A/N: This idea has been lurking somewhere in the back of my mind FOR AGES and a recent PM from a dear reader sparked this idea full of life. (grins) We'll see just what came out! BUT, first…

WARNINGS: THIS IS PRETTY HEAVY T. IF you think I should rate this M instead, please do PM me! Some Claura-smut… Adult themes… Mentions of physical and emotional damage… Some language… Huh, that's it. A surprisingly short list!

DISCLAIMER: PLEEEEEEEEASE…! If I'd have enough money to own ANYTHING you'd hear my scream of joy all the way there. I can only type fanfiction and dream of Jeremy Renner…!

Awkay, because stalling isn't kind… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

Stolen Hours

If there was even one thing in the world Laura Barton never, ever doubted it was how much her husband loved her and their children. She knew that he lived for the days when he got to be with them. But she also knew him well enough to understand that the man she agreed to marry wasn't cut out for a simple family life at a Farm.

The man she married had been taught how to fight and kill since he was horribly young and for far too long it was all he knew. He disappeared constantly to missions he couldn't tell much about afterwards. (Usually the surest way to get any hints was monitoring news from all over the world.) He had scars all over his body and nightmares that often kept both of them awake through a whole night. He had ten passports with different names and sometimes he seemed to need a reminder of who he really was. Sometimes he had this strange look in his eyes, like he was lost in a world of his own, caught up by a flashback she couldn't even begin to imagine. Most of the time that look disappeared as quickly as it came but there were occasions when it persisted. Sometimes it scared Laura how grim places Clint's mind could drift into. The thought that one day she might not be able to pull him back from that darkness scared her even more. (That point came entirely too close after Loki.) Far too often the harm came to his already battle marked body.

But that darkness and danger were unavoidable parts of him. Because she married two men in one – Clint Barton and Hawkeye. Clint she knew, better than she knew herself, but she'd never truly even met Hawkeye, only echoes and shadows. Borrowing Clint's huge, warm heart for a compass Hawkeye ran head first into such things she didn't want to even imagine. She loved him and sometimes hated him a little for it. It terrified her to know how much he needed that dangerous side of himself, of his life, which might very well kill him one day. Which had already nearly killed him far more times than she could or wanted to count.

Laura loved what he did, how hard he fought to make the world a safer place. But she hated what it did to him, body and soul. Because he wasn't some mythical, practically indestructible superhero. He was a soldier and a part of him would always stay on the battlefield. Such a part he couldn't live without.

It'd keep scarring him, damaging him again and again, but eventually he'd have no other choice but to go back. So when he retired Laura knew that it wouldn't last, even if he didn't. One could only live half-whole for so long.

But for now she had him in her arms, and she'd savor every single second.

"Laura?" Still half asleep, Clint peered at her with a frown, eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "'s wrong? Did I wake you?"

Laura shook her head and kissed his frown, then his nose. "You didn't", she murmured, inhaling his familiar scent. It helped soothe her. Still here. "I was just looking at you."

Of course Clint knew that something was wrong. But he also knew that she didn't want to talk about it, at least now. "Oh?" Fatigue forgotten, he smirked far from coyly. Before she had the chance to realize what was happening he was above her, her body pinned safely between his legs. "Mrs. Barton, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't you?"

Laura grinned back, lifting her upper body enough to kiss his lips. His taste on her tongue was like coming home, still made her hum with delight after so many years. "Maybe." She arched her neck when he began to pepper it with kisses, a shiver of pleasure traveling through her. "And you…" She was forced to pause when his lips found a particularly sensitive spot and made her gasp. "… are way too fond of old movies."

Clint shook his head, his eyes twinkling. "Nah. I'm fond of you."

"Sap", Laura accused with a chuckle. She pulled him closer, until it felt like their bodies were about to melt into one. His pleasure pressed against her made her own body pulsate in a response. She kissed him in a manner that would've made her blush when she was younger, the enjoyably familiar combination of his soft lips and calloused hands driving her wild. "You're lucky I'm fond of you, too."

Clint smiled serenely, his eyes full of so much love that it took her breath away. "I know." The deep drawl was like a caress when he whispered in her ear. "I'll never forget, for even a second."

Laura nodded. It was overwhelming, to feel a lump of emotion in her throat and her heart thrumming madly with arousal all at once. "Good", she breathed out huskily. She trembled and closed her eyes when he continued to touch and kiss her, knowing exactly what to do to drive her crazy. "If… I didn't know better… I'd say that… you are the one… trying to seduce me."

Clint chuckled, the sound rumbling in the chest that was pressed tightly against hers. In those stolen moments their hearts seemed to beat as one when they moved together. Enjoyed while they still could. Like this was the last day of their lives.

Laura knew that there was a part of Clint that would always remain out of her grasp. That one day it'd come calling and he'd have to go. But for now he was hers, fully and entirely. And in return she allowed him to fill all of her.

This wasn't a fairytale romance. This wasn't perfection. This was time they'd stolen from the inevitable, unstoppable fate. But on their wedding day Clint asked her if she had regrets. She still didn't, even when her hand found the spot on his side that she could still identify as artificial tissue.

Neither noticed that on the wall a clock had stopped.

End

A/N: Awwww! SO SAD that 'Civil War' is already looming above them. But for now they have each other. (sighs sadly)

Soooo… Thoughts? Comments? Was that ANY good AT ALL? PLEASE, do let me know!

In any case, thank you SO MUCH for reading! Who knows. Maybe I'll see you again.

Take care!