The Barton Family Farm sat on ten acres. Not biggest farm by most respects, but not small either. But as they drove onto the Avenger's compound, Laura realized that she'd never complain about having to maintain her land ever again. Clint mentioned that the place sat on 100 acres, and as she looked at the expanse of fields and woods extending outward, she believed every word of it.

"Welcome to Avenger's Headquarters," the family heard Steve greet as they got out of the car that Tony had sent to pick them up from the airport.

Laura, Clint, and kids climbed out, and immediately Cooper and Lila, more Cooper though, were completely in awe of the structure in front of them.

"This place looks so cool," Cooper said without thinking. Laura chuckled and Clint just let out a small smile. Lila just stared up at the building.

"If you think the outside it's cool, wait until you see the inside," Steve teased.

Cooper couldn't wait and started running inside, his sister right behind him. "Coop, Lila, stop," Laura called after them, but they didn't seem to want to listen.

"Eh, it's alright, babe, the place is full of agents and super powered people, they'll be fine," Clint said.

Smiling in agreement, Steve led them and baby Nate inside. The inside was far more impressive than they'd thought, which was why Cooper and Lila were frozen in place just passed the doors. Their mouths were open in silent awe, their heads tilted upward, eyes slowly scanning everywhere, taking it all in like a video recording.

"Guys," Clint whispered as he leaned over to whisper in his children's ears, "I get that the giant 'A' symbol statue, and the portraits of Steve, Aunt Nat, and the rest of the Avengers look cool, but this is just the lobby…of the dormitory section. The really impressive stuff you'll see tomorrow."

After being snapped out of their reverie, the kids followed their parents and Steve to the rooms they'd be staying in during their Christmas visit.

It had actually been Tony of all people who came up with idea of bringing the entire team, both past and present, together for the holiday. He claimed it was because he wanted to show off the facility which was just now running at peak and full capacity. But almost everyone could see through that rouse. After all, despite his attempts, it was when Tony was doing his damnedest to appear cocky, that he was the easiest book to read. He just wanted to see his friends and maybe relive a few war stories.

So as the team gathered later that night, along with loved ones who had been read in, the tone quickly turned from a meeting of comrades, to family reunion. Steve, Tony, Rhodes, and Sam were sitting by the bar, enjoying a few drinks, laughing as Tony told a few stories about the Captain's more impressive social faux pas due to his time displacement.

"Sam, I should warn you right now, before he brings up another story, that around ninety percent of what comes out of Tony's mouth is usually boasting," Steve said as the billionaire finished telling Sam about the time they tried to explain lip and tongue rings to the Super Soldier.

"Yeah, but he ain't boasting, so I'm thinking most of it is true…along with being funny," Sam laughed. He took a quick drink and then turned back to Tony. "So please continue with as many stories about Golden Boy here."

"You should tell Sam about Cap's reaction to disco," Rhodes chuckled.

Tony smiled, and even Steve managed a grin, as another story began.

Wanda and Vision had made their way apart from everybody else, but were still able to be seen. And Laura couldn't help but feel a rush of emotion as she watched them talking, very much feeling like she was watching her oldest daughter on her first date.

Laura herself was sitting with Clint, Natasha, and Bruce by the fireplace. Natasha was bouncing Nate on her lap, completely gushing over the one-and-a-half-year-old. "Can you say Auntie Nat?" she cooed to the laughing toddler.

"Realistically, something like that should be a little to advanced for him," Bruce told her, earning him a look of that said plain and simple, don't burst my bubble.

As Clint and Laura watched Natasha play with her godson, they couldn't help but smile. These were times that they each saw the real Natasha. Well, at least the part they considered real. Not the always calm, eternally collected spy that never seemed to be phased by any situation. But the woman who they saw right now. The one who was smiling and laughing, letting her guard down because she knew she wasn't going to be judged or ridiculed. The woman that they both trusted their children to when they needed some time to themselves, and who they'd trust them to if, God forbid, something happened to them.

Clint smiled, thankful that all those years ago, he'd gone with his instincts and ignored orders, because she became both his best friend and practically family. Laura was also smiling, but part of her was also a little sad. As she watched Natasha play with Nate, she felt like the beautiful woman in front of her had been cheated of being able to do the same for children of her own. She'd have been an amazing mother, Laura thought.

Suddenly, Laura found herself being snapped out of her reverie as she felt a tapping on her hip. She looked down and saw her daughter.

"What, Sweetie?"

"Mommy, Cooper's trying to play with that big hammer."

She and Clint looked up and indeed saw their son trying to lift, pull, push, or anything he could to make the hammer move. She looked around for Mjolnir's owner, and saw Thor and Jane, along with Fury talking on the other side of the room near the tree. No doubt Thor was trying to explain the Norse connection to Christmas trees, she thought jokingly.

She got up and went over to where Cooper was and bent down. "Cooper, honey, what do you think you're doing?"

Cooper didn't answer, he just looked at his mother and smiled. Why did he have to have his father's smile, she thought. She shook her head at him and picked up the hammer. As she made her way over to where Thor was sitting, she didn't notice the room becoming quiet and all eyes turning toward her in shock. Well, all eyes except for Clint, Nat, Steve, Wanda, and Thor who wasn't facing her.

"Excuse me, Thor?" she said politely, though with just a touch of authority.

"Yes, Lady Bar –" He stopped midsentence as he gazed at his weapon being carried by her.

"Could you please not leave this where my son might hurt himself with it?" she asked as she held it out for him. He nodded slowly but didn't move to take it from her. She rolled her eyes and set it down next to him. She then went back to where Clint and the others were. As she got there, she could smell something unpleasant. "Ooh, Nat can you give him to me, I think he needs to be changed," she said, taking Nate away and going to the bathroom to change her youngest child.

Once she was gone, the room stayed momentarily quiet until...

"That makes her Queen of Asgard, doesn't it there buddy?" Clint asked sarcastically. Once again, Thor nodded slowly, his face still riddled with shock.

"What I want to know is, will she be bringing back prima nocta?" Tony asked, his comment finally breaking the silence as the team started laughing.

The End