Hawkeye's Sister

Chapter 16

"It seems that Claire is making excellent recovery. She wants to talk with you sometime. I told her this evening would be fine." I breath out a sigh of relief, and then I register what he said.

"She wants to talk to me? Last time I saw her she wanted nothing to do with me." I say, confused.

"It seems getting healthy has improved her opinion of you. You are dismissed." I nod and turn, walking to the door.

"Barton." Fury says, and I stop.

"Don't mess up again." He says, and I nod. Walking out, I go to the gym and find Natasha.

"I told you she would change her mind." She says, and I feel the grin stretching across my face.

"She wants to talk to me!" I say, picking her up and spinning her, much to her annoyance.

"Clint, put me down." She commands, but her voice full of laughter. I put her down, and she laughs at my face.

"I don't think I have ever seen you this happy." She says, and I fist pump the air in joy.

"I now have a second chance. I can start over." I say, grabbing two knives and tossing one to Natasha. She catches it with ease, and takes a defensive stance.

"What do you think she wants to talk about?" I ask, attacking.

"Probably about everything you two have missed out on in these past years. You know, clothes, friends, boys." She says, and I stop dead in my tracks.

"Boys???" I say, and I shake my head.

"No, niet, nicht, no way, uh uh, absolutely not!" I say, protectiveness filling my chest.

"Clint she is a grown woman. She is going to meet a guy eventually." She says, and I sigh.

"Now I feel old." I say, sitting on the floor with a thump. The knife in my pocket, long forgotten, pokes me and I jump back up.

"You look pretty good for an old man." Natasha says, and she laughs.

"Thanks." I say, and I put the knife away. I look at the clock. 9:00 A.M.

"Ugghh Its so long!" I say, and toss the knife at a target on the wall.

***Claire***

I walk with Loki to the Bifrost, nervously clutching his arm. We enter the great golden ball and are greeted by Heimdal.

"Well, you have improved greatly I must say, Lady Claire." He says, giving me a small smile.

"Thank you Heimdal." I say, and Loki and I turn to the portal. Hemdal inserts his sword and we are pulled into the vortex. In a few minutes we stop, and are on top of the Helicarrier. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I find myself choking on the thin air of earth. Loki grabs me, and we hurry inside. My coughing subsides, but I still find myself lightheaded.

"You ok?" Loki asks, and I smile.

"Fine, just a little lightheaded." I say, brushing it off.

"Claire!" I hear, and I look to see a familiar graying blonde run down the corridor.

"Pamela!" I say, and I run to her. She holds me in a hug, and I hold on tightly.

"You look so beautiful. So healthy." She says, stroking my cheek. I look at her, and notice that her hair is almost all gray, and she has several more wrinkles.

"You look beautiful, though maybe a little older." I tease, smiling at her. She laughs, and a few tears fall from her eyes.

"Oh stop it." She says, and a few tears gather in my own eyes.