Neither one of them was very good at marriage. There was no big event that ruined it, no cheating or crazy in-laws. They just couldn't make it work. It was too much commitment for Lance Hunter and Bobbi Morse. The expectations were too high and it made them too vulnerable. They got caught up in the heat of the moment, and the passion was there, but after the glitter settled things fell apart.
The lies were too numerous. There were things that couldn't be said, and things neither of them would share. Perhaps this could fall more on Bobbi, but he wasn't exactly honest either. She claimed that things were classified, and sometimes they were, but there were days she just wasn't in the mood. Her dedication to SHIELD was her own thing, only shared occasionally. Hunter scarcely talked about things of any true importance. If his words had weight then they could drag him down, so he chose to block it out. He didn't mind being a mercenary, in fact it suited him quite well, but it wasn't exactly picturesque. He had memories he seldom wanted to go digging up. So they stayed silent.
Labels carry expectations and expectations carry stress. When it came to their relationship everything worked better without a label, Lance surmised. There was no pressure. Less screaming and name calling and breaking of vases. So they were just them. Lance and Bobbi. No description needed nor wanted.
But the moment it got serious -it always did- the fighting would start. And they were cruel fighters. Never physical, but the words they used were intended to hurt. There were ruthless things said that neither of them would be able to forget, even if they tried.
So why did seeing her dying on the floor nearly kill him too? Why did his breath catch when hers stopped? And why was he at her bedside, falling asleep with one hand lying protectively over her bandaged fingers?
Perhaps he'd known the moment she arrived, still dressed in a hydra uniform. Or maybe while she was gathering intel while speaking Japanese with a stunning confidence. It is possible that he's always known. But these thoughts had stayed hidden in the back of his mind.
"I love you." Those words hadn't been spoken in years, but they were the only thing on Lance Hunter's mind since they took her away for surgery hours ago.
He supposed he never stopped loving her, but to actually acknowledge it would make it too real. And he know those words could complicate everything beyond repair, so he sat by her side and keep it to himself; he was tired of repeating the past over and over again. So Lance considered that this time could be different. The recreation of SHIELD could be a good change, but his consuming thought was that she was here because of him. Although she was always too brave for her own good and it was often infuriating, the desperation he felt while watching the life bleed out of her dying body made him want to try again.