Stars Stripes and Metal

Memories

Barton Farm, Missouri.

Barton leads the team slowly through the field in front of a white country house. The sun is beginning to rise, mist settles on the ground. Ana looks down, her feet are wet from the dew. She brushes her hands across the wheat, smiling at the sensation, cool moisture wetting her hands. She's grateful for the temperature change. Her body is running too hot.

Steve's mood towards Ana has changed, the warm kind man Ana loves is gone. He's cold to her, almost indifferent now. He hasn't looked at her since she woke up, eventually he moved away from her on the way to the farm. He's been avoiding her ever since.

The team walks single file down the narrow path out of the field and up the front porch steps. Ana looks around, the smell of breakfast wafts out the open windows. "Where are we?" She asks what everyone was wondering.

"Safe house." Tony informs everyone.

"Let's hope." Clint smirks over his shoulder as he opens the door and leads the team inside.

A very pregnant brunette walks out of a side room off of the kitchen. She eyes Clint before meeting the gazes of the team. Tony waves awkwardly, while the rest stand still. Ana's eyes fall on Steve again, he turns his head like he knows she's watching him. His face expressionless as he turns away from her. 

Clint approaches the woman, wrapping his arms around her and gently kissing her. "I'm sorry I didn't call first." He apologizes. She shrugs and hugs him again before turn to the group. She smiles softly, "Hi."

Clint quickly introduces her as his wife. "Everyone this is Laura, my wife. Honey this is... everyone."

She smiles again. "I know who all of you are." Ana smiles back at her when Laura's eyes fall on her.

Steve clears his throat, "we're sorry to barge in like this."

"Yea we were busy having no idea you existed." Tony comments curtly.

"Fury helped me set this up when I first joined, its off of the records. And I'd like to keep it that way."  Clint indirectly asks the team to keep his secret safely. Ana nods slightly when he looks at her. Thor quickly walks away, Steve close on his heels.

"Where are you going?" Steve asks.

"I need answers, and I won't find them here. Take care of Ana, she's not safe." Thor warns as he lifts his hammer and a ray of light descends. A moment later Thor is gone. Steve takes a deep breath before turns on his heels and approaching the front door. He see's Ana talking with a little girl, her face animated. Not the face of a killer, but that's what she is. He sighs and walks away.

Hours later Ana sits alone of the front porch, the sun has risen and the air has warmed. She sits with her legs pulled up under her on the the rocking chair. From the corner of her eye she sees Steve chopping wood. Taking his frustration out of the wood rather than someone or something else. She closes her eyes and focuses on the man from her memories. She needs to tell Steve, she doesn't want to but it's only fair to him that he knows all the facts before they move forward. He is not the only man in her life, and she killed a lot of people for the other guy.

Ana sighs, and takes a sip of coffee. She overhears Tony asking Steve where Thor went and when he will be coming back. Steve shrugs.

"Sometimes my teammates don't tell me things." He looks at Ana, their eyes meeting. He looks away too quickly. Tony followed Steve's gaze and saw the disappointed look on Ana's face when Steve looks away.

"We don't know what that Maximoff kid showed Ana." Tony tries to defend her.

"Well whatever it was, now she remembers everything, and she's not who we thought she was."