Chapter Text
"I'm sorry, Cap," Jarvis said, "Miss Potts is in a meeting, Dr. Banner is in his lab, Sir is in his garage and Agent Romanov is with Agent Barton and asked they not be disturbed. Security needs someone to go down and deal with an issue."
"I can take care of that", Steve said, tossing his well-worn copy of A Princess Of Mars on top of his sketch book. When he moved into the tower, Tony had surprised him with several boxes of his things that Howard had kept for him until his dying day. He hadn't told Tony that he knew, but Coulson had told him before he'd died that Tony had continued Howard's work to recover him even though Tony had had a difficult childhood growing-up in his shadow.
Steve rode down to the lobby to find out what security issue had caused the guards to call Jarvis. When Steve approached the guards there was an elderly woman looking agitated. "Is there anything I can do to help you, ma'am?" Steve asked.
"You can tell me where my son is," the elderly woman said.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," Steve said. "Your son is?"
"Clint Barton," the woman said, "he's my son-in-law. He's not at the house and he's not at SHIELD. The director is being even more closed mouth than usual. I thought he might be here. P.J. would want me to check on him."
"Physically he's fine, ma'am," Steve said.
"That's good news at least," Sabrina Coulson said.
"Jarvis, please let Natasha know that Clint's mother-in-law is here and that I'm bringing her up."
"Yes, Captain Rogers," Jarvis said.
When Steve brought Clint's mother to the apartment door, Natasha was waiting for them.
"How is he?" Sabrina asked.
"About what you'd expect," Natasha said.
"Thank you for taking care of him," Sabrina said
"He's my best friend, Mrs. Coulson," Natasha said.
"Sabrina," Phil's mother corrected her.
"We'll leave you alone," Steve said.
"I'd prefer you didn't, Captain," Sabrina said. "Sometimes Clint doesn't react well to me. He's--"
"Clint," Natasha said.
"Even after all these years," Sabrina said.
Natasha let Sabrina and Steve into Clint's apartment and Natasha and Steve stayed back as Sabrina approached Clint.
Clint was sitting-up on the couch, his face covered by his hands."I'm sorry, Mama," Clint whispered.
"Stop," Sabrina said, pulling Clint's hands away from his face. "It's not your fault."