Even though she slept fitfully that night, Kate found herself awake bright and early. Lucky was curled up in bed beside her, fast asleep. He didn't even move as she got up and started to change out of her pajamas. The house was eerily silent around her and it put Kate on edge. She didn't like it. The anxiety of not knowing what Clint's plan was, whether he was home or not or where he had gone, whether someone was coming... There was so much that she didn't know and it unsettled her.

When Kate opened the door, Lucky jumped up and ran past her down the stairs. By the time she reached the kitchen, Lucky was coming back up the basement stairs.

As much as Kate was unsettled by the stillness of the house around her as she made her breakfast, she couldn't help but admire the part of Clint's plan that she did know. If she had no idea what was going on, she wouldn't exactly be lying when she said that she and Lucky were the only ones on the farm. She would be telling the truth when she said that she had no idea where Clint was.

It was a good plan and she hated it.

Breakfast in hand, Kate took Lucky out to the front porch where she sat down to eat her cereal. From there, she would be able to see anyone driving up and hear anyone flying up better. Lucky bounded off the porch and started running laps through the grass, causing Kate to smile. A shrill ringing reached her ears then and she set her bowl of cereal on the small table and answered the call.

"County morgue, you stab 'em, we slab 'em. This is Kate speaking, how can I help you?"

"You're so full of shit."

"Thanks, Barnster, I try really hard," Kate replied, smiling.

"The hell is going on down there?" Barney asked, "I got a super cryptic text this morning. That combined with you telling me to come down to the farm means something bad is happening. What's going on?"

"You don't get super cryptic texts all the time?" Kate sassed.

"Katherine."

Her face scrunched up in disgust. "Ew, don't call me that."

"Then stop giving me shit. What's going on?"

"If I'm being honest with you, Barney, I don't fully know. And what I do know I would rather not say over the phone," she explained to him.

"Alright, kid," Barney said with a sigh, "I should be there by tonight or tomorrow. How are things going?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but Kate didn't get a chance to say anything. A sleek black car was slowly pulling up the driveway. Without being able to see through the tinted windows or past the glare of the sun, she knew who was in that car. And she knew that starting now, things were going to get very hard, very complicated and very uncomfortable.

"I'm going to have to call you back, Barney. Someone's coming to the farm," Kate said.

"Who?" Barney asked.

"Tony Stark."

Barney didn't ask her why, he didn't question her. All he did was swear. It was like all she needed to say to get him to understand what was going on was those two words, that one name. It was kind of a relief. At least someone would know what was going on at the farm. Kate hung up the phone without saying goodbye and tucked it away in her pocket as the car came to a stop several feet from the front door.

Kate's face dropped into a scowl before Stark even had the chance to open the car door. She had only come face to face with Tony Stark a few times, the first of which being when they had crashed at the farm during the whole Ultron mess. That had probably been the only time they had met where Kate didn't hate him. Every other time was after the Accords. After he forced Clint to have to hide and labeled him as a criminal for fighting for what he believed was right. To say those meetings had gone well would be the biggest understatement possible.

"Kate, how are you?" Stark asked.

"Was better before you pulled up," she answered, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting her weight to one leg as she stood at the top of the stairs.

"Glad you're well," he said. "I myself am doing great. Got an awesome tip today on where your old pal Barton might be."

"And you came to deliver the information personally, how kind. Unfortunately, I don't care. Clint goes where he wants and doesn't tell me about it. But I've only told you that a million times," Kate replied.

"No, see, this time I think he's here," Stark said.

"I think I'd know if someone else was living in my house," Kate said.

"Is there?" Stark asked.

"Does the dog count? What about the other animals? And are you really set on which Barton you're against, because I do let Barney stay here whenever he wants so—"

"Are you hiding Clint or not?" Stark interrupted.

"Why would I tell you if I was?" she questioned. "You think I'm just gonna let you arrest him? Let me think about it and come back on February 31st."

"Funny," Stark said.

"I try."

Silence grew between them for a moment. Kate was having none of it, not letting Stark have even a sliver of what he wanted and had come for. She didn't care about his reasons for being here or what might happen after he left. The whole situation was his own fault so he could deal with the consequences. It was only fair since everyone else had to deal with the consequences of the signing of the Accords as well.

"Come on, kid—"

"Don't call me kid."

"Look, Kate, I gotta check to see if he's here. I have to. If I don't, they're gonna think I'm playing favourites and let him get away. Which would get me in trouble," Stark tried to explain.

"See, that sounds like a you problem so I don't know what it's got to do with me," Kate replied.

"Just let me look around," Stark said with a shrug.

"He's not here. I have no idea where he is. I've not seen him. You can come do random checks whenever you get probably bullshit information, but my answer is always going to remain the same," Kate said firmly.

"I have to—"

"Now get off my goddamn property."