Speedy Eagle

Return to Sokovia

Dear Wanda and Pietro,

It's that day! Clint and I are on the plane to Sokovia for my thirteenth birthday. I hope I see you two! I'm not sure I'll recognize you even if I do so that may be an issue.

Steve is getting better. He goes through less punching bags and has started to write in a journal. It looks like it really help him like it did me. He is less tense and has had less nightmares. He still doesn't get a lot of sleep though. I guess he's lucky he can't get drunk because he probably would have turned to the bottle by now. I hope your both alright and I see you!

Anya

I close the book as a voice on the intercom tells us we're landing. We get off the plane and go to the hotel first, putting our stuff away. We're going to be here for a week before we have to go back. In that time, I'm going to shove every sight I can into his future. We start with a walk around, pointing out major sights and the greatest parks that I used to play at.

As we walk around, we come to the building I used to live in. They rebuilt the building and it looks the exact same. Tears well up in my eyes. I sit down in front of a little memorial and look at all the faces on the poster. Clint tries to comfort me for a few moments. He leaves and returns with a few flowers. I lay them around the memorial as I try to stop my tears.

We return to the room when the sun sets and he sends me to bed, keeping me in his arms all night.

The next morning, we visit museums and look at all the antiques. I choose where we go for lunch because it's my birthday. I continuously mention how good it is to be back and to be able to show him my culture. I laugh as he tries to read the menu that's written in the Sokovian. I read it out to him and when he tries to order from the waiter, he completely butchers it. I correct him and Clint just points to which one he wants. The waiter finally understands and I tell him my order.

"How can you still understand this language?" Clint asks. "It's been almost seven years since you've spoken it."

"It is my native language still, Clint. I could never forget my roots. It's what keeps me grounded and makes me feel at home here and in America. If you were suddenly taken to live in, say, France for seven years, would you forget how to speak English?"

"I guess not. So, since it's your birthday, I decided to get you something. Part of your gift is at home but I did bring this." He hands me a small box.

"You didn't have to get me anything. Just being here with you is enough."

"Just open it!"

I gently untie the ribbon and open the box. Inside is a set of dog tags with my name on them. A charm sits next to them of an arrow. "Aww, I love it!" I slide the dog tags around my neck and hold them in my hand. "Where did you get these?"

"I got Stark's help. He can make anything. He's also getting you something but you'll get it when we get back."

We continue through lunch before going to the park. When we get there, there is a large group of people there. "I wonder what's going on here."

The group starts to chant and Clint looks at me. "What are they saying?"

"I think they're protesting something. It sounds like they're against outsiders. What does that make us?"

I hear a shout of a man, warning people. "FIRE!" he calls. I grabs Clint's hand and run as someone sets fire to the ground.

"Anna, what's happening?!" Clint calls.

"The protests are violent. The man said fire, trying to stop war the people from Sokovia and kill outsiders who wouldn't understand the language. It was an older version, only someone from Sokovia would know." We get off of the grass and run back to the hotel. "I need to tell you how to survive. One, never mention Stark. They believe that he caused the bombings. Two, stay with me. You don't understand the language. That will get you killed if you aren't here with someone from Sokovia."

"Got it," Clint says. He lets out a long breath.

"Maybe we shouldn't have come here. I don't want to see you get hurt, Clint. We should go back." A knot forms in my throat as I say those words. I don't want to go back home yet. "It would be safer."

Clint looks at me. Tears are forming in my eyes. "No," he says. "I can hand myself. I won't cut short your chance to see your home just to protect myself. I still have my hand-to-hand combat skills and you practice with Nat. We'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"I am positive. Now get some rest. We have five more days of fun!" I smile and change into my pajamas. He kisses my forehead. "Good night."

The next few days go through without a hitch. It's our last day in Sokovia when we visit Daniella Montez. She welcomes Clint and I with open arms. She gives me the jewelry that was my parents along with a few pictures. "Your parents would be proud at who you've grown up to be. Your father gave me a request for if he ever died and you were still young. He hoped it would never come to it though. I was given control over the entire company when he died but he asked me to first give you the choice to control part of it when you grew up and if you didn't want to, have access to money that would have been for your family had he still been here. For the last few years, I have been sticking the money your father would have gotten in a trust fund with your name on it. You'll be able to access it when you're eighteen."

I look at her, shocked. "How much is in there?" I asks. I don't remember my family ever having an excessively large amount of money.

"A few million. He never told you because he wanted you to have a normal life and grow up having friends, unjudged by others."

"Thank you," I say. "You don't know what it means to me to have a piece of my family back."

"It's no trouble. Your parents were great people and dear friends of mine, taken far before their time. I hope to see you again sometime."

"Me to. I'll try to keep in touch." She opens the door and Clint and I get into the car. We go to the airport and board our plane. Tears come to my eyes as we take off back to America.