The End of the Line | a Captain America Fanfic

thirty

I wake up to Clint carefully shaking my shoulder. 

"Come on little one, we're here," he says as I blink my eyes to adapt to the sunlight.

I cautiously step out of the jet, taking in the tranquil scene that surrounds the safe house. The air is fresh and crisp, carrying the scent of pine and the distant chirping of birds. My eyes widen as I see the cozy cabin nestled among the rolling hills and tall trees, its wooden exterior giving off a warm, inviting vibe.

Following Clint up the gravel path, I feel a mix of curiosity and unease. This isn't what I imagined a safe house to look like. Where are the steel doors and high-tech gadgets? Instead, I find myself surrounded by nature, the cabin blending in with its surroundings like it grew there naturally.

As we reach the front door, Clint flashes me a reassuring smile before unlocking it and leading me inside. Stepping into the warmth of the cabin, I'm greeted by the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the windows. The interior is cozy and homey, with comfortable furniture and a crackling fireplace.

Looking around, I notice personal touches that hint at a family living here—a well-loved armchair by the fire, family photos adorning the walls, and a child's drawing hanging on the fridge. It's a far cry from the sterile safe houses I've seen before, and it leaves me feeling both intrigued and a little apprehensive.

"Wow," I say, unable to hide my surprise. "This is your safe house?"

Clint chuckles, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Not exactly," he replies.

Confusion swirls in my mind as I try to reconcile the image of Clint, the tough Avenger, with the cozy domestic scene before me. It slowly dawns on me that there's more to him than meets the eye—that behind the bow and arrows lies a man with a family and a home to return to.

"Honey? I'm home!" he calls but no one answers 

I think I might have been wrong and this is really just a safe house until a young woman steps out of the kitchen and into the cozy living space. She enters the room with quiet confidence, her presence immediately drawing attention. She has a warm smile and a calm demeanor, her auburn hair simply falling over her shoulders, her skin fair, and her eyes a soft hazel. Despite her pregnancy being evident, she carries herself with grace and ease, her maternity attire accentuating her gentle glow

I smile at my sister as Clint approaches his wife. It's quite obvious that Nat knew about all this. 

A moment later, we hear footsteps approaching us, and two children, a boy and a girl run to fall into their father's arms. Now that I see him in this environment, it seems weird to me that I never thought of him as a person to have a family. He seems like the dad everyone dreams about. The one who watches his kid's favorite movie over and over again, never expecting the ending, or the one who reads to his children until they fall asleep. 

I can't help but smile brightly, despite my exhaustion. 

"Sorry for barging in, we were busy not knowing you existed," Tony says and lets himself fall on the couch. It seems like the last couple of days have aged him around 5 years. 

"Laura, this is Anastasia, our newest member." Clint introduces me to his wife.

Before I can say anything, Laura engulfs me in a warm hug. "It's so great to meet you! Clint's been talking about you a lot!" 

I smile. 

"So, how did you come to join..." she starts but interrupts herself when she sees Clint slowly shaking his head. 

"Oh, um Clint, it's totally fine! I'm Nat's sister, we were trained together in the red room. I've been out for a couple of months now."

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry to hear that. I really don't know what to say, it's so surreal that Shield never did anything to stop them."

"Well, back then Hydra, the Red Room and Shield were working together and it was in each other's interest to keep them a secret."

"Yeah, I suppose..." she mumbles.

My eyes trail off, to Steve who storms back in. Didn't even notice he left, to be completely honest. 

"Thor left," he says.

"Wait, what?"

"Whatever the Maximoff girl showed him must have really disturbed him. He said he'll search for answers. Whatever that means." he shrugs.

I simply nod. 

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

I step outside to see Steve sitting by a pile of firewood, just sitting there, looking to the horizon. As I step further, I can see a singular tear run down his face. It's quite a strange sight. Cap, who never shows emotion, always reserved and focused seems so incredibly lost. I slowly sit down next to him, watching the sun slowly turn into an orange hue as it dips lower. I am still mad at him but I know when someone needs to talk about their feelings.

"What did you see?" I ask. 

"The life I always wanted. I had it, it was right there, perfect. She had come home. To me. And we were happy... so happy. But then, in the next moment, it all was gone. I just felt so incredibly..."

"Hopeless?" I suggest.

"Yes. I honestly don't know why I'm even telling you this."

"It's all gonna be okay." 

"How do you know?" he asks.

"I don't. But it can't really get worse, can it?" I chuckle dryly. 

Steve gives me a weak smile. 

"True."

I sigh. 

"Can I ask you what you saw?" he asks.

"I... sure. It was short, Wanda recognized me and interrupted it. But it was still long enough to show me things I thought I could forget. It's funny really, how I want to forget the things I remember and remember the things I forgot." I mumble, more to myself.

"I saw Hydra, the Winter soldier, the experiments. The pain we both had to endure. Physically but also mentally. Next was the red room. It was the last task. I had to... I had..."

"You don't need to tell me if you don't want to."

"Thanks," I say and smile softly. 

I hear Laura call my name from the house and stand up. I nod at Steve before I turn around and leave. 

"Don't think too much about what Wanda made you see. It's not going to bring Anna home."

I have overthought what I heard Steve say before the party. I still don't know who it was directed a, maybe I'll find the right moment to ask him about it. But until then, we can grow as friends, as team colleagues. Cause me hating on him will honestly not change much. Might aswell ignore it.

What I don't hear is that Steve says something as I walk up the steps and he stays there by the wood.

"We can go home, one day. I promise." he sighs and buries his face in his hands. 

"I love you."

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I heard him that day.

A/N: muahahaha, anyways, hope you like this chapter, xoxo, Nastja <3 

P.S.: don't forget to vote and comment :)