I've been reading a lot of your stories recently. I had briefly wondered, after so many stories, what more would I have to say in a review. Obviously, I was very very wrong.
This story exceed all my expectations. I expected that I will be moved by the terrible ordeal they went through. But in fact, I was so absorbed into the story that I felt all the emotions they feel. I cried, mourned, tried to keep down the overflowing emotions, and, in the last few chapters, felt numb and slightly detached just because it was impossible to take in anything more. I expected an interesting recounting of the movie. But the VPU you created added so much depth to the story and grounded the sometimes flashy and fantastical superhero story into some sort of human reality. The loss in this story hit me hard. This isn't superhero's playground. There are sacrifice, irrevocable loss, and devastation, which sometimes makes me wish that you would have written the plot otherwise. But in the end, I think the story needs that weight, because it is the only way that does justice to the characters and the story.
As a Tolkien fan, I am perhaps bias, but I really really like the quote at the beginning of this last chapter. That is actually my favorite line in the entire LotR. That quote is the reason that I feel connected to the stories of heroes and of war - I understand the fierce love for what we must defend, and, to some extent, the cost to defend it. We can debate whether there is glory in being a SHIELD assassin or a warrior, but the people they fight to save, the home they fight to preserve, and the devotion and love they fight for should never be called into question.
I'm obviously still very hyped after just finishing the story, so sorry for the perhaps-too-excited tone. ;) Thank you for this amazing story! And if you have time and interests, please write more about the VPU!

Beautiful

Hi! I don’t know whether you’ll see this but ideally hope you do! I can’t remember whether I’ve reviewed this story of yours before but I just really want to let you know that you are the best fan fiction writer. Thank you so much for putting so much colour and details into this story. In all sincerity you should have written the original Avengers, and your story has made it even better. Continue writing and I’ll stand by you all the way!

I absolutely love your stories! I've read a few over the years, mostly ones that involve the avengers instead of just Clint. But when my friend recommended me to read all of your stories a few weeks ago, I LOVED them. Recently, Clint has become my favorite character and that's probably some of your doing.
Anyways I'm so excited for your upcoming story 'Not so Ancient History' and was just wondering how far you've written it. I don't mean to be rude or anything, but it usually doesn't take you this wrong to update and the story sounds so intresting that I just can't wait.
Sorry if I came off sounding a bit impatient.
I LOVE your stories by the way. Probably one of the only fanfics that have made me cry. I would love it if you could write more funny one-shots about Clint being a sarcastic lil' b**ch.

That was so sad :(:( I really enjoyed reading it though, it told the story from a more interesting angle, I can't wait to read the next one!

Ah. And here we are. I read through this one a bit slower than the rest just because I feel like every single story I've read of yours so far has been building up this wonderful connection between Clint and Phil, and I knew this was where that was going to be completely obliterated. In a way it was hard to read just because I was so sad to know that the relationship between Phil and Clint was coming to end. Ugh! But you wrote it so well! I really applaud what you did here, because you were clearly a bit restrained by the movie. But I think you did really well with it, considering what you had to work with. Some of the parts read a bit thin, but those were all parts where the movie had to be rehashed in order to make this feel complete. The parts that were all your own doing came across as the best, for obvious reasons. I love the idea that Clint was able to break free from mind control briefly, only to be forceably be brought back under control. And TODD? REALLY? You're going to take Todd away from him too? *sobs* I did not see that coming! But I think you worked this out well where Clint doesn't find out about Phil until after Loki is gone, I think that makes sense given that he still had to be functional and not broken by grief for Loki's send off.

What I was most pleasantly surprised by in this was the dynamics between the team, I think you wrote those really well! So even though I'm devastated to not have any more Clint and Phil going forward (though I'm thankful that looking at your outline of your universe you've got some more stories that take place before this in the works!) I am also actually excited to read stories that will develop the friendship between Clint and the rest of the Avengers!

Stop using my God's name in vain!

Way to much language! And you should NEVER take God's name in vain!

This chapter always gives me chills! So well written! And I love the way you combine the movie lines with the story, it makes it all so seamless. As a big Hawkeye fan myself, I can't tell you how much I love reading your fics, and especially this one, cause it makes Clint's role in the movie seem so much more important. Thanks so much for all the great stories!

So um yeah I'm legit crying. I put off reading this one for a while because I knew it'd be a struggle with Phil's death and everything, but holy cow I'm emotionally drained. I knew it had to happen for Clint to move on as an Avenger, but I'm devastated by how his SHIELD family was torn apart.

I found this to be a very thoughtful fic, particularly insightful as to how the events in Avengers affected Clint and Natasha. I think what I found different was how you developed the relationship between Phil and Clint, and how you explored what was going on in Clint's head and how it was affected by Phil's death.

The first time I saw the movie, I cried out when Loki stabbed Phil. And every time I read this chapter when I reread your stories, I cry. If it were only Phil's death, but then it's Todd's too, which was entirely unexpected. And you do everyone's reactions so beautifully. Natasha's reaction is spectacularly well done. Grief for Phil and then grief for Clint in practically the next breath. And it's all the more heartbreaking for her because of those moments she and Phil share throughout the series and especially this story. You are an amazing writer.

Crying.

This is only the second fanfic I've ever cried while reading. My husband thinks i

I can't believe you killed off Todd! This is even worse than Boomer! I was expecting Phil, but got a sucker punch with Todd. :(