Thanks for sticking with me! I've had a bit of writer's block, and real life has been kicking my ass, so here's a short filler chapter for you.


Several hours later, Clint turned onto a long, winding, newly shoveled road, driving until he reached a large farmhouse with a couple of barns scattered around the property. Clint exited the vehicle and walked around to the back of the vehicle. He reached in and began unloading presents and various bags. As Clint swung his backpack over his shoulder, he turned toward the house and smiled as he saw the Christmas decorations. The family had put them up over Thanksgiving weekend, shortly before he and the kids left for New York. Now, he knew he'd have to start some new traditions in his apartment. Clint had decided to let Laura have the house, disrupting the kids' lives as little as possible. He knew his new place in the city would be enough room for him and the kids when they came to visit. 'Still can't believe Phil did that for me. Don't know why I'm surprised, though. Damn man always seemed to know what would happen and how things would work out,' Clint thought to himself. That thought led him to think about other people he'd lost – Tasha, Tony, Steve. Hell, even Barney came to mind. Clint shook his head and then focused again on the house. Clint had done so many renovations over the years that it didn't resemble the house he grew up in. Clint thought back to the shitty apartment over the butcher shop the Bartons lived in before his parents bought this place. He remembered back when they were still trying to get money to buy their own house. Clint's dad whined, bitched, and moaned each time he got turned down by a bank for a loan.

'If you'd saved money instead of spending it on cheap booze, but you didn't.' No, instead, he sent his wife and kids out to steal from others. Guess Harold Barton thought he was some Robin Hood. Hell, he'd convinced his wife the best way to make money would be to steal from "those assholes who make so much money they can't spend it fast enough." Harold's plan? To send his youngest son out with his mom, while Barney went with his dad, and they'd travel to places with large crowds. Clint's not sure how they were ever going to get enough money to buy a house getting money that way, but they did. Of course, his dad got pissed when they had to spend part of the money bailing Clint's mom out of jail after they'd attempted to rob a convenience store. Damn, it was no wonder Barney and him ended up working for a criminal gang masquerading as a circus; that's the only way they knew to get by. His thoughts were interrupted by a shriek from his youngest son. "Daddy!"

Clint shook his head and focused on the present. "Hey, buddy." Clint smiled as he set the gifts back down in the SUV and leaned down, holding out his arms as Nate ran toward him. "I've missed you."

Nate signed back that he missed him more. Lila and Cooper weren't far behind their younger brother to greet their dad. Clint, of course, had hugs for each of them, even though Cooper tried to shrink back. "Come here, dude. You'll never be too old for hugs."

The SUV doors opened and shut, and then there was a flash of golden fur running in circles. "Is that a dog?" Lila asked.

Clint chuckled. "Meet Lucky. Here, boy." Lucky ran to Clint, almost knocking him down, but Clint caught him. "Settle down, you mutt." Clint tugged on his leash and finally got him to sit. "Guys, meet Lucky." The kids gathered around the golden retriever and began petting and hugging the dog.

"His real name is Pizza Dog." The kids looked up as Kate walked into view.

"This is Kate." Kate, who had her bow slung over her shoulder, nervously waved at them. "Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel." Clint pointed to each of them, and they waved back. "Come on out, Robocop. They already know you." Bucky walked around from the other side of the SUV. The children had, of course, met him at Tony's service. "Buck, you know everyone." Bucky nodded and waved. Clint heard the screen door shut, looked back to the house, and saw Laura. Her arms were crossed, and she was leaning against one of the posts. Clint made his way over. "Hey."

"Hey," she replied, hugging him to keep up appearances. "I haven't told them yet."

"Thanks." The couple walked inside while the kids played outside with Lucky, with Kate and Bucky watching. Clint and Laura sat down at the kitchen table, farther apart than usual. "I found a place to live in the city." 'Might as well get down to it,' Clint thought. "Each of them can have their own room. That way, you can keep the house here, less upheaval for the kids. Pepper's agreed to watch them if anything goes on while they're with me. Oh, before I forget." Clint reached into his pocket. "This was found in the rubble of a black-market auction." He handed a watch to Laura. "Might want to tell your sister to keep a better eye on her things." Clint leaned back and ran his fingers through his hair. "How are you holding up?"

Laura sighed. "Better now that I've made the decision." She paused, inhaled, then continued. "You've had to know it's been over for a while." Clint nodded. "I'm surprised we made it this long, to be honest."

Clint was shocked. "Have you been thinking about this a long time?"

"A while, but there's never a good time to do it. I figured now we're all in a somewhat stable position. The kids are getting older, and you're not away fighting aliens on a regular basis…." Her voice trailed off.

What could Clint say? How could he respond to that? He could get angry, yell at her that she knew what she was getting herself into, but he'd have to yell at himself as much, if not more. Clint knew he was as much to blame. "We can tell them tomorrow."

"Tonight would be better. They'll know something's up when we aren't in the same bedroom."

Clint nodded. "Speaking of, we should probably wrangle the crowd inside. Let them open their presents." Laura agreed, so they went back out and stood on the porch. Lila was talking to Kate. Clint immediately knew he'd have to break that up. If those two ever joined forces, watch out, world. Cooper was kneeling while petting Lucky, and Bucky was carrying Nate around on his vibranium arm. Clint whistled, getting everyone's attention. "Time to open presents!" The two older children came running in while Bucky brought in Nate who was still hanging off his arm. Kate brought up the rear holding Lucky's leash, her bow still around her upper body. "Make yourselves comfortable, everyone." Once everyone was settled, Clint handed the kids their presents. He watched as Nate tore into his, pulling out a Nerf gun set and some action figures. Lila was a little more delicate in opening her presents, a bow and fingerless gloves specially made for her. Cooper was admiring his new model set and science books. Each of the kids rushed over and hugged their dad, thanking them for the gifts.

While this was going on, Kate and Bucky were sitting off to the side, watching the goings-on. "Any siblings, Katie-Kate?" Bucky asked, taking a sip of coffee Laura gave him when they came into the house.

"Nope, I think I was enough of a handful for my parents," Kate answered. "You?"

"A younger sister, Becca, though Steve was basically my brother. We were always together, and I think my sister had a crush on him, or at least a bit of hero worship."

"Do you remember celebrating holidays?"

Bucky nodded. "Yeah. They were usually pretty quiet. We didn't have a lot of money, but my ma always saved enough throughout the year to make something special, usually a whole chicken. Steve and his ma would come over, bring whatever they could, and we'd exchange presents, which were usually practical items like socks and shoes. Steve would have drawn something for my mom, and I'd make the frame."

Bucky happened to look up and saw the Barton family celebration had died down. He figured that would be a good time for him and Kate to grab their bags and bring them inside. "I'll show you the rooms," Clint said as he went outside with the other two. "We're going to tell them about the divorce now, so if you don't mind – "

"Enough said, Clint," Bucky said. "We'll make ourselves scarce." Kate nodded in agreement.

Clint sighed. "Thanks. God, I hate this for them. Now every Christmas, they're going to associate with their parents splitting up."

"Your kids seem to have good heads on their shoulders," Bucky said as he grabbed several bags. "I think they'll understand."

"I think it'll hit Nate the hardest, being so young."

"It may take a while, but he'll be okay. They all will. You will, too." Bucky clasped his shoulder.

"Thanks, man. You, too, Kate." She just nodded her head toward him and smiled. "Okay, follow me. I'll take you upstairs."