Red, White and Black

Winter Soldier

Steve drove slowly up the long drive to the farmhouse in the middle of the country-side in Missouri. Nat had her feet up on the dash as she tilted her face to him, "You know he got house arrest the same as Lang right?"

"Yeah, I know."

"And he says he's retired for good this time?"

"Yes, Nat, I'm aware. However, I still think it bears talking to him. He's one of the best tacticians I know. I won't ask him to risk anything. I'm just going to ask him for some advice."

As Steve put the truck into park, he saw the man he came for step out onto the porch.

Crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against one of the poles on the porch, Clint lifted an eyebrow at Steve, "Don't you know it's rude not to call before you visit, Cap?"

Steve looked up at the archer watching as his wife came out the door, "Clint. Ma'am."

Laura rubbed her hand up and down Clint's back, "Hey, Captain. You want to come in?"

"I just came to talk with Clint, and then we'll be out of your hair."

"We were just about to start dinner. Come on in, Clint made enough food for two more people."

Clint snorted, "You seriously underestimate the appetite of a super soldier, honey."

"Pft, who cares? Come on you two. Nat, the kids have missed you."

Nat shrugged her shoulders at Steve and then climbed the steps and disappeared into the house. Steve looked at Clint, who just shook his head and said, "Best do what the woman of the house says, Cap. You can tell me why you are here as we eat."

After dinner, Steve was in the kitchen with Clint as the man cleaned up while Nat helped his wife put the children to bed.

"Have you considered there are otherworldly interventions involved here?"

Steve looked up from where he had been studying his feet as he thought, "What?

Leaning against the counter, Clint shrugged, "You say that Wakanda has literally the most advanced technology on the planet. And something took that tech offline, right?"

"Shuri said the only reason that the beads she was wearing would suddenly stop transmitting was that something took it offline." Steve said.

"Well, then perhaps what took it offline wasn't from Earth." Clint said simply.

Steve stared at him, his mind racing as he considered the rather simple words the man had said. Then he rubbed his hand over his face, "Shit, I should have thought of that."

Clint chuckled, "Well, it's good to know Mr. Perfect doesn't have all the answers. But seriously, cut yourself some slack, Cap, the woman you love is missing. It's gonna be pretty normal to not think of everything."

Laura and Nat walked back into the kitchen as Clint said, "Anyway, give me like five minutes to gather my things and we can take off."

"You can't come Clint," Steve said, "You're wearing an ankle monitor."

The archer looked down at his ankle then back up at Steve, "Please, do you honestly think someone like me can't fool something like this?"

Steve let out a strained chuckle as he shook his head, "Right. I should really have learned by now not to underestimate the former spies on the team."

Clint winked at him before moving over to his wife and walking out of the room with her.

***