Bonus Chapter: Nat's Goodbye

Natasha got to Clint's place and immediately felt so much emotion she choked. How was she going to do this? How could she say goodbye to a friend so precious as Clint? It seemed impossible. Yet, she couldn't leave him with the memory of her falling to her death as the only goodbye. She had to give him something better. She had been given this chance, and she wasn't going to waste it.

"Dad!" Nathaniel called from the yard. Nat held her breath as Clint came into view.

"Yea, buddy?"

"I threw my frisbee into the tree again."

"Really, Nate?" Clint sighed, exasperated.

"Sorry."

"It's all right. Just no more when I get it down, okay? I prefer to stay on the ground," Clint said, ruffling his son's hair. Nat smiled, watching the interaction. He looked as though he was in pain, which she knew he was. It was emotional pain from losing her and Tony, she just knew it. It was probably also pain from knowing who he became after losing his family, but she hoped he realized that people can be forgiven, and people can change.

"Here we go," Clint said, pulling himself up into the branches. He reached the frisbee and tossed it down, making Nate whoop with joy. Clint came out of the tree, losing his grip near the end and crash landing hard onto the ground.

"Dad?!" Nate called, rushing over.

"I'm all right," Clint wheezed. "Just a little winded." He sat up, rubbing his back.

"Play with me?" Nate asked hopefully.

"Maybe later, kiddo. I gotta do some work," Clint said.

"Okay," Nate agreed reluctantly. He ran off, and Clint got to his feet. Nat followed him into the house where she found Lila and Laura starting on dinner and Cooper in the living room playing a video game.

"You okay?" Laura asked Clint, seeing him limp a little.

"Oh, yea. I'm fine," he dismissed. "I'm just gonna be in my office for a bit."

Office? Since when did Clint have an office? Nat wondered.

"I'll call you for supper," Laura promised. Clint kissed the side of her head and gave Lila a pinch as he passed her, making her yelp and swat back at him. Laughing, Clint went into the back room of the house and shut the door. Nat watched him sink into the chair and put his head into his hands.

"I can't do it, Nat," he said suddenly, making her jump. Could he see her?

"Clint?" she asked.

"I can't do it. Why didn't you let me jump? I have so much guilt, and I can't bear it," he went on.

"Can you hear me?" she asked. He didn't respond. He looked out the window instead, chin on his palm. Determined, she moved over to the desk. She saw a pad of paper, and she looked for a pen.

"I'd give anything to have you here with us again," Clint said, and Nat knocked over the pens, making him jump back.

"Whoa!" he cried. He looked a little scared as he looked around the room. Nat mustered all her emotions, and she picked up the pen and wrote.

I'm here.

"Hey, hey," Clint said, seeing the pen move with no one holding it. "What's going on?"

It's me. Nat.

"Nat?" he asked, looking at her but not seeing her. "Okay, you're freaking me out whoever this is."

It's Nat, she wrote. Last words I said to you were "It's okay."

Clint sat there frozen. He could barely comprehend what was happening. He blinked.

"Nat?" he asked weakly.

Yes.

"Holy shit," he breathed. "How are you doing that?"

Long story.

"Okay. How are you even here?"

Even longer story.

"But you're dead?"

Yes.

"Oh I get it. The movie Ghost. You're using your emotions to move that pen, aren't you?" Clint asked, suddenly realizing.

We got a live one, folks.

"Right," Clint chuckled. Nat felt good to see him smile.

I'm okay, Clint. Really.

"Are you?"

Yea. I don't have any regrets. I'm at peace knowing my family is safe.

"Except for Tony," Clint sighed.

I saw him. He's all right. He is hanging out with his daughter.

"He is?"

Yea. I don't know if he will pass on.

"So how do you pass on?"

You do your unfinished business. Mine is you.

"What about me?"

Making sure you're okay.

Clint looked sad at this point. He inhaled and exhaled a few times.

"I'm not really okay."

I know.

"I don't know if I can be okay ever again."

You will. I have faith in you.

"You're really okay?"

Yes, Clint. I'm really okay.

"Well, then if you're okay, then I have to be okay," he chuckled. "Cos you're one of the strongest people I know, so if you can do it, then so can I."

That's the spirit :)

"God, I miss you."

I miss you too. You'll be okay, Clint. I know it.

"Thank you for saying that," he smiled. "I wish I could see you."

I look pretty much the same as the last time you saw me.

"I don't want to say goodbye," Clint said.

Me either, but it's okay. It's not goodbye forever, just goodbye for now.

"I like that," Clint smiled. "Okay. It's goodbye for now."

Take care, Clint.

"Wait, are you leaving?" he asked. "Nat?"

There was no response. He watched the pen carefully, but it didn't move.

"Nat?"

"Honey, are you okay?" Laura asked, poking her head in the door. Clint looked up at her. Oddly enough, he didn't feel like crying. He felt at peace.

"I'm okay," he answered. It was the truth. He felt a little okay, more okay than he did earlier. She smiled and left, and he looked down at the paper again, seeing Nat's handwriting. He pulled the sheets off and tucked them into a safe spot in the drawer. He felt honored that she came to say goodbye, to tell him she was okay. Despite everything, it made him feel just a little bit better. And besides, he would indeed see her again one day.