Kate hummed quietly in discomfort; there was a stinging that spread across her head like broken glass. She screwed her eyes shut, and she felt someone brush the hair out of her face. "Hey, kid, you good?" She recognized a sound of worry in Clint's voice, and she exhaled, slowly cracking her eyes open and she looked up towards him. "Hey. Had me scared for a second there." He said with a small smile. She shut her eyes again, letting her head lay against the assortment of toys she'd been thrown into. She remembered the conclusion of her fight with Fisk; she remembered shooting the 'too-dangerous' arrow just as he knocked her back into one of the toy shelves. Kate guessed that she had taken him down, judging by how he was now vacant from the toy store. "You okay?"
"My head hurts." She whispered, slowly sitting up with his hand on her shoulders helping her up. "But I took down my first bad guy," Kate said with a grin, and he looked down towards her with a small scoff, and he nodded his head.
"Yeah, you did," Clint said with a smile. She had a thin line of blood falling from a small cut above her eyebrow. She might've had a concussion, but other than that, she was unharmed. He would say he was impressed, considering she went against Fisk. "Nice job." He said, holding his hand up, and she grinned and high-fived him. He laughed quietly underneath his breath. He stood from kneeling beside her, and he reached his hand down towards her. "Let's get back. We gotta walk that dog."
"My head hurts." She complained again, and he looked down towards her with a more serious expression.
"Alright, let's get back." He nodded in a firmer voice, and she reached her hand up. He pulled her up gently, and she almost lost balance at first but he reached forward and caught her. "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She nodded, and he raised an eyebrow, but she just ignored him.
They both heard the blaring of a siren outside, and she raised her head, looking towards the center of Rockefeller Square. "My mom." Kate realized, and she trotted forward.
"Hey, Kate, take it easy." He warned her, but she ignored him and trotted forward outside the toy store. Clint sighed, but he followed behind her as they both saw her mom. Kate remembered calling the police just before Fisk attacked her; she didn't call the police on Fisk. She called the police on her mother. What kind of daughter am I? She thought as she walked forward towards them, and they were already asking her to put her hands behind her back.
"Kate! Katie!" Her mother called, and Kate looked forward towards her. Clint stood a few feet behind her with a grim expression, and he crossed his arms across his chest as Eleanor rushed forward and hugged her daughter. Kate didn't hug her back, but her mom didn't notice that.
"Mom, get off." Kate shook her head, resisting her mother, but her mom didn't let her go. "Get off." She said in a firmer voice, and she gently pushed her mother off of her, and Eleanor looked back towards her with glassy eyes. But there was a quick realization that dawned on her features.
"You called them?" Eleanor asked, and Kate didn't respond. She was quiet. The officer tried to take Eleanor's gloved hand, but Eleanor ripped her hand away and looked back to Kate with a sad expression. Kate looked up at her, but she looked down. She was ashamed.
The man asked her to put her hands behind her back once more but Eleanor pretended like she didn't even hear him. She just looked forward towards Kate with a stone expression that silently blamed her. "What kind of daughter arrests her mother on Christmas Eve?" She scoffed, and Kate was quiet and looked up towards her, but Clint's eyes narrowed, and he shook his head. Kate didn't realize how manipulative her mother was, but Clint was a father. He recognized it. He protected Kate from Tracksuits and bad guys. He wasn't going to let her mom talk to her like that. Not when Kate wasn't willing to stand up to her mother for herself. He would do it for her.
"Let's go, Kate." He spoke, and Kate didn't put up much resistance to that. She stepped back from her mother, instead towards Clint, and she turned around, standing closer to him as they walked in the other direction.
"He's taking her! He's kidnapping my daughter!" Eleanor cried as they walked away, and Clint scoffed, looking back towards Eleanor with a roll of his eyes.
"Y'know, it'll help in your court case if you keep your mouth closed," Clint called back, and Kate winced, looking down with a solitary expression. He looked away from Eleanor, and back ahead of them. "Let's get home." He nodded his arm around her shoulders. She didn't respond, looking down at the ground, and he sighed, looking down towards her. What kind of daughter arrests her own mother? She thought to herself as they walked. What the hell type of daughter am I? She thought again, furrowing her eyebrows together as her eyes scrutinized the stone they walked atop. Clint looked down towards her, and he sighed, nudging her gently.
"C'mon, we're taking a shortcut." He nodded, and she looked up towards him. She was too tired to fight, so she just nodded. She didn't realize that they were going inside until she heard the ding of a diner bell. It was warmer inside, and he nudged her forward. "C'mon, sit down." He nodded, and she didn't reply, but complied, and sat down in the seat. He sat down in the seat before her. "I think we've earned some decent pizza, right?" He said with a small smile, looking towards her. It was an attempt to cheer her up, but it barely worked.
"Sure." She replied softly, and he looked forward towards her. She was quiet, and she looked back down towards the diner's table. He sighed, and he sat up, leaning forward towards her. "Hey, Kate, c'mon." He called her name, and she looked up towards him with a somber expression. He sighed, looking towards her. "Your mom's an adult. She made her own decisions. You know that, right?" He asked, and she didn't respond. "She put herself in that squad car," Clint spoke in a firm voice.
"It's Christmas Eve. It's Christmas Eve and I got my own mom arrested." Kate shook her head, looking down. Her eyes were glassy and she wiped away a stray tear that fell down her cheek. "What kind of daughter does that?" Kate asked with a shake of her head, looking up towards him, and he looked down towards her. His features were somber.
"You did the right thing, Kate." He assured her, and she looked forward towards him with a shake of her head.
"You have to say that."
"No, I don't." He shook his head in a firm voice, and he looked forward towards her with a stone expression. She broke their gaze, but he asked her name again. "Y'know, I have a daughter." He added, and she looked back up towards him, her arms crossed across her chest. "I take care of her. I protect her." He said in a firm voice, leaning forward again and looking deep into her eyes. She didn't break his gaze. "I don't think your mom does that for you." He shook his head, speaking in a gentler voice. She was quiet. He knew from the lack of response that he was right. He felt so guilty for calling her spoiled so many times when they first met. He knew now how cruel that was. She looked down again. He sighed, and he stood from his seat. He sat beside her instead, and before she knew what was happening, he hugged her. She looked up, looking down at his shoulder. She didn't know what this felt like. "I'm sorry." He nodded, holding her closer.
After a few moments, her arms slowly reached around him and hugged him back. She shut her eyes, her face leaning into his shoulder. Her head ached. "C'mon. Let's go walk that dog." Clint nodded with a small smile, and he released her, but she looked up towards him. When she didn't get up with him, he looked down towards her.
"Why do you care so much?" She asked, looking up towards him. "It's over. You can go home now. Why aren't you on a plane yet?" Kate asked with a shake of her head, and he looked down towards her with a sadder expression. She expected him to leave. That was what she expected everyone to do. If they wouldn't leave, then they would hurt her, like in Central Park.
"Because you're my partner." He said in a firmer voice, and her features softened when she looked up towards him. "C'mon. Lucky's waiting." He smiled, trying to cheer her up, and this time, it almost worked. There was a split second where she was smiling. It was barely a second, but it eased him. He reached his hand down, and she took it. It was cold again when they stepped outside, and this time, her features didn't look as sad. He took it as a victory.
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"He's gonna run." Kate shook her head, but Clint shrugged her off.
"No, he's not." Clint shook his head, kneeling before Lucky and taking the buckle of his leash in his grip. "He's a good boy," Clint smirked, looking into Lucky's eyes. Lucky's ears perked up when Clint said the word 'good.' Kate stood behind him. "You're a good boy, aren't you Lucky?" Clint asked, taking the leash from Lucky's collar. They were walking in Bryant Park. Clint knew about Central Park. Kate had told him about it. It showed that she trusted him, especially with something so scary. So they didn't go to Central Park.
"If you lose my dog, I'm going to kill you," Kate replied, and Clint smiled, looking back towards her with a curl of his lips. She had her glimmer back in her eyes. It was more subtle, but it was there. Her mother was far away now. She couldn't manipulate Kate; Clint figured out the best way to cheer Kate up was to just distract her for a little bit. She wasn't a talker. She didn't like to talk about serious stuff.
"Go, buddy." Clint nudged Lucky, and he barked in response, running around them and smelling everything he could find. Kate watched him carefully. She would never be caught dead here alone; a park at midnight. But Clint was there. After everything, he was still her hero. They walked alongside each other through the park as Lucky swarmed around them every few seconds, barking happily at all of the scents. "You're coming back with me for Christmas," Clint announced, and Kate quickly looked towards him with a shake of her head.
"No, I... Lucky and I have plans to binge a bunch of movies." Kate shook her head, but Clint looked down towards her with a sadder look. He didn't want her alone on Christmas. Especially after her mother was so recently incarcerated. He didn't want her that lonely. "I'm fine. I promise." She nodded, looking up towards him, and he looked down towards her.
"I know. But I want you there." Clint said with a melancholic smile, and she looked up towards him. That's new. She thought. She'd never had anyone say that. "So you're coming." He nodded, looking down towards her. She didn't fight. "And we're not done with Home Alone yet. I can't wait till New Years to finish it." Clint shook his head, and the tiniest smile spread on Kate's lips.
Kate slowly looked around, and her eyebrows furrowed together. "Where's Lucky?" She asked him, and Clint looked around. "Now I have to kill you, Clint." Kate groaned, and he smiled for a moment, but he nudged her gently.
"C'mon, let's just look around." He shrugged. He went in a different direction, and Kate looked towards him.
"Wait, can... don't go. Please." She asked him, and he looked back towards her. She didn't want to be alone in this park at midnight. He caught on, and he nodded, taking her hand again.
"Okay." He said in a gentler tone, and she looked down with an ashamed expression. But he nudged her again with a sad smile. "C'mon, let's go find that dog." He said with a sad smile, and she nodded. She didn't let his hand go, and he didn't try to take it away. They walked through the path in the woods, and she looked around anxiously, searching the trees for the golden sight of Lucky. "See?" He asked with a small smile. "He's a good boy." Kate released his hand as she trotted forward onto the plain of ice and snow that Lucky was trotting around on. Clint smiled sadly as he watched her whistle. Lucky trotted up towards her and she knelt, scratching behind his ears. Clint had discovered it was his favorite spot to be petted.
"You're a bad boy," Kate whispered under her breath, looking forward towards Lucky. Her hand framed his head and she kissed his snout with a small smile. They were a few yards from Clint, who stood by the path. It looked like a blanket of snow had passed over the land where Kate and Lucky stood, and Clint stepped forward to go towards them. He heard a small crunch beneath his boot, and he furrowed his eyebrows, looking down towards the ground beneath him. He leaned down on one knee and his fingers brushed the snow away from the ground. He narrowed his eyes, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. He cleared the snow further until he felt his hands run against a smooth surface. He quickly realized it was ice, and his breath stopped.
"Kate." He uttered underneath his breath, and he pushed his hand against the surface of the ice. It didn't have much strength and it crumbled under the pressure of his grip. His blood went cold and he looked up towards Kate, still kneeling before Lucky with her back turned to him.
"You're not a good puppy, not at all," Kate whispered, kissing the top of his head once more, but she heard Clint call her name behind them. She looked over her shoulder, and he wouldn't step out on the snow with them, but she never saw him stand so straight before. "What?" She called back, and she stood to step towards him, but that was a mistake. There was suddenly an explosion of cold along her nerves, and she realized she had -seemingly- fallen into the earth. But when she felt the water, she realized she had been standing on ice. Kate yelped but she fell underneath, and Lucky fell beside her. Kate fell into the black water, and she opened her eyes. Her body was frozen because of how cold the water was. She cried out in pain. But then she felt Lucky thrashing in the water, and the quietest sound of him yelping.
Her eyes opened, and the want to swim up was tabled when she saw Lucky beneath her. Kate dove down, and her hands reached forward, though it felt like she could barely move. She hadn't taken a breath, and she knew she had a few seconds of air left, but she wasn't losing Lucky. She couldn't lose anyone else, even if it wasn't even a person. Her arm wrapped around his stomach and she pulled him up. Her coat and her boots weighed her down. It felt like she was made of concrete. Kate felt her lungs grow cold as she took down water. When she rose to the ice, she felt the weight of Lucky being taken from her arms. Someone's hand grabbed hers and pulled her up, and she coughed, her eyes almost shut. "Katie-"
She was leaning on the rim of the ice around the hole that they had broken through. The ice she leaned on suddenly broke once more, cutting Clint's sentence off as Kate was pushed down by the current again. This time, Kate had no more strength. She had no more breath. With the pull of her weight slinking back into the water, her hand was pulled from his. He tried to catch her hand, but he was too late. Clint quickly dug his hand down through the hole, reaching for hers. She saw his hand reaching for her, but she had no strength. After a few moments, her eyelids shut, and she went limp. She was at the mercy of the flow of the water carrying her body around. "Kate." He roared down into the ice, and he reached down for her again, but he couldn't find her. He cursed, and he tried to focus, and he brushed the snow away on the ice around him. It was transparent enough, and he looked for her raven-colored hair. "Please." He whispered under his breath, desperately searching the blinding white sea of snow for any trace of her. "Please, please." He begged quietly, and he felt a stinging in his eyes that he had to ignore.
He heard Lucky whimpering behind him but he ignored the sound, and he finally found the most subtle silhouette of her frame under the water. He exhaled shakily and he curled his hand into a fist, striking the ice after it didn't break with a push of his hand. He felt his knuckle recoil in pain, but he took no time to regain his strength. He struck the ice once more, and he felt a few drops of blood roll down his hand, but he ignored the pain. Finally, the ice broke, and he kneeled so he didn't fall in, spreading his weight. He reached down, and his arms reached into the freezing water and wrapped around her waist. He lifted her from the water, and her head fell forward, limp. He exhaled shakily and he pulled her back from the ice until she was completely out.
She didn't even shiver. She was completely limp, and he looked down towards her, his hand holding the side of her face gently. "Kate." He pleaded in a whisper, looking down towards her Her head leaned into his hand because of how limp her body was.
He pulled her further from the ice so that it wouldn't break again. He looked down towards her, but he quickly realized her body was completely still. He quickly laid her body down on the ice, and he leaned down, his head leaning down against her chest and desperately listening for her heartbeat. Lucky was whimpering beside Kate, dancing on the ice when she wouldn't wake up, but Clint ignored him. He leaned beside Kate once more, and his fingers tied together and pressed down on her chest. He performed two compressions before he paused, and leaned his head down on her chest again. He looked down towards her face; her lips were a shade of blue. "C'mon, Kate." He growled in a desperate voice, his hand framing her face, and he looked down towards her. "Please." He whispered, and he tied his hands together again, pressing down against her chest. The fear of cracking one of her ribs diminished when she still wasn't breathing.
"You don't get to survive all of this and then die on me." Clint shook his head vigorously, and he looked down towards her again and leaned his head against her chest once more. No heartbeat. No goddamn heartbeat. He thought with a terrified expression, and he pressed against her chest for a time he couldn't count. It felt like hours. After a few minutes, he finally broke, and he looked down towards her, his hand framing the curve of her face. "Kate." He called desperately, looking down towards her, and there were two or so tears that rolled down his face and onto her frighteningly pale cheeks. "Please, please don't do this." He whispered with a vigorous shake of his head. "I won't call you Katie anymore, I won't tease you." He swore, holding her close to him in a hug. He held her tightly, but her arms fell back with the limpness of her body. He felt her head leaning into his shoulder. "Oh, God." He whispered in a shudder, holding her closer, and he shut his eyes. He couldn't listen to Lucky whimper anymore, crying for Kate to come back like he was.
He was quiet. There were silent tears that snuck down his cheeks. He held her close to him, like maybe if she was dying here at least she wouldn't be alone. It was quiet, and he was silent. His brain was empty, and he was just whispering the word 'please' under his breath every few seconds. And then, there was the tiniest cough, barely there but just enough. His eyes widened, and he released her, laying her body down on the ice once more. "Kate." He whispered, a few more tears falling from his short eyelashes. She exhaled in pain, her eyes scrunched shut. He took a second to pinch himself and make sure that he hadn't passed out and started to dream, and he finally came to his senses. "Side, get on your side." He whispered, but more to himself. He gently held her on her side, and more water spilled from her lips. She started to shiver, shaking like a leaf. She laid on her back again with another cough.
"Kate? Can you hear me?" He asked, leaning over her and looking down towards her; she was just barely able to crack her eyes open, but her head felt empty, like all of the thoughts had spilled from her brain. It felt like she could do nothing but shiver. He took his jacket from his body and he reached down towards her. He made her sit up, holding her up gently with his arms. He took her soaked jacket from her body, and she winced, and her hand weakly tried to take it from him. "It's okay, it's okay." He assured her, taking his jacket, and he wrapped it closely around her, zipping it up completely. But she was still soaked from head to toe, and the jacket wouldn't warm her, just keep her from freezing any further. "You're okay now." He promised, but he knew it was a lie.
She was barely breathing. She still had water clinging to her lungs, and she could still drown. "We gotta get you to a hospital." Clint nodded, looking down towards her. She tried to speak, tried to respond, but all she could muster was a simple:
"I'm cold." She whimpered, and the few tears rolling down her cheeks made her even colder. His thumb reached down and wiped them away, and he reached down, his arms carrying her up into his arms with a small exhale.
"I know. We're gonna warm you up." He promised, holding her closer to him.
"Lucky... Lucky, where's-"
"He's fine. Lucky's fine." Clint promised, and he swallowed, looking around them. He found their set of footsteps that would lead back to the truck. "You've just gotta focus on you." He nodded, looking down towards her, and she tried to form words, but her teeth were chattering and she was shaking like a leaf. He just held her closer. "Hey, hey, stay up with me." He nudged her gently when she shut her eyes again. She hummed in a complaint, trying to lean closer to him and steal some of the warmth that hovered from him.
"I just wanna take a nap." She whispered, and the saddest smile he could conjure spread on his lips, but he shook his head.
"No naps, Kate." He said in a gentle voice, holding her close, and finally, he could see the truck a few yards away. He let out a shaky exhale. She felt so limp in his arms like she would die again in his arms any second.
"C'monnn." She whimpered sadly, and she shivered once more, and he pulled the fabric of his coat closer to her. "Just a little." She asked softly, managing to open her eyes and look up towards him. He took that as a miracle; she was a miracle. He looked down towards her but shook his head.
"No. You stay right here." He shook his head, but it sounded like more of a plea. Don't die in my arms again. He thought desperately, holding her closer in an attempt to get her warmer.
"Bummer." She whispered, and he almost smiled. It hurt so bad; it was like her nerves were made of ice and she could feel nothing but the cold and how it was trying to drag her away from Clint and Lucky. She felt the force holding her in her body falling away as she got colder and colder.
"Katie." He asked in a desperate voice, seeing her as she struggled to keep her eyes open; her eyes were only open halfway if that. She was trying, but it felt like it wasn't enough, not to her. He reached forward and opened the side door of his truck, and he gently laid her down in the passenger seat. She wanted to reach for him again. She missed the warmth that his hugs brought. "I know, I'll be right back." He promised in a gentle tone. He shut the door and he rushed around to the other side and sat in the seat beside her by the wheel. Her head fell limp against the window, and her eyes started to shut again but he leaned forward towards her and his hand caught her from falling over. His hand framed her face and looked into her eyes. "C'mon, let me see your eyes." He asked, and after a few seconds, she managed to comply. "There we go." He smiled sadly, and he let her lean against his shoulder so she didn't fall over.
"My head hurts." She whispered, and he nodded, turning his keys in the ignition and the engine came alive. Lucky sat in the back seat behind him. He looked down towards her a final time before he revved the engine and pressed his foot down on the gas.
Kate heard so many sounds. She heard Clint calling her name every few seconds, and she heard the sounds of traffic on the upper east side. There were blaring horns and people yelling and it hurt so much. She screwed her eyes shut, turning her face into his shoulder and trying to deafen herself. And then she heard everything stop, and she cracked her eyes open, but she felt Clint's absence. Her hand reached for where he had been sitting, and she almost fell forward, but his arm reached forward and caught her again. He reached forward from her side of the car, leaning through the ajar door of the passenger side. His hands held her and carried her again. She leaned into him, missing the warmth of his hold. She was so cold. It felt like she was made of ice. It felt like the sun turned into snow. "It's okay. We're here now." He promised, holding her closer to him, and she whispered his name weakly when she felt herself being taken from his grip.
She felt new hands on her. She was barely semi-conscious and didn't realize they were nurses. They were trying to help. But all she felt was hands on her, like in Central Park. Her breath quickened, and she tried to fight back, but she felt a hand take hers, and she recognized the grip. "Hey, hey, it's okay. They're gonna help you." He nodded in a promise, and she looked up towards him. She stopped struggling, and his eyes followed her as they took her down the hall. He exhaled shakily, and he rubbed his hands over his face, and he fell and sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting room. He didn't know how long he sat there. He sat there long enough for his limbs to feel like concrete.
He looked down towards his knuckles. They were split and bloody from striking the ice, and he winced, wiping the blood away on his sleeves. "Sir?" One of the nurses asked, and Clint quickly looked up. The woman held a clipboard in her hands. "You might need some stitches for your knuckles-"
"No, no, how's the girl?" He asked, looking down towards the hallway they took Kate.
"Are you related? We can't share confidential information-"
"I'm her father." He blurted without thinking. Clint was a spy at heart; he was a good liar. But maybe he felt like there was some truth to that statement.
"Alright." The nurse sat down beside him, and he looked at her with a desperate glance. There were still dried tears on his face. "She's still in a mild state of hypothermia. It'll take a few hours for her body to generate its own heat again." The nurse nodded, flipping through the papers on her clipboard. "I assume you're the one who performed CPR?" She asked, looking over the clipboard, and he nodded. "Well, you did save her life. But unfortunately, a shard of her ribs fractured into the edge of her lung, so we'll need to supervise her overnight, at least. It could be expensive-"
"Charge it to Stark Industries. I'm an Avenger." Clint shook his head, and he looked back towards that hallway, his concern evening. He needed to see her. What if she's scared? He knew she hated hospitals after that night in Central Park. Doctors and places like this scared her. He didn't want her to be alone.
"Uh... okay."
"Can I see her?" He asked in a desperate voice.
"Of course, but she was put under some heavier opioids to help with the pain-"
"Please, just tell me her room number." He asked, standing. The nurse scrutinized the number on the clipboard, and she read it aloud to him. "Thanks." He grumbled, and he walked forward down the corridor, stepping into the room. He exhaled, looking forward towards her. She had a breathing mask over her lips and her nose, and her eyes were shut again. But she did hear the door open, and she whispered his name weakly under her breath in a half-question.
"Yeah. It's me." He promised, kneeling beside her bed. She was laid on her side, holding one of the pillows close to her as if it was a teddy bear. Her raven-black hair was still wet, laid out behind her. It fell just above her chest. "It's me." He swore again in a quieter voice, and he looked down towards her face. Her breath was quiet and it only was there every ten seconds or so. She was as pale as snow. "You get to have your nap now if you want, Kate." He whispered, looking down towards her with a gentle theme in his features. He blinked and eradicated the glassiness from his eyes.
"My ribs hurt." She croaked, cracking her eyes open. She coughed quietly, taking the plastic mask and sliding it off of her features.
"Hey, you should keep that on." He shook his head, but she hummed in complaint. He didn't have the heart to argue anymore.
"It tickles." She shook her head, and he smiled sadly. She sounded like Lila. Her lips were still blue, despite the blankets of her hospital bed. He pursed his lips and looked back, seeing his coat hanging on the edge of the bed. He took it, and he laid it over her, making sure it covered her more. "This stuff makes me feel weird," Kate whispered, and he smiled sadly.
"It'll help with the pain from your ribs." He promised, and he brushed a strand of raven-black hair from before her face.
"Where's Lucky? He's gotta be cold, he-"
"He is perfectly fine. Maybe a bit chilly, but fine." He swore, and she cracked her eyes open, looking up towards him. He crossed his heart. "You swam back down there for him, Katie." He whispered, looking down towards her. She smiled sadly, but she nodded. "You died for a minute there. Could've been for good this time, Kate." He said in a more serious voice, and she cracked her eyes open, looking up towards him. Her eyes were dull with tire and exhaustion.
"Good thing we've got Lucky then. He's a good omen." Kate whispered, and Clint smiled sadly, and he placed his hand forward on her shoulder.
"Kate. You died for a minute there." He said in a quieter voice. and she looked up towards him. He could see the desperation that broke two of her ribs when he was giving her CPR. He could see that same desperation here.
"I've never done that before," Kate whispered with a curious look in her eyes. There was the weakest form of wonder, and he almost smiled, but only almost. "Have you ever died?" She asked, shutting her eyes for a moment, and he looked down towards her. He nodded his head, and she cracked her eyes open, looking up towards him with a curious gaze. "Can you tell me about it?" She asked, and Clint smiled sadly with a small nod. He stood, and sat on the edge of her bed beside her. He didn't even complain when she leaned into him. He would never complain ever again. He almost lost her; she hadn't been breathing for a full minute. She could do anything and he would never care. She was breathing. That was all that mattered.
His arm laid around her shoulders, and she leaned into him, shutting her eyes. She didn't fall asleep, but she wasn't scared anymore. She hated these places. They scared her. "I was on a mission with Natasha."
"Black Widow?" She interjected in a soft voice, and he nodded, looking down towards her head leaning into his chest.
"Mhm. We were taking down some bad guys associated with HYDRA. I remember I was sent through this wall, right out this fifty-foot drop. Nat, she caught me with her grapple. But, I hit the ground the wrong way. No more heart-beat for me." Clint shook his head, looking down towards her. His arm was around her shoulders. His thumb drew circles on the edge of her far shoulder in an attempt -which worked- to comfort her. He knew how much she hated hospitals, doctors, and people in those suits with those clipboards. It reminded her of the aftermath of that night in Central Park. He knew it, too. So he drew circles on her far shoulder with his thumb to comfort her. It lulled her to sleep like she was a little kid.
"Tell me another story." She asked quietly, and he didn't argue. He knew now that when he'd told that nurse Kate was his daughter, there was some stem of truth to it. If her mom wasn't going to take care of her, he wasn't going to hesitate? What else was a partner for?
"You choose: space or talking raccoon?" Clint asked, and she looked back towards him with a giddy expression.
"Did you say that or am I high from all these painkillers?" She asked quietly, and he chuckled under his breath.
"Well, after everyone was snapped away, Natasha got everyone left back together. She thought we could find a way to bring everyone back." That was her. He thought sadly for a moment, and Kate glanced back up towards him, but it made her tire grow, so she stopped, and leaned her head against his chest once more. "Not just from Earth. We had another off-planet group. Now, lemme think... there was a talking tree, and... a talking raccoon." Clint nodded, and Kate shook her head with a roll of her eyes.
"Superheroes don't lie, Clint."
"Hey, I'm not lying." Clint shook his head with a small smirk, and she glanced up towards him with a skeptical glance.
"Uh-huh, and let me guess, what was his name, Ratchet?" She asked in a skeptical tone.
"Rocket." He corrected her, and she scoffed under her breath and rolled her eyes. But she was too tired to fight. "He wasn't too nice." Clint decided, and she smiled. He looked down towards her. It was nice to see her smile again. "What'd you do after all that?" He asked, looking down towards her.
"I was here. My mom was blipped or whatever. But I was here." She whispered, turning her head into his chest at the subtle mention of her mother. He looked down towards her, his thumb continuing to gently rub circles into her shoulder.
"I wish I found you earlier." He admitted, and he could feel her smile a little more, but it lasted only a second or two. Her free hand wrapped around his waist and hugged him. He smiled sadly.
"You did." She whispered, and he looked down towards her. She shut her eyes, the drugs making her feel more tired with each growing second. It was a war against her eyelids to keep them open. But she wanted this. She wanted this quiet second in this quiet room with him; her hero. Maybe the only person on the planet that she trusted. As far as she was concerned, the only person she wanted to care about because he was the only person she trusted to not hurt her. It hurt more when the people you cared about hurt you. "You remember that day in Manhattan? With those green guys?"
"The aliens?" He asked, and she nodded. He looked down towards her.
"It was the day my dad died." She admitted in a quieter voice. He looked down towards her, and she shut her eyes, struggling now to stay awake. "We lived in ground zero. There were all these alien guys shooting their lasers at me, and you took all of 'em out." Kate smiled in a quiet voice, and he watched her. "Not some macho guy with a shield. Or Kermit the Frog. Just you. Just a bow, and just some arrows." Kate shrugged. A small smile curled on her lips.
"'Kermit the Frog'?" He asked with a small smile, and she looked back towards him with a curl of her lips.
"My head's so dizzy." She giggled softly, and he looked down towards her with an amused expression. "Y'know what?" She asked him, her lips becoming looser because of the painkillers. He looked down towards her, and he saw the curl of her lips fade for a moment. "Stealing that suit was the best thing I've ever done," Kate murmured, turning her face into his shirt. He smelled like coffee and Lucky. "After that night, in that park," She whispered, shutting her eyes. He watched her quietly, and his thumb drew circles on her shoulder, like a lullaby. "My mom didn't believe me." Kate shook her head, and he almost winced. Her eyes were shut, but he looked down towards her with a stone expression.
"I went to the G.W." She whispered, and he looked down towards her, holding her closer to him. He was warm. She still felt cold. "I looked down at the water, and I sat on the railing." She shrugged weakly, losing her war against staying awake. "But ever since I stole that suit, I've never felt so alive, even if I've almost died so many times," Kate said with a small smile, and he looked down towards her with a stoic expression. "Being a superhero is awesome. Everyone should try it." She said with a small yawn, and he looked down towards her with a sad smile. He held her closer.
"How about no more 'almost dying'?" He asked, and the corners of her lips curled up. "For my sake more than yours. You've given me a few gray hairs."
"Okay, old man."
"Wow." He scoffed and looked down towards her, and she giggled softly, shutting her eyes with his face in her shoulder. He pulled his jacket up closer to cover her more. Her lips were still a shade of blue. Her smile didn't die away as she finally fell asleep. And he didn't move. He didn't want to wake her, and he didn't mind sitting like this. Part of him was her father, and part of her was his daughter.