Phil's next official mission, after a few more months of delays, was to get close to Johnson and find enough evidences for his illegal activities. Nick got the information from an unknown source that Johnson started to collaborate with the enemy to extend his power. He wanted to control the council and was on his best way to rule the world. Pulling the strings behind the curtain. It was hard to get any evidences the man was too smart to leave traces so Phil met with him in a little warehouse, baiting him with information about S.H.I.E.L.D. projects and fake knowledge about his doing. In short he pretended to be interested in switching sides.

Johnson was more than ready to meet Phil because he wanted to know how much the agent truly knew. Phil was wired and had his back up team close by. It bordered on a suicide mission Phil knew that, even Nick knew that but the director had agreed to send Phil into the lion's den to take Johnson out. Phil was ready to die; he had nothing left to live for. He had tried to forget Clint, to replace him once or twice but it was not possible. The archer was in his heart and soul. It was impossible for him to let go so he decided that dying in the line of duty was a suitable ending for him. Should he survive he would throw himself into the next mission and the next and the next until his time had come. Life wasn't worth living without something to hold on to.

Phil was lonely no matter how much his friends cared for him. He had friends at work and he had the avengers but no one who waited at home for him to return. He had no one he could share his life with.

"Nice to meet you Agent Coulson," Johnson greeted with a smile that put a shark to shame.

"Mr. Johnson," Phil said politely. He hoped they wouldn't search for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new secret high tech wires or anything.

"Nice to finally meet you in person. I heard a lot about you, especially about your beliefs. So what leads you to me?"

"You're a smart man Mr. Johnson," Phil said smoothly. "But I stumbled over machinations that caught my interest."

"What would that be?"

"Your business with A.I.M. for example," Phil hoped their informant's information were accurate.

Johnson's face darkened, "You heard wrong."

Phil could see he hit a sore spot, "and I heard you have more contact to Namo than you should have."

"That's a lie too," the man denied. The agent was dangerous and he wasn't sure what to do with him.

"I don't think so," Phil pushed; he knew it was a dangerous game he played but he didn't care.

"How many men do you have positioned around the building?" The smile returned. "Five? Ten? … Hm, I think nine, right?"

Phil cussed inside his head, his men were in danger. "I didn't bring anyone. I just want to join your little business."

"Liar, I know you too well Agent Coulson to believe a single word," Johnson snapped his fingers. Three men entered and Phil thought his heart stopped for a moment as he recognized Clint. The archer was just as shocked to see Coulson.

"Surprised to see him here?" Johnson smirked. "He's the best spy I ever had."

"There are better agents out there," Phil shrugged. "Do you plan to kill me and the men you believe are out there?" He spread his arms. Had he known that Johnson knew him so well he would have chosen a different approach. Johnson was a busy man and it was more than suspicious that he knew about Phil's beliefs and loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. The man knew one hundred percent that Coulson would never play for both sides. One of the questions racing through Phil's mind was, why did he know him so well? Did Clint rat him out? No, don't think so. He looks too surprised to see me.

"Barton was right you are too smart to be tricked."

Or not.

"He's a traitor I wouldn't trust him if I were you," he could see the hurt in Clint's eyes even though his expression was neutral.

"I think you misjudge the kid," his smirk widened while he pulled his gun. "I had a hard time convincing him to work for me." He aimed at Phil, "One last wish?"

The turn of events took Coulson by surprise.

"Let me talk to him," Clint said. His mind raced; trying hard to find a way to save Phil's life.

"No," Johnson shook his head. "I won't let you ruin my plan. His loyalty lies with S.H.I.E.L.D. even though he wants me to believe otherwise. He's too dangerous to walk out of here alive."

"I know that I'm next," Clint had no illusions. Phil was the only reason he worked for Johnson after all. "You know that I will try to kill you the moment you break our deal. So grant me one last talk before you shoot us both."

"Your devotion to this man never stopped to fascinate me," Johnson studied Coulson. "He isn't pretty, he's old, not the athletic type but you followed every order to keep him alive. What does he have that you adore so much? You know agent Coulson, I have my eyes on you for years, I know about everything you do but I can't figure it out. That you love him I can understand, he's a pretty kid, but his love for you is a riddle to me."

"He is pretty," Clint approached Phil slowly, wrapping his arms around the older man. Clint pressed Phil's head against his chest, shielding all vital parts with his own body. The hold was so tight that Phil couldn't get out of it. "He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen." Clint placed a kiss on top of Phil's head. "When he fires take the weapon I hide beneath my jacket on the right side and get the hell out of here," the archer whispered. "This time move on."

A shot ran out shocking Phil to the core, he thought they'd get a warning, one last word or one last chance to bargain. Phil felt no pain but he could feel Clint's body jerk shortly after the shot, he could hear a hiss followed by a choking noise. Phil stared into Clint's wide eyes and watched in horror as a trickle of blood ran from his lips, Phil's instinct kicked in the moment Clint sunk to the ground and he obeyed Clint's order, his asset knew what he was doing during missions but instead of running Phil shot Johnson in the head. The man died with a surprised expression. His two minions dropped their weapons the moment Johnson died; they didn't seem very disturbed by his demise. Phil's back up team stormed into the warehouse seconds later, taking the two men into custody. His team was smart enough to take out Johnson's hidden team. They had no illusion that Johnson would walk into the warehouse with a minimum of security.

Phil dropped to his knees not daring to touch the archer. "C-Clint?" Phil's voice broke, "Don't die do you hear me? It's an order agent. You can't die before we get the chance to talk. I deserve an explanation, don't you think?" Coulson closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled heavily before he placed his hands on Clint's cheeks caressing the cold and sweaty skin with the tips of his fingers. So carefully as if Clint was made of glass. The archer was still breathing he could see that but he had trouble to get air into his lungs. His lips had a blue tinge just like his nails. The archer opened his eyes a little and the fear was painfully visible in them. Phil pulled his necklace out from under his shirt and took Clint's hand. He placed the pendant between their joined hands, "Do you remember?"

There was a small nod. "Of course you do," Phil chuckled sadly. "You sacrificed our relationship for my sake and I had no idea." He licked his dry lips, "Survive and we start anew." Coulson's voice sounded determined but Clint wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or not. Phil hated him for what he did and had every right to, so it couldn't be. The necklace felt real though, cool and solid, and Phil's touch was so warm and desperate that it could be indeed real.

"Phil," he mouthed sleepily. "Safe."

Phil tried to read his archer's lips and was fairly certain he understood what he was saying. "I'm real and I'm fine. You saved me," he tried to sound casual in hope to ease Clint's fears.

"Good," Clint's eye lids grew heavier and heavier; the lack of oxygen, pain and blood loss took their toll. For the first time in a long time he wanted so desperately to live. He heard his beloved handler call his name before darkness swallowed him.

::::::::::::::

Fury informed the Avengers days later about Clint's condition. Phil had asked him to wait; he needed time with Clint alone. He wasn't ready to share him; he needed time to make some kind of peace.

Phil spent his time next to the bed, in a stuffy armchair one of the nurses organized for him, and held Clint's hand. He cried and begged but the archer's condition did not change. Clint had flat lined twice on his way to medical and his doctors had to tell Phil that they did not believe that Clint would make it. He flat lined one more time during surgery but to their surprise Barton survived. Four days had passed and he was still alive, that gave Phil some hope but the longer Clint remained so still the more Phil feared to lose him.

A knock interrupted Phil's train of thought, "Come in."

Steve peeked into the room, "Phil?" The agent looked terrible, tired, thinner and emotionally drained. "Can we see him?"

"Yes, but not for too long or the head vixen will kick you out," the head nurse had tried to force Phil to rest. She was a very persistent person, Phil won but he had to rest nonetheless in a bed next to Clint. Yesterday she yelled at him to get a grip on himself and eat, she didn't back down until Coulson gave in.

"Yeah, nice lady," Steve said with a thick layer of sarcasm. "Come," Rogers waved his friends into the room. ICU in HQ was deadly quiet and to respect their patients' constant need of safety they installed video cameras in addition to the glass windows. Phil made sure the camera was inactive, the window was disturbing enough.

Tony entered and paled visibly, his young friend was hooked up on so many tubes he wasn't sure where one began and the other ended. "What happened?"

Natasha needed Bruce's solid comfort to enter the room; he stopped her from turning around and leaving. "Phil?" She gave him a questioning look before her eyes landed on their joined hands.

"Johnson shot him in the back. The bullet hit one of his ribs, pierced his lung and got stuck close to his heart." Phil stated dryly. He felt numb at the moment, devoid of all emotions.

Steve licked his lips, unsure what to say. "So you found what you were looking for?"

"Johnson was dangerous," Phil said. "He did a lot of things a man in his position should not have done."

"So he's dead," Tony concluded.

"Oh yeah," Coulson nodded grimly.

"Good," Stark agreed. It pained him to see his friends that way. "When can we take him home?"

"Probably never," Phil squeezed Clint's hand tighter. "It's a miracle he made it this far."

"You can't say that," Natasha sobbed. "He's a fighter."

"I'm sitting here for days, I have seen him die. I heard the doctors say he won't make it, I heard them say he has a chance. I don't know what to believe in anymore. I hope he survives but I have to be prepared in case he does not."

"Phil," Steve said gently. "He will survive and the way I see it you could be friends again. Maybe something good is coming out of this."

Phil gave his childhood hero a sharp glare, "I hope you mean you believe in destiny or else I'll hit you."

Steve gasped in shock, "I just… I- you should make the best out of it. What happened; happened. There's nothing we can do." He stuttered.

Phil nodded, "You should leave."

"Okay," Bruce spoke for the first time out loud. His main job had been to offer comfort to Natasha and to keep his alter ego locked inside. "See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Coulson confirmed. He sighed deeply after the door closed behind Cap, "I love you Clint, don't leave me alone. Please, don't go."