It was almost too late.
Even though Harper and his team arrived quickly to take Pietro to a medical room, although they set him down on the bed gently, attached clips and wires to his body to monitor him, even after all of that, they were still nearly too late.
Since the doctors arrived in Banner's room, Clint's features were set in a stubbornly emotionless expression but his eyes never once left Pietro's face. Bruce observed him carefully, watching every jump of muscle in Clint's jaw when the doctor's moved Pietro onto a stretcher. He didn't offer his counsel, now wasn't the time and, in all honestly, he would neither be able to find the words, nor believe himself to have any right to advise the archer.
It was entirely obvious that, while Bruce had been gone, Clint had formed a strong relationship with the kid. Bruce couldn't help but fear the long and arduous road to recovery Pietro had ahead. He stayed near Clint, lingering back a little, but remaining close as the doctor's rushed Pietro to a medical room. His hand gripped the side of the stretcher, his knuckles brushing against Pietro's pale fingers, seeming to need to feel the life beneath Pietro's skin even as the young man was moved onto the bed.
Practically the second Pietro was wired up to the machines the monitors started going ninety to a dozen in mere seconds. Owen's team ushered Clint and Bruce back, milling around Pietro, one arranged an oxygen mask over his mouth while Owen eased Pietro's shirt up over his head and urgently felt the young man's chest, smoothing his fingers along accentuated strips of ribs.
"Sir, his liver's shutting down!" A man with an iPad-like device informed desperately, holding it over Pietro's abdomen, appearing to be scanning him.
Clint started forward but Bruce gripped a hand to his shoulder, holding him in place. "Wait, don't.."
The cardiac machine flat-lined and Owen glanced to the monitors desperately. "We're losing him!"
"Goddamn it!" Clint growled, breaking away from Bruce and rushing to Pietro's side, aggressively taking the kid's limp hand. "Don't die on me you bastard! You don't go anywhere, do you hear me?
Pietro suddenly gave a full-body flinch and heaved in a shaky breath.
The monitor spiked abruptly, evening out into a steady rhythm.
"Owen," another doctor called. "He's stabilising."
Owen frowned. "What? How?"
The doctor turned a tablet screen towards him. "His cellular reparation rate increased suddenly.. I suppose it is due to his power but it's restoring the damage done to his liver…" The doctor glanced to Clint. "Keep talking to him, I think it's helping."
Clint sat on the edge of the hospital bed, lacing his fingers with Pietro's. "Whatever you're doing, kid, keep at it… You have to fight this thing."
What he didn't expect was for Pietro's eyes to flutter open, blue irises drifting to set on his face. The kid was in pain. He didn't need a doctor to tell him that, he could see in Pietro's eyes. His irises were filled with anguish, his eyelids low with exhaustion, his chest hitching with every breath.
"Clint…" he whispered, choked, and that was really all Clint needed to hear.
"Shh, shh," he hushed quickly, moving a hand up and stroking Pietro's head. "It's okay, I know it hurts. It's alright… Just breathe steadily, we've got you now. It's going to be okay, I promise."
Pietro shook his head, swallowing thickly. "No, I don't… I don't want.. don't want this…"
"Please don't," Clint murmured, grief-stricken.
"Clint…"
"Please, Pietro."
"Let me die…" Pietro breathed faintly, wincing and closing his eyes. "Please, Clint.. It hurts… Hurts so much…"
Clint hushed him again, softer this time, and gently smoothed his hand over Pietro's head. "Shh, I know, I know… I…" He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling utterly helpless. "I can't help you… I'm sorry, Pietro. I tried, I tried to help you but I can't.. Please forgive me, I'm so sorry.."
Pietro's eyes fluttered, obviously still feeling the effects of the drugs. "I want to die… Please, just.. please let me die…"
A hand grasped Clint's shoulder and he glanced around to see Owen gazing down at him sympathetically. He turned back and subtly wiped at his eyes before patting Pietro's knuckles gently and heaving himself to his feet. Looking over to Owen, he crossed his arms over his chest, resigned.
"Go on," he murmured, knowing that Harper was about to give him the medical evaluation.
Owen seemed a little reluctant but took a breath and glanced down to his clipboard. "The sedatives he took should have knocked him out for at least six more hours so I think the alterations in his power shocked him awake. If he doesn't sleep again soon I think we should sedate him again; he seems to be in a lot of pain. If it's okay with you we can give him some morphine or if you like we can swap it out for something new. We've been working on something that's really difficult to become immune to and-"
"Why are you still coming to me for this?" Clint muttered. "Why are you asking my permission? Isn't this kind of thing for family members to decide on? Ask Wanda if you want to swap out his meds."
Owen was quiet for a moment and he hugged his clipboard to his chest, glancing up at Clint. "You're listed as a next of kin."
Clint blinked rapidly, confused. "What?"
"You're technically his official guardian," Owen explained, glancing at the ground. "He listed you alongside Wanda a couple months ago and you being the older of the two, you're the go-to… I thought you knew."
Clint shook his head, bewildered. He glanced to the kid, whose eyelids were low and slipping as he struggled to cling to consciousness on the bed. It felt as though something was lodged in Clint's throat and swallowing almost made him choke up in his grief.
"He asks for you when you aren't here anyway…"
As if on cue, Pietro moaned weakly and Clint leaned down to stroke his head. "It's alright, kid," he soothed gently. "It's alright, it's gonna be okay now."
"It hurts," Pietro whimpered. "Make it stop… It hurts."
Clint glanced to doctor Harper. "Owen-"
"I know."
"Please…" Pietro breathed out, eyes closed. "Please make it stop, Clint.. Make it stop…"
Clint hushed him quietly, glancing to Owen as the doctor moved to check the IV in Pietro's hand, switching out the drug supply at the end of the tube. Harper moved to sit on the edge of Pietro's bed, gently feeling the young man's forehead. Pietro's eyelids slipped a little and he blinked slowly, drowsily. Owen's eyes narrowed pityingly.
"We're putting you to sleep now, Pietro," he murmured quietly. "We'll make you better. Promise."
Pietro's eyes snapped open.
As he went to sit up, a hand set to his shoulder, pushing him back.
"Easy, Pietro," a voice soothed gently. "Take it easy now. You've been unconscious for several hours."
Pietro blinked in confusion; he didn't recognise that voice. Glancing to the side, his gaze fell on Dr Banner who stood beside his bed. The doctor gently pushed him back before falling into a, notably forced though attempting colloquial, stance, his arms folded over his chest.
"I thought you'd left..." Pietro muttered quietly, confused and, strangely, slightly nervous. There was something in Banner's eyes. Something thoughtful and dangerous.
There was silence for a moment and Bruce didn't once move his gaze from Pietro's face, causing Pietro to frown up at him.
"Why...?" Bruce whispered suddenly and the sincerity and disappointment in his voice made Pietro wince. "Why, Pietro? Why would you try to do that to yourself?"
Pietro glanced away, sullen. "Why should you care?"
Bruce gripped his shoulder, causing him to glance back at the doctor's face, surprised. "Of course I care, Pietro. I care because I won't see someone as young as you throw your life away. I care because you took my medication to try and kill yourself, Pietro. That means I'm now involved in whatever is happening here."
Pietro narrowed his eyes, apologetic. "It was yours... I'm sorry. I didn't-"
"For God's sake, Pietro," Bruce cut him off, guessing what he was apologising for and sitting on the edge of the hospital bed. "I don't care about the damn pills, I care about what you tried to use them for."
Pietro cast his eyes down to his lap. "I shouldn't be here..." he whispered, as if speaking to himself. He winced faintly, bringing a hand up to cradle his ribs. "I..." He winced again, closing his eyes.
"Pietro..."
"It hurts..." Pietro muttered.
Bruce squeezed his shoulder gently. "What hurts, Pietro? Let me help you, what hurts?"
"Everything," answered Pietro weakly. "I... I don't want this..."
"Do you want me to get Harper? Or Clint, I can get Clint."
Pietro shook his head and Bruce assumed he was frustrated, that is, until he caught sight of the glistening trails running down Pietro's cheeks and dripping from his clenched jaw onto his lap.
"Oh.." Bruce said faintly, unsure of how to comfort him. "Pietro, don't... It's okay, just take deep breaths. I- please you shouldn't- don't look like that- Pietro- damnit."
He wrapped an arm around Pietro's shoulders, squeezing him close, his free hand moving to gently wipe tear tracks from Pietro's face. Pietro turned his face against Bruce's collarbone, inhaling a shuddering breath and letting it out as a barely controlled sob. His shoulders shook with every half-stifled sob.
Bruce would have been shocked if he didn't understand the longing for contact that came after a suicide attempt. Pietro needed to be close to someone and Bruce would comply because he'd be damned if he allowed Pietro to continue in this state alone.
"Don't want to fight…" Pietro whispered suddenly in a small voice. "Don't make me… I don't want to fight anymore…"
Bruce shut his eyes, reaching up to run his fingers through Pietro's hair. "Don't say that, Pietro… Please, don't talk like that. It'll be okay."
Pietro sobbed against his shoulder, his breathing trembling unsteadily. Bruce held him close at a loss of what else to do.
"It's going to be okay, Pietro," he murmured gently. "I promise you, it'll be okay. It doesn't seem like it now and I know you're in a bad place at the moment but it does get better…" Bruce threaded his fingers through Pietro's hair, smoothing white strands back out of his face. "Nothing can hurt you here."
A/N- Really, really sorry about the delays recently- exams ugghhh... But now I've finished forever! Happiness spurs my writing so updates will probably be quite a bit faster unless I decide to get a social life :)
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks again for every single review, favourite or follow, I really appreciate it.