Natasha had been called out to Shield HQ and Clint hadn't. She'd practically whined that it wasn't fair as he'd made fun of her for having to "work". "That's what you get for being so eloquent." He mocked.

But the new director, a woman known as Monica Rambeau, was very keen on ensuring Shield was cleaning up the mess it had helped make. So Natasha was back in D.C. meeting with government officials.

And Clint's eating cereal at Howard's kitchen island, hair mused from sleep when the girl walks in.

His spoon pauses halfway to his mouth as he notices her eyes are red rimmed.

He's not an older brother. Not biologically. But after the last almost year, he's assigned himself that role. So seeing her crying makes something protective rise up and he stands up, eyes wide, "what happened?"

Except her mouth widens into a watery smile, "Stephanie."

He furrows his brow, "what?"

She laughs, watery and full of joy, "I remember my own name. It's Stephanie. She named me Stephanie." Then she rubs at her eyes and looks at him, "after my dad."

His own throat is tight as she runs up to him and gives him a hug. Something she's started doing more and more as she and Steve became inseparable.

"I need to go tell him."

Clint grins, "can I be there?"

She laughs, "you just want to see a grown man cry."

He laughs, "hell yeah."

—-

Steve looks like a deer caught in the headlights as she tells him. Then true to their prediction tears come to his eyes, threatening to spill over.

Then he's yanking her into a hug and holding her so tightly that a normal girl would have bruises.

"At least we can stop calling you the girl." Clint quips.

Father and daughter laugh at his joke and maybe that makes him feel like part of the family. Not that he tells them that.

—

Clint muses about the last few months. After Barnes' comment about Azzano, he'd been more and more vocal. Like he'd been worried remembering would get him punished. But as he started to share more details that made Steve light up like a christmas tree, and no punishment followed, he was slowly pulling the pieces of reality and his memories together with less and less trepidation each time.

The girl was the same. Although her memories weren't really anything that anyone else remembered, just a few missions, lots and lots of training and brainwashing, and plenty of time spent in a lab.

Steve seemed worried, anxious whenever she shared one of those memories, like she might blame him like he blamed himself. But usually she would stare out into the distance for a while, recount the memory and then look at Steve and say, "you wanna go spar?" Or "can you make me that casserole thing you made last week?"

And Steve would just melt in fatherly happiness and succumb to any request she had immediately.

It makes Clint sick.

With jealousy mostly.

But then Steve or the girl (as they still knew her then) would turn to him and say "are you coming?" Or "wanna watch the newest episode?" (Of whatever show they were currently watching) and Clint would find his voice stolen by the warmth and emotion of being included and he would always nod, "yeah, yeah definitely."

—-

Once Steve had fully accepted that Barnes and Carter weren't going to bolt, his tension disappeared and he became endlessly patient. He already was, but now he seems to take everyday as if it's the best gift he could have received.

Carter is the biggest mystery. Her version of the serum is a complete unknown. Her brain doesn't seem to be healing as fast as Barnes or Stephanie's.

A thought he knows kills Steve inside. But Steve says nothing negative or complaining. Never wishes for her to remember faster.

And maybe because Steve remembers who Carter used to be, makes him have a harder time seeing the smaller changes. But Clint, a guy who has only known robotic assassin Carter, sees the small shifts.

She goes from being a strangely watchful and protective guardian of Howard to a relaxed and quiet companion of Howard's. She glares at Barnes more than she did in the beginning.

And most obvious to Clint but that no one else seems to notice. The way she walks. Maybe if Natasha was here more often she would notice, but Clint sees it. She was stiff, rigid at first. But now she… she's softer. There's a sway to her hips that wasn't there before. LIke she's walking at ease. He feels weird for noticing, but it's just true. She's more fluid in her movements.

And something else that he notices is the way she moves around Steve. Steve's trying so hard not to be forceful that Clint thinks it makes him miss details because he's not trying to overwhelm Carter.

But Carter is like a moon to Steve's sun. She rotates around him, never getting too close but never allowing herself to be too far. And Clint knows she's staring at him until someone looks at her and she looks away, pretending not to be looking at anything in particular.

It's so fucking painfully desperate. Someone who knows in their deepest core that the person she's addicted to is hers. But can't seem to break through the barrier of her programming.

Clint is of the thought that Steve just needs to kiss her and she'd remember. Like a Cinderella type deal. Tony agrees, he knows, but when they'd mentioned that idea to Steve he'd shaken his head. "Not until she asks me."

His voice had been tight as he'd said the words.

But Clint understood. Steve was still worried that if and when her memories came back she'd blame him or be mad at him.

Clint prays to whatever deity his mother had that that won't be the case. For Steve's sake.

And…

He doesn't want to admit it.

But for his own sake too.

He really really wants a whole family for once.

—

Howard is starting to really fade.

Tony's agitated and nasty to the point of Clint wanting to slap him upside the head.

But he doesn't.

Steve is a constant bedside companion to Howard.

As is Carter. Although she's more of a silent partner.

She does speak. She does. But only in short clipped sentences and really only when necessary.

Stephanie has started to try to draw her out more. And Carter seems to hold the girl at arm's length.

Clint has a theory about that, but he doesn't share it. Too sad.

—

14 months and 6 days after Steve had ambushed them in his own home back in Philadelphia, Barnes turns to Steve and frowns softly, "I miss my parents."

And Steve seems at a loss between wanting to hug him or apologize. But he settles on, "you wanna talk about. it?"

And Barnes nods. "Yeah. I do."

And Steve just settles in and looks at him, "okay, let's talk about it, whatever you want."

And Barnes starts talking.

—-

The girl is experiencing growing pains. Not physical growing pains, societal ones.

Like… don't punch a guy for groping you because your punches can be lethal. Half punch a man for groping you.

Clint's glad Steve wasn't there because he's pretty sure the guy would have been killed with no second thoughts. But Clint just looks at the groggy guy on the sidewalk as Stephanie stares at him in annoyance.

"Let's go." Clint says with a bit of urgency, "we gotta go."

And it's on the way back to the car that he starts to see a shift.

Her arms are across her chest and her facial expression is pinched.

"Barring the fact that that guy was an asshole. Are you okay?"

She shifts, obviously uncomfortable. "I hate when they do that."

The words make the hairs on the back of Clint's neck stand up and his big brother claws come out, "when who does that? Has that happened before? Who? When?"

She looks at him and seems to see his anger on her behalf and her expressions softens a bit in gratitude. "They used to do that all the time. Hydra. Knew I hated it."

Clint's blood boils.

"One time—" she starts, unaware that Clint can barely hear her through the rushing of the anger and adrenaline in his blood, "—I remember it now, a guard grabbed me when I was waiting to go into the memory machine. He thought he'd take his chance since I was about to have my memory wiped anyways." She stops at the passenger side door, "I was only like… 12 at the time I think. And he was trying to take off my shirt. But I punched him so hard in the chest that I broke a rib and punctured his lung and he almost died."

She says the words plainly. And then she looks up at him for his response.

Clint nods, "good for you."

She smiles.

—-

The official funeral had been a secret. Small and intimate. Tony had been deadly quiet through the whole thing and Steve had never left his side for a moment. Barnes had stayed close to Stephanie. Carter had stood at the back, sunglasses on her face the whole time even though Clint saw the tear tracks beneath them.

He and Natasha had done whatever they could to help. Ordering food, finding a place for all the flowers, and fielding whatever details they could.

But now Tony had to deal with the public side. A press conference to deal with the business side of his father's death.

And Clint sits with his mouth agape at Steve's last words.

"What?" Tony breathes out, "what?"

Steve is calm as he repeats himself, "would you like me to be there with you?"

Tony blinks, "why… would you do that?"

Steve looks at Tony like he looks at Stephanie, like a father. "Because I owe it to your father to do whatever I can to help you. If you want me there, for support, or for whatever. I'm there."

"People would recognize you."

Steve nodded, "perhaps."

"But then people would know you're still alive. They could come after you."

And instead of Steve responding, "that's true" or "I can handle myself" or something else similar that Clint expects. Steve turns to Clint and then back to Tony and he smiles, "then it will be a good thing I have you guys here to protect me. Right?"

—

Clint sits in the back with Natasha and Steve as Tony speaks to the press.

Carter, Barnes, and Stephanie are back at the house.

No one even looks Steve's way. Except Tony, who grins and answers the next question with ease.

—

Steve is in the kitchen, Stephanie is sitting at the table looking at college courses. Steve had been talking to her about the future, helping her realize she could do anything she wanted. So she was exploring her options, not even having known half of the existed.

"What's Speech Pathology?" She asks.

Steve is chopping something and he pauses, "that's when people help with speech or language issues. So if you had a lisp—"

"What's a lisp?"

Steve frowns, "uh—"

"You ever seen Bugs Bunny?" Clint asks.

Stephanie looks at him, "Bugs bunny?"

He nods, "Yeah, you know, Daffy Duck had a lisp."

"Why would I watch a Bugs Bunny if I wanted to see a Daffy Duck?"

Clint frowns, "because they're both on Looney Tunes."

And something about that phrase makes Steve laugh out loud, head tipped back in mirth and shaking it.

She and Clint look at Steve and grin at the fact that they're experts at getting this reaction out of him when they suddenly freeze. Carter stands at the doorway, her eyes on Steve. He looks at them wondering why they've stopped laughing only to follow their line of sight to crater in the doorway, where he straightens, as he always does.

And for the very first time in his memory, Carter lets a small smirk cross her lips as her eyes never leave Steve's face and she initiates a question, "what's so funny?"

Stephanie lights up with glee, and Steve keeps his eyes on Carter as she walks into the room, both of them with eyes locked and so much tension Clint could pierce it with an arrow.

—-

And that starts the shift. The final shift. Steve and Barnes are probably as close to back to normal as they will ever be able to be after the lives they have led. Steve admits it's not exactly the same. Bucky has new habits, like glaring out at nothing for hours occasionally, or getting too fidgety around the walk-in freezer (Tony had installed a fail safe door so no one could get stuck in there by accident).

But Steve seems as relieved as could be when Barnes starts teasing him and treating him like a younger annoying brother.

Stephanie has been doing incredibly well for someone who grew up the way she did. The unrelenting kindness, patience, and depth of devotion and love from her father probably helps a lot with that.

But now Carter.

Clint thinks maybe she was hiding her healing a bit more than they knew with how quickly she seems to be relinquishing her "Agent" habits.

When she walks into the room, her nails painted red, Clint could have sworn Steve's heart stopped.

Then she began doing her hair in different ways. Not just braids or buns, but more complicated and vintage styles and Clint watched as Steve had to grip the counter to keep from reaching out and touching it.

It was so hopeful and devastating at the same time. The woman he loves more than life itself is slowly returning and he refuses to force the situation along faster.

—-

Natasha gets a week's leave and they're sitting on the couch watching something with Stephanie when they hear a sound.

She's up and on her feet before they can ask why.

They follow her to the kitchen where Steve is wiping the counters, headphones over his head.

And he's humming.

That song. The song.

Stephanie is about to walk towards him when Natasha snags her hand and shakes her head. Then she points.

In the far corner, in the butler's pantry doorway, Carter stands, eyes wide and face drained of color.

They creep backwards, pretty sure neither of them are aware of their audience.

Carter steps forward, silent and slowly.

Steve turns to throw something away when he catches sight of her.

He's yanking the headphones off his head and swallowing hard.

"I know that song." Carter whispers out.

Steve's voice is a rasp, "yes. You do."

"You used to sing it. Over and over."

Steve winces in humor, "yes, I did."

"You… would sing it for me. When I asked."

Steve's voice drops, rough and lower, "I would."

"You used to do whatever I wanted you to do."

Clint can feel his own eyes widening at the conversation. He turns to Natasha and her expression displays the same thought. How much does she remember?

"I could never say no to you." Steve responds softly.

"Because you loved me?"

"Because I love you." Steve corrects. "I never stopped."

"They stole you from me." Carter whispers out. "They made me forget you."

"I know." Steve's voice cracks, "I'm so sorry."

"They stole her from me too."

Clint looks at Stephanie who is frozen, eyes locked on her parents.

"I can never forgive myself for what they did to both of you." Steve responds, a harshness in his tone directed at himself.

"I didn't know what I was missing." Carter says, eyes sort of far away, "but I knew I was missing something. You. And her."

"We're here." Steve says quickly before taking a deep breath and forcing himself to slow down, "whenever—" he winces, "if ever you'd like to… be a family."

"I can't remember her still." The admission sounds painful. Stephanie's holding her breath.

Steve blinks, surprised, "but… you remember me?"

Carter looks wary, like suddenly this admission over all of them could be the cause for punishment, "…yes."

Steve's entire aura shifts, radiating so powerfully Clint's shocked he doesn't start to glow, "it's probably chronological—" he rasps out, "they took memories of me first, so perhaps the serum is healing the oldest wounds first. I'm sure your memories of Stephanie will come back in time."

"I hope so." Stephanie starts breathing again.

Steve smiles, "I hope so too. You raised an amazing woman."

And a small smile plays on Carter's lips, "my mother would be surprised."

Steve laughs, "you remember her?"

Carter nods, "I do."

Then Steve's voice gets hopeful and— Clint blinks in surprise— longing. Maybe Steve wasn't handling this as well as he thought. "What do you remember about me?"

"I remember you hated ironing clothes."

Steve huffs, "it's too hot."

Carter takes a step forward, almost predatory and Clint suddenly feels like they're all intruding.

"You used to paint."

Steve's eyes turn sad, "yes."

"Why did you stop?"

"My muse went missing."

The question of 'who is your muse?' is on Carter's lips before her brain seems to answer the question for her and a warmth spreads across Carter's face.

"You hate… planes?"

Steve grimaces, "I'm not fond of them."

"You left me." It's not accusing, more of a statement, "in a plane."

Steve swallows hard, "yes. For a few months."

"You saved the world."

"I wanted to save you. The world was a bonus."

"You…" Carter seems like she's amused at her next question, "used to break our beds?"

A flush flares out of Steve's collar and his eyes flicker in their direction and suddenly Clint realizes that Steve knows they are there. Probably has this whole time. But he'd never turn down a chance to connect with Carter. And calling them out would break the spell.

"Accidentally." Steve whispered.

Natasha has a hand gripped over her mouth in shock and Stephanie lokos confused before a grimace crosses her face. And it's so 'teen overhears her parents in love' that Clint almost snorts out loud.

"We made the store people blush."

Steve chuckles weakly. "Yes. They kept wondering why we kept buying new beds."

"I teased you mercilessly."

"You did." Steve says with a groan but he's clearly pleased, "as you are right now."

"You would make me coffee and bring it t o me in bed."

"You weren't a morning person."

"You would… kiss the bruises on my knuckles?"

Carter raises her hand sas if to inspect imaginary bruises. And Steve, gingerly reaching towards it, probably the most forward thing he's done in the last almost year and a half, and almost is about to grasp her hand when he pauses, "may I?"

She nods and he gently holds her hand in his two like it's his most precious possession. "Your field work would cause you to have to fight sometimes, hand to hand. I would kiss the bruises… it made me feel like I had you home safe."

And Carter looks at him so openly raw and stripped bare, like she's been waiting for him all these years. Which even if she didn't remember she was, she was. "Am I home safe now?"

Steve's jaw trembles just slightly before he slowly raises her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. Her eyes close at the touch and he doesn't let go, his own eyes closing at the contact.

"Then Steve's voice is so quiet that Clint has to strain to hear it, "I've missed you more than I can bear."

Carter frowns, "then.. why have you kept your distance from me since I've returned?"

Natahsa's mouth gapes again and Clint reels. Steve thought he was being cautious, patient, giving her space to heal.

She thought he was being distant.

"I didn't want you to feel pressured by me." He whispers back, his voice raw. "Howard was so insistent I didn't crowd you. Like I tried to while you were watching the reels."

"I thought you were…" she winces, "upset. At me."

Steve leans forward, her hand still inh is, "what? Why!"

"Because I let Barnes be tortured. I allowed our daughter to be tortured. Because they broke me."

Stephanie stops breathing again at being called 'their daughter'.

Steve doesn't respond right away, too stunned by her assumption, but then he's sinking to his knees and wrapping his arms around her middle, burying his face in her stomach. It's quite the leap from no contact to this but Carter doesn't seem put off, she seems to melt into the touch. Head bowing over him.

"You did everything you could." Steve responds muffled, "you were braver than I have ever been. Stronger than I could ever hope to be." It's passionate speech, brokenness shining through at how much he loves this woman. "You managed to keep all three of you alive in Hydra's hands. For almost 5 decades. You should be upset with me—" his voice cuts off and his grip on her tightens.

Her voice is soft, "Howard told me."

Steve looks up, eyes red, "told you what?"

"How you searched for us. Anthony told me the rest. How you kept searching after you told Howard to stop. How you dug up Hydra graves hoping to find us."

Steve buries his head back into her middle, "I wanted to find you. I tried, I tried. I'm so sorry, Peggy."

And for the first time that Clint can ever remember, Peggy Carter looks down at the man on his knees and says his name, "Steve."

He looks up, shock on his face.

"I never once, in all those years, blamed you."

The choked emotional sound that exits Steve's mouth makes every single one of their throats tight with emotion. Stephanie's eyes are red as she stares, watching her parents.

—

From then on, Steve doesn't leave Carter's side. And her hand is always on his.

There are moments, like with Barnes, where she gets lost, eyes distant and body rigid.

But Steve stays with her, a calm and soothing presence. Sometimes he talks, sometimes he's silent. Sometimes he gently kisses her knuckles and she takes a deep breath and comes back from wherever her brain was hiding her.

"Should have tried that with me." Barnes jokes one time, a smirk on his lips.

Steve laughs, "you woulda punched me in the face."

"Probably." Barnes says with a shrug and a grin.

—

Clint's playing a video game with Tony when Steve walks into the room and stops beside them.

Tony hits pause and looks at him, "what's up?"

Steve sits, a serious expression on his face that makes them both wary.

"I've been looking for a place in Brooklyn."

Tony's eyes go wide and Clint's heart sinks to the floor. Of course this would end. Of course the family he had gained would need to move on. Of course. He's an idiot for thinking otherwise.

"And I need to know if you're willing to share a room?"

Clint tilts his head and at the same time both he and Tony go, "what?"

"I already asked Natasha and she's willing to share a room with Stephanie when she comes to visit. But I didn't want to assume that was something you two were okay with. I've been looking at three bedroom apartments and townhouses. But I can look for four bedrooms if you would be uncomfortable sharing."

Tony's still stunned but Clint feels the desperate urge to cry. Like burning in his throat and nose and his eyes are turning red he can just feel it. "You want us to live with you?" Tony asks in confusion.

Steve holds up his hands in surrender. "I want you to do whatever you want to do." He smiles at them, "I know you're all grown up and in the big leagues on your own now—" the tease brings Clint back to their first meeting and he lets out a watery chuckle, "But you're my family now too. So whether you decide to reside with us full time, or just have a place to crash when you need to is up to you. But I wanted to know what sort of arrangement you two were comfortable with."

Clint could care less what his room size or roommate is. He'd sleep in the attic if it meant being a part of this family. But he turns to Tony because he's the one used to having a mansion.

Tony is grinning and he eyes Clint then shrugs, "I'm cool slumming it with McClintock here. Three bedroom is probably cheaper too, right?" Then Clint laughs as Tony eyes Steve, seeing his reaction. Still curious after all this time what kind of money Steve has.

But Steve just smiles, "well, we will see what we can find. And just know, whatever you choose, our door will always be open. Whenever." He stands up and his eyes go to Clint and it's like the guy can read straight to his very soul, "everybody needs a place they can call home, right?"

Clint can't speak, his throat tight, but he nods.

And Steve nods back, "well, just know you always have one."

Then he walks away as if he didn't just change Clint's perspective on life.

—

The bond between mother and daughter is a strange beast. They are a mirror of each other in the strangest ways. Stephanie says words with her mother's accent, while also looking so much like Steve.

They circle each other mentally, testing boundaries and memories. Stephanie asks Peggy to teach her how to do her hair in an old way. And Peggy is very matter of act and pragmatic through the whole thing, going step by step. But the gentle way she tilts Stephanie's face or her hand lingers on her head or in her hair is telling.

Stephanie clearly yearns for the same loving relationship she now has with Steve, but Carter is more guarded, reserved.

But each day Clint sees her try. Peggy is like a force, won't let herself back down even as her programming fights her.

Then one day, Stephanie doesn't even think twice before sitting at Carter's feet who is in a big chair reading a book and she tilts her head back, "will you braid my hair like you used to in the cell?"

Steve's watching with wide eyes and Peggy seems to struggle to speak before she rushes out, "one braid or two?"

And Stephanie smiles, "two, please."

And Peggy whispers back with a smile, "two it is."

—-

It's been a week since Steve told Tony that he's found a place and that they would be moving out at the end of the month. Tony had told him no rush, but Clint can see that Tony's worried about having the house empty and all to himself.

So Steve and Peggy and Stephanie have been taking their time. Going to Philadelphia and clearing out Steve's house there. Clint overhears a conversation about a house that Steve had been looking to buy long ago but never had. Tony asks if it's out of his budget. Steve just laughs and doesn't answer.

But now, they're outside enjoying the sunshine in Tony's backyard. Natasha has her feet up on his legs as she reads a briefing from Director Rambeau. Clint's reading the pages she's already read since he's on this mission too.

Stephanie is listening to Tony talk about his latest project when a sound rings out the window.

A laugh.

But not Steve's.

Carter's.

He looks up and they all seem surprised. She's been coming in massive leaps. Each day and memory by memory she's more herself. But this, this carefree sound of joy is new. And it has them scrambling to their feet to go find out why, only to come to a screeching halt as they find Steve pressing her against the wall, kissing her senseless, obviously overjoyed at having made her laugh.

Another laugh makes the two separate. Barnes is walking in, cleaning his metal arm with a rag, "did you forget there were children in this house, you two?"

Steve and Peggy turn their heads and see the four of them frozen in the other doorway.

Peggy purses her lips in amusement as Steve seems to turn red, but then he's too happy and he laughs covering his eyes with his hands.

And Barnes is the one who is grinning, "just like old times."

And Peggy laughs softly again, eyeing Steve with love and an adoration to her features, "indeed."

—

Clint stands nervously at the door, a small box in his hands and a still warm loaf of bread sitting on top.

He's about to ring the doorbell when it flies open.

"Clint!" Stephanie says with a grin, "you're finally here! Come on, come in!"

She hauls him inside and calls out, "mum! Dad! Clint's here!"

Steve appears in a doorway, wearing an apron that makes Clint laugh. "Clint!" Steve calls, "so glad you're here! Dinner is almost ready. Bucky will be here at 7. Stephanie, can you show him to his room?"

Stephanie is leading him out of the room and up the stairs when he hears "Clint?"

He turns to see Peggy at the bottom of the stairs, "yeah?"

"I hope you're planning on staying with us for a while?"

His shoulders raise up to his ears, so unused to the sentiment. But he catches Steve's smile at him and he nods, "uh— yeah, I think so. If that's okay?"

Peggy nods, "it's perfect. You'll be doing us a favor. Steve always makes too much food. We need another good eater around here."

Steve scoffs and wrinkles his nose at her. But she just leans against him and kisses his cheek, "am I lying?"

Steve grins and looks back at them, "hope you like eggplant parmigiana."

Clint shrugs, "never had it."

"Steve's is the best." Peggy assures, "thin enough so it's not horrid and rubbery."

She gets on her tiptoes and kisses Steve who smiles into the kiss.

Stephanie huffs and rolls her eyes fondly, "they're like this all the time. Come on."

He follows her up to the second level and he's curious. "Does it bug you?"

She turns back and smirks, "you know it's funny. I've watched enough sitcoms to see that kids are usually annoyed by their parents in love. But... I'm not. Not at all. I just like to tease them. It's actually…" her throat gets tight and then she rubs at her own arms, "it's like exactly what I need. This house… I grew up in the exact opposite of this house. This place is warm, and kind, and loving, and caring. It's everything I didn't have after they took me from my mum." She turns to him, "and I think you'll be happy here."

Clint has no doubts about that.

—

Later that evening, Steve and Peggy are sitting at a table adorably bickering about the rules of some game he's never heard of, Stephanie is completing an assignment for a college course she's taking when he notices pictures on the mantle.

He stands, walking over to it to look at them.

A recent family portrait of the three of them is first. A drawing of Peggy that looks much older than Clint. Probably drawn back when they were married. A picture of Steve and Sarah Rogers when he was a tiny kid. A picture of a man who resembles Peggy in a RAF uniform. Her brother Clint would bet. Then in the center is a wedding photo of all the commandos, Howard, Maria, and of course the happy couple. To the side is a picture of Bucky in his uniform. And then his brow furrows. There's an empty frame next.

"That's for when I can get all my kids together for a family photo."

Clint turns to see Steve behind him, "what?"

Steve points to the empty frame. "I'm saving this space on my mantle. For the most important people in my life. Next time you, Natasha, and Tony are in town all together, I'm going to drag you guys to the studio and take a family photo. As a family."

Clint feels his throat tighten again. Damn Steve's ability to make him feel loved, "really?" He asks, his voice a rasp.

"Of course." Steve says softly. "This mantle is dedicated to the people who have been my heroes."

"Oh…" Is all Clint respond quietly as Steve places a firm on his shoulder before walking back to Peggy.

Clint turns back around and stares at the empty frame like it's a promise he can't wait to keep.

But then his eyes catch on the last frame.

And he does let the tears flow then.

For in perfect detail, with what was obviously drawn with incredible care, is a portrait of Phil Coulson.

—

A/N - You know it's funny. I never know I'm going to end a story until it just ENDS. I never expected this to be the last chapter but here we are!

You know me. It's possible I'll revisit this AU but who knows! Sure as hell not meeeee