Chapter 44: You Take the Shot

*Clint's POV*

This looks bad.

All this is just so stupid and pointless.

*Knock, knock*

Okay, yes Jade did things differently, but nothing wrong or bad.

*Knock, knock*

"Come on kid, open up." I say when still no one answers. I prepare to knock again, but the door creaks open a crack and Jade looks up at me.

"What do you want?" She asks quietly.

"To talk." I say, just as quiet. She looks up at me and reluctantly lets me in. I step in the room and close the door as she turns away and sits on the bed. I sit next to her and clasp my hands in between my knees.

"You're really great at this whole talking thing." She says after I stay silent for a minute.

"Okay well how are you?" I say rubbing my hands together.

"Well most of New York hates me and I was just yelled at for doing nothing wrong by the person who said he cared about me not 30 hours ago. How do you think I am?" She says back sarcastically.

"I don't know, that's why I asked." I reply brushing over what she says about Tony. She rolls her eyes and looks down at her hands in her lap.

"Well, not that great." She says. I wrap an arm around her and pull her into a hug and at first, I can tell she's shocked and isn't quite sure what to do with herself. She does, eventually, wrap her arms around my torso in return. "What did I do wrong?" She asks, her voice sounding almost child like.

"Nothing." I say, rubbing her arm and back. "Not a single thing."

"Then why is everyone so upset?" She asks, her voice still small and fragile.

"Aw, come on Sawyer. What happened to the Jade who didn't give two shits about what other people think?" She releases a weak laugh and looks up at me.

"How do I do that when I'm surrounded by people who hate me?"

"No one here hates you Jade. Tony just isn't used to having orders." I say.

"It's not just Tony." She says. "It's everyone." She stands up and walks to the window. "I bet there isn't one person out this window that loves Viper." I get up and follow her to the window.

"Jade, you were a criminal. Why is people hating you affecting you now?"

"Because when I was a criminal, people hated me because I'd done wrong. That or they loved me because I was a badass. Now, I haven't done anything wrong and people still hate me." She explains. I don't really know what to say. She's right to be confused and upset. When I stay silent, she looks back out the window. "Maybe I should just stop trying." She says after a couple minutes.

"Okay, whoa, whoa, no." I say, genuinely shocked Jade, of all people, would go there. "You can't really be thinking that's the best option?" I ask, pulling her shoulders towards me, so we're facing each other. She only shrugs in response. "Okay Jade, I might not know the best answer, but I sure as hell know it's not that. What's going on right now, it's not the end of the world; you shouldn't be giving up. It's just... just..." I say trailing of, my brow furrowing as I try to think of what to say.

"A bump in the road?" She fills in for me.

"Right! Exactly, a bump in the road." I say.

"Yeah, a bump that causes me to trip and tumble down a steep slope that leads to a rocky, dank cavern, jagged boulders just waiting to impale me." She says looking at the floor. I can physically see her breathe heavier, her breaths becoming shortened and rushed.

"Okay, okay, okay." I say pulling her into another hug. "This definitely isn't all that, but it is a bump." I can feel her relaxing as she wraps her arms around me. I take a minute for Jade to calm down and for me to think. How can I phrase the right thing to say? Alright, I'm just gonna have to say this the way I would understand and hope she does too. "Listen," I say, my arms still wrapped around her. "I don't want to get all life coach on you but, you're gonna miss each and every shot you can't be bothered to take. That's not living life, that's just being a tourist. Take every shot, if it's worth caring about, no matter how impossible you think it is..." I take a moment to pull her back and look her in the eyes. "You take the shot."

"That's easy for you to say. You're Hawkeye. The Avenger. What's the point in even taking a shot if you'll only get heckled for it?" I sigh, looking into her wide blue eyes. I actually never noticed the tint of green in them before.

"Okay, I'm not a god. I can't shake the air with thunder. I don't have a special suit that lets me fly, a shield that deflects everything or the ability to turn into a giant. But what I do have is perfect aim. I never miss a target and I can do it continuously, over and over. That's why I'm Hawkeye. An Avenger. And Jade, you have incredible knowledge of almost every concoction or poison in the world. You're one of the best fighters I've ever seen and the fiercest women I've ever met."

"What about Natasha?" She asks looking down at her hands, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Tasha's a piece of work, but trust me, you surpass her." Her smile grows and she looks back up at me. "Jade, you need to take a shot to prove to everyone, you are an Avenger. You're worthy to protect the world." She pauses and looks back at her hands, but not for long. In an instant, her arms are around my neck in a hug. It's so sudden, I almost fall back on her bed.

"Thanks Clint." She says still holding on. I laugh, my arms wrapped around her just as tight.

"No problem, kiddo." She gives me one last squeeze before letting go and sitting back down on her bed. I'm about to pull her back up, so we can go out with everyone else, but she releases one of the saddest sighs I've ever heard. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's with the depressing sigh? I thought everything was hunky-dory?" I ask looking at her.

Jade's eyes widen in response as she stutters out, "What sigh? Everything is hunky-dory, I'm fi-"

"Don't say that if it's not true." I cut her off. "Come on, what's up?"

She groans looking back down at her hands. "I don't know... I just still have this nagging feeling going on."

"Well what do you normally do when that happens?"

She turns slightly, opening the bed side table drawer and pulling out an old, worn, leather bound journal. "Play music." She says facing me again. "But I doubt I'll be allowed to head back to my apar-"

"Come on." I say holding out my hand to her.

"But Clint-"

"It's okay, come on." I urge her. She slips her hand into mine and I pull her up.

"Where are we going?" She asks as I open her door.

"You'll see." I say as I lead her down the hall. I feel her tense as we get closer to the end and I give her hand a squeeze. As she stand next to me I see her face go cold and she holds her head up, but doesn't let go of my hand. Everyone but Tony is still in the living room or kitchen, but I continue leading Jade to the elevator. She still doesn't let go of my hand the entire elevator down, both of us staying quiet. The elevator doors open and Jade quietly gasps, her eyes darting everywhere in the room. Leave it to Tony Stark to have an entire floor for playing and recording music when he himself barely knows how to play. Jade lets go of my hand and cautiously steps out of the elevator. "I'll leave you to it then." I say pressing the 83rd button.

I walk back out to a quiet room, but Peter is quick to talk.

"Where's Jade?"

"Music level, 76th floor." I say, Tony reappearing from the hallway.

"Why'd you take her down there?" He asks.

"She plays music to feel better." I answer simply. Before anyone can say something else, Peter is already at the elevator. Everyone is quick to join him, me stepping in last. The doors open and Peter pushes himself out, but Jade doesn't seem to notice. She's sitting at a grand piano, her journal open and in front of her. She plays several notes before scribbling something down. She plays again, stops, and adds another correction. We all step out of the elevator, but stay behind, Peter the only one to approach Jade. Before he reaches her, she begins to sing.

"When you can't find your way and all around you walks as deep and grey, the stars fall from about and you're barely holding on my love." She writes more in the journal and Peter takes a seat next to her on the piano bench. "Oh, hey." She says looking up at him.

"Hi." He replies. "What are you working on?"

"Oh, just a song. Clint may not think he's too good with words, but he really inspired me." Jade says, continuing to write.

I can't help but smile. Everyone looks back at me, but I only give them a shrug and look back to Peter and Jade.

"Wanna hear?" Jade asks placing her journal back on the piano.

Peter glances slightly behind him and us, but Jade doesn't notice. "I'd love to." He says. Jade clears her throat before playing.

"When you're on your own and you feel lost, when your heart's a mess though you've given your best.

I'll be here giving it my best shot, baby, your loves got more than I need. Here crying from the rooftops, 'Nothing can stop us if we believe.'

Here giving it my best shot, baby, I find that we can be free.

When you're here, here with me."

Jade nudges Peter slightly with her arm and nods to her journal. Next thing, the kid's singing.

"When you're sky is dark and the earth is shaking your bed," Jade picks up with him, "Your hope is at its end, you just need one friend.

I'll be here giving it my best shot, baby, your love's got all that I need. Here crying from the rooftops, 'Nothing can stop us if we believe.'

Here giving it my best shot, baby, I find that we can be free.

When you're here, here with me." Peter hums slightly after this line, causing Jade to giggle. Then they sing, what Jade must have just written.

"When you can't find your way and all around you walks as deep and grey, the stars fall from above, and you're barely holding on my love."

"Holding on my love." Peter repeats.

"Giving it my best shot, baby, you love's got all that I need. Here crying from the rooftops, 'Nothing can stop us if we believe.'

Here giving it my best shot, baby, I find that we can be free.

When you're here with me." Jade finishes playing and then rests her hands in her lap.

I was practically mesmerized by the two, Thor clapping scares the living shit out of me. And by how much Jade jumped, I'm guessing it scared her too. She turns to look at all of us, standing in front of the elevator. I join in with Thor's clapping though, because, she really does deserve it. Even though I'm several yards away, I can see Jade's blush from here.

Jade turns to look at Peter, who's only smiling, but upon seeing her glare he measly says, "I'm sorry." Jade fights a smile, before shoving him a little.

She spins around the bench to face us, and asks, "Well, how was it?"

"Phenomenal! Jade, you must play it again!" Thor cheers walking forward. I follow behind him along with everyone else.

"So Clint inspired you, for that master piece?" Tasha says smirking.

Jade laughs and says, "Yeah, he can be quite the motivational speaker when he really thinks about it." She glances at me and I return her smile.

"Really swept us off our feet with that one Handsy." Tony says. Jade's smile drops when her eyes meet his. Everyone goes quiet, stepping slightly out of the way of the two, me included. Jade stands and walks up to him, and right as I'm expecting her to punch him in the jaw, she hugs him. Tony appears just as startled, stumbling back a bit.

"I get why you were upset, I'm sorry, I promise to communicate more, just please don't be mad at me anymore." Jade says, still holding onto him.

Tony laughs slightly, wrapping his arms around Jade before saying, "I was never angry with you Jade."

"Sure didn't seem like that." Jade mumbles.

"I was damn upset, but that's only because I hurt you." Tony admits. Jade pulls back and looks him in the eye.

"Tony no, that was my idea, I got in your way. What happened to me is in no way your fault." Jade says sternly.

"But-"

"No, you're right. I was careless and things could have been much worse. I'm sorry."

Tony rolls his eyes, pulling Jade back to him. "Alright, Frenchy. And I'm sorry too. And I do, care about you."

"I know." Jade says. "If you didn't you wouldn't have brought anything up. You care a lot Tony. That's why you were upset and then proceeded to act like you don't care. You didn't want these fuddy-duddy's to know how much you do care." Jade says nonchalantly.

"Whoa, I wouldn't go saying something like th-" Tony says springing back from Jade.

"Tony, it's not a weakness, caring about someone. After all, you goofballs were the ones that taught me that." Jade says looking around us all with a smile.

"Hey, how did you know what happened after you left?" Peter asks, still sitting on the piano bench.

"Yeah, Peter you were shouting. How could I not hear you guys?" Jade asks, looking down at him. He makes an "O" shape with his mouth, Jade turning back to the rest of us. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'd say we had a pretty full day, so I think I'm gonna go hit the hay." Jade grabs her journal, stepping away from everyone and walking to the elevator.

A/N: Hi guys! So I know I said I'd try to get this up like a week ago, but one thing just kept happening after another and this week was deadline week for the school magazine which basically means I have to stay after school until 8 (If I'm lucky) to finish up all my work and help people with theirs. It's very hectic and stressful, and I'm sorry it took up all my time. Before I continue on to the chapter, I'd also like to tell you guys now another update for sure won't be happening for the next couple of weeks. Finals are coming up and that means study, study, study. So yeah, this week and next I'll be swamped with school work. Sorry... 

Anyway, the chapter! Short, I know, but I didn't want to go into what's going to happen next (Oh it's soooo good!) just yet, so I figured I'd include a little one on one with Clint. In Clint's POV!! Hope you guys like it! Quick question, what do you think of Clint and Jade's relationship? 

Another thing, the song. Now I'm sure most of you recognize it, I'd hope so, because I DID NOT write it. As I've said many times before this will happen a couple more times, where Jade "writes" a song. All rights to Best Shot go to Birdie and Jaymes Young. I just thought it went with the story and what Clint had been saying to Jade. Hope that's okay with everyone! Also what I've said, I am working on now a couple songs for Jade to sing, so don't worry there will be some original work for Jade in here. 

Welp, I think that's it... Oh yeah! The video! Yes that's what Jade sings, but can we take a moment and appreciate how adorable it is!! I saw one where it was like the guy was dressed in an old war fatigue and the girl looked like Peggy and OH MY GOD I'm so upset I couldn't find it! But this is still wonderful!

Again, hope everyone enjoys the chapter! I'll be back in a few weeks with another one, for now, I'll talk to you guys in the comments! Love you all!

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