Authors Note: To all who reviewed; JRBarton, Hawaiichick, Lollypops101, Kimbee, Bookdancer, Janechen88, DesignedByFate, R. , Dani9513, Purastones and guest.

You are all AWESOME!

And to my beta DevinBourdain, you are fantastic and helped me make this story even better. Thanks ;)

1 Day Later

Clint wanted to shoot whatever was making that damn ringing noise. His eyes snapped open when he heard a man's voice and he immediately regretted the action because pain exploded in his head.

The blurry figure standing over him was saying something but he couldn't' make it out. He frowned in confusion, was the ringing coming from his head?

"Clint? Clint…..can you…..hear me?"

The young agent frowned, that sounded like Phil, but that couldn't be right, Phil wasn't at the prison, was awaiting Clint's escape from prison.

He must have said something out loud because Phil ended up answering him. "We organised the ambulance that was called; we sent undercover agents in to get you." Phil looked worried at his young charge.

Clint relaxed against the pillows and sighed, closing his eyes and focussing on his breathing. When he opened his eyes again the world was a little bit clearer. Phil was watching him with barely concealed concern.

"You alright?" Phil asked, knowing it was a stupid question; how could anyone be alright after being in prison for four days, then getting stabbed.

Clint didn't answer, the familiar wall Phil hated was being built once again, keeping him out. Phil could practically see the shutters going up and sighed. He knew this would happen.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

The archer glanced at him but didn't say anything. Clint knew Phil would understand, he would probably even offer to help, but right now all Clint wanted to do was forget. Forget that his brother had been the one to stab him for a second time. He'd never forget the look of hate on his brother's face for as long as he lived.

Clint still wasn't sure what he'd done to his brother to have this sort of vendetta against him; he only ever looked up to Barney. Phil was suddenly squeezing his hand and Clint realised tears had started to stream down his cheeks. Damn it.

Phil was struggling to understand, he knew Clint hadn't wanted to go to the prison, and even getting stabbed wasn't the worst thing that had happened to the archer in their two years of working together. He knew something must have happened in there, something he hadn't seen. He watched the emotions play across Clint's face before the wall was firmly back in place. Phil needed to say something to get the kid to open up.

Instead of pushing it, like he would with any other agent, he just sat there, giving the archer all the support he could without talking. They sat in silence for almost an hour; Phil had pulled out a magazine and read while Clint lay with his eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping, he just didn't want to face anyone right now. Clint was surprised when the words started pouring out of his mouth.

"It was my brother," he stated quietly.

Phil frowned and sat forward, placing the magazine on the table. "What was your brother?" Phil closed his eyes when he realised what Clint meant. His next words confirmed it.

"My brother stabbed me…again." Clint's hands gripped the sheets as he told his handler. Phil placed his hand over Clint's and squeezed.

"I'm so sorry kid." Phil just wanted to pull the archer into a hug; he couldn't understand why the kid couldn't catch a break. It was almost like some higher power had it in for him. Coulson paused as he realised what else Clint had said. "Again?"

Clint looked down at the hand covering his and focussed on that. "He stabbed me when I was fifteen and left me to die. I guess he tried to finish the job in prison."

Phil was gobsmacked with this new information. The kid's own brother had stabbed him, then years later, did it again. Phil shook his head wondering how Clint managed to turn out as well as he had. He knew Clint had a darker side inside him, but the kid was fighting to be good, had been since before Phil had even found him in that prison just over two years ago.

Clint was a survivor, had been since he was just a boy. Phil knew the kid had been a thief, but he only stole food or money. He never hurt anyone, and the only reason he was caught was because the other guy he had robbed the shop with had shot the owner and took off. Clint wouldn't leave though, he'd stayed until the ambulance and police arrived, knowing that he would be sent away for it.

"I know there isn't really much I can say to make you feel better Clint, but I just want you to know that I will never hurt you or betray you, in any way. I trust you with my life and I hope that one day you will feel the same. You are better than him Clint, in every way." Phil watched as Clint's eyes widened at his words.

"I do trust you Phil, more than I have trusted anyone in a long time," Clint replied quietly and Phil smiled, squeezing his hand again before standing.

"Get some rest Clint, you deserve it. I'll be back soon."

Clint nodded and sunk into the soft mattress. He was exhausted from the drugs they were currently pumping into his system. Damn those doctor's.

Phil watched as his young charges' eyes slid shut and his breathing evened out before closing the door quietly and heading to the garage.

There was someone he had to go see.

Texas State Penitentiary

Phil sat in the chair in the small room and waited. On the outside he appeared to be the calm collected agent he always was but on the inside he was a bubbling cauldron seething rage. The guards unlocked the door and pushed Barney inside; one guard was about to secure the prisoner to the table when Phil held up his hand.

"There's no need for that."

The guard shook his head, "I'm sorry but its protocol." He moved forward again but this time Phil flashed his badge and glared. "Leave!"

The first guard looked back at the second guard standing at the door. "We'll be right outside, just in case."

Phil nodded not bothering to look at them now, his gaze was on Barney sitting in the chair across from him. Barney looked nothing like Clint and he would have been hard pressed to believe they were brothers until Barney stared straight at him. The eyes, they were the same.

"You sure told them." The older Barton smiled leaning back in the chair like he didn't have a care in the world, analysing the man in the suit across from him. He would have thought lawyer at first, but the man had flashed a badge, so he was obviously someone in law enforcement.

Coulson didn't take the bait, just sat staring, putting Barney on edge.

"So what do you want? Because I'm pretty sure it wasn't to sit there and ogle at my good looks." Barney chuckled and then almost jumped out of his seat when the man in the suit lunged across the table grabbing his head and slamming it down on to the hard table. Phil kept his grip on Barney's hair and leaned in close to the man's ear.

"You are nothing, you will always be nothing and I will make it my life's mission to make your life a living hell. I'm a friend of your brothers," Phil hissed.

Barney sat up when Phil removed his hand and wiped the blood from his nose. Smirking he asked, "Is he dead?"

The older Barton found his head slammed painfully against the table for a second time. "No he isn't."

Barney's eyes rose in surprise. "Seriously, that kid just won't die."

Phil really wanted to beat the shit out of him right then but he held back. "You should watch who you piss off Barney. Like I said, Clint is a friend of mine and I have a lot of influence. Your ass is mine, and I will make damn sure you are stuck here until the day you die; you will have no chance of parole. I'll make sure of it."

"You can't do that!" Barney shouted and stood.

Phil punched him in the face before heading to the door. "Just watch me."

Barney's shouts of anger were like music to Phil's ears as he walked away.

Phil had one more thing to take care of before heading back to his young charge. He stepped into another smaller room further down the hall, the guard standing outside unlocking the door and letting him in.

Coulson waited until the door was shut behind him before walking towards the table in the centre of the room and sat down. The agent had stared down men far tougher than this; the intimidation tactics of the man before him would not ruffle Phil today. Opening the folder, Phil began to read out loud, "Lucas Franklin Weir, charged with assault of a police officer, three counts of armed robbery and one charge of murder in the first."

Lucas growled at the man in the suit. "I know what my charges are! What the hell do you want?"

Phil calmly sat back in the chair. "I want to know why?"

"Why what?" The bigger man frowned.

The agent flipped the file closed and stared at Lucas with a frightening intensity. "The fight in the cafeteria, why did you help him?"

"Who? The kid?"

Phil nodded.

"He reminded me of my nephew, and he is just a kid."

Coulson smiled. "I'm a friend of his, and I'm here to give you a chance."

The bigger man folded his arms over his chest. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I know you didn't mean to kill the shop keeper, he decided to fight you for the gun and it went off. It was an accident, but you're feeling guilty because you got your nephew involved as the getaway driver and now he is in prison as an accessory. I watched the footage." Phil told him and Lucas found himself slumping down in the chair opposite the man in the suit.

"I shouldn't have involved him," Lucas said more to himself than to Phil.

"Probably not, but I like to think we learn from our mistakes," Coulson replied.

"Is Clint alright?"

The handler gave Lucas a smirk and nodded. "Yes he's fine. I can't say any more than that." The inmate nodded, he was glad. The kid had reminded him more of himself if he was honest. Lucas had been on the wrong side of the law most of his life, but now that he'd gotten his nephew involved, it had given him the much needed kick up the ass to do something good with his life. Helping Clint had seemed like the right thing to do.

"So what now?" Lucas asked. "I appreciate you coming down here and letting me know the kid is alright."

Phil slid a piece of paper towards the other man. Lucas looked at the paper and frowned.

"I'm anticipating what Clint is going to ask me to do for you. You and your cousin will be transferred to a minimum security prison, and I'm positive it's not too far from here." He smirked at the inmate's shocked expression.

"How?"

Coulson shrugged. "It helps to have friends in high places. You're a good man Lucas, you just didn't have someone come and offer you a new beginning. I know that Clint reminds you of yourself, well you remind me of what he would have been heading towards if I hadn't given him that chance."

Lucas finally smiled and held his hand out to Coulson. "Thank you." Phil shook the man's hand with a smile. "And take care of him."

The handler nodded and stood. "I will; you stay out of trouble. I don't want to have to come visit you again."

The large man chuckled. "It won't come to that." Coulson made to get up prompting Lucas to ask, "Hey, who are you anyway?"

"I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division." The prisoner quirked an eyebrow at the obscenely long title. "I know. We're working on it," he said with an apologetic smile before putting the file back in his suit pocket and walking to the door. He knocked twice and waited for the door to be unlocked. Glancing back at the man who had helped save Clint, he gave him a nod of thanks before walking out.

Lucas sat back in the chair and stared at the door. He had no idea who Clint really was, but the kid obviously had some pretty powerful friends if they could get Franklin and himself moved. It was only when he looked down to re-read the paper the man had left that he noticed the name of the prison they would be moved to.

He couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face, it was the same prison his nephew was in.

Lucas hoped someday he would bump into Clint and thank him. Now he was the one getting the second chance and wouldn't mess it up.

When Phil walked into medical Clint was awake and sitting up in bed. Coulson smiled when he saw him and Phil opened the door taking his seat at Clint's side.

"You went to see him didn't you?" Clint spoke softly without any hint of anger; Phil had thought he might be pissed.

"Yes." Phil knew it was better to be honest; he wanted the kid to trust him after all.

"What did you do?"

Phil smiled. "I made sure he knew why it wasn't a good idea to hurt the people I care about. He won't be getting out of there Clint. I will make sure of that."

Clint nodded and seemed to think really hard about something. Phil waited, he was sure he'd get told not to interfere or something like that. He was shocked when Clint finally spoke.

"Phil?"

"Yes Clint?"

"Could you get me a cheeseburger?" Clint smiled and looked up at his handler.

Phil laughed and patted the kid's arm. "Of course I will kid."

Clint grinned and watched as the man stood and headed to the door. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have Phil in his life. He was more than just a handler, more than just a friend. He was someone who Clint trusted completely to never let him down and in their two-year partnership, Phil hadn't let him down yet. He was like the big brother Clint should have had.

He sighed as he leaned into his pillows, his mind conjuring up images of a juicy burger, and his mouth-watered at the thought.

Please hurry up Phil.

Clint had no doubt that he would.

The End...for now!

I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story and added it to your favourites. I have been blown away!

At the moment I am working on a new story that is going to be HUGE! If you have read 'Father and Son' I think you will like it, it's called 'Sanctuary'. Keep your eyes peeled.

More good news is I plan on doing a sequel to this story, here is a sneak preview.

'The Reaper'

It's just over a year since Clint had his mission in jail and a new assassin 'the Reaper' has been causing havoc for SHIELD. Three agents have been killed and Phil Coulson is feeling the stress of the situation. After a big fight with his young charge, Phil finds out Clint has taken off and must decide whether to go after his charge or stay and concentrate on finding the Reaper. He soon finds out that he won't have to look very far as the archer attracts trouble on his best day.

When the Reaper and the Hawk face against each other, it would be best to stay out of the way.