Authors Note: Thank you to all that reviewed - Bookdancer, Lollypops101, lackam, lovinthor, kimbee, sammygirl1963, Qwerty124, ParisAmy and Hope06.
You guys are so awesome, I'm not even half way through the story and you've almost beaten my reviews for 'Father and Son'. Just for that I might even post two chapters today as thanks. ;)
Phil stood in the middle of the living room, making sure everything was neat and tidy. The social worker was coming to do a home visit today and he was feeling more than a little nervous.
The agent sighed and scrubbed a hand through his short hair. If he was honest with himself he was terrified; scared that he might mess things up. Over the past month he had grown even closer to Clint, the boy was slowly opening up to him more and showing the older man a sarcastic side he wasn't used to seeing. It was nice to know the kid felt that comfortable with him, it warmed Phil's heart in a way he wasn't used to.
Even Fury had started making jokes, calling him Papa Coulson. Phil would usually respond with Black Beard and the Director would glare at him before smirking, shrugging his shoulders and delving back into his paperwork.
Clint was making slow but steady progress with his studies. Phil knew he was determined to pass the tests Molly would put him through at the end. He was getting better with reading from a book but was still better reciting things from memory. Molly tried him with a few audio books to see how he'd do. She found to her amazement that the youngster could repeat the book back to her after a few days.
Coulson found out something new about the kid every day, something that made him even more special. Truthfully he wasn't sure what he'd do if they told him he wasn't going to get custody of Clint. He'd told himself from the beginning not to get his hopes up but he'd already failed. His hopes were well and truly elevated.
Phil spun around to the door when he heard the knock and swallowed down the fear building up inside him. He opened the door and welcomed the woman inside. She nodded at Phil and shook his hand, her eyes already scanning the interior of the house.
"Mr Coulson, I'm Nicole Grey from Social Services," she introduced herself and placed her bag on the ground next to the sofa.
"Hello Ms Grey, and please, call me Phil." He smiled his most charming smile, almost faltering when she glared at him.
"Don't think about trying to charm me Mr Coulson, and I know who you work for. Mr Fury can't help with this side of things. We just want to make sure this is the best choice for Clint." Nicole smirked as Phil looked away, embarrassed. "Just be yourself Mr Coulson. That's all I need to see."
The agent nodded and let the young woman check out his home. His nausea and anxiety grew with each moment she spent going over the house with a fine toothcomb and nearly an hour later Ms Grey wandered back downstairs.
"Would you like a tea or coffee?"
Nicole nodded. "A coffee would be great thanks."
"Sugar? Milk?" Phil asked while pulling out the milk for his own coffee.
"One sugar and milk." She took a seat on the couch and continued filling in her notes, smiling in thanks when Phil handed her a cup. Taking a sip she hummed in delight, this was very good coffee.
Coulson chuckled. "Yeah I get the good stuff."
Nicole finished writing and placed the pad on the seat next to her. "I need to ask you some questions, is that okay?"
Phil smile faltered. "Of course. Ask away."
"Why do you want to adopt Clint? Do you think that you could offer him more than any other family he could be placed with?" She paused before adding, "Your job is dangerous and very demanding, what happens if something happened to you Mr Coulson?"
The agent slouched back in his chair, these were the questions he asked himself all the time. He decided to just be honest. "I want to adopt him because he needs someone who will be there for him, someone he can trust, that won't hurt him. I told myself when he got a placement at the group home that he'd be better off, that he'd have a chance at having a family to love him, to help him through the trauma he's suffered in his young life. All he got from that was ignored, bullied by other boys and a trip to the hospital."
Nicole opened her mouth to speak but Phil cut her off with a raised hand. "I know my job is dangerous, but I also know there is a possibility that something could happen any day. The kid's own parents were killed in a traffic accident. I love that kid and I would do anything to keep him safe, and as much as it kills me, if you tell me that he's not safe here, then I'll help you find him somewhere that is."
The young woman nodded, pursing her lips. "You care about him a great deal Mr Coulson, I can see that very clearly. We'll have to speak to Clint, see what he wants, before making any final decisions."
Phil nodded. They both stood, Nicole placing her note pad in her bag and heading to the door.
"I just want him to be safe and happy," Coulson told her as he pulled the door open.
"I know you do Phil." She shook his hand again. "It was nice to meet you, we'll be in touch soon."
He stayed at the front door until her car disappeared down the street before stepping back inside. He closed his eyes and leaned against the sofa, feeling drained, emotionally and physically.
Pulling out his cell he hit speed dial. After two rings the other person picked up. "Hello?"
"Is he there?"
"Phil?" Molly asked softly.
"Yeah, can you put him on?"
He could hear a scuffling sound then, "Hello?"
"Clint, you alright?"
"Hey Phil, yeah I'm fine. Are you okay? You don't sound too good."
Phil chuckled. "I'm fine now. What are you up to?"
Clint spent the next fifteen minutes telling him everything he'd done that day, Coulson was smiling the entire time.
It was two days later that Clint was cornered by a man from Social Services. He'd just left the briefing room and bumped into the man in a grey suit. Barton thought he looked odd as almost every agent either wore a uniform with the SHIELD emblem on it or a black suit like Phil. Clint kept calling Phil, Agent P because he looked like an Agent from Men in Black.
The older man would just smirk and shake his head.
"Clint Barton, my name is James Sullivan. I work for Social Services." Clint stared at the man's hand which was thrust out towards him, he didn't shake it though.
"I don't think you should be here," Barton told the man while looking down the long corridor for any sign of Phil.
"I've already spoken to Director Fury, he has allowed me to come speak to you," James informed the boy.
Clint's eyes widened slightly, he didn't want to speak to this man, was getting a bad feeling from him. But if Nick had said it was okay then he supposed he should talk to him. He nodded slowly and followed the man into one of the other briefing rooms.
"Can I have someone here with me?" Clint asked. He really wanted Molly or Phil to be there.
"No, I'm sorry. It has to be just the two of us, it's about Mr Coulson you see." James waited until Clint nodded before continuing, "I need to ask you some questions, alright?"
Barton nodded again, staring down at his hands.
"You've been staying with Mr Coulson for over a month now, is that right?"
"Yes." Clint said quietly. He sat stiffly in the plastic chair, his hands resting on his lap were clenched into fists.
"Has Mr Coulson done anything to make you feel uncomfortable?" James stared at him, waiting patiently for an answer.
The twelve year old frowned. He didn't like what this man was implying. "No. He hasn't."
"If we managed to place you with another family, would you prefer if they didn't have other kids?" Mr Sullivan stared at Clint with a raised eyebrow, waiting.
The blonde boy shook his head, he really didn't care. Where ever they decided to send him he wouldn't be there very long.
The dark haired man leaned forward, placing the pen on the table. "I can see you've grown quite attached to Mr Coulson, Clint. But we have to make sure you are looked after by someone who will do what's best for you. Mr Coulson is a career oriented man and will be more focussed on his work than caring for you." He paused, watching the boy's expression for any reaction to his comment. The kid's face remained blank. "A child with your circumstances is going to need a lot of help and attention, does Mr Coulson get frustrated with you?"
Clint glared at the older man but shook his head. "No."
James shrugged and picked up his pen before adding, "It's only a matter of time then."
Barton's nails bit into his skin from clenching so hard. He had never wanted to hit someone as much as he did in that moment.
The man in the grey suit ticked off a few more questions.
Clint ended up either nodding or shaking his head for most of the other questions. Inside he was starting to feel angry, his hands clenched into fists. He needed to calm down, so he reached into his pocket and gripped the hawk Phil had given him tightly, forcing himself to breathe deeply.
James finished asking the last of his questions and stood, leaving Clint sitting in the chair, seething.
It was where Phil found him almost an hour later. He apologised for being late and asked why Clint hadn't made his way up to his office or even Fury's office. Coulson didn't miss the way the boy seemed to flinch at the mention of the Director; that was a little odd.
"Clint?" he asked when the kid didn't answer him. Worry swept through the agent, what was going on?
"I'm fine!" Clint snapped and Phil had to stop himself from taking a step back. He'd never seen the level of anger that was being directed at him, before.
"Hey. What's wrong?" Phil asked calmly.
Barton ignored him and stood, walking past the agent and heading towards the garage. "Can we go?"
Coulson sighed and nodded, following behind. It really was one step forward, two steps back with the kid.