Sagittarii
My back's against the wall.
“I thought you’d be up here?” A voice behind me says. I turn around and see my Dad walking from the roof access door, heading straight towards me. “You disappeared after the verdict today.” He sits next to me, grabbing a beer as we hang out on the roof of his apartment building, alone.
“Yea, I just needed time to myself.” I mutter, playing with the empty beer bottle I’ve been holding way too long. “I should be happy, right? I mean the guy that broke me into tiny shards is going to jail. I should be jumping for joy and celebrating, right?”
“You’re not happy about the verdict?”
“No, I’m extremely happy about it but I can’t bring myself to celebrate,” I choke out, “Dad, why am I not happy about this?” My voice breaks and my hands begin to shake. I bite my lower lip in a vain attempt to stop crying; hard enough to break the skin, filling my mouth with the taste of blood. My dad doesn’t know what to say. He silently puts his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. Tears start flowing as I sob into his chest; letting go of everything I’ve been trying to suppress since the verdict was read.
A sigh escapes my dad’s lips after twenty minutes of crying. “You need to go downstairs and get some rest.”
“I can’t sleep, Dad.” I choke out, “I haven’t been able to sleep a full night since I got home.”
“Austen, you can’t function on no sleep.” He states, pushing me away. He frowns as he places a hand on my cheek, using his thumbs to wipe away the black stained tears running down my face. “Want me to tuck you in and stay with you til you fall asleep?” He asks, “like I did when you were a baby?”
Sniffling, I meekly nod my head; earning another hug from my dad. He pulls away minutes later, looking down at me; pushing my blonde hair out of my face,
“Come on, Songbird,” He says getting up, offering me a hand, “let’s get some sleep.”
Reluctantly, I take his hand and get pulled up to my feet. He puts an arm around me as we silently descend down the stairs and head to his apartment. The same apartment I wish I stayed in to begin with.
Clint Barton
A sigh escapes my lips as I watch Austen, my little girl, toss and turn in her bed; whimpering in her sleep. It’s painful to see her like this; so broken. I can’t do anything about this and I’m losing my mind. Since she was born, I promised I’d protect her; I’d be there for her no matter what. Five months prior to this, she was taken from us; tortured, raped and drugged. She’s dealt with more things in that week than most people deal with in their lifetime. She’s strong, no doubt about that. She takes after her mother in that department. But to see a girl that was strong and cocky and sarcastic to be reduced to the quiet, timid, jumpy girl she is now is the most painful thing I’ve ever had to deal with. More painful than dealing with Loki controlling me and definitely more painful than the moment I decided to divorce Bobbi for good.
Once Austen falls into a more peaceful slumber, I head out of the room and go into the living room. Bobbi, Francis, Kate and Natasha all look up at me. I just sigh and shake my head before heading the couch; plopping down on it.
“We’ve got to do something for her,” I voice, “this isn’t the Austen we all know and love.”
“You’re right, she’s the shell of the Austen we know and love.” Francis sighs, obviously worried about his baby sister.
“But what can we do?” Kate, Austen’s best friend, asks, “she’s not talking to any of us.”
“She needs to get her mind off of this,” Natasha states, “she’s been reliving that week for five months, especially when it came to telling the court what Cade did to her. She needs to get out of the city.”
“Well I can’t protect her if she leaves the city!” I counter, “I’m not letting my daughter out of my sight again.”
“Clint, I know you feel guilty but you can’t keep smothering her.” Bobbi says, taking Natasha’s side. “I agree with Nat, Austen needs to get out of the city and be by herself for a few days. And I know exactly how she can do that.”
“How?” I ask.
“Fury gave me a mission that’s fairly easy,” Bobbi begins, “it’s just to recruit this vigilante in Starling City to the Avengers. Austen can easily talk him into joining.”
“You want her to go on a mission for SHIELD?” I question my ex-wife. “Bobbi are you fucking mad?”
“Look, I’m not exactly happy about her working for SHIELD but she needs something that’ll take her mind off of everything. She’ll be able to escape herself for a few days, that’s what our daughter needs, Clint!”
An annoyed sigh, escapes my lips and I run my fingers through my hair in annoyance before burying my face into my hands. I don’t want to admit it, but Bobbi has a point. Austen needs to get out of the city and needs to focus on something else besides the demons that are haunting her.
“Talk to Fury,” I tell her, giving into her idea, “I’ll handle Austen…”
“Yea, I just needed time to myself.” I mutter, playing with the empty beer bottle I’ve been holding way too long. “I should be happy, right? I mean the guy that broke me into tiny shards is going to jail. I should be jumping for joy and celebrating, right?”
“You’re not happy about the verdict?”
“No, I’m extremely happy about it but I can’t bring myself to celebrate,” I choke out, “Dad, why am I not happy about this?” My voice breaks and my hands begin to shake. I bite my lower lip in a vain attempt to stop crying; hard enough to break the skin, filling my mouth with the taste of blood. My dad doesn’t know what to say. He silently puts his arms around me, pulling me into his chest. Tears start flowing as I sob into his chest; letting go of everything I’ve been trying to suppress since the verdict was read.
A sigh escapes my dad’s lips after twenty minutes of crying. “You need to go downstairs and get some rest.”
“I can’t sleep, Dad.” I choke out, “I haven’t been able to sleep a full night since I got home.”
“Austen, you can’t function on no sleep.” He states, pushing me away. He frowns as he places a hand on my cheek, using his thumbs to wipe away the black stained tears running down my face. “Want me to tuck you in and stay with you til you fall asleep?” He asks, “like I did when you were a baby?”
Sniffling, I meekly nod my head; earning another hug from my dad. He pulls away minutes later, looking down at me; pushing my blonde hair out of my face,
“Come on, Songbird,” He says getting up, offering me a hand, “let’s get some sleep.”
Reluctantly, I take his hand and get pulled up to my feet. He puts an arm around me as we silently descend down the stairs and head to his apartment. The same apartment I wish I stayed in to begin with.
Clint Barton
A sigh escapes my lips as I watch Austen, my little girl, toss and turn in her bed; whimpering in her sleep. It’s painful to see her like this; so broken. I can’t do anything about this and I’m losing my mind. Since she was born, I promised I’d protect her; I’d be there for her no matter what. Five months prior to this, she was taken from us; tortured, raped and drugged. She’s dealt with more things in that week than most people deal with in their lifetime. She’s strong, no doubt about that. She takes after her mother in that department. But to see a girl that was strong and cocky and sarcastic to be reduced to the quiet, timid, jumpy girl she is now is the most painful thing I’ve ever had to deal with. More painful than dealing with Loki controlling me and definitely more painful than the moment I decided to divorce Bobbi for good.
Once Austen falls into a more peaceful slumber, I head out of the room and go into the living room. Bobbi, Francis, Kate and Natasha all look up at me. I just sigh and shake my head before heading the couch; plopping down on it.
“We’ve got to do something for her,” I voice, “this isn’t the Austen we all know and love.”
“You’re right, she’s the shell of the Austen we know and love.” Francis sighs, obviously worried about his baby sister.
“But what can we do?” Kate, Austen’s best friend, asks, “she’s not talking to any of us.”
“She needs to get her mind off of this,” Natasha states, “she’s been reliving that week for five months, especially when it came to telling the court what Cade did to her. She needs to get out of the city.”
“Well I can’t protect her if she leaves the city!” I counter, “I’m not letting my daughter out of my sight again.”
“Clint, I know you feel guilty but you can’t keep smothering her.” Bobbi says, taking Natasha’s side. “I agree with Nat, Austen needs to get out of the city and be by herself for a few days. And I know exactly how she can do that.”
“How?” I ask.
“Fury gave me a mission that’s fairly easy,” Bobbi begins, “it’s just to recruit this vigilante in Starling City to the Avengers. Austen can easily talk him into joining.”
“You want her to go on a mission for SHIELD?” I question my ex-wife. “Bobbi are you fucking mad?”
“Look, I’m not exactly happy about her working for SHIELD but she needs something that’ll take her mind off of everything. She’ll be able to escape herself for a few days, that’s what our daughter needs, Clint!”
An annoyed sigh, escapes my lips and I run my fingers through my hair in annoyance before burying my face into my hands. I don’t want to admit it, but Bobbi has a point. Austen needs to get out of the city and needs to focus on something else besides the demons that are haunting her.
“Talk to Fury,” I tell her, giving into her idea, “I’ll handle Austen…”