➶ ｡˚ ° ➶ ｡˚➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚ ➶ ｡˚
(𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐒 𝐅𝐋𝐘)
CHAPTER ELEVEN——>

Iskra's leg bounced up in down from the passenger seat of the car, "Iskra?" Yelena's voice felt distant, Iskra must've been lost in her own mind.

"Iskra? You with me?" She looked toward Yelena, "Yeah, I'm ok"

"Are you sure I'm not allowed to commit homicide?" She tilted her head, "No...at least until I get the whole truth."

"So that's a maybe?" Yelena asked, and Iskra rolled her eyes, "You didn't say no...so I'm gonna take it as a maybe."

Iskra crossed her arms over her chest, as the Barton farmhouse came into view, "I'm nervous." she murmured.

"Iz, I'm here with you. And on your side, no matter what happens." Yelena stated, and Iskra nodded.

Yelena put the car into park, "Do you want me to go in with you, right away?" she shook her head, "I want a minute if that's ok?"

"Of course...I need to make a call real quick anyway."

Iskra took a deep breath, blinking back a couple of tears, as she stood frozen in front of the Barton house, one of the earliest memories she had here on this porch was reuniting with Natasha after she and Maria had gone on a long mission.

"Mama!" Natasha was clearly limping her way towards the house but stood up a little straighter as her daughter bolted over to her, "Hi sparkles," Natasha whispered picking up the small blonde child.

"я скучал по тебе мама" ( I missed you Mama) Iskra buried her face in Natasha's shoulder, "I missed you too,"

"Iskra?" Clint asked getting her attention, "This visit is...unexpected."

"I hate you," Iskra whispered, she was angry, she didn't even hear his side of the story yet, but she was still incredibly angry.

"Did you know?" her voice was sharp, "Know what?"

"Did you fucking know?" Iskra's voice grew louder, she shoved the document into his chest, and realization flashed across his features.

"I'm sorry." he murmured, "What the fuck do you mean you're sorry?"

"Did. You. Know?" she bit out the question slower, "I..."

Hot tears spilled out of Iskra's eyes, "I want the truth the whole cold harsh truth. And then I'll go. You won't hear from me. Kate won't hear from me. I'm done with this superhero bullshit. And most importantly I'm done trying to fix your mess."

"If that's what you want."

"Damn right that's what I want," she said forcefully, "Maybe we should talk inside," he suggested.

--

Iskra sat with her knees tucked under her chin, on the same sofa, she sat on so many times before, but everything felt different now. It wasn't Uncle Clint's house anymore.

It didn't feel safe...or comfortable anymore.

It felt like a lie.

"I knew I had a daughter out there." he opened with, Iskra didn't even bother looking at him, "I didn't know she was you...I swear."

"This is stupid. I don't even know why I came here." Iskra stated, moving her eyes from the ground back up to Clint, "None of this matters, Why does any of this even matter? I never had a dad before! I never..." she released a shaky breath, "I never needed one! I don't need you...and I don't need your shit explanation."

"But you do." Clint started, "I know you do because you're just like me in that sense."

"I am nothing like you!" the purple hue flashed through her eyes, "I could never....never be like you."

"I'm assuming that since you knew you had a daughter, and you knew her mother, that you knew exactly where I would end up." she arched an eyebrow at him, "Am I right?"

She took his shameful silence as an answer, "I killed people...I was a child."

"And, it was all your fault." she whispered, "Did you ever even think about me?"

"Of course I did," he reached for Iskra but she jerked away, "Don't touch me,"

"Sparkles," he tried again, "Don't call me that! It was her name for me."

"You know, I felt bad for you, you lost the fight against Mama, you lost your best friend." She paused, "But I don't even know you anymore, how do I know that she truly sacrificed herself on that planet...you're the only witness, and I can't trust you."

Iskra pressed her lips together, "Not anymore."

"Iskra, I know you're upset." 

"Yeah, I am. And I have the right to be." Iskra stood up from her chair trying to keep her emotions at least somewhat under control.

"Tell me what happened, why'd you let Eloise take me? Explain it. No Bullshit."

"I met Eloise on a mission...And I knew I fucked up when she showed up a year later with you. You were so perfect...but I was selfish and incredibly stupid. I knew that if I showed up at home with you it would completely ruin things with Laura, and-"

"Stop," Iskra swiped away tears, "Just stop."

Clint frozen in place just looked at her, and she looked right back at him, seemingly struggling with what she might say next.

"Look, I don't want anything to do with you...not now, and maybe never." Iskra breathed, "I get it. People make mistakes, it's part of what makes us human."

Iskra paused, "And although, you made a much larger mistake than most. So...I forgive you...but don't you ever think I'm forgetting a damn thing."

Iskra left Clint standing there, he seemed to be wondering what the actual hell just happened. Angry tears spilled out of Iskra's eyes as she passed frames and frames worth of family photos, she slammed the door open without touching it, purple sparkles settling around it.

Iskra crashed into Yelena, who just wrapped her arms around the girl, "Ты хочешь пойти домой?" (Do you wanna go home?) 

"пожалуйста" (please)