Summary: After suffering a crippling and devastating betrayal from someone he trusted, Clint struggles with his demons as he goes on a quest for vengeance. Grace Melnychenko Drăgoi struggles to cope, after a traumatic ordeal that collides her with a vengeful archer. Co – Written with snowqueen79. Clint/OC, Bucky/OC, Steve/Natasha, and other pairings. Rated M for violence, upsetting scenes and eventual smut.
Downfall Of Us All
Chapter 37
"But I'm still here," he whispered softly, holding her hand tightly in his. A tear slid down her cheek, landed on his chest just above his heart.
"Sophie? Adrian? Are they okay?" Clint asked, worried by the grief she wore like a mask that didn't fit.
"Sophie is recovering," Grace's voice was rough from fatigue. "Adrian is okay."
"Nat? Her and the baby?"
"Clint, they are okay," Grace promised him. "I was just…"
"What? Baby, what's wrong?" Clint's heart pounded in worry. What happened to put that fear in her eyes?
"Clint, I was just… I almost lost you," Grace finally told him, her voice breaking on the last couple of words.
"Is that all?" Clint managed a dry laugh though it killed his side.
"Clint," Grace frowned at him. "That's not funny."
He gazed up into her beautiful, clear eyes and smiled. "I love you, Gracie. I'm still here. If that's not a reason to be happy, I don't know what is."
Carefully as she could, Grace wrapped her arms around him, pressing her head to the undamaged portion of his chest. Clint loved it, loved the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her.
Then he noticed that she was shaking, crying.
"Gracie?"
When she pulled back to look at him, eyes filled with tears, Clint was at a loss.
"I'm here," he promised her. "It's going to take a lot more to get rid of me than that."
"I thought…" Her beautiful full lip trembled.
"Grace, I'm going to be just fine," Clint promised her. "This is going to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch for a few more days and then they'll let me out and into your care. I'll bitch and make you wait on me. And you know what? I'll love every minute of it. I'll be able to guilt you into making me my very own cake. Triple chocolate. I'll be able to talk you into giving me the world's best massage and I'll get to sleep next to you every night. Eventually, I'll get better and I'll play the guitar and sing – badly. But at the end of the day, I'll still be here. I'll be all yours. I'll love you more than anything."
She swiped at her face with the back of her hand, staring at him like she couldn't believe what he was saying. Clint smiled gently. "Talk to me, beautiful. What's going on in that head of yours?"
"I just…" Grace was struggling to talk to him, struggling to say what she needed to say. "I was so afraid you wouldn't… I just…"
"I'm alive, Gracie," Clint told her, reaching up to run his hand through her hair gently. "I'm yours."
"Mine," she whispered.
"Yours." Clint's gaze locked with hers and he hated the shadows he found there. He wanted to banish them. He wanted her eyes to be clear and happy. "You gave me a reason to fight, a reason to still be here. I'm yours as long as you want me."
When she started to cry again, lowering her head to his chest softly, Clint held her. Yeah, it hurt to be alive just now, but he was alive, and he'd live to fight another day. To love another day.
"I love you," he whispered.
"Hey," a deep voice from the doorway got his attention. "You going to live?"
Clint laughed until the huge-ass stitch in his side made it hurt again.
"Yeah, Steve, I'm going to live," Clint told him. "How's Nat?"
The relief in the super-soldier's eyes was so easy to spot. "She's good. The baby is good."
"Can't ask for better than that," Clint told him, happy for his friends. Nat being pregnant by a man she loved was a miracle in itself. If she'd lost that… But she hadn't. Clint was going to focus on the positive. Nat and Steve were having a baby and they were fine. He had Gracie. They hadn't taken any losses…
Steve stepped into the room, his gaze on Grace. "How's Sophie?"
"It's bad," she told him, not moving from her place against Clint. "And recovery will take a while, but she's going to be okay."
Steve nodded, looking thoughtful. "Things could have been worse."
"Damn right," Clint told him.
They talked quietly for a while, knowing that it wasn't the end of all the bad things. It never was. But for now, they'd made it and making it was enough.
Bucky had fallen asleep at Sophie's bedside. He hadn't meant to. Every few minutes out of each hour, he'd awakened, and the reassuring beep of the monitors meant Sophie was still there even though her hand was cold, and her lips were pale, and she wasn't moving. Helen Cho had been in there at least once an hour and he knew from the pinched expression she wore that she was concerned. Bucky pushed the dread out, the fear out. He needed Sophie to be okay, to recover. She was going to make it, right?
Eventually, around 3:AM, Grace returned to the room. Her soft shuffling steps woke him, and her expression was one of pure apology as she slid into the seat next to him.
The fear in her face made Bucky's heart sink a little.
"Has there been any change?" Grace asked gently.
Bucky shook his head.
He saw Steve dash by the door, surprised because he'd thought Steve had gone on to bed several hours ago. Friendly chatter in the hallway reached his enhanced hearing but it meant little until he walked into Sophie's room with a hopeful look on his face. What was his punk up to?
Someone following him into the room, she looked tired, but her smile was warm as he remembered the last time he came out of cryofreeze.
"Why did you not call me?" Shuri was fussing at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her slender frame came to a stop in front of him and his heart clenched in hope that she was there.
Bucky returned her hug, so happy she came. One look at Steve told him who exactly sent for her.
Shuri glanced at the monitors before snatching the chart with the x-rays off the end of the bed, staring at the clipboard as if she were glancing at a child's drawing in crayon. Then she nodded.
"Sophie," Shuri called even though the sleeping woman on the bed couldn't hear. "Let's get you back on your feet."
Bucky sat up, alert now as he watched Shuri motion for people in medical. His Sophie was being wheeled out of the room by orderlies before he rose from the chair.
Shuri came back in to hug first him, then Grace. "I'll return her to you, Bucky. You know I will."
Bucky's heart swelled with hope. He knew Shuri would do just what he said, and he was so grateful.
"May I come along?" Grace asked quietly.
Shuri smiled, taking her hand and pulling her along.
Bucky hugged Steve when he reached him, so grateful to have such a friend. "Stevie, thank you."
"Love you, Buck."
Bucky simply hugged him tightly, before sitting down and waited for news on his Sophie, his little spider. Steve sat beside him, and Clint as they waited for news.
It was all they could do for now.
It was gone 5:AM when Shuri returned with Sophie propped up on a bed, she looked pale but much better. Bucky raced over to her, and held her hand tightly, as she stirred slightly.
"When Morse attacked her, she used one of those knives that harm Enhanced, Inhuman and Mutant individuals. It sliced at her liver, she'll need to rest but she'll make a full recovery." Shuri explained softly, much to the relief of Adrian, Grace, Bucky and the rest of the team.
"Thank you, Shuri and Helen for helping Sophie, Grace, Clint and Lilia." Tony said gratefully, Shuri and Helen smiled at them, before everyone went to rest.
It had been an emotional, and exhausting day for everyone.
Sophie woke up blearily to see the lights were dimmed, and the throbbing pain in her left side, had gone. She looked around to see Clint, Grace, Bucky, Adrian and Wanda in the room.
Bucky stirred awake and brightened at seeing her awake, she smiled weakly at him. He helped her drink from a glass of water, she sipped carefully but thirstily.
"What happened? Are Lilia, Grace, Clint, Natasha, Helen and Jemma alright?" Sophie asked worriedly, Bucky squeezed her hand tightly in reassurance.
"They're fine, a little bit banged up but not too badly hurt. You were shot, and stabbed, and it was making you not heal properly. Shuri and Helen fixed you up." Bucky explained quietly, kissing her tenderly on the lips.
Sophie was relieved to hear that Grace, Clint and the rest of their team were alright. She wondered what had happened to Calderon, Bobbi, Pepper and Jane.
"Thank god, what about Jane and the others?" She asked quietly, Bucky's face hardened, and his grey eyes became cold, and dangerous.
"Coulson and his team took them to the Raft, they won't be escaping from this prison. Fury's holding a meeting tomorrow, but I'm staying here with you," Bucky said quietly, his tone leaving no room for disagreement.
Sophie nodded and patted the space next to her, Bucky took off his clothes, before changing into a t-shirt and, a pair of sweatpants. He laid down next to her and pulled the covers over them.
He held her tightly, as she curled up against him with her blonde hair falling over his chest.
"I love you, Bucky." Sophie said softly, Bucky held her tightly to him and pressed his lips against hers. He loved this woman so much, she meant the world to him.
"I love you too, Sophie. I won't let anyone hurt you, doll," Bucky promised fiercely, and held her tightly.
If anyone tried to hurt her, he would kill them with his bare hands, so god help him. The Winter Soldier might be gone, Bucky still had the memories of the soldier.
Sophie was his.
Shuri stopped by Nat's room next, smiling because she thought the beautiful spy and her super soldier were fast asleep. Nat lay on her side, one hand curled under her cheek. Steve's upper body lay across the bed, the rest of his large frame in the chair. He'd fallen asleep holding her other hand just in front of Natasha's swelling tummy.
"Thank you," his deep voice rumbled.
Shuri's face split into a wide grin.
"You're welcome," Shuri said as he sat up, scrubbing at his eyes. "Your pretty spider will recover soon."
"She means a lot to Bucky," Steve explained though he didn't need to. "She means a lot to all of us but…"
"The change she's brought about in him is amazing. He smiles and laughs often now. I think the only laugh we ever got out of him in Wakanda was when M'Baku got taken down by that rhinoceros in front of the village." Shuri laughed. "You've been busy."
The ability to make Captain America blush red delighted the princess.
"Did you have any chance to…"
"Look over the sonograms and tests?" Shuri asked. "I did."
The anxious look on her friend's face broke her heart a little. Not many people got to see any weakness in Steve Rogers and Shuri pulled another chair next to him.
"It's very early," Shuri explained. "But not impossible to know certain things. The baby's heart is well formed. The baby's lungs are well formed. There are no signs for any chronic illness at this point because the serum did permeate the child's DNA. He or she will not suffer from the medical conditions that you once did if that was your concern."
Steve stared at her hard for a long moment, the intensity in his clear blue eyes strong.
"Really? You're sure?" The worry in his voice nearly had tears stinging the backs of her eyes.
"It's early," Shuri stressed, "but I'm reasonably certain."
The captain blew out a long exhale and she swore she could see the tension leaving his body.
"Nat's probably only going to get this one chance," Steve explained. "I don't know what I'd do if the child was ill… because of me."
Shuri placed a hand on his arm. "She would love the child anyway and then I'd fix him or her. But that isn't likely the case."
Steve grinned at that. "Thank you, Shuri. I don't know how I can ever repay you for this, for Bucky."
Shuri shrugged. "You and your team are saving the world. If I can enable you to do it, I get some of that credit too, yes?"
Steve nodded.
"What did I miss?" Nat's voice was scratchy from sleep. Then her beautiful eyes widened. "Sophie? Clint? Steve, where are they?"
Steve's hand tightened around hers and he smiled. "Shuri pulled Sophie through and Clint said you wouldn't get rid of him that easily."
Natasha chuckled. "True, Clint. True."
When her gaze met Shuri's, she said. "Thank you."
Shuri nodded, loving that she'd been able to help.
"Will Sophie be okay?" Nat wanted to know.
"Her recovery will be long," Shuri explained. "The weapons they used against her were the new weapons meant to harm the mutant and the enhanced. You will all need to be careful after this. These weapons could potentially kill one of you."
Nat and Steve exchanged a worried glance.
"Once we get the team in a little better shape," Steve said, "We'll meet about it. "It has to be addressed."
Natasha nodded her approval.
Shuri bid them goodnight, it was late, and made her way back to the suite Tony had her in. There was a Stark pad there she hadn't noticed before, loaded with schematics he'd explained he wanted her opinion on. Shuri threw the digital image at the wall to look it over.
Then she laughed.
She'd give him her opinion on it.
So primitive.
Shuri decided it was time for ice cream and some Netflix.
With a lot of the team injured from the fight with Morse, Calderon, and Pepper, Fury had Coulson only call them if it was an emergency, and now things were quiet.
Shuri had invited the team to Wakanda and they were now reaching Wakanda and could see the beautiful view. Sophie didn't miss the fond smile on Bucky's face, as he looked around and relaxed. Her left side still ached, but the medication was helping, and she walked beside Bucky as they disembarked the plane. The scenery was beautiful.
The air didn't smell of pollution, it just smelt of fresh air and she smiled at seeing how the wildlife and humans interacted. T'Challa and Nakia dame to greet them, and they smiled.
"Welcome to Wakanda, my friends. I hope you have an enjoyable stay here." T'Challa said warmly, Sophie smiled at the sight as they were shown around.
Birds chirped in the trees and she saw monkeys hanging off the trees, looking at them curiously. Bucky was holding her hand tightly, as they were shown around.
"You must have loved it here, Bucky," Sophie said softly, Bucky smiled as he remembered how for the first time, he'd felt safe in the village.
It had been his home.
After being shown around, Clint was smiling as he watched Grace take pictures with her camera of everyone, the scenery and wildlife in front of them. He'd only been here once before and that was when the team had been fighting Thanos, and killed him. He smiled at seeing an eagle sit on the perch and chirped before flying away.
"This is a beautiful country, Clint." Grace said softly, inhaling the fresh air as they saw a herd of elephants in the distance. Clint smiled, and held her tightly, before they went to join everyone for dinner.
Once they were seated at the table, servings were handed out and Clint enjoyed the spicy food. The Wakanda cuisine was a mixture of spiced and herb flavoured foods, that he deeply enjoyed.
He smiled as he saw Tony and Lilia feed Howard, who eagerly tried some of the mashed potatoes, with his chicken. He smiled and leaned back in his chair, as he tucked into the meal.
It was nice not being on a mission for once.
Bucky had taken Sophie to the village he had been staying at, before fighting Thanos and showed her the farm he owned. He introduced her to his goats, one of which that was named Steve, and she smiled.
"Hello there beautiful." Sophie said softly, and the goat nudged her hand affectionately, before grazing at the grass. She smiled at Bucky, as they saw a black panther in the distance.
"That's Bast, she visits here a lot and we keep an eye on her, because she's got young cubs." Bucky explained fondly, as the village children ran over to say hello.
"White Wolf and the White Spider have come to see us!" A little boy said excitedly, his dark eyes alight with glee.
Bucky's smile when he saw a small pack of boys run in their general direction had her heart melting. He already knew an insane number of languages. That he had a pretty good grasp of Wakandan? She wasn't really surprised. Sophie delighting in watching him visit with the children before they continued to play, running all around them.
"White Wolf?" Sophie asked.
He grinned at her. "It's a long story but we'll have plenty of time. How are you feeling?"
"Tired," she admitted. "But it's the best day I remember having in some time."
"You like it here?" he asked her, his expression serious.
"I love it, Bucky," she told him with all honesty. "I could spend a lot of time here."
"Good to know," he told her. "Want to stay here for a while with me?"
Sophie glanced up at him. "Can we?"
He shrugged his flesh shoulder. "Never hurts to ask. C'mere."
He gently took her hand and led her away from his plot, into the growing darkness until they came to the edge of a river. The landscape around them was alive with a chorus of sounds and the cool night air felt so good against her skin. Bucky pulled her down into the grass with him, wrapping his flesh arm around her as she stared up at the clear sky and full moon hanging high overhead.
"Oh, this is so beautiful," she whispered, awed by the moon as she'd never seen it before.
"You like that?" He whispered in her ear.
Sophie nodded. "You came here every night, didn't you?"
"Mostly. For the longest time, this was what I missed most when I agreed to go to the Avengers with Steve. I missed it bitterly," Bucky's voice carried in the darkness. "Then one day I didn't miss it anymore. Not as I once did."
"Why?" Sophie wanted to know.
"You showed up in my life," he told her. "Beautiful as all of this is, it doesn't compare to you doll."
Sophie's face heated even in the cool of the evening. She didn't have a response for that, just lowered her head to his shoulder.
"I love you," she whispered tenderly.
"Love you too."
They sat out there for a long time, holding each other.
Enjoy, and review :)