Doctor Stark (C. Barton)

Chapter Nineteen

*Time Skip - One Year and a few months*

The moment Fury could get Clint back on missions, he did. He had luckily given Clint three months with Mercedes and the baby, before he had to go out on a mission. Mercedes was more than capable of taking care of the baby by herself, but whenever she needed help, Clint or Natasha would drop what they were doing to help her.

Nathan, Clint and Mercedes' one year old, was a big mommy's boy. He adored Mercedes, but when he seen Clint, he was very happy as well. Instead of calling Nathan by his first name, or calling him by the normal nickname of Nate, the parents and Natasha called Nathan by the name Bean. It suited him, and he seemed to like the name.

Moxley absolutely adored Bean. He was always around him, and when Mercedes would put Bean down for a nap, Moxley would sleep in the floor next to the crib. Mercedes knew that Bean was always going to be safe, because Moxley never left his side, not even when Bean had to get a bath. Bean was Moxley's boy, and Bean loved Moxley and Moxley loved Bean.

Natasha had actually somehow gotten Moxley into the hospital to meet Bean the day after he was born. From that moment, everyone could tell that Moxley adored Bean and would protect him with his life. Clint didn't doubt Moxley for a second. He knew that Moxley would put himself between Bean and any danger they faced.

Anyhow, during the time that Bean would sleep, Mercedes would get housework completed. Since Bean was over a year old, he didn't have to sleep as much as he did when he was a small baby. She would sometimes leave him in his playpen, so she could fold laundry or make lunch or dinner, but she knew Moxley would stay with him to keep him company.

Mercedes would only get to have about ten or fifteen minute showers at night before she went to bed. She didn't want to chance being in the shower if Bean woke up and needed her. She knew Moxley would come get her, but she still didn't want to chance it. That was one of the only things that she hated most about Clint leaving for missions for S.H.I.E.L.D.

After a few days, Bean would really start missing Clint and become a bit emotional, but Mercedes could deal with it. She knew some things that made Bean feel a little better when Clint wasn't around. He may have been a mommy's boy, but he really did love his daddy as well. Some nights, the only way Bean would sleep, would be if Mercedes covered him with one of Clint's shirts as a blanket.

While Mercedes was making lunch, she heard her phone begin to ring. She, at first, thought it was Clint, but then she recognized the ringtone as Natasha. She cleaned off her hands, before grabbing the phone and answering it.

"Hello?"

"Mercy, there's a problem." Natasha said, the moment Mercedes answered the phone.

"What? What happened?" Mercedes asked, feeling her heart begin to quicken its pace.

"Clint's been compromised." Natasha answered, her voice steady to not show her emotions.

"How?" Mercedes questioned, her hand clutching her phone tightly.

"He was guarding this thing, and then all of a sudden, a god popped out. He said his name was Loki, and he somehow got control of Clint's mind. I don't know the complete details yet, but I promise you this, I will find him, and I will bring him back to you and Bean." Natasha stated, and Mercedes let out a shaky breath.

"You be careful, Nat. We can't lose you." She murmured, feeling a tear cascade down her cheek.

"I promise I'll still be here to annoy the hell out of you when all of this is over." Natasha promised,  before she hung up the phone.

Mercedes placed the phone on the counter, before she placed her elbows on the counter and put her head in her hands. She was trying to keep the tears in, but it was becoming exceedingly hard. She didn't know what she could do, or how she could bring him back. She and Bean needed him, and she knew she'd never be able to handle losing him. He was the love of her life, and he was her forever.

In that moment, she wanted to contact her father. He had a suit that could protect him, and he could find Clint, but then Mercedes would have to worry about both of them. She didn't want to put her father in danger. She loved him, and if she lost him and Clint, she'd hate herself.

As she was trying to reign in her emotions, she felt Moxley bump her him with his nose. She pulled her head from her hands and looked down at the dog. She pet his head and gave him a small smile.

"Can you watch over our boy for a minute?" She questioned,"I need to step away." She murmured, and Moxley seemed to give her a nod.

Moxley went back over to Bean and sat down next to the playpen. Cars was playing on the TV, and Bean and Moxley seemed to love that movie. She knew it could keep them distracted for a moment, so she could take a second to breath and collect her thoughts. She went to the downstairs bathroom and closed the door.

She splashed a bit of water in her face, and took a rather deep breath. Her hands were shaking and her heart was racing. Before she knew it, a sob escaped her lips, and she collapsed to the ground. Clint was gone, and though Natasha claimed she'd save him, that did little to console Mercedes. For all the woman knew, her last time seeing Clint was over a week ago. She wasn't sure if she and Bean would ever see him again, and that scared the hell out of her...