Author's Note: Well, folks, here it is! The final chapter of this story. I considered making you wait for another couple of days but decided to go ahead and post.

As many of you know, this story started out as a small five-chapter, 25,000 word fluff fic for my good friend and beta, theicemenace. It has since grown into nearly 70k words. That's full novel length! Clint and Courtney have become one of my favorite couples to ever write about, and I thank each and every one of you for your input in the story. As much as possible, I've tried to take what you've either suggested or mentioned to incorporate those ideas. I appreciate that a lot of you took a chance with an OC and learned to love her as much as I have.

Cara: Thank you! I always had the idea in mind for her to tell him, but the original had it differently. I like how this came out better.

As always, I hope you enjoy the end of the story! ~lg

oOo

Clint and Courtney began discussing her move to New York the morning after the Stark wedding. They'd stayed up late the previous evening, making their way to one of Stark Tower's balconies and sitting in their wedding finery while they shared games that made both of them laugh and wonder if they'd lost their minds. They talked honestly about their doubts for their relationship, and Clint's voice grew a touch rougher as he admitted that Courtney's distance from New York concerned him. In New York, she had the Avengers close should anything happen to him. And Courtney found the strength to tell him just how she felt about her recent stint in SHIELD protective custody. She'd understood, but it still wasn't easy. She had occasional nightmares about Agent Sitwell showing up because Clint didn't come home from a mission. Clint simply tightened his hold on her hand and told her that she gave him a reason to come home.

It was a sobering way to end the evening but neither one of them would change it. Courtney also lost one of her shoes when, while sitting with their legs dangling off of the balcony, Clint accidentally knocked it over the edge. The pair of them stared after it. Then, Clint blinked. "I hope no one was impaled when it landed," he said dryly.

Courtney buried her face in his shoulder and giggled, making him smile and showing him just how tired she really was. He nudged her to her feet and walked her back to her apartment while promising to replace the shoe. Along the way, he caught sight of their reflection in a mirror and had to admit that they made a striking couple. With her long hair swept up and away from her face, showing off the jewelry Stark had bought for her, and her long black dress paired perfectly with his tux. . . .He shook his head and managed to say goodnight before retreating to his own apartment to figure out why such thoughts would even cross his mind. Maybe he was also more than a little exhausted. Or just in love.

Her time in New York again ended way too fast. She'd flown out only for the few days before the Stark wedding and needed to get back to work. Her supervisors already gave her a hassle over it and only Stark intervening allowed her to keep her job when she returned. She tried not to throw too much weight around, considering the Avengers friends and not pawns to be used. Stark had no such qualms, and Clint was grateful he didn't have to intervene.

Clint drove Courtney and her family to the jet. While she'd been spending whatever hours she could with Clint and preparing for the wedding, Cole and Dana had played the tourist with their children. Stark paid for everything, so they'd managed to visit all of New York's main attractions in their short visit. Dana also had a new wardrobe courtesy of Stark, and Cole smiled every time he looked at his wife. Their faces when Stark first handed them the credit card with no limit had amused Courtney, who was far more accustomed to the billionaire's generosity than her family. And Clint had nudged Cole and told the guy not to fight it. That was just Stark.

At the airport, Dana and Jeremiah hugged Clint while Josiah waved awkwardly. Courtney hung back, knowing she and Clint would say goodbye after the rest of them were on the plane. Cole also waited until his wife had gathered their sons and boarded the jet to stick his hand out to Clint. "You're alright," he said with a serious expression on his face. "Still don't like the secrecy, but I've seen how you treat Courtney. Just come home next time."

Clint shook his hand, realizing what had happened. No matter what he faced, he'd just been given Cole's blessing. "Do my best," he promised, and Cole joined his family on the plane.

Finally, they were alone, and Clint pulled Courtney into his arms and kissed her. "I love you," he said softly when he pulled back, enjoying the freedom to say those three little words.

She smiled. "I love you, too." She kissed him one more time before regretfully slipping out of his arms and boarding the plane. Clint watched it taxi down the runway before returning to Stark Tower and the life that seemed a little dull without her there.

The next few weeks passed slowly for Clint. He'd been able to start walking without the crutches and only with occasional use of the cane, his ribs had healed, the bullet hole in his shoulder was now a scar, and he hadn't been cleared for duty. As a result, he prowled Stark Tower and seriously considered flying to Texas. But he kept to their every weekend plans, preferring to let Courtney work out her job situation for herself. He wanted rush to her aid but knew she needed to handle this on her own. As it was, she often called just to get his advice, and he found himself looking forward to those calls. He hated the stress in her voice, but he usually managed to calm her down enough for her to think clearly.

She usually ended their calls by saying she missed him and loved him, and Clint's heart melted a little each time she did so. He would categorically deny it should anyone but Natasha call him on just how mushy Courtney made him feel, but he wouldn't have traded it for the world.

He missed her as well. Thankfully, Fury sent him on another mission before he tore Stark Tower to shreds. Natasha had been out several times during his recovery, and Clint had envied her even if she did return with cuts and bruises. So, when he was ordered to report to the bridge of the Helicarrier after being cleared by Medical, Clint almost whooped for joy. Instead, he forced himself to walk at his normal brisk pace and amused himself with glaring at newbies.

After the briefing, he called Courtney and caught her just leaving work for the day. Her voice over the phone always made him smile, but he cringed when he heard her breath catch in her throat. She sighed deeply a moment later. "Be careful, Clint. Come home."

He knew what it cost her to say those words. "I'll do my best," he replied softly. Sitting on the edge of his bunk, he looked around. "How was work?"

She almost growled as he heard her car's alarm disengage. "Remember that supervisor who hates me? Well, she showed up today during lunch. I was on my lunch break and got reamed because I wasn't at my desk. She even went so far as to say that I needed to buck up if I expected to keep my job and that the special treatment has to end." Courtney sounded like she was fighting tears. "Clint, I don't know if I can handle this much longer. Laney's fit to be tied. She heard everything, as did several others who think this woman is taking things too far. But I don't know what to do. I've tried looking for jobs here and in New York. And I just can't. . . ."

"Hey." Clint interrupted with a quiet order in his voice. "Breathe."

She dutifully took a deep breath.

He smiled at that. "How about you fly out to New York when I get back? Over the weekend, instead of me going there. We can see what's available here and pick up some applications."

"I'd love that." She sniffled a bit. "Sorry to get so emotional. It's just. . . .I really liked my job until now."

"I know." He stood and started packing, not needing much for his in-and-out mission in Monaco. "But if you're dealing with that daily, there's no need for it. If you don't have a recourse within the job structure, then it's time to move on." He knew it was a pragmatic way to look at it and life typically complicated things. But she needed to understand she wasn't on her own anymore. He'd support her if necessary.

That thought stopped him in his tracks while Courtney agreed with him. He wanted to support her? He blinked and then realized she'd been saying something. "What?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just. . . ." What did he say? That he'd stunned himself by admitting just how deeply he did love her? It was one thing to say he loved her and have the emotion of it. But when that emotion became commitment, things changed. "Just thinking."

She didn't question him, instead telling him to stay safe and call her when he got home. He promised he would and hung up the phone, wishing he didn't have to pretend he was content in Stark Tower when all he wanted was to have Courtney at his side and know she was waiting when he returned.

oOo

True to his word, Clint called when he got back from his mission, putting Courtney's mind at ease. She wanted to see him so badly that, as soon as she got off work the next Friday, she drove straight to the airfield. The Stark Industries jet and Clint waited for her, and she rushed into his arms and let him simply hug her before flying her back to New York. They landed in the wee hours of the morning, and Courtney dozed off halfway there. She woke to Clint's soft voice and idly wondered why she couldn't do that every morning.

They spent Saturday going around a city that never really slept and picking up applications. Then, she sat at Clint's dining table and filled them out while he made a late lunch. They discussed the logistics of her moving to New York for a long time, and Clint stopped just short of asking her to relocate. That gave Courtney reason to pause. She loved him and wanted to be with him in every way, but she knew Clint needed to want it as well. They'd held off on physical intimacy up until now and, while it had become more and more difficult, neither of them regretted it. Courtney went to bed that evening a little down that he didn't come out and say he wanted her to move to New York to be with him.

Her job-hunting trip to New York passed way too quickly, and she returned to the job she now hated. She liked the customers and duties just fine, but the summer's events had soured her to the people. Marcy even urged her to just quit and join Clint in New York even if it put her on the opposite side of the country from her Goddaughter. And Courtney almost did just that more than once. But Clint always talked her out of making a rash move until she had a contingency plan in place. More than once, she almost commented that he was the contingency plan, but she kept that to herself.

All of that changed in October, a month after she started looking into jobs. She arrived home from work on a Wednesday, tired and wanting to talk to Clint. He hadn't been able to come out the previous weekend due to a mission, and she missed him. She had just slipped out of her shoes when someone knocked on her door. Her heart leaped into her throat, thinking it might be him, and she yanked the door open. It wasn't Clint, but she blinked at the person there. "Pepper!"

Pepper Stark smiled. "I hope you don't mind me stopping by unannounced."

"No, not at all." Courtney stepped back. "Come in!" She hugged her friend. "It's great to see you!"

Pepper returned the hug. "Likewise. Though I'm here on business, actually."

Courtney motioned toward her breakfast bar. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Please." Pepper slipped onto one of the stools and accepted the iced tea that Courtney poured for her. She took a sip and then met her hostess's eyes. "I understand you're looking for a job in New York."

Courtney's heart sank. "Clint knew that. But how do you?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Tony hacked SHIELD's files and found out that SHIELD knows you're looking. I think this falls under 'To be noted in the file but not to be worried about.' Besides, with the relationship between you and Clint, they kind of expected it."

"Good." Courtney shook her head. "I want to move, but he's worried about my family."

"He's mentioned it a time or two." Pepper smiled. "He misses you a lot. Which is why I'm here. I have an opening in our accounting department that you might want."

"You do?"

Pepper nodded. "I need a comptroller, and I think you'd be perfect for the job. Not only are you qualified, but you're uniquely qualified."

"What do you mean by that?"

Pepper's smile widened. "Tony's setting up a small assistant department for the Avengers. We want someone we know we can trust to head up the department. On paper, you'd be a comptroller for Stark Industries. But your job would also entail managing the finer aspects of life with the Avengers. Mail, for instance. Funding, public relations, everything related to the financial and day-to-day needs of the team. You won't be responsible for personal finances, just the professional side."

Courtney finally smiled. "I helped sort some of Clint's mail once when I was there."

Pepper snorted. "You should see what Steve and Tony get. I'm tired of it because, frankly, I deal with enough of it for Stark Industries. You won't be working alone, and the pay includes living expenses. Full benefits are offered, as well as stock in Stark Industries and a 401(k)."

Courtney held up her hands to stall Pepper's spiel. "Wait. Let me get this straight. You want to make me a comptroller for Stark Industries? Isn't that a pretty high-level job for a new hire?"

"Typically, it would be." Pepper's smile turned mischievous. "But, in this case, we can't hire just anyone. Because you'll be managing the Avengers' public finances, we need someone the team trusts as well. I can't take the position with my job at Stark Industries. Besides, seeing Clint mope around for three days a week after he visits you is getting old."

"He doesn't mope!"

Pepper burst into laughter. "You don't see it, but he does!"

Courtney shook her head before coming back to the matter at hand. "Can I have some time to think?"

"Of course." Pepper stood. "I'll be in town for a couple of days, and you can call me anytime. I hope you take the job, Courtney. And Tony said he'd fly all the way over here and show up in his suit if you don't."

Courtney snickered. "That almost makes me want to say 'no' just to see him do that."

The two women laughed, and Pepper left. Courtney wandered over to the window and looked out. Her dream job had just been dropped in her lap, but she didn't want to make the decision without sleeping on it. Instead, she spent most of the night staring at the ceiling and trying to wrap her head around what it would mean to manage the Avengers' public lives. Yes, a good portion of it would be financial since the team was technically a "non-profit" organization. They worked for the good of humanity, not for income. All of them had separate incomes, whether from Stark Industries or SHIELD or, in Steve's case, the military benefits he'd earned by being frozen for seventy years. That meant any money that came in for the Avengers was put back to use rebuilding destroyed homes and neighborhoods or funding other charities the group supported. Tony Stark also gave a good deal of his resources to the fund, making it a huge investment that needed proper management.

The next day after work, Courtney met with Marcy and explained the job offer. Marcy thought she was insane not to have jumped on it, but Courtney wanted to be able to tell Clint she'd considered all sides of the coin. So, she also went to her sister's house and, after her nephews went to bed, spoke with Cole and Dana. They were supportive of her decision, whether to stay in Amarillo or move to New York. Finally, after some back and forth, Cole met her eyes. "Go to him, Court," he said quietly. "He might not say it, but he wants you there. And, with that great new job and nice apartment, you can have us come out to visit during the summer."

That made her decision. She called Pepper, who had been summoned back to New York, and accepted the job. Pepper told her to give her notice at the bank for two weeks and to be ready to spend the weekend in New York. Courtney did as she asked, knowing that Pepper would delay Clint's planned trip to Amarillo. She smiled the entire way through her day and had multiple coworkers stop by to congratulate her on her good fortune. But she knew the truth. The job was just a means to an end. And the end was Clint. She was going home.

oOo

Clint was fit to be tied. He'd been unable to go to Amarillo last weekend due to a mission, and he'd planned to spend a few extra days with Courtney this weekend. Instead, an unscheduled and completely unnecessary mission appeared from nowhere, and Fury insisted he go. It took less than three hours to meet with the informant, and he arrived at his apartment in Stark Tower planning to track down the SHIELD tech who thought he could just ruin Hawkeye's plans and get away with it. He paced his home for a few moments before heading down to the gym to work off some of the frustration.

He had planned to ask Courtney to move to New York. While he'd resisted up until now, he was only delaying what he truly wanted. He'd realized that during the mission that kept him from going to Amarillo, and it had only increased his frustration when this stupid, unnecessary, mundane, anybody-could-do-it job popped up. He used a punching bag to work out his frustrations and then went back to his apartment ready for a shower.

Someone knocked on his door just after he'd finished getting dressed. With his hair still standing on end and barefoot, he yanked the door open ready to fuss at Stark or vent to Natasha. Instead, Courtney smiled up at him. He blinked. She wore the same green business suit she'd had on the day they'd met, and her green eyes sparkled at him. "Hey."

He stepped back. "Hi." After closing the door, he frowned at her. "What are you doing here?"

She bit her lower lip, a sure sign of uncertainty, and blurted, "I got a job."

"A what?"

She put a hand on his arm. "I know you weren't sure about me moving to New York. But I miss you, Clint, and I want to be closer. So, when I was approached for a much better job than what I had, I took a few days to think about it and then accepted it. You're looking at Stark Industries' newest comptroller and the Avengers' 'manager' of sorts."

"Manager?"

"Mm-hmm." She smiled. "I'll be heading up a small department that will do things like sort fan mail, manage public relations, give statements to the press, and handle the fund that Mr. Stark set up to help finance the Avengers' work. It's a huge step upward, and I'll be able to bring my family out in the summer."

Clint stared at her, his mind whirling. "You're moving to New York?" he asked one more time for clarification.

"Yep."

For a beat in time, she waited. Then, the happiness that welled up inside of him overflowed, and he whooped as he grabbed her in his arms and spun her around. She laughed with him and kissed him as he set her on her feet. This time, though, things were different. When he pulled back, he saw her eyes were just as dilated as his. "So," he asked softly, "where do you want to go for dinner?"

She smiled, an expression that held a wealth of meaning. "Why don't we stay in?"

His answering grin spread slowly across his face as he caught the meaning behind her words. "I'd like that." He kissed her again, taking his time to do it properly and leave her speechless. "I love you," he whispered.

Her face lit up at the words. "I love you, too, Clint."

That night, they stayed awake way too late as they explored their love for one another. The next morning, Clint happily served her breakfast in bed before letting her get dressed to officially join the Avengers' team. He caught Natasha's nod and knew that his partner had accepted his choice.

oOo

One year to the day after they met, Clint dragged Courtney onto Stark's jet and flew her to Amarillo. Since her move to New York, they'd grown together as a couple, and Courtney had never been happier. They had their disagreements as any couple would, one of the most notorious ones being whether or not Clint had truly been reckless during a mission. The fact that SHIELD still monitored her for her safety gave her a moment's pause every now and then, and she spent a lot of time wondering if she'd made the right decision for her life. Then, she saw Clint's sleepy grin in the morning or heard his tired voice when he got off a plane from Europe and knew she had.

She'd known he had something planned for her birthday, but she had not expected to land in her former home town. Amarillo had been good to her, and she had a lot of memories associated with the place. But she loved New York and wouldn't trade the city or her life with Clint for anything. Then, she realized where he was taking her and had to laugh when they pulled into the parking lot of Hausler's. The local steakhouse wasn't all that busy, and Clint grinned happily when he took her hand to lead her inside.

The first bit of the meal passed like any other they shared. They held hands across the table, sampled one another's food, and in general acted like a couple of kids. But, as the meal progressed, Clint grew more somber, and Courtney became somewhat worried. He seemed almost nervous.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "So, I got another letter the other day."

Courtney grinned. "I know. I saw it."

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Did you read it?"

"No."

He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, sliding the sheet across the table. "Go ahead."

She took the page, seeing the anxious expression in Clint's eyes and wondering what this was all about. Opening the letter, she smiled at her nephew's familiar handwriting.

Dear Uncle Clint,

I know we talk on the phone, but my mom would get mad at me if I asked this question. So I had to write.

When are you going to marry my Aunt Courtney?

Sincerely,

Jeremiah Staterson

Courtney's jaw dropped, and then she looked up to see Clint struggling to hold in his laughter. The letter, while bold and panic-inducing if timed wrong, was still the direct, adorable style they'd both learned to expect from Jeremiah. "I'm not sure I'll even tell Dana he sent this!"

Clint snickered. "Yeah, that might be bad." His grin dropped off his face a moment later. "But it got me thinking."

She straightened as he sat back in his seat. "Clint?"

"Look, I know things haven't been easy for you this past year." He kept his eyes glued to the page still resting on the table. "I know you've had to deal with a lot, and just living in Stark Tower is a huge adjustment for you. But I. . . ." He cut off what he was going to say, the awkwardness growing as he reached across the table and took her hand. "I want more," he admitted softly. He finally looked at her, and she saw a depth of emotion in his eyes that she'd seen only late at night when they discussed the future. "I've talked with Natasha about this, and I can't say that I don't have my reservations. But I can't always wait for the right time or the right place or the moment when the world is quiet and everything's perfect. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Now that he'd said it, he seemed to pick up steam. Reaching into his jacket again, he pulled out a small box and slid it across the table to her. "Courtney, will you marry me?"

Too stunned to speak, Courtney picked up the box and opened it. The ring inside was a platinum band edged in a sparkling braid with a large diamond in the center. It was elegant and beautiful and everything she would have wanted. Then, she blinked up at Clint and saw the childlike hope and fear in his eyes. "Clint, you. . . .I. . . .you even have to ask? Of course I'll marry you!" Then, she realized how that sounded. "I—I mean, yes."

He laughed and, with shaking hands, pulled the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. Their waiter had been watching the table, and he whistled and shouted, "Hear, hear!"

Almost everyone in the restaurant turned and managed to catch Clint putting the ring on Courtney's finger. The entire place erupted into cheers as he stood and, in a rare moment of showmanship, proceeded to kiss her in front of everyone. Courtney laughed as Clint thanked the other customers, and they paid their tab and escaped a few moments later.

Rather than driving back to the plane for a late-night flight home, Clint turned the rental truck—the same one he'd been renting for nearly a year—toward Cole and Dana's. The sun had set before their dinner, but the house glowed brightly from inside. They pulled up and held hands as Clint knocked on the door. After Dana greeted them, Jeremiah whooped from the living room and happily hugged his aunt. As she returned the hug, the light caught her ring, and her sister squealed while Jeremiah shouted again. Cole hugged her tightly, congratulating her, before shaking Clint's hand and officially welcoming him to the family. Clint received a hug from Dana, and Josiah was even coaxed out of his thirteen-year-old distance to share the celebration.

In June, just a few weeks following the second and much less publicized anniversary of the Chitauri attack in Manhattan, Clint and Courtney were married in a quiet ceremony in the penthouse of Stark Tower. Clint asked Jeremiah to be one of the groomsmen since it was his "Dear Mr. Hawkeye" letter that introduced the bride and groom. Courtney wore a beautiful lace gown with a halter top and white ribbon at her waist, the modest train pooling at her feet as Cole walked her down the aisle. Marcy, Dana, Natasha, and Pepper stood as bridesmaids while Clint asked Steve to be his best man. Stark, Bruce, and Jeremiah completed the wedding party with Josiah acting as the usher for the small group. Most of the guests consisted of Clint's acquaintances in SHIELD, and Courtney couldn't have been happier.

When the minister gave Clint permission to kiss his wife, the pair fell apart laughing when Jeremiah let out another excited whoop that echoed Clint's when Courtney first moved to New York. They endured the jokes from Stark, toasts, and congratulations, understandably being caught up in one another. And, when Natasha caught the bouquet, Clint jokingly warned Steve to avoid anything that could be considered romantic. His partner punched him in the arm for that, and Courtney simply grinned as her new husband complained.

That night, after their first dance as husband and wife, Clint and Courtney retired to their apartment—the one with exposed brick and light fixtures and concrete floors that both loved too much to give up. There, Clint showed her that he still had that first Dear Mr. Hawkeye letter, and she blinked back tears at the lovely frame he'd put it in so she could preserve their memories for the future. Then, Clint tugged his wife away from the small gift and the noise of the reception still going on upstairs, beyond happy that he'd had the courage to answer that first letter. Much later, as Courtney slept on his shoulder and he stared at the platinum wedding ring on his left hand, he smiled.

All it took was a simple letter from a child to change his life, and he was so glad he'd let it.

~The End~

Coming Soon!

"Until Then"

The night of Clint and Courtney's wedding, Natasha realizes how Steve feels about her and panics. Leaving Stark Tower and the Avengers behind, she sets out to find a place where she can simply be. She promises to return once she's worked out her problems, and Steve does his best to give her what she needs. But SHIELD's enemies never rest, and when one of them manages to catch Natasha's trail, it's up to the man who loves her and the team she left behind to keep her safe until they can bring her back to New York.

Sequel to "Dear Mr. Hawkeye"