Clint felt like an addict.

He couldn't stop it anymore.

Every night after the show he would stuff his suit with weapons and go find a crime to stop. A person to save, a deal to end.

He almost screamed when Zachary came to his tent after the supposed last show in New York and said that they were staying for another month. Leaving New York was supposed to be the end of his little vigilante routine, but if they weren't leaving he couldn't stop. The screams were too much.

Yet he knew he had to leave his tent each night, if he didn't who would? Those people, all those unlucky people who get caught on the streets at night and mugged would die. They didn't deserve it, he couldn't lay in his tent and listen to their screams.

So he stopped the screams.

Every night, another bad guy ended up in just in the vicinity of the police and Clint went back to his tent hoping to look in the mirror and see someone else. But his own reflection was all he saw, a wolf trying desperately to hide in sheep's clothing. Trying to make himself something he's not, trying to tip the scales back.

Tonight though he strayed from his usual side of town, tonight he was drawn toward the centre of the city, the highest building of them all. Clint was being drawn toward the Avenger's towers, a place he had been avoiding like the plague ever since he promised himself that night that he'd never go back.

But tonight he felt that he needed to be there and he didn't know why, it was like he was moth to a flame.

And like any moth being near the flame wasn't enough, he had to be closer, even if it would burn him up.

Luckily getting closer proved a lot easier than it should've been. Tony's window cleaners had left their pulley system on the far side of the building, hovering just over the first floor. Clint had done harder jumps trying to reach something of a top shelf. Once he pulled himself up onto the little platform he loosed the string slightly and began to slowly inch the platform up the building. It may have been easier than some of the pervious times he had snuck into places,but that didn't mean it was fast. No,the lift was usually powered by a small motor on the roof which was strong enough to pull two grown men to the top of the tower in the span of a minute, but for the sake of stealth Clint sacrificed speed and ease.

Because of that by the time he reached the roof his arms were aching and he decided that it would be safer to climb up onto the roof of the stairs hatch so he could rest. It wasn't one of the best hiding places if he was hiding from someone on the roof, but it wouldn't be seen by the camera and if anyone came through the door Clint would have enough time to slip back to the window lift.

Pulling off his helmet and setting it down next to him, he sat crisscrossed applesauce like a little kid and looked out over the skyline. Out of everywhere he had performed, New York's skyline was his favorite. Wherever he went, it always felt familiar. Feeling his eyelids start to drift close,Clint started to uncurl himself from his perch but stopped dead when the stair door hatch open.

Every bone in his body was telling him to get out of there, that he was a sitting duck, this person could turn around at any second. He had to get out of here.

But he didn't. Instead he watched, he watched trapped in his own body.

The man wasn't an Avenger, he could tell that, but he looked so familiar. Like a person from an old memory that was half gone...

The man let the door small quietly behind him and made his way to the side with his back still to Clint. Leaning on the edge, Clint could hear the man breathing heavily then collapse onto the roof in a fit of sobs.

Why is he so sad? Clint thought and then frowned. Where of I heard that voice?

Clint instantly wanted to climb down from his hiding spot and comfort the sobbing man, but he restrained himself, he hasn't spent an entire year looking over his shoulder to throw it all away by getting caught hugging a man he didn't even know.

So he did the only thing he could do, he watched in silence. He watched the man sob and cry and wail alone on the roof-top.

Then suddenly the man fell silent, he stood up and walked to ledge, peering over. For a second he stood completely still then he stepped onto the ledge, balancing precariously like a spinning top on the edge of a table. Not quite off the table, but definitely going to fall if someone doesn't grab it.

As the man's foot ghosted over the edge Clint desperately tried to hold in a gasp of horror. Then the man said something that made Clint loose all control on holding in his voice.

"Clint, I'm so sorry."

It can't be! Clint's mind was screaming. You saw the files, you read his name on that list!

But those four words opened the floodgates in Clint's mind, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. He knew why that man had seem so familiar now, it was because this man had been his only shoulder to lean on for his entire childhood. This man, who was hardly an adult the last time Clint had seen him was supposed to be dead.

Yet there he was. Barney was alive and about to commit suicide right before his very eyes. His brother was going to leave him again. Not like the night he snuck away from the foster home or the night he beat him in the ditch, this would be it.

"Barney," He whispered, his voice being carried away on the wind. He knew he couldn't stop Barney without leaving his hiding spot.

He had to choose, be seen by the video camera and possibly end his freedom forever or sit here and watch his brother die but walk away with no chance of being caught.

Inside his head the voices raged.

Save him! One voice shrieked. He's your brother for god's sake, you can't let him do this!

No! The other screamed, Do you remember what he did to you? You don't owe him anything! He left you to die in a ditch just because somebody told him too!

He was young! The voice retorted. He made a mistake and he obviously feels the guilt!

He knew full well what he was doing! He deserves this! He didn't give to shakes if you lived or died! The other shouted.

Clint was just about to turn around and slink away, until he heard the voice say in almost a whisper.

He's grieving for you. Barney loved you and regretted everything he did to you,It whispered. You have to lose this hate, Clint. It's your job to save people, so save Barney, let Barney stop the pain.

Without a second thought Clint slipped down from his hiding place and grabbed Barney's arm, pulling him off the edge and into a tight hug.

Barney stiffed in his arms, but hesitantly wrapped his arms around him. Clint knew that Barney couldn't see who he was yet, but he hadn't hugged his brother since he was nine years old and he suddenly realized how much he missed it. How much he missed those arms wrapped around him, shielding him from the things that went bump in the night and protecting him from the cold when the nights grew icy.

Involuntarily Clint nuzzled deeper into his embrace and whispered;

"I'm sorry too Barney."

He heard Barney let out a shuddered sob and wrap his arms around him tighter.

"Clint?"

Clint nodded, holding back tears himself now. "Yeah Barney, it's me."

"I'm sorry, Clint I-I"

Clint shushed him, "It's all right, I know." Then Clint heard the tell tale noise of clinking coming up from the stairwell, someone was running up the stairs.

Silently Clint cursed and pulled gently away from Barney, "I have to go now."

Barney eyes widened, "No you can't go! I lost you for almost ten years,I'm not letting you go again!"

Clint smiled sadly, "I need to go,"

Barney looked broken, he had found out his brother was alive, had committed suicide, was actually alive and then was going to lose him again all in the span of ten hours.

"Promise one day you'll come back."

Clint looked Barney right in the eye and said something that even he wasn't sure was the truth or not," One day, I promise I'll come back."

Then Clint gave Barney one last hug and grabbing his helmet,rappelled himself over the side to his lift. Leaving Barney alone next to the edge of the roof.

Just in time for Steve to reach the top of the stairs.

A/N- I'm really sorry, I start school at a new school tomorrow so my updates may take a little longer and be more sporadic as I get used to it. But I will not abandon this story, so don't give up on me yet!

Thanks- Brokenrook