Something To Marvel At :||: Steve Rogers

4.5 'Our Future'

Laura Barton played by Linda Cardellini

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The sun was just peaking above the horizon, the clouds that littered the sky a soft orange colour against the light blue. The team frowned as Clint lowered the aircraft into a field, beside a two-story house with a much-loved garden growing proudly around it and a back shed.

Barton helped his best friend walk down the hill from where the jet was parked into the wooden fence surrounding the house. It was painted white with dark green trimmings and even had a porch swing. Bruce sniffled as the grass and flowers stirred up his hay fever. "Where are we?"

Thor glanced at Tony as Clint lead us up the stairs and opened the swinging gauze door, walking right on inside. "What is this place?"

All my brother could do was shrug. Steve and I glanced at each other with cautious expressions but trusted our teammate, following him inside. The place was tidy and littered with treasured knick-knacks and family portraits. I glanced around, taking it all in, spying the wedding photo on top of a cabinet as we weaved through the entrance foyer to the dining room and kitchen.

"Honey?" Clint called. "I'm home."

A heavily pregnant woman walked around the corner, a look of disbelief on her face. The same expression was probably written all over us as we stared at Clint embracing her. "Sorry I didn't call ahead."

Tony turned to us, his thick dark browns furrowed deeply. "This is an agent of some kind."

Barton turned to us, his arms wrapped around his wife. "Gentlemen, Isabelle, this is Laura."

She waved awkwardly, a kind smile on her face. "I know all of your names." We gaped at her and she chuckled.

Footsteps thundered on the stairs and Clint turned to the doorway we'd just come through, his face beaming. Two children, a boy and a girl came scrambling into the room and lunged at their father, who laughed and easily picked them both up. "Hi, sweetheart! Hey, buddy. How are you guys doing?!"

My eyes inconveniently found Steve, who had a confused frown on his face as he stared at the sight. I quickly looked away again, too stunned by the revelation that Clint had an entire family we didn't know about and that they lived here, in the middle of nowhere. "Did you bring Aunty Nat?" The little girl asked.

Natasha turned from where she stood in the corner. "Why don't you hug her and find out?"

The child ran into her arms and Nat lifted her into the air, grinning with happiness. "Sorry to barge in on you," Steve cleared his throat, remembering manners while the rest of us gawked.

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

I elbowed my brother in the ribs and he grunted in pain. "Ignore him."

Laura chuckled, glancing between us. The little boy still hugging his dad stared up at me with wide, awe-filled eyes. "You're the Elemental."

I blinked, a smile spreading across my face. "You can call me Isabelle."

"That will be 'Miss Stark' to you, Cooper," Clint warned his eldest.

"Dad says you're the coolest Avenger," Cooper continued without missing a beat. "Can you sign my Avengers t-shirt?"

"Of course," My chest filled with pride at the smile he shot back at me.

Clint patted his son's arm and turned to us. "Fury helped me set up this safe house for my family when I joined. He kept it off SHIELD's files, I'd like to keep it that way."