Unexpected Absolution

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future" – Paul Boese

Wanda finds the archer sitting on the ground in a remote back hallway of the helicarrier, his back to the wall, his bow clutched tightly to his chest. He's staring with glazed eyes at the ceiling, and Wanda can tell that he's not really looking at anything.

Vaguely wondering how long he's been there, Wanda eases herself down next to him and rests her head on his shoulder, all without saying a word. He starts but, when their eyes meet, he only nods, rests a hand on hers and goes back to staring at the ceiling. After that, they sit in silence, punctuated only by his ragged breathing, for what feels like hours.

"'M sorry," the archer finally mumbles, his gaze never leaving the ceiling. "'M so sorry…"

Wanda shakes her head and gives his hand a gentle squeeze, doing her best to ignore the blood caked in his cracked fingernails. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Wanda knows that she should hate the archer. Hate him for his weakness. Hate him for his stubborn, foolhardy bravery. Most of all, hate him for taking her brother from her. But she doesn't. Every Avenger shares the blame for what happened today, herself included, the archer perhaps least of all.

When the archer doesn't reply, she asks, both because she doesn't know what else to say and because she's genuinely curious, "I do not believe that I know your name. Pietro always called you ol-…"

"Clint," the archer cuts her off roughly. He coughs, takes a faltering breath and adds, his voice slightly teasing, "How'd we never get properly introduced?"

Wanda can't help but smile. "You were too busy saving the world, old man."

She must have said something wrong because the archer's eyes widen, his grip on his bow tightens, and he's gone, lost to a memory. She feels his pain, rolling off of him in violent, tumultuous waves, and she's about to ask what he's seeing when she realizes; she had said something that Pietro would have said.

"I am sorry too," she says quietly, more to herself than to Clint because she's not even sure if he's listening. "I am sorry I submitted to Strucker's experiments. I am sorry I helped Ultron…" Wanda stops even though the list could go on and leads only to one conclusion, which she suddenly spits without thinking, "My brother's death is as much my fault as yours."

She feels the archer's pain being overwhelmed by another surging emotion, one that quickly consumes his grief, his fear, his self-loathing. It's an emotion she recognizes immediately—a fierce desire to protect, no matter the personal cost. The archer says, his voice thick with emotion but still strong and sure, "You're just a kid. Don't ever think any of this is your fault."

In that moment, Wanda realizes what kind of man the archer truly is. She doesn't know why she does it, or how she even knows that it's there, but she works the picture out of his pocket using her powers. She takes it in as it settles into her hands, and a lump begins to form in her throat.

"You are a father." She meant for it to be a question, but it comes out as a statement of fact.

Clint cracks a weak smile. "Guilty as charged."

"I know what it is like to lose…" Wanda begins, but she trails off because she doesn't know how to put what she wants to say into words. But she'll try, even if it hurts. "When we lost our parents, we each lost a part of ourselves that we never got back. We lost our childhood. I am glad that your children will not have to experience what Pietro and I went through. I am glad that you will return home to them."

The archer is silent. She feels the conflict raging within him as he struggles under the weight of the absolution he never asked for, never wanted and never expected to be so freely given. She knows that, in time, he'll accept.

And then he says something she never saw coming.

"You're welcome to join me."

This was an idea that I had to put on paper. I interpret Clint as being a father first, hero second, so I think it would tear him apart that Pietro, a kid, saved his life. I also love the idea that he becomes a desperately needed father figure for Wanda. Please let me know what you think. I love hearing everyone's thoughts, and this may become more than a one-shot depending on the feedback. ~Moore12