The Safehouse

Chapter 5

*3 hours later*

"Alright, now that you have your  presents it's chores assignment time."  Juniper smiled.

"Juniper you didn't need to get us gifts so we would do chores." Steve said.

"I know." she replied. "Anyway, Barnes you'll be feeding the venomous room because you're least likely to die because of the metal arm.  Don't worry I'll teach you.  Steve you're on food duty.  Clint non-venomous room.  Natasha the dogs.  Bucky will do dishes since venomous is only once a week feedings and do your own laundry.  Clear?"

"Clear." they all respond.

"Alright, so Steve I have a typed up menu with recipes attached.  You can start lunch and I will take Bucky to teach him.  Clint please go give the daily rounds to the non venomous and Natasha please walk the dogs." Juniper rattled off before grabbing Bucky's hand leading him away.

* 2 hours later*

"Clint!" came a shout from across the apartment.  Clint ran at full speed towards the voice.  He could hear the panic in the tone.  His mind was running so fast that he almost didn't see his sister collapsed on the floor.  Bucky was trying to get her up but was struggling because of her positioning literally on top of his feet.

"What happened?!" Clint shrieked.

"I don't know.  We had just locked the venomous room up and when I turned around she collapsed."  Bucky rushed out.

"Shit." Clint grunts hearing Steve and Natasha closing in fast.  He quickly picks her up and carries her to the couch.  "Steve call Banner on my line and see if he can get a secured feed to our location.  If not have Loki teleport him here."  Steve gives a curt nod and runs out to get Clint's phone from the kitchen.  "Damnit Junie I knew this would happen."  He lowered his head to her shoulder and felt a hand on his own.

"She's gonna be alright Clint.  Don't panic okay?  Bruce will come help and maybe even Loki can do some of the healing he knows." Natasha tried to soothe him.

"You don't understand.  Juniper isn't a normal person Natasha.  She was born with hole in her heart.  Working as much as she does and training with me could literally kill her.  She needs to slow down but I don't know how to get it through her thick skull.  She's so damned stubborn." Clint word vomits.

"Clint, listen I will talk to Bruce.  Maybe he and Tony can help find something to solve the problem.  Either that or maybe he can convince her that she needs some time away from so much work.  How much time off does she have saved up?" Bucky asks.

Clint chuckles at the question. "A year."  Natasha and Bucky's eyes grow incredibly wide.

"A YEAR!  How?!" Nat stutters.

"I told you she's never taken a day off.  She literally doesn't stop.  The school has been trying to get her to take a sabbatical for some times now.  The hospital has sent her to HR regarding her refusal to take time away." Clint explains.

"She'll be taking that year off starting tomorrow." Steve says as he enters with Bruce in tow.  "Tony had FRIDAY run her vitals through Nat's phone."  

"She collapsed because of dehydration and exhaustion." Bruce explained quickly.

 "Bruce says she isn't allowed to work until his order allows it.  He will notify her jobs in the morning." Loki says as he finally walks in.

Bruce quickly double checks her vitals and hooks up an IV with fluids and a sedative to avoid he waking up before he wants her to.

"She's going to be fine. Tony is working on finding a fix for her heart as we speak and he thinks he can create something rather quickly." Bruce says gently.  Clint slumps in relief.

"Thank God."