𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐌━︎━︎ W. Maximoff ✓︎

𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

CHAPTER EIGHT:
CLINT'S HOUSE

UNLIKE EVERYONE ELSE, SALEM had yet to be torn from her horrible fears. They seemed to keep going and going, day after day. It felt like she was in Groundhog Day. Tears ran down her cheeks and she was curled into a ball, staring blankly off into space as the jet was landed by Clint. He removed himself from his seat, kneeling down in front of Salem and looking at the girl with worry. His thumb swiped across her cheek to get rid of the tears, but they were only replaced by new ones. Whatever the Maximoff girl had shown her, it was really messing the girl up.

Clint picked up Salem bridal syle after helping Natasha stand up. The woman's face was still dazed, but she was recovering a lot faster than Salem. The group of Avengers walked towards Clint's house, and entered. The man sat Salem on the couch, keeping a hand on her shoulder as he called out to his wife.

"Honey? I'm home." Laura walked out of the kitchen, her stomach bulging from being pregnant. She looked at her husband before her eyes ran over the newcomers that were in the house. "Sorry, company." Clint apologized, hugging her before turning to look at his fellow teammates.

Laura gave them all a small smile. "I know all of your names." Laura looked at the group, her eyes landing on Natasha who still looked out of it before landing on Salem who was frozen on the couch. She frowned at the teenage girl, nudging her husband before nodding his head towards her with a silent question.

"I'll explain later." Clint whispered. She nodded her head, smiling at the sound of feet hurriedly running down the steps. "Ooh, incoming." He removed himself from his wife just as Lila and Cooper Barton appeared.

"Dad!" Lila shouted, running to her father and jumping. He caught the girl, picking her up and giving her a kiss.

"I see her." He smiled at his daughter before rubbing his son's head as he hugged him. "Hey buddy! How are you guys doing?"

"These are. . . smaller agents." Tony commented, confused.

"Look at your face! Oh, my goodness!" Clint smiled.

"Did you bring Auntie Nat?" Lila asked. This grabbed Natasha's attention. She smiled at the little girl, creeping closer as Clint sat her down.

"Why don't you hug her and find out?" Lila ran over to her and Natasha was quick to pick the girl up, walking away as she talked to her.

"Sorry for barging in on you." Steve apologized.

"Yeah, we would have called ahead, but we were busy having no idea that you existed." Tony retorted.

"Yeah, well Fury helped me set this up when I joined. He kept it off S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files, I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low." Clint explained, wrapping an arm around Laura's waist. Natasha, having sat Lila back on the ground, walked up to Laura.

"Honey, I've missed you." Laura smiled.

Natasha looked at Laura's stomach, gently placing her hands on either side of the woman's stomach. "How's little Natasha, huh?"

"She's. . . Nathaniel." Laura said, giving the redhead a sorry filled smile.

Natasha leaned down, narrowing her eyes at Laura's stomach as she whispered, "Traitor." All of sudden, Thor walks out and Steve calls out his name before following him outside. Slowly, everyone moved to do their own thing. The children went into their rooms, Thor left to do something, Steve and Tony started chopping wood, Clint and Laura went up to their shared room, Bruce went up to his and Natasha's room, and Salem finally fell out of her fears. Natasha, who had been sitting with the girl in hopes of her waking up soon, was quick to place her attention on the brunette.

"Hey," Natasha gently greeted, placing her hand on Salem's knee. Salem blinked slowly, her eyes moving up to meet Natasha's. Natasha leaned over and wiped away Salem's mostly dry tears.

"Where are we?" Salem asked, trying to get her head back in the right space as she closed and opened her eyes a few times.

"Clint's house." She answered her.

"Is everyone okay?" Salem asked, her voice in a soft whisper.

"Yeah, everyone's alright. We're just laying low for a little while." Natasha explained to her. Salem nodded once in response. "Why don't you go lay down, you look exhausted."

"I don't think I can sleep." Salem responded. "I might take a shower, though."

Natasha nodded. "There's extra clothes in Lila's room that Clint kept for whenever you come over."

"Okay." With Natasha's help, Salem removed herself from the couch. She entered Lila's bedroom and grabbed some extra clothes before entering the showering and stripping down before letting the water go as hot as it could. She let the water blister her skin, wanting desperately to rid herself of the fears Wanda Maximoff had placed her in. To say she was angry with the woman would be an understatement. The next time she saw her, she would for sure kill her. Not only had the brunette messed with Salem's mind, but she had messed with Natasha's mind. And that made her angry.

When Salem finished taking a long and much needed shower, she got dressed and put her long hair into two braids before teleporting downstairs, resulting in Clint to jump in surprise. "Jesus, Sal!"

"Sorry." She gave him the best smile she could muster. Clint looked at the girl before pulling her into a hug, Salem didn't hesitate to hug him bag.

"Are you alright?" He asked, pulling away from her but keeping his hands rested on her shoulders.

"I will be." She assured.

"Wanna help fix the porch?" He asked. Salem offered him another smile that seemed more like a scowl before nodding her head and following him out of the house.