"I can turn it on. Be a good machine. I can hold the weight of worlds if that's what you need. Be your everything. I can do it. I'll get through it. But I'm only human and I bleed when I fall down. I'm only human and I crash and I break down. Your words in my head. Knives in my heart. You build me up and then I fall apart because I'm only human"

-Human by Christina Perri

Clint climbed up the stairs of his apartment building, just wanting to be home after the day he just had. Missions weren't the best and he was just happy to finally be home. All he wanted to do was take a shower with Melody and spend all night tangled up in bed with each other before their flight the next morning into Malibu. Christmas in Malibu. It would definitely be a change from snowy DC.

When he got to his front door, he noticed it was cracked open. He immediately dropped his suitcase and pulled the gun kept stowed away in the back of his pants. He pushed the rest of the door in, ready for anything that could come out at him. The immediate living room was dark, he could just see the outlines of the couch, tables, shelves and television set.

His mind was racing to the dreams he had the previous nights. The nightmares. He moved to the light switch, keeping his gun pointed out for the entirety of that intense moment of reaching, not sure if he was ready for what the light had in store for him. He had horrible possibilities playing in his head, everything from a robbery to Melody's body lying on the floor.

The second the light lit up the room, balloons floated in the air as people came out of all possible hiding places in his apartment. "Surprise!" They all yelled as one.

Clint let a small smile spread across his lips as he put his gun down. He looked around and finally noticed the banner hanging from the ceiling, reading, Happy Birthday, Clint!

He looked to the perpetrator of it all, making her way towards him with her blonde hair bouncing and a tight purple dress hugging her body. Melody Barnes. She threw her arms around his neck as he set his gun back into his pants while giving her a huge smile. Out of all the things she could have done for his birthday, he most definitely wasn't expecting this. "Happy birthday." She whispered to him while planting a small kiss on his lips. "And welcome home."

They turned to look at all of their friends, laughing and talking with each other with drinks in their hands as music pulsated through their apartment, giving Clint the biggest smile he had all week. "You did good, Barnes."

"It's 'well', babe." She spoke while putting her arm around his waist as he did the same to her, his hand going lower than where hers was.

"That's why you're the college graduate."

She turned to him, getting a smirk on her face. "You graduated college." He turned to her, wearing the same smirk she was. "It was a fake diploma, but you graduated."

He pulled her into him with a huge smile on his face as Melody continued to laugh. He placed his lips on the temple of her head, letting out a soft whisper of, "I love you."

"That reminds me," Melody spoke excitedly while moving out of their embrace to look at him with her bright, shiny blue eyes. "I have another surprise for you."

He turned his head to the side with a squint in his eye. "A bigger surprise than one that could have made me shoot up our apartment full of our closest friends?"

She rolled her eyes while looking back into the crowd of people. "Shut up."

Then, someone came out of the crowd that Clint hadn't expected to see at all. "Barney?" Clint asked as he moved closer to his older brother he hadn't seen alone in a long time. He probably hadn't seen him since he went to his house to see his own kids and when he's there, he doesn't spend much time with his brother. Just his children. It was great to just see him for once.

Barney immediately went up to his younger brother, wrapping him up in a hug. The two laughed, realizing how little they have seen each other and that they needed to see each other more. "Happy birthday, baby brother." He sighed as they pulled away from each other. "Damn, you're getting old."

Clint scoffed while looking him up and down. "If I'm getting old then you're getting old."

Barney began laughing while shaking his head. "Shut up."

"How did you get here?" Clint asked, thinking back on the shock he got from him being here.

"Well," Barney spoke while moving to Melody and putting his arm around her. "This slice right here text me, told me what she was doing for you, paid for the flight, hotel…" He looked back to Melody, giving her an angry stare which she gave right back. "Which I was going to pay for until I realized how stubborn she is." Clint looked to his girlfriend, giving her a bright smile, not expecting anything less from Melody. It was right in his review of her for SHIELD. "And now I'm here."

Clint pulled Melody in for a hug, knowing that he had made the right choice two years ago to be her shadow agent. She was just perfection in every single way. Melody also knew she made the right choice by taking him back six months ago. The way she felt in his hug felt like a warm, safety blanket. It felt like home to her. "I love you." She whispered into his chest while taking a deep breath.

Clint let out a loving sigh while kissing her on the head again. "I love you."

They broke away, giving each other a bright smile as he stroked her hair, giving each other that loving stare that everyone in SHIELD couldn't help but talk about. "Come on," Clint spoke, finally breaking his stare with Melody to look at his brother. "Let's get a beer."

Clint and Barney were leaning against the island of the apartment while Lucky moved around the kitchen, trying to find some dropped food from all the guests. "Lucky," Clint called. The dog looked to his owner and immediately ran to him. "Get out of here." Lucky turned around instantly and ran over to Melody.

She stopped her conversation with Steve to get down on her knees and begin scratching him on his neck. His favorite spot. Steve joined her on her knees, petting him the same way she was as their conversation continued, causing her to let out a bubbly laugh at Lucky licking her face. Clint smiled at her, knowing her happiness was so contagious. "What the hell did you do right?" Barney asked, breaking Clint out of his stare.

Clint laughed, realizing what he was talking about before looking back to Melody. "I have no idea."

Barney began to chuckle while taking a swig of beer. "She's the perfect one for you." He looked over to his brother, giving him a nudge. "Third time is the charm."

"Shut up." Clint laughed out before they turned back to her. "But now that you brought it up," Barney turned back to his brother, shocked. It was just a joke, but was he really gonna do it? "I'm gonna ask her to marry me."

Barney's eyes grew wide. This would be his brother's third marriage. He looked back to Melody, laughing with Captain America and Black Widow. His shocked face grew into a happy one. She was the best person for his little brother. She would be the last marriage. "When are you gonna do it?"

"Christmas." Clint told him, finally taking his eyes off Melody to look at his brother again. "With her family all around." He nodded with an excited smile on his face before looking back to Melody. "It's perfect for her."

Barney placed his arm around his brother, letting out a happy sigh. "I'm proud of you." Clint looked up at him with a wide smile, knowing that his approval meant the world to him. The two turned to look back to Melody. Clint took a deep sigh, the only other approval he needed was the man who single handedly raised her. Tony Stark.

"Great party, Mel." Steve spoke as he lounged out on their patio furniture. "Really."

Everyone had gone home and Barney was on his way to the airport so it was just Clint, Melody, Steve, Emily and Natasha hanging out, ready to do their own little Christmas since they would all be in different places for the holiday. Clint shrugged as he shared a patio chair with Melody, who had changed from the tight purple dress into a loose sweater and yoga pants. His arms were behind his back as Melody snuggled into his chest. She still wasn't used to DC weather after being raised in Malibu her whole life. "I've seen better."

One of Clint's eyes opened as he cracked a smile at her. She punched him lightly in the ribs which he just laughed to. Melody began to curl back up to him, remembering how cold she was as Clint put one of his arms around her. "You're a dick." Natasha commented with an eye roll as she took a swig of their nice alcohol, knowing exactly where they kept it so no one else would get it.

Clint pulled out his phone, the lock screen being mistletoe, causing Melody to roll her eyes. The true fact was that she would never get tired of it. "Mistletoe." They leaned in, sharing a tender kiss that they all had to smile to.

"I think," Emily spoke as they pulled away from the kiss and stared into each other's eyes lovingly, the only way they could. "That we should start opening our Christmas presents."

"Yes!" Melody spoke as she clapped excitedly.

All Clint could do was smile at her. That girl was so damn beautiful, and after everything, she was his. "I'm going first." Steve spoke, getting up before everyone else. He passed Emily her gift first. "This is something I used a lot in World War II.

Emily gave him a skeptic look as she ripped the decorative paper off and pulled the top off the white box. She gasped once she saw what was inside it as all of them tried to get up so they could see what was in the box, curious of how good a gifter Steve was. It was a compass, but not just any compass. A picture of her mother when she was younger was pointing north. She looked up at Steve, knowing this was one of the best presents she had ever gotten. "Steve, thank you!"

Natasha watched as they hugged, getting excited, knowing Steve had only gotten the best presents. "My turn." She informed them all excitedly.

Steve rolled his eyes as he handed her a box. "Another World War II relic."

"God, Steve." Natasha mused. "Do you ever stop being a fossil?" But her mouth dropped when she got to her actual present. She looked up to him with bright, excited eyes. "No way."

"A very real, still very live grenade." Steve narrated as she spun the thing around.

"Cool." She whispered out, studying it all around before tossing it up in the air.

"Hey!" Clint scolded, catching the thing in the air before she could. Natasha turned to him with an annoyed face while handing it back to her gently. "Not in my apartment."

She simply rolled her eyes, going back to inspecting it. "Yes, suburban housewife."

Clint opened his mouth to argue, but Steve cut him off by handing him his present. Clint excitedly opened it up, loving Christmas more than any time of year, causing the biggest smile to spread on Melody's face. As he gasped, Steve and Melody shared a smile since they plotted together on this one. "You got me Hawkeye cuff links?!"

"Merry Christmas." Steve spoke with a shrug.

"I love this." He spoke as he looked down at them.

Melody was so caught up in Clint's happiness, she didn't even notice that Steve was handing her the last present. "Mel." Melody finally looked to him, giving him a smile of apology as she moved forward to grab the box. With an excited sigh, she opened up the box, gasping at the perfect set of pearl earrings. "They were your grandmother's." Melody looked up at him, starting to get sentimental. "They were a gift from my mother before she passed away." Melody stood up, hurrying to him to give him a tight hug. Steve really was the best at giving presents.

Melody continued to sit with Steve when Emily picked up the first bag she had. "My turn." She handed it to Melody, causing her to give her mother a thankful look. "Merry Christmas, baby."

Melody sighed as she took the bag, looking up at her mother. "It sucks that you're not gonna be with us." Melody spoke as she looked through the tissue paper.

She shrugged with a smile. "Christmas is more your Uncle Tony's thing."

Melody gasped, causing Emily to smile widely, knowing she had picked the perfect present. "You didn't."

"I did." Melody looked up with a bright smile. "Show everyone." Emily spoke obviously as everyone looked around confused.

She pulled her present out of the bag, still in its perfect packaging for everyone to see. "I got a Dark Violet action figure."

"You've truly made it." Natasha spoke in a sarcastic tone.

Melody stuck her tongue out at her before looking back to her mom. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She spoke as she handed Clint the next present.

It was a thin envelope, causing Clint to look up at her skeptically. He tore the paper off and gasped. "You didn't."

"But I did."

Melody looked back and forth at the two, stopping when Clint finally looked at her. "Maybe Emily's the one with the best presents." Natasha mumbled under her breath, but still loud enough for Steve to hear.

"Verona!" Clint exclaimed as he pulled out the plane tickets, showing them to Melody. Melody hurried to him, looking at the tickets as if they were gold. "We're going to Verona for New Years!"

"Oh my god!" Melody exclaimed, pulling the tickets out of Clint's hands. "We've been wanting to do this – "

"For months." Emily finished, causing them both to look to her excitedly. "And you've got reservations at the best hotel."

"You're amazing." Clint finally spoke while looking to her. At the beginning, he wasn't sure if he really liked Emily, but now that she and Melody had a relationship, he had grown to love the woman like she was his own mother.

She shook her head at him. "The Italian president owes me a favor."

"I wanna go next." Natasha spoke as she moved forward.

Emily rolled her eyes with a smile, handing Natasha her box. "Merry Christmas."

When Natasha opened hers, a huge smile passed over her face. "Yes!"

"Fury owes me a favor too."

Natasha pulled out her new guns trying to aim them, but getting another disapproving face from Clint. "This is awesome."

"Steve," Emily spoke as she pulled out the last box. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Steve told her right back as he took the box from her hands. Emily knew just what to get Steve. He was just like Melody. He never wanted people to go out of their way for him. He wanted something he needed for Christmas. And Steve knew she knew that when he looked at his present. It was stuff he needed for his motorcycle which was malfunctioning again. With this stuff, his motorcycle would run for years. He looked up at Emily with a wide smile, and she was the only one who knew why. "Thank you." He told her before leaning forward to kiss her on the cheek.

"My turn." Natasha spoke as she turned around to get her boxes. "Emily." She leaned forward, giving her the first present. "We kind of have the same taste."

When Emily opened her box, she immediately started laughing. They were the same guns she had gotten Natasha. "Why," Emily laughed out. "Thank you."

"Fossil." She spoke as she gave a box to Steve.

"You're a jerk." He commented while leaning to her and taking the top off of his box. Once he saw what it was, he looked up at her and frowned.

"Look," She mused, pulling his present out of the box so everyone could see as he continued to glare at her. "You got a little shield to put on your motorcycle now."

Everyone began to laugh, but Steve just sat there. "Oh, come on." Melody spoke while looking to Steve. "That's funny."

He gave Natasha a smile and nodded to the other presents. "Come on, we don't have all day.

"Clint," Natasha spoke as she handed him his present.

"It better not be something Hawkeye related." He spoke as he tore off the wrapping paper.

Melody rolled her eyes at him. "Just open it." He looked to her as he opened up the box, mimicking what she had just said, causing her to punch him in the arm.

Right when he opened up the box, he gasped. "Dude," He looked up to Natasha with a happy smile. "You got me new arrows."

"Newest from Stark Industries." Natasha spoke grandly as she looked at the arrows perfectly boxed up.

Clint looked to Melody with a smile. Melody shrugged. "I owed her a favor."

"Melody," Natasha spoke, breaking her out of her stare with Clint to look at her best friend. "Merry Christmas."

It was a larger box, making her get excited when she took it from her. "Merry Christmas to you." She spoke excitedly. It was Clint's turn to watch her excited eyes rip open that festive wrapping paper. She had an idea of what it was since she had pointed out what she wanted when they went shopping a few weeks ago. And as she pulled the top off of the box, she smiled because she was correct. "Yes!"

As she pulled them out, she twirled them through her fingers lethally and expertly. "Black Chinese ring daggers." Natasha commented as Melody held one in each hand. "All you wanted for Christmas."

She put the daggers back into its box before going over to sit on Natasha's lap. "And this is why I love you."

Clint looked over at some of his favorite girls as he finished his drink before pulling out his presents. "My turn to give presents, then Melody, then you're all helping me clean up the patio of wrapping paper." They all groaned, but Clint ignored them. "Nat," he handed her the present first, Melody looked over to Clint with a smile while he gave her a quick wink. "Merry Christmas."

Natasha eagerly ripped the box open, causing an instant frown to spread across her face. "I get it." She spoke with a fake smile as she picked the cooking book up, causing the rest of them to let out small giggles besides the ones Melody and Clint had just by the look of her face. "I can't cook." Melody and Clint looked up at her through their giggles to give her a wide smile. Natasha just couldn't help but smile at how cute the two were together. "Smart asses."

Clint then extended his present to Steve, causing him to get really nervous. "Is it going to be something like Natasha's present?" He sighed out while giving Clint a tired look.

"Open it and you'll find out." He taunted while putting his arm around Melody.

Steve smiled while looking at the two, knowing they could have gotten him anything and he would have been happy with it. When he opened up the package, he rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. "I should have known."

He pulled out the Captain America action figure with a smirk resting on his face. Clint shrugged while giving him a goofy smile as Melody simply rolled her eyes, giving Clint that loving smile as she moved to go sit back down with him. "You could imagine the shock on the cashier's face at Hawkeye purchasing a Captain America doll."

"Thank you, Clint." Steve spoke with another eye roll as Melody sat on Clint's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck with another loving smile, Clint giving her the same.

Melody began to shake with her excitement, knowing that her present was coming up soon. "Emily," He spoke, moving across Melody to give Emily her present, causing a frown to appear on her face. She really thought this one was going to be for her. "Merry Christmas."

Emily had the same face of excitement her daughter had when she opened up her present, making all of them smile, realizing just how alike the mother and daughter duo were. "Aw." Emily exclaimed as she held the picture frame out for everyone to see. It was a picture of Clint and Melody cuddling close together. Melody smiled as she leaned into Clint's chest, causing him to give her a kiss on the hair. She knew it would look perfect in her office. "I love it guys." She got up, putting kisses on each of their heads. "Thank you both."

She moved to sit back down on her chair, causing Melody to turn to Clint excitedly, knowing hers had to be next. "My turn." She told him while excitedly clapping her hands together.

"No." Her frown immediately went away, but that just fueled his smile. "We're gonna be together on Christmas."

"So?" Melody spoke with a shrug while trying to reach behind him to get to the present from his hands, but he just moved it farther away. "Clint!" She screamed right back at him, causing smiles and chuckles from everyone else sitting around.

"Not until December twenty-fifth." He taunted with the perfectly wrapped box in his hands, causing Melody to give him a resting glare. "Miss. Barnes."

Melody moved behind her, pulling his present from the pile behind her. "Then you don't get yours until Christmas either."

Clint shrugged like it was no big deal, because it really wasn't for him. "I don't really care."

"God dammit." Melody whispered while looking down.

Clint moved closer to her, planting a soft kiss on her lips. "You've got some other presents to give out." He whispered to her.

Melody let out an eye roll, moving out of the position she was in to pick up the first present she saw. "I hate you."

Clint just pulled her right back to him, planting a kiss on her cheek that she couldn't help to lean into. "You love me."

"Mom," Melody spoke as she reached out to hand her the present. "Merry Christmas."

Emily smiled to her as she began to open op the present, causing a loud gasp from her. "Melody." She spoke in a hoarse voice. "This is amazing."

"Well," Melody spoke while giving her a wide smile, saying the same thing her mother had just said about her present. "Show everyone."

Emily turned to her daughter with a wide smile as she showed off her new picture. It was a picture of Melody, Emily and James back when Melody was a small child. Everyone awed as Clint pulled Melody close to him again. He really did love her and her generosity made him love her even more. "I love it." Emily told her sincerely, causing Melody's smile to get even wider.

"Natasha," Melody spoke while tossing her a small box. Natasha gave her a skeptical stare. Everyone else had gotten her weapons because that was something she obviously used the most, but not Melody. This was way too small to be a weapon's box. "Merry Christmas." She spoke with an excited shrug.

Natasha looked to her friend while opening up the box, only finally looking down when she was sure all the wrapping was off. Resting inside the box she had given her was a sterling silver necklace with a dagger pendent pointing down. She looked to her best friend with a happy smile. "Now you have a necklace for me and for Clint."

Her smile got even wider as she put it around her neck, realizing it was slightly longer than her arrow necklace, but still matching on the exact same color and size of the weapons. She looked to her best friend gratefully. "Thank you, Melody."

"And, lastly," She made sure to look at Clint as she spoke the word, causing an eye roll from him. "Steve." She handed him his present slowly, Steve catching on to it. She just knew that this was a present he probably wasn't ready for. He probably would never be ready for it. "Merry Christmas."

Steve looked to her with a smile, but he still looked skeptic as he opened up the present. When he got to the picture frame, like Emily, his breath caught in his throat. This picture had to be so rare. Steve looked up at her with wide eyes. "Where did you get this?"

Melody gave him a soft smile. "I had to pull a lot of strings, but I bought it from a museum." She looked over to the picture, her smile getting wider. "I thought you would like it."

"I love it." Steve whispered as he looked back down at the picture. It was Steve, Maria and Bucky standing around together, smiles on all of their faces. It was post serum. During the war. Steve couldn't believe that they had time to find these small bits of happiness during those times. Bucky's arm was draped around Maria's and they were both smiling in Steve's direction as Steve's head was down, laughing at a joke he wasn't sure which one of them said.

After a moment of staring, Steve put the picture down, looking to his great-niece before hurrying to her. She stood up, meeting him halfway there in a large hug. That present meant so much to him. He had nothing to remember his sister and best friend by. This was it. He began to rock Melody back and forth, just appreciating her so much. His niece was amazing. She may have had Maria's face, but she definitely had Bucky's heart.

The rest of them looked to the two, smiling happily. Melody really was the best thing for Steve. They both just got each other so well and everyone needed that one person who wasn't your lover. "So," Clint spoke, but the two of them didn't dare to pull away from their hug. "Let's get to cleaning up the patio." Everyone else stood up, starting to pick up the pieces of paper, but Melody and Steve just stayed in that hug, clinging to each other, so glad that he was pulled out of that ice when he was.

Clint was pacing around the bedroom with his phone up to his ear and a smile from ear to ear. "Thank you, Lila." Melody came out of the bathroom, rubbing what was left of the lotion into her hands. "Uncle Barney is on his way back home now." Melody smiled as she moved to her boyfriend, this being one of her favorite times when they got to call or visit Lila and Cooper. "Cooper, be nice to Aunt Kim." Clint's smile got even wider. "I love you both so much and we're gonna come visit after Christmas." He smiled again, his eyes traveling to Melody. "Say bye to Mel."

"Bye, Melody!" They both screamed out, causing Melody to smile as she moved closer to the phone.

"Bye guys!" She spoke excitedly into the receiver. "Get some sleep! I love you!" She made a kiss noise into the phone, getting off her tip toes to reach the receiver.

"We're going on a trip for New Year's so start packing." Melody let out a laugh while putting her face in his shoulder, thinking about how great their time would be in Verona. "I love you both. Bye."

Clint let out a sigh while hanging up the phone before turning around to be face to face with Melody. He knew he couldn't be with his kids all the time. It was for their safety. And he loved being with Melody. "We're going all over to world for the holiday season."

Melody began laughing while wrapping her arms around his. "We're gonna be in Malibu tomorrow, upstate New York next week and Verona by December thirty-first."

"Then," He spoke with a sigh and smile. "Back to upstate New York before school starts," Melody nodded as she leaned even further into him. "And then back to DC where we're probably both going to get sent off on other missions."

"So," Melody spoke, pouting her lips just a little bit. "I guess the only night we have to ourselves is tonight."

Clint gave her a devilish grin as Melody's angelic smile just grew wider. "It seems like we're gonna have a fun night."

Melody moved to his face, rubbing her nose against his, the small brush of a touch already driving Clint crazy. "Very."

With an intense silence passing over them, Clint scooped her up instantly and threw her down on the bed as she laughed wildly. He threw her down on the bed, climbing on top of her and kissing her all over, starting at her legs. She laughed like a banshee as he traveled up her and when he got to her face, Lucky pushed through the door and jumped up on the bed with the two. Together, they had the best night ever and it was much needed because this vacation, wasn't going to be a vacation.

I'm back! I hope you guys have liked the start to the new story. This was kind of just a cutesy start up chapter and all the emotional and Tony stuff will start in the next chapter! Missed you guys! Please review!