It was, frankly, a rookie mistake.
She had thought the battle was over. It was raining, she was wet, and she wanted to return home and take a hot shower. A really hot shower.
The bolt of energy fired at her unsuspecting back said otherwise.
Natasha spun as she heard the scepter fire.
She spun just in time to see Clint jump directly in front of her.
The blue thunder sunk into his chest, and he collapsed to the ground.
The turn of the Earth slowed to a crawl as he fell.
Her first impulse was to kill the attacker, which was easily dealt with. She was used to her enemies dying.
As the alien dropped, a bullet lodged in its brain (if it had one. It was, after all, an alien. Natasha was no expert on aliens), she turned to see her fallen partner. She was not prepared for this. Sure, she'd been trained to lose partners (Alexi sprang to mind), but not... Not Clint.
She fell to her knees, taking him in her arms. He was barely breathing. Her brain was in shut-down, only able to focus on one thing at a time.
It was raining.
"It's raining," she said, trying to hold back the emotion that was threatening to tear her apart. "We- you- you have to get inside, you'll- you'll get wet."
He smiled up at her, laughter still in his eyes. "A little fall of rain... can hardly hurt me now," he sang, his voice barely above a whisper. "Natasha..."
She clung to him like her life depended on it. Maybe it did. "Clint- Clint I'm here. You're going to be okay, promise-"
"I thought after Budapest we'd agreed not to lie to each other, Tasha. Now, shut up. I have to tell you-"
"Clint, you shut up! Save your energy! Tell me when you're better-"
"You know as well as I do that there will be no better."
Her voice finally broke, and a sob barely made it out her lips. "Clint-"
He took a shuddering breath. "Nat. I love you, forever."
He exhaled for the last time as his eyes sunk shut.
"No, Clint! You're not allowed to die! Not before- not before-" She could hardly go on. The sobs shook her body. She had never felt anything like this, and had never believed she even could. Love is for children.
She was not a child. Perhaps her original statement had been incorrect.
"Not until I could tell you I loved you." she whispered, before pressing her desperate lips to his unfeeling ones.
As she pulled him to her chest, she sang quietly, "A little fall of rain... can hardly hurt you now."
fin.
A/N: Hi! First fic. Actually, first story outside of English class that I actually pried from my brain and into text. So I apologize for all of the mistakes I definitely made. And OOC characters & stuff. It was just an idea I had, based off of my obsession with Les Miserables. In case you're wondering, the title is the name of a song. Les Miserables is a musical in which basically everyone dies, and "A Little Fall of Rain" is the death of a character named Eponine, who is madly in love with a man named Marius who has never shared her affections. I've included the lyrics of the whole song for your miserable pleasure (it's a sad song). Let me know if this is out of line...? I love me some constructive criticism.
MARIUS
Good God, what are you doing?
'Ponine, have you no fear?
Have you seen my beloved?
Why have you come back here?
EPONINE
Took the letter like you said
I met her father at the door
He said he would give it
I don't think I can stand anymore
MARIUS
Eponine, what's wrong?
There's something wet upon your hair
Eponine, you're hurt
You need some help
Oh, God, it's everywhere!
EPONINE
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.
MARIUS
But you will live, 'Ponine - dear God above,
If I could heal your wounds with words of love.
EPONINE
Just hold me now, and let it be.
Shelter me, comfort me
MARIUS
You would live a hundred years
If I could show you how
I won't desert you now...
EPONINE
The rain can't hurt me now
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last.
The rain that brings you here
Is Heaven-blessed!
The skies begin to clear
And I'm at rest
A breath away from where you are
I've come home from so far
So don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
That's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
MARIUS(in counterpoint)
Hush-a-bye, dear Eponine,
You won't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt you now
I'm here
I will stay with you
Till you are sleeping
EPONINE
And rain...
MARIUS
And rain...
EPONINE
Will make the flowers...
MARIUS
Will make the flowers... grow...
(She dies. Marius kisses her, then lays her on the ground)