It was three something in the morning on Christmas day. The last minute Christmas party at Stark Tower went amazingly well. Natasha,Bruce and Steve all stayed over night in the many guest rooms of the tower. Coulson still had work to do concerning Agent Jenkins and Thor had business back on Asguard. If everything went so well, why couldn't Kim sleep? She was wide awake,cup of tea in her hand as she looked at the many gifts. Mostly for Tony and Quinn. Most from Bruce and Steve. They Spoiled there daughter more then they did. She smiled sadly. Tony didn't want to have her grow up spoiled, eve thou they could afford to buy her the moon itself, doesn't mean you should.
She was curled up in her night gown, curled on the couch,watching the snow fall outside the large tower window. The tree displayed just at an angle to it, enough for people to see a glimpse but not enough where it blocked the beautiful view. The Christmas lights on the tree on, it cast a soft, red glow around the room. The thought of Tony made her eyes water and her heart heavy with guilt.
She was having an affair with there bodyguard. This was happening. What did she get herself into? What if the press found out? What if Tony found out? She bit her lip as it trembled. He would be devastated. "Hey, you ok?" She nearly jumped, hearing Clint. She sniffled but put on a smile. "Yeah..fine." Clint smiled sadly, walking over. She could see the holstered pistol and various other weapons holstered on him. Mostly knives."Your tea says otherwise." She raised an eyebrow, looking at her tea then back to him. "My tea?" He chuckled softly, sitting next to her. "You always have tea when your upset." She shook her head gently, dark red hair softly swaying with the movement. "But I'm not." "Kim..." He said softly, looking concerned. She frowned softly. He continued. "You can't lie to me."
She felt her lip tremble as a tear fell. He wiped it away with his thumb. "It's about us, isn't it?" "We can't do this. We can't have some relationship behind Tony's back. It int right. He would be devastated if he knew." Clint couldn't hide how disappointed and hurt he was, looking away. "whose to say he's not doing the same?" "Don't you say that." He looked up to her,nearly glaring. "I will say that. He's an alcoholic womanizer who's going to only hurt you in the end." She looked away from him, tears now steadily falling, no matter how many times she wiped them away. "That's not true." "It is." He reached for her hands, holding them. "Please, don't end us, we'll figure something out." "Whats there to figure out Clint? I'm married and have two wonderful daughters. I'm not leaving that." Clint glared before getting up silently and leaving the room. His hurt fueling his disappointment as he went back to patrolling.
She cried quietly into her hand. What did she get herself into? It was a few more moments before she felt a hand on her back, bringing her into an embrace. She felt the outline of the arc reactor and knew it was Tony, looking up at him. "Tony? Why arnt you sleeping?" He smiled weakly, holding her close. "I could say the same to you." She breathed out, relaxing against him. She belonged here, in his arms. What was she thinking? She sniffed the air, smelling something, sitting up-right, looking at him. "Tony, have you been drinking?" "Yeah,at the Christmas party." She accepted that answer for now. She knew he had stashes in his lab. She could smell the whiskey on him and even if he wasn't drunk, she could tell he had the smallest of buzzes going on. She breathed out, leaning against him. She felt him kiss her head, holding her tighter to him. "Merry Christmas Angel." She smiled softly, her eyes watering. "Merry Christmas Tony."
"Daddy! Wake up!" Tony felt the bed move, little hands trying to shake him awake. He groaned,looking at the clock then back to Quinn. "Princess, it's..." He expected it to be four am. It was ten. Shit. And his head was pounding. He could hear the rustling of everyone that was up. He could smell breakfast and it made his stomach churn. He drank more then he should have. He smiled to Quinn, siting up, holding her. "It's time to get up. Ok, you go tell mommy I'll be down ok?" She smiled,getting off the bed quickly running down the stairs in her Iron Man pajamas. He chuckled before wincing, grabbing his head.
He got down to the kitchen, were Bruce and Clint was, Steve was busy making breakfast and Kim, Katie and Natasha seemed to be having some girl time, watching a Christmas story. He saw the Christmas gifts were untouched, he raised an eyebrow. "You guys didn't open gifts?" Bruce smiled as Quinn started to crawl onto his lap, holding her close. "No, the princes insisted we waited for everyone. She wouldn't let us touch them." Tony smiled weakly but he felt horrible. He made them wait. "aww sweetie, you didn't have to." "Yes I did. I didn't want to open gift without the whole family. " She motioned her hands in a circle to stress "Whole family." He chuckled, waling over, kissing her head. "Merry Christmas princess now why don't we go open some gifts since you've been waiting so patiently." She bounded off of her uncle Bruce's lap, going into the living room. He chuckled weakly,wincing, holding his head. He didn't see Clint glare at him from over his coffee mug.
Steve looked over from the french toast he was making with a concerned eyebrow. "You ok ?" Tony sighed with a wince, rubbing his temple. "Yeah. Fine. Just a headache." "Seems more then a headache." Tony rolled his eyes, looking at Steve. "ok, maybe I'm a little hungover but nothing I can't handle." He went to the fridge, getting out a ginger-ale and walking into the living room. He sat next to Kim who started rubbing his back. "Baby? You look awful." He smiled weakly to her. "I'm fine, just a little hungover." "Not surprised, seeing you drank so much." Katie said, not even looking away from the screen. Kim gasped. "Katie!" Katie just chuckled. "What? " Tony smiled weakly.
Quinn was looking inpatient now, arms crossed as she sat by the tree. "Are we opening gifts now?" Kim smiled. "Yes sweetie, we are." Katie smiled. "Steve! Uncle Bruce! Clint! Get your butts in here!" Steve smiled as he put the last the toast on the plate, walking into the living room. Bruce put down his tablet, walking in as well, sitting by the tree with Quinn. Kim smiled, speaking up. "whos gonna play Santa?"
Steve raised a hand. "I can." He got up, walking to the tree. "I think we'll start with Quinn since shes been so patient." Tony gently tapped Kims arm. "Her gift from me is in the lab, I'll be right back." He got up,walking toward the lab, unknown to him, Clint was walking to the living room, saw him go toward the lab. Clint's eyes narrowed, following him.
Tony walked in the lab, just in time as he felt his stomach raise. He ran to to the trash bin, heaving the ginger ale he just had into it. Clint followed inside, arms crossed. He waited until Tony was finished, still kneeling by the trashcan. "Well isn't this a pretty picture on Christmas day." Tony stood up, wiping his mouth with a nearby cloth. "Yeah, I should be on a fucking card. What are you doing down here? Shouldn't you be upstairs keeping watch over Kim?" Tony couldn't help the tone he had with Clint when he said his wife's name. He knew about them, there was enough evidence to show something was going on between them. Clint's fist tightened, walking closer. "I keep watch over this whole damn family which is more then I can say you do."
Tony didn't even glare, just raised an eyebrow, walking over to Quinn's gift which was wrapped up in a box with shiny, red paper. "I've saved the damn world, you wanna run that by me again what I do?" Clint couldn't stop himself, he grabbed Tony's collar, throwing him onto one of the many desks. "You don't deserve her you alcoholic womanizer! How long until you cheat? Huh!?"
Up with the rest of the family, Quinn suddenly went from happy, opening gifts to worried and watery eyes. "Daddy's in trouble. " Steve knelled down to her, his body ready to attack whatever may harm the family. "Quinn?" She sniffled. "Uncle Clint is really mad. Why is he so mad?" Steve jogged for the lab. He got to the clear doors, seeing both Tony and Clint with a fist raised to each others face. He didn't know the code. He knew Tony could replace the glass easily so he punched it, breaking it easily.
It startled both Clint and Tony enough to stop what they were doing. Steve glared at both of them. "Enough! Both of you! Barton, get back upstairs now, calm yourself down." Clint glared but let go of Tony who then fell to the table, barely able to catch himself. Clint Glared between Steve and Tony, reluctantly leaving thru the broken glass door. Tony groaned, holding his head, standing fully now. Steve not glared at Tony. "What happened down here? You were suppose to get your gift." He held up the small, red box. "Quinns gift. I forgot to put it with the others last night. Clint followed and started some shit."Steve nodded then sighed. "Sorry about the door." Tony waved him off, holding the box, walking toward him. "It's fine,you did what you had to. Lets get back upstairs. I'm sure I have a very worried daughter and wife." Tony started to make his way up the stairs and into the living room, little red box in hand. He didn't expect Quinn to run over, hugging his leg with little tears going down her face. He nearly fell.
He could sense the concerned looks of everyone in the room as he knelled down to Quinn, hugging her. "Shh princess, I'm alright. I just forgot your gift." He pulled away enough to hand it to her. She took it carefully, looking curious. She sniffled before starting to open it. The smile on her face made suffering thru whatever hangover he had worth it. He made her a repulser that is small enough to fit her hand but it fires water vapor. Same sounds, no danger. "Now I can be like daddy! Mommy look! I can be like daddy now!" Kim chuckled softly. "Just be careful sweetie." Bruce smiled. "Leave it to Tony to out do us even with Christmas gifts." Tony just shrugged, getting up,going to Kim, arm around her. " I just want her happy."
The res of the day consisted of playing heroes and monsters. Good thing Quinn also got an Iron Man costume from Steve.
AN: please read and review :)