Baby Barton

Chapter 10 Chloe & Clint

Chloe.
The Raft, the highest level of maximum security, smack bang in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Its a little excessive for your big brother, he may have been an ass but he's not worthy of The Raft.
Thank god for Tony or else you wouldn't have been able to visit Clint.
The weather is rough, and the chopper is being tossed from side to side, you can decide if you are travel sick or sick with nerves. You look across at Tony who gives you a reassuring wink, you mime to him, forgetting that you are wearing a head set. He taps on his, reminding you that you can speak through it,
"How much longer?"
He looks at his very expensive silver watch, licks his lips and replies "any minute now, kid." You hate it when he calls you kid. You look out the window and through the thick cloud and immense downpour you see the prison, it looks as sinister in real life as it does on TV.
You nod at Tony as he gives you a thumbs up asking if you are okay, your hands are shaking uncontrollably, you feel like you could vomit at any given moment, just as you feel like you might hyperventilate, a warm hand is placed on your leg, Tony has undone his seatbelt and is now crouching down in front of you, swaying with the force of the helicopter. He gives your leg a squeeze and speaks through the headset,
"Everything will be okay, you got this kid," there he goes with the kid talk again. You are so thankful for Tony, you wouldn't have come by yourself, and Fury isn't quite as comforting as Tony Stark. Not to mention as handsome, but now is not the time.

Thank fuck! The chopper touches down, eventually, it was touch and go for a few minutes, it felt like you were on the inside of a tornado.  You are dreading seeing your brother, but absolutely delighted to be off of that death trap. Waiting until the rotor blades are at a complete stop before exiting the helicopter. You step off and are almost blown away by an icy wind so cold and strong it could half you in two. You smooth out your black coat as you walk along the helipad towards the steel doors, hair blowing in every direction, you are annoyed with yourself, you should have taken up Natasha's offer of braiding it. She must have known this would happen.
The steel doors slam behind you, silence, except from the odd buzzing sound. You can faintly hear the howl of the wind eerily work its way through the tiniest cracks in the prison walls and windows.
Tony speaks to the guard, you feel like everything is going in slow motion. You fix your hair while you wait to be called. Once your hair is semi respectable, you sit down next to Tony, you pick at the skin around your nails, one starts to bleed and you squeeze it, enjoying watching the spec of red grow, and the colour go a deeper shade, you watch as the bead of blood disperses and takes on a road around your nail, before it drips off onto your indigo jeans you put your finger in your mouth and suck the blood off. The metallic taste turning your stomach. You get up and begin pacing the waiting room, everything is grey, no colour to anything. Its like being inside an old black and white movie.  There is nothing to read in here, no posters on walls no pamphlets, nothing.  Annoyed you kick the trash can in the corner of the room and it goes flying.  A guard looks up at you menacingly, you challenge him jerking your head forward and throwing your arms out, encouraging him to come forward.
"Woah! You tryin to be your brothers cell mate? Because that would be very awkward, toilets and woman things, I'm shutting up now" Tony rambles as he escorts you back to your seat, he puts his hands up and apologises to the guard on your behalf "we're sorry! Just you know, would it kill you to have some music? Little bit of something would be nice."
You sit back in your seat tapping your leg, you close your eyes for a second, remembering your intake at prison, the most degrading moment in your life, second only to being prostituted for drugs, you remember being stripped naked, made to squat and cough to check for any contraband you may have concealed, remembering the smell of the orange jumpsuit, starchy and rough, the itchy underpants, the more you remember the faster your breathing gets.
"Hey, calm down, everything is okay kid," Tonys soothing voice slowly bringing you out of this whirlpool of anxiety.
"I'm okay, its just umm...it's..." you struggle
"I get it." He holds your hand, and pulls you in so your head is resting on his shoulder. Just as you are about to allow your wall of protection to drop, a loud clang of keys and the familiar sound of the gate buzzer sounds, you sit up watching to see if you'll be called,
"Miss Chloe Elouise Barton, for inmate Mr Clinton Francis Barton?"
"Here!" You jump up, looking at Tony to see if he is coming with you.
"Its all you Chloe, Francis huh? wait till I tell the guys." He lays his head back and closes his eyes, as if he is going to take a nap. Who the hell could sleep here?
You follow the guard, walking through another gate before entering a circular room, you are standing in the middle, cells surrounding you, not one of them empty. You turn around in circles searching for him, the bars on the cells much thicker than yours were. You see him, crouched down, wearing a mid blue jumpsuit, head in his hands, a broken man. Your big brother reduced to this, a prisoner.  All because of you.

Clint
"Barton! You got a visitor" the guards voice echoing through this hell hole.
You lift your head from your hands, theres not much to see in the cell, a grey toilet and sink combination, and a grey bed, no windows, just bars, lots and lots of bars. You look out of yours and see Chloe walking towards you, she looks like shes is trying to stay strong.  She better not cry, if she cries then you'll cry, and if you cry you might never stop. Crying isn't really the Barton way, and Chloe lives up to her reputation of being the strong, sarcastic, smart ass that everyone loves to be around,
"Well who's the family disappointment now, huh?"

Chloe laughs as she walks towards your cell, shes trying her hardest not to cry, you can see the anguish on her face, it must be difficult for her, being here. She goes to hold onto one of the bars, before checking that they aren't electric, you smile at her, shes being goofy, trying to make you feel better, you love her for that. She opens her coat, she's looking strong, a white Fleetwood Mac tshirt tucked into her dark blue jeans, and black high tops, she loves her black hightop converse.

"I wanted to try it out, see how it fits," you snap back, too tired to express any emotion other than sarcasm. You are numb, how could you have let your family down, the wash of guilt taking over you, but it doesn't take long to justify it to yourself, especially after seeing Chloe's face again.
You look up at her towering above you, desperately wanting to touch her hand, but too afraid that if you do, you'll break down, and you need to remain strong. You are Hawkeye for fucks sake.
She smiles at you whilst shaking her head "It doesn't suit you big brother," theres a break in her voice, a quiver, she clears her throat "you really are a fucking idiot, you know that?" Insults, she is trying her best not to crumble.
Standing up and walking towards her, you touch her hand on the bar, "I wasn't about to let him away with it. I only wish I'd known at the time, then you could have lived your life, gotten help." You don't regret doing what you did, you regret leaving Laura and the kids, you regret leaving Chloe, just when you had her back in your life.
"Fury tell you?" You already knew the answer
"Yeah, the guy's a dick" Chloe always had a way with words, especially when describing people she wasn't too fond of.
"He's alright, once you get to know him." You lie, dreading the answer to your next question, you run your fingers through your hair and look her dead in the eyes, "you working for him now?" If she says yes, then that means she has made a deal with the devil, this isn't the life you wished for you baby sister, if she answers no, then there's no deal and you haven't only left your family to survive without you, you have left your team in a lurch.  Its a catch 22, you don't win either way.
"Apparently, big shoes to fill though," she raises her eyebrows at you, putting you on a pedestal.  FUCK! So shes part of the team now, every time she steps out on a mission she is putting her life at risk.  She done it for you, she made a deal for you.  After everything, she still cares, still puts her own happiness, her own wellbeing last, and everyone elses first.
Chloe holds onto your hand, she is shaking, its killing you not being able to wrap your arms around her,
"Clint, I don't know if I'm cut out for this," defeatism seeping through her body,
Touching her face as she presses her head onto the bars "You were always the better Barton. No one ever told you, thats all." Reassuring her before the tears fall.

Chloe
The buzzer sounds once again, and the guard shouts
"Visiting is over!"
How can this be over? You need more time, there has to be more time. You spent more time in the waiting area. How can you leave him here, he should be at home with his beautiful wife and children, not in a prison cell.
You look at Clint, seeing the tears forming in his ocean blue eyes, if he cries then you'll cry, and if you start crying you're afraid you wont stop. What can you do? Your heart is going to come flying out of your chest, you can actually hear it thumping. Its so loud! Everything is loud. You have to slow your breathing before you pass out.  You inhale in through the nose and out through the mouth,
"Umm, don't get into any fights over pudding, its really not worth it. Believe me, I know." Sound advice Chloe, well done.
You glance back at Clint as you walk away, the tears are coming, you tilt your head back to try and force them to stop, but they don't, they stream down the sides of your face filling your ears like a well.
You are just about to step through the gate that leads back to the waiting area when you hear Clint shouting,
"Chloe!! Watch your back out there, you hear me?" You hear him, you hear him frustratingly banging on the bars.  Your heart cracking with each clang, you lean back against a wall, sobbing.