Kagome found him sitting in the dark in a small room, no doubt used by the General to 'liberate' information from captured spies and whatnot. She didn't even blink as she shut the door behind her, knowing they had a lot to talk about, and to be honest, she didn't even want to think about the questions she would have to answer when she went back to the others.
With a low sigh, she sat on the small table next to the chair he was sitting on, looking out the same small window he was. They sat there in silence for a few minutes merely basking in each other's presence, but with a low sigh, she let her shoulders slump as she turned to him.
"Clint," He didn't turn to face her, but she knew he was listening as he tilted his head lightly. With another sigh, she leaned closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, "I'm glad you're okay, I was worried about you."
He shifted lightly, getting ready to pull away from her, yet she would not have it. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck, "I was so worried I thought I'd lost you." With that, her barriers fell and so did her pent up emotions. She didn't sob like a child, but merely let her silent tears slide down her face as she held him, reassuring herself he was still there.
He grit his teeth as she cried, clutching to him like a small child would their parent, the way she called him 'Father' before he killed her echoed in his mind. He clenched his fists – he had KILLED her – shoved a knife into her side and twisted it while choking her out…
She trusted him, with everything, cared about him to the point of partnering up with General Fury. He knew she disliked him, he had a darkness in him as she would say, and for her to not only put up with the man, but take orders from him in order to get him back… it meant a lot.
And how had he repaid her?
By killing her, and no, he did not know she would come back. So, it had literally tore him apart the moment she stopped breathing. He recalled cradling her body to his as he yelled over her medic for help, they had to save her. Even as he did that, he knew it was too late but he couldn't accept that – he wouldn't. Not even as she was declared dead. He refused to let the medics take her body away and only moved from his spot when Natasha had shown up.
How she had cried upon seeing her body, in a way he had never seen and he had seen a lot having been her partner for years. He cries would haunt his nightmares for years.
"I killed you," His voice was low, yet she heard it loud and clear. She tightened her hold on him trying to reign in her emotions so she could talk. Once she was sure she could speak without hyperventilating, she pulled back a bit.
"But I came back." It was a simple simple statement.
He glared at the wall, his hands shaking lightly, "I killed you, Kagome." There was so much raw emotion in his voice that it made her eyes water up again.
"It wasn't you, Clint…" He shook her words off and her off his person, standing up to pace the room, suddenly angry.
"I killed you, it was my hand around your neck... my knife in your side! Don't you get it?! I killed you! You should hate me! Even Natasha looked at me with hate the moment she saw your dead body in my arms, it was small and fleeting, but I saw it!"
She ducked her head a bit, his voice ringing out in the small room, yet she stood up and stood her ground, "I don't hate you, I could never hate you Clint, you know that." He refused to look at her as he mumbled to himself.
"I killed you…" It was a low self-hating whisper and it made her blood boil.
"You weren't the first and you won't be the last. Just know I'll always come back."
He turned to look at her, she looked far too old, far too worn, far too tired, and his hands itched to pull her into his arms, to whisper it was okay, she was okay, that everything would be okay. But that would be a lie. Instead, he pulled her small fragile body to his and held her, his eyes stinging with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She merely held him her own tears sliding silently down her face.
"I know…and I'm sorry I never told you." If she had, he wouldn't have taken it so hard, she was a horrible person.
He merely held her closer, explanations could wait, he was okay and she was okay and that was all that mattered. What needed to be said could be said later. His daughter was okay and that was all that mattered, he had a lifetime to hate himself, to try and make it up to her.
"I love you."
She stood there, in his embrace and merely held him, her head resting on his chest. "I love you too, Father."