A few hours pass, Clint dozes off and on as various doctors and nurses come to check on him. The whole thing is familiar and exhausting. He half wants them to stop checking on him, they should leave it to the fates to decide whether he survives or not.
Around five o'clock the smell of rum assaults Clint's nose. He rolls over on his side so he can see the door, he's not surprised by its occupant.
"So the scallywag lives." Lance slurs, a bottle of rum in one hand, a cup in the other.
"Seems like I will." Clint grimaces as he brings himself up into a sitting position. "But I could say the same thing to you Lance."
"Yeah well." Hunter crosses the room to sit in the chair Bobbi had occupied a few hours before. "Thought you wouldn't want to see the bloke screwing your ex-wife."
"Bobbi was happy, that was all I cared about Lancy. You know that."
"Yeah well, it wasn't all I cared about. The bitch never stopped loving you, ya know."
"Why are you hear Hunter?" Clint takes the bottle from his hand swallowing a large gulp of it.
"Thought you might want some familiar company. Bobbi told me what happened. I'm real sorry mate. Kate and I knew each other pretty darn well and I'm sad to hear she's gone."
"Her name was Laura." Clint mumbles choking on the name, he clears his throat with another swallow off the bottle.
"Nah mate, maybe you hit your head a little hard, the woman you married was definitely Kate Bishop."
"Kate changed her name to Laura when we married. Fresh start and all."
"I guess I get that." Hunter takes back the bottle. "Fresh starts are nice and all, but from experience I know that someone always tends to fall back into old ways. I mean look at us, two old blokes getting sloshed over women troubles. Don't know about you but that reminds me of old times."
"Kind of does, before you started screwing my lady and all."
"Ouch, mate."
"Just joking with ya, Lance. This is just like old times, thing is that's what bothers me."
"Yeah, well me too ya bastard, me too."
They trade the bottle back and forth, the liquor helps Clint cope with the pain. After about twenty minutes of sitting in silence, Clint starts pulling himself up off the bed.
"Where you think you're going mate?" Hunter stumbles to his feet, he pushes back on Clint's chest trying to make him lie down. Clint pushes back.
"Gotta get going sometime, now might as well be it. Tell whoever it is running this place thanks for their hospitality."
"I can't let you just split mate."
"Sure you can Hunter, cover for me. It'll be just like old times."
"That was covering your bar tab, not your ass."
"I covered your ass more times than you know. Help me out, bub. I can't stay in this place forever. I've got to get on my feet. I've got things I need to plan. People are gonna come looking for me soon and I feel like your boss won't want them tracking me to here." Clint slowly bends over and pulls on his shoes. Hunter panics, not knowing what to do to keep Clint there. Normally he'd use his fists but he knows from experience that even with Barton at his worst, he's no match for the man.
"Oi, Simmons, Fittz, your patient's trying to leave. Bobbi, Skye, Coulson, anyone." Clint stands up and Hunter runs to block the doorway. "Mack." He shouts over his shoulder knowing that they'll hear him soon enough. "I need some goddamn backup in here. Coulson."
"Did you just say Coulson?" Barton stops in his tracks, his face pales considerably, Hunter worries he might faint.
"Just sit down, mate. Looks like the liquor is starting to hit."
"Did you just call for Phil Coulson?" Clint grunts, Hunter quickly realizes his mistake.
"I forgot you thought the man was dead. Look,... just stay here." Hunter ducks out the doorway and takes off at a brisk jog. He guesses that he'll find Coulson in his office so he takes off for there. He hears Barton keep pace with him, even injured it's only a matter of time before the man overtakes him. He just prays he reaches his destination first, he takes off into a sprint.
"Coulson, Mack, Skye, Bobbi, anyone." He shouts when he reaches the common area under Coulson's office, if they're up there he knows he'll be heard. "I've got a situation with Barton, he's…" Hunter's air supply is abruptly cut off as Barton wraps his arm around his neck placing him into a choke hold. The man is remarkably strong for recently being on his deathbed, Hunter's unable to fit him off. Barton knocks out his knees forcing him to the ground.
"Sorry, mate." Barton growls. "I've had a shitty few days and I don't very much take to liars." Before Barton can further hurt him, Coulson's office door opens revealing Bobbi, followed by Mack, May and Coulson.
"Barton." May's voice has a slight panic to it. "He's not lying." Clint looks up his eyes landing on Phil, all fight leaves his body. He extends his hand to help Hunter off the ground.
"Sorry, Lance, guess I'm not over you sleeping with my ex-wife after all." They both chuckle as he pulls Hunter back to his feet. It's only once he's helped Hunter up that he address' Phil.
"You're supposed to be dead." The old familiar words role of Clint's tongue, only their the ones he's used to hearing not saying. It seems that for the time being their roles are reversed.
"And you're supposed to not be a dick." Phil fills in Clint's usual part without hesitation.
"Well, I guess everyone lies." Clint finishes their old welcome dialogue, putting a smile on Phil's face. Phil continues to cross the room, when they're within reasonable distance Clint extends his hand. Phil grabs Clint's extended hand and pulls him into a hug.
"You scared the shit out of me." Phil says, pushing Barton away. "What were you thinking coming here?"
"I needed a safe place."
"So go to a goddamn hospital you idiot. You had no idea if there would be proper facilities here to treat your wounds."
"I couldn't go to a hospital." Clint shudders at the very thought. "They'd have put me in a sanitarium, or worse called Nat."
"Why is that worse?"
"Bobbi didn't tell you?" Clint throws his ex a confused glance.
"I didn't think it was my place, Clint."
"Barney came to visit." Clint looks away from everyone, staring blankly at the cupboard.
"I thought you and him…"
"Were on bad terms, yeah we have been for a long time. It wasn't a friendly visit, Laura was the only one home, I'd gone to the store." Clint's voice breaks. "The bastard murdered them all, even the baby." Clint's muscles suddenly tense up, he grabs the closest thing to him, it happens to be the couch and flips it. Phil's face is twisted in horror at Clint's words but not his actions he expects nothing less. Clint kicks the couch for good measure.
"You want me to send a SHIELD team to track him."
Clint scoffs. "Yeah, like you have that kind of authorization." He kicks the couch again before settling down. "No need anyway, I did what had to be done. Barney's not going to hurt anyone ever again."
"I told you that you should have never given him that fifth chance." Phil's words come out sounding slightly condescending, causing Clint to become violent again. This time he heads for the television. Mack starts to move to stop him, but May interrupts. Barton swings and she takes the hit. At least hitting her seems to sober him some.
"You're right." Clint sighs a defeated breath. "I should have dealt with Barney years ago." Clint drops into a crouched position, his head landing in his hands. Bobbi crosses the room and lays a comforting hand on his shoulder. At Phil's orders, everyone else minus Hunter and Bobbi leave the room. They're the only ones that really know Clint, they're the only ones that can understand him like this. Hunter used to be Clint's best friend, Bobbi his wife, they've both seen him at his worst. Nothing he does right now will change their opinions of him. Clint falls the rest of the way to the floor once the extra eyes are gone. He looks weak and vulnerable as he allows Bobbi to clutch him to her chest. He sighs deeply inhaling her familiar scent. Hunter looks jealous so Coulson sends him to call Natasha. By now someone will have contacted her about Clint's deceased family and his absence. She'll be worried out of her mind and Hunter's probably the only one that can convince her that he's safe. Once Hunter is gone, Phil crouches down in front of Clint and Bobbi.
"Clint." Phil makes the man look at him. "Clint it's alright, you don't have to be strong right now. Bobbi and I don't care if you are or not. It's not going to sway us one bit. I'm sure you're feeling some shitty things, it's okay to let them out." Clint's eyes swell with tears, so many tears that no matter how hard he tries they fall. They fall silently, soaking Bobbi's shirt, but she doesn't mind. She just continues to hold him close to her, the way he had once held her when she was upset. She holds him so tight that it's almost painful for him, but he doesn't mind he honestly thinks it might be all that's keeping him from completely losing it.