Chapter two
Steve's POV
"I love you, Tasha. I miss you. Please come back to me." Clint says quietly. I suppose this would be a bad time to interrupt but by the time I've turned around Clint mutters "Not again," and says "Don't worry, Steve, but please don't tell the others."
"I won't." I reply sitting down, though the others already know. I don't point this out, knowing Clint wouldn't be happy to know.
Earlier, I felt that I should see Clint, being unofficial head of the Avengers I felt that I should give support to him, and ask when Natasha will be back at work. However now I see Clint I fell he just needs a shoulder to cry on and probably some food too. "She'll be ok." I say hoping that Clint won't take it the wrong way. "No." He says "Tell me the truth." "She will." I say "Look at Pepper, you took great care of her, she's still in labour, I think, but you helped her didn't you? And you've helped Natasha all these years. She'd be dead if they had sent a different agent. Clint look at me." He looks into my eyes and tears cascade out of them. Oh gosh what have I done? I go over and sit next to him, he rests his head on my shoulder and I feel his tears soaking through my shirt. I have no idea what to do so I ask the medical person to help me through hand signals. He bustles off and all the time he is gone I am think about how the Avengers need a new unofficial head for dealing with emotional stuff, I'm ok for directing during battles but when someone cries, I'm hopeless. The man brings back a syringe and injects it in to Clint. He stops crying and goes to sleep. The man puts him on the stretcher that I had not noticed was in the corner. I help take him off to the room next door (006) and head two doors down from there to Pepper's room (008) though, when I get there Pepper and Tony are just walking out. "It was just a scare." Pepper says "I suppose he DID want to wait for Natasha." Tony says looking unhappy. "That's a good thing, Tony," Pepper says, "I know you don't like her that much, but I do and Tasha's going to be the baby's favourite auntie-" "And only, at the moment." Tony says and I leave them alone to bicker amongst themselves.
ONE WEEK LATER
"Come on Clint, you have to eat." I say. Thor, Jane, Tony, Pepper, Bruce and even Betty have gathered in Natasha's hospital room, with Clint and I. Clint has been here for most of the week, sleeping in here and even pulling puppy eyes to get food delivered here.
"No." Clint says and we all know he won't be swayed.
"Clint-" Pepper starts to say but is interrupted by J.A.R.V.I.S
"Sir?" J.A.R.V.I.S asks "Director Fury would like to let you know that he is coming up."
"Where? To here?" Clint asks sounding a little worried.
"Yes Agent Barton, to here." Fury says.
"It's not my fault." Clint says, before Fury has even accused him of anything.
"I know, I know. I just came to give you this," he hands him what all, well most of us, know as a mission file. "We'll be here to pick you up at 6AM tomorrow." Fury walks out and I push Jane to the side to follow him earning a "Hey!" from Thor but I cannot believe what Fury just did to Clint.
"Excuse me, Director, but can you not send someone else on Clint's mission tomorrow?" I ask trying to play nice.
"We'll, I can't have Natasha, who is our best Agent, and I'm already having to make second best with Barton. It's a high level mission, no one else would come out alive and Clint still works for S.H.I.E.L.D and is paid to do these missions so unless he dies he will be going tomorrow, whether you, or he, likes it or not." He turns away leaving me shell shocked.
As I return Clint shoots me a hopeful look. "Sorry." I say quietly, shaking my head.
"Clint, if your going to make it through that mission tomorrow you need to eat, lots." I say.
"Can you bring me some?" He says flicking through the file. "Because it looks like I'm going to be gone for three days and I..." He doesn't need to finish for us to know what he is trying to say.
"I'll get it." Pepper says and Tony goes to assist her. The other Avengers and their girlfriends all seem to make excuses to leave the room until it is just Clint, Natasha and I left in the room. Clint falls to the ground and tugs on my shirt.
"Please," he begs "Don't make me go, or at least come with me. I know I won't be able to get out without Tasha there. Please, Steve, please help me through this."
"I'll try." I promise "If Fury lets me, i'll be there, if not, i'll be on the comm. Whether he likes it or not."
"Come back to us, Natasha he loves you, Natasha. I miss you. Please come back to us." I think to myself.