Hawkeye's Revenge

It was surprising how quickly Fury and Coulson were able to organize the reminants of SHIELD in order to detain the rest of the Hydra forces and start treatment for the injured. Clint's injury had thankfully not required surgery but the harried doctor who had x-rayed the wound had stiched it and told them that Clint would likely need extensive physical therapy before giving them a stack of information to give to the Avengers' doctor, Dr. Cho, when she arrived from New York.

As soon as Clint had been cleared medically to be moved Fury had had Coulson moving the team back to Tony's D.C. mansion despite their protests that they could help with the rebuilding. Their protests, especially Steve's passionate appeals, had had the vein in Fury's forehead pulsing before Coulson had deftly stepped in before the director could explode. Coulson had explained with a serious expression, that had quieted the group, that the Avengers could not be seen to publically be involved in this whole situation. The public was already in a panic about seeing the fire fight above D.C. and SHIELD did not want the Avengers seen as being connected to the incident as anything but the heros who saved the day.

Steve had not been happy but Coulson had been firm about it being neccesary and that Fury had the situation well in hand. Steve had finally crumbled when Coulson had reminded him that Clint, who had been sitting ashen faced on a medical cot, needed to get back to the mansion to rest and to be there for Matt when he woke up.

Clint had almost fallen asleep on the way over and despite his protests that he was fine, Steve had to help the archer into the mansion and down to the medical floor while Coulson held open the doors and the others hovered around while trying not to appear worried. Bucky had even made it to the doors outside the medical wing before he had had to stop and retreat from the medical wing.

Doctor Cho had thankfully already arrived from New York and had set about bullying Clint into a hospital bed and setting up IVs for the still shaky archer. Clint had scowled the whole time and even tried one escape which Dr. Cho had stopped with practiced ease. The archer had seemed ready to rebel completely until Cho had placed his bed in a room with Matt and while the man had still tried to wheedle his way out of medical everyone could tell that his heart was no longer in it.

Cho had consulted with Bruce before nodding and shooing all of the Avengers out of the room but not seeming surprised when gradually in ones and twos they drifted into the room to check on her two patients.

Bruce poked his head into the medical wing and smiled sheepishly when he met Dr. Cho's knowing eyes. Cho merely shook her head slightly, in exasperation, and gestured to where Tony and Steve were talking quietly in a corner.

"Come to join the insomniac club," Tony joked as he moved to join them.

"I guess I have," Bruce said, smiling tentatively. Bruce was still having trouble dealing with social situations after so many years of being alone but it was much easier to interact when around the other Avengers.

"Matt is doing well and Dr. Cho expects him to wake up soon. No lasting damage was done to Matt's heart, liver, or kidney's by the toxin but we won't know about anything else until Matt wakes up. But as you can see he is off the ventalator! Clint was awake but he fell asleep a little while ago after the doctor checked his stitches and gave him something for pain," Steve told him with a smile full of understanding. For a man used to the lime light brought about by being Captain America, Steve could be surprisingly shy and awkward with people which meant that he often understood Bruce better than anyone else on the team.

They talked quietly in the corner the topic switching smoothly from the care Clint and Matt would need to how Bucky was thinking about trying to come to the medical floor to visit in the morning when Matt's heart monitor started speeding up immediately attracting everyones' attention.

Moments later a pitiful voice rasped "Dad."

All three men exchanged a look and at any other time Bruce knew Tony would have been teasing Steve for appearing so panicked if he himself wasn't just as panicked. Hearing a groggy whimper spurred Bruce into action and he moved to help Dr. Cho as she sat up the bed and started to examine Matt.

"Dad," Matt called clearly still confused and starting to panic at the unfamilar surroundings.

"Matt, it is alright. You were hurt but are getting better. We will get your father in a moment, I just need to check a few things," Dr. Cho said as she tried to gently restrain Matt so that he would not flail around and hurt himself but the unfamiliar hand seemed to startle Matt and sent him into a panic.

"Dad," Matt screamed, thrashing blindly and Bruce realized with dread that Matt's eyes were not focusing on anything.

"Dad," Matt screamed again as he tried to jack knife up against Bruce and Dr. Cho's restraining grip. Suddenly, Steve was there sliding in beside Matt and throwing a gentle restraining arm across Matt's shoulders.

"Matt, Matt it is alright. My name is Steve Rogers and everything is alright. We are getting your father but you need to be still. Something happened to your father's hearing aids and he can't hear at the moment and that is why he is not coming but we will get him," Bruce heard Steve saying gently as Bruce moved away quickly to Clint's bed to wake him up with Tony hovering between the beds obviously unsure what to do to help.

Bruce had barely placed a hand on Clint's good shoulder before a hand was gripping his wrist in a hold that threatened to break bones while sharp gray/green eyes were suddenly focused on him. Bruce gasped in pain and a moment later Clint blinked and released Bruce's wrist looking guilty.

"Sorry, Doc," Clint said guiltily but Bruce just shook his head signing 'Matt.'

Sudden fear filled Clint's eyes and he whipped his head around to look over to Matt's bed. Seeing Matt struggling he called sharply, worry clear in his voice "Matt, stop."

Almost instantly Matt stilled, tears trickling down his face before he slowly brought up his hands, signing 'Dad' with such a hopeful look on his face that it broke Bruce's heart.

"It is ok. I'm coming. Just relax. Steve is a good guy, he isn't going to hurt you," Clint breathed and Bruce was about to remind him to speak louder when he noted the way that Matt relaxed slightly. Clint levered himself out of bed and tried to remove the IVs but Bruce stopped him. Clint scowled up at him fiercely but Bruce signed 'wait.'

With quick, efficient movements Bruce unlocked the bed and started to push Clint's bed toward Matt's bed. Tony seeming to come out of his paralysis moved to help and seeing what they were doing Dr. Cho released Matt and lowered the guard rails of Matt's bed.

As soon as Clint's bed was within range Clint was reaching a hand out to catch Matt's hand and Bruce was surprised how quickly Matt calmed at the touch. As the beds touched Matt tried to scoot closer to Clint but stopped with a hitched breath and Bruce was alarmed to see a spot of blood apearing on the bandages around Matt's abdomen.

"Matt, stop. You are hurting yourself, I will come to you. It is fine," Clint whispered as he started to move across the beds while trying to untie the hospital gown one handed. Bruce shot him a questioning look and Clint said "Matt has sensative skin, it is why he has the silk sheets, and the hospital gown could break him out."

Bruce suddenly understood and made a gesture asking if Clint would like help and in a surprising show of trust Clint bent his neck to allow Bruce to untie the hospital gown. As the hospital gown slipped down Clint finished moving onto Matt's bed and slipped his good arm under Matt to gently move the silently crying boy to rest against his chest. Matt started to twist his upper body to lean more fully against Clint but Clint gently stopped him in order to make sure he didn't hurt his abdominal injury any further.

"I need to check his wound and vitals," Dr. Cho murmured quietly as Clint soothed Matt with soft words and a gentle hand through his hair. Clint nodded and bent his head to whisper softly into Matt's ear who burrowed further into Clint's side but made no protest as Dr. Cho removed his dressing. Tony bit his lip hard enough to draw blood as the wound in Matt's abdomen was revealed showing that Matt had burst several stitches in his struggles and without a word Tony paced to the corner his mouth set in a worried frown as he texted something on his phone. Bruce knew that Tony was trying to find some way to help Matt. Steve merely looked sad and guilty as the burst stitches were revealed, obviously wondering if he could have done something to prevent the damage while he was holding Matt down.

Bruce wondered how he could convince Steve that the burst stitches were not his fault but before he could say anything Clint tossed a piece of paper at Steve saying softly as Steve met his eyes "Thanks for making sure he didn't hurt himself worse before I could get here."

The guilty look faded from Steve's face to be replaced by a happy glow and he simply nodded gratefully at Clint. Clint smiled as he kept gently soothing Matt before he called over to Tony "Stark, get back over here and stop ordering all that crap."

Tony froze then turned a scowl on Clint.

"How do you know what I am texting," Tony griped but was already trying to hide his phone proving Clint's words.

"I'm not called Hawkeye for nothing and you are in front of a glass window which reflects your phone screen," Clint snipped back with a smirk. Tony jumped and looked at the glass as though it had personally offended him before turning back with a nonchalant air.

"For your information, all that stuff is perfectly necessary. I am furnishing your floor in the tower. Feel free to thank me at any time," Tony said breezily but winced with everyone else in the room as Dr. Cho numbed the area around Matt's abdomen and began replacing the stitches. Clint brushed his chin against Matt's head and Matt cuddled closer but otherwise made no protest as Cho worked.

"Thank you, Stark," Clint dead panned with a strained smirk before adding "I think the slide might have been a little much though."

Tony threw up his hands and rolled his eyes, ranting about crazy archers with inhuman eyesight but Bruce noticed that the man seemed more relaxed and definately saw him smile around the eyes as Matt giggled tiredly at his rant.

"Alright, that takes care of the stitches now I just need to check your vitals," Dr. Cho said and it was only through association that Bruce heard the hesitancy in her voice. Bruce felt his stomach plummet as he remembered that the drugs might have blinded the boy and from the sudden silence from Steve and Tony he knew that they had just remembered also.

Dr. Cho started by checking Matt's heart at which the young boy grimaced, burrowing deeper into Clint's side. Cho raised her eyebrow in question and Clint started to shrug then winced as it pulled at his shoulder wound.

"Dad," Matt questioned still burrowed in Clint's side but then signed 'Dad, are you hurt?'

"It is just a graze," Clint told him gently.

"You're lying," Matt accused indignantly then followed this by thumping Clint's side with his fist and signing "You're lying."

"Alright, alright. Take it easy, little demon. It is a bit more than a scratch but it is fine. Didn't even need surgery," Clint told him with a laugh and a fond smile then sobered at the distressed look on Matt's face. "I promise I will be fine but right now we need to let the doctor finish. I will tell you everything that happened after."

Matt scowled in a way which he must have thought fierce but was actually fairly adorable and had most of the adults in the room almost cooing.

"Alright, turn your face toward me," Dr. Cho said an undercurrant of tension in her voice as she directed a pinlight into Matt's eyes. Bruce's stomach dropped to the floor as even he could see that Matt's pupils didn't react to the light at all. Dr. Cho shined the light once more then sat back giving up all pretense of the exam as she looked grimly at Clint and Matt. Clint immediately noticed her look and tensed up starring back at her with his worry plain.

"What," he asked as he clutched Matt a bit tighter.

"Mr. Barton, I hate to be the one to inform you of this, but I believe that the drugs have severely damaged your son's eye sight," Dr. Cho told the archer, her gaze sympathetic and Bruce felt his own heart go out to the father and son. Glancing to where Steve and Tony were standing, he could see devestation in their faces which matched his own.

A bark of laughter had all three of them whipping their heads around to stare in shock at Clint as he laughed loudly, clearly having lost it at the news. Bruce exchanged a paniced look with Tony and Steve who looked as thrown as himself then turned to Dr. Cho who merely shrugged.

'Dad,' Matt signed after thumping Clint in the side once more 'You are scaring them. Explain!'

"Stop hitting, you Little Devil, I am going to get bruises," Clint teased with a pleased smile when Matt just sighed in a put upon way.

"Doctor, I have been completely blind since I was three. I doubt the drugs could do anything worse to my eyes unless it liquidated them," Matt told them with a sigh as Clint just chuckled softly to himself.

"Mr. Barton, why didn't you tell us this at the beginning," Dr. Cho asked obviously pissed and Bruce couldn't blame her as the omission had caused all of them to worry needlessly.

"Doc, I didn't really think it was important," Clint told her seeming truely puzzled by their upset.

Dr. Cho sighed in exasperation but seemed resigned now more than upset. "Mr. Barton it is always important to list any significant medical information."

"Sorry," Clint apologized questioningly and seemed confused when Dr. Cho just shook her head.

"You are free to share a bed but please make sure not to pull out your stitches or the IVs. If you need me at any time just hit the call button," Dr. Cho told Clint then her tone softening she told Matt "Try to get some sleep, Matt. If you have any significant pain just call me and I will give you some medicine for pain."

Dr. Cho paused as Matt bit his lip in distress and burrowed closer to his dad.

"Do I have to," he asked softly causing the doctor to frown.

"You don't have to Matt but we don't want you to be in pain," Cho told him slowly unsure about what the young boy was worried about, whether he was just wary of calling on a stranger or was wary of something else.

"Matt doesn't like any pain medicines. They disorient him," Clint offered, stroking a hand soothingly through Matt's hair he confided "I have the same problem with some medicines because of the damage to my hearing."

The doctor frowned in thought then asked "Are there any pain medicines that he has been able to tolerate in the past?"

"No, the only time he has ever had to have pain meds was when he broke his leg when he was six. We only tried one type and he reacted so badly to it that we had to stop using it. Never went back to get anything else," Clint explained simply.

"Alright, we can try a local but that will mean that we will have to monitor the wound much more closely and it will not cover everything Matt, you will still be in a great deal of pain. The only reason you are relatively pain free at the moment is because of the drugs they used to put you in a coma, once those wear off.......," Dr. Cho told Matt gently, trailing off as she didn't want to alarm Matt. Matt set his little jaw and started to nod but stopped as Clint dipped his head to whisper something softly to him. Matt shook his head immediately against whatever Clint was saying obviously upset but he stilled at some more whispered words and finally nodded relaxing against his father's side.

"Would you be able to give him enough pain medicine to put him to sleep so that he wouldn't have to deal with the disorientation," Clint questioned and Dr. Cho paused to consider. "I could for a few days but after that I would need to lower the dose."

"Let's try that for now and see if we can come up with anything while he sleeps."

"Alright, I will need a minute to get the drip setup," Dr. Cho informed them before she left.

"I don't like the idea of being asleep like that," Matt whispered sulkily.

"I know but you need to rest and you won't with the pain. And you heard the doctor, the only reason you aren't feeling it right now is because of the local and the lingering affects of the drugs but pretty soon you are going to be hurting an awful lot," Clint told his son gently and Bruce wondered if they shouldn't leave in order to give the father and son time to be alone.

Glancing up he caught Steve's eye and motioned minutely to the door. Steve took his meaning almost immediately and deftly began herding Tony from the room.

"Clint, if you or Matt need anything feel free to call us. JARVIS, Tony's robot," Tony interrupted at this saying loudly "JARVIS is an AI, capsicle. How many times do I have to tell you the difference?" but Steve just rolled his eyes with an amused look "JARVIS can hear you from anywhere in the tower so just call and he will be able to get one of us."

"That is great, Cap, but how will I hear him," Clint asked with a raised eyebrow. The archer laughed at their flummoxed expressions and Bruce blushed as he realized he had not even realized there might be a problem.

"If I may suggest, I have holographic display units in almost all rooms of the tower. I could easily project my words onto a wall and alert Mr. Barton to any message via a series of flashing lights," JARVIS piped up and true to his words he also projected what he was saying onto one of the hospital walls for Clint to read.

"Thanks, JARVIS, that will work perfectly," Clint spoke with a grin but Bruce could see the way that his eyes were flicking to check on Matt every now and then.

"Alright, Robin Hood, we will leave you to it," Tony said with a flippant wave of his hand as he headed to the door but paused to throw back over his shoulder at Matt "Hey Kiddo, you need anything you let JARVIS know and he will get it for you."

Tony didn't wait for a response before retreating and Steve merely nodded to Clint before leaving also. Bruce realized that he was the last one to leave and suddenly felt nervous about what was the proper course of action. Should he say something or just leave, should he try to make a joke or....

His racing thoughts were derailed as Clint said softly "Thanks, Doc, for everything."

Bruce felt himself blush at the sincere words and with a stammered good-bye he headed for the elevator and the safety of his lab where he wouldn't have to worry about handsome archers and their adorably brave children.