Takes place after Avengers four, after (MY THEORY) they traveled back to defeat Thanos and brought everyone back. Contains slight spoilers for Infinity War. Sorry that this is really short, but i really wanted to get his idea out there. Thanks!!

Also to lighten the mood, today's quote: "This is an agent of some kind . . . these are . . . smaller agents." -Tony Stark

Clint leaned against the old wood railing of his off-grid farm porch, watching as the sun set just below the horizon. So many things have happened. So many things that I wasn't there to help with. I could've saved so many more people . . . 

Clint hung his head low, a feeling of guilt overcoming him. He shut his eyes gently, trying to push those reoccurring thoughts out of his head, but they never seemed to fade. His phone suddenly chimed with a text message, and he reluctantly pulled it from his pocket, sighing. The message was from Fury, and it read:

Barton, this is important. Stark has called for an emergency meeting  at the facility. We need you there by 10 a.m. tomorrow, sharp. We'll explain when you get there. 

Clint sighed yet again. It had been almost two years since . . . well, the war had officially ended. And it pained Clint so much that he hadn't been there in the beginning. Especially since . . . his own son, Cooper, had been a part of the half of the universe that vanished into thin air. Those had been the worst five years of his life. It almost killed him, to have his son taken like that. But when Tony and the others had reverted time and prevented Thanos  from snapping his fingers, Cooper came back to him, which was more that just an emotional day. That part was still hazy, but all Clint knew was that everything was back to normal. 

He heard slow footsteps behind him and he quickly tucked his phone away just as a soft hand rested on his shoulder. "Hey honey," Clint mumbled, turning his gaze back to the setting sun. 

"Hey dear," Laura almost whispered, before saying, "kids are in bed." There was a slight pause before she continued. "Clint, what's wrong. I've asked this so many times and I always get the same answer. "You've been acting so strange ever since . . . well . . ."

Clint pulled away from his wife, walking to the other side of the porch. "And you'll get the same answer again. I'm fine."

"But you're not," Laura insisted, with a very small sense of annoyance. She walked back over to Clint and tugged gently on his shoulders so he would face her. "Clint, please tell me what's wrong."

Clint sighed somewhat angrily. "Laura, you already know. Ever since Thanos . . . did the thing, which caused the other thing . . . and with Cooper . . . and knowing I could have helped . . . it's tearing me apart, bit by bit."

Laura smiled sadly at her husband. "Clint, listen to me. You are an incredible person, husband, and father. You did all that you could. You had no idea what everyone was facing back there, until . . ."

"It was too late?" Clint interrupted depressingly.

Clint's wife rolled her eyes sadly, but before she continued, Clint's phone went off with Fury's ringtone. Clint winced and then sighed as he stared at the ground, not wanting to meet his wife's gaze. Oh no.

"Clint . . . why is Fury calling you?" she asked, sounding concerned and sad.

"He . . . umm, I don't know," he lied. But he knew very well that Fury was calling to further inform him on the new 'emergency,' which almost guaranteed that he would be leaving home for a while, which was almost as painful as losing Cooper.

"Yes you do," she shot back. "What aren't you telling me?"

Clint knew that Laura didn't deserve to be lied to, so he decided to tell the truth. "It's Stark . . . he uh, called for an emergency and Fury needed me back in New York."

He heard Laura sigh, which further broke his already crumbling heart. "Clint . . ."

He shot his head up once he heard her quietly wail, tears forming in her eyes. "Laura . . ."

"No!" she intervened. "Listen to me! We've been through so much together; raising three children, living out here. But I've been through more! Look around, Clint. I had to move here and raise our children practically on my own, while you're out risking your life. I never know if you're going to come home alive, half the time I'm never even told where you're going! Do you have any idea how much pain and stress that puts on my shoulders?" That hurt Barton more than she knew. These words coming from her felt like stabbing knives, right through the gut. His chest swelled with guilt and sorrow. He knew he had put her through hell and back, and he couldn't feel worse about it.

Laura struggled to go on in between her tears. "And, and y-you know th-that Cooper and Lila are old enough to understand why there daddy is gone, and wonder if he'll be back." She paused to cry, Clint watching, his limbs not functioning.

"Laura, I . . ."

"Clint, I just . . . just . . . you think that losing Cooper was hard for you?! What about me?! Losing my boy was even worse than dying . . . it . . . it was a pain that I can't explain!" That was all she could muster before she broke down in tears, falling to her knees with her head in her hands. Clint felt his own eyes start to swell at the sight of his love in tears. He fell down at her side, wrapping his arms protectively around her, never wanting to let her go. She leaned into him as she cried. "I'm sorry . . . I'm just so worried about you," she said after a long pause, where only the slight breeze of the trees and her sobs could be heard.

"No . . . no, I'm sorry Laura . . . I'm so, so sorry." I'll tell Fury I can't make it. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I have to be here for my family, and build our lives back together. I've grieved long enough, even though we have our son back. I can't bear to see my wife like this. "I'm going to stay," he said reassuringly, throwing all of his confidence into those four words.

"No," she mumbled into his shoulder. "You know you can't. You've been home long enough. They need you."

"No," he corrected her. "I haven't been home. Not really. I may have physically been here, but my mind and soul was still stuck with those five, horrible years. You and the kids really need me now, so I'm going to stay."

Clint felt her smile weakly into his shoulder, which made him form a smile of his own, happy that she was feeling better. "Thank you," she whispered. "I love you Clint."

"Always. I love you too, Laura." Clint smiled again as he sat there on the porch with his wife, in front of the setting sun. 

A/N

So this was a really emotional chapter, I'm sorry if you were upset!! I got teary-eyed just writing this, so sorry!!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this short post and stay tuned because I will most likely be updating later, as I really want to keep up with my own ideas!!

Thanks!!

-BurningEmber