It was over. The Avengers had won this fight.
Everything was supposed to be ok, but a parting blow had been dealt and it took one of their own.
Had anyone else's voice gone out over the comm perhaps the scene might have been more horrifying. But it was Clint's voice and, as he went down, he sounded... well, like Clint. He was going to die. They knew he was going to die, but he made it sound like his shoes were untied.
Stark rocketed, but could not get there fast enough. Hulk leapt, but missed him by only seconds. Thor and Steve were not close enough.
Barton's grappling arrow could not make it through that mess, and down he fell with the rest of the structure upon which he had stood. He had done everything right, like always, but for once everything around him went wrong.
Natasha saw from a distance as the building began to sink from the skyline. She did the opposite of what any sane person would do. She ran towards it as dust and debris billowed upwards from the street around it.
By the time Thor, Steve and Tony had cleared the rubble, they found Barton still alive. Just barely. He lay beneath a massive beam. There was blood at the corner his mouth and his breathing was loud and labored. His left thigh was impaled on a steel wire, but from the look of it he couldn't feel the lower half of his body.
Without a word all three of them gave up their own goodbyes and let her through.
Stone faced, Natasha knelt beside him. His blue-grey eyes lit up at the sight of her.
"Hey." Was all she could say.
Clint coughed. Blood came with it.
"Took you long enough." He struggled to say.
A ghost of a smile passed across her face. She took his hand in hers.
"I knew this day would come."
"I'm sorry."
Nat ran her fingers through his dust-thick hair. "It's ok."
"Don't follow me, ok?" Another cough. More blood.
Her face did not shift at all, but she could not hide the wetness in her green eyes.
"I won't."
His bloodied fingers gripped tightly around her palm. With great effort he pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it. His bright blood colored her pale skin.
Clint closed his eyes and leaned into her other hand as she opened it on his cheek.
"Tasha." was all he said.
Then, he was gone.
