Exceptionally on this chapter, as it is the last one, the characters' ages are on the end of this chapter, to avoid spoiling the plot for everyone. However you feel confused at the amount of names and people referred, you can scroll all the way to the bottom and learn about whom everyone is, and you can also have a mental image of each one of them by looking at the cover image (it's a small image, but it's something).

The doorbell rings for the first time. Coulson goes to open, meeting Trip, his wife, Katie, and their children. Kenzie and Kaylee, the oldest twins, greet their grandfather while sending a text message and walk to the kitchen to greet their grandmother. Katie greets the old man too and walks past him, carrying a heavy turkey that she needs to put in the oven. Jodie and Jessie, also twins, are much warmer with their greetings than their older sisters, taking much longer, arms wrapped around their grandfather. Trip smiles and walks in as well carrying a lot of presents, being aided by the youngest of the Triplett family, Gabe.

"Presents upstairs, please," Coulson tells them, pointing to the staircase, "office room."

Trip and Gabe immediately march upstairs to leave the presents at the designated room. Only the children – and teenagers – were getting gifts; the adults were getting only one present, given by a randomly selected family member. It doesn't take much long till the boy's running steps can be heard throughout the whole house. He nearly bumps into his older sisters who are exiting the kitchen to take a sit at the couch. The young twins repeat the gesture, only the two of them are going to watch TV.

"Careful, mister," Katie mildly reprimands as Gabe walks in the kitchen at full speed.

"Watcha makin', grandma?" Gabe asks, taking a seat on the stool at the island, kicking his heels against the rung on the stool.

"Eggnog," May responds. "Want some?"

"Yup," he nods.

"Go ask your sisters if they want some too."

Gabe slides off of the stool and is poised to run out the kitchen but stops by the door, swiftly turning on his heels, "Grandma, has anyone else arrived?"

"Not yet, but everyone will be here soon."

The boy lets out a sigh and walks to the living room; for now it's just him and his sisters who he gets to see every day. He cannot wait for his cousins to arrive, particularly his boy cousins.

Coulson and Katie take over the kitchen, preparing additional dishes for the Christmas dinner while May and Trip are preparing the dining room to host the dinner. It requires a lot of effort to fit thirty-five people in one room. After a lot of deliberating, the tables are disposed in a U-form. The tables are all of different sizes and shapes and there are not enough matching plates and cutlery for everyone, but it just adds to the appeal.

The doorbell rings again. Gabe sees his mother and grandfather in the kitchen and his father and grandmother in the dining room. Kaylee gets up to open the door and he tails her; all of his uncles have at least one boy in their little family, and he had been waiting for almost half an hour now for a playmate. It's the Ward family.

"Hey," Gabe greets in a perky voice.

Ellison waves her hand and smiles; Gabe quickly responds in the same way, and while everyone is exchanging hugs and kisses, his grin grows as he looks at Gary. Finally! Garrison's smile resembles his and he simply barges in, the two boys immediately start chatting and playing together. Ellie runs inside too, running to greet the family. Cynthia and Grant are still standing by the door, looking at each other and chuckle quietly.

Kaylee simply shakes her head and inhales, looking at her uncle and aunt, "C'mon, I'll help ya."

The three head to the car to gather the presents and the pies. Cynthia takes the presents upstairs while Grant moves to the kitchen; he figures another pair of helping hands will be welcomed. And indeed it is. Even though everyone is bringing something to the dinner, feeding so many people on such a festive day isn't an easy task. The house gets louder now; the younger girls are entertained together, so are the two boys.

Kenzie and Kaylee wonder when Juliet and the Morse-Hunter girls will be arriving. Juliet had already warned that she'd be arriving later; she would be bringing her boyfriend, Edwin, and the thought of introducing him to her big, loud and peculiar family scared her. Introducing her boyfriend to her father scared her even more. But Juliet is sure that nothing could scare Eddie away; after all, he is the son of Tony Stark, he grew up in a world of peculiar settings. Besides, for all intents and purposes, Eddie will not be staying for dinner, so his visit will be quick; he is going to spend Christmas with his parents.

"We're gonna build a snowman," Gary tells the girls. "Wanna come too?"

Jessie, Jodie and Ellie scramble off the couch and dash to the door, following Gary and Gabe.

"Where are you all going?" Cynthia asks, putting the dish cloth over her shoulder.

"We're gonna build a snowman," Ellie explains.

"Well, bundle up then," the woman advises. "I don't want anyone getting sick."

The kids grunt but wrap the scarves around their necks, put on their earflap beanies and gloves and button up their duffel coats before walking out to the front yard. Soon they are no longer building a snowman but starting a snowball fight. They laugh, happy and carefree, running around in the yard, not even noticing the car parking across the street. They only realize someone has arrived when Gary rubs the back of his head after being hit by a snowball. The five look back and see that it was Lance who threw it. Bobbi, Lance and Ami take their time greeting the kids, and if the two women walk in the house with Hunter, the triplet boys – affectionately called the Star Wars triplets –, Luca, Mace and Jedi, stay outside, playing.

"Avri didn't come?" May asks as she hugs Bobbi.

"She's coming later," Bobbi tells her.

"Ah, another one," Coulson says from the kitchen.

May points to the staircase upon seeing Lance coming in through the garage door, carrying gifts, "They're big girls, Phil. They can't be attached at the hip with their parents for the rest of their lives."

"Juliet's too young to have a boyfriend," he claims, leaning against the kitchen's doorframe.

May rolls her eyes, resuming to her task with Trip, "And you're too old to speak bullshit."

Kenzie and Kaylee chuckle, not as quietly as they wished, and Coulson pretends to be upset with the three of them.

Cynthia taps his father-in-law's shoulder, "I think the cookies are starting to burn."

Coulson runs back into the kitchen, heading to the oven. A cloud of black smoke fills the air, but luckily the cookies aren't all burned. There are enough to give one to each child, just as they requested, leaving the oven available for the turkey.

Trip moves over to the couch, leans over its back and takes away his daughters' phones, "Socialize. Or help."

Kaylee and Kenzie shrug and go to the kitchen. The two rest their forearms over the counter of the island and watch Coulson, Katie, Cynthia and Grant working like a well-oiled machine.

"Anything we can help with?" Kenzie asks.

"Yes." "No." Katie and Coulson reply in unison.

Coulson looks at his daughter-in-law who explains, "The only help they lend in the kitchen is eating."

"Um, she's lying," Kaylee says, popping a cookie into her mouth.

"See?" Katie chuckles, resuming to her task.

The sound of the keys turning in the door lock goes unnoticed because of all the noise and movement inside the Coulson's house. May, however, sees her youngest son walking in, hand in hand with his girlfriend Rose.

"I thought you were spending Christmas at the farm," May says, walking to the two of them.

"She was going to," Liam begins, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"But Uncle Tony insisted some much that my parents just gave in and so we're spending Christmas at the Tower," Rose explains. "I came with Liam just to say hello to everyone and wish a Merry Christmas."

"Well," May gestures, "make yourself at home. Almost everyone's here."

Once Liam is already in another division, Rose comments with May, "Juliet is at the Tower."

"You can tell her to come because her father is going to behave."

Rose grins and adds quietly, "Yeah, but Eddie is the one who's scared to come."

Everyone is talking and mingling when the kids – Luca, Mace, Jedi, Gary, Ellie, Jodie, Jessie and Gabe – walk in, running. The house is even noisier, adults talking here and there, and the kids playing in the living room. Jemma knocks on the door once, twice, three times. No one comes to open. She has to phone someone to let them know that she, Leo, Linus and Belinda are outside, freezing. The four scurry inside, seeking shelter from the snowfall. It takes them almost fifteen minutes to greet everybody.

"Bring your sister with you," Coulson asks Liam just before he leaves to take Rose back to the Stark Tower.

"I'll see what I can do," he sighs and quickly exits the kitchen before his father tells him to drag his sister home.

Once outside, Liam turns to Rose, "Still can't scare you away?"

"My parents are Hawkeye and Black Widow, I grew up surrounded by superheroes, Uncle Tony once spent $1000 on sundaes at Serendipity's as a just because gift. Your family can't scare me, Li."

Liam sighs contentedly, "Good. 'Cause I really like having you around."

"Uncle Liam!" a tiny, cute voice croons.

He barely has time to process anything, only feeling Daisy flinging her little body at his legs. He scoops her up under the armpits and perches her on his hip. With a little more effort he loops his arm around Jackson's torso and picks him up too.

"Hey monkeys, how are ya?"

The two speak at the same time and happily wriggle in his arms. Thankfully Matt shows up at the right time, tapping his cane ahead of him – even though it's through patches of snow –, and takes Daisy from his arms, being easier for Liam to put Jack down on his feet again.

Jack and Daisy run to the doorbell and insistently press their finger on it until the door opens for them. Matt briefly greets Liam and follows after his children. Skye comes right after, bringing wrapped gifts.

"Where are you goin'?" she asks.

"I'm gonna take Rose to the Tower and tell Ju that Dad is ok with the thought of her introducing her boyfriend to the family."

"He's not ok with the thought of Juliet having a boyfriend to begin with," Skye comments, "He wasn't happy either when I introduced him to devil of Hell's Kitchen over there. Only person he approved was AJ's boyfriend."

"He's the grandson of Peggy Carter and Daniel Sousa. It wouldn't be hard for Dad to like him," Liam points out.

"Anyway, where did Rose go?"

Liam points to the car and Skye follows his finger with her eyes, excitedly waving at the girl. The two part ways; Liam walks to the car and Skye walks to the front door. She's about to close the door when she hears a voice calling her.

"Wait, wait!" Avri huffs, running the few steps to the door.

"What were you doin' out there? It's freezing outside," Skye asks.

Avri pats the snow off her jacket, "Just arrived. And you?"

"Just arrived too. Where's George?"

"We broke up a month ago," the younger confesses, looking at her feet.

Skye grimaces, "Sorry. Didn't know."

"It's okay. My dad's happy, though."

"No, he's not. I know Lance seems to be insensitive sometimes, but he's not happy. No dad likes that their daughters have boyfriends, but they are as miserable as we are when we get our hears broken."

"That's what Bobbi tells me too."

"That's because it's true. Alright, but enough with the sadness. Today's Christmas Eve," Skye wraps her arm around her niece's shoulder and guides her to the living room, "let's have fun."

In no less than half an hour, Juliet walks in the house. Edwin is frozen by the entrance.

"Ed?" she asks, looking back. "Ed, come inside."

"It can't, Ju. Sorry," he grins sheepishly.

"Damn, you are really a Stark boy, aren't you?" Juliet rolls her eyes, grabbing his wrist.

It's as if his presence triggered a signal that alerted Coulson; in seconds flat, the family man is meeting Tony Stark and Pepper Potts' firstborn.

"Edwin," Coulson greets with a straight face.

He swallows hard, breathes in thoroughly and stretches out his hand, "Sir."

Much for Eddie's surprise – and Juliet's, and even May's – Coulson pulls Edwin for a hug, clapping his back, "Welcome to the family, son."

"T-thank you, Sir."

"Phil, please. Call me Phil. Make yourself at home. I have to go back to the kitchen."

"That was… unexpected," Eddie comments with Juliet once her father is gone.

Juliet eyes widen, "I was gonna say weird, but let's go with unexpected. C'mon, I'll introduce you properly to my fam."

The clock is almost striking seven o'clock – Edwin has already returned to Stark Tower long ago – when Avalyn and her boyfriend David arrive. Strapped to Dave's chest, their baby girl Maggie sleeps, in the baby carrier, and Avalyn is carrying a diaper bag.

"I'm sorry we're late," Avalyn starts apologizing. "Maggie was cranky and traffic was a mess."

"It's alright," May reassures, stroking her youngest granddaughter's downy hair. "Apparently it'll still take a while for dinner. Make yourselves comfortable."

It's now the 26th and May stills finds pieces of wrapping paper here and there.

"Ugh," she huffs, "I hate Christmas."

"You like it," Coulson says, flipping the newspaper's page.

"No, I don't."

He raises a brow, "A little bit?"

"Little bit," she admits, taking a seat next to him on the couch. "I still don't believe it."

"What?" Coulson puts down the newspaper, giving his wife full attention.

"Fifty years of marriage, nine children, seventeen grandchildren."

He smiles so genuinely that his eyes crinkle, "Pretty amazing, isn't it?"

"I don't know how come I endured you for so long."

"I know," he quietly chuckles. "Thank you for proving me that superheroes don't have to have super powers and fly around." Coulson grabs her hand on his and puts a tender kiss on its back, "You are amazing, Mel."

"We're a team, Phil, have always been."

"We're a wonderful team. I'm so glad for having met you."

She doesn't say anything, simply lays her head on his shoulder, hoping that the gesture is enough to thank him for their fifty happy years of marriage, for their nine children, for their seventeen grandchildren.

"I still love you like the first day," he confesses.

"I do too."

Main characters:

Philip "Phil" James Coulson (73), Melinda "Mel" Qiaolian May-Coulson (69), Antoine Gabriel Triplett "Trip" (43), Lance Hubert Hunter (40), Grant Douglas Ward (39), Leopold "Leo" James Fitz (37), Jemma "Jem" Anne Simmons (37), Daisy Louise "Skye" Johnson (35), Avalyn Johanna "Ava-Jo" Coulson (29), and Liam "Li" Robert Coulson & Juliet "Ju" Lian Coulson (22);

In-laws:

Katherine "Katie" Harley Triplett (40), Barbara "Bobbi" Susanne Morse (40), Cynthia "Cyn" Rhea Ward (38), Matthew "Matt" Michael Murdock (37), David "Dave" Carter Sousa (33), [Rose Lidiya Romanoff-Barton (22), Edwin "Eddie" Howard Stark (25)];

Children:

Morse-Hunter: Avri May (25), Amidala "Ami" Isabelle (17), Luca Alfred & Mace Eugene & Jedi Ignatius (11);

Triplett: Mackenzie "Kenzie" Rae & Mckayla Lee "Kaylee" (16), Zariah Jodelle "Jodie" & Zeliah Jessabelle "Jessie" (12), Gabriel "Gabe" Antoine (9);

Ward: Garrison "Gary" Elias (11), Ellison "Ellie" Thomasina (7);

Murdock: Jackson "Jack" Fillip (8), Daisy Melanie (6);

Fitz-Simmons: Linus Pilbin Jude (7), Belinda "Bel" Maeve Ruby (4); – Notice that Linus is Sunil spelled backwards and Pilbin is the Scottish variation of Philip.

Coulson-Sousa: Margaret "Maggie" Danielle (1).