It had been two long years since Clint had seen New York City and he was happier than ever to be in the place he called home. For the last two years he was heading an undercover mission for SHIELD, something top-secret in Russia that was only supposed to take a couple months but lasted longer than he expected. He was going to really give it to Fury next time they talked because being away from his growing family for that long upset him and he knew his husband was going to be pissed for leaving him for so long. Clint sent letters here and there when he could though nothing could compare to physically being there.
It was a bitter-sweet return to New York but the one thing that kept him smiling was the fact he'd be here for a while and luckily he'd be able to spend all that time with Bruce, his lovely husband and Carmilla, their beautiful daughter. Clint's smile brightened the more he thought about it and hailed a cab to Stark Towers, thinking about the perfect way to surprise Bruce with his return. Maybe steal a bottle of Champagne from Tony's liquor cabinet, take some of Tasha's scented candles, ask Pepper to watch Carmilla, and then call Bruce up from the lab to their bedroom to commemorate his home coming. Yeah, that sounded good though he'd absolutely have to spend some time with Carmilla first, make up for his not being there by making her those snicker-doodles she'd always liked.
Clint practically hummed in content at his thoughts, he was just so happy to be home and he wasn't even there yet. The cab pulled up in front of Stark Towers and Clint paid the man generously before tossing his duffel full of clothes over his shoulder and getting out of the cab. Very little seemed to have changed in the Towers thankfully, too much change bothered him and he'd hate to have missed out on something. Clint swiped his badge at the elevator and walked in, heading towards the kitchen/living room to grab the Champagne and snicker-doodles.
Once he made it to the correct floor he popped his head out of the elevator and looked around, it'd totally ruin his plan if he was caught by somebody else before he ran into Bruce or Carmilla. Luckily for him no one was around so he snuck into the kitchen and began his plan. He took out two of those fancy glasses for him and Bruce and a bottle of Champagne, he even found some chocolate strawberries. "Yes!" He exclaimed, putting it all in a hiding spot before he was ready to get Bruce. He then began gathering thing's for Carmilla's snicker-doodles before he heard someone move into the living room and turn on the TV.
"Yay, Spongebob is on!" Carmilla sang and Clint's smile intensified ten-fold. /My little girl.../ He thought, ready to see her for the first time in two years. Clint left the snicker-doodle mix on the counter and creeped into the living room. The couch faced away from the kitchen entrance and Clint used that to his advantage, hiding behind it as Carmilla giggled at the child's program. Clint was over-joyed to hear his Princess laughing again so he just took a couple minutes preparing himself until he couldn't take it anymore and popped out from behind the couch.
"I've been home five minutes and still no kiss for Mama? You should be ashamed, Princess." Clint said in a mock-scolding tone making little four year old Carmilla jump right out of her seat. Clint kept his smile, chuckling a little bit at her little jumping. /She hasn't changed a bit.../
"Oh don't be afraid, Carmy, it's just Mommy. Sorry if I straddled you." Clint said moving the other side of the couch to give Carmilla a big kiss but the green haired little girl scampered out of reach with a confused and scared look on her face. "You're not my Mommy!" She yelled and you could almost hear Clint's heart break. The happiness drained from his face, /Not your Mommy...?/ He was confused. Carmilla's first word had been Mama and it stuck with Clint and now it wasn't even rightfully his? "Excuse me-?!" " Mommy, Daddy! Stranger in the house!" Carmilla yelled, looking honestly horrified of Clint as she ran towards Bruce's lab.
"Carmilla!" Clint yelled, chasing after confused, there is now way Carmilla had forgotten him just no way. Fury probably informed everyone of his home coming and they were all waiting in the lab to surprise him, using this Carmilla act as a ploy to get him there. That is what Clint had convinced himself but as he turned the corner to Bruce's lab he was horribly, horribly mistaken. He didn't think it was possible to ruin his happy mood before he had entered the towers. Clint had finished his work as an agent, made plans to stop working so much, and was ecstatic to see his family but now, he had never been more miserable.
Through the large windows of Bruce's lab, Clint found true heart-break. There right in front of him stood Bruce Banner, his husband and love of his life, locking lips with Betty Ross. Clint knew Betty from SHIELD, the very few times they had talked to each other Clint always had a very visible disdain. Hulk wasn't the only reason Bruce had put a gun in his mouth, it was Betty too and even before Bruce and him were a couple, Clint had established a blatant hatred of the women. That hate was so much stronger now. Clint knew now this wasn't a joke, his was a level of sick Tony wouldn't poke with a stick. Carmilla rushed into the room and they broke apart with smile, Carmilla clung to /her/ leg. Clint couldn't hear what they had said but as the tears tumbled down his cheeks, the last thing he saw through blurry eyes was Bruce turning to look out the window with wide eyes.
Clint felt ready to loose his lunch, turning to get away from the horrible sight in front of him but right before he made a break for it a hand he knew well was wrapped around his wrist.
"Clint, we need to talk about-" "So I go away a little longer then expected and you /both/ forget me?" Clint's words came out harsh and cold, a long pause following them as Bruce took a moment to let them sit in. The last time Carmilla has seen Clint was her two year old birthday and Bruce bed him farewell on the very same day.
"Till death do us part, my ass." Clint's words felt like daggers to Bruce's chest, just as the sight made Clint feel sick. He couldn't believe this. He was gone for two years to do his job, a job where he got back at the people who mutated their daughter, who held Bruce as a test subject, and gave Clint too many scars to count. Clint didn't think he'd make it through this mission but the thought of coming home to the people who loved him made him keep going. Though now he was erased from both of their lives and nothing hurt more.
Bruce was taken aback by the coldness in Clint's voice but he knew he deserved it. "Two years you weren't here, you missed Carmilla growing up and the first two years of our marriage." Bruce tried to explain.
Clint turned to his "husband" and glared at the brunette, eyes colder than ice. " You don't think I wanted to be here? Every night I could sleep, I dreamed of being here, being your husband and parent to our child." He broke from Bruce's grip and put his marksman's skills to good use and threw his wedding ring so hard he may have dented Bruce's skull.
Bruce held the spot on his head and Betty rushed in from the lab, hands meeting Bruce's shoulders. "Are you alright, honey?" She asked in a sickeningly sweet voice and Clint's heart felt ready to fall from his chest. Carmilla stood in front of her "parents" and looked at Clint with a stern look.
"Go away, bad man!" She yelled, too young to have actual insults but that stung Clint worse than pouring salt in open wounds. Clint gritted his teeth and looked at the scene, eyes cold and the tears just about ready to fall.
"I hope you're real happy, Bruce..."