Clint’s Finale
When the Quinjet finally arrived at the battle, you hurriedly pushed your way through the fighting forces and sprinted over to it. Before you could decide who to run to first, the decision was made for you, but it wasn’t the one you were expecting. As you climbed the ramp, Scott popped out of nowhere and grabbed you up into a hug.
“I knew you’d miss me!” he said. “Or was that super dramatic reunion meant for someone else?”
Returning his embrace, you laughed and said, “Of course it was for you, Scottie. I’m glad you could come. Ready to kick some ass?”
“You betcha!” he replied, pushing the button on his glove and disappearing into thin air. You glanced past where he had been standing to find Clint and Everett looking at you. Suddenly, you didn’t know what to say to them. As you tried to think of something, you noticed Everett was very out of place with only his one handgun.
“You can’t fight with just that,” you said. As your eyes scanned the battlefield for your target, you finally laid eyes on him and pointed. “Over there...Bucky’s got at least one gun strapped to every single part of his body. I’m sure he can spare some of them.”
Once you and Clint were alone, you turned and went down the ramp and back into the battle. As you shot your first alien, you felt someone’s back find yours and you heard the familiar sound of one arrow after another being released.
“I told you we were going to have a talk as soon as I got back,” Clint said behind you.
“Is now really the time for that?” You asked.
“We might not get a later,” he answered. “While I was gone, I thought up all this stuff I could tell you about how I shouldn’t have married someone else, and you and I should’ve gotten together years ago, but then I realized it was all bullshit so I threw it out.”
“Clint, if this is the talk you needed to have with me, I could’ve lived without it.”
“You didn’t let me finish. It’s bullshit because, let’s be honest, I wasn’t smart enough back then to even realize what you really mean to me. If we had somehow ended up together, I probably would have messed it up. Then I would have lost the one person, apart from my kids, that I’d rather die than live without...the woman who has always been there for me no matter what. So it may have taken me half a lifetime to figure things out, but if I’ve finally learned how to get you and me right, then it was worth every minute of the wait.”
“What are you trying to say, Clint?” You asked, bubbling up inside. You knew what he was trying to say, but you desperately wanted to hear those three little words take on a new meaning between you. His hand landed on your arm and he turned you around so you were facing him.
“Saying I love you wouldn’t be enough, not after all these years...but maybe this will be.”
He wrapped one of his strong arms around your waist, moved his other hand to the back of your head, and pulled you close until his lips crashed onto yours. Even though you knew that the battle didn’t slow down around you, and a romantic theme didn’t start to play in the background as he kissed you...it sure felt like it did.
———————-
After the war was over, you and Clint made your way around the field checking on all of your friends. When you found Everett, he looked dirty and tired, but no worse for wear. You let go of Clint’s hand and ran to him, throwing your arms around his neck and giving him a tight squeeze. As you held him, you realized that it was time the two of you had a talk in private. After you let go, you turned to Clint and asked, “Can we have a minute?”
“Sure,” he said, giving you a nod and walking away.
You reached down, took Everett’s hands in yours, and said, “Ev, I—“
“You don’t have to,” he interrupted. “I saw that little Pirates of the Caribbean scene earlier. It said it all.”
You didn’t know how to respond so you just squeezed his hands tighter.
“Y/n, I have to ask you something.”
“Anything. What is it?”
“When you stood by Barton all those years, is it because you knew this would happen eventually? That you would get what you always wanted?”
“No, Ev, I never imagined this would happen. I stood by him because he meant too much to me to give him up. That’s what love is all about...putting that person ahead of yourself. It didn’t matter if I could have him or not, I just wanted to be there for him.”
“Maybe it’s time for me to take a page out of your book,” he quietly said after awhile.
“What do you mean?”
“Our relationship since SHIELD can be summed up as we go several years without seeing each other, then we reunite and I get the idea that we’re going to get together. The truth of the matter is...I really miss you when we’re apart. You’re my friend...and you’re about the only one I’ve got.”
Suddenly getting an idea, you told him to wait there and then you ran off. When you reached your destination, you dug around until you found a piece of paper, a pen, and a makeshift folder. You scribbled on the paper before sticking it in the folder and hurrying back.
“Here,” you said, handing him the folder. You watched as he silently read what you wrote, and his look of confusion turned into a surprised smile.
“You wanted me to join your team,” you began, “and we both now how badly that worked out. Now I’m asking you to join mine. All you’ve got to do is sign.”
“I’m not a superhero,” he replied.
“Neither am I. I just do what I can to help the people I consider to be my family. Given some time, they could be yours, too.” After a few moments of silence, you added, “I miss you when you’re not around, too, you know.”
He studied the paper in his hands, obviously thinking it over, then he asked, “Have you got a pen?”
———————-
ONE YEAR LATER
The radio was playing quietly in the background while you tried to finish up the meal you were preparing. Your cooking skills had improved some in the past few months. All the free time away from the job probably had something to do with that. As you pulled the chicken that was baking out of the oven, you were startled by the sound of your three stepchildren running through the front door of the house.
“Shh! You three need to quiet down!” you gently scolded.
“It isn’t going to matter anyway,” your husband said as he leaned against the front door frame in his t-shirt and jeans, wearing his trademark smirk. “We’ve got company.”
Not five minutes later, your front door was almost ripped off its hinges by Bucky and Sam trying to fit through it at the same time. Once they made it inside, they didn’t stop to speak to you or Clint, but ran right past you and straight up the stairs.
“Good to see you, too,” you muttered under your breath.
“Seems like you’re just old news now,” Natasha said as she entered the room, followed by Wanda and Steve. You trotted over and gave each of them a hug in turn.
“We got here as soon as we heard. Sorry we couldn’t be here the day of,” Steve said.
“It’s okay, Cap. I know how the job is.”
“Do you think those two are okay without supervision?” Wanda asked.
“Probably not,” Natasha replied. “I’ll go check on them.”
“We’re doing just fine,” Bucky said as he came down the stairs, carrying your little newborn bundle in his arms as he did so.
“He beat me there,” Sam pouted.
You watched as all of them crowded around Bucky to look at your son.
“He’s beautiful,” Natasha said.
“Looks just like his mama,” Bucky said.
“Really dodged a bullet then. I was afraid he was going to end up looking like his old man,” a voice from the front door chimed in. You turned to find Everett still lingering in the doorway. Walking over, you gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before saying, “I’m glad you could make it. I want you to meet him.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he replied.
“What did you name him?” Wanda asked.
Still looking at Everett, you said, “Everett Steven James Barton.”
If you didn’t know better, you would sworn his eyes got a little misty. Behind you, you heard Steve say, “You noticed Steven got a higher billing than James.”
“Only because it flowed better, I’m sure,” Bucky snapped.
“Here, let me hold him,” Everett said, moving over and taking the baby out of Natasha’s arms. When you moved over to stand beside Clint, he wrapped his arms around your shoulders and gave you a peck on the temple. The pair of you watched as your odd little family got acquainted with its newest member. Your eyes stayed on them until some familiar lyrics from the radio found your ears:
Baby, if I had to choose
My best day ever
My finest hour
My wildest dream come true
“Mine would be you,” you finished for him.
“What did you say, baby?” Clint asked.
Putting your hand on his cheek and staring into his eyes, you said, “Mine would be you, Clint. Mine will ALWAYS be you.”