Scorpia

Chapter 7

It's much later that evening with everyone sitting in the common room, each nursing a drink and an ice pack, that I finally reveal my story.

"While I was staying in Brazil I ran into this guy named Remmy Vasquez. He calls himself The Rat. He's the head of the Brazillian mafia with ties to almost every country and criminal organization in the world, including Hydra. I caught his attention about half a year after I moved there, and not in a good way," I explain quietly.

"What did you do?" Steve asks kindly, shifting forward in his seat.

"I blew up a few factories and warehouses holding enough weapons and ammo to take down a third-world country and freed the women and children they were using as slaves," I shrug before being reminded of my tweaked shoulder as it sends a stab of pain down my arm.

"What I didn't know was that the cameras on the buildings continuously uploaded their feeds to a cloud server, meaning he knew exactly what I looked like and how I operated. He invited me for a little chat to offer me a place in his ranks, or the Race, as he calls it. When I declined he told me to take some more time to think it over, that sooner or later I would join. I laughed then walked away. A few months later Clint and Nat show up on my doorstep asking me to help them take out a cartel dealing in trafficking enhanced individuals." The room is silent enough to hear a pin drop.

"Woah, hold up. Do you mean to tell me all of this is connected? That you getting attacked, the proposition from Anton, finding Chase, who I never liked, by the way, is all connected to this Remmy guy?! Why didn't you ever tell me?" Clint rants as he paces up and down the room, running his hands through his hair in irritation.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't think that it was important. Besides, you've had more than enough on your plate the last few years, I didn't want to add my problems on top of that," I plant myself in my brother's path and grab onto his arms, trying to get him to understand.

"That's what family is for kiddo; sharing each other's problems so that you don't have to go through it alone. Fuck knows I've dropped enough of my issues on your shoulders throughout the years that you should have been able to come to me with this and a whole lot more," Clint is still visibly upset but his eyes are softer now as he pulls me into a tight hug. "No more secrets," he whispers to me.

"No more secrets," I whisper back as I feel Nat come up behind me and wrap her arms around both me and my brother in an uncharacteristic display of affection.

"Moi dva idiota," Nat says with a smile as she lets us go. I catch Bucky's eye in time to see him biting the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing.

"I would say that this constant switching to other languages so that we can't understand you is annoying, but I'm used to it by now. So instead I will say that this ratatouille guy messed with the wrong people. We are going to take him and his empire down," Tony pipes up from behind the bar, a sickly green smoothie in hand and a wide grin plastered across his face as if Christmas had come early.

"I really appreciate that Tony, but I can't ask you guys to get involved. This is my fight," I try to object but Tony just waves me off.

"Nonsense! It's just like Legolas said, families, are there to help each other. You're his and Nat's family, which means you're also ours. Now if you will excuse me, I have some work to do in the lab. I'll have Friday call you all when I find something. For now, I suggest that you get some sleep, you look like death warmed over," Tony says with a serious face before flouncing off to the elevator.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna take Tony's advice and hit the hay. I'll see you guys in the morning," Sam announces before making his way to the elevator, stopping briefly to give me a quick hug and a whispered, "Welcome to the family."

One by one the rest of the team shuffles off to either go sleep or enjoy their various pursuits after handing out hugs and welcome until it's just me and Bucky. "Are you gonna head to sleep too?" Bucky asks casually as he finishes off the last of his beer.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna watch a movie for a while. You're welcome to join me if you want," I offer with a shy smile as I plop down on the couch and pull one of the flannel blankets over my legs.

"Sounds like fun," Bucky grins as he plants himself next to me and I lift the blanket so he can snuggle beneath it. We settle on watching Beauty and the Beast but within the first half-hour we're both fast asleep with my head resting on his chest and his arms wrapped securely around my waist, both of us completely oblivious to the pair of blue eyes watching us with a smile from the shadows.

Translation: Moi dva idiota (My two idiots)