Chapter Text
Clint squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. Banner gave him a countdown and then he was being sucked into another dimension and he was being torn apart and he was dying and-
And he was in the barn. He was back home.
He stood there, breathing it in. He hadn't been back in so long. He could hear horses from the neighbours down the road, whinnying about something, birds singing in the trees. He pressed his hand to his chest and took a moment to take it in.
But he had a job to do.
He walked outside and stared at the football goals, the ball in one of the nets as if the kids were going to come out and play any minute. Lucky's favourite pizza toy was on the steps to the porch, dropped in search of real food no doubt. He picked it up, it was still soggy from the dog's mouth. He could see a pile of shoes by the door, Coop's muddy boots, Titch's glittery purple trainers, Nate's football boots and the twins tiny little wellington boots.
A door banged and he jumped a little. He wasn't the only one. One of the twins started to cry, the other one quickly joining in. Clint slowly walked towards the door, not daring to believe it. ''Clint!'' He stumbled back. Laura. Had she seen him? Did he go? ''Will you bring them down please? I'm just finishing lunch!''
His time travelling suit beeped and his heart dropped. No, no he was so close. Just another minute, just one look at her. He leapt onto the porch and reached for the door. ''Lau-''
He was gone, dragged back to the present day. His feet touched ground and he collapsed. He had been so close.
''Clint, are you okay?'' Nat was asking, hauling him up. Her eyes searched him, he could read the hope in them.
''It works.''