Disclaimer and AN: I don't own 'em – just borrowing them for a bit. Thanks for the reviews! I love them! Well after thinking on this all day at work, I decided to make this story even a bit crazier – so enjoy!
Chapter 3:
"Where are you off to?" Natasha Romanoff asked as Clint Barton walked past her with a bag full of clothing slung over his shoulder and he was dressed in street clothes. They had been back on the helicarrier for a few days as it made repairs. Fury had told them if they wanted some time off they could have it. Natasha didn't have any family or friends to see during some down time and as far as she knew Clint didn't either.
"I'm going to the city for a few days. I just need to clear my head for a bit."
"Let me grab a few things and I'll come with you," she suggested, not really wanting him to go off on his own, especially after what Loki had done to him. She was still worried that there were residual effects.
"No it's alright. I need to do this on my own," he said walking away.
As she stood there and watched Clint walk away, she couldn't help but feel like there was something that he was hiding from her.
About an hour later, Clint had arrived the townhouse on NYC's Upper West Side that he knew so well. A single light was on. He smiled, knowing that they were home – perhaps even waiting for him. It had been so long since he had seen them, that it pained him not to be able to have more time with them. But they understood. Perhaps they were one of the few people who actually could.
In two quick steps, he had made it to the front door and was fumbling in his pocket for his key. Yet as usual, he was beat to the punch. The front door opened and Clint was immediately engulfed by two sets of arms – one around his neck and one around his hips. He could feel the warm tears against his neck and his stomach. The hardcore exterior of the S.H.E.I.L.D. agent Clint Barton melted away as he held the two most precious things in his life.
"Come on," he said picking up his 4 year old daughter, Audrey. He kissed her cheek and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "No tears, daddy is safe. Now let's get inside."
He smiled as he turned to look as her mother and wiped her tears away as well. He leaned over and gently kissed her lips before the family walked back into the house.
After a belated dinner and a long story time with daddy, Audrey was finally sound asleep. Clint watched from the doorway as Audrey snuggled in her bed with her pink teddy bear. A pair of arms snaked around his waist and encircled him from behind.
"I'm sorry for worrying the two of you," Clint softly said as he turned around.
"More like make me hysterical. But I never let Audrey know how I was feeling. Half of the time, I wanted to be out there with you, taking down those creatures. The other half just wanted you here with us."
Clint silenced her with a kiss as he gently pulled Audrey's door shut before sweeping her mother and carrying her down the hallway towards the living room. He set her down on the couch then sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms. "You don't know how much I wanted you there by my side as well, Em."
He paused.
"What aren't you telling me Clint?"
"Before all of that, I did some bad things. That guy – Loki – the one who caused all the problems, he brainwashed me to do some things for him. I attacked the helicarrier! I killed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents! Coulson is dead because of me!"
Emma could feel Clint loosing control of his emotions. She quickly turned around and knelt on the couch next to him and placed both hands on the sides of his face. "Clinton Barton look at me!" she demanded.
He wearily looked in her eyes. Her soft brown eyes seemed to comfort him. "Clint you were under Loki's influence. You can't blame yourself for what you did."
Clint nodded then looked away. "Fury called, didn't he?"
"You know that he did."
Clint sighed as he leaned back on the couch. "Yet all of this did get me thinking," he said a few minutes later.
"That's always scary." Emma said with a smiled on her face, trying to lighten the tension in the room. Clint smiled as he sat up and moved off the couch and knelt before Emma. Out of his pocket, he pulled a diamond in an antique white gold setting. "Emma Carter, will you marry me? I know that I've asked you before, and you said yes - but now I've got you a ring."
A smiled spread across her face as Emma, tearfully nodded yes. Clint slipped the ring on her finger then leaned up to kiss her. "Took you long enough," she whispered.
"Sorry, but the world needed saving a few times. You know how that goes."
