Avengers Preferences

Barton ~ Support

Name: Erin Perry

Powers: Shield agent

Relationship: Agent Barton's partner

Time: before infinity war, after avengers

--

Shuffling echoed through the room. I attempted to shutter my eyes awake, nothing would work. I thought hard about moving my arms and legs, even wiggling my toes at the end of the soft mattress. Nothing would work. Why could I hear everything but feel trapped in an empty body?

"Can you relay what occurred during the mission?" A voice spoke. It ranged from loud to quiet through my eardrums as my brain struggled to adjust.

"I- I don't know. Everything was going according to plan until the opposition snuck up on us. She  got knocked out by one of their guys, hit in the head pretty hard. She was unresponsive so I scooped her up and brought her here as soon as I can." I could tell it was Clint. Was that what happened?

I heard the sound of papers crumpling as someone sighed. "She suffered some sort of brain damage from the blow, we aren't quite sure yet. She's in a coma indefinitely. We will keep her on life support. You did the right thing bringing her here as soon as possible, we will do everything we can."

Silence filled the room to the brim as an object squeaked near me, probably a chair.

"I'm so sorry, Erin. I'm so sorry," Clint muttered.

He made contact with my hand and grasped me desperately. "I don't know how long you'll be like this... I don't know if you can hear me."

All I wanted to do was nod and reassure him that I'm okay and I could hear him, but nothing would work.

"I wish you weren't so damn self-sacrificing. Why are you so selfless? Why do you think my life means more than yours, even with all that I've done?"

He was cracking under his own words. My thoughts raced faster each moment, if only I could see his face.

"Maybe that's why I'm in love with you."

He remained silence for a bit of time. My mind screamed as I wished I could say anything to him.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Part of me wishes you heard that while I know, in . I wish you would just wake up, Erin. You better not be messing with me. I'm... I'm in love with you, Erin."

"Agent Barton," I heard a familiar voice call. Must be Fury, I thought. "We need you in the conference room immediately."

My hand was let go and I was back to nothing but a soul. "I'll visit every day, Erin. I'm sorry."

--

Days went by utterly slow, and passing the time became routine- as if I knew how much time has passed. I created an entire world in my head. A world where Clint and I could be together, where I could see his face. We made a family. Everything was just as it should be.

"We need you're opinion on an important matter," I heard Fury's voice enter the room. "Agent Perri's indefinite coma... we can't do much about it other than wait. As you know... family for her is unknown to us. She refused to disclose any information, claiming there wasn't any. She doesn't have anyone to make a decision for her. Therefore, based on your agent partnership, we believe you should make the decision on her behalf."

My family? It doesn't exist? Not with Clint? Did my mind overstep the boundary between reality and imagination? What was real anymore?

"Fury," Clint responded. "It's been a year now... Am I really qualified to make a decision?"

"More than any other person in the organization."

Silence bounced off the walls and ricocheted to my ears. "What is the decision I'm making."

"Upon your disclosure, we will either be taking her off of life support or keeping her on for another year."

"You want me to decide whether to kill my best friend?"

"It's not killing," he stepped across the room and his shoes clicked to the clinic floor. "There's nothing we can do for her as of now. We don't even know how conscious she is."

It was once again silent, as if Clint wasn't sure what the right decision was.

"I will give you some time alone with Agent Perri. Please meet me outside when you have your decision."

The door shut and heavy breathing suddenly filled my ears. "I didn't think it would come to this, Erin. A year later and you still can't wake up... I just wish you could tell me if you love me... I've never felt so strongly about a person."

My hand was grasped again as it was on the first day. "I don't want to watch you suffer anymore here. Hope was a childish thing to hold on to."

He was giving up?  With all my will power, I managed to wiggle my toes slightly. My body felt as if it were being lifted to the sky. My eye lids fluttered as I continuously wiggled my toes under the sheet. 

"You were one helluva partner. Fearless, selfless, I couldn't have asked for a better one. I'm sorry it had to end like this. It should've been the other way around" 

Should I just open my eyes? Do I wait? What is he going to do?

"I love you, Erin Perri." His lips made contact with my lips as they lightly placed force onto them. As he slowly lifted up, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. His eyes opened wide as his mouth gaped open. "Erin?"

"I love you too, Clint Barton." I reached up and grazed his cheek.

He stuttered over his tears as he tried to comprehend the situation. "You could hear that?"

"I could hear everything. And I love you, Clint Barton. I love you."

"I love you, too. Welcome back."