CHAPTER 12 - Epilogue

One Year Later

Clint finally was able to return to the farm. Laura still hadn't fully forgiven him for his 'choice' to fight in the war, but there wasn't much he could do about that anymore. He was forever changed. Currently they were getting ready for 'welcome back' picnic. The kids and Pietro had finally been able to convince Laura to give Clint another chance. It meant a lot to him. And much to Laura's consternation, Lila wanted to learn how to shoot like him. But as Clint had returned to the farm, Loki left to visit his brother in New Asgard.

"Okay, hold on. Don't shoot," Clint coached. Lila took her shot. Clint smirked. "You see where you're going?" Lila hummed. "Okay, now let's worry about how you get there."

"Hey, you guys want mayo or mustard or both?" Laura called from down the hill. Clint chuckled as Lila turned to him.

"Who wants mayo on a hot dog?" Lila asked. Clint smiled.

"Probably your brothers," Clint replied before turning to Laura. He could see Cooper and Nate playing nearby the table as Laura tried to get things ready. Pietro had just zipped into the house. He must have been going to get more food, or something like that. He shouted back to Laura. They had actually gotten a divorce so he couldn't call her his wife anymore. "Uh, two mustard please! Thanks Laura!" With a smile, Clint went back to coaching his daughter. "Mind your elbow."

THAWK

Clint laughed, proud of his little girl. He looked to her and held up a hand for a high five. "Good job, Hawkeye. Now go get your arrows." Down the hill Laura called out to Clint. He turned to her with a smile and a laugh. "Alright, we're comin'. We're hungry. Lila lets go."

Clint turned to where his daughter was collecting arrows. No one was there. Clint frowned, wondering if this was a joke. He headed over to the barn. "Lila?"

No one was inside. Worried now, he headed back out and looked to the picnic table. No one was there either. "Honey?" he tried as he started heading over that way. Then he realized the boys weren't even around. "Boys? Boys? BOYS!"

Desperate, Clint rushed to the picnic table. It was there he noticed some sort of ash sitting on some of the hot dogs. The hot dogs closest to where Laura was standing. Wait, where was Pietro? Clint turned to the house. He hadn't seen the blue blur that always indicated where he was. Jogging toward the house, Clint prayed that at least the speedster would be okay. But there, in the front hall from the edge of the kitchen to the door was a clear telling of ash laying on the floor.

"What the fuck?"

Wow... If I had remembered how short this was I would have posted this last week. Sorry.

Depressing week for me. I had to put my sugar glider Momo down. He had lost use of his back legs and his breathing was off. By the time the vet hospital got to him, he was too weak. There was a small chance of doing aggressive treatments to help him but in his state, the vet didn't think he'd live. I wasn't going to have his last days suffering and not with me. So, I said goodbye. Just like my cat Binks (I don't remember if I mentioned that he had to be put down as well), this illness appeared within days and it was too late to help. Darius is suffering from loss more with Momo then with Binks. Even though he'd been with Binks more than Momo. He keeps asking when Momo was going to come home from the 'pet hospital.' When we explain that he won't, Darius bursts into tears. It hurts and sucks for all of us. Now I can only hope that Miles (who is sixteen or seventeen years old) doesn't get ill and passes. Though, considering all the younger pets keep going, Appa might be next. Life sucks.