A/N: SO… This fic's been in the birth-process for days. So long mainly because of my insecurities. (smirks sheepishly) But here it is, and we'll see how it turned out!

DISCLAIMER: PLEEEEEASE! Seeing my bank account is believing. Me… owns… NOTHING! (POUTS)

WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH, sadness, a bit of oddness… Buuuut, that's it. Yeah… Such a light list…

Awkay, before I chicken out… Let's go! I really hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

Tissues…?

On a Starry Night

The hospital room was cold and the sounds of the machines scared Lila. She trembled in her uncomfortable bed, feeling half smaller than she actually was. It didn't help at all that such pain she couldn't describe with words gnawed at her constantly, mercilessly. She wanted to cover herself entirely with a blanket but firmly denied herself that comfort.

She was no baby.

The room's door opened nearly soundlessly. She recognized the steps, and instantly a tiny hint of her discomfort faded away. She wished that she would've had the energy – or courage, because she feared the possibly ensuing pain – to turn her head. "Daddy?" she whispered.

The steps paused, but only for two seconds. "Now what are you still doing up? Didn't Dr. Howell tell you to get some rest?"

Lila wrinkled her nose. "I sleep too much", she argued. "Makes me feel all groggy."

Her daddy kissed the top of her head before taking a seat beside her bed. "You're feeling that way because you're sick, silly." He ran his fingers softly through her hair. They both ignored the fact there weren't many strands left anymore, instead she leaned closer and he deepened the motions. He looked at her with a frown of worry, and appeared decades older all of a sudden. "A headache?"

Lila closed her eyes. She didn't really feel like talking. "Hmm."

The scalp massage stopped, and for a moment she panicked until she felt the bed dip ever so slight. She made room gladly when he lay down beside her, slowly and carefully, and she snuggled as close to him as humanly possible. She was terrified before, when she was alone and in agony, but it all seemed to fade away as she clung to him.

He'd never been afraid of anything and it seemed to be contagious.

(It was a fortune that she didn't notice how he was trembling, how he was holding back tears, how much pain he was in.)

They lay like that for a long time, deep in thought, until her daddy whispered. "Can't sleep?" He went on at her barely traceable nod. "I have something that may help."

"A bedtime story?" she murmured hopefully. She wasn't ready to go to sleep just yet. "Or a mission story?"

Her daddy chuckled. "And that's supposed to help you sleep? No, something different this time." He kissed the top of her head, then began to look for something from under his coat. "Close your eyes."

She did, curious. She'd never been very good at waiting but she used up all her patience and held on. Until eventually her daddy whispered softly. "Okay, you can look, now."

Lila opened her eyes immediately. The first thing she noticed was the flashlight her daddy held, and the paper that'd been fastened on it. Curious, she turned his head with effort to see the ceiling, and gasped.

What looked exactly like stars and planets were there. Incredibly beautiful, even though she knew that they were caused by tricks of the light. When her daddy moved the flashlight a little the patterns shifted as well, as though dancing. And it felt like the whole universe was right there in the room with them.

"Beautiful, huh?"

Lila nodded eagerly. "Yeah." Her eyelids were drooping, and all of a sudden she felt incredibly exhausted. She leaned her head against his shoulder, so that she could still see the patterns. "Love you, daddy."

There was a several seconds long pause. In the end he pulled her closer. "Love you too, sweetie."

Lila closed her eyes, glad that she'd been able to memorize the mesmerizing sight she just witnessed. She relaxed, feeling like she'd been floating. "'doesn't hurt anymore", she muttered.

"Good." Her daddy stroked her hair, the gesture making her relax even further. "Then go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"'mommy come?"

"Yeah, of course. She'll be here when you wake up." His voice sounded strange, far off. "Now sleep, and you'll feel better."

Lila believed him. Her daddy had never lied to her before. So she went utterly limp in his arms and floated away. Out of the reach of all pain and fear.

As she went she could've sworn that she heard her daddy singing to her.

Once Lila's breaths slowly slowed down, then faded away along with her heartbeat, the hospital room seemed to become a little darker. In the light of only the flashlight the man still lay on the bed used one hand to wipe his eyes, while the other kept holding on to Lila. But it was Nathaniel Barton, not Clint Barton. And the person lay in his arms was a woman of seventy-one years, not a child.

Nate had been told, time and time again, how much he looked like his father. It never really struck him until Lila's Alzheimer's disease worsened and she began to call him 'Daddy'. At first he corrected her but stopped when all it seemed to bring her was distress. Then, a few long years later, they found out that she was dying, and he decided that it didn't matter who she thought he was if it brought her even a little comfort.

And now…

Now, he was the last one left of his birth family. Now Lila was gone. Really, truly gone, after having been slipping away for years. He was supposed to go and inform the medical personnel. And somehow, impossibly, he was supposed to find the strength to send her daughter a message that she and her kids shouldn't show up with a birthday cake the following day, after all.

But not yet.

Nate wasn't aware of the tears running down his cheeks, or of the fact that he was humming his dad's favorite lullaby. Unwilling to look at his lifeless sister any longer his lifted his gaze, directed it towards the window.

Out there, on a clear night sky, stars shone almost unnaturally brightly. His gaze locked on a collection of four stars. Three of them were shining far brighter than the fourth, which seemed almost brand-new. The sight made his eyes blur and he wiped them with an unsteady hand.

"Mom… Dad… Coop…" Nate swallowed hard, the words getting tangled on his tongue. "You… You'll look after her, won't you? Now that I can't anymore?"

Nate could've sworn that he felt a kiss on his cheek, but it was probably a trick of imagination.

In the end it got too much for him. He drifted into a light, restless sleep. And in his dreams Lila was reunited with their parents and brother. They all laughed and cried as she hugged them and they told her that they'd missed her. Eventually they noticed him. They all waved at him as a blindingly bright light began to swallow them. It wasn't a goodbye, Nate knew as they disappeared, leaving him behind and alone but far from lonely.

Trough tears a tiny smile appeared to a still sleeping Nate's lips.

End

A/N: Oh dear…! (sniffles) Perhaps one day, the whole Barton family will be together. But not just yet.

Soooo… That was a bit of an odd ball. But was it any good, at all? PLEASE, do let me know! I'm unsure as to how this turned out so it'd mean A LOT to hear from you.

In any case, thank you so much for reading! Who knows, maybe I'll see you later.

Take care!