Hawkeye: Agony

Guests

[A few weeks later]

There was a slam as Lila and Cooper ran through the corridor of the Avengers facility, throwing the doors against the wall on the way.
"Cooper, give me back my headphooones!"

"Why did I agree to do this again?" Tony mumbled as he pulled himself up beside Steve, with a deep cup of coffee in hand.
"It was the right thing to do. But, I'm missing my sleep," Steve said calmly as they both watched my kids running around the couch in circles.

"Okay okay break it up you two. Here take mine," Phil jogged over and picked up Lila which made her laugh a little and gave her his own pair. "Your dad should be home soon. Let's behave, alright? Maybe we can watch a movie with him."
"I'm sorry, Agent, but I'm going to need his help with something," Steve said, standing a little straighter, "We have a mission."
"Fury didn't authorise anything," Phil mumbled, looking up in thought.
"It's personal..." Steve nodded, "But I'll have him back as soon as possible."

They all looked over when I dragged myself inside and flopped over the couch, pretending to squash Cooper.
"I think I might sleep now."
"Nooooo!" Cooper laughed from under Clint.
"That rough? You want the rest of the coffee?" Tony nodded to the almost full pot. He must have overflowed it.
"Don't tempt me," I said sitting up off of Cooper, "I'll just go to bed for a bit."
"I'm sorry Clint, I need your help with something."
"... Where did you say that pot was?" I smiled up at Tony.

**

Next thing I knew, we were on my jet, and I was flying in a straight line, not knowing where I was going.
Not quite in my full Avengers gear, just the purple arrow t-shirt and black cargo jeans. You know how it is.

I glanced over at my bow on the side then over at Steve, "Who are we fighting?"
"We're not fighting. They're for defense, just in case we get attacked..."
"That sounds to me like we're fighting. Or getting the crap beaten out of us."
"Language," Cap spoke flatly, watching the radar so he could tell me where to land.
"Okay, 'crap' isn't even that bad."
"He might not be himself, but we won't know until we get there. I don't want you to engage until I say so."
"... You know, last I checked, you joined S.H.I.E.L.D after me. So I should be giving the orders."
Steve chuckled, "In your dreams, Soldier."

**

We flew for a long while before landing in Romania. I'd been there with Natasha a long time ago, and she seemed pretty on edge, which is unusual for her. I think it had something to do with that scar on her hip.

When we got off of the jet, I followed Steve towards an old apartment building.
"You know, this doesn't seem like a very good hideout..." I mumbled, as I watched a woman with her child walk past and in to their apartment, quickly.
"Don't you own a whole apartment building back home? I thought you hid there too," Steve noted, raising an eyebrow at me.
"That's not the same, I'm not a bad guy. And anyway, how do you know about that?"
"I read your file," He shrugged and looked back ahead at the door numbers we were passing, "And he's not a bad guy..."

Something in Steve's tone said that he was trying to hide some pain from me - as if this person meant a big deal to him. He didn't want to fight even if this person were to prompt us to.
"Who is this person, Cap?"
"An old friend from the war. He was supposed to be dead."
"James 'Bucky' Barnes," I looked up at him wide eyed, and Steve nodded then looked confused.
"You know about all that?"
"Everyone was taught about you two," We both shared a look, knowing fully well that I didn't go to school, "I was raised by Phil Coulson. What did you expect?" I crossed my arms and we both managed a chuckle.
My voice changed a little so there was a hint of awe, "Wow he's alive..."

Steve froze a little in his footsteps and looked over with a weak smile, "You sound... happy about that,"
"Um... Yeah I guess so," I chuckled nervously, hiding my little fanboy moment behind an agent like demeanour, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Everyone else who knows about him wants to bring him in."

Before I could ask what he meant, Steve opened the door and we both looked around the almost inhabited space. I thought no one was home, until I spotted a man in the shadows with pretty greasy looking hair that was over his face. He was curled up in the corner of the couch and had flinched hard at the sound of the door. He was peering over at us through the cracks in his tangled birds' nest.

His voice cracked, "Is he here to take me in?"
Steve approached calmly but didn't sit beside him, "He's a friend. He's pretty good with people and, he reminds me a little of how you used to be, so I thought_..." Steve trailed off and they both looked my way.
"He looks like you," Bucky glanced subtly at my ears, but I was surprised to see a faint smile and almost felt a little insulted.
"This is Clint Barton, he already seems to know you."
I shuffled over, "It's a honour, Sergeant," I shook his hand but looked a little nervous when Bucky's face fell, "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," Barnes pulled his arm away quickly, keeping his left arm glued to his chest and his hand covered by the end of his sleeve. "It's mine. It's always mine..." He looked down at his covered arms, revealing the slightest glint of metal to the light.

I looked him over, taking in every emotion, his posture, his hand.
"You're hurt... S.H.I.E.L.D can help you. I'll get you a_." I saw his instant fear and exclaimed, "Or not!"
"...Is he your son?" Bucky looked up at Steve quietly. He was deadly serious.
There was a simultaneous choke followed by a joint screech, "WHAAAT?? NO WAY!"
"Good... I don't need two Captain Americas," Bucky smirked a little and stood up slowly.

"If he's not here to take me in, why are you both here?"
"I was thinking you could come back with us..."
"I can't. Not to them..." He looked almost wounded as he backed away from us.
"Can we backtrack to when you thought I looked like this Boy Scout's son? I'm in my thirties..." I mumbled, looking between them and trying to break this clear tension.

Neither of them responded but they both looked at me calmly to say that wasn't a good intervention point. Great going Clint.

We watched as his friend climbed out of the window and walked up the stairs to go and sit on the roof.
I've never heard Steve sigh so hard. He just wanted his friend back.
"I didn't mean to_."
"It's not you. He just doesn't want to see Tony."
"Stark?" I paused a little and then followed Bucky out on to the roof.