A half-moon floated in an indigo sky. The stars scattered around like petals on a lake. Pietro sat on the stairs in the floor beneath the medical room. The room that Tony, in the past, had referred to as the 'Party deck'. It certainly didn't feel like it to Pietro. The place was deserted. Silent. Pietro looked over the glowing city of New York. He sighed and tucked a strand of white hair behind his ear. In HYDRA's lab he would have given anything for a view like this. To sit here with Wanda at his side would have been a dream. But now he wanted nothing more than to curl up and hide from the world. Wanda was in her bed, almost definitely asleep at this time of night. But Pietro could not sleep. No matter how much he tried. His mind was racked with guilt that, for once, he had not been fast enough. You pathetic excuse for a human, he whispered to himself angrily. Off you go zooming about all day but when it really matters you can't even protect your friends. His eyes grew hot as he remembered Clint. Pietro closed his eyes, the image of Clint on the floor of the jet still vivid in his mind. His friend, unconscious on the metal panels, blood flowing onto the floor of the Quinjet as Natasha tried desperately to stop the bleeding. He opened his eyes and blinked furiously, banishing the tears. He jumped as a door on the bottom floor banged open. Natasha ran in, skidding to a halt as she noticed Pietro. He scrambled to his feet as he saw the urgency on her face.
"Whats wrong? What is it? Is it Clint?" He couldn't stop the questions from tumbling out of his mouth.
Natasha raised a hand to silence him as she bent over, breathing heavily. She must have run all the way from the medical room, Pietro realised with a jolt of fear. Was Clint dying?
Natasha straightened up, hands clutched to her sides.
"Oh man, I've got such a stitch." She said, half to herself.
Pietro had now concluded that Clint wasn't dying. She wouldn't have wasted time talking about stitches if he was. But he was still slightly anxious.
"Well?" He asked, his impatience clear in his tone of voice.
Natasha folded her arms and raised her eyebrows, a corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile. This was a look that clearly said, you're worried aren't you. When Pietro continued to stare at her with an annoyed expression she unfolded her arms and her face broke into a full grin.
"Clint woke up when I was with him." She told him.
Pietro blinked in surprise. "Was he talking?"
"Yes he was fine. I told him about your little visits."
Pietro's face flushed a dark red and he studied his feet, hoping Natasha wouldn't notice. She had told Clint! What did she say? Did she hear what I had said to him? Pietro itched to ask her these questions but he held his tongue as she continued.
"I think he's awake now, some of the others went to see him so he probably woke up." She said. "He'd wake at a pin dropping." She added with a small laugh.
"Are we going to see him then?" Pietro wondered aloud. "I mean… You didn't run all the way for nothing."
Natasha nodded. "If you aren't too busy."
Pietro shook his head. "Let's go."