Author's Note: Here it is! The final chapter. Almost sad to see it go, but I have several stories in the works-both for Avengers and for the Bourne series. For those of you who are Clint/Natasha fans, I am considering writing part of Clint's backstory that was presented in "Long Time Comin'," the story of how he and Natasha met for the first time. But my next projects are going to be a departure from Avengers for Bourne, namely Aaron Cross. Also, though it's not announced at the end of this chapter, there is one more story in this series. I just haven't had time to listen to music, plot it out, or choose a title. (Again, working on a Bourne story.)

Another quick note: there were some minor changes made to the previous chapter. They don't affect the flow of the story, but I was rushed to get it published and overlooked a few things. So, I've updated it.

As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think!

Merry Christmas!
~lg

oOo

Natasha and Steve recovered remarkably well from their ordeal—physically, anyway. The SHIELD medical team kept Natasha until she could walk without pain. The bruises from the abuse her feet had taken, along with various other injuries and her cracked ribs, took a while to heal up. But, as soon as she could stand and move about with relative ease, doctors saw no reason to keep her cooped up in the Helicarrier medical bay. She knew a few of them breathed a sigh of relief at her departure and smiled at the action. Out of the two of them-Natasha and Hawkeye-she had given the doctors the least amount of trouble.

Steve had even fewer physical injuries, but the doctors kept him just as long as they kept Natasha in order to watch him for reactions to 2R's serum. The first night he was back on the Helicarrier, he woke to Natasha's screams and rushed to her room. Only the sound of his voice calmed her down, and he took to spending his nights there. It wouldn't last, and he resolved to find ways to help her cope.

Nevertheless, forty-eight hours after their rescue, both the Black Widow and Captain America were released to return to their homes in New York. They smiled when they saw that Clint was their pilot, and Steve stood behind Natasha's seat as she slipped into the copilot's position. Clint flew as carefully as possible, always watching from the corner of his eye as they encountered a bit of turbulence. Another winter storm had moved into New York, settling over the city with a a haze that made all of them smile. While most people saw it as depressing weather, the three in the Quinjet welcomed the ready excuse to stay put for an extended length of time.

Landing on Stark Tower's helipad, Clint opened the back of the jet and picked up Natasha's bags. She walked out, her face turned up and a smile lighting her features as she tried to catch snowflakes on her tongue. Steve smiled at her antics, but Clint understood the deeper meaning. I never got to be a child. Her words from her first night back echoed through his head, and he thought catching snowflakes was a great way to start. He made plans to show her how to use maple syrup to make candy on the snow, as well as finding a way to decorate Christmas cookies. Both of them had missed so much in their youth that now, with their recoveries well underway, he wanted to see that they could be children. Just for a little bit. A quick glance at Steve told him he'd have to involve the super soldier in anything they did. And he was okay with that.

The week passed quickly. Stark finished tracing Saddler's money trail and found the cash had been put into a Caymans account used by 2R to fund their activities. All of it was there, and then some, so the billionaire saw to it that it was returned to its rightful owner. Fury didn't bicker about it but said it was fitting since SHIELD never did anything for Saddler when he went missing. The day the money was returned, Clint took a trip to Beth Saddler's home, informing her that the money had been recovered and her husband's killers found. She fell apart on him, and he didn't hesitate to draw her into a warm hug. The poor woman just needed someone to keep her together for a bit, and he willingly obliged. Once she'd cried herself out and closed the door behind him, Clint stood on her front porch and had an epiphany.

It felt good to bring closure to Beth Saddler's life. While he couldn't give her husband back to her, he could see to it that she received his benefits and was cared for until she died. The grieving process would be long and hard, but she had the strength to come through it. And he'd be there for her every step of the way. Part of his job with SHIELD wasn't to hold people's hands after a mission, and Clint found he liked the ability to just help another person.

Clint blinked. He could help people. And never leave SHIELD. The combination had never occurred to him before this moment, but the satisfaction he felt with having achieved some sort of justice for James and Beth Saddler couldn't be put into words. Driving back to Stark Tower, he paced his room while he thought and eventually ended up on the balcony in the snow. The Quinjet that Fury had assigned to the Avengers was covered with the stuff, and Clint blinked at it. For some reason, a Quinjet covered in snow was not pretty.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his insulated coat, he turned his back on the sight and wandered to the railing. The snow fell quicker now, and he knew the clouds would thicken as the night passed. There was no wind, and the peacefulness around him suited the season. He blew out a breath, smiling as it puffed in the air, and closed his eyes. The world was quiet.

He had so many decisions facing him. Fury had cornered him the day he visited Beth Saddler and asked if he'd be ready to return to missions after Christmas. Clint hadn't been able to give the man an answer. He wanted to say yes, to enjoy the feeling that SHIELD's director trusted him again. After six long months, the feeling was foreign. But he didn't want to return to what he had been.

Part of him still believed he would always be responsible for the events of Loki's visit. Not in the way that he'd felt for these past months, but in another, much different way. Clint's job with SHIELD—as a sniper doing assassinations—had formed the way he thought and acted. He'd looked over his shoulder for so many years that it was now second-nature to give a cover story, an alias, something that wasn't true. He'd never understood why Coulson left the field and became a handler. . .until now. In the last six months, the only lives he'd taken had been in self-defense. First, there was the Chitauri attack, and he simply didn't value their lives. They were squishy, as Stark called them. After that, he'd fought men intent on killing either him or his brother, and then he'd killed to get Natasha and Steve out of the 2R facility. When given the chance to murder someone in cold blood, though, he'd stepped back. Joan Erickson certainly deserved it. The things that Natasha described that woman doing were downright evil. But he'd had a choice. And he'd made the right call.

And that made his decision. Standing on the balcony of Stark Tower, with the snow falling around him, Clint Barton chose to become more than just an assassin. He had a reason to leave the field now, much like Coulson had done years ago, and he was at peace with it.

The sound of the door opening pulled his head around, and Clint smiled when he recognized Steve's footsteps. The super soldier moved to his side, his face clear. "Penny for them."

Clint chuckled. "Just making decisions about SHIELD."

Steve gave him a sharp glance. "You planning on leaving?"

"SHIELD? Nah." Clint looked over the remaining battle scar from Loki's attack. "I'm planning on asking Fury for a transfer though."

Steve nodded as if he understood. "Listen, I just wanted to come out here and say thanks." He shrugged. "For coming after us."

Clint looked at the other man. "You're my friend. It's what I'd do for any of my friends." He sighed. "Besides, I owe you."

"You don't owe me a thing."

"You kept Nat alive." Clint turned to face Steve. "She and I talked the night you got back. She said the only reason she made it through—the only reason she didn't break—is because of you. If you hadn't been there, I don't know if I'd have my best friend anymore."

Steve held Clint's direct stare and nodded slowly, sticking out his hand. "We're even. You came for us, and that makes up for anything in my book."

Thinking about Natasha's mentality on ledgers, Clint shook Steve's hand. "Deal." He glanced over the super soldier's shoulder and saw Natasha standing just inside the Commons, watching the two of them. The sun had begun to set, the snow clouds darkening to make the Commons even brighter. The Christmas tree sparkled, the other lights Stark had added bright against the night. He nodded toward her. "One of us should probably go tell her everything's okay."

Steve looked toward the tower. "I'll do it." He met Clint's eyes. "You've got the Avengers support, whatever you decide."

Clint stayed in place as Steve slipped back into the tower. Natasha immediately linked her arm through his elbow and let him lead her away from the window. Clint smiled. She hadn't been waiting for him. She'd been waiting for Steve. He always wondered if being replaced as the most important man in Natasha's life would hurt, and now he knew. While he had a sense of sadness as their friendship was changing, he was also happy. Change was good, even when it came because of loss. The Avengers had rallied around Coulson's death, using that as their motivation. But that motivation had faded the longer they'd known each other, giving themselves a family on whom they could depend. For the first time since he was a child, Clint knew what it was like to not be alone.

Deciding he'd been outside for far too long, he joined the group in the Commons and laughed with them as Pepper walked them all through the art of decorating Christmas cookies. Steve was good at decorating them while Natasha resorted to adding sparkles to plain icing. Clint tried to make his look as good as Steve's, but he failed. Miserably. In the end, the group ended up laughing at his pitiful Christmas trees and gingerbread men. Bruce mimicked Natasha, and Stark just ate the cookies. The laughter and warmth gave him the strength he needed later, when he sat down at his SHIELD computer, logged in, and began the paperwork that would change the course of his career—and life—forever.

oOo

Christmas Day. For decades, it had passed barely noticed by Nick Fury. He had no family and, for many years, no friends with whom to spend the holiday. So it came as no surprise to those who pulled the Christmas shift that Fury appeared on the bridge as usual. All eyes glanced up, but someone had removed the mistletoe. All were sad to see it go, particularly after Barton's oft-repeated antics and the kiss he'd given Hill. Hill still shuddered any time it was mentioned, though she took the ribbing with her usual grace. She'd gone home to spend the time with her family, and she had wished Fury a Merry Christmas before leaving.

Now, Fury stared at the tablet in his hand as he left his office and boarded a Quinjet bound for New York. Since the Avengers' plane occupied their helipad, he obtained permission to land nearby and came into the tower via the main entrance. JARVIS greeted him in the elevator, and he quietly asked that no one be informed of his arrival. He had mixed feelings about his mission today. Barton's request had been surprising but not unexpected. Much had changed for the archer, most of it for the better. While Barton would always carry a level of responsibility for his actions during Loki's attack, he'd recovered from the deep depression and trauma that had been dealt to him.

The elevator doors opened, and the sound of laughter made Fury smile. He looked out and saw the team Coulson believed in sprawled all over various pieces of furniture. The smell of Christmas dinner cooking made his stomach growl. Stark stood behind the counter of the kitchen/wet bar, holding a drink and chattering away as Banner and Pepper argued with him. Steve and Natasha sat side by side on a couch, the captain's arm around her shoulders as she leaned into him. The signs of her recent captivity had faded, a testament to the physical upgrades done by the Red Room in her past, and she looked happy as she related some story to Thor. Barton was nowhere to be seen, though Fury wasn't able to stop the way he glanced up at the air ducts, wondering what sort of practical joke would drop out of them this time.

At that moment, Barton came trotting up the stairs, holding a worn yet familiar guitar. He froze at the top of the steps. "Director."

That one word had an amusing effect. The argument between Pepper, Banner, and Stark stopped mid-sentence while Natasha's feet flew as she straightened from her comfortable position next to Steve. The captain jumped to his feet, military training kicking in, as Thor also rose, though slowly. Fury met every eye. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Stark shook his head. "No, of course not. We're just, you know, having a team Christmas."

Natasha glared at the billionaire. "Stark!"

Fury held up a hand. "It's fine. I'll say my piece and be on my way."

Pepper came around her boyfriend, touching his arm and receiving a nod in return. "Of course not. You're welcome to join us. There's plenty of food, and we have some music planned." She motioned to the still-frozen archer.

Fury glanced at the guitar in Barton's hand. "Is that. . . ."

"Yes, Sir." Barton swallowed. "It was Coulson's. When I delivered his letter to Jennifer, she gave it to me. Said he'd want me to have it."

Fury nodded. "She chose wisely." He faced the archer and held out the tablet. "Your transfer paperwork. It's been approved."

Natasha immediately rushed to Barton's side. "Transfer?"

Barton didn't answer her, too busy looking over the specifics. Fury decided to fill her in. "Agent Barton will now be heading up a new department: Special Investigations. This isn't Internal Affairs as there's already a department for that. This is investigations in which SHIELD desires an obvious, but discreet presence. He will answer directly to me except for the rare occasion that you, Agent Romanoff, require his assistance or the Avengers require his presence. In which case, he will answer to the appropriate person, whether it be you or Captain Rogers."

Barton swallowed, his Adams apple bobbing as he did so. "Thank you, Sir."

Fury allowed his lips to tip upward. "It's the least I can do. And you deserve it." He saw the emotion on the other man's face and decided to give him some room to breathe. Glancing around, the first thing his gaze settled on was the Santa and elves. Seeing the eye patch, he actually smiled. "Stark?"

Stark held up his hands. "Don't blame that on me. That's all Legolas!"

Fury chuckled. "Santa Fury." He rubbed his own shaved jaw. "I might need to find a costume."

Banner chose that moment to enter the conversation. "With all due respect, Director, don't!"

The group laughed, covering Barton's examination of his transfer paperwork. By the time the exchange had finished, the archer had recovered and looked as mischievous as ever. He held up the guitar. "Who wants music?"

The Avengers absorbed Fury. While a bit tense around him, they welcomed him into their home. Barton settled on the couch, playing and singing a few Christmas songs and reminding everyone that he had more talents than just archery. And Fury understood his desire to switch jobs. Wet work wasn't for everyone, and most people grew tired of it. While Barton was uniquely suited for it, he'd done nothing but wet work for nearly sixteen years. It was time for a change, and Fury couldn't think of a better man suited for the job of Special Investigations.

After carols came dinner, skillfully prepared by Pepper, Barton, Romanoff, and Rogers. Then, after clearing the dishes, the group gathered around for gifts. As Barton passed him, Fury nudged the smaller man's arm. Barton blinked again at what Fury slipped into his palm, and the two men exchanged amused grins. Fury nodded. "I believe you know what to do with that."

"Yeah, I think I do." Barton put the object in his pocket, though Natasha picked up on the exchange. Fury allowed Barton to come up with his own cover story for the pass and sat back to observe the gifts.

The reactions were varied. Stark insisted on opening the tradition and, instead of grabbing a gift under the tree, dropped to one knee in front of Pepper. She stared in amazement as he gracefully proposed to her and said "Yes" with tears in her eyes. As the couple kissed, Fury saw Natasha and Steve exchange happy but significant glances. If things kept going between those two, he suspected there would be another proposal sometime within the next year.

After Stark's rather momentous opening, he passed around gifts. They varied based on individuals, but the most notable in Fury's opinion was the bottle of Courvoisier VSOP Exclusif that Rogers gave to Barton. The meaning wasn't lost on anyone, and the archer agreed to serve a glass after they finished with the gifts. In memory of Coulson, he said.

The Secret Santa produced a lot of excitement. Thor frowned as he received a single envelop from Natasha but slowly became more and more excited. He laughed in delight when it finally dawned on him that he'd be able to take Jane on a month-long European tour, all expenses paid. Bruce's gift to Tony—a Caribbean cruise for the billionaire and Pepper—was perfectly timed, and Natasha looked as if she wanted to cry when Thor gave her season's tickets to the Bolshoi Theater and Ballet in Moscow. She agreed to take Steve, who had never been, and quietly hugged the big Asgardian. Banner grew quiet when Pepper gave him a certificate and explained that she'd started The Bruce Banner Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing medical care in Third World nations. Steve's face lit up when he saw the turntable and records Barton had bought, and Barton laughed at the state-of-the-art sound system that Stark had designed. All in all, the Avengers Secret Santa seemed to be a success.

Then, Steve's face fell. He turned to Pepper. "I'm sorry, I wasn't able to get you anything."

Pepper smiled and started digging through the discarded wrapping paper. She came up with two large red bows. "You got me something," she said to Steve, who looked absolutely confused. She plopped one bow on Steve's head and the other on Romanoff's shoulder. "You both came home for Christmas."

Fury smiled at that. He sat back as Barton served the cognac, Banner fingered the certificate for his organization, and Pepper and Stark started planning their honeymoon cruise. After handing out cognac—including one to Fury—Barton took the time to look over every person's shoulder and see their gift. He admired Pepper's massive engagement ring, clapped Banner on the shoulder, gave Thor advice on restaurants in Spain, and grinned when Steve flipped through his records. Moving to the couch where Steve and Natasha were sitting, he pretended to listen while Steve spoke about one of the records, apparently a favorite of his from the '40s. His left hand, however, slipped into his pocket and pulled out the mistletoe Fury had brought. Holding it above both Steve and Natasha, he rocked back on his heels and allowed the chaos to take place.

Stark pointed, grin wide. "Hey, Capsicle! You gotta kiss the girl!"

Steve looked completely nonplussed for a moment while Banner and Thor both chuckled. "What? Oh!"

Natasha rolled her eyes toward Barton. "I will kill you," she promised. "Later."

Barton returned her grin. "Looking forward to it."

As the Avengers watched, Steve gave Natasha a chaste kiss, though her expression promised a steamier one later, and Fury sat back to sip his cognac. This team had finally come together. Barton had returned home and to his place as SHIELD's resident prankster. He had a long ways to go, yet, but he was healing from his encounter with Loki. Banner had settled in New York. Steve and Natasha had one another.

Satisfied, Fury stood and, without anyone noticing, left the tower, his Christmas complete. He looked up at the falling snow and smiled. You were right, Coulson, he thought. They are the best. They're a team.

~The End~