Save Me! (Clint Barton's Son)

CHAPTER 3

"It was an accident!" Alex defend. "She didn't mean it."

"Does she?" The older Barton breathed out. "And how long has it been going? How long has she done it to you? Is this all she's done? Is there more?"

The boy's whole body trembling messily. "She never-"

"Alex, how long?" Clint asks in a much serious tone.

"I-I don't know." He stutters. "I- I don'-" He answers insecure.

"Oh, my-" The older man rubs his face in a stressful manner.

"She wasn't always like that! She-"

"Alex." The archer cut the boy off. "I understand that in the end, she still your mother and despite all this, you want to remember her as a mother that you deserve but that's the problem, she made herself undeservedly to be your mother. In the end, she hurt you when she supposed to protect you, took care of you and I'm sorry that it probably be my fault but that doesn't give her the reasons to do this to you." The man confesses with tears filling his eyes. "If she hates me so much then she should have never unleased it all those hatreds on you because none of this is your fault. You don't deserve this kind of life and that's why, from now on, you will be living with me."

"But-"

Clint raises his finger, silencing the boy. "No excuses, pack up anything you need and I will pick you tomorrow morning, neat. Got it? Good." With that, he walks away leaving the dumbfounded boy.

Nat watch with her eyes widens as her partner just walks away leaving his son in confusion. She then glances at the boy. "Hey, it's okay. He may not look like it but he actually-"

"A good man? Blaming himself? Yeah, I know that." Alex nods not knowing that this all will change his life.

"Here we are." Clint presented the boy after a long ride in a jet from LA Missouri.

"Where are we?" Alex frown as he looks around.

"Welcome to Barton's homestead or more known as my safe house. Come on, everyone excited to see you."

"Everyone?"

As in cue, a girl with a boy who seems to be two years old along with another boy trailing behind them came running out the door down the lawn as they shout in glee at the sight of the archer.

"Dad!"

"Daddy!"

Clint happily opens his arms preparing for the impact. "Come 'ere!"

They giggle as the older man easily raises them into his arms, spinning around making them chuckle even more.

Alex silently watches from the side feeling a bit uncomfortable as if he didn't fit in the picture. Suddenly he feels eyes on him only to turn toward the porch and saw a beautiful older woman with wavy brown hair reaching her back.

She offers him a fond smile which he assumes that she knows about him and awkwardly fumbling to smile back.

Sensing that the older boy was uncomfortable, Laura walks closer but unnoticed by her that the boy becomes more tensed at her approaching but he let out a breath as she stops by her children and husband.

"Why don't we go inside first? You two must be tired from the journey." She motioned with her eyes to her husband over the awkwardly standing boy.

Clint nods understanding. "Sure, why not. Come on Alex." He releases the children with only little Nathaniel on his arms who also just notice the older boy's form making him smile widen thinking of making new friends even though he is much older than him.