Authors Note: Huge thanks to those who reviewed last chapter - Hope06, Qweb, Sandy-wmd, Lollypops101, sammygirl1963, DucksFan1510, kimbee and DBhawkguy30.
Warning for this chapter, major fluffiness ahead lol
Clint was aware of someone watching him before he even opened his eyes; he wasn't sure how, he seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to these things. His eyes snapped open and just as he was about to vault out of the bed to get away, a soft hand gripped his wrist and haunted eyes met gentle brown ones.
"It's okay kid, I'm here," Phil spoke softly, sorrow clouding his features because he should have known Clint would have nightmares and that it would take a few moments for the teen to remember where he was, that he wasn't in danger.
Barton visibly relaxed against the soft pillows, giving Phil a small grin. Launching himself towards the older man, Phil just managed to adjust his stance or they both would have tumbled to the ground. Clint seemed to forget he wasn't that skinny little boy anymore. It wasn't like the kid was overweight or anything, though the amount of time the teen spent in the training room had helped Barton bulk up quite a bit. Phil wrapped his arms around the teen, squeezing him tightly.
"Happy birthday, Clint."
"Thanks dad." The birthday boy beamed, swinging his legs off the bed and running a hand through his hair. It was getting longer again, he'd need to get it cut soon. Turning to his dad, while grabbing a fresh t-shirt, he pulled it over his head. "What are we doing today?" he asked curiously, Phil usually had something planned.
"Nick has been called in, so we are going to go home. Chill out, get your present, then do whatever you want," Phil told him.
"Can we just spend the day together chilling out, maybe get a pizza and watch some movies? Just you and me?" Clint asked carefully.
Coulson frowned. "You sure? We can go out for dinner, anything you want? I've got a few days off."
"I just want to spend some time with you dad. You did promise me last year that I could have a normal birthday this year." He laughed. "Whatever that is?"
Phil chuckled, nodding. "Okay kid. If that's what you want?"
Barton nodded, smiling brightly. He couldn't wait to go home, pick out some films and spend the day with the older man. He really missed him and was happy he was home safe. Once they were both dressed they headed through to the living room where Nick was already dressed and ready to go.
Fury arched an eyebrow when Barton walked up to him, stopping in front of the taller man. They shared a look before the director gripped the teen's shoulder and pulled him close. Wrapping his other arm around the youngster, Nick smirked at Phil who was watching with interest.
"Happy birthday, kid."
"Thanks, Nick and thanks for looking after me, letting me stay with you." Clint pulled back, grinning up at his god father.
"Anytime Clint. I hope you have a good day, and I'll see you in a few days alright?"
Barton nodded, glancing over at Phil who was watching their interaction in amusement. The teen suddenly remembered he'd left his bag in the room, slapping his hand against his forehead in a comical fashion. He disappeared down the hall without a word to either man.
Phil and Nick shared a look, the younger agent held his boss's gaze for a few seconds before he turned away. This alone caught the director by surprise. Phil was known for being unflappable in the most dangerous situations, was never one to be cowed by the director's glare, yet seeing him lower his eyes and turn away made Nick realise that Coulson was still struggling to make his decision.
Fury clapped Phil on the shoulder, his good eye boring into the younger agent. "We'll talk when you're back at SHIELD. Go spoil your boy, Phil. He missed you."
The shorter man chuckled. "Yeah, I missed him too. Thanks Nick."
"No problem. Just save me a piece of cake."
"I can't guarantee that," Barton commented as he appeared behind them, a grin spreading across his face.
Nick scowled at the teen, then laughed when Clint stuck his tongue out at him. The boy was such a child sometimes. They made their way outside to the car, Barton getting in the back leaving Phil to sit in the front passenger's seat, the director would be dropping them off on his way to the base.
It didn't take long to arrive back home, Clint perking up when he they pulled up outside the familiar house, the place that had become his sanctuary with the man who had saved him, protected him and showed him that there were good people left in the world. He had showed the teen how to trust again.
Saying their goodbyes to Nick, the director gave them a wave as he drove out of the street, heading to SHIELD.
Clint followed behind Phil as they walked up the path to the front door. The older man pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, letting the teen enter first. The first thing Barton noticed was the bundle of presents on the table in the living room. He shot a confused look at Phil who just shrugged.
"Your gran and grandpa sent them over, I've had them hidden for a while now." He laughed at the shocked face sent his way. "We can visit them in a few weeks time if you want?"
Barton nodded, delighted at the thought of seeing his grandparents again. He missed them. Since their visit last year, the teen spent a lot of time on the phone to Tommy; he and his younger cousin were practically inseparable. The younger boy looked up to his big cousin, dressing the same way and was also getting his hair cut similar to Clint's. Trisha, Tommy's mom, thought it was adorable.
His Aunt Jessica and her twins hadn't been able to visit the first time, but they had travelled to see them a few months after, letting Clint finally meet his other cousins, the twins Brian and Lewis. They were eleven and a little more reserved than Tommy. Barton got on with them though, they were shyer and took more time to open up to their newest family member. Clint didn't take it to heart, before he met Tommy, he was the same.
"That would be cool." The young archer was buzzing with excitement, eyeing the various sizes of gifts set out on the table in front of him. He found it strange that the year before he had been overwhelmed with the thought and love that had gone into his presents, ending with him hyperventilating because he didn't think he deserved presents from people he'd never met before. Everything had changed now, Nick had told Clint that it was just the way people like to show how much they cared, and it would give the youngster the same opportunity to show how much he loved them back. They were his family now.
Phil nodded towards the pile of gifts. "Go on then, birthday boy. Open your presents."
"Okay." Clint hurried over to the table, pausing to determine which he should open first. He spotted a tag with Tommy's name on it and grinned. He'd started with his youngest cousin's gift last year too, so that was a good place to begin. Ripping open the purple wrapping paper, Barton laughed when he saw what was underneath. It was a photo frame with two picture slots, one had a shot of young Tommy holding his kid sized recurve bow, aiming an arrow at the target in his own back garden. Apparently Tommy had taken up archery because of his big cousin; he was also really good at it. The second picture was of Clint, his stance the same as the younger boy's, with a bright smile on his face. He remembered that day, he'd just fired four arrows one after the other at the target, hitting the bulls eye every time, all because his Uncle Paul, Phil's brother in law, didn't believe the stories he'd heard.
"What did you get?" Phil asked, chuckling in amusement when Clint turned the picture around for him. Tommy really was a miniature sized Barton.
Clint started opening the rest, wrapping paper left littering the floor. Coulson pushed down his frustrating need to clean it up right away and took the time to bask in his boy's obvious delight. Barton's gran and grandpa picked out a new black hoodie with a purple target on the back and a skate board. His Aunt Trisha and Uncle Paul got him a dart board. Sandra and Dave sent a brand new IPod for him to store his music, the twins Rachel and Fiona got him a box containing an assortment of pranks he could use daily to annoy certain agents. He'd have fun with that. Jessica got him a selection of new clothes, spy gear, including night vision and laser security equipment. Finally Brian and Lewis picked out a remote control helicopter.
"Awesome." Barton held up each item for Phil to see. The older man chuckled at the teen's excitement, happy that the kid was more accepting of the gifts he'd received than last year. It was probably just a bit much with getting to meet Phil's family for the first time and having gifts handed to him. He couldn't wait to show Clint what he'd gotten him. As if he read his thoughts, his son eyed him expectantly, waiting to be given his final present. For some reason the agent liked waiting till last, wanting to string out the suspense.
Coulson jumped up, walking through to his room to get them, then set the two gifts in front of the teenager. "Happy birthday, son." Phil kissed the blonde head before sitting back and watching. He really wasn't sure what to expect with the second gift he'd managed to find. It was more than likely going to be emotional for the boy, though he hoped in a good way.
Barton quickly opened the smaller sized box, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw the new cell phone. Though this wasn't the type of cell that someone could buy from the shops, this one had been made by the SHIELD techs, he'd seen the same logo on Nick's phone and knew this small piece of equipment probably held more data than a computer. He'd seen only a fraction of the things the science guys could come up with and it made his head burst with the possibilities of what they could do with his bow.
"Thanks dad." Clint hugged the older man, then flopped back on the couch, the phone held tightly in his hand. "What kind of stuff can it do?" he asked curiously.
"That's for you to find out," Phil told him, pleased that the kid liked it.
Clint arched an eyebrow. "Is that agent speak for you have no idea?"
"Maybe," Coulson responded. "They did tell me, most of it just went right over my head."
Barton smirked, pulling the other present into his lap. He opened this one carefully, not really sure why he felt the need to, yet something was telling him deep down in his bones that this gift was precious, that it should be handled carefully. When he saw the old leather cover, Clint's breath caught in his throat. It couldn't possibly be. Trailing his fingers delicately over the cover, the leather had a surprisingly soft feel, for such a hard object. He raised shocked eyes to his dad, the question he wanted to ask never escaping his lips. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to the album held in his hands, shakily opening it. A faint musty smell assaulted his nostrils, the memories of his childhood crashing into him like a wave.
"Oh my god." Finally the whispered words came. Clint blinked back tears that threatened to fall, his voice catching as he stared at the photo album, his childhood pictures staring back at him. He flicked to the second page, choking back a sob. His parents happy faces looked back at him, he turned to Phil. "How...?"
Coulson wrapped his arm around the teen's trembling form, pulling him closer. "I found out where you stayed when you were little from your file. I didn't actually think I'd find anything but I wanted to check. The young woman that lives in the house now with her daughter was very sympathetic. She told me she'd cleared a lot of the boxes that were in the attic, though she found a few old toys and this photo album. She told me she couldn't bear to throw someone else's memories away, especially with how happy you were." Phil squeezed tighter when he felt Clint shiver, though he was sure it was nothing to do with being cold. "Her name is Celia and she said she'd asked around the neighbours to see if anyone remembered your family. She was told what happened, and said that the only reason she kept it was the hope that either you or your brother would return to the house to reclaim it."
Clint nodded absently, his fingers still trailing over the picture of his parents. "They were amazing, I think you would have liked them," he whispered, his eyes welling up with tears again. "I still miss them, even Barney. Find myself wondering where he is and what he's doing." He looked at the older man, a frown on his young face. "Is that weird?"
"Not at all Clint. He is still your brother." Phil paused, unsure if he should push the subject. "You never talk about him; Barney. I didn't want to bring it up in case it upset you."
The teen flipped the page, his face contorted with sadness. A deep, heart wrenching longing settled in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the picture in front of him, all of the family together and everyone smiling happily. Barney was pulling a face at Clint to make him laugh. "I guess it hurts more because I don't know why he abandoned me. He didn't even say goodbye. Just handed me the pocket knife with the hawk engraving on it and told me it was a late birthday present. That was the last words he said to me, leaving me in that place, on my own." Barton's voice cracked and he looked away. Swallowing thickly he raised conflicted eyes to Phil's. "Why would he do that?"
"I don't know son. Maybe one day you'll find out." Coulson pulled the teen closer, breathing in the scent of his boy, wishing he could find the older brother and ask him why, why he did what he did. There must be some explanation for why he left Clint on his own. The teenager didn't just lose his parents that day, he'd also lost his brother. Sure Barney had been with him in the orphanage for two years before ultimately abandoning him, but the elder Barton had already started distancing himself to the point where to Clint, he might as well have been dead too. "I'm sorry if the gift upset you."
The young archer shook his head, his eyes wide. "I love it dad, please don't apologise. It just wasn't something I expected to ever see again. It's nice to remember them that way, I was starting to forget."
Phil nodded. "You know I never wanted to replace them Clint, I just wanted to make you safe and happy."
Clint leaned against the older man's chest with a grin. "I know, Phil." He twisted his head to look up at the man who'd saved him. "I think my mom and dad would have liked you. I would've loved you to meet them."
Phil looked shocked by the teen's words, his cheeks flushing. "Me too, Clint. Me too."
The youngster grinned, turning his attention back to the album and showed Phil a few of his baby photos, ones where Coulson was sure he'd never seen a more adorable little boy. His huge blue eyes, blonde hair sticking up and look of pure innocence as he pointed at the person taking the picture had Phil laughing with joy. There were a few of Clint aged roughly four or five, holding a small baseball bat and grinning from ear to ear.
"My dad was going to sign me up to the kiddie league, he said I had talent," Clint told his dad.
"Your grandpa asked me last year if you ever played, he thought you'd be good at it. Although you're good at pretty much anything you put your mind to." Phil laughed at the flush on the teen's cheeks.
"Thanks dad."
"For what?" Phil raised his eyebrow in question.
"For being you." Clint embraced the older man, his arms around his neck. "I love you, dad."
"Love you too, son." Coulson felt choked up when he saw the honest, raw emotions shining in his boy's eyes. He was so damn lucky. "You want to pick some movies, and I'll order the pizza?"
"Yeah." Clint placed the album carefully on the table, then jumped up running upstairs to his room to check his collection of DVD's.
Phil stood in the kitchen, phone in hand and stared blankly at the menu in front of him. He wasn't sure why he'd pulled the menu out as they ordered the same thing every time, and he'd memorised the phone number a long time ago. He was suddenly filled with a warm feeling of contentment, his heart bursting with happiness and pride for the youngster he'd took into his home, promising safety and protection from those who threatened to hurt the boy and who'd very quickly wormed his way into the stoic agent's heart. Coulson was looking forward to the next few days spent with his kid, he would make the most of it as he'd finally decided what he was going to say to Nick. He just hoped the older man would agree.
Clint vaulted down the stairs, a bundle of DVDs in his hand. "Ready dad?"
"Yeah. I'm ready."