While Toni and Pepper were out shopping, Clint had been having a serious conversation with Natasha about relationships and how to move on to a better one. When he came back, an episode of Supernatural was concluding.

"When should Toni and Pepper be back?"

At that exact moment, Pepper walked into the living room looking like as if she had just dragged a drunk and self-loathing Tony to bed. But Tony was sitting on the couch trying not to cry at Dean's own self-loathing.

"There you are," Pepper said angrily. "Come with me. We need to talk."

"What's wrong?" Clint asked.

"Just come."

Clint followed her to the kitchen and out on the deck. She looked back at him, obviously pissed.

"Pep, what's going on? Where's Toni?"

"Where's Toni?!" she repeated angrily. "Where's Toni? She cried herself to an oblivion because of you!"

Clint couldn't process what Pepper was saying. "What?"

"She's sleeping off her sadness, Clint!" she shouted. "I held her while she cried her eyes out because of you!"

"What did I even do?!"

"She's in love with you and your parading around with Natasha doing who knows what behind her back!"

Clint's jaw dropped and his heart sank. "What?"

"You heard me." she snapped.

"She's...in love...with me?" Clint said quietly and slowly.

"Why do you sound so surprised? She's been ogling you since she met you."

Clint was shocked, completely and utterly. He started to chuckle and soon, started to full out laugh.

"What the fuck is so funny?!" Pepper shouted.

"She loves me!" he responded, clearly elated. "I thought I was the only one with hopes for a relationship!"

"Wait, you have feelings for Antoinette?" Pepper asked. "What about your relationship with Nat?"

"Natasha and I fell apart awhile ago. I talked to her earlier to see if she would be upset if I started seeing Toni and how I would go about doing so."

Pepper was excited, but she couldn't let it show, while Clint was amazed and felt no need to hide it.

"So this is all a huge misunderstanding?"

Clint laughed, sounding incredibly giddy. "I guess so!" he said with a smile on his face. "I think I should tell her how I feel." He paused only for breath. "Actually, I think I'll tell her now!"

"No, Clint, wait!" Pepper exclaimed as she reached for his arm. "She's still incredibly upset. She cried herself to sleep, remember?" Clint looked heartbroken and on the verge of tears, so she changed her tone. "I think it would be best for you to wait until she wakes up on her own. I know you like to hide up in the rafters. Maybe you could wait for her."

"Wait for her? Nat didn't say anything about waiting for her. She said specifically to tell her as soon as possible."

"Clint, I know it's hard, but you're going to have to trust me on this one. It'll be for the best, I promise."

Clint nodded and sighed. "Who knew this would be so difficult."

----

It was almost four in the morning when Clint woke up to sounds in the lab. Upon further investigation, he realized that Toni and Tony were spending quality father-daughter time together.

"Hand me that wrench? The one next to the welder."

"Are you sure? I don't think it's the proper tool for the job."

Tony laughed. "It actually is. See?" Toni leaned in and looked at the suit's interior. "The wrench is the perfect one for the bolt."

"Yeah, but this one will work a lot better. At least, for you it will. It requires a lot less effort on your part."

Clint tried not to laugh at Tony's expression. He looked like he had died and gone to heaven.

Clint maneuvered out of the air vents and found himself at the top of the staircase leading down to the lab. He thought for a moment before actually going downstairs. He tapped on the glass door and was welcomed in by both.

"Hey there, Legolas," Tony said as he let the door swing shut behind him. "Can't sleep?"

"Actually, you woke me up," Clint said in all seriousness. He looked over at Toni, who blushed slightly and looked away. "What are you guys even working on?"

Tony gestured to the unfinished skeleton of a new Iron Man suit. "It's the design that my fantastic daughter came up with. We're working on the internal structure right now."

Clint looked over at Toni who hadn't said a word since he entered the room. "You okay?" he asked.

Toni simply nodded and picked up a pair of welding goggles. Tony looked at Clint, as of pleading for him to either leave or fix her as if she was something that could be fixed.

"Do you want to go for a walk? It's beautiful out this time of night."

"I'd love to, Clint," Tony mocked. "But you're not really my type."

Toni looked at Clint. "Sure. I could use a little fresh air."

"Don't stay out too late," Tony warned. "We have to get your body on a tight sleep schedule."

Toni smiled and followed Clint out the door and outside.

Soon enough, the two of then were sitting out on a patio, looking at the stars.

"Toni," Clint started. "Are you okay?"

Toni gazed over at him. "I thought you and Natasha were a thing," she said. "Why are you so concerned about me all of a sudden?"

Clint moved closer to her. "Nat and I used to have 'a thing,' but both of us have moved on. I think she has a thing for either Pep or Loki, but that's beside the point."

"Then what is the point?"

He sighed. "Why did you come to find your dad?"

Toni laughed a hard, humorless laugh. "Thats the thing that's burning in your soul? That's what you really want to know of all things."

"It'll help me better understand you and what I can do to help."

Toni looked utterly shocked. "You care about me?" When Clint only nodded, Toni felt her heart flutter. "Nobody's ever really cared about me before. It's...nice." Toni paused to contemplate if this was a ploy, but decided to carry on anyway. "I came because I truly hoped to find refuge. My mom was a deadbeat who only cared for herself and only fed her obsession with my dad. I felt alone for the longest time. I knew nothing about my dad until my 13th birthday when my mom was drunk enough to tell me that my dad was the famous Tony Stark. I would've left then to try and find him, but we found Pamplemousse not long after on some street corner, homeless. I couldn't just leave her there to die, so Cj, Brooke, and myself took her in and raised her properly. Eventually, I just got sick of living with my mother, so I packed a bag and left."

"I'm sorry," Clint said solemnly as he reached a hand towards her. He lightly stroked her cheek and put a few stray hairs behind her ear. "I really am."

Toni leaned into his hand, loving every second of his skin against hers. "I know," she said quietly.

Clint leaned closer to her so their noses were almost touching. Toni could feel his breath on her face and absorbed the smell; minty, with traces of cream, indicating mint ice cream, her favorite. She leaned closer, closing her eyes as she did so. Clint moved closer with every intention of placing his lips on hers.

"Clint! Thank god!"

Toni and Clint separated faster then they had come together. Clint cleared his throat and looked at Nat. "What is it, Natasha?"

"I need your opinion on something really important."

"Okay, shoot."

"You need to come with me."

Clint looked at Toni. "Later, then?"

Toni nodded. "Later," she replied. "I should probably get some sleep."

"Okay," he said. "Have a good night's sleep." He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Sweet dreams," he whispered in her ear.

She blushed as he got up to follow Natasha. "You too," she mumbled happily.