Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.

AN: So this idea came about when I was trying to write another AOS story but it didn't feel right but then I randomly got ideas for this one and this is what happened. This first few chapters will explain the history, and put different spins on scenes, and missing moment from season 1 and season 2A before getting to present day pretty quickly, but there will be a lot of flashbacks once we get to modern day to explain things, so if you feel like there is something I should have shown then it will most likely be shown later in flashbacks (and feel free to request specific flashbacks if you want). Could be considered AU and Spoilers from 2x11 (Maybe more in future)

AN1: So as I am back at Uni now I am not sure how regular updates will be. I would like to be able to update every day or every second day but I don't know if that will be possible, hopefully it will be at some point, just not right now. Although I may update chapter 2 sooner than usually.

April 17th 1986

As the daughter of a spy for as long as she can remember Melinda has been taught to control her emotions, to always keep your emotions in check and to never let on what you are feeling but as she holds a sleeping one year old, the daughter of two of her closest friends, two of her oldest friends, in her arms Melinda can feel herself getting visibly upset, she can feel the tear roll down her face, and she doesn't care that someone is witnessing it.

"What's going to happen to her?" Melinda asks looking up at her boss and close friend, Commander Nick Fury.

"Neither Susan or Benjamin had any other family so she'll go into the system." Fury informs Melinda.

"No. She can't."

"I don't like it either, but there is nowhere else that she could go." Fury points out.

"Yes there is." Melinda says coming to a decision, "I'll take her." She informs Fury.

"Melinda…" Fury starts to say but Melinda cuts him off.

"I know that I'm only twenty one, and I know that doing this job makes being a parent difficult, my mother taught me that lesson, but I also know that I can't let her go into the system, I won't." Melinda informs Fury.

"I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?" Fury ask.

"No, you're not." Melinda informs him as she looks down at the sleeping girl in her arms.

"Okay. Then I'll help." Fury says and Melinda looks at him surprised, "I'll help you file the paperwork and I will also make it as classified as I can so that both of you are safe, but you should ask your Mother for help with that because I have a feeling that considering all her enemies, all of yours, it might be best if there is mother electronic about this" He says and Melinda nods.

"Thank you, Nick." Melinda says, grateful as Susan and Benjamin were two of her closest friends she couldn't imagine letting their little girl go into the system.

"So before we get started there is one thing that you should think about." Fury tells Melinda, "Is she going to be Bobbi May or Bobbi Morse?" he asks curious.

"Bobbi Morse." Melinda answers, "She deserves to know where she came from." Melinda says and Fury nods.

October 21st 1986

In the six months since Melinda's adoption of Bobbi Morse became legal her life has changed so much and she wouldn't have it any other way. Even though it was difficult at first Melinda and Bobbi have gotten in a routine together and things are very good, though Melinda is sure that if it wasn't for the help she gets from her mother, and surprisingly Nick Fury, it would be another matter altogether.

Melinda has just returned to HQ after a three day mission and all she can think of is getting home to her daughter which is while she is glad that her debrief went quick.

After hurriedly getting change Melinda leaves the changing room only to walk directly into Phil Coulson, one of her closest friends, someone who she has known since they were both seventeen and starting at S.H.I.E.L.D, someone who has been on assignment for the last nine months.

"I'm so sorry." Phil quickly says, "May." Phil says with a grin when he sees who it is that she walked into.

"Hey Phil." Melinda says glad to see him.

"I've missed you." Phil says hugging her.

"Missed you too." Melinda responds as they break apart.

"So you're clearly on your way out, want to go for a drink?" Phil asks curious.

"I can't." Melinda says. "I've got to get home to my daughter." She informs Phil.

"You're what?" Phil asks shocked, "Since when do you have a daughter?" He asks surprised and confused.

"Since six months ago." Melinda answers, "Her parents died and I adopted her."

"Um, wow, that's, wow." Phil says shocked.

"Would you like to meet her?" Melinda asks as Phil is one of the few people she trusts to be around her daughter.

"Of course." Phil answers quickly before he realises something, "I shouldn't." he says and Melinda gives him a surprised look, "This life is dangerous and neither of us know if we're going to make it through tomorrow without being killed or captured. I would like to meet your daughter, I truly would, but I can't help but think that as soon as I do I'll be someone who could cause her harm, someone who could bring danger and horror into her life and I don't want to be that person, so it's better if I don't meet her." Phil says and Melinda can tell by the look on his face that there is no talking him out of it that he has made up his mind.

"I respect that." Melinda says, she doesn't agree but she respects it, "If you change your mind let me know." She requests.

"I will." Phil responds, "So, I guess I should let you go, see you tomorrow?" he asks hopefully.

"See you tomorrow." Melinda confirms and the two of them go their separate ways.

After leaving HQ Melinda heads home, after making sure that she isn't being followed. As soon as she enters her house Melinda realises that Bobbi is still awake as she can hear her talking to Rachel a young, though older than Melinda, woman, the Nanny slash body guard that Melinda hired who had vetting from both her mother and Fury before she was allowed to meet Bobbi.

Following the voices Melinda walks into the lounge room where she finds Bobbi playing with blocks and building things while talking to Rachel.

"That looks like fun." Melinda says when she sees what Bobbi is doing.

"MOMMY!" Bobbi says excitedly and she gets up and runs into Melinda, who is squatting, waiting arms and mother and daughter hug tightly, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, so much." Melinda tells her daughter.

"I'll go. Normal time tomorrow?" Rachel asks.

"Yes, thank you Rachel." Melinda says as she stands up, "Bobbi do you want to say bye to Rachel?"

"By Rachel." Bobbi says as she snuggles into her mother's arms.

"Were you a good girl for Rachel?" Melinda asks as she walks over to the couch while holding Bobbi.

"A, huh." Bobbi answers with a nod, "Are you going away again?" Bobbi asks.

"Not for a little while."

"Good. I don't like it when you're not here." Bobbi informs her mother.

"I don't like it when I'm not here either." Melinda tells her daughter, "But my job is important and sometimes that means I am not here, but that doesn't mean that I don't love you or that I won't be here when you need me." Melinda tells her daughter.

"I know." Bobbi responds, "Love you Mommy."

"I love you too." Melinda says to her daughter as she holds her.

September 3rd 1990

It has been four years since Melinda adopted Bobbi who is now five years old and doing amazingly well. Even though it is clear that neither Bobbi nor Melinda like to be apart they have both come to realise that it is necessary and have accepted that, Bobbi unsurprisingly finding that more difficult that Melinda.

It is about five am and Melinda is still seeping before getting up to do her Tai-Chi.

"Mommy, Mommy, Mommy." Bobbi's voice says loudly waking Melinda from her slumber.

"Bobbi, what's wrong?" Melinda asks worried, though she knows that things must be okay as Bobbi sounds excited rather than afraid.

"It's time for school, it's time for school, get up." Bobbi says excitedly as she moves her mother's blanket of her.

"School doesn't start to eight fifty, it's only five am." Melinda informs her daughter, "It's not time yet."

"But we have to be there early." Bobbi argues.

"Not this early." Melinda says lifting Bobbi up and into the bed, "Try to get some more sleep, you've got a big day." She informs Bobbi.

"I can't sleep. I'm too excited." Bobbi informs her mother.

"Well how about you just try lying down and relaxing, what do you think of that?" Melinda asks her daughter.

"I can try." Bobbi says.

"Good." Melinda says moving the blanket so that Bobbi can lay under it.

Three hours later Melinda is putting the breakfast dishes away ignoring the fact that she is late for a meeting while Bobbi gets her bag.

"Mommy, I'm ready." Bobbi informs her mother as she walks back into the room.

"Have you got everything?" Melinda asks as she puts the last dish away.

"Yep." Bobbi answers.

"Are you sure?" Melinda asks, "Have you got your hat, books, pencils, crayons and paper?" Melinda asks and Bobbi nods, "Good." Melinda says walking over to the counter, "Here's your lunch." Melinda says handing Bobbi the Captain America Lunch box she picked out.

"Can we go now?" Bobbi asks as she accepts the lunchbox from her mother.

"We can go." Melinda says as she picks up her keys, not needing anything else as she already has her purse and badge in her pocket and she doesn't have a gun around Bobbi.

"Yay." Bobbi says excitedly as she runs to the door and as she watches her daughter Melinda hopes that she never loses that enthusiasm.

Half an hour later Melinda is parking the car in the parking lot of the school that Bobbi will be going to. A school that has undergone security checks not just by Melinda herself but by her mother and Fury as well.

Once she parks her car Melinda walks to the back where she gets Bobbi out of her car seat.

"Hold My hand." Melinda requests and Bobbi does just that.

"You know where we are going, right?" Bobbi asks her mother as they walk.

"I do." Melinda confirms as they walk.

A few minutes later Melinda and Bobbi arrive at the door for the for the Kindergarten classroom.

"Who do we have here?" The teacher asks Bobbi.

"Barbara Morse." Bobbi answers proudly.

"Well, welcome Miss Morse." The teacher says after ticking off Bobbi's name on the list. "We ask that all parents say goodbye out here." The teacher tells Melinda.

"Of course. I understand." Melinda says and she leads Bobbi away so that they are several meters away from the teacher then Melinda squats down in front of her, "I want you to have a great day, to learn a lot and be good." Melinda tells Bobbi, "And I'm not sure if it will be myself or Rachel who picks you up, but one of us will and remember don't leave with anyone besides one of us, no matter what they say." Melinda tells Bobbi.

"I won't, promise." Bobbi responds.

"Good. Have an amazing day." Melinda says giving Bobbi a hug.

"I love you Mommy."

"Love you too." Melinda responds and once Bobbi lets go of her after a couple of minutes Melinda stands and she and Bobbi back over to the door.

"Bye Mommy." Bobbi says before walking inside the classroom and Melinda is sure that it is only her years of being a spy that stop her from showing how she feeling about her daughter starting her first day of school.

"I assume we'll be seeing you at three." The teacher says to May.

"Myself or Bobbi's nanny Rachel, I am not sure which of us yet." Melinda informs the teacher.

"Of course. I have the information her right here, we won't let Barbara go home with anyone we don't have information on." The teacher informs Melinda who nods and with one last look at her daughter, who is now talking to several other children, Melinda forces herself to turn and walk away.

By the time she arrives at S.H.I.E.L.D HQ Melinda knows that she is over an hour later for her meeting. She knows that Fury, who the meeting is mainly with, won't mind as he knows what today is but she knows that any of the other agents who are in the meeting will.

As soon as she walks into the entrance of the base Melinda finds Phil standing on the other side.

"You're late, like really really late." Phil informs Melinda.

"I know." Melinda says, "It was my daughter's first day at school this morning, I needed to be there more than I needed to be here." Melinda informs Phil as even though Phil hasn't met Bobbi and doesn't even want to know her name Melinda still talks about her with him, she just doesn't tell him anything that could be used against them.

"Wow that must have been hard." Phil realises as they walk towards Fury's office.

"Extremely." Melinda answers and they spend the rest of the walk in silence.

When Melinda and Phil walk into Fury's office they finds Fury sitting behind his desk, clearly waiting.

"How was it?" Fury asks looking at Melinda.

"Hard." She answers simply, "Guessing I missed the meeting." Melinda comments.

"You did." Fury confirms, "But that doesn't matter because I have an assignment for you and Coulson." He says.

"What do you want us to do, Sir?" Phil asks.

"For the last year we have gotten reports of a teenager who with extraordinary Marksmanship abilities." Fury explains, "From Intel it looks like he has spent several years in the Circus and has used that time to become amazingly skilled with a bow and arrow." Fury explains.

"You said teenager, how old?" Melinda ask.

"All reports indicate that he is between fourteen and nineteen years old." Fury answers and Melinda and Phil nod, "We've got his location and there is a team watching him but I want you two to make the approach, to be the ones to attempt to recruit him." Fury explains.

"Why us?" Phil asks

"Because I think he will respond to you." Fury answers and Melinda and Phil both nod.

"Here's everything you need to know. I want you to leave in an hour." Fury says as he hands the file over to Melinda and Phil.

"I've got to make a phone call, I'll see you in the hanger." Melinda informs Phil who nods and they go their separate ways.

Two hours later Melinda and Phil arrive at where they will apparently find the young boy that they are recruit, personally neither of them would feel right in recruiting a kid younger than seventeen, but that doesn't mean that if he is younger they won't help him, in fact it will pretty much ensure that that they will.

"He should be around here somewhere." Phil says as he and Melinda get out of the car at what looks to be a holiday cabin that reports indicate the young man by the name of Clint Barton has been squatting in for the last couple of weeks.

"We should look then." Melinda responds.

"Who are you people? What do you want?" A voice say and Melinda and Phil turn to see a young man with a bow pointing it at both Melinda and Phil. Like Fury's reports indicated the boy is young, probably eighteen at the oldest, has blond hair that looks like it hasn't been cut in a while and is wearing torn clothes with no shoes.

"My name is Melinda and this is Phil. We're here to help you." Melinda says taking a step towards Clint.

"How?" Clint asks, not lowering his bow.

"We want to offer you a job, a chance." Phil says.

"What kind of chance?"

"We work for a secret organization that is always looking to recruit young people like you." Phil says taking a step towards Clint while Melinda observes the boy, "We know what you can do with that bow and what else you have done in recent years and we want you to join our organization, we want you to become an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." Phil says.

"Why would you want me?" Clint asks as he lowers his bow slightly.

"Because you have talent." Melinda says taking a step closer to Clint, "And with the right training you could use that talent to do a lot of good, to help and save a lot of people, if you want." Melinda says.

"I've never done anything good." Clint admits as he completely lowers the bow, avoiding looking at Melinda and Phil

"Then choose to now, come with us." Melinda tells him and Clint gives a hesitant nod, "Good." Melinda says as Clint walks over to Melinda, "Well take you back to base where you can get a nice hot meal, a change of clothes and some rest." Melinda tells Clint, "Grab anything you want to take with you." She tells him.

"All I have is my bow and quiver." Clint admits.

"Then let's get going." Phil says and the three of them start to walk to the car.

"How old are you?" Melinda asks Clint curious as they walk.

"Seventeen, eighteen on January 7." Clint, very, very convincingly lies.

A week later

It has been a week since Melinda and Phil brought Clint Barton into S.H.I.E.L.D and in that time it is clear that he likes to be there, but is also afraid that he is going to be told to leave at any point.

It is the end of the day of work and Melinda is walking out of SHIELD when she spots Clint sitting on the fountain throwing rocks across the surface with his feet in the water, as Melinda watches Clint throw rocks across the fountain Melinda notices a look on his face, a look that Melinda recognizes as a look that she had on her face a lot as a child, a look that she hopes never appears on Bobbi's face, the look of a lost kid who feels that no one cares about them and that they are alone.

Not being able to leave him like that Melinda walks over and sits next to him, facing the opposite way than him so that her feet aren't in the water.

Clint looks at Melinda briefly before continuing to throw stones.

"I know that you and I haven't known each other long, but if you want to talk I am here." Melinda informs Clint and for more than ten minutes they are both quiet.

"I don't want to be sent away." Clint admits.

"Why would you be sent away?" Melinda asks.

"Because I lied, and the doctor doing my medical found out." Clint admits.

"You're not seventeen." Melinda realises and Clint shakes his head, "How old are you?"

"Fifteen, almost sixteen." Clint answers, "Please don't let them send me away May, I like it here I want to stay." He admits, "I don't want to go into the foster system again, if you even try I will run away and never come back, no one will find me, I won't let you." Clint says, it being very clear that he wants to be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D and that going back into the foster system terrifies him.

"How about we make a deal." Melinda suggest after a few minutes of thinking about possible options.

"What kind of deal?" Clint ask.

"You come and live with me and my daughter." Melinda says, "You can train to be an agent, but you also go to school or get home-schooled which ever you prefer, and then once you are eighteen you can officially join S.H.I.E.L.D if you still want to."

"Can I go on missions before I am eighteen?" Clint asks looking like he is seriously considering Melinda's offer.

"No." Melinda answers.

"But Coulson said I could go on mission in a few months, the fact that you know my age shouldn't change anything when I have the skill." Clint points out.

For about a minute Melinda sits and thinks, trying to come up with an option that they would both be okay with, "How about once you are sixteen you can occasionally go on certain missions but only if I am with you, what do you think of that?" Melinda asks, not completely okay with that but feeling like it would be a good compromise.

"Thank you." Clint says surprising them both and giving Melinda a hug.

"You're welcome." Melinda responds, "Come on, we have to talk to Fury." She says as she and Clint break apart.

After a forty minute conversation with Fury, where all the required paper work for Melinda to be Clint's legal guardian was done, Melinda and Clint headed home, as she pulls into the driveway and checks the time Melinda realises that Bobbi may still be awake, waiting for her to get home.

"My daughter Bobbi is five, I adopted her when she was one after her parents who were close friends of mine died." Melinda informs Clint as they get out of the car, "She may be awake or already asleep. The woman who is with her is Rachel who is Bobbi's nanny who also happened to be highly trained former agent." Melinda tells Clint who nods, not sure what to say.

Once they walk inside Melinda leads Clint to the living room where they find Bobbi sitting with Rachel reading a book.

"Mommy." Bobbi says happily, climbing down from the couch and running over to Clint and Melinda and giving her mother a hug, "Who are you?" she asks looking at Clint once she and her mother break apart.

"Bobbi this is Clint, he's going to be living with us." Melinda informs Bobbi and as she does Clint squats down so that he is more equal to Bobbi's height and drops his small backpack, which has the few belongings he has gotten in the last week, on the ground next to him.

"That's if you don't mind." Clint tells Bobbi, "Do you?" he asks and for the next minute Bobbi looks Clint up and down like she is judging whether he is worthy.

"Will you play games with me?" Bobbi asks Clint, "Like Lego, and ride bikes and pretend and soccer and basketball?" She asks Clint curious.

"Yeah, I can do that." Clint answers.

"Then you can stay." Bobbi informs Clint, "He can stay." She tells Melinda who can't help but smile at the serious look that Bobbi has on her face.

"Bobbi do you think you could take Clint upstairs and show him the empty room across from yours? I need to talk to Rachel." Melinda explains.

"Sure." Bobbi says happily, "Come on." She tells Clint who picks up his bag and stands up.

"We'll go shopping tomorrow to get you everything you need to make the room yours and everything else you need." Melinda informs Clint.

"You don't have to do that." Clint tells Melinda.

"I know I don't have to, I want to." Melinda tells Clint who gives a nod.

"Come on." Bobbi says as she tugs on Clint's arm.

"I'm coming." Clint says as he follows Bobbi upstairs.

Once they are out of hearing range Melinda walks over to Rachel.

"How was she today?" Melinda asks.

"Amazing, just like she always is." Rachel answers, "So, what's the story here?" she asks curious.

"A week ago I was sent to recruited Clint, at the time he told me was seventeen, I saw him sitting on the edge of the fountain tonight so I talked to him and discovered that he isn't seventeen, but only fifteen." Melinda explains, "He wanted to stay in S.H.I.E.L.D and told me that if he was sent back into the system he would run and no one would ever find him, he looked terrified of the thought of getting sent back so we made a deal; he would come and live here and do home or at SHIELD high school classes and train to be an agent once he is old enough. I don't want him to, but once he is sixteen he will go on the occasional mission as long as know all the details and am with him." Melinda explains.

"I'll do whatever I can to help." Rachel informs Melinda.

"Thank you." Melinda respond gratefully.

After a few minutes of sitting with Rachel Melinda heads upstairs, she heads to Bobbi's room first where she finds her digging through her toy chest.

"It's time for bed." Melinda informs Bobbi.

"In a minute." Bobbi requests.

"What are you doing?" Melinda asks walking over to her daughter.

"Clint doesn't have any toy to sleep with and he needs one." Bobbi tells her mother, "Got it. I'm going to let him sleep with bear." She informs her mother.

"That's very nice of you." Melinda tells Bobbi.

"Everyone should have a toy to sleep with." Bobbi says and she walks across the room and out of the door.

Once Bobbi knocks on Clint's door it takes a few seconds for Clint to answer and once he does and he sees Bobbi standing with Melinda standing behind he once more squats down.

"Yes?" he asks curious.

"I know that it can be scary sleeping in a new place and so I wanted you to have bear, everyone should have a toy to sleep with." Bobbi tells Clint.

"I can't take your bear." Clint tells Bobbi.

"I want you to." Bobbi tells Clint as she hands him the bear.

"Well thank you." Clint responds accepting the bear, "I promise that I will look after bear for you." He assures Bobbi.

"Good."

"Say goodnight now Bobbi, it's time for bed." Melinda says, watching the whole interaction with a smile on her face.

"Night, night Clint." Bobbi says surprisingly giving him a hug.

"Night Bobbi." Clint responds and Bobbi walks back to her own room while Clint stands.

"I'll be back in a few minutes then we can talk." Melinda tells Clint who nods and Melinda follows Bobbi back into her room while Clint walks back over to his new bed, leaving the door open as he does.

As Melinda walks into Bobbi's room she finds that she is already in bed so Melinda walks over and sits next on the edge of her bed.

"Mommy, is Clint my brother now?" Bobbi asks curious before Melinda can ask her what story she would like.

"He is. How do you feel about that?" Melinda asks.

"I think it's a good thing." Bobbi answers.

"You do?"

"Yep. I always wanted a big brother." Bobbi responds and Melinda can't help but smile at that.

"Would you like a story tonight or would you like to go straight to sleep?" Melinda asks curious.

"Sleep. I'm tired." Bobbi admits.

"Okay." Melinda says standing up, once she is standing up she tucks Bobbi in and places a kiss on her head, "I love you. Sweet dreams."

"Night Mommy."

Once she has said goodbye to her daughter Melinda walks across the room, turns of the light and closes the door, leaving it open so that the hall light can come in. Once she leaves Bobbi's room Melinda walks right over to Clint's.

"Can I come in?" Melinda asks from the door where she sees Clint sitting on the bed staring at the bear Bobbi gave him like he can't believe someone would give that to him.

"Sure." Clint responds and Melinda walks over and sits on the edge of his bed, just like she did with Bobbi.

"There's a couple of things we need to talk about." Melinda tells Clint.

"I figured."

"First this is your home now, wherever I live is your home, it always will be no matter what." Melinda tells Clint who nods, "I'm going to need you to always be honest with me, this isn't going to work if you're not." Melinda informs him, "Never be afraid of telling me something because I will never turn my back or stop caring, I will always do whatever I can to help and I will always be here for you." Melinda tells Clint.

"You won't send me away, will you?" Clint asks in a timid voice.

"Never."

"Even if I screw up?" Clint ask.

"Even then." Melinda tells him, "Everyone makes mistakes, its apart of life, there is nothing you can do that will make me stop caring, or stop me from doing whatever I can to help and being there for you."

"Thank you." Clint says, not sure if he believes her or not.

"You don't have to thank me." Melinda responds, "So, because it's still early you can stay up but lights out at eleven thirty, does that sound okay to you?" Melinda asks Clint who nods, "Good. We'll talk tomorrow about some general guidelines." She says and once more Clint nods.

"Night, Clint." Melinda says getting up and walking to the door.

"May." Clint says stopping her before she reaches it.

"Yeah?" Melinda asks turning around the face him.

"What do I call you?" he asks curious.

"How about we go with Melinda for now and that can change if you want it to." Melinda suggests.

"Okay, night Melinda."

"Nigh Clint, remember lights out at eleven thirty." Melinda says before walking out of the room.

After she left Clint's room Melinda headed to her own where she spent several hours doing some work, getting up to check on Bobbi and Clint several times, before heading to bed herself.

Just like she always does Melinda got up at five am and at seven she is getting started on breakfast, knowing that Bobbi will be up soon and not sure when Clint will, when the phone for work related things rings.

"May."

"So I'm guessing you're not coming in today." Phil's voice comments.

"No. I'm taking Clint shopping." Melinda answers, "Fury fill you in on everything?" Melinda ask curious.

"He filled me in on enough." Phil answers, "I can't believe I didn't realise he was only fifteen, I mean I knew there was something he wasn't saying but I didn't think it was that." Phil admits.

"My guess is that there is a lot he isn't saying." Melinda says as she mixes the pancake batter.

"Do you think you can get him to talk to you?" Phil asks curious.

"I hope so." Melinda responds and for about twenty seconds they are both quiet.

"How did your daughter react to him?" Phil asks curious.

"Very well. She loves the idea of him living with us, she even gave him one of her toys as she said that everyone should have a toy to sleep with." Melinda explains.

"That's cute." Phil responds.

"That it is. I should go I'm making breakfast." Melinda explains, "I'll see you in a few days." Melinda says

"See you in a few days." Phil responds and they both hang up.

One Month Later

It has been a month since Melinda took in Clint and in that time he has started, in some very small ways, come out of his shell.

Melinda is just returning home from work and she finds Clint, who spent the day at home, and Bobbi sitting in the lounge room playing cards.

"What are you playing?" Melinda asks walking over to them.

"Snap." Both Bobbi and Clint answer.

"Clint's really good." Bobbi informs her mother.

"So are you." Clint assures Bobbi, "Do you want to be dealt in?" Clint asks Melinda curious

"Sure." Melinda says as she sits down between her children, one of whom is only eleven years younger than her but who she still considers to be her son, and joins into the game.

For the next half an hour Melinda, Clint and Bobbi play together and as she spends time with them Melinda realises that she is incredibly lucky as she has two amazing children, who she loves spending time with, who love spending time with each other and who she loves more than anything.