Lexi POV:
"Can't you stay Lexi?" Lila asks, sitting on my bed as I pack up my things. She woke up from her nap and came straight to my room.
"I'm sorry Lila. But this girl has to get back to saving the world." I smile and her, giving her a slight hug. "Don't worry, I'll come and visit when I can!"
"Promise?" She asks looking expectantly at me, holding up her pinky finger.
I wrap my pinky around hers and smile. "Promise."
I grab my duffle bag and step out of the room, with Clint walking out of his room at the same time, Cooper on his side.
I walk down the stairs and put my duffle next to the door before saying goodbye to Laura. "Thank you so much for the last two months Laura," I tell her as we embrace. "It's been a really long time since I've spent time with a proper family, so you don't know how much this has meant to me."
"Oh Lexi," Laura says blinking back tears. "Hang on. Hormones." She says as we laugh and she rapidly fans herself.
"Okay try two at this." She jokes. "Lexi, I want to thank you for keeping the kids busy and all the fun you have brought here. No matter what happens out there, know you will always have a home here. You are part of this family." She smiles. We hug again as a sniffle from the corner catches our attention.
A teary-eyed archer stands in the corner watching us. "Awwww, did we make you cry Clint?" Laura teases.
"Nah, I just got some snow in my eye," He says, desperately trying to hold it in.
"Come over here you big softie." I say, beckoning him with my hand. The three of us hug when the kids come in and jump in between the three of us, creating chuckles all around until Lila speaks up. "Can we stop? I can't breathe in here!"
We all laugh again and Clint and I head out to the door, waving back at Laura and the kids as we grab our duffles.
"Okay Clint, one question." I tell him as we walk back to the quinjet. "What am I supposed to lie if any of my team or the Avengers ask where I've been?"
"Just say that I was showing you how to set up a safehouse and I helped you set up a couple around the nation." Barton says as he opens the ramp door and starts the blasters. "And between you and me, you already have a couple. Nat and I had the kindness to stash some stuff for you and Conner in our safehouses."
Suddenly, Nat and Clint's disappearance right after the battle seems less questioning. "Wait that's where you two went after New York," I ask, the pieces of the puzzle clicking together.
"You never know when your world will come crashing down. It was best that we did. SHIELD doesn't even know about them." He concludes.
"Well thank you from the two of us." I smile and strap in as the quinjet lifts off the ground and to my destination. "Wait, you don't mind giving me a ride to the coordinates that Fury gave me?"
Clint pretend groans. "Uhh fiiinnne. If you insist. You lazy."
"Shut up Barton." I say, playfully shoving him from my seat and opening my laptop. I login and pull up the cordinates that Fury sent me. I left swipe my trackpad and send the file to Barton's screen. "I'll make you a sandwich when I get back to the tower."
"I'm going to hold you to that." He smirks, receiving the file. "So Tony's house gets nailed by the Mandrin, no casualties, and he flies to Rose Hill, Tennesse?" Barton says. "Why? Was he looking for something specific?"
"Hang on, I'm gonna connect to JARVIS." I say and log into the Stark systems. When JARVIS comes online, I start looking through Tony's recent work.
"JARVIS, talk to me. Why was Tony heading to Rose Hill?" I ask the AI.
"It appears that Mr. Stark was on the trail of a similar bombing to that of the Chinese Theater."
Clint's eyebrows furrow. "A similar bombing? From the Mandarin?"
"It doesn't appear so Agent Barton. This was a bombing suicide that had similar readings to the Mandarin attack but there is one problem." JARVIS says, pulling up information on the incident on my screen.
"It predates the Mandrin himself." I finish. "That's why Tony wanted to go and check it out."
"Precisely Agent Carson. Based on my scans, it would seem that Mr. Stark has taken refuge in a house close to the city center."
"I'll drop you off there. We're about ten minutes out." Barton says, flipping some switches.
"Great. JARVIS I can put you on my comm right? So I can kinda get some help?"
"Of course Agent Carson. Transferring now." JARVIS says. I then get up After putting up a screen in the back of the quinjet, I change into my mission outfit and put my jewelry on. Once I'm good, I take down the screen and slide a gun into its holster and place the comm in my ear.
"Hey Lexi, there was a drop off the other day from Agent May's team! Think fast!" Clint calls to me, throwing a wrapped package at me.
"Hey!" I say, catching the package and sliding back into the seat. I open it to see a modified version of the Night Night gun that Fitz created. I look to a thin film screen hanging to the gun by a string.
I press the button and it lights up.
"Hey Lexi!" Fitz says. "Uhh, this is a recording. If you didn't noticed already."
"Ugh Fitz!" Jemma says, walking into view.
"We practiced what we were going to say to her!"
"Well I'm sorry I didn't stick to your script Simmons! And the camera is still recording!" Fitz tells here.
Jemma rolls her eyes and looks up into the camera. "Hi Lexi. Sorry about the fuss over here. If you haven't noticed this is a modified version of the Night Night gun. It's still a prototype version but I hope it comes in handy. Stay safe out there Lexi."
"Hey what's going on in here guys?" Another voice says and Skye comes into view. "Are you guys sending this to Lexi?"
"Yeah say hi!" Fitz says.
Skye smiles into the camera. "Hey Lexi! You think any of the Avengers might see this?"
"Who knows?" Jemma says. "Imagine meeting them. The Avengers. I mean Agent Barton and Romanoff work for S.H.I.E.L.D. so we are more likely to see them. But the others?"
Skye nods at the thought. "Yeah, it would be cool to meet Captain America. He's pretty good looking. Plus, he's a total Dorito." I snort at the fact that Skye said that and that they didn't realize the camera was still rolling.
"True! But what about Thor. His arms are huge! That's like a whole new level of-" Simmons says.
"I hate to break up this incredibly embarrassing conversation that I know Lexi is going to enjoy but we really should be going. We've got another mission soon so goodbye for now." Fitz interjects and shuts the camera off.
I smirk at my team and switch out the gun on my side with the Night Night gun. I definitely prefer the non-lethal weapon, since my mission with a real gun......had some side effects.
"Okay Lexi, we are above a pretty residential area so you might want to be quick." Barton says the ramp door opening to reveal the ground about ten feet below us.
I give him a quick hug before grabbing my duffle. "Thanks for everything Clint!" I say and then drop out of the quinjet, rolling on the ground so I don't break something.
I listen as the quinjet flies away, unseen from its cloaking panels.
"Alright JARVIS, tell me where to go." I say into my comm, walking down a street. I lower my mask but keep my hood up. I don't need to be any more noticeable than I already am.
"Take a right ma'am and then the house should be on your left." JARVIS says. I take the right and look left to a road deep into the trees.
"Great Tony. Just great." I walk down the road and swing around to a farmhouse/garage in the back of the property. I find the farmhouse and see some light inside. I'm about to start picking the lock when a twig snaps behind me. I quickly pull out the Night Night gun and point it toward the source.
The source...ends up being an 11 year-old boy with a potato gun. "Hands up! I'll shoot you! Put it down." Correction, an incredibly brave 11 year-old boy.
"Hey. I don't want to use this." I say calming, smiling. I put the gun back in its holster and pick up my duffle. "I'm an Avenger don't worry." I hold out my hand to him and some of the snow next to me swirls up and forms into a large crystal snowflake that floats above my palm. The kid's expression changes from scared to awed and lowers his potato gun.
I'm telling you. Everyone loves the snowflake.
"Okay. That's cool." He smiles. "I'm Harley."
"Lexi, but most people call me Silver Arrow." I say, dropping the snowflake and pulling down my hood to get a better look through the window. "I just want to know why you left the lights on in there."
"Uhh that's the thing. I didn't." The kid says a little nervously.
"Then I think who I'm looking for might be in there." I tell him, pulling out the Night Night gun and cocking it.
"You can't go in there alone! I'll go with you." He says, holding up the potato gun.
"Harley, there's a difference between brave and crazy. I have no idea who's in there and if you go in there I can't keep you safe. You are staying here." I say and walk around the farmhouse to find another door.
"Wait, at least, let me unlock the door," He says.
I smirk and let the kid unlock the door. I hold up the gun and start to walk in as Harley quickly steps in front of me. "Harley! Get back here!" I whisper-shout to him.
He holds the gun up to something and yells, "Freeze! Don't move."
"You got me. Nice potato gun. Barrel's a little long, though. Between that and the wide gauge, it's going to dimish your FPS." A familiar voice says. Then a crash sounds out. "And you're out of ammo."
I decide to show myself and walk out from around the corner. "Tony?"
"Lexi? I was wondering when one of you would show up. How'd you find me so quickly?" He smirks, giving me a hug.
"Fury sent me after the Malibu attacks. Satellite picked up you flying out, and that you crashed a little ways from here."
"Not bad. You definitely are good for tech searching don't you."
"Nah I just used my resources."
Harley looks between the two of us before speaking up. "Is that Iron Man?" He says, pointing at Tony's beat up suit.
Tony kinda looks offended and I hold in a snort. "Technically I am."
"Well technically, you're dead." Harley says, grabbing a newspaper from the desk near him and handing it to Tony.
"Touche." He says looking it over as Harley walks over to Tony's suit.
"What happened to it?" He asks.
"Life. I built him, I take care of him. I'll fix him." Tony says.
"Like a mechanic?" Harley asks.
"Yeah."
"Oh. If I was building Iron Man and War Machine..." He starts.
"It's Iron Patriot now." Tony corrects and I snort.
"That's way cooler!" Harley continues.
"No, it's not." Tony and I say at the same time and high five each other.
"Anyways, I would have added in um... the retro..." Harley says, confused how to finish.
"Retro-reflective panels?" Tony says his eyebrow raising.
"To make him stealth mode." Harley finishes.
"You want a stealth mode?" Tony asks.
"Cool right?"
Tony thinks about it for a moment before replying. "That's actually a good idea. Maybe I'll build one."
I awww at Tony and he scoffs at me. "You too are connected!" I tease him.
"Shut your trap Carson." Tony says as Harley accidentally breaks off one of the suit's fingers.
"Oops," He says.
"Not a good idea! What are you doing? You're gonna break his finger? He's in pain, he's been injured. Leave him alone." Tony says and Harley puts the finger down.
"Sorry."
"Are you? Don't worry about it, I'll fix it. So, uh, who's home?" Tony asks.
Harley's face falls and he says. "Well, my mom already left for the diner and dad went to 7-Eleven to get scratchers. I guess he won, 'cause that was six years ago."
I feel bad for the kid and put a hand on his shoulder. Tony, however, is unfazed. "Mm. Which happens, dads leave. No need to be a pussy about it. Both of us have dealt with stuff like that. Here's what I need: a laptop, a digital watch, a cell phone, the pneumatic actuator from your bazooka over there, a map of town, a big spring, and a tuna fish sandwich."
Harley crosses his hands and looks up at Tony. "What's in it for me?"
"Salvation. What's his name?" Tony says.
"Who?"
"The kid that bullies you at school, what's his name?"
Silence. "How'd you know about that?" Harley asks.
"I just got the thing." He says and pulls something out of the suit. My eyes widen. "Tony...."
"This is a piñata for a cricket. I'm kidding, it's a very powerful weapon. Point it away from your face, press the button on top. It discourages bullying. Non-lethal, just to cover one's ass. Deal?"
Harley tries to grab for the device but Tony pulls it away. "Deal kid?"
"Deal." Harley says and takes the device.
"So Harley, you know what keeps going through my head? Where's my sandwich?" Tony says, relaxing into the couch.
I groan. "Come on kid, I'll make the sandwich, you get the stuff."
Hey Hey!!! What's up Nerdy_Girl here!
Yeah, that not my usual greeting. I think I'm getting pretty tired.... meh. I wrote this pretty late at night.
Anyway I hope you liked this :)
Vote and comment if you did! I'll see you guys next time!
Stay Nerdy!
Nerdy_Girl :P