The morning of Christmas eve fell upon her. She had been waiting with a hopeful heart for a call or even a text from Steve, but it fell on silent ears as she hadn't heard anything from him. She half expected the police to come pounding on her door at any second to take her away but with what communication she'd had with Natasha, she had assured her it wouldn't happen as 'Steve had sorted everything'. Whatever that meant.

Whatever happened, it had all been worth it when Fifteen woke up with a wide smile and croaky voice. She'd explained that the Hydra agent had offered her a deal to restart Hydra together and when she refused, blew himself up and the building along with it.

Still, she really wished Steve would talk to her.

"Mumma I've got you da bestest present in the whole world."

"Wow," Bea smiled brightly, "I can't wait to open it tomorrow. Can I have a hint of what it is?"

Brooke rocked back and forth, "hmmm… it's to do with how much I love you."

"I hope it's a big present then," picking her up, she hugged her close. Brooke cuddled her back equally as tight with her sticky fingers getting curled up in her hair. Not that she minded, "Go on, get out of your pyjamas and we'll go watch Christmas movies for the rest of the day."

Unclasping herself from her mum, she jumped to the floor and landed on her knees. For a second, Bea thought she'd injured herself when Brooke let out a girlish giggle and rose her hand to make it look like a superhero pose.

"I'm like Iron man!" She smiled wide, showing all the gaps between her teeth where they were still growing.

Bea analysed her daughter's stance and considered, "Hm, no. I think you're more like Captain America. You've certainly got his frown perfect."

Brooke giggled again and stood up, "Is Steve coming 'wound for Christmas, like he did last year?"

Always trust her daughter to ask the difficult questions. Her phone sat on the table beside her and she stared at it for a moment, almost expecting his name to bing up onto the screen, but it didn't. However, the pressing stare of Brooke didn't go away.

"You'll have to ask him," she shrugged and tucked her hands under the table as they suddenly became very clammy.

"When will I see him?"

She bit her lip, "If you don't see him by tonight, you can give him a ring?"

He'd be less likely to refuse the offer if the question came from Brooke. Who could resist such a gorgeous face? Brooke agreed with a short sharp nod, and spun on the spot. Pretending her socks were ice skates, she slid out of the living room.

As soon as she saw her pigtails whip around the corner, Bea went to work wrapping up Brooke's present. Still, she hadn't broken the habit of leaving everything until last minute, and if she didn't wrap Brooke's present now, she wouldn't have it ready by tomorrow.

Prepared in a bag by the table was a few books on astronomy that she wouldn't be able to read yet, An Iron man and Captain America figure, and finally Bucky's dog tags. Her neck felt empty without them hanging off it, but if anyone should have them, they should be Brooke's. It was the best she could do in giving her a 'part' of her dad.

"Should I give you her gifts now to go hide?" Alex came in with a few presents tucked under his arm.

She eyed them suspiciously, "What have you gotten her?"

"Just a picture of us all together and then this-" he pulled a particularly badly wrapped present from behind his back which looked soft and squishy. "it's a teddy bear." That didn't seem so bad, "I saw the one she has at the moment, it looks a bit ruined, so I thought I'd get her another one."

"Her Bucky bear?" She raised an eyebrow and Alex nodded, "That bear was made for her when she was born. I don't think it can easily be replaced, Alex."

"It's a bit ugly though, isn't it?" Alex squished his nose together in distaste. Sucking in an angry breath, she reminded herself that she only had to wait until after Christmas, then she could throw him out, "I thought she might like the option of having a brand new one."

"Thank you for the offer but I'd prefer it if you didn't give that to her," She snapped and turned her back. If it had been any regular teddy bear, she wouldn't mind, but the fact he had just called her 'Bucky Bear' ugly made her want to reach over and tear the bear in hands up into a million pieces.

"I've brought it now," Alex huffed and placed it on the table, "Why don't you give her the option to choose whether or not she wants it."

She bit her lip, not feeling like she could say anything and tucked his present away at the bottom of Brooke's present bag.

They put Christmas movies for the rest of the day until an argument questioning whether or not Frozen was a Christmas film disrupted them. Bea suggested that just because it had snow in it, didn't make it a Christmas film and Alex disagree, until the squabble was put to an end when Brooke started singing 'let it go' in an overly high-pitched voice.

They clapped when she finished.

"Aren't you a natural."

"I get it from my mamma," Brooke twisted her fingers in her hand, relishing in the compliments, "You sing mamma!"

"You can sing?" Alex immediately questioned, "I've never heard you."

"And you will never hear me."

"Go on, sing us one song," Alex encourage but Bea shook her head refusing.

"No, I sound awful really," She admitted, trying to flee the conversation, "Anyway I think it's time for madam's nap time."

"but I don't want too!"

"Hm," Bea pretended to consider, "No… I don't think Santa cares if you want too or not. He won't deliver you presents unless you're asleep."

It didn't take much convincing as within a short moment, Brooke had raced upstairs to get ready for bed.

Bea started unpacking her presents for Brooke under the tree.

"Shouldn't you wait until she's actually in bed? She might come back down?"

"She never usually comes back downstairs, and even if she does I'll tell her Santa was in a rush so had to drop them off early. I'm not waiting for her to fall asleep to do it, I know she'll be staying awake with a flashlight listening to the sound of a man coming down a chimney all night." She had her suspicions when Brooke came downstairs one evening and asked her if she had the 'biggest flashlight any human could hold'.

Brooke's presents were already knee high when she placed her last one down from her. She still needed to add Steve, Natasha's and ones from her grandma. Those in itself would fill the room by how much they spoil her.

Although, she wasn't sure she'd get Steve and Natasha's presents for tomorrow. Thankfully, Brooke had forgotten all about her promise to call Steve this evening and Bea wouldn't have to deal with the awkwardness of where they'd last left things. Not to mention, a Christmas hosting both Steve and Alex together would be a nightmare.

"Now that's done, I'm off to bed," She could feel Alex's lingering stare on the back of her head as she had been putting presents down and was eager to escape it, "Merry Christmas for tomorrow."

The cosiness of her bed welcomed her like the arms of an old friend. Dressing into her pyjamas she dived under the covers for much needed warmth. Her eyes lulling to sleep quicker than she could fight it.

*~It started with Pizza~*

Voices disturbed her from a lovely dream about Pizza flavoured turkey. She slapped her mouth together as she woke, relishing in the luscious taste of the turkey she'd eaten in her dr-

"Did Santa come?" She heard Brooke's soft padded voice through the thin walls. In fact it sounded as if she was just at the end of her bed asking the question her voice travelled so far, but judging from the light source drifting under her bedroom door, she could only guess she was talking to herself.

Maybe she was talking to herself in her sleep again. That was always entertaining so she listened on for a moment when another voice entered the mix.

"I think so," Alex said, "We had a good conversation downstairs actually about whether he preferred chocolate milk or beer left for him."

"What did he say?"

"Beer."

Brooke giggled, "wow… I wish I could see him."

"Children aren't allowed to see him, it's the rules."

She could practically feel Brooke rolling her eyes, "But when will I be g'won up enouf?"

"When you're taller."

They bantered like this back and forth for a while longer. Although initially irritated by Alex's constant involvement in Brooke's life, she concluded that this was just a friendly chat that probably only occurred because Brooke had tried sneaking downstairs and Alex had taken the initiative to take her back up to bed.

Satisfied, she let her head roll back onto her pillow and closed her eyes, thinking off how bright Brooke's smile will shine tomorrow when she gets to open all her presents and singing Christmas songs under her breathe.

"So, what did you ask Santa for?"

"Ummm…." Brooke thought for a moment, "I'm not sure I'm alo'd to tell yoo."

"Course you can," Alex assured, "Anyway, you're presents are already downstairs so whatever Santa's gotten you will already be down there. He doesn't have time to take it away from you now."

"Good point!" Brooke laughed loudly, "Dat's very clever. I'll tell you. I ask him for new daddy, cause the boys at nursery lauf'ed at me a few weeks ago cause I don't have one."

"They laughed at you?" Alex gasped, "That's not very nice."

"No it isn't."

"Can I let you in on a secret?" Alex whispered. Bea was struggling to hear now, so as carefully as she could, snuck over to her door and pressed her ear against it. "I asked Santa for a daughter and sometimes I like to pretend you're my daughter too."

"Really?"

"How would you feel, if I became your dad?"

Her fingers dug deep for the door knob and as she gripped it, it rattled beneath her fingers. Like ice, the knob froze to her fingers, penetrating the tips. A sudden grip of rage gripped hold of her as she hurled the door open and stood in the hallway. Brooke's door was closed but she had no doubt he heard her come out of her room and heard what he had said. All of a sudden, a thunderous silence contaminated the air between herself and Brooke's bedroom.

"Beatrice?" Came Alex's voice. It shook, "Is that you in the hallway?"

"Maybe it's Santa."

If things couldn't get any worse, the door bell suddenly rang and Bea was forced to give up her chance to accuse Alex and get him out of her house. She stomped down the stairs, ready to punch the person that had dared disturb her punching a fist through Alex's mouth.

She hurled the door open, with a nasty, "IT'S LATE CHRISTMAS EVE. GO AWAY!"

"it's just me," Said Steve. His car was still rumbling with noise behind him and the lights still on, "Just dropping these off…"

He handed her a bag full of presents. For a moment, Bea stared at them as if the function to life something had suddenly been lost on her.

"I haven't seen you for a few days."

Steve shrugged "been busy."

Silence filled between them. When Steve realise she wasn't going to take the bags from him, he put them on the floor by her feet.

"You know you have a key right?" Bea reminded him, noting that he was holding the key in his hands. Usually when he picked up Brooke for nursery, he would just let himself in.

"I know," He said, stuffing his hands into his pocket, "I just didn't feel right using it."

She sighed, "Can we talk please?"

"Let's just talk after Christmas."

He turned to leave but Bea stopped him, "Are you not coming over tomorrow? We've always spent Christmas together since the snap."

A creak at the top of the stairs alerted them both of another presence watching the conversation on. Like a peacock, Alex's shoulders broadened slightly at Steve's arrival as if protecting Brooke hidden behind his leg, trying to peak around. When she saw it was Steve, her eyes grew huge.

"UNCLE STEVIE!" She exclaimed, trying to run down the stairs only to be held back by Alex.

Steve looked between them all. Bea didn't miss his feet shuffling further and further down her front door steps. And if it wasn't for Brooke staring at him expectantly, she would have no doubt there would already be a Steve shaped hole in her front gate.

"Can't. I'm busy," Steve answered finally.

That was a lie, she'd asked Natasha what he was doing for Christmas and he had no plans. All she'd wanted was the chance to sit down together, like they always would at Christmas.

Sighing against her better judgement, she didn't spare him the awkwardness and instead stared blankly at him, letting him know she knew he was lying through his teeth. After their shared therapy sessions, the two had gotten very good at knowing when either of them was lying.

"You're still here?" Steve turned to Alex unexpectantly.

"More than you are."

"Alex." Bea snapped from the doorway, shooting viper glares across to him.

"Busy?" Brooke frowned, ignoring the tension rising between the adults. Her fingers had been enclosed around the stair bannister, ready to chase down the stairs and hug Steve, but suddenly her fingers were slipping and tears welled in her eyes, "Y-y-you're a'ways busy. Never stay."

Turning around Brooke stomped back to her room, hitting Alex in the side. He tried to catch her but she was too fast to be caught by him..

As her bedroom door slammed shut, Bea continued staring blankly at Steve.

"Look what's happened now!" Alex pouted, turning around, "I'll go talk to her otherwise she'll never get to sleep tonight.

"No," Steve stepped forward, heaving a sigh, "I'll talk to her."

"Yes, you will," Beatrice crossed her arms angrily, "She misses you."

"I spend a lot of my time with her," he defended.

"Taking her to and from Nursery doesn't count, Steve," Snapped Bea, feeling her face grow red from heat, "she misses spending time with you. I miss spending time with you too. But, just because you're mad at me doesn't mean you get to take it out on her."

"She's been better off without you," Alex mumbled from upstairs.

This time, Bea didn't waste her movement turning around to glare at him.

"Go speak to her," She ordered, already shoving him up the stairs. It wasn't needed as Steve was already racing past a glaring Alex and tapped on her door.

"Go away!" Brooke cried in her usual bossy manor.

"Can I come in and talk to you?"

"NO!" A round of kicks on the door followed, "You don't wike me anymore. That why you don't wan'a come round no more."

"That's not true, Sweetheart."

"IT IS!"

"You know I love you more than anything in the world," Steve spoke softly through the door, his voice strained to say the words and Bea could tell he was trying to hold back tears, "Remember, you're my best girl."

Alex tutted and stormed passed Bea into the living room. Just like Brooke, Alex began banging things in the kitchen loudly but Beatrice ignored it, resting her whole attention on the words Steve was saying to Brooke. Trying to learn his technique of how to calm a crying four-year-old down.

A moment later the door was pried open and a tear stained Brooke with snot crawling down her nose appeared.

"I'm not," Brooke stomped her foot. The whole house creaked.

Steve smiled at the toddler's stubbornness, "Oh yeah and why do you think that is?"

"If – i-If I was your best girl… you would-w-would c-c-c-come 'wound for c'wistmas."

He reached over and tucked a strand of hair from her eye that had fallen from her messy pigtails in her explosion of crying, "hey listen here, baby girl. There's nothing in the world that would make me stop wanting to see you. It's just adult stuff."

Adult stuff my arse, Beatrice wanted to snort, He was acting like a four-year-old himself. As was her Alex in the kitchen who she could hear was crashing about pans.

Brooke stuffed a finger in her mouth, sucking on it relentlessly, Steve tried to pry it from her. Sucking her thumb had become her defence mechanism whenever she felt awkward.

"You'll come?" She sniffed innocently with wide round eyes and furrowed eyebrows that made her look like she was in deep concentration.

Bea smirked. That was the look Steve had been talking about a few weeks ago. Her kid knew how to play his emotions well. Already knowing Steve's answer, she turned away from the scene just as she heard Steve whisper, "I'll be there."

Nice job, Brooke.

She'd have to pay her in chocolate ice cream for that.

As Steve left that evening, he hugged Bea extra tight but no more words were said and Brooke was content enough to make her own way back to bed, forgetting all about her search for santa and presents sitting in the front room.

When the front door closed and Steve's car had driven off, she swiftly turned around to Alex.

"I won't ask you to leave until tomorrow evening because I know it'll crush Brooke for you not to be here at Christmas. But if you ever tell my daughter again that you'll be her new dad, I'll fucking kill you."

Alex deepened a dark red, "I- I never…"

"I heard you."

"So, what? Amazing Steve can treat you like shit and be forgiven but all I've done is try and be there for you and I get rejected."

"This is my house," She fired back with venom in her voice, "I'm the one doing you a favour having let you stay here."

"I've got nowhere else to go."

"Not my problem."

With double steps, she stormed up to her bedroom and slammed the door shut. She refused to give him any more words of pity to make her feel guilty and instead wrapped herself in a ball under her covers, praying for tomorrow to end already.

A/N Okay. so SOMEHOW I completly forgot to upload this chapter. I was looking back and then realised there was a scene missing and I was like 'wait. What'. Apparently I forgot to upload it like an idiot. So if you want to read this, go for it, but I suppose the next chapter didn't completely seem out of place if no one noticed anything. I didn't notice anything until I read back. lol. Anyway. Here's this chapter no one asked for, finally.