Hey, I was gonna make this chapter Clint's part but I wanted to write about how people were going to feel about CLint returning to normal do i kind of detoured, so this chapter is more introspective. Enjoy!
The others planned the party quietly the next day. The kids in the Power Pack had agreed to come and Katie Power, the youngest was right around Clint's age. Steve thought that being around some other children would be good for Clint even if it was only for a day and he would be returned to his proper age shortly after. Pym called around noon to tell them that the particles were safe to use on a human being. (He had tested them on himself, something Reed called reckless and Bruce and Tony had to diffuse another argument.)
In a small conclave Tony explained that it would be best to return Clint to his natural age after the party. He reasoned that Clint would be on an emotional high and would be most likely to agree without a fuss and added that they should end on a bang.
The others agreed. "Things will go back to normal." Natasha said to Steve when they were the last two in the room. Clint was playing with Barney and Thor in the living room.
"Well that's a good thing."
"I know." Again she felt wickedly selfish for being sad.
"Barney told me he's got his stuff packed. He says he doesn't expect to stick around long once things are normal."
"No, he wouldn't. He's not an Avenger and I don't think he has any conflicts about that." She expected him to stay just long enough to make sure Clint was okay and then leave. It was the way things were and the way they were supposed to be and Barney Barton was not supposed to be in the Avengers tower.
Clint spent most of the day with only the vague notion of the party, Tony had given him few details, trying to keep it a surprise. He played happily with Thor and his brother. Steve and Natasha stepped out to go make rounds in the city and Bruce and Tony were busy with their own work.
Thor was pleased to see How fond everyone had grown of the boy. He had been right to suspect that underneath the child's timid demeanor lurked a curious and adventurous spirit. Clint loved his tales of epic deeds and liked playing pretend sword fighting. He even fashioned a miniature bow and arrow set for the child which he took to his brother, asking for lessons.
Out on rounds Steve and Natasha set about discussing Clint's return to adulthood. Steve said he was glad that they could give him a happy send off. Natasha agreed. She was beginning to feel glad things were going back to normal. The whole thing with Clint had made her feel distinctly vulnerable. Not necessarily a bad feeling but a foreign one none the less.
They flew over town in a quin jet, periodically checking police scanners and listening to radio waves. "He's going to have a lot of work to make up." Steve joked.
"Okay, drill Sargent."
He smiled. "I'm just kidding. It's not his fault."
She smiled and took the jet low over a scene of red and blue flashing lights. "Ringmaster at ten o'clock. You want to go or should I?"
He looked out the window at the man below and cringed. "Ehh. . . I'll sit out. You go head."
She smirked. "Fine but you get the next one and I hope it's Stilt-Man."
He laughed and took over the controls. "That hurts."
Back in the tower Clint was down in the gym with his brother and Thor learning to shoot the child sized bow. He was delighted whenever he hit the target, even though he never made a bulls eye. He sat around playing with his new toy. Thor had fashioned several blunt arrows for him while he was away, they weren't particularly deadly but they could bruise. The ends were bound in cloth and could not puncture the target. At first Clint had been disappointed by that but in a short span of time he had forgotten his disappointment.
Barney laughed and showed off a few more trick shots. Clint attempted to mimic them but only managed to spin around goofily.
Thor laughed and clapped. "A fine attempt, young Hawk. When you return to your normal self I guarantee that you will be doing all these and more."
Clint smiled, a jolt of worry going through him when Thor mentioned the return to adulthood. Try as they had the others had not really been able to explain it in a way that made sense. He didn't know what to expect and he was scared but he didn't want them to know that. So instead he laughed and tried to focus on playing with the bow and his brother.
As the hours wore on he began to grow tired and they returned to the penthouse and turned on a movie. With the secret out Barney turned on the movie Hercules. Clint enjoyed it and Thor was enthralled by the characters, laughing heartily at Pegasus.
When Steve and Natasha returned later in the night, they sat down and watched the end of the movie. Clint told them about the bow and his time down in the gym, laughing when Natasha recounted her easy defeat of the Ring Master.
They sat and watched until Bruce and Tony emerged from the labs and called for dinner. Pepper joined them that night and Clint was happy to see her. She was one of the few people other than the Avengers he had seen and the only woman. He was shy around her but still beamed when she looked at him.
They finished out the evening with a pleasant dinner, Clint sitting next to Natasha the whole night. He kept scooting closer to her, eventually leaning his head against her shoulder. She shifted to make him more comfortable and he smiled up at her. "Will you be sad when I'm gone?" He asked softly.
She gazed at him steadily. "Yes." It was an honest answer. He wasn't really leaving her but she would miss him just the same.
He nestled his head into her shoulder and then smiled contentedly. "Are you going to fall asleep?" She asked.
He nodded slightly, feeling sleepy and safe. "I'll take you to bed. Your party is tomorrow, and you'll want to be rested for it."
At the moment his mind was too fuzzy to connect that the end of his party would mean his last night with them. He dropped off to sleep against her shoulder, warm and comfortable and she picked him up and carried him off to bed.
As she lay him down he opened and closed his mouth and she felt a jolt run through her. She would truly miss this. She would miss being to gentle with another person and she would miss another person believing so firmly that she was gentle. She brushed the hair back from his forehead and watched him for a long moment, sitting at the foot of his bed and struggling with herself.
After a long time Steve came and stood in the doorway, he watched them quietly. "You okay?" He asked after a while.
She blinked to clear her mind, a vulnerable act she didn't like. "Yes."
"You're gonna miss him, aren't you."
She nodded. "I'll miss the way I feel when I'm with him."
He averted his eyes, giving her emotions some privacy. He opened his mouth but paused and then shut it and crossed the room to put a hand on her shoulder. He couldn't tell her that he was sure she'd feel this way again, he didn't know she would and in all likelihood she wouldn't. So instead he sat with her and watched Clint sleep for a moment before guiding her out. '' 'Come on." He said quietly.
They returned to the living room where Bruce and tony were sitting talking to Thor.
Tony looked up. "He still asleep?" He asked.
Steve nodded.
"Good, I want to tell you guys how we're going to do tomorrow." They all looked up. "I've built a chamber down in the med-lab for containment. Tomorrow after the party we'll go down there and Clint will lie down in the chamber. I'll seal it up and then I'll release the particles into the chamber. It's big enough that he'll have room to grow. Anyway, that should take care of it. Pym said it will probably take him up to twenty-four hours to wake up and he'll have a fever for another twenty-four but other than that he should be back to normal."
There was a moment of silence.
"We should probably move him to a hospital room when he's back to normal." Bruce said. "I spoke to Pym and he says this is the first time he's used the particles on another person, there could be differentials. I want to monitor him once he's back to normal."
"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll set up a room." Tony said, jumping to his feet. "I've got everything set for the party tomorrow. I think he'll have a lot of fun." he swung his hands. "Well, I'm gonna go set up a room for him."
Steve watched him go and Pepper reached out a hand to him. "He's just a little thrown that it's happening so soon. He really does like Clint." She said gently.
There was another uncomfortable moment of silence and then Barney got to his feet. "I'm gonna finish packing." He said.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for a few more days?" Steve asked, rising to his feet as well.
"Nah, this isn't really my place. I'll head home after he wakes up."
They nodded and shook hands. "Thanks for coming though."
"Anytime."
Natasha rose too and after a quick goodnight went to check on Clint again. This time when she opened the door it jolted him awake. She cursed, wondering if subconsciously she had done it on purpose. "Natasha?" He asked.
"Yes, little one." She said.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
She smiled sadly. "I was wondering if I could sleep with you tonight?"
He sat up in bed. "Did you have a bad dream?"
"Yes." She lied.
He nodded. "Then okay." He pulled back the overs for her and she climbed in. they both lay silently and eventually she was the only one awake and somehow she felt like crying.
Thanks for reading.
So, since this story is almost over and most of my other stories are one-shots, I'm looking for another deaged type story to do, I know it's a little repetitive but they're so much fun and I get all warm and maternal writing them! Haha! Anyway, I'd like to do another Marvel one since that's whats popular, I've seen all of the movies and been reading comics for years so I know a lot of the character and I've watched Agents of SHIELD (Haven't watched Agent Carter yet though :( I'll get to it eventually!) Anyway, if any of you have any characters you'd like to see deaged or anything I'd love to hear your suggestions! Please let me know, I'm having trouble deciding! Thanks so much again!