 16-year-old who was as limp as a rag doll. This girl didn't or couldn't speak, she didn't or couldn't move on her own and she looked very tired: Sluggish even.

I asked so many questions when I saw them and Harper just ignored them. Harper took the girl straight to the hospital lab to get her help with Wanda close behind. I followed them and when Harper wasn't answering me I directed my questions to Wanda. My main question was "What happened?" But I wasn't getting a straight answer. I just wanted Harper to explain what had happened but something told me they won't. At least not yet.

Harper carefully lowered the girl onto a bed and was holding her hand when Bruce came in. He looked at the girl, confused too, then started helping her. Harper didn't even speak for me to know this person was very important to her.

Harper sat next to the bed with this girl the whole time so I got answers off of Wanda. "Who is this girl? What happened?" I asked and watched from a few steps away with Wanda next to me. Wanda had a look of worry but also anger on her face.

"All I can tell you is this. Harper and this girl, Alora I believe, have been friends for a month and a bit now. Harper got a message from Alora saying they couldn't be friends so Harper went to talk to her. I went along so that you would let her go. We had to fight her uncle and Alora got hurt. Harper and I are fine." Wanda explained as simply and quickly as she could.

"What?" I asked being very confused. "How does Haper know Alora?" I asked but Wanda shrugged. She didn't know either. The only people who did know weren't speaking and were just holding each other's hands. Harper looked very upset and worried but also confused. I put my hand on Harper's shoulder and she turned to face me. "What happened?" I asked her and she looked into my eyes.

I could see pain, fear, worry and so many emotions in my daughter's eyes. Her eyes told me more than any word ever could and I got the story just from her face. Underneath all the emotions on my daughter's face was I hadn't seen for a long time. Self-hate. It was self-hate. The last time I saw guilt on her face was when she was four and when she had to watch me get hurt. The look of self-hate and guilt was on her face. I knew she felt self-hate and guilt when she was four because she had wanted to help me but she couldn't. I knew she felt self-hate and guilt when she hurt Loki because she adored him and hated that she had hurt him. I didn't know why she felt self-hate and guilt now.

"People around me get hurt." She said and looked into my eyes. " First you, then that little boy Fletcher, then Jasper and Loki at that park. Then Loki, then Loki again and now Alora." She said and I looked at her confused. She still held onto Alora's hand but she put her free arm in between me and her as I pulled her into a hug.

"None of it was your fault. Hydra tried to kill me and they hurt that boy." I said even though I had no idea who the boy was. "Jasper and Loki were hurt by hydra too," I said and she sighed heavily into my chest. "The last two times weren't completely your fault," I said but she pulled away.

"I hurt Loki though. That was me. I lost control! I hurt him! And I started that fight in the park!" She said but I just pulled her back into my arms. "I know I didn't hurt you or Fletcher but It still happened and I didn't help you!" She yelled and I felt my shirt get damp. I wanted to tell that she was only a toddler but it didn't seem like the right time to mention it."I miss Loki and I feel bad for Alora." She said softly and pulled away again and I let her go.

"Why?" I asked her and she looked at Alora's unmoving body.

"Becuase I think I used her as a distraction." She said then no more words were said between anyone in the room.

Time Jump

Alora would be okay but she was very hurt both mentally and physically. Nobody knew what had happened to Alora before Harper showed up and Alora wasn't speaking to anyone, not even Harper. I walked to the bedroom Alora had been given to see Harper sitting on the floor with her back leaning on the door. "She okay?" I asked and sat next to her.

Harper shook her head and pulled her knees up to her chest. "She won't speak to me." She said with her head on her knees. It felt weird seeing my daughter in such a sensitive and upset state. she was normally so reserved like her mother.

"It's alright. She just needs time." I said and she made the movement of a nod but it was hard to tell. I didn't know much about Alora but I did know that Harper was very worried about her. "We will sort everything out soon," I said and stayed sitting next to her on the floor.

Published: 21 June 2021.