2:
Clint groaned in irritation as he heard Tony grumbling behind him about walking 15 blocks when he has a super suit and a limo.
"Stark, shut the hell up for Gods sake it will NOT kill you. It would take forever in traffic today to get there in a limo and we are not picking up the freaking cake as Iron Man and Hawkeye!"Clint growled at the whiny billionaire and tried to keep his anger in check.
Clint rubbed his temples as Stark finally shut up and they pushed their way through the crowd. It was unbelievably hot today and it seemed like every damned person in New York was out and about. The crowds were truly ridiculous even for New York. The sun was beating down in waves and he was practically suffocating in the smell of these peoples cheap perfumes and colognes pressed so close to him. That didn't help the matter of his temper at ALL, he hated contact with strangers.
Clint usually wouldn't mind going places with Tony, they were pretty good friends, and both kind of sarcastic assholes, so Tony's attitude didn't really get on his nerves like it did the Cap's.(Well use to….no one really knows why they suddenly get along better lately.) Still, he had just got back from a crappy mission and it was hot and miserable today. The very last thing he needed for his thinning patience is a complaining billionaire and a trip to get Thor a birthday cake for Jane. Not to mention while he did like Tony, he still thought he was pretty selfish and spoilt. Seriously, he was dragging his ass out to get this damn cake quietly, would it kill Tony to shut up for once too? It's for THOR for god's sake!(No pun intended)
He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't pay attention to where he was going and all of a sudden he heard tires screeching and then Tony screamed at him.
"CLINT!MOVE!"
Clint turned his head up and felt his heart drop as he saw a taxi barreling towards him at top speed, the driver panicked looking, before suddenly a strong weight slammed into him from behind and he was sent rolling towards the sidewalk at the other side of the street.
He heard the distinct sound of impact and glass shattering, people screaming. Clint's head shot up and he dizzily realized he didn't get hit by the taxi. He took in his surroundings quickly, scanning the crowds of people now gather around the street crosswalk where traffic had now stopped. Then he saw it.
The taxi had stopped and glass was shattered everywhere, and a few feet away from where he had just been before, Tony Stark's body was lying immobile in the street, a dark red and growing puddle of blood surrounding him.
His throat was raw and burning and it took him a moment to realize he was screaming. He felt his heart stutter in his chest as the events put themselves together in his head. Tony pushed him out of the way. Tony Stark, known for being a selfish bastard, had just pushed him out of the way and taken the hit himself. AND HE WASN'T MOVING. TONY WASN'T MOVING!
Before he even realized he needed to be over there his feet were carrying him unsteadily towards the fallen billionaire, a sense of urgency in his movements that had the civilians who were trying to help immediately parting and clearing him a straight shot towards Tony.
He dropped to his knees next to Tony with stuttering breaths, tears running unwelcomingly down his face as he grabbed Tony with gentle hands and carefully flipped him over so Clint could get a clear view of his face, and when he finally did he felt his overworked heart skid to a stop at his friend's appearance.
Tony's face was deathly pallor, brown eyes closed. Clint could see a large gash on his head and trailing down to his forehead stopping just above his eyebrow, blood soaking his hair and running down his face. His left arm was bent at an unnatural angle, and his left leg had a huge gash in it, pouring blood onto the gravel below. Tiny and big fragments of glass were impaled everywhere in Tony's body, a particularly large piece jammed into his thigh, just above his knee. Clint's breathing ceased and he froze as he grabbed Tony's wrist and felt for a pulse.
Nothing.
He moved his finger desperately chocking back a sob.
Nothing.
"TONY! DAMMIT DON"T YOU DARE DIE ON ME YOU BASTARD!"He screamed his throat raw as he desperately felt around PRAYING for just a FAINT pulse. Tony couldn't die on him, he couldn't! Tony was one of his best friends, hell he WAS his best friend, he couldn't die! Where was the selfish bastard when he needed him?! He HAD to find a pulse, He HAD to! His brain screamed at him as he carefully moved his thumb around Tony's wrist then to his neck.
There!Very, Very faint, but he found a pulse. Thank god, oh thank god.
Clint let out a shuttering breath as the tears came out in a flood and he cradled Tony's broken body close in a gentle grip. He rocked back and forth and murmured nonsense in between sobs, begging Tony to wake up. He was slipping into hysterics, but he had already almost lost Natasha last week on a solo mission…. and it was so easy to re-panic, and Tony was just….so pale….Clint vaguely was aware of sirens growing louder and people trying to talk to him, when finally the paramedics arrived on scene and carefully took Tony from him, a nurse gently pushing him into the back of the ambulance with the genius.
He watched frozen as the paramedics frantically hooked Tony up to machines, the pained grimace etched into Tony's usually carefree features eating at him. Tony was so damn pale, so still. Tony wasn't supposed to be that quiet, it was unnatural.
"Sir?" Clint looked up lost at the paramedic talking to him, eyes misty and tormented. "Sir, will you tell me what happened please? We're going to help your friend and you. We need to know what happened though, will you please tell me?"
Clint took another glance at Tony, the image of Tony lying completely still in a puddle of his own blood forever burned into his mind.
"He um-… we were walking…I was irritated….not paying attention… didn't look…taxi was coming…couldn't stop fast enough….he….he pushed… me out of the way…and got hit…..please….you have to fix him!" His speech cut off into a fit of sobs and he couldn't even gather the sense to realize he was a trained assassin, he wasn't supposed to cry this easy. It was probably because it was his fault this time.
The woman put a comforting hand on his shoulder and opened her mouth to say something when suddenly Tony's monitors began beeping wildly and she jumped into action with the other paramedics. Clint's eyes shot wide with terror and his blood froze as they all gathered around the ex-playboy and started yelling things to each other.
"We're losing him!"
"Come on try again!"
"Clear!"
Clint just watched in horror as they tried to shock Tony's chest, his friend's body jerking in the air as the nurses desperately tried to resuscitate him. After what seemed like hours, the monitor began beeping erratically and the paramedic woman sighed in relief, whispering something he couldn't hear to her collages before returning to him.
"Sir, can you tell me your name please? This is Tony Stark, I recognize him, I promise he'll be getting the best treatment possible. My collages are already working on getting in contact with Ms. Potts, Mr. Stark's emergency contact. "
Clint looked into her eyes, they were bright green, and she had honey blonde hair. Her smile was comforting and he nodded and swallowed before whispering "Clint, Clint Barton."
The woman nodded and patting him on the shoulder reassuringly. "I'm Layla, Clint, nice to meet you. I promise we're taking good care of your friend. We'll arrive at the hospital momentarily alright? Just breathe okay? I'm going to take a look at your head make sure you didn't get cut alright?"
Clint nodded meekly and flinched when her fingers started to carefully roam his head, despite the warning. It was really just a reflex by now. She was whispering soothing words to him as she checked him for injuries, but he wasn't really listening until she heard him mention Natasha and Bruce.
"Huh?" Clint said confused and Layla smiled, shaking her head weakly. "You aren't listening, I'm not surprised. I said honey, that Ms. Potts informed me that your friends Dr. Bruce Banner and Ms. Natasha are going to meet you at the hospital. You might have a minor concussion, but we're about to pull in and I have to help Mr. Stark so just follow us inside alright sweetheart and we'll get you checked soon, okay?"
Clint found himself nodding, vaguely wondering why Bruce and Natasha beat the ambulance, but dismissed the thought as the vehicle pulled to a stop and the paramedics were once again bursting into action, taking Tony's stretcher out of the back and walking him into the hospital before he had time to jump out of the back after them, and had to run to keep up, watching as Tony was transferred to real doctors and they were weaving through the white corridors with ease, as he followed behind like a puppy.
"Clint?"
He froze when he heard Natasha's voice behind him, and his eyes followed Tony as they took him into the E.R. Within seconds he felt himself being pulled into a strong embrace and sighed, letting the tears runs again and Natasha cradled his head into her shoulder.
"Shhhh Clint. What happened?"
He choked back a sob and Natasha stroked his hair as they fell awkwardly into the couch in the waiting room. They instinctively curled close to one another and he let out a gasping sob as Bruce dropped down next to them, tears in his eyes.
"It- was-all-my fault Natasha. I was so stupid! I w-wasn't paying attention and- and there was a taxi coming right for me, I-I walked right into its path, and Tony- Tony pushed me out of the way!" Clint gasped out and he felt Natasha gasp in shock before quickly covering it up but still grabbing his hand for comfort, her blue eyes shining with pain and disbelief.
"Tony-? He-he saved you?" Clint nodded miserably just as a doctor walked out and started heading towards them.
Clint's part is split into two chapters, sorry everyone! You'll have to wait to find out what happens to our favorite billionaire! I love you all and I would love some reviews, I kind of feel like my reviewers are disappearing lately and that makes me sad. Love you all! Hope you enjoyed!