Chapter 5 : The Birth of new Hope

A/N: Not my best work but the next one will be better. I apologize for all the mistakes I made, too. Also, thank you Dark Universe, Andrewthegreat1, A Guest and Madde91 for reviewing. I am always glad to hear that someone likes my work. Thanks a lot. Oh, and reviews are welcome.

Without delay, enjoy.

When I walked into the kitchen, I didn't expect to find him there.

I was aware of the fact that every single one of us was haunted by our own demons, but never in my life I expected to be the one who can help him with it.

Truth to be told, I was never good with feelings. Since I was little, I had no one to talk to about them because my family situation wasn't the best. Plus, I was always a shy and antisocial person.

And then there I was, talking to a person who needed someone next to him to give him an advice and to help him out of the dark. There were tons of questions in my mind.

Will I be good enough? Will I be able to help him or will I just make it worse and destroy another life?

I realized that only time will show, but for now I decided to try.

After all, he shouldn't feel guilt because in the end, he was forced to kill the ones close to him.

Not like me who killed because of my own mistake.

Bruce Banner

What are you doing here?" He asked quietly and the person slowly looked up, meeting the doctor's brown eyes. The man by the table shifted uncomfortably, gripping the mug tighter as he moved his eyes from the newly arrived doctor.

The dark circles around his eyes caught Bruce's attention as he slowly moved to the sink, his every step slow and calculated as he tried not to alarm the tensed agent.

"Couldn't sleep. Got down here, grabbed something to eat and then you came." The voice was flat, almost lifeless, as he took another sip of water and winced slightly as Bruce dropped the spoon into the sink. The clinging noise was the only thing that echoed through the room, making the both of them wince.

They were both clearly tensed and every little sound would made them jump and search for the source of danger.

Bruce quietly made a cup of tea, trying not to interrupt the peace that the archer was trying to achieve in the dark room.

"Want a cup of tea?" He asked quietly, almost fearfully, his back turned towards the table where Clint was sitting. He took a sip of hot liquid and enjoyed as it slid down his throat and calmed the extremely nervous Hulk under his skin.

During those dark nights, when the nightmares haunt his mind, the Hulk was always there, under his skin, ready to break free.

"No, thanks man." The tone that Clint used told him that all the archer wanted was to be left alone, and it was all he needed to leave.

"In that case, sweet dreams." The words left his mouth before he could register them, and before he had an opportunity to apologize, Clint nodded in respond and shifted his gaze from the doctor to the food in his plate that was still untouched.

Bruce let out a shaky sigh as he fixed his glasses and grabbing a few cookies from the table, he moved to the lab to try and tire himself until he can no longer see.

Passing slowly by the crouched agent, he awkwardly patted him on the shoulder and continued his route until Clint's reaction caught his mind.

As the timid doctor patted Clint's shoulder, the agent let out a small yelp of surprise and gripped the glass he was holding, making it break under the pressure and cut through his skin. Blood started dripping from the wounds on his hand while the T-shirt he was wearing gained a huge red stain of blood where the wound was.

Seeing that amount of blood and the newly formed cuts on Clint's hand, Bruce didn't waste any time as he sprinted to the cupboard and pulled out some sort of material. He didn't pay attention on the origin of that material as he pressed it on Clint's hand, making the said agent wince.

"Damn it Clint! Follow me." Bruce shifted into his doctor mode and without waiting, pulled Clint away from the table and dragged him to the lab. He didn't pay attention as Jarvis called his name, he just pulled Clint into the elevator and pressed the button.

The elevator ride was awkward and uncomfortable but as soon as the doors opened, Bruce pulled him out and in a minute Clint found himself in one of Stark's labs.

He tried to take his mind off the pain as he examined all the chemicals and technology that was in the room, but as he felt the scent of alcohol, his head snapped back to Bruce.

"I will have to clean the wounds on your hand. Open it."

"Bruce, it's ok-.."

"Open it now."

Clint looked up into doctor's eyes and as he noticed a glimpse of green in Bruce's eyes, he decided not to endanger everyone in the building and opened the hand.

It only took a few minutes for Bruce to clean it and wrap some bandages around it, making sure that the wounds stay sterilized and clean.

"Now remove the shirt." Bruce demanded in a tone that wasn't too kind and having no strength to argue, Clint obeyed and removed the shirt soaked with blood. He slowly turned around and froze when he heard Bruce gasp and then moved at top speed.

"God, Clint, why didn't you say anything?" He whispered as he took the needed equipment to sew the wound close, but his mind was still occupied with the fact that he failed to see how badly Clint was injured on the mission.

While Bruce worked on the wound, Clint didn't know what to say as he tried not to make any sound when the needle pierced his skin or when Bruce started cleaning the wound with alcohol.

To Clint's relief, the doctor had steady hands and he was fast so the whole action didn't last long and Clint didn't even notice when the whole thing was over.

"I'm done. You need to let it heal. No pressure on the wound or the whole shoulder."

"Got it, doc."

"I'm serious Clint. Don't re-open the wound." The tired voice said and Clint turned around to watch Bruce's tired form clean the blood from the table and threw away the gauze. His eyes were half open and his whole form was exhausted, but he still managed to help Clint.

He helped me even though I don't deserve it.

"I'm sorry."

Those simple words left his mouth before he realized it, but Bruce already heard them and stared at Clint with a confused look on his face.

"Huh?"

"I said I'm sorry."

"I heard that, but I am not sure why are you apologizing."

"For making a mess... Interrupting you free time."

"Clint, don't be ridiculous. You are my teammate and I am glad I could help yo-..."

"But I don't deserve it."

Silence hung in the air as Clint shifted uncomfortably in his chair, suddenly finding his fingers more interesting than the doctor besides him. He didn't look up as he heard a sigh and a few steps, but then nothing.

He thought that Bruce had left because there was no sound around him, but then he heard a chair being moved and just as he looked up, he saw Bruce taking a seat next to him and removing his glasses while brushing his hair out of his eyes.

"And may I know why do you think you don't deserve my help?" Bruce's voice was calm and soothing, not agreeing to Clint's previous statement. The kind smile on his face distracted Clint for a second before he shook his head and returned to staring at his hands.

"Because I caused all that mess..."

"What mess?"

"I killed all those agents, I destroyed the helicarrier..."

...

"Well, as far as I know, that wasn't you. That was Loki."

Clint's head snapped in doctor's direction as those words echoed through the room.

For the first time since they moved in, Bruce was able to see all the emotions on archer's face.

The sadness, guilt and overwhelming pain were clear in his eyes as he stared at Bruce, still not believing his words.

Bruce knew exactly how bad Clint felt.

He, himself, spent countless nights thinking about the lives he took, but never in his life he had a person to help him through all that.

And one thing he swore to do, on those dark nights, was to help whomever needed his help. He would do anything to help the ones who are lost in darkness, just to help them avoid the feelings he felt on those occasions.

He glanced at Clint as he stared into the distance, his eyes lost in his thoughts, but even then you could see the lack of dreams and hope for life in them.

There was no hope, no will for life.

That was something no one should feel.

"Here, come with me. I want to show you something."

Without waiting for Clint to get up, Bruce moved from the chair and entered the elevator because he knew that Clint would follow. No matter how sad or hurt he was, he knew that curiosity would get the best of him.

And so he walked.

He left the building, asking Jarvis not to alarm anyone and that they would be back soon.

Then, he just walked.

Left, right, wait for the traffic to turn green...

And through all that walking he didn't speak a word. He just listened to the quiet footsteps behind him and with a small smile on his face he continued walking.

"Where are we going?" After five minutes Clint asked quietly, as if he was afraid to interrupt Bruce's train of thoughts or the silence that ruled around them.

"You will s-.. Ah, we arrived."

They stopped.

The distant sound of the traffic was the only sound in the night as the two of them stopped. Clint stopped next to Bruce and observed the look in Bruce's eyes, without looking where they actually were.

While they were walking, Clint noticed that the streets they passed lead only to one place.

The place where everything happened.

The street where all six of them, for the first time stood next to each other, turned back to back, as a team. Where they were ready to give their lives to save the world that was falling apart around them.

That was the place where they stood for the first time as the 'Avengers'.

"Why are we here Bruce?" He asked as the doctor only stared in front of him. For the first time since they arrived there he noticed that sad smile on doctor's face, and as he couldn't hold his curiosity any more, he followed Bruce's gaze and when he noticed what Bruce was staring at, his eyes widened.

"What.. is that?"

"It has different meanings for each person.. For some, it is a memory.. For some it is a place where they can mourn, and for some it is a place where they can remember the ones that died with smiles on their faces."

"But what is that...?" Clint asked, pointing on a board with the names of most of the Avengers, along with the pictures and messages. He didn't read any of the messages as he could only stare at the 'monument' in front of him with candles surrounding it.

Bruce stared at the lights of the candles, but his eyes weren't focused on that. He was somewhere else, lost in the memory or a thought.

"That is some sort of monument for their heroes, the ones that saved them."

"You mean...?"

"Yes. That is a monument for the Avengers... For Iron man, Captain America... And for you, too."