Lost in Time

Sixty-Three

Clint looked over to Laura, seeing her sat on the couch with her feet up, staring out the window again. The cup of tea in her hands had probably gone cold, as she was lost to her thoughts. When he returned home, he had told her everything he knew of Elle, and what they had found out. Nat and the others had been keeping him updated, but when he first returned home, and Lia was there, full of happiness and smiles, he couldn't help but breakdown in tears, hugging her tightly.

Both him and Laura had talked about it for hours, wondering what to do. Do they try to keep Lila safe, so her future wouldn't be whatever had happened to Elle? Do they train her, so she can take care of herself?

Nat, Tony, Bruce and surprisingly Loki too, had all been emphatic about them teaching Lila everything they could. He didn't need to ask, but from Nats insistence, and her tone of voice when they'd speak on the phone, Clint knew, he knew what would happen to his daughter.

Heaving a sigh, he walked over to his very pregnant wife, and carefully took the cup from her hands, which jolted her out of her thoughts... 'Sorry, its gone cold, you want another?..'

It was hard betwen them, they seem to have lost the spark in their relationship, but this was just a speed bump, they'd get through it somehow. His eyes roamed over her, seeing how tired she looked as she ran her hands across her stomach... 'I'm fine. Just thinking about it all..'

He set the cup on the little table next to her and lifted her legs so he could sit down with them in his lap... 'I know, but we can't let it take over us Lau, you know that. We have to think of the here and now. Elles mission is to change the future, and from what we know, she's already changed a lot. What happened to her, won't happen to Lila..'.. He rubbed her legs.

'Can you promise it won't? Clint, I'm so scared..'.. She looked at him and he could see the tears in her eyes... 'A war is coming, and sure it sounds like we'll be there in the future, we survive it, but our daughter..'.. The tears started falling... 'Our happy, beautiful little girl, becomes so hurt by what's coming, she becomes a whole different person, literally..'.. She wiped her face... 'She refuses to be called by the name we gave her. That tells me something happens between us all. We're her parents, why didn't she come to us?!..'

Clint shifted, and carefully pulled her into his arms as she cried. He hadn't told her what was implied by Loki and Nat, he didn't want to tell her, ever... 'She wanted to make her own mark Lau. I don't know the reasons as to why she changed her name, or why she didn't come to us, but even with all that, I see the strong, amazing woman she becomes. Nothing is ever easy, and I'm sure that a lot of what Elle has gone through has shaped who she is, but I don't think for one second, that Lila is ever going to experience any of it..'.. He kissed her head, holding her close for comfort... 'I'm sure that once she gets her memories back, we'll know more information, but for now, she's trying to focus on getting Jace back home..'

'I still can't believe we have a grandson..'.. She sniffled into his chest, and his eyes darted to the picture of Jace on the shelves, wearing a hawkeye outfit. His lips pulled up into a smile.

'I know, thought I'd be at least 55 before I'd be a grandpa..'.. He said, trying to lighten her mood... 'Hey, maybe in time we'll get to meet Jace..'

'I want to see her too. I don't even know how that conversation would go with our kids..'.. Laura sat up, wiping her face again.