Aspirations {𝟙𝟙} | Marvel √

twelve

Up in their bedroom, Laura was checking on Barton's completely healed wound, grazing her skin over it, "See, you worried for nothing. Can't even feel the difference, can you?" Barton said and Laura eyed him a moment before dropping her hands to her sides.

"If they're sleeping here, some of them are gonna have to double up," Laura said and Barton chuckled in response.

"Yeah, that's not gonna sell," he said as he began to walk towards the closet, Laura following him.

"What about Nat and Captain America? How long has that been going on?" She asked.

"Has what?" Barton asked, looking back at her and she laughed.

"You are so cute," she said.

"Nat and...Steve?" Barton asked and Laura stared at him oddly.

"They literally have a daughter together. Or...going to," she said.

"Yeah, not for another 8 years," Barton said and Laura smiled at him.

"I'll explain when you're older," she said, "Hawkeye."

"Oh. Okay," Barton muttered as he put on a plaid jacket.

He looked over at Laura again, as she leaned against the doorframe, "It's bad, right?" She asked, "They all seem really shaken."

"Ultron has these allies. These uh, kids, they're punks really. They carry a big damn stick and Allie especially took a serious hit. Don't know what she saw, but knowing her history, it was probably bad. Someone's gonna have to teach 'em some manners," Barton told her before he walked past her, out of the closet.

"That someone being you," Laura said, walking with him to stand over by the window again, "You know I totally support your avenging, I couldn't be prouder," she then looked out the window, seeing Lidianna and Triston walking around on the land, in human clothes. Jeans and plaid jackets, "But I see those guys, those Gods..."

"You don't think they need me," Barton said.

"I think they do," Laura said and Barton looked up at her, "Which is a lot scarier. They're a mess."

"Yeah," Barton sighed, "I guess they're my mess."

"You need to be sure that this team is really a team and that they have your back," Laura said as Barton got up from his seat, looking down at her, "Things are changing for us. In a few months time, you and me are gonna be outnumbered. I need...Just be sure."

"Yes, ma'am," Barton said before he kissed her and they smiled at each other. He then placed his arm around her, and they looked out the window together while she placed her hand on his once wound again.

"I can feel the difference," she muttered.

Seoul, Korea

At the U-Gin Genetics Research Lab, Doctor Helen Cho walked into her lab when she spotted Ultron in the corner of the room. She froze in place as Ultron said, "Scream, and your entire staff dies," he threatened and she stood there tensely, "I could've killed you, Helen, the night we met. I didn't."

"Do you expect a thank you note?" Doctor Cho asked.

"I expect you to know why," Ultron said before Doctor Cho glanced down to the large cradle in the middle of the room.

"The Cradle," she muttered.

She heard her own voice recording as Ultron grazed his robotic fingers over the cradle, "This is the next thing, Tony."

"This...is the next me," Ultron said, looking over at Doctor Helen again.

"The Regeneration Cradle prints tissue, it can't build a living body," she told him.