Just managing to squeeze this into December 3rd by way of half an hour. Phew!

ANd thank you for all your lovely alerts and favourites and everything.
And please, please, please remember to review. It absolutely makes my day, when I see an email telling me I have a review.


Ward had to suppress a laugh as he entered the main living area, only to find the three 'kids' gathered around a tree that he was sure hadn't been on the plane a few hours ago, yet they hadn't touched the ground in longer than that - a trail of thought he honestly didn't want to think too hard upon.

"You do have permission for this?" His voice was droll, an eyebrow arched, watching in private amusement as they jumped - realising they had a audience.

"Of course!" Simmons' voice was slightly shaken, but as cheerful as it always was, her eyes wide with sincerity.

"We asked Agent Coulson days ago." Fitz finished, his eyes never leaving the nearly symmetrical arrangement of baubles he was in the middle of placing on the fake green pine.

Perfectly satisfied with their selves, the two resident scientists returned to their work with their usual vigour - even if this work was more ... childish ... than their usual alien exploits.

"How did they rope you in?" This question was directed towards Skye, still watching him, an ornament bell in her hand.

"It's Christmas." Came her simple answer. "Plus they looked so excited it was hard not to get into the spirit of things."

He knew what she meant, even just looking at the scene before him - it looked like Christmas - in a way that Christmas hadn't looked to him in a very long time, longer than he could remember at least.

So when Skye sauntered (almost silently - she hadn't quite mastered that portion of her training just yet) across the room and up beside him, something so obviously hidden in the hand behind her back, it was hard not to roll his eyes.

Revealing the golden star that should be seated in pride of place at the top of the - admittedly impressive - tree, her eyes followed his face.

"You wanna help?" Her eyes were innocent, wide, and therefore probably not to be trusted. "It is Christmas after all, Agent Ward."

"It's the third of December." He was having none of it.

"Well it's nearly Christmas then. Don't spoil our fun." Her voice was child-like, petulant it could almost be described as.

He was silent - choosing his next words carefully, lest he found himself with three mysterious poltergeists for the next month, should he insult the great Christmas - and as he did so, snatches of conversation drifted across the room to them.

"No Fitz I said the golden tinsel. That's not gold."

"Well it looked like gold in the box." He instantly replied, a tone in his voice.

"It's green. How does green look like gold?"

Skye shook her head at him, a silent message to 'not get in the middle of that', a message that Ward was all to happy to follow. Though seriously, how did you mix up green and gold.

"Besides, I think we'll need someone to stop them before they start to take over the world with Christmas." She continued from her previous statement, laughing, as if there had never been a pause, giving him a pointed glare as the conversation between biochemist and engineer slipped further into the realm of ... 'I really don't want to think about it.'

Actually rolling his eyes this time, he took the star from her outstretched hand, joining them in their festivities with a smile he couldn't quite keep hidden.

It was Christmas, after all.


Thank you for reading, and please review,
Mia