A/N: So this fic was inspired, probably very obviously, by "A Little Fall of Rain" from Les Miserables. And I know, I know, Marius doesn't really love Eponine, so I fudged the intention of the song a little to make it work. But I still love how it turned out. If you're not familiar with the song, I suggest you go look up all of the lyrics. I tried to make the dialog reflect the canter of the lyrics.
I do not own the lyrics to "A Little Fall of Rain."
I do not own Marvel, or any of their characters. Which is a shame, because I totally have student loans I could otherwise be paying off.
"Goddamnit Clint! I have the same SHIELD agent training as anyone else out there. And more, for that matter! Stop handling me with kid gloves! I'm not going to break!" Darcy berated him.
Clint hesitated briefly, "Okay, fine! Dammit, Darcy!"
"Are were all settled here?" Agent Coulson asked, "Can I send my agent out to do her job now?"
"Yes, sorry agent." Darcy replied, throwing a scathing look at Clint.
"Okay, then. Darcy, you're with recon. Go with them and reclaim the asset."
"Yes sir."
The asset in question was Charlie Patterson. A biochemical genius, SHIELD had been trying to recruit him for months before the wrong people caught wind of his research, and caught up with him. They thought that he could be fundamental in assisting Dr. Banner's research into his friend with the uniquely angry verdigris. Unfortunately, the wrong people (being AIM), seemed to have teamed up with Dr. Doom this time. Doom had kept them distracted with a swarm of giant mechanical spiders attacking most of lower Manhattan, while AIM had swept in and kidnapped Charlie.
Darcy was itching for a fight, partially since, for the last few weeks, she somehow kept getting reassigned from missions (and she all but knew Clint was behind it), and partially because she and Charlie had become friends since SHIELD had begun wooing the kid. He was snarky and always brought in donuts for everyone when he was around. This mission felt personal.
Their sources indicated that Charlie had been moved to a warehouse in Brooklyn, and Darcy had been assigned to lead the recon team, but Clint had tried to convince her to stay behind. Something she was NOT happy about.
Darcy finished strapping on her field gloves and stuck her comm snugly into her ear. She was still fuming as she checked the clips in both of her 9mm pistols twice, and made sure they were securely strapped to her hip and thigh respectively.
"Darce..." She could practically feel Clint shuffling awkwardly behind her.
"What, agent Barton?" she snapped, turning around. His expression was uncharacteristically sheepish, and he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand.
"...I-I'm sorry. I know you're stronger and more capable than any of these other bastards...I just don't want to see you get hurt."
Darcy sighed and took his free hand in both of hers, "I know."
He finally met her gaze, "I love you, dammit."
"I love you too." she replied, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning in to kiss him soundly.
"Come back to me," he said when they pulled apart.
"Always."
Coulson paced anxiously in front of the wide windows of the floor that served as SHIELD HQ at Stark Tower. His job made him do everything anxiously, but he was fairly certain his anxiety was increased by the inclement weather, as the sky had been a threatening gray all day long. The Avengers had assembled to take down Dr. Doom's horde of robot arachnids, and Captain Rogers had just commed in to report that the team had taken out the last of the robots and were on their way back to the tower.
Tony had apparently even managed to aquire several of the mechanisms to take apart and study with Dr. Banner in his workshop. So Coulson was waiting now, on word from the recon team.
"Coulson!" came Darcy's voice over the comm in his ear. He brought a hand up to reply.
"Agent Lewis? Sit rep," the senior agent ordered.
"We've got the asset. No major injuries to report. Heading back-." Suddenly, over the comm came the sharp popping of gunfire.
"Shit! Get down!" he heard Darcy shout. The connection crackled with static.
"Lewis!" Coulson shouted into his comm.
"S'alright." She said with a groan, "One last AIM operative trying to give us a run. They just laid out some pretty heavy fire. They've been disabled. Comin' back to y'all now."
"Good, Lewis. See you in thirty."
Darcy had just come from dropping Charlie off at medical. He had some pretty nasty bruises, but he'd be okay.
"Coulson." Darcy said, coming up to the senior agent who still stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
"Agent Lewis. Nice work."
"Thank you, sir."
The door opened then, and Tony, Steve, and Clint strode through it looking haggard and worn out.
"Darce!" Clint said, spotting her by the window, and making his way over.
"Hey Barton. I told you I'd come back to you, didn't I."
She winced when he hugged her.
"You okay?" He stepped back, arms on her shoulders to look her over.
"Yeah, I just-" she unclipped the tight belt from around her waist, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor. Just beneath where the belt had been sitting, there was a deep red stain soaking its way through the thick material of her uniform.
"Shit, you're hurt!" He said, pressing his hand to the wound.
"I'm-" Darcy swayed on her feet, and stumbled against him.
"Shit! You're bleeding out!" Clint realized, helping to lower her to the floor, "Oh god, it's everywhere! I need a medic! NOW!" Around him agents scrambled, calling down to medical. Coulson and Steve knelt beside them, Coulson offering his jacket to steep the heavy flow of blood. Tony was talking to JARVIS, demanding that the AI override the elevator controls to "get medical up here now!"
"It's okay Clint." Darcy said, her voice frighteningly weak.
"Darce..."
"It doesn't...hurt."
"Oh god."
"You're here. That's all I need." She reached a shaking hand up to touch his cheek, and leaving a smear of red there in its wake.
"No dammit! God, Darce- you'll be okay. It's going to be okay!"
"You make me feel safe..."
"You are, Darce. You're safe. We're gonna get you fixed up. GODDAMNIT, I NEED A MEDIC OVER HERE!" He screamed. The agents around him could see the panic reflected in his eyes.
Outside, thunder clapped as the angry gray skies finally let go in a torrential downpour.
"Just hold me, Clint."
"I am, baby. I'm not going anywhere. You're gonna be okay."
"The rain..." Her eyes were far away.
"It's gonna be okay. Just stay with me Darce!" Tears slipped down his face.
"I've always...loved the rain..."
"Darcy! Baby! Stay with me!" he begged, holding her tighter.
"It doesn't hurt, you know...Don't worry Clint. And the...rain...it makes everything...makes beautiful things grow..." her speech was lilted with the heavy effort of breathing.
"Darcy!"
"It makes... flowers grow..."
"Baby, please!" he was sobbing now.
"You're here..." Darcy's eyes were drifting shut.
"Shhh, yes baby. I'm here, look at me. Stay with me!"
"The rain..." She took a shuddering breath, and then her whole body went slack.
"No!" he screamed, "No Darcy! Baby, please, no!" Clint was shaking her, begging her to come back to him.
Around them, the agents had stopped scrambling. They stood, silently - Clint's wracking sobs, the only sound in the room.
Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
You're here, that's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow.