Finding Home: A Captain America FanFic

Chapter 9.

I slept uneasily that night. My dreams were filled with Bucky and Tony. It was all pain and trauma. I couldn't keep taking over people's minds like that. I was bringing bits of them back with me.

The next day, I sat outside on the porch in a rocking chair and waited. I held James. After what I'd just done I didn't want to put him down. I think he knew something was wrong and was projecting back the soothing thoughts I normally sent him. That can't be right though can it? He was only three days old.

The Quinn Jet arrived, just like I knew it would, and landed in the woods just to the front of the house. I got up and unsteadily walked towards it. The others were heading towards me in single file. You could tell how broken they were just by looking at them. I didn't even have to look into their minds. Their pain poured out of them and crashed down on top of me. Bruce in particular. He felt ruined. Like he had given up hope. He wanted to die, but knew even that was hopeless.

Clint and Natasha passed me without a word. Nat offered me a sad smile and Clint patted me briefly on the shoulder.

Tony glared at me. "We're going to need to talk." He said as he passed me. I nodded.

Thor looked awful. I was glad I couldn't hear his thoughts. As he walked passed I took his hand and he squeezed it and let go without breaking his stride.

Steve stopped and kissed me, taking James from my arms. He looked relieved to see me. He didn't know I'd be here, and whatever that other person had done to him, had made him forget that he had us at all. Bruce caught up to us because of the brief stop and I turned and hooked my arm with his, and we kind of supported each other as we headed back to the house.

"Thank you." He said.

"I'm just glad it worked."

He let out a hollow laugh. "Not half as much as I am."

"What happened?"

He shook his head. That twin is like you, only she's so much worse. She trapped us in our worst thoughts. For me, that's setting of a time bomb."

"Fuck." I said, under my breath.

"I feel like our only chance is to have you there with us, but you're in no condition to fight. So now what? We're just doomed." We were almost at the house now. Clint, Nat and Tony were already inside. "Where are we?"

I laughed. "I think that's for Clint to tell."

We headed inside and Clint was already introducing Laura and Eric to everyone. I approached Steve and wrapped my arms around him. Tony was perplexed. He couldn't quiet get his head around Clint having family he'd hidden from us.

The kids tore around the corner.

"Uncle Clint! Auntie Nat!" They cried slamming into Nat and Clint.

"Auntie Nat?" Tony asked. Steve smirked.

"Sorry for barging in." Steve said.

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

"Yeah well, Fury helped me set this up." Clint explained. "In the past people have targeted my family. We lost our parents like that. We hid Laura's identity to keep her safe. He kept them off SHIELD's files and I'd like to keep it that way. I figured it was a good place to lay low. And as you can see, Daisy's been hiding out here."

Nat started talking to Laura as the men all shifted around awkwardly. Not quiet knowing what to do with themselves. I took Jamie off Steve and went and sat down. Thor suddenly stormed out of the room and Steve followed. I heard the sound of Thor taking off, and then this incredible sadness isolation poured out of Steve so strongly I scrambled back to my feet and hobbled towards the door to find him. Tony grabbed me by the arm.