Invisible Glue

Avengers Tony and Clint IronHawk friendship

Hammer tries to take Tony's Arc Reactor and Clint looses it. This whole one shot is full of cliché's just as a heads up. Could be seen as a prequel to Protective Tendencies or as a stand-alone. Enjoy my fellow Bromance lovers! This is made out to Wolf Mirage because she suggest I do this.

Looking back Tony should have listened to Pepper. She always had a sixth sense about these things, she did tell him that there was no way Hammer just wanted a business meeting. Tony Stark being well Tony Stark brushed it off and went on his merry way to the meeting with Justin Hammer. Pepper being smarter than the average CEO tracked down the one avenger who could trail Tony and not tip him off. Clint Barton, otherwise known as Hawkeye. She begged him coupling it with bribing, in the end Clint ended up suiting up with his arrows and everything before trailing Stark. So Clint settled down on the rooftop of the building across the street to watch what he thought was going to be a run of the mill business meeting.

That didn't seem to be the case this time because the moment Tony stepped into the board room his iron man suitcase was torn from his unsuspecting grip as a metal club whacked the genius upside the head. Tony went down like a rock, no one bothered to catch him in fact they had the gall to drag him out by his ankles. Clint watched this all in stunned silence, now normally the hawk would be bursting in the window thanks to the grappling hook attachment on one of his custom arrows (that Stark had perfected for him) but the sight of Tony's limp body made him freeze up.

When he regained his senses, anger coursed through his veins as he drew said arrow attachment. He notched it back and let it fly, digging into the side of the building a few stories above the window he wanted to go in. He took a running leap and swung himself skillfully into the boardroom window. He tumbled to his feet in the shattered glass that crunched under his combat boots. He strode towards the doors they had taken Tony with purpose. The purpose was to get his friend and teammate back. Nothing and he meant nothing was going to stop that mission. No one was in the hall but he saw a light above a door go red from green and he knew that was where they took Tony.

Why Clint felt so protective of Tony was a mystery to even himself. They hadn't really had anything to do with each other during the whole Loki fiasco. Maybe their friendship started when Tony gave him his nickname 'Legolas' or maybe it was because he finally found someone else to exchange witty banter with during battle. Natasha had never really been the one to bicker during a battle; only himself and Tony Stark could fight and keep up a conversation. Whatever the case Clint was fond of Tony and was going to get him back.

Clint snuck up to the door after making sure there were no cameras, which was a negative surprisingly. Wow, Hammer was either really stupid of too over confident, from the way Natasha, Tony and Pepper talked about Hammer Clint guessed it was both, but more so the 1st one. Selecting a new arrow tip Hawkeye stabbed it into the lock and let it unlock the electronic panel. He glanced up quickly as the light above the gray metal door went from red to green with a quiet ping.

It opened an inch, Clint silently pushed it open more before sliding into the darken room, the only light source was a single bare bulb swinging on a chain above a metal operating table. Clint's stomach dropped, strapped to it by Velcro around his wrists and ankles was Tony. His eyes were still closed, head limp to one side with dried blood on the injured side of his head. Clint wanted to do nothing else but unstrap his friend but his sixth sense (that had saved his life numerous times) told him to get into a high spot and get ready for a fight.

Biting his lower lip he silently scaled a metal ladder he spotted and touched down onto the metal catwalk that stretched across the whole length of the room. He knelt down above the table Tony was strapped to and notched an arrow silently ready and deadly ready for the men who did this to Tony. He didn't have to wait long as the doors whooshed open and in sauntered Justin Hammer flanked by 2 bulked up lackeys.

"Wake him up, I want him to be awake for this." Hammer grinned and a shiver ran it's way down Barton's spine and his hold on the arrow and bow tightened.

It didn't help that one of the lackeys strode over to Tony and started punching him in the face. Tony yelled startled and in pain as his eyes flew open while his nose broke. Clint almost let his arrow go at the loud crack, but he knew if he gave his position away too soon Tony would be harmed in the chaos.

"Rise and shine Anthony." Hammer sang and Tony visibly flinched back at the use of his full name.

"What do you want now Hammer? You're little scheme with Vanko to kill me didn't work before, what makes you think this time anything will be different?" Tony spat back in his usual tone that Clint knew ticked Fury off, that's yet another reason why Clint liked Tony.

"This time I'm not going to let others do my dirty work, this time I'm going to kill you with my own hand." Hammer informed Tony gleefully as he leaned closer to Tony's face.

"Dude, morning breath. Ever heard of a breath mint? No wonder you never get laid." Tony shot back pretending to choke and Clint had to smother a laugh, this guy had balls for sure.

"Give me the device." Hammer snapped as he stood back up straight. He held his hand out expectantly and the 2nd lackey placed a metal claw into it. Fear flashed in Tony's eyes and Clint was itching to let an arrow fly right then and there for just causing that look in Tony, which he had never seen before. Not even when he was battling aliens from another dimension so for Tony to be scared this meant something REALLY bad was going to happen.

"Ah you know what this is for don't you Ton? Stane used the same thing on you the 1st time he took out your arc reactor. I hoped you like the feeling of shrapnel heading to your heart because you are about to get reacquainted with that feeling real soon." Hammer grinned sadistically as he leaned over and clamped the claws around the arc reactor in Tony's chest, as much as Clint was wondering what Hammer was going on about his stomach dropped as he realized too late what Hammer was about to do.

With a horrifying click the thing keeping Tony alive was lifted out of his chest, the gasping breath's from Tony's now paling lips was when Clint lost it. He let go of his arrow and it implanted itself into Hammer's right shoulder, he quickly re-loaded and took down the 2 confused lackeys who were looking around wildly before he dropped down from the catwalk. A deadly look on his face as he stalked up to the fallen and injured Hammer.

"Who… Who are you?" Hammer looked up through his cracked glasses.

"An Avenger and a friend of Tony's. This is for trying to kill him." Clint snarled and with a well-aimed punch to the face, not only was Hammer's nose broken as well but also he was out cold.

"C-Clint?" Tony rasped out, snapping the archer back into the situation at hand. Pulling the reactor free of the metal claws Clint stood by his friend.

"Tony! I'm here! Tell me how to put it back in!" Panic settled into his voice as he took in Tony's worsening condition.

"C-connect... Base magnet..." that was all Tony could stutter out. That was all that Clint needed, the short haired archer plucked up his courage and holding the end piece of the reactor he reached down into Tony's chest and twisted it until he heard a lifesaving click and Tony let out a loud gasp like he was suddenly jolted back to life.

Clint turned the glowing blue metal until it was in its rightful place; in Tony's chest keeping him alive. Clint opened the Velcro cuffs before sliding down a wall, wiping the plasma discharge off his hands onto his pant leg.

"God Tony, you are NEVER allowed to go to another business meeting again." Clint let out a puff of air.

"That sounds like a plan... Thanks for you know saving me and all Legolas." Tony slid down against Clint against the wall.

"Try not to make a habit of it Tin man. It was not a pleasant experience to have to reach into your chest." Clint informed the genius billionaire.

"So I've been told." Tony snorted. The two locked gazes before they both broke into smiles. A bond was forged right then and there.

"So are we going to wait here until Hammer wakes up or can we leave?" Tony spoke up.

"Leaving sounds good to me." Clint agreed as the 2 men stood up.

"So what happened here let's just never mention it again..." Tony suggested.

"No way Ton, blackmail!" Clint cackled as they walked to Tony's Audi.

"Counter offer. I'll tell you what Hammer and I were talking about back there if we forget what happened back there. I know you guys don't have my whole file." Tony shot back smugly and Clint frowned knowing Tony had him because he was curious about what Hammer said back there.

"Deal."

"Great, now to call Pepper." Tony grumbled as he pulled out his Stark phone and speed dialed Pepper.

"Hi Pep, yeah it went fine. Hammer didn't even show, but I think I should stop going to business meetings, there are bad for my heart." Tony stated lying perfectly. Clint smirked as he listened to his friend and teammate try to worm his way out of that situation with his girlfriend.

Yeah Clint was protective of Tony and now he knew why. Tony was the invisible glue that held him and the other Avengers together, even if they didn't know it. Nothing was going to try to take that glue away again or else Clint would make them regret the day they were born.

"I'm know I'm hot as hell and all but we should leave soon." Tony honked the Audi's horn startling Clint out of his thinking position.

"Ha, you wish you were as hot as me." Clint snorted as he slid into the passenger seat and Tony revved away from the business building towards the Avenger Tower as Stark had so acutely named it after the battle with Loki since all that was left of his name was an A.