➶ ｡˚ ° ➶ ｡˚➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚
(𝐑𝐔𝐍)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN-----▹ 

"This is me saving the Holidays." Kate said with a smile, "Is that right?" Clint asked, "I'll get you home in time for the big day. Figured, in the meantime, we could celebrate. That includes you." she added tapping Iskra on the shoulder, who opened her eyes briefly, and Kate sent her a smile, that warmed her heart. "It's movie marathon night, right? Check this out. I've got movies." Kate said holding up an assortment of Christmas movies, Clint smiled, and Iskra sat up reaching for Kate's arm before tugging her down to sit on the couch next to her. 

Clint raised an eyebrow at his niece who just ignored him, "That's very thoughtful of you, Kate. Thanks." he said with a smile, "But, yeah, can we put that on hold, and talk about sword boy for a minute?" he asked, "You've got good instincts kid." Kate looked a little confused, so did Iskra, "What do you mean?" Kate asked, "So, I did a little digging and turns out, Sloan's a shell company that launders money for the Tracksuits." Kate listened, her lips parted slightly, "And Jack Duquesne is the CEO." he stated, "You sure?" Kate asked, and Clint hummed in response, "Oh God." Iskra muttered under her breath.

"Okay, well we're just gonna have to come up with a plan to take down my Mom's Fiance's organized crime ring, while simultaneously having a heartwarming holiday celebration." Iskra laughed, "Sounds like my kind of night." Kate threw a Christmas sweater at Clint and tossed one over Iskra's eyes, to which Iskra responded by wacking the brunette with a pillow. 

"Do we have any more of that slushy stuff?" Kate asked, "In the kitchen." and so the fun began, Kate began mixing the drinks, and soon, they were sitting facing some framed poster. "Ok, cops. We need to get the cops off my back." Iskra sighed, "When did they start asking questions?" Iskra asked, "After the fire in my apartment." Kate shrugged, crossing an x over the word cops.

"TSM. We need to get them to leave us alone." Kat crossed them off the board as well, "And we need to figure out why and how Jack is connected to all of it."  Clint was slightly preoccupied with the dog, "Yeah, right." Clint spoke totally oblivious, "This is the part where either of you finish my sentence with a plan." she spoke pointing the marker between the two.  "I don't...Planning's not really my thing." Clint started, "It's true, he majorly sucks at it." Iskra shrugged, and he shot her a look, "Are you sure that's dry erase?" he asked. Her eyes widened and she turned to the frame testing to see if the marker would come off, "oops." she made a face, letting out an annoyed groan.  

Soon enough they had moved on to eating pizza and talking, "How do we get more trick arrows?" Kate asked, "Well there are no more trick arrows." Clint replied, "Like in the world?" Kate asked, "Basically. I have a few more trick arrowheads, but you can't just put them on any shaft." she glanced at the arrow, "So we really have to get these back." Kate stated, "Added to the long list of things we need to do." Iskra noted. 

Kate drug Iskra to her feet, "C'mon, you're gonna help we the tree." she said with a sweet smile, that Iskra returned, that was until they actually had to put together and fluff the tree, "God this is so much work." Iskra groaned, "You're literally a superhero and you're complaining about putting a tree together?" Kate spoke, "Yes." Iskra said raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"What are you two doing?" he asked as they shifted the tree to the left slightly, "See, tree covers the parts that won't come off," Kate said referring to the non-whiteboard whiteboard. Clint who had been looking through the movies, replied, "Well, now you're problem-solving."

And then they ate more pizza, "Have you ever heard of boomerang arrows?" Kate asked, "Really boomeranging arrows. If you want the arrow to come back..." Iskra raised her hand, the purple energy sent a bulb off the Christmas tree flying to them, which Clint caught, "You could just do that." Iskra shrugged. 

"Why would I ever want to use a boomerang arrow?" Clint asked outdone by the question, "Because they come back." Kate said, "Exactly." he replied giving her a 'duh' look, "Yeah, well if all trick arrows were boomerang arrows, we'd have them all." Kate countered, "Coming back at us." Clint pressed, "You'd have...you'd have to dodge," Kate said, and Clint chuckled, "You are both ridiculous." Iskra said, but she was also laughing a little. 

Kate and Iskra managed to drag Clint into helping them put the lights on the tree, "Got any other tricks?" Kate asked him jokingly, "Well," he held up a coin-like ornament, "I can knock somebody unconscious with that, like twenty feet away." he stated. "No, you can't." Kate stated in disbelief, "Yes he can, and so can I." Iskra winked, "I'd use a quarter or a nickel, a dime's too light." Clint added, "Prove it." Kate said, "What, knock you unconscious?" he asked sarcastically, "No," Kate laughed, "I want you to hit something." and when he didn't do anything she continued, "Fine, live forever without me believing you. I'll just tell every stranger I see that Hawkeye is full of bull.." she didn't even finish her sentence as the coin flew across the room, turning off the tv, "Woah!" she exclaimed, "You've gotta show me how you did that." 

And so the two of them taught Kate how to do just that, "Holy shit! I did it!" Kate exclaimed, walking towards the tv that was now back on, she hopped over the couch and Iskra followed her lead, sitting a little closer to her than, even she had expected. "That was crazy!" she exclaims, "Hey not bad, kid." he said raising his cup to clink against Kate's, "Not bad. Alright. Best shot you ever took?" Kate asked, and Clint didn't even have to think about it, he always knew in his heart this was the answer, "Uh-the one I didn't take." Iskra's heart dropped a little, and realization flickered in Clint's eyes, that had always been his immediate answer he didn't even think about it. Iskra leaned further into Kate, "What does that mean?" Kate asked resting her head on top of Iskra's that was rested on her shoulder. 

"Uhh..." he paused, "It means... never mind, shouldn't have said it." He rushed out, "Oh come on you can't do that." Kate said, "Nevermind, it's nothing." Clint said, "It's not nothing." Iskra mumbled under her breath. "What? Come on. Consider it my Christmas present." Kate said, "No it's not the right time." Clint said, "Yes." Kate argued. 

"Look, it'll be a good story, I'm sure..." Kate started, "It's not a good story, okay?" Clint said, Kate's avoided Clint's eyes for a few moments, "It's..." Clint sucked in a breath, "About the time I met someone. I was sent to take her out." Clint paused, and Kate noticed how Iskra's eyes had glossed over slightly, "And when I got there when it was time....umm I couldn't do it." he said, and Kate nodded understanding washing over her, "I just had this feeling she wanted out. Turns out I was right."  Clint finished, "You mean Natasha..." Kate said, and Clint nodded, looking around avoiding eye contact hoping that he wouldn't cry, and Iskra was hoping the same thing because if he cried, she would definitely cry. 

"She was the best there was." Kate sighed looking down "I'm sorry." and with those two words, Iskra just kind of broke, and Kate held her closer feeling her shake slightly with tears, "It's ok," Kate whispered comforting Iskra's crying form, and Clint looked away from the two retreating to the kitchen. 

Iskra eventually wore herself out and fell asleep with her head on Kate's lap, the brunette carefully moved to place a pillow under Iskra's head, smiling sadly at Iskra's sleeping form. She met Clint where he stood in the kitchen, "You lost them in the blip didn't you?" Kate asked her voice hushed, and Clint glanced at her, "Yeah. Like half the world." he replied, "God that must've been devastating." Kate spoke, "Yeah, there are no words to describe that...that pain, and...and now Iz lives with it every day, and..." his voice trailed off, "Is that where you met the Ronin?" Kate asked, and silence followed, 

"It's you, isn't it?"