The Man My Father Always Talked About • A CAPTAIN AMERICA STORY

58

~58~

     Clara walked into Natasha's room to see her scurrying around. She stopped everything she was doing when she noticed her brunette friend and approached her. "Did you do it? Did you persuade him."

Clara raised her wrist to show her the time traveling wristwatch. "May I introduce to you the greatest invention of mankind."

Natasha grabbed her wrist and examined it, a smile forming on her pale lips. She looked back up at Clara, her friend seeing a smile she hadn't seen in forever. "You guys did it," she whispered out of disbelief. She pulled Clara into a hug and they laughed with joy. When they pulled apart, Natasha started gathering things.

"Going somewhere Nat?" Clara asked, crossing her arms as she leaned on her dresser.

"Rhodey found Clint." Clara's eyes widened at the news as Natasha flung a bag over her shoulder and made her way to the hanger.

"You think he's really going to come back?" Clara asked as she followed Nat into the back of the jet. Natasha nodded as she punched in his coordinates in the quinjet.

"As long as he has hope." Natasha answered.

"I'm not sure..." she started, but Nat cut her off.

"I'll get him back." Clara nodded and hugged Natasha as she said goodbye. She stepped off the jet only to almost step on a member of their new team.

"Watch it four eyes," Rocket said angrily. Clara pushed her glasses up further onto her nose so they wouldn't fall off.

"Rather have four eyes than eat garbage," Clara remarked. Rocket chuckled softly as he continued his way. "And where are you off to may I ask?"

"Off to get Thor. Lookin' for Big Green."

"Here!" Bruce announced as he made his way into the hanger. He wiped the food off his face from the lunch he had just had. "I'm here."

"He looks more like the Jolly Green Giant," Clara mumbled.

"Am I supposed to know what that is?" Rocket questions.

"Forget it," Clara crossed her arms.

"We're really getting the gang back together," Bruce smiled.

"Nat's on her way to get Clint and then we're all set." Bruce smiled and Clara stood on her tiptoes to pat his arm. "Bring Thor back in one piece okay?"

"Will do." Bruce agreed.

She joined Steve in his old room where he was sitting on the couch. They didn't know how much time went by as they sat there, Clara's legs lying over Steve's. There was a book in Clara's hands and a notebook in Steve's. He was drawing a picture, though Clara was oblivious of what he was drawing. Clara flipped the page, though her mind wasn't on the book. She kept thinking about her conversation with Pepper from the night before. She looked up from her book, watching Steve as he drew. He didn't notice her, his mind occupied by his drawing. Clara stared at him, the light shining from the window and hitting him perfectly. He was perfect. Clara was never able to and never will be able to find any flaw in him.

"What're you staring at Clara?" Steve smirked softly, not lifting his eyes from his page though he knew she was staring.

"I'm just thinking." Clara hummed, setting her book down and pulling her knees to her chest. She rested her chin on top of her knees as she continued to stare at her husband.

Steve set his notepad down and shifted on the couch to face her. "That's always a dangerous pass time" He sheepishly smiled.

Clara blurted out, "I think we should have kids."