Chapter Text
Hunter bent on Lizzie's bed. She slightly moved when he kissed her forehead. She was so innocent, she was sheltered from the world. She didn't know yet that most of people was corrupted, selfish and unable to see the remaining beauty in this planet. Lizzie didn't realize yet her own father was probably one of those men. Until today, Hunter had lost fate in humanity. He didn't think we could build something that would worth fighting for. She worth it. He would fight for her. And even if he promised himself he would never kill again, if someone dare to touch only a strand of her hair, he would cut its throat. Lance didn't think it was possible to love someone like this so fast. As soon as he saw Lily, his heart filled with love for her.
Hunter turned his head, still squatting, and searched for Bobbi's eyes. She was standing against the doorstep. She looked at him. It was usually hard to read her, but he could see through her eyes she was filled with emotions. Bobbi headed to the bed, she knelt next too Lance. Lance took his daughter's hand in his. His free hand grabbed Bobbi's one. She set her head down his shoulder.
“She is...” He began, incapable to finish his sentence. “I know. She's beautiful.” She said. Hunter lightly shook his head. “No, she's more than beautiful. I can't find a word to define how beautiful she is actually.”. Bobbi chuckled “I didn't know you could be so deep”. Hunter smiled “Me neither”.
Bobbi stood up, and waved him to leave the bedroom. Hunter released Lizzie's hand, he kissed her forehead one more time before he met Bobbi in the living room. Nothing had change. The furniture were the same, at the exact same place. There were just some toys spread on the floor, and a highchair. Lance sat on the coach in front of Bobbi. She seemed tense, she was playing with her hands, her eyes avoiding to meet his. They stayed that way for a moment, both wondering what they could say.
“Bob, I...”. He stopped when she raised a hand. “Please don't say anything, I'm not ready for this.”. Hunter nodded. They remained silent, you could feel the tension. Bobbi finally broke the heavy silence. “Why now ? I mean, I've been sending letters since we broke up. Why did you decide to read them now ?”. She stared at him, spied on each of his moves. Lance knew what she was doing, she was trying to read him. He felt offended. It wasn't a fucking questioning, she wasn't in front of a target.
Hunter frowned at her. “I'm not your bloody mission Bobbi. I'll be honest with you, don't worry, but don't give me that look.” She looked down, then started to ponder her nails on her knee. Lance took a deep breath “I've always wondered what was in those letters. From the first to the last.” He chuckled and took a glimpse at Bobbi. “Believe me or not, if I had knew... I wouldn't have waited that long.”.
She looked up to him, she was impassive. “Bobbi, I speak the truth. I wouldn't have drive for eleven hours straight if I didn't want to meet her. By the way, how did you find my new address ?”. Bobbi didn't let any emotions show through her gaze. “I'm a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Hunter. If I want to know something nothing can't stop me.” “That's right.” He whispered to himself.
“So they rope you in again ?”. Bobbi bit her lips. “S.H.I.E.L.D's my life Hunter, it always as been.”. Lance shook his head. “So they are aware.”. “What do you mean ? ” She said deeply pissed. “You perfectly know what I mean Bob. Is there someone on earth, beside me, that doesn't know her existence ?”. Bobbi's gaze turn into a glare. “I'm sorry. I didn't wanted to be petty”. Bobbi stood up, headed to the sideboard and opened a drawer. She brought a box out of it then she removed the top of the box. She spilled all the contents on Hunter.
“What the hell ?”. He exclaimed as he stood up. “All the letters are here Hunter. If you had read them, you would have known her existence !”. Bobbi shouted furiously. Lance was astonished. “You have a copy of each letter you sent ?”. She nodded as she sat on the coach arm.
“You know I always wanted to have a kids, Bob.”. She had a quite laugh. “When I asked you, you used to tell me we weren't ready, that our careers were too time-consuming, that it wasn't a good environment... So I finally thought I didn't want any.”. Hunter stopped a second. “But deep down I knew and you knew I wanted to be a father. Wouldn't have been simple if you just had called ?”. Bobbi frowned. “Or, I don't know, knocked at my door.”. She froze. “You know I wouldn't have abandoned you Bobbi.”
She gave to Lance a fake grin, full of bitterness. Bobbi stood up to face Hunter. As she was taller, she had to slightly look down to him. “You remember the last words you told me before you leave ?”. Lance didn't say anything, digging into his memories. “Do you ?” she insisted. He shook his head as Bobbi chuckled. “I do” She said. “I remember every little words you told me that night Hunter.”
She moved backwards, she bored into his eyes. “You said, and those are the exact words you said just before you slammed the door you can see at the end of the hallway.” She stopped to show the door. “I want you out of my life, you said, I want you and your lies to stay away from me.”.
Hunter closed his eyes “Bob, I...”. “No!” She shouted. “I don't want to hear anything.”. Hunter's words died in his mouth. “After this, how do you think I felt ? How do you think I felt when I realize that I was expecting a baby ?”. He looked down to stared to his feet. “I'll be honest, never thought I wanted children, but when I understood I was pregnant, I've never considered getting rid of it.” Bobbi tried to catch her breath “Lizzie is here because we love, loved, each other.”
Lance looked up to her. “You know I regret everything I had said, don't you ?”. Bobbi remained silent. “I've never thought them. I... want to be part of her life. And being part of Lizzie's life obviously mean being in yours too.”.
Bobbi ran a hand in her hair “Yes, it goes hand in hand”. “And maybe” Hunter added “Maybe we could fix what we broke.”. Bobbi shook her head “No Hunter. You can be here for your daughter, spend time with her, be her dad et cetera... But between us, nothing will happen. I... We suffered enough.”.
She didn't leave Lance the time to swallow the pill. She yawned as she said “I'm exhausted. You can sleep on the coach if you want to.”. Bobbi gave him the blanket that was under the coffee table. “You need a pillow ?” She asked. “No, that's fine.”.
“Goodnight then.”