Author's Note: Hi! So. Just to clear things up, there are no actual ghosts in this story, or this series. Clint is just traumatized. Yeah. Also, the Hulk part had a big factor in making this story. For some reason, it really motivated me. Whelp, hope you enjoy!
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I can feel the night wind fiercely hit my face as I fall. I get a feeling deep in my chest that travels straight to my stomach. The world feels like it's in slow motion.
How tall is this building...?
At the very moment that question ends, I hear a crash and shattering. Something large grabs me from behind and knocks the wind out of me. I turn my head, with struggle, and see the Hulk. We quickly hit the ground and the impact of the the Hulk colliding with the ground crushes my lungs a little, and I let out a tiny gasp. The Hulk straightens out and tightens his grip on me a little more. He starts to run and I see it's back to the hospital entrance. I start to scream.
"Ah! NO! Let go of me! Let me go!"
I struggle and hit him as hard as I can. It obviously does no damage whatsoever. I scream and struggle some more. He stops in front of the hospital. I hear him grunt with frustration and a dreaded feeling comes over me as I pant from all the struggle.
"Hulk..."
I look up and see his face is contemplative and his jaw is set.
"Bruce. B-Bruce?"
He opens his arms, dropping me to the ground. I hit my head on the cement ground and curse. I look up at him and his face is slightly angry. Just a little. I see Tony and Steve run out to us. The Hulk grabs my legs. I claw at the ground as I'm lifted into the air. He slams me down hard against the ground. I yelp out in pain and he does it again. I try to get out of his grip, to no avail. I hear Tony and Steve yell at him to stop. I know what's coming next, and my eyes widen with fear. He keeps a grip on one of my legs and lets go of the other. I start struggling again, then scream.
"Tony! Steve!"
In that instance, I wish time would slow down once again. But time won't slow down for what I'm about to feel. The Hulk twists my leg. I hear a loud crack and I arch my back in pain. A blood curdling scream escapes my lips, and my eyes widen as I feel the Hulk's hand on my torso. I hear Tony scream "no," and at that moment another crack was heard. This time it was my rib. I could feel the Hulk's thumb on my side. I look to my right and see Tony and Steve speaking into the intercoms on their wrists. I turn my sight towards the sky. Blackness engulfs me.
"Uhn..."
I snap open my eyes and jerk up. A jolt of pain shoots through me, and I remember what happened.
The Hulk must have done that to prevent me from running again...
I shudder, nauseated. I put a hand to my mouth and move it to the back of my head. I feel a bandage there. Some blood is soaking through and I lower my hand to see blood on my fingers. My eyes wander to my scars and I avert my eyes subconsciously. I look at the cast on my leg and sigh.
I don't know if it's the medicine they give you, but my leg doesn't seem to hurt as much as when it was first broken.
Cautiously, I slowly swing my legs to sit on the side of the bed. I yelp from the pain in my rib. I close my eyes shut for a second and then open them again. Slowly, I lean over the end of the bed and grab the medical chart from its holder. I look over the clipboard and see that I, obviously, have a broken leg and rib.
No concussion...
"A concussion would've made this easier..."
"Well... Thank God you don't have one, then."
I skip, startled, and jerk around, resulting in my pain. I see Steve and Tony standing there. I can't hold my position for long, so I just turn back around. They walk into my line of vision and they sit in some chairs across from the bed. Tony leans forward, staring me down. I avert my gaze, trying to look anywhere but at him.
"We need to talk."
"No. We don't."
"Clint!"
Steve puts a hand against Tony's chest and pushes him back.
"Listen, Clint... We... We..."
Steve lowers his head into his hands. I can hear him sobbing, silently. Tony chimes in.
"We don't want to see you dead, Clint. Not me, not Steve. Not Bobbi."
Bobbi!
My eyes widen at her name.
I wonder if they gave her the note...
Suddenly, I feel tired. I heave a small sigh and look down at the floor.
"Where is she?"
"She's at home, Clint. When we told her what you tried to do, again, she just started crying and hung up. Didn't even wait for us to tell her about the Hulk incident. Guess she figured if she listened to the news this time, next time would be the last time."
Tears start to slip from my eyes at the thought of Bobbi hurting. My chest and back hurt as I take deep, tearful breaths. A headache is emerging, slowly. I try to stand up but Tony guides me back down.
"Don't even think about it, Barton."
I look up at him and stare.
"Tony... I don't deserve Bobbi. I... don't even deserve to live."
"Why do you keep saying that...?"
Tony takes a seat next to me, and I just then realized Steve had gone. A few minutes pass, and all you can hear is ticking from the clock on the wall. My breathing is labored because of my rib, and Tony apparently notices.
He places a hand on my back.
"You okay?"
"Heh, you know... Maybe this is..."
"Ridiculous?"
"I don't know what to think anymore, Tony. I just-"
I notice something in my peripheral vision. I lift my head to the left and see something that makes me jerk. I see the girl I killed standing in the corner of the room.
"Clint?"
"You... What are you doing here?"
"What?"
"What do you want?"
"Clint, what are you talking about?"
Why is she here? Oh, God, why is she here?! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!
"Leave me alone!"
I quickly get up, ignoring the pain, and violently knock over a serving tray. I try to run, but end up falling down. I quickly whip around to see the girl is standing right above me. I scream as her tiny hands grab hold of my arms. I feel her straddle me, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
"NO! LET ME GO! PLEASE!"
YOU'RE THE BAD GUY, SO WHY WAS I THE ONE THAT DIED?
"I'm sorry!"
WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!
I feel a hard slap across my face and I snap my eyes open. I realize tears are streaming down my face. I thought I would see the girl straddling me, but it was Tony.
"Tony...?"
He gets off me and helps me up.
I'm surprised the medical staff didn't come rushing in. Maybe Tony held them off.
Tony looks at me with a hard glare.
"What just happened, Barton?"
"I... I..."
I look all around me, but I don't see the little girl anywhere. I sigh in relief and start crying again. Silently this time.
"Please... Leave me alone, Tony."
" I can't, and you know that."
"Please?"
"No..."
He trails off and looks away. I can tell he wants to cry, but pride won't let him.
"Clint.. Why-"
"Can I call Bobbi?"
I cut him off because I know what his next question was going to be: "Clint, why do you keep trying to kill yourself?" But he knows the answer already. Everyone does.
"You can. I don't know if she wants to talk to you, though."
I nod, then sit on the bed. I pick up the phone and dial Bobbi's number. The phone rings for a little while, then I hear a voice say, "hello." It was Bobbi's.
"Hey, Bobbi."
"Clint? Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me, beautiful."
"Oh, Clint! I'm so sorry I didn't call! Are you okay?"
"I'm in horrible pain, but I'll... live."
There was a deafening silence on the other end. I see Tony cleaning the mess I made.
"Bobbi...?"
"I'm here."
"I... I'm sorry. For everything. I just wish you could understand..."
"What is there to understand, Clint? You're trying to kill yourself. Looks to me like there isn't much else to understand!"
"Yes, there is, Barbara! I killed her, and neither of us can rest until I'm dead."
"Don't you realize you can make a bigger difference alive? She would want you to live, to not let her death be in vain."
"You don't know what you're talking about, Bobbi..."
"Yes, I do, Clint! Please- please, don't do this to yourself. Don't do this to me, Clint! Please!"
I can hear her sobbing on the other end.
"I love you, Bobbi... I love you so much."
"Clint, wait-"
I hang up the phone.
Tony walks up to me and sits down.
"Is she okay? Are you okay?"
"I think you know the answers to both of those questions, Tony..."
"Yeah..."
We both look down. I look to my right and spot something poking out of Tony's pocket. I realize it's a pocket knife.
An expensive looking one... This could be it... I just need to get it without him noticing.
I search around for a distraction, but it looks like it found me. As Steve walks in with coffee in hand, and Tony turns his head to look, I quickly grab the knife out of his pocket and jump up. I back into the wall. Steve drops the coffee when he notices I have the knife against my throat.
"Clint!"
Tony quickly whips around to me. He curses loudly, and yells for the medical staff and security. As everybody rushes in, I bring the knife closer to my throat.
"Don't come any closer!"
Steve inches closer.
"Please, Clint. Don't do this."
Tony moves in closer, as well.
"Put the knife down, Barton."
I hear Steve ask Tony why he had a knife. I didn't hear Tony's answer. I close my eyes and think of Bobbi...
Oh, Bobbi... Be happy, for me.
I cut into my neck and slide it across. I fall to the floor, and hear everyone gasp and stammer, quickly shuffling their feet towards me. My eyes are closed the entire time. I think I hear Steve telling me to hold on.
"It'll be okay," I hear him say.
I feel myself choking, the metallic taste of blood pooling in my mouth, the smell invading my nostrils.
Reminds me of the alcohol in that bar I visited.
The cold air is stinging and cooling my open flesh at the same time. I feel hands on and around me, pressure on my neck, on my body.
Sobs and chattering teeth.
Are they my own? I can't tell...
Sound has evaded my ears and I open my eyes for a brief moment. I see nurses and doctors all around me. I turn my eyes to the door and I see security holding back Tony. Steve's eyes are cast down, wet with tears.
I feel my heartbeat slow down, my breath hitch...
I close my eyes and let the darkness take me...
THE END
Inspiring Song:
Camisado - Panic! At The Disco
Asleep - The Smiths
