Everly || Steve Rogers

52. Meet the Bartons

Everly couldn't seem to cease the nervous bouncing of her leg as she peered oddly down at her hands. Those same hands that earlier were stained with the blood of her best friend. She peeked back up at Steve who sat across the jet from her. Images of the red-tipped knife flashed through her mind. He tilted his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. Thor rubbed his hands against one another as he stared blankly ahead of him. Banner sat on the floor trembling, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Natasha too seemed shaken up and had yet to look up from her lap. Clint and Tony were the only ones left untouched by Wanda Maximoff's twisted mind games. The air was filled with a dreadful silence which nobody dared interrupt until Agent Hill's voice crackled over the radio in the cockpit.

"The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is." She sighed. Everly huffed and fiddled with her fingers, unable to help herself as she stole the occasional glance in Steve's direction. "There's been no official call for Banner's arrest but it's in the air." Not only did Maximoff mess with their minds, she wound her way into Bruce's. Needless to say, that didn't go over too well with the neighboring city.

"The Stark Relief Foundation?" Tony asked softly.

"Already on the scene." Hill confirmed. "How's the team."

"Everyone's..." Everly looked up to meet Tony's eyes as he spoke. "We took a hit. We'll shake it off."

"Well, for now, I'd stay in stealth mode and stay away from here."

He leaned forward in his seat and sighed. "So, run and hide?"

"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."

"Neither do we." He breathed and he stood to his feet. Stark walked up behind Clint, resting his hands on the back of his chair. "Hey, you wanna switch out?"

"No, I'm good." Barton answered as he flipped a switch above his head. "If you wanna get some kip, now's a good time because we're still a few hours out."

"Few hours from where?"

"A safe house." 

~~~

Everly brought up the back of the pack as they approached a little farm house planted in the middle of a field. She drew in a deep breath and her fingers brushed the soft tips of weeds as she passed. They crossed the old, wooden fence circling the house and made their way across the driveway. The gravel crunched beneath her feet as she stared oddly at the farmhouse.

"What is this place?" Thor asked as they creaked up the steps of the front porch. 

"Safe house." Tony answered in a questioning tone. Clint glanced over his shoulder as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Let's hope." He breathed. Everly's face scrunched up in confusion as she softly closed the door behind her. Her eyes wandered the cozy interior of the house.

"Honey?" Clint called, only piling onto her confusion. "I'm home." He added as he peeked around the corner into the kitchen. Everly's face softened as a woman stepped out from around the corner, her mouth falling open at the sight of all the guests. Her pregnant belly pressed against the loose fabric of her shirt, and she held a few craft supplies in her hand. "Hi." Clint smiled as she drew nearer, her eyes flicking between everyone standing before her. "Company. Sorry, didn't call ahead." She set the papers aside, a smile lighting up her face as she stepped forward pressing her lips to his before enveloping him in a hug. Everly rose a questioning eyebrow.

"This is an agent of some kind." Tony explained. Barton turned to face them once again.

"Gentlemen, this is Laura." She sent the group a small wave.