It's been a full month and Clint is pretty sure he's fallen head over heels in love with Tony Stark's Soon-to-be wife. Any time they talked he got a glimpse of who she was and Tony was right when he called her "angel." His brother wasn't yet ready for work yet. He was very self-conscious about his facial scaring. Right now Clint was enjoying some coffee but he was leaning against the wall to the living room. Watching her picking out dresses with Katie. Quinn didn't have an interest. Clint noticed she didn't seem to have an interest in anything girly. Just science, cartoons and family time. The three things that seemed to always keep the little princess going.
He suddenly felt like something hit him. An invisible force. He staggered back from the surprise but held on to the wall. Kim looked up worriedly. "Clint? Are you ok?" She hated feeling this worried about him. Anytime he was around she felt this force, gravitating her to him. Almost against her will. She denied she was falling for him. She was getting married for goodness sake. Suddenly Katie spoke up. "Mom? Your eyes. Are they ok?" She frowned. Kim looked to Katie. "What?" Katie brought her a nearby mirror, showing her. One was gray. The other green. She tensed. That meant the elders wanted to speak again and soon."Yeah, fine. Thats normal. Why don't you keep looking for dresses, I have to go check on your dad." She smiled weakly, Clint watched and already had a hunch of what this was. He felt a suddenly urge to hold her rise up, protect her, from anything and anyone. But it was worse. Like an addict being taken away from there poison of choice. But he's felt all that in the month he's known her, why was it so suddenly strong and hard to fight. She walked by him go to the lab where Tony was undoubtedly at. He smelled Vanilla and linen as she walked by. It was just so her.
Since the battle of new york Tony had fallen deeper into his drinking. It was almost constant, jut as much as he drank coffee. He tried hard to keep it secret. He watched Quinn, writing out numbers and equations. He had a bottle of whiskey by him, working on his third glass. He heard the door to the lab open, seeing Kim walk in, he smiled. "Hey sweetie." He suddenly saw how terrified she looked, he got up, meeting her half way, holding her arms. "Hey, whats wrong?" She looked away, her eyes were watery. "The elders. They want to talk with me again." Her long red hair covered her miss-matched eyes.
He moved er hair out of the way gently, frowning. "Your eyes..." She looked up, a few tears falling. Quinn saw this, frowning, walking over to her mom. "Mommy...are you ok?" Kim smiled sadly, petting Quinns hair. "Just fine sweetie.." Tony spoke softly. "We'll be fine, just like last time." Unknown to them, Clint was outside the lab watching. Wanting badly to eliminate Tony, to have kim to himself. Why did he feel this way?
This time, they couldn't wait until Quinn was napping. They had Katie watch her, watching cartoons. Clint was ordered to watch over Katie and Quinn and it angered him. Greatly and that scared him. Why were his feelings so urgent now? For a month he knew he was falling for her and for a month he dug his feelings deep down knowing he would never have her.
Kim laid down on there bed again, shaking like a leaf. What did these elders want now? Tony held her hand, sitting next to her. "I'll be right here." Kim nodded, tears were already falling as she closed her eyes. In an instant her body started to float.
In her mind she was in a long white dress, walking toward a light. The energy around her made her hair float along, like a soft wind. She got to the large, sliver gate opening. Once inside she saw the elders. They were entities, white and bright and she was so terrified. They spoke, it was booming. "DREAMWALKER...COME FOURTH..." She swallowed, walking closer. Once to the edge of the gate a sudden draft sucked her into there relem. There was seven sliver/white beings, each indistinguishable from the other. Her eyes watered. "What is it? What have I done?" She was thankful they lowered the volume of there voices. "We have made the archer, this Clint Barton a your Protector." her eyes widened. "What? But why? Surely there is no need to go as far as put the spell on him." She suddenly felt an electroshock go thru her, bringing her to her knees with a scream of pain. They raised there voices. "YOU DARE QUESTION US?" She whimpered. "No, I'm sorry." "You and the archer will now be connected. Soul to soul. What he feels, so shall you." She shook her head. She didn't want this. "NOW GO BACK TO YOUR LOVER. WE ARE FINISHED." Suddenly she felt her self thrown into a sliver/white portal, sending her flying back into reality.
She gasped awake,whimpering and shaking. Tony went to her quickly, holding her. "Angel..." She held onto him tightly, tense and shaking. "Oh God...Tony, it's Clint...They...they made him my protector." Tony looked worriedly to her as he held her. "What? Why" She sobbed. Knowing this was a huge burden on him. Tony continued to hold her, unknown to them, standing outside the door, Clint listened, wiping tears away. He could feel her hurt, her pain, her fear. All of it and it terrified him. Tony had forgotten about the soundproof. Katie held Quinn close to her. Both looking terrified. Quinn was crying in her arms, her little hands fisted to her chest. She could feel all of her mom and now Clint's pain. Katie wasn't sure what was going on but it sounded like her mom was in pain. She was screaming.
Tony let her calm down enough. She was bleeding from her nose, ears and eyes. He got a towel from there bathroom, wetting it before coming to help her clean up. She was silent and he felt a pang of rejection. He felt guilty, he shouldn't be feeling this way. It's not like he could help there decision on her protector. The elders worked in ways he couldn't even wrap his mind around. But of all people, why Clint? He was becoming a good friend as well as a bodyguard but he never really saw them close. So why him?
Katie had Quinn in her arms as she walked upstairs. She wanted answers. She saw Clint, looking about to break down into tears himself. He straitened up and let them in. He followed. This was his chance to see if she was ok. Katie sat on the bed, looking worried. "Mom, what happened? Are you ok?"Quinn pointed, sniffling. "there's blood..." Tony looked, he had forgotten about the blood that was on the bed. Kim sniffled, holding her arms out. Quinn rushed into her arms, hugging her. Clint watched between horror and worry. Staying toward the back of the room by the door. Kim looked to Katie, still holding Quinn.
"we have a lot to talk about. I have a gift. I'm a dream walker. I can go into peoples dreams, manipulate them. Now this gift was passed down to Quinn. She's psychic. She can see the future in her dreams. Thats why she has so many nightmares. She saw Tony go thru the portal before we even knew what was going on." Tony tensed at the mention of the portal. She looked up to Clint. "And Clint, I'm so sorry. The elders, the ones I answer to. They made you my protector."
Clint smiled/smirked weakly. "thought I already was." She felt butterflies in her stomach seeing hat smirk. "yes, you are." Katie was letting it all sink in. her mom could change a persons dreams, her sister could tell the future and she can conjure plants. She giggled. "We sound like candidates for the X-men." Tony couldn't help but chuckle, holding Kim and Quinn. Kim even smiled at that. Holding Quinn close, kissing her head.
It was 3am now and Clint was on patrol but he was starting to get worn. He was there only bodyguard and that meant a lot of sleepless nights. He started his second cup of coffee when he heard some noises out side. He got his pistol, going to the door, carefully going outside. He had his flashlight, looking around, patrolling the grounds. He could feel sleep try to take him, shaking his head of it. When suddenly he was taken from behind. He elbowed them but not before there knife slashed the side of his face. He groaned in pain, throwing them off, gun to there head. "Don't move." The person was a man, mid-30's and looked ready to kill for purpose. Possibly a cult member. The man spoke. "Let me go. They need to die." Clint raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are you talking about?" "Tony Stark and the rest of this sinful family." Clint suddenly punched the guy, stunning him. He got his handcuffs out, handcuffing the mans hands.
Once he was back inside and the man was escorted to the nearest Police. He handed his wound. He looked in the mirror. It was long across his cheek. It almost needs stitches. He cleaned it,put a bandage over it. He knew he got taken because he was so damn tired. They needed a second bodyguard, at least until Gage was healed. He made sure there was fresh coffee for Kim and Tony. Mostly for Kim. It was 7am and he heard movement behind him, entering the kitchen. "Oh Good morning Clint." He turned, smiled. He had to resit the urge to pull her to him and hold her. He wanted to smell that vanilla and Linen again. Before he could properly greet her she rushed over, frowning. "Oh my god, what happened?" Her hands traced over the large bandage on his face. "It's nothing, just a little trouble last night." She frowned. He saw what she was wearing. A thin, silk white night gown with one of Tony's Iron Man robes. He swallowed. He could almost see thru the gown.
He held her hand, taking it away from his face. "It's fine. Really. But I did want to ask you two about hiring a second bodyguard." Now her hand was away from his face but he has yet to let go. He didn't want to. Her skin was so soft. She blushed, looking at there hands, not wanting to move away. "I will talk to Tony. I'm sure this has been hard on you." "Talk to me about what?" Kim turned and Clint thought he felt his face go pale. Tony didn't seem to notice that they were just holding hands. Kim walked over, holding his hand. "Tat we could use a second bodyguard. It's juts really rough on him, having to patrol at night." Tony nodded. "I'll give a call to Fury later. Right now, I need coffee." Clint showed the full coffee pot. He smiled. "Did you make this?" Clint nodded. "Yep. I know how much you two drink." Tony smiled. "Thanks." He walked over to the coffee pot, getting a mug. "Also looks like you had an exciting night." Clint let out an amused sound. "You could say that." Kim sat down, watching them.
Gage couldn't help but look himself over in the mirror. He was still on the Hellicarrier. They were treating his scars. He wanted them gone and they were doing just that. But there medicine took time. They were nearly gone. Just a few more weeks. He sighed, leaving his room, going down to the mess hall of the Hellicarrier. He got a coffee when suddenly he felt a hand clap his shoulder. "Hey, Smith." He turned. "Yeah?" The one addressing him was Agent Jenkins. He never had a good feeling around him, he was one of the ones he tried to avoid."I got a job. I'm gonna be staying with the Starks, protecting them and shit." He rolled his eyes, he really didn't like Jenkins. "Well great. Hope you have tons of fun." He started to walk away. "Say hi to my brother for me." Jenkins smirked. "sure thing." Jenkin smirked. He had seen many pictures of Tony's soon-to-be wife and damn she was fine. He was hoping to get a piece of that ass. He sipped his own coffee, continuing to think the perverse thoughts.
Gage walked back into his room, coffee in hand. He sat on the bed, getting his latest Green Lantern comic. He never had a chance to truly indulge in his comics and shows being a closest nerd and under the constant watch of his father. Guess this was one good thing to come out of his rebellion.
AN: just a moment to tell you about Gage. He is based off both Deadpool (X-Men Origins) and Hal Jordan of Green lantern. you will read on occasion some green lantern references and Deadpool/X-men references.