Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
September 14th 1995
It has been two years since Bobbi was almost abducted and in that time Melinda has become more paranoid, with good reason, about her children's safety, but she also knows that they have to be able to live their lives so she has been trying to find that balance, and Clint has been almost obsessive when it comes to keeping the promise he made Bobbi. He has been doing everything he can to keep her safe.
At twenty Clint has started to really make a name for himself in S.H.I.E.L.D and because of that he doesn't call Melinda Mom quiet as often as he did as he doesn't want to accidently call her that while on a mission. Even though it does feel odd, and hurt Melinda to hear her son call her May or Agent May she understands his reasons and knows that what he is doing for the best.
Just like what has become tradition Melinda, Clint and Bobbi have been moving a lot and there has been a couple of times when Melinda and Clint have been assigned to different places, but for the past three months both Melinda and Clint have been assigned to a base in Scotland where ten-year-old Bobbi has been happily attending the local Primary School.
It is late afternoon and Melinda is driving Bobbi home after picking her up from school.
"You're quieter usual." Melinda notes as most days Bobbi happily tells her mother all about everything she did at school.
"Yeah." Bobbi responds as she looks out the window.
"Is something wrong?" Melinda ask concerned and Bobbi shrugs, "You can talk to me Bobbi, you know that, right?" Melinda asks as she doesn't think there has ever been a time where Bobbi hasn't talked to her when something was bothering her.
"Yeah, I do." Bobbi responds, turning away from the window to look at her mother, "There is a boy in my class, he's younger than everyone. I think he's like eight, but he's really, really smart, and my friend." Bobbi tells her mother, "But the last week or so I've noticed that he's only been bringing little things for lunch, and he doesn't seem as happy as he used to, he always looks like he is about to cry." Bobbi admits, "I'm worried, Mom." Bobbi admits.
"Have you tried talking to him?" Melinda asks and Bobbi nods,
"He said everything is fine, but it doesn't seem like it." Bobbi explains.
"How about you invite him over tomorrow night for dinner." Melinda suggests, "I could try talking to him and if we can't find out anything then I will talk to his parents when I take him home." Melinda suggests as just from the little her daughter has said Melinda is concerned about the boy.
"Thank you Mom, thank you." Bobbi says gratefully as she is very worried about her friend.
The following afternoon Melinda is waiting at the school gate when the bell rings, as soon as it rings Melinda searches the crowed for her daughter and after a few minutes she sees Bobbi with a little boy with strawberry blond hair, both of whom come running towards her.
"Mom, this is Leo Fitz." Bobbi introduces, once she and the boy have stopped running so that they are standing right in front of Melinda, "Leo this is my Mom Melinda May."
"It's nice to meet you, Leo." Melinda says, giving Leo a supportive smile.
"It's nice to meet you too Ms May, thank you for inviting me over." Leo responds, it being clear that he is nervous.
"You are very welcome, Leo." Melinda responds, "Now are your parents here? We should make sure that they are okay with you coming over." Melinda tells Leo, watching him carefully for his reaction.
"My Ma works and my Dad left when I was a baby. I called Ma at lunchtime and she said it's okay that I come over." Leo lies, and Melinda realises that he is, but she is unsure about what part of what he just said is a lie, so she acts like she doesn't know that he lied.
"He did call Mom. I waited outside the office when he did." Bobbi tells Melinda.
"Did your Mom say when you have to be home?" Melinda asks, trying to see if she can figure out just what the young boy is lying about.
"No, but I know the rule, I have to be come by dinner that's five thirty." Leo answers and Melinda realises that he didn't lie once in that sentence.
"Good to know. I'll take you home myself." Melinda informs Leo who gets a hint of worry on his face at that but it's quickly gone, "Let's go to the car." Melinda tells both children who nod and the three of them make their way to the car, Bobbi and Leo happily talking while Melinda scans the entire area for threats.
Twenty minutes later Melinda, Bobbi, and Leo arrive at the house.
"Mom, can we go play out the back?" Bobbi asks as they walk into the living room
"Of course you can." Melinda answers and both Bobbi and Leo put their school bags down on the couch, Leo only doing so after Bobbi gives him a nod.
"But not before saying hello to me." Clint says and Bobbi rushes over to Clint and hugs him.
"I missed you." Bobbi says as she hugs her brother who has been on assignment for the past week.
"Missed you to." Clint responds as they break the hug, "Who's your friend?" he asks curious.
"This is Leo. Leo this is my brother Clint." Bobbi introduces.
"It's nice to meet you." Leo timidly responds.
"Yeah, you too." Clint says walking over to Leo and like he often does with Bobbi he squats down so that he is closer to Leo's height, "So your names Leo, does that mean we have a Little Lion on our hands?" Clint asks curious in an attempt to make the young boy more comfortable.
"No. I'm not brave enough to be a Lion." Leo admits, believing that.
"I don't believe that." Clint says, "I believe that everyone can be brave enough to be a Lion and with your name being Leo you already have an advantage, you just have to look inside of yourself." Clint tells Leo giving him grin.
"I'll try." Leo responds.
"Good." Clint responds with a grin, trying to make Leo more comfortable.
"Come on, let's go play before it gets too late." Bobbi say and Leo nod and they both head to the back.
"Your brother's pretty cool." Leo tells Bobbi as they head outside.
"Yeah, he is." Bobbi confirms as she thinks that her brother is the coolest person ever.
Once Bobbi and Leo leave the room Clint stands up and walks over to his mother who hugs him.
"You okay?" Melinda asks her son while she scans him up and down looking for any signs of wounds.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Clint responds, "But I don't think he is. What's the story?" Clint asks curious.
"Bobbi was worried so I suggested inviting him over. He lied to me about calling his parents, but he didn't lie when he said that he has to be home at five thirty for dinner." Melinda explains.
"So do you think there is something going on at home?" Clint asks as after the way the boy acted he would believe that.
"That would be my first guess." Melinda responds.
"What can I do?" Clint asks as he wants to do something to help.
"I'm going to take him home later, walk him inside and talk to his parents see if I can get a better idea about what is going on, can you stay with Bobbi?" Melinda asks as if there is something bad going on then maybe she could get a better read if it's just her.
"Of course I can." Clint responds, "What are you going to do once you talk to his parents?" Clint asks.
"I don't know; it depends on what I find." Melinda answers and Clint nods, honestly that was the answer he was expecting.
An hour and a half later Melinda pulls up at the address that Leo gave her for his home. As she gets out the car and walks to the back seat to let him out, as there is child lock on the door, Melinda notices that there is no car in the drive way and that the house looks pretty shut up.
"Thank you for having me over, Ms May." Leo says once Melinda has opened the door for him.
"You are very welcome." Melinda responds, "You are welcome any time." Melinda tells Leo, making it clear that she completely means that.
"Thank you. You don't have to walk me to the door." Leo tells Melinda, really hoping that she doesn't.
"I would feel better if I did." Melinda answers realising that there is clearly something that Leo doesn't want her to see.
"Thank you again." Leo says when they reach the door, it being clear that Leo doesn't want to open the door in front of Melinda.
"Is everything okay, Leo?" Melinda asks as she squats down next to him, "Because you can tell me if it's not. I might be able to help, and I want to if I can." Melinda tells him and for a few minutes Leo is quiet, it being clear that he is debating what to do.
"My Ma's not here." Leo finally tells Melinda, realising that he has nothing to lose.
"Where is she?" Melinda asks.
"I don't know." Leo admits, "I got home from school last week and she wasn't here so I started to work on my inventions and she never came home." Leo admits, "She hasn't been home for a week. I don't know where she is." Leo says, clearly getting upset, "I didn't know what to do so I just made myself dinner and washed up and waited for Ma to come home, but she hasn't yet." He says and Melinda is surprised as she knew that something must have been going on but she didn't think that it would be this.
"Leo you've been very brave and very amazing for looking after yourself the past week, but you don't have to anymore." Melinda tells him, meaning her words completely.
"What do you mean?" Leo asks, "I need to stay until Ma comes home." He tells her, it being clear he is worried about not being home when is mother gets home.
"What I mean is that if you are okay with it you're going to come stay at my house while I look for your Mom." Melinda says as she wants to help the young boy and she needs to find out why his mother would leave him.
"You're going to look for Ma?" Fitz asks excitedly.
"I am." Melinda confirms, "But it could take me a little while to find her. So, while that happens I would like it if you came and stayed with me. You can't stay alone anymore." Melinda tells Fitz.
"Can I get some of my stuff?" Fitz asks.
"Of course you can." Melinda says and Fitz opens the door and heads inside, Melinda walking in behind him.
Forty minutes later Melinda and Fitz arrive back at the house.
"Bobbi, Clint, can you come here." Melinda says as they walk into the entrance way, Leo holding a couple of bags, Melinda holding thing she collected from Leo's house that she Is going to use to help her find his mother.
"Leo. What are you doing here?" Bobbi asks happy to see her friend but confused about why he is back when her mother was taking him home.
"My Ma hasn't been home in a while. Ms May is going to try and find her and while that happens I'm going to stay here." Leo explains, feeling like he owes Bobbi the truth after everything she has done for him.
"I'm sorry about your Mom." Bobbi says walking over to her friend and giving him a hug, "But I'm glad you're going to stay here." She says, "Don't worry Mom's going to find your Ma." Bobbi tells Leo in a whisper.
"I hope so." Leo responds.
"Bobbi do you want to take Leo upstairs and show him where the guest room is." Melinda asks her daughter.
"Sure Mom." Bobbi says, "Come on Leo." Bobbi says and they both head upstairs while Melinda walks over to Clint.
"So are you thinking she left or was forced to?" Clint asks curious, after checking to make sure Bobbi and Leo can't hear what they are saying.
"I don't know yet." Melinda responds, telling the truth.
"What are you going to do if you can't find her or if she left on her own and doesn't want to be a mother?" Clint asks interested, watching his mother carefully for her reaction.
"I don't know that either."
"Yeah, you do." Clint says, "The look you have on your face is the same look you had when I told you I was fifteen. It's your protective look. It's the look that tells me that you are going to do whatever it takes to keep him safe and let him know that he is loved. It tells me that you will take him in if it comes to that." Clint explains, knowing his mother well enough to know that.
"You're right." Melinda admits, "But we aren't there yet, and before we are I am going to do everything I can to reunite that little boy with his mother." Melinda informs Clint as even though he is right about what she will do if she can't find Leo's mother of if she left because she didn't want to be his mother Melinda knows that what is best for Leo is to be reunited with his mother so that is what she is going to try and do.
"I don't doubt it." Clint says, "I'll head upstairs, make sure they aren't getting into trouble." Clint says and Melinda nods.
Three days later
It has been three days since Melinda discovered that eight-year-old Leo Fitz was living alone in his house and since she started to look for his mother, using every free moment she has to try and track her down which has resulted in Melinda having very little sleep.
Even though it is currently he lunch break Melinda is sitting at her desk working leads on Leo's mother as she has some promising ones that she wants to run down, ones that she needs S.H.I.E.L.D systems to investigate.
"Since when do you work on desk work through Lunch?" Phil asks, curious as he was surprised to find Melinda still at her desk, "You usually do anything to avoid it." He comments.
"I'm not doing desk work."
"Then what are you doing?" Phil asks curious.
"A friend of my daughters, who is only eight, has been living on his own for a week because his mother never came home, I'm trying to find her for him." Melinda explains
"How did de manage to live on his own for a week without anyone else realising?" Phil ask surprised.
"He's a genius. I mean that literally, as just in the three days he has been living with me he made things that the scientists here may be jealous of." Melinda admits, as in the last three days she has learnt that creating things helps Leo and she can't help but be very impressed with what he has created, "He didn't let know one know because he didn't want them to. If my daughter wasn't concerned about her friend, I'm sure that no one would have noticed." Melinda admits as her computer dings, "Go it. I think I've found her; can you cover for me?" Melinda asks Phil.
"Of course. Good luck." Phil tells Melinda who nods and walks out of the room. Once she leaves she heads down to the gym where Clint is training and asks him to get Bobbi and Leo from school before she leaves herself.
Over an hour later Melinda pulls into a little roadside diner. As soon as she walks in Melinda spots the woman who is Leo's mother behind the counter so she walks over and sits right across from her.
"What can I get you?" Leo's mother asks pulling out her order pad.
"I'm not here to order food. I'm here to talk to you, Elizabeth." Melinda says, really not wanting to beat around the bush.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Elizabeth asks, looking at Melinda with a look of confusion.
"No, my name is Melinda May and I am here about your son." Melinda tells her.
"Is he okay?" Elizabeth asks, a hint of concern in her voice.
"You mean apart from the trauma of the fact that you left him all alone and he had no idea where you were or if you were coming back?" Melinda asks, doing her best to keep the anger out of her voice.
"I did that for his own good." Elizabeth answers.
"How? How can that be for his own good?" Melinda asks as she internally fights to stay calm.
"Have you spent much time around Leo?" Elizabeth asks interested.
"Yes, I have." Melinda confirms, "My daughter is a close friend of his and he has been staying with me for the last three days." She tells Elizabeth.
"Then you know how special he is; how smart he is." Elizabeth says, it being clear that she is quiet proud of her son.
"I do, but that doesn't explain why you left him." Melinda says.
"I left because he would be better off without me." Elizabeth informs Melinda, "He doesn't need me, and he will be better off If I disappear from his life." Elizabeth informs Melinda, completely believing that.
"No matter how smart he is he is still only eight. He still needs you, he still needs his mother. He won't be better off if you disappear." Melinda tells Elizabeth, not understanding why Elizabeth would think that as if there is one thing she has learnt from her own experiences and being a mother it's that what kids need the most is someone to love and support them.
"I'm a waitress Ms May. What can I offer him?" Elizabeth asks.
"A home, love, support, safety, the things that a child truly needs growing up." Melinda informs Elizabeth, "Leo is an incredible boy but he needs his mother, he needs family."
"I'm just holding him back Ms May." Elizabeth informs Melinda, "I love my son, I truly do. I know that it may not seem like it right now, but I do and this is what's best for him. If I stay in his life I will only hold him back and he deserves he should achieve everything." Elizabeth tells Melinda who is shocked into silence.
"My older son is picking up my daughter and your son from school, would you like me to ask him to bring Leo here so that you can talk?" Melinda asks hoping Elizabeth says yes so that Leo may have a chance of convincing her not to do this as she knows how much Leo needs his mother.
"No. it's better this way." Elizabeth tells Melinda.
"No it's not." Melinda says, "This is just going to hurt him." Melinda says as she is pretty positive that it is going to destroy Leo.
"You're probably right, but in the long term its better like this." Elizabeth informs Melinda, "I am sure you want to get away from me as quick as possible, but would you mind waiting a minute? There is something I want to give you." She tells Melinda
"Of course." Melinda responds, assuming that it is something for Leo.
"Thank you." Elizabeth says and she walks out the back and returns a minute later with a file, "I told myself that if anyone came looking for me for Leo and if they demonstrate that they truly care about him, that they would be good for him, then I would give them this and you Ms May fit all criteria." She says handing the file over to Melinda and when she opens the files she is shocked with what she finds.
"Termination of parental rights, adoption papers." Melinda says shocked when she reads what the papers say.
"Take them." Elizabeth requests, "I may have only just met you but the fact that you came out here to find me and the fact that you are looking at me the way you are tells me that you will be a much better Mother to Leo than I was." She tells him.
"If you love your son as much as you claim then you should give up, you should work harder to be a better mother." Melinda tells Elizabeth, wanting to give her another shot at doing the right thing.
"I was the best mother I could be and I wasn't what he deserves, you are." Elizabeth tells Melinda, "Tell Leo that I am sorry and I love him but this is for the best." Elizabeth request, "Goodbye Ms May." Elizabeth says before walking away.
As she watches Elizabeth walk away Melinda is shocked and she realises that this is going to break Leo's heart and it is almost going to kill her to do that to him.
As she walks out of the diner Melinda makes a call to a local police offer she knows and informs him of the situation.
Because she realised that she should talk to Fury before heading home, partly because she needs to vent her anger before seeing the kids, Melinda headed back to the S.H.I.E.L.D base to do a video call before she headed home. When she pulls into the driveway Melinda realises that the kids will be home from school and that they would have been home for a while. Because she wanted to collect herself a bit more before she sees the kids Melinda spends several minutes sitting in the car, calming herself before she heads inside.
Due to the time Melinda isn't surprised when she walks into the living room and finds Clint, Bobbi and Leo playing a board game.
"Hey, Mom." Bobbi greats when she sees her mother.
"Bobbi can you and Clint please go upstairs. I need to talk to Leo." Melinda requests.
"Sure." Clint says, "Come on Bobbi Bear." Clint tells his sister, being able to tell that whatever happened between Melinda and Leo's mother wasn't good.
"Did you find my Ma?" Leo asks, a look of excitement on his face as Melinda walks over and sits on the couch.
"Can you come sit here?" Melinda says referring to a place right next to her and Leo walks over and sits down, "I did find your mother Leo, but…" Melinda starts to say but Leo cuts her off.
"She doesn't want me, does she?" Leo asks, as the look of excitement gets replaced with one of pain and sadness.
"I'm sorry Leo, I am so sorry." Melinda says wishing there was more she can do, to help the young boy with the pain he is clearly feeling, "She loves you very much, but she feels that being in your life isn't what's best for you." Melinda tells the young boy as she has thought the entire way home about what she would tell Leo and she decided to tell him the truth, he deserves that.
"What's so wrong with me that my parents don't want me?" Leo asks starting to cry.
"Oh, Leo. There is nothing wrong with you." Melinda assures him, "You are an amazing person and anyone would be lucky to call you their son." Melinda tells him and Leo just throws himself into Melinda's arms and starts to cry, realising that there is nothing she can say Melinda just holds the young boy tightly doing her best to show him that she is there for her.
For the next ten minutes Melinda holds Leo while he cries, never letting go, wishing that there was something she could do to help with his pain.
"What's going to happen to me?" Leo asks once he stops crying and has let go of Melinda.
"Well your Mother terminated her parental rights and gave me adoption papers. I could sign them if you would like." Melinda tells Leo, feeling like it should be his choice because he had no choice in anything else.
"You mean you would adopt me?" Leo ask, being surprised and amazed by that.
"If you would like." Melinda tells him.
"I would like that very much." Leo responds, not even needing to think about it.
"Good." Melinda answers with a warm smile, "Do you want to share the news with Clint and Bobbi?" Melinda asks and Leo nods
"BOBBI, CLINT CAN YOU COME DOWN HERE PLEASE" Melinda calls and she hears footsteps on the stairs and Bobbi and Clint walk in the room.
"Leo, are you okay?" Bobbi asks concerned as she can tell that her friend has been crying.
"No." Leo answers and Bobbi walks over and hugs him.
"What happened?" Bobbi asks looking between Leo and her mother, worried for her friend.
"I found Leo's mother and she decided that she wasn't able to be a mother." Melinda says trying to put it as delicately as possible, "So Leo going to live with us. I'm going to adopt him; he'll be a member of this family." Melinda tells Bobbi and Clint
"Really?" Bobbi says, "That's great. Now I have a big brother and a little brother." She says, sounding completely thrilled with the idea.
"You don't mind?" Fitz asks worried as he wants to make sure that Bobbi is completely okay with it.
"Not at all, I love it." Bobbi assures him as Clint walks over and squats in front of the two younger children.
"Welcome home Little Lion." Clint tells Fitz, "I know it might not seem like it right now but I promise you that things will get better. They really will, and we'll be here to help you until they do, and then after they are better we'll always be here. You will never be alone." Clint tells Fitz, saying what he knew would have helped him when Melinda first became his legal guardian, when she first adopted him.
"Thank you." Leo says hesitantly giving Clint a hug, one which he gladly returns.
"What would you guys think of Pizza for dinner?" Melinda asks.
"You never let us have Pizza." Bobbi comments, looking shocked and amazed.
"I'm making an exception." Melinda says, as she thinks it might help Leo to have a treat, "Clint, Leo, what do you think?' Melinda asks.
"I'm always up for Pizza, I'm in." Clint responds.
"I would like that, thank you." Leo answers and after getting the toppings they want Melinda goes and orders it and when she walks back into the living room she finds Leo explaining what something he built does to Bobbi and Clint, both of whom look very interested.
March 17th 1996 (Six months later)
It has been six months since Melinda adopted Leo and she is just returning from a two-week long mission, the first long mission she has been on since Leo's adoption.
Because it is the early hours of the morning Melinda checks on Clint, who was looking after his siblings while she was gone, and then Bobbi. She makes sure that they are both sleeping soundly and double checks to make sure the windows are locked before moving onto Leo's room.
When Melinda looks into Leo's room she finds him tossing and turning in his bed, clearly in the middle of a nightmare so she turns on the light and rushes over.
"Leo. Wake up." Melinda says sitting on the edge of the bed and shaking him awake.
"NO, DON'T LEAVE ME." Leo says bolting up in terror.
"It's okay, you're okay." Melinda tells the young boy, trying to calm him.
"You're back." Leo says clearly relieved.
"Yeah, I am." Melinda tells him.
"I missed you so much." Leo says hugging her tightly.
"I missed you too, and your brother, and sister." Melinda tells him returning the hug.
"I thought you weren't going to come back." Leo tells Melinda as he buries himself in the nook of Melinda's neck.
"I promise you Leo that as long as I have a say in the matter I will come back." Melinda tells the young boy.
"You better." Leo says, "I love you, Mum." Leo says calling Melinda Mum for the first time ever.
"I love you too, Leo." Melinda says, feeling overwhelming joy at Leo calling her Mum, "Would you like to sleep in my bed tonight?" Melinda ask and she feels Leo nod and so she stands up and carriers Leo to her room, wanting to do everything in her power to show Leo that she is different from his biological parents that she won't leave him like they did.
May 20th 1996 (Two months later)
It has been two months since Leo called Melinda Mom for the first time and Melinda, Leo, Clint and Bobbi are at a S.H.I.E.L.D airbase because they are heading back to the USA.
"So this is who you and Mum work for." Leo says to Clint as he looks around, seemingly amazed by everything.
"Yep." Clint answers, "And between you and me it's a pretty amazing job." He admits.
"And is that the plane we're flying in?" Bobbi asks pointing to a small jet.
"Yep, that's the one." Clint answers.
"I've never flown before." Leo admits, looking a little worried as he knows the mechanics of flying and knows how dangerous it can be.
"Don't worry Little Lion, you'll be perfectly safe, Mom's a great pilot." Clint tells Leo as he has flown with Melinda enough times to know that.
"I'm not afraid." Leo says, trying to make it sound like he's not.
"Yeah you are." Bobbi says, having gotten to know him well enough to know that.
"Well maybe a little but it's only because I know the planes avionics which means I know all the things that could go wrong." Leo explains to Bobbi and Clint.
"Don't worry, either of you, we'll be fine." Clint assures them as now Bobbi looking worried too, "And while Mum is up in the cockpit I'll be between you guys, what do you think of that?" Clint asks curious.
"I think I would like that very much." Bobbi answers, "You'll hold my hand if I want, right?"
"Of course, Bobbi Bear." Clint assures his little sister.
After about seven hours of flight time Melinda touches down the plane in a private airfield in DC. Even though she could have landed at the Triskelion Melinda elected to land at an airfield after getting the okay from Fury as it was safer for the kids.
"We're here." Melinda says walking out of the cockpit and over to her children where she and Clint help Leo and Bobbi get out of their harnesses, "How was your first time flying?" Melinda asks Leo.
"It felt wired, but cool." He admits.
"That's how it's meant to be." Melinda says as she, Leo, Bobbi and Clint walk out of the back of the plane, "Welcome to America, Leo." Melinda tells her son as they step onto the ground.
"Wow." Leo says as he's watched so much American TV that for so long all he wanted was to go to American and now he's there.
"GRNDMA, GRANDPA." Bobbi says yells before running towards Lian and William May who just walked into the hanger.
"DON'T RUN BOBBI." Melinda yells after her daughter as she, Leo and Clint walk over to Lian and William.
When Bobbi reaches her grandparents she hugs them.
"I've missed you." Bobbi says as she hugs her grandparents.
"We've missed you too." William informs her as he returns the hug.
"Grandma, Grandpa, I would like you to meet my little brother, Leo." Bobbi says once she has broken apart from her grandparents and once Clint, Leo, and Melinda have walked over, Bobbi sounding so very proud to introduce Leo as her brother.
"It's very nice to finally meet you Leo, Welcome to the family." Lian tells him and in response Leo can't help but smile as he looks around as he realises that this is his family now and that makes him so very happy.