Rogue (Under Rewriting)

Chapter Forty Five

Upstate New York, 2023, later that day

"Jeez, Tony. This isn't the Indy-500." Alex spoke as her back pressed firmly against the cars seat. "You can slow down."

"Indy-500? Didn't know they had those in Russia." The billionaire remarked.

"Ha ha. You are just so funny."

"I know. Kota knows. Everyone knows." The little boy in the backseat let out another small giggle before Tony speed down the compounds driveway.

Tony pulled the car to an abrupt stop in front of the compounds doors, a few feet in front of Steve. He slowly rolled the window down before speaking. "Why the long face? Let me guess: He turned into a baby."

"Among other things, yeah. What are you doing here?" Steve questioned back. Alex opened her door before getting Dakota out and pushing him towards the doors. He rushed forward with a laugh and raced out to do who knows what.

"That's the EPR Paradox." Tony stated, ignoring Steve's question as he got out of the car. "Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up pushing time through Lang. It's tricky. Dangerous. Somebody should've cautioned you against it."

"You did."

"Oh, did I? Thank God I'm here. Regardless, I fixed it." He holds up his right hand, with a device on it. "A fully functioning Time-Space GPS. I just want peace. Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it."

"Me too." Steve agreed.

"We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities: Bring back what we lost? I hope, yes. Keep what I got? I have to, at all costs. And... maybe not die trying will be nice."

"Sounds like a deal." Steve reaches out his hand to shake in the deal, in which Tony replies in the same way.

"Okay. Now that you two have made up, get on with the presents." Alex spoke up.

Tony walks around to the back of his car and reaches into his trunk to pull something out. He dumps the blanket and stuffed animals off of it to reveal Steve's shield. He moves it towards Steve but he hesitates.

"Tony, I don't know..."

"Why? He made it for you. Plus, honestly I have to get it out of the garage before Morgan or Dakota take it sledding."

"Thank you, Tony." Steve reply's as he slips the shield onto his arm.

"Will you keep that a little quiet? Didn't bring one for the whole team." Tony lightly jokes before hesitating. "We are getting the whole team, yeah?"

"We're working on that right now." Alex speaks before leading the group into the compound. She walked towards the living quarters where she saw a beautiful red head waiting for her. She was listening to her son talk endlessly about the thing he did over at the Stark household.

"Hey, Bub, why don't you go to your room. Mom and I need to talk." Natasha spoke as she stood from her seat. The little boy ran off without another word like he wasn't just mid-conversation.

"What did-"

"They found him." She spoke before Alex had even finished.

"Who?"

"Clint. They found Clint." Natasha answered, ringing her hands together.

"That's good. Where is he?" She grabbed her wife's shoulders to stop her pacing.

"Tokyo." She answered shortly. "Will you go with me?"

"Of course.

*****

The quinjet flew through the heavy rain and into the lit city of Tokyo, Japan. The two females were silent as they landed the jet and walked through the city. Natasha reluctantly held the umbrella close to her body after asking Alex if she wanted to share. Instead, Alex opted for using her magic to make a shield above her head.

They walked through the quiet street before coming across the scene that had been so expertly painted with blood and dead bodies. They stopped a few feet behind a hooded figure that stood over a dead body. He wiped he sword on his sleeve before pulling his hood and mask off.

"You shouldn't be here." He spoke up.

"Neither should you." Natasha spoke back. Alex opted to stay quiet and a few paces behind the shorter female.

"I've got a job to do." Clint answered as he turned halfway to face the two.

"Is that what you're calling this? Killing all these people isn't gonna bring your family back." The red head spoke bluntly. "We found something. A chance, maybe..."

"Don't..." He stated as his voice wavered. He looked at the girl, who had stepped closer, with hurt eyes.

"Don't what?"

"Don't give me hope."

"I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you sooner." Natasha slowly moved her hand forward to grab Clint's gloved one to show that she was really there.

"We need your help Clint. This could bring everyone back." Alex spoke up from her spot. The archer looked between the two women and nodded wordlessly. Alex cracked a small smile before turning back to the jet.

"So when did you two get married?" Clint quietly asked Natasha as they walked.

"Four years ago. We decided that waiting was what we didn't want to do so we just sort of declared ourselves married." She explained. She softly smiled as she stole a glance at the diamond ring in her finger.

"You know, I'm surprised Bailey didn't come along with you guys." Clint spoke once they got in the empty jet.

Alex's shoulders tensed as memories flashed through her head violently. Images of Bailey's laughing and smiled face flashed so hard she felt a headache growing. Willing herself to snap out of it, she shook her head and flexed her fingers.

"Bailey didn't make it." She forced  herself to say. Natasha lightly grabbed the blondes hand and squeezed it softly.

They made it back to the compound in silence with light conversation every now and then. Natasha split off from the two, claiming that Steve needed her for something. While she did that, Alex led Clint towards where Bruce, Scott, Rhodey, and Nebula were testing the time-travel suit.