Whumptober Day 15

Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever

Prompts: delirium/fever dreams/bees

It's been a long week at work, and I was hit with a case of writer's block. On the plus side, that means this Whumtober will probably go into November, or as I'm calling it, Rennvember! I'm sorry for the delay.

Also, I know nothing about ASL, so I apologize in advance.

When Clint woke up, the first thing he heard was buzzing. The only thing he could hear was buzzing. He was so dizzy, and Clint felt like he was going to toss his cookies. Thinking about it, though, made him feel worse. Slightly turning his head, he could make out the typical monitors and medical equipment. 'OK, in the hospital. What happened? What's the last thing I remember?' Even though it hurt too damn much, Clint concentrated on trying to remember.

He remembered sitting in his apartment. Clint and Mikayla wanted their kids, Katie and Philip, to have a typical Halloween, so the couple took them to the Bed-Stuy apartment, where they could take the kids trick-or-treating to the tenants' apartments. "Time to go, kids! Katie, make sure your brother has all his costume and his pumpkin. We need to get a picture before we head out." Mikalya turned to Clint. "Glad to see you're in the spirit, Hawkeye." Clint was wearing his "work uniform."

"Hey, everyone here knows I'm Hawkeye, so why fight it?" Clint shrugged his shoulders and smirked.

"You're incorrigible, you know."

Clint put an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "So? Guessing you're going to be my treat this evening, babe?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"You know it, Hot Guy Hawkeye." Mikayla draped her arms over his shoulders, and the couple passionately kissed.

"Oooh, Mommy and Daddy are doing that again," Katie squealed, signing to her brother, who wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

The two adults broke apart and chuckled, keeping their arms around the other's waist. "I still can't believe they didn't want to dress as Hawkeyes," Clint said.

"They're still adorable, though," Mikayla commented.

Clint knelt and focused on Philip, signing, 'Traitor.' Philip had chosen to dress up as Falcon, complete with the wings and goggles. Their son giggled at his dad's comment. "And you, Katie-Kate, make an adorable Winter Soldier." Clint adjusted the dark aluminum foil arm and brushed her fake beard.

"Don't forget to get pictures for Uncle Sam and Uncle Bucky!" Katie was jumping up and down, unable to contain her excitement.

Clint pulled out his phone. "Come on, little mama, let's get Agent Barton in the photo, too." Mikayla was wearing a suit and tie, doing her best to impersonate her Uncle Phil Coulson. "OK, say Avengers." Clint snapped a few photos and sent them to the team. "Now, go, have fun, and save me the Snickers." He kissed Mikayla as she left the apartment with their children. Clint spent the rest of the evening handing out candy and complementing the kids on their costumes, pleased to see a few Hawkeyes in the crowd.

Towards the end of the evening, there was a knock at the door. Clint picked up the bowl of candy, expecting to hear kids saying trick or treat. Instead, he was met by someone dressed as a clown. "What the hell?"

"I'm here to give you a treat," the figure growled, taking a couple of what appeared to be arrows and, before Clint could get his hands up, jammed them into his ears, then ran away.

Clint's neighbor Simone heard Clint scream and came running. "Oh, my God!" She looked down at Clint, who was writhing and screaming in pain. Simone pulled out her phone and called Mikayla.

"I'll drop the kids at Aimee's and be right up." Mikayla was up the stairs in a heartbeat. "Oh, God! Clint, Clint!" She called Tony. "I need help!" Mikayla described the scene in front of her. "What do I do?"

"Call 911. Have them bring him to the tower."

Mikayla called 911, then asked Simone if she could watch the kids. "They don't need to be seeing this."

"You got it."

Mikayla picked up Clint's hand and began signing into it. 'I'm guessing you can't hear me, but the ambulance is on its way. We're going to the tower.' Clint signed back he understood, then passed out.

When the ambulance arrived at the tower, the staff took Clint directly to the medical wing. Mikayla arrived shortly after that, heading to the waiting room where the team had gathered. "What happened?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know. I was taking the kids around the complex when I got a call from Simone, and Clint couldn't tell me anything before he passed out. If I were to guess, I'd say those asshole neighborhood gangs. Clint calls them the Tracksuit Mafia. They've harassed him ever since he bought the complex." Mikayla looked over at Tony. "Please tell me he's going to be OK. He's got to be OK, Tony. He has to." She leaned over, and Tony wrapped his arms around her and let her cry.

Finally, Bruce came out to talk to them. "As you can imagine, the toughest part was removing the arrows without causing additional damage. We were able to get that done, but I'm afraid Clint's lost most of his hearing. With hearing aids, he' should gain most of it back." Tony stood and stormed out, heading to his lab to work on the best pair of hearing aids ever made.

"How is he?" Mikayla asked.

"He was delirious for a time," Bruce answered. "He kept mumbling nonsense, but we've got him sedated now." Bruce looked at the group. "Those of you who don't already know it may want to start learning ASL." Thankfully, most of them at least knew the basics so they could communicate with Philip. "Come on, Mikayla. I'll take you back." Mikayla stood and followed Bruce to Clint's room. "He'll still be able to do his job. It won't affect it in the least." She nodded, not knowing what to say.

Once she got to Clint's room, she went and sat in the chair next to his bed. His head was wrapped in white bandages. She put a hand on his cheek, and it felt warm. "Why is he so warm?"

"He's got a bit of a fever. We think maybe they coated the arrows with something, so we're giving him antibiotics."

Mikayla nodded. "Thanks, Bruce." He nodded and left the couple alone. Mikayla picked up one of Clint's hands and held it to her cheek, signing 'I love you' into his palm.

When Clint woke up and heard the buzzing, he began frantically looking around, finally noticing Mikayla's hands holding his. He tried to talk but couldn't hear himself, so he started shaking his hand and signing, 'What happened?'

'You're awake,' Mikayla signed in response. 'How's your head?'

'I hear buzzing. Are there bees in my ears?'

Mikayla shook her head. 'Someone jammed arrows into your ears.'

Recognition crossed his face. 'So, I'm deaf?'

'For now. Tony's already hard at work on a pair of hearing aids for you.'

'Kids?'

'With Simone. She's the one who found you, then called me. I left the kids with Aimee, but Simone said she'd watch them.' Mikayla squeezed his hand. 'Whatever happens, we're in this together.'

Clint nodded, knowing he had no stronger advocate than his wife. Clint knew there would be a lot of adjustments in his life but knew as long as he had Mikayla by his side, he would make it. He sent a silent thanks up to Phil for her and for teaching him ASL.