Chapter 2

After getting approval from Coulson (what was he going to say, no?) Daisy explained everything to Natasha. She omitted Coulson being alive, instead just calling him the Director. If Natasha found that suspicious, she didn't say anything. Actually she didn't say anything at all. Daisy explained everything from Ward to her own powers. She even managed to say it all without sobbing, even when talking about her mom. Natasha listened equally as professionally, but without ever seeming callous or disinterested. No, she just listened to the wild tale, and didn't ask any questions.

"Good, you trusting me makes me trust you," she finally answered with a nod. "Two days from now we can set up a meeting between the Avengers and this new Shield, try to figure things out. But tomorrow is Christmas and Laura has a strict rule about no talking work on Christmas. So I'm not even going to tell Wanda you're an Inhuman or Laura will be furious."

Daisy had no idea who this seemingly terrifyingly Laura was, but she ended up asking the more pressing question. "Wanda Maximoff right, Scarlet Witch?" Natasha nodded. "So all the Avengers are going to be there? I thought we met because you were hiding from a Tony Stark Christmas party."

"Oh no, the rest of them aren't invited. Clint basically adopted Wanda after well…" Daisy had read the file, and so she just nodded. Pietro died saving Clint Barton's life, and apparently the older man was repaying the debt by taking care of Pietro's twin. "Granted the others actually know where we're going this year, all the other years it was a secret but they've known about the farm since Ultron."

Farm? Daisy had no idea what Natasha was talking about until she looked out the window and realized they were in the middle of nowhere. "If your teammates aren't invited then why am I? You barely know me!"

"You're alone on Christmas," Natasha reminded with a sad smile. "That is just not acceptable. Steve has Sam. Tony has Pepper and Rhodey. Thor is back on Asgard. Bruce…" Well no one knew where the Hulk was spending Christmas. He'd been MIA since Sokovia. "No. Laura likes to collect orphans at Christmas time. She'd be horrified if I didn't invite you."

Daisy still had no idea who this Laura was that she seemed to hold so much sway, but surely she'd find out soon. They were pulling up to an old farm, sprawling fields and tractor in all. In the window Daisy could see a brightly colored Christmas tree, and stockings hanging from the fireplace. It looked exactly like a home was supposed to on Christmas, and it warmed Daisy's heart. This was a real home for Christmas. She'd been invited to have a real Christmas for the first time. She honestly felt like the Grinch, her heart tripling in size. Who would ever think that it would be the former KGB assassin Black Widow who'd make Daisy feel welcome somewhere on Christmas.

"Aunty Nat you need to go to sleep so Santa will come!" A little girl, probably about five, yelled running out of the house in her pajamas. When she noticed Daisy, she ran back towards her older brother and hid behind him.

"Lila, Cooper, this is Daisy," Natasha introduced ushering the kids inside. "She's a friend of mine. Now you two need to go to bed or Santa won't come. He doesn't mind if the adults are up, just the kids."

The little boy, Cooper, pouted, but he hugged Natasha and ran up the stairs. Daisy smiled at how adorable they were and followed Natasha into the kitchen. "Oh hey Nat thank God the kids will go to bed now…" he finally looked over long enough to see Daisy standing there awkwardly. "Who is that?"

"Daisy this is Clint Barton and his wife Laura," Natasha introduced like she brought random people to Christmas all the time. "Clint, Laura, this is Daisy Johnson."

Daisy figured Natasha would at least mention that she was Shield or something, but nothing else was said. Clint seemed a bit wary still, but Laura came up and hugged Daisy. "I'm glad you could come," the woman said like Daisy had actually been invited. "Do you want a glass of wine?"

"I don't drink," Daisy admitted. So long as she kept control of herself Daisy had control over her powers, but the lack of inhibitions alcohol brought were a recipe for disaster. Hawkeye had a nice little farm; Daisy would hate to accidentally level it.

Clint nodded, letting down his guard not that he knew why Daisy was here. "Unstable powers, huh? Hope they knocked Nat flat on her ass when you met."

Daisy laughed, "Actually we met in a coffee shop. And don't worry I'm not going to destroy your lovely home, I just don't drink."

"How about some sugar cookie eggnog?" Laura suggested pouring herself a glass. Daisy stared in shock. She'd loved that stuff but hadn't been able to find it for years. "Yes?"

"Who is dis?"

Daisy turned to see a girl about her age standing in the corner of the room. She wore a scarlet sequined dress and looked very festive besides for the tearstains in her eyes.

"Wanda, this is Daisy Johnson," Clint introduced, but Wanda stayed away eying Daisy warily. "It's fine, she's a friend of Natasha's."

"She's not human."

Well that wasn't creepy at all. So much for not explaining the Inhuman thing. "Um, no, not completely," Daisy admitted smiling the best she could despite the odd circumstances. "I'm part Kree. I'm not going to hurt you though. I'd much rather just sit here and drink eggnog."

Wanda relaxed at Daisy's truthfulness, even if she remained slightly wary. Daisy suspected Wanda was probably always slightly wary though. She'd been through a lot and didn't even have her touchstone anymore. Daisy had always been alone, but at least that meant she hadn't had a Pietro to lose. No wonder Wanda had been crying; it was her first Christmas without her brother.

"You are like me," Wanda asserted sitting down on the couch to watch the fireplace. Daisy, Natasha, Laura, and Clint joined her. They talked of absolutely nothing, and Daisy had never felt so blissfully happy before. This was what it was like to have a home for Christmas.

The next morning Daisy awoke to the sound of screaming children. She panicked at first, but then remembered that she was at the farmhouse and Clint had three kids under ten and it was Christmas morning. It would have been concerning if there wasn't a little bit of screaming.

Everyone else was already downstairs, and they greeted Daisy with smiles and crepes. Lila and Cooper bounced around, not eating out of excitement. Apparently they couldn't open their presents though until everyone finished breakfast, so Daisy ate quickly under their watchful eyes. The one time she stopped to answer a question, Lila's eyes basically burst out of her head in frustration. Daisy felt so terrible she basically stuffed the res down her throat.

Watching the kids open their presents was adorable, but watching the adults open theirs was hilarious. Clint got a new screwdriver set from Laura, and Laura got a "My husband's a superhero" shirt. Lila had made a macaroni necklace for both parents, and Cooper gave Clint a drawing that vaguely looked like him blowing up the world but was apparently him saving it. Clint bought Natasha pointe shoes. (This present was a lot less funny when Daisy discovered he'd been trying to get her to take up ballet again for years, but the memories led her to refuse.)

The most amusing present, however, they had to go outside to see. Clint had to lock up his bows when home (so the kids didn't shoot themselves), and sitting on top of his truck was a giant hammer. Thor's giant hammer.

"It can't be real," Clint grumbled trying to lift it. "Thor is on Asgard."

But apparently what Natasha said about Thor dropping it off was true because Clint couldn't lift it. Everyone laughed hysterically as he tried with all his might to get to his bows, but they were locked behind the hammer.

"He'll come by tomorrow to pick it up," Natasha promised with a laugh. "Granted Asgard rotates at a different speed then earth so his day might actually be more like a week…"

Clint was fuming. Everyone was laughing. Joy was in the air. This was Christmas. This was what Christmas was supposed to be.

"Thank you," Daisy told Natasha that night as they sit by the fire. "You'd think Christmas with people you just met would be awkward but I've never felt so happy."

Natasha smiled. "I remember the first time I had a real Christmas. Cooper wasn't even born yet, but Clint, Laura and I sat by the fire eating cookies and drinking milk. Three weeks before Clint had been sent to kill me and then we were eating turkey together and laughing like we were old friends. Christmas brings people together; it's just a fact."

That was certainly true. Clint, Natasha, Laura, and Wanda certainly didn't feel like strangers anymore. "So I guess we need to get our teams together now, figure out where to go from here," Daisy sighed, watching the glistening lights coming from the tree.

"Shh," Natasha ordered. "It's still Christmas."

Yes, for a few more minutes it was, and Daisy was going to enjoy it. "Merry Christmas Natasha."

"Srozhdyestvom Hristovym, Daisy." Natasha replied closing her eyes and relaxing to the feeling of having a home for Christmas.