Day 98
Clint clenches his hands tighter on the clutch of the quinjet, and heaves a heavy sigh. He tosses a quick glance over his shoulder at the team. Each and everyone of them seems to be trapped in there own separate world. He had all but carried Nat out of the ship. Steve and Thor had meandered after him. Both of them deep in their own thoughts. Quiet. They were all to quiet. He had gotten them all to the plane just as a building went down in the city. Not a whole lot of time passed before Stark descended from the sky in a half destroyed suit carrying an unconscious Bruce in his arms.
The only one not sitting staring into space is Stark. He is talking to Hill.
“Thanks Hill,” He hangs up the call and comes to stand behind Clint.
“Want me to take a turn?” Stark asks leaning against the wall. Clint holds back a snort. He knows Stark. He knows the man is probably running on deep reserves of failing energy, and caffeine. He knows the guy is probably tired as shit.
“No, I’m good,” Clint assures him, “I can keep flying,” Stark lets out a sigh as though he he had been hoping Clint would say that, “Try to get some shut eye. We’re a few hours out.”
“Few hours out from where?” Tony asks confused.
“Safe house.”
The man just sighs again, “Alright, well if you need to switch let me know.”
Stark turns to leave.
“Try to get some sleep Tony.”
He laughs. Clint just shakes his head. He knows Stark isn’t going to sleep.
Clint turns his attention back to the dark sky before him. He sighs. Maybe taking the team home isn’t the best choice. Taking the team to his family could be a liability. Ultron could easily be tracking them. He could be leading danger straight to them. He had almost done it once before, when Loki had had him under mind control. The demi god had found out, and the tiny part of him that knew what was going on, the bit that was still him, had been terrified for his family’s safety. He had gotten lucky. Loki hadn’t used the information he had, to do unspeakable things. Clint has a feeling that Ultron will not be as merciful. He shouldn’t be doing this. This is to dangerous.
Clint is about to turn the jet around, but gives his team one last look over. He keeps the jet going the same way as he looks over the team. He has never seen a more a broken group of people. Bruce and Natasha are asleep, but twitching uncomfortably; strain written on their faces. Steve and Thor both have their eyes closed, but they aren’t asleep. Their eyes are moving beneath their eyelids, and there faces are drawn up into uncomfortable frowns. Tony isn’t trying to sleep. His eyes are traveling over the team. Clint’s eyes lock with his for a second, and then he shakes his head a little and gives Clint a weak half smile. The kind of half smile men give when they are trying mask guilt and pain. Clint feels bad for him. He turns back around in his seat and continues heading the jet toward his home. They are broken and Clint is pretty sure he hand his family can fix them... at least a little. He is going to risk it.