The Raven

COMING HOME - FOUR

Shield Helicarrier, Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Upon landing, Bruce's body finally gave in to the intense nausea and Sofia had to rush him a paper bag.

The grotesque incident reminded Sofia why Clint was always the pilot on the missions he, Natasha and she were placed on.

Clint.

Sofia leaves Natasha and Bruce behind on the Quinjet the second the bridge door descends, Ignoring Natasha as she tries to call to Sofia while unbuckling her own seatbelt. Sofia doesn't utter a word back, Fearing her hardened mask might falter if she does.

Navigating her way through the other landing Quinjets and past the group of Shield Agents as they run in unison, She strides inside the Helicarrier base, The cold air hitting her as the automatic door slides open.

Along with a wave of deja vu.

She struggles to push her emotions aside, Her only goal being to find the room with the matching number as the one on the key card Natasha gave her.

She desperately needs a moment of peace to gather herself before dealing with anyone else.

A mix of memories of her Da and sister swirling with the dreadful ideas of what type of torture Clint might be going through at this very moment — Threaten to suffocate her as her throat tightens.

The guilt of wondering if she would have been able to save him had she never left Shield to begin with — knowing the answer already — Yes.

Of course she would have been able to save him.

If only she had been here.

The same way she would have been able to save buc— Him.

If only she had gone with the stubborn bastard.

The men in her life are being picked off one by one, But as far as she knows — There's still time to save Clint.

And this time she isn't going to wait two fucking weeks.

She's going to hunt down the God who has taken him, And she's going to take pleasure in hearing him beg for his life as she drags his death out for as many days as he's had Clint hostage.

There are Shield Agents rushing past her in every direction as she continues down the brightly lit hallway, Calling out commands and exchanging information Sofia deems useless back and forth.

When suddenly she hears a chipper male voice from behind her shout, "Sofia!"

She feels a ping of pain slam into her chest as her heart begins to beat slightly faster, She debates making a run for it when she feels his gentle hand land on her shoulder.

Sofia turns on her heel to meet the kind eyes of her old friend — And handler — Phil Coulson.

"Coulson." She tries to smile only instead it comes out more as a defeated sigh.

"You look... Different... Good- Uh different though, I like the black hair i-it suits you." He tries to recover.

He searches her hardened expression for any sign of the young girl he once knew, Uncertain if her frosty exterior is just her latest mask — Or if she really is only the empty shell of the person he was hoping to find.

"Helps me blend in at night." She answers, Watching him swallow thickly as his gaze shifts to the pacing Agents whom greet him.

"Well it's good to have you back, Your sister hasn't been the same without you." He says, His voice soft and low.