We stood in line at a local convenience store (even though Tony had to be dragged by Pepper yelling "online shopping isn't the same, Tony!". It's quite funny actually since Thor and Steve take up the entire row and the rest of us just standing there squished while everyone just stares at us, there's a little girl in front of me with her mother, the only items they have is bread, eggs and some cough medicine. The girl is hacking coughing and everyone just glares at them as if it's their fault, it annoys me a lot.

I can see the mother is stressing over something and the girl is breaking out in sweats but when the woman pays in change and can't afford the cough drops so she puts them back hesitantly(the cashier glares at her fiercely) and the alarm goes off, alerting everyone of a theft once the woman steps outside the cops grab the woman and once I see them grab her and toss her and the hacking girl around I see red. I grab one off and cradle the girl who now starts hyperventilating "back off" I snarl to the cops and help the woman up. The girl starts breathing more evenly and I hand her off to her mother. 

I spot the cough drops she couldn't afford in her pocket and my eye twitches, I hand the police a $20 bill which should cover it. I can feel the team staring at me on my back as I pick the little girl up out of her mothers' frail arms. I mentally evaluate them both and have to stop myself from flinching at the revelation "your daughter?" I ask the woman and she shakes her head "my sister" she says with a thick accent.

Memories of me and Barney in the same position slam their way to the forefront of my head and look over the girl in my arms; she's small, maybe 5 or 6, pale, sick, dark circles under her eyes and also she  hasn't been in hygienically stable conditions for a while. Nat seems to see my predicament and gets the team to pay as I ward off the cops 

"she tried to steal"

 "cough drops"

 "still a theft"

 "maybe if you knew me you wouldn't say that" 

The police leave them alone after that and I make small talk with the woman who is actually just 16 so she's a girl. They're orphans with no home and no intention of going into the system which I can agree to, the story hits home. Their names are Terra (16) and Lilly (6). Parents killed in a mob of angry people who thought all Muslims had to die (which is not only racist and wrong but Terrible with a capital T) it left the 2 daughters to fend for themselves with no other family that was willing to take them in. 

Nat makes her way to my side during the story as well as the other Avengers as the older girl starts crying and I place a hand on her shoulder "You know" I start to gain her attention, unfortunately I gain the entire store's attention with it, not that I mind "before I became a super hero, I was in the same position" I say and her eyes light up while Nat looks at me with concealed shock "my older brother Barney and I...

Our parents got into a car crash after my father got drunk and started driving around, I was about the same age as your sister. We went to an orphanage for a while but they weren't nice or accommodating, I was lucky that my brother was there to save me from getting beaten to death. We left when I was 10 and went to the circus where we were left doing chores that fed us before I got spotted and trained. So in a way I needed to be in that position so that I could become Hawkeye" I retell, my eyes burning slightly.

Terra gulps, glancing at her now sleeping little sister, feverish against my chest "what happened to your brother?" she says tentatively as if she won't like the answer which she won't "He betrayed me, he stole from the circus because he wanted luxury" Terra looks at the cough drops and gulps "Medicine is a basic need, not luxury. Anyway I caught him and my mentor stealing and ratted them out. They came after me the day after. Left me bleeding, broken and bruised in the dust, probably thought I was dead, my brother was the one to take the final hit. You know, you don't remind me of Barney" I say, Terra's head peeking up sadly, as if waiting for the other foot to drop.

I smile "Have you ever heard of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes?" I ask, Steve spluttering at my back as the she nods "you remind me of Bucky, the way he used to take care of Steve when he was sick, I assume that if they were brothers they would be like you and not like my messed up familial status. Bucky used to save up his money to take care of Steve and I bet you he would have done the same in the circumstances. Bucky was Steve's best friend and I hope that you'll take care of her like Bucky took care of Steve as well as she loves you like I love my new teammates" I can sense the smiling team behind my crouched form as she gives a watery smile.

I brush Lilly's' hair back, revealing a beautiful face for a strong girl "I have an apartment if Brooklyn that now only has Kate living in it, I'll call her to take you there and Kate will take care of you, ok?" I ask taking out my phone. She out crying in pure relief and I can see the stress fall from her shoulders as I text Kate, I hug Terra to me and wait. A while later Kate appears and takes in the scene "you always did have a big heart" I flinch at the wording immediately and Kate gives me an apologetic smile as she picks the girl from my lap.

I look back to the convenience store and measure both girls for size before going and buying them some clothes out of my 'blood money' account as well as some food, medicine and everything else they may need including any and all hygiene products, a mattress and blankets. I even bought Lilly  a Bucky bear (winter soldier teddy bear) and the Terra a Stevie bear (captain america teddy bear). Kate rolls her eyes but carries the Lilly to the car and smiles at Terra as she opens the passenger door for her to get in while laying Lilly back into the backseat.

As she passes me I hand her a $200 and she nods at me, conveying that she'll take care of them. Nat turn me around and pulls me into a hug "that was very sweet of you" she says as she forces me to look at the team's varying stages of shock and empathy "you're not being subtle, at least not to me" I say into her ear as I avoid Steve's eyes in particular. Her chest rumbles in a laugh and I smile as I pull away, finally facing the team as the car takes off. "that was very nice Clint" - Bruce " woah, hawks take care of their own? Or are you building a tragic cases R us?" - Tony (which I just roll my eyes to "that was heroic archer, I applaud your bravery and sentiment" - Thor and finally "Thank you Clint....do you really think that Bucky and I are that close, even after..?".

Do not reveal that you are dating his bestie, do not reveal that you are dating his bestie-"I know that he thinks the same of you, even if he is just remembering slowly"....well I didn't say that I'm dating him.