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| a safehouse |

f a r m

❝ f a r m ❞

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As Celeste regains awareness of her actual surroundings, she finds herself no longer in the depths of a rusting boat. Instead, she's curled up in the co-pilot seat of the quinjet with a blanket draped over her and Clint sits next to her, piloting them through the early morning skies. She doesn't move, though the aches in her back scream for her to, not quite ready to let anyone know she's awake.

As her gaze focuses, she only grows more confused when she sees their current coordinates on one of the screens. They're back in New York, but heading in the opposite direction of the Avengers Tower.

The quinjet's speed drops worryingly fast, despite the fact that there's no actual civilization to be seen for miles. She watches silently as it lands in the middle of a meadow, with a large white house and barn not too far away. Trees surround the vast area, giving them the feeling they're separated from the rest of the world.

Clint glances over as he flips the switch to lower the ramp, surprised to see Celeste already awake.

"Hey," he murmurs, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple as the others begin to stir. "You have no idea how worried you had me."

Her throat is as raw as sandpaper, so she offers a weak smile as a reply, stretching her limbs as she slowly stands up. The floor seems to sway under her feet, preventing her from moving any further. Clint is by her side in her instant, wrapping an arm around her waist to support her exhausted body.

They move outside, stepping into the meadow where grass and wildflowers nearly reach her hip. Everyone waits patiently, having unanimously agreed Clint would lead them through the unfamiliar territory and too tired to protest their slow pace.

"It's been a while since I've been here," he admits through a grunt as they come closer to the house, the majority of Celeste's weight on him.

The others follow behind in a single file line, with Steve bringing up the rear as he supports Natasha.

"What is this place?" Thor questions as Clint opens the unlocked front door.

"A safe house?" Tony offers, just as bewildered.

"Let's hope," Clint agrees.

He opens the door, revealing a rustic interior design and, much to Celeste's shock, toys and stuffed animals misplaced all over the living room. The kitchen can be seen adjacent to the living room, separated by a large counter. Stairs are off to the right of the front door, and framed children's drawings line the hallway of it.

The Avengers crowd the entryway as Clint helps Celeste to sit down on the plush brown couch, each one in shock. She peels off her red gloves and tugs at the collar of her suit, suddenly feeling restricted in the tight clothing.

Circus Acts || Clint Barton ✓Where stories live. Discover now