Birds of A Feather: Pigeon Hole
By: M14Mouse
Summary: Clint didn't want to spend his time trying to break up a fight between Doc and Sam. He realizes that Sam got this.
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
"Good morning, man. Sleep well?" Sam said before he took a slip of his coffee.
Clint glanced over at the Doc who just stared at Sam like he was going to bite him.
"Well enough," Doc said curtly as he took a seat across from them at the table.
"Oh, I never did get around to ask Nat but did the technique help? I know some other techniques that might help or build on it if you need them," Sam said.
Doc blinked in surprise. Hell, he was surprised.
"You taught Nat that?" He said.
"She asked but she never told me who it was for. I never asked since it wasn't my business. Of course, I figured out when Steve talked about what she was doing after the big fights. It seemed to help."
"It doesn't help anymore," Doc said bitterly.
"There isn't an instant cure for this."
Doc laughed bitterly.
"Don't you think I know that?"
"You aren't the only person where the technique that they were using to calm down fails."
"No technique is going to work. Never again."
Clint glanced over Sam. Holy crap, Sam looked like a steel beam. He kind of looked like Cap but kind of not. He looked like a man that was about to unload some shit.
"I am not at work, man. So, I am going to blunt with you. You are not the only one."
"Good to know that your clients can turn into Hulks."
"No, they wake up in the middle night with a loaded pistol in their hands. They find themselves driving or walking down some unknown street. They panic at the sights of plastic bags, sounds of fireworks, and smells of burnt rubber. They don't want to remember their bubby burning in the sky or a mine going off right next to them. They fear because they know that it can happen again and again and have no control over it. Worse of all, they have no warning. It hits like a car hitting a brick building. They are angry at so many things…most of all, themselves. They want to forget…to go away. If that isn't hell, I don't know what is. Yes, my clients don't turn into Hulks. They don't need too."
Doc blinked and looked to say something. Doc's month opened and closed several times then finally snapped shut. He looked away to adjust his glasses. Hell, he knew how he felt. Sometimes…..well…
Damn….
Sam's eyes never wavered at Doc's face while he slipped his coffee.
"I'm sorry. I didn't…I am sorry." Doc said.
"We like to think that we are alone. Our experiences are different. In some ways, that is true. Underneath it all? It is the same. The horror, the fear, the anger, the memories. I wish every day that I had a magic pill that would take it all away but I don't. So, we learn to embrace the good days and cope with the bad." Sam said thoughtfully.
"Do you and the big guy want to check in? I know that we don't have time to do much but it might help." Sam added.
"We don't have time for a session."
"Not asking for one. Check ins are basically touching base. How are you feeling, seeing that you want to talk about it, etc," Sam said.
"I feel like crap and I don't want to talk about it."
Sam nodded his head. Doc stood up but paused for a moment.
"You said the big guy…."
"You call him the other guy, don't you?"
Doc nodded his head in confusion.
"Then he is the other guy."
"You are the only counselor that said that."
Sam frowned.
"Oh?"
Doc nodded then he finally stood up.
"After this is over…maybe we can have a talk," Doc said. Sam nodded his head before Doc left the kitchen with his coffee.
After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up.
"No super powers, huh?" He said.
Sam just snorted.
End of Pigeon Hole
Next Chapter: Morning Flight
A/N: This chapter was difficult to write for many reasons. I believe that Sam would go about in different way but he didn't have time and Bruce wouldn't have embrace it at all especially after re-watching Nat/Bruce conversation. In my head canon, Sam totally taught Nat that. Anyway, read and review if you wish.