Chapter 14: Deck the Halls: Chris

I fell right onto the bed exams were over, school was out, and Christmas was today but I was still stressed. Conflicting feelings rushing through my body, why do I feel like this? It was only one night and nothing happened, absolutely nothing. I have never experienced this in my life. All the men I have met in my life I have never felt this way about. Why is it him?

-Three Weeks Ago-

Tony and Dad were on their date and there was only one Avenger I was worried about. Hawkeye was becoming just as bad of a drunk as Tony was. I needed to make sure he didn't drink. Who knows what stupid things he would do if he got out of the house? So I tracked him down. He was about to go to the wine cabinet. But stopping him was easy.

"Mr. Barton!" I yelled.

He turned to look at me.

"I told you its Clint."

"Sorry Clint, so I wanted your help with something," I said.

His eyebrow cocked up.

"With what?"

Damn it, never got that far in my plan.

"Uhm, I need help with… my aim."

He was so confused.

"I can't seem to hit every target; it's always the last one I can't get."

He smiled and ruffled my hair.

"Fine, I'll help you out come on."

I smiled and followed him down. We entered the training room and he grabbed his bow and arrows. I picked up the practice set.

"Computer put up some targets for us to shoot at."

"Sir my name is Jarvis."

"Sorry, Jarvis."

Jarvis complied and set up some targets. I quickly shot at one and got a bull's eye. He laughed.

"I think you got this covered."

"No just wait and watch."

I shot at the other, perfect. Then I got to the last one. I shot like I shot at the others and it went completely went over the target. Clint snickered.

"You were doing so well, how the hell did you miss it?"

I blushed. I'm usually perfect at everything I tried. No one has teased me like Clint does.

"Here, try again but not in a rush."

I pulled the arrow back slowly and concentrated. I released the arrow and it went right over the target again. He laughed out loud.

"Okay dear, let me help you a little."

He got behind me and put his hands around mine positioning them. I felt something funny. My heart was beating faster than any work out. I became self-conscious of everything about me. What was going on? But it got worse he leaned his head down and his mouth was level with my ear.

"Now position it just right so it hits the target," he whispered.

I shuttered. I slowly moved my bow to match the target. His body moved with me. His muscles moved against my back and it made me nervous. I couldn't concentrate, his face staid straight. How could he be so calm? All of a sudden the arrow flew across the room. When it struck he laughed. It hit the middle of the target.

"I guess the master has out done the newbie again."

Not realizing he was taunting me, I just kept on looking at the target and the arrow. My heart slowed again. What was that feeling? But the feeling came back when his eyes met mine. His smile brightened the room and his eyes sparkled like diamonds. This feeling is familiar but not the same. It's like looking at a loved one. But not like family loved one, more like desire. Wait, does this mean….. I like him, like more than a friend. Confusion swept through my mind when Clint snapped me back to reality.

"Hello, Christine, you okay?"

"Don't call me that," I pouted.

He chuckled and ruffled my hair again.

"I think my dad's home," I mumbled.

Heading to the stairs he followed behind me. He grabbed my hand. I turned around to look him in the face.

"Yes," I asked calmly as I could.

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it.

"Go see how the date went."

Nodding I turned to walk up the stairs.

-Now-

Ugh, why him? I mean he's a great guy but first off he's around five years older than me and second he works for dad. I don't know how he would take this. Plus Clint has turned into a major drunk, could I deal with that? But no matter can't let this way me down; Christmas needs to be on my mind not Clint. Tonight was our Christmas gala. Every year Tony holds one and this year he is announcing their engagement. I was required to go since I am the child of Captain America. I was representing the start of their new family.

The downstairs was beautiful. It looked nothing like the regular room. Lovely chandeliers hung from the ceiling, the tables covered in lovely cloths and nice silverware. Everywhere you looked elegance was everywhere. Then there's me, looking oddly out of place in the room. The tough tom boy daughter who was still wearing work clothes when she walked in to look at the room.

"Hey, honey, why aren't you dressed?" dad asked as I was looking around the room.

"Oh sorry dad, I wanted to check out the room, are you sure you want me there?" I asked yet again.

He laughed ruffling my hair.

"If you are worried about representing me you will do fine, don't worry about it now go get ready young lady."

Nodding my feet rushed me back to my room. To my surprise I wasn't alone. Jane was in the room.

"Hey, Tony thought you would like some help with your outfit and look so I came to help," she said with a huge smile.

Before I could refuse she started to tear clothes off my body and pushed me into the bathroom. What the hell?

"Get in the shower, NOW," she yelled to me.

I rushed into the shower before she decided to bathe me too. The warm water rushed over my skin. I scrubbed the dirt and grease off of my body. Making sure my body was clean I got out and dried off. When I got out she was waiting with a dress and other torture devices for me. She grabbed me and sat me down at a vanity that magically appeared. She then started to tear at my hair with the brush. I gritted my teeth trying not to growl or yell. She grabbed a pack of bobby pins. What was she going to do with those? She started jabbing my head pinning up pieces of hair. She then started to spray some kind of spray over me.

My hair stiffened.

"Sorry honey did I get some in your mouth."

I was still coughing out the nasty stuff. But she ignored it as she pulled out a huge bag. She opened it up and out came multiple kinds of makeup. What is all this for? She got to work on my face putting on so much gunk I couldn't feel it any more. When she finished she threw a dress at me.

"Put that on I will be back in a minute."

She ran out and closed the door. The strapless dress was a crystal white color and it reached the floor, was embroidered with simple silver stones outlining the neckline. I slowly put it on zipping up the dress as much as I could. Looking in the mirror I didn't recognize myself. She hadn't put as much makeup on as I thought. My lips were now a frosted light pink. My eyes now bold because of some black stuff she put around my eyes and on my eye lashes. My hair was still trailing down my back but now there were a few pretty braids pinned on my head. I looked almost like an ice queen. When Jane came back she smiled. I felt her hands zip up the rest of my dress and lay a simple tear drop necklace on my neck.

Two small diamond earrings went into my ears.

"Perfect, your dad will be so impressed."

"Jane, do you think I can really do this?" I asked.

I realized she had gotten dressed as well. She was in a maternity dress, but an elegant black that helped make her thinner. Her hair was up in a beautifully done bun. Simple jewelry outlined her outfit as well. Her red lips formed a smile.

"Honey you will do fine, just smile, wave at the people, and talk they will love you."

"But what about the…."

She cut me off.

"Don't worry about it, you will be perfect, your dad's already proud of you nothing will change that."

I nodded still feeling the overwhelming weight on my chest. She then laid down small white laced heels on my bed.

"Tony will come to get you in a few minutes to introduce you to the world."

I fell silent. She left the room. I sat on the bed and put on the heels. Ugh, I'm going to screw this up, I thought to myself. Then a knocking sound came from my door. Tony opened the door and poked his head in.

"You ready," he asked.

Nodding he grabbed my arm and hooked it through his.

"Come on now, it's a party lighten up, you will be great."

I sighed.

"Well, I don't want to embarrass you or dad."

He chuckled.

"Funny only a couple of weeks ago you would have gladly embarrassed me," he laughed.

"Yah, well if you keep on laughing I might do so," I grumbled.

"No you won't you love me too much kiddo."

I chuckled, something like that.

"Well, let's go don't want to keep them waiting."

I reluctantly left the room following Tony. He led me to the stairs where everyone was looking up at. My dad was scaling the stairs to meet with us. When he met us at the top did he speak.

"As all of you know, Tony and I have been together for a long time," Dad said to the crowd.

They all looked up and smiled at the couple. Tony and my dad held hands.

"As we all know Tony can be a pain," he said snickering.

The crowd laughed.

"And Steve can be a little uptight," Tony mentioned.

The crowd chuckled again.

"But we've kept together for all these years, so I thought it was time to take the next step," Tony explained.

"Tony and I are getting married."

Applause erupted from the crowd. But there was one that yelled out something strange.

"So who's the girl with you?" he yelled out.

I blushed. I wasn't ready for this. Dad looked back at me. Tony and dad moved away to expose me to the awing crowd.

"This is my daughter Christine."

The crowd gasped as they looked at the resemblance. This was my turn.

"I know it's weird and strange but it's true, at first I was surprised," I started all eyes were on me now.

"Heck, for years I didn't even know I was adopted, I am the creation of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter who recently passed on, at first when I went on a search for my father I didn't know what to expect."

"Questions in my head swirled, who were they, did they just not want me anymore, was a bother and a nuisance?"

"But when I found them, all the doubt went away as I saw the shock and happiness on my dad's face when he saw me for the first time and his eyes lit up and his reaction just told me he really cared for me, that he hadn't known about me till now."

The crowd looked at me, tears welling up in their eyes.

"When I met Tony, that was a different story, we would argue and just torture each other, but after a while we got to know each other and realized we weren't all that different."

I looked down at the floor.

"So I am proud of Tony and my dad's engagement, I know you really don't care if I give you this but, I give my blessing to this marriage." I announced.

Tony smiled and gave me a hug.

"Now I have one more announcement," Tony announced.

I looked over at him. This wasn't part of the plan, what else is there?

"Chris, I wanted to ask your permission for this, it will be my Christmas gift to you."

What could this possibly be?

"Chris, may I please have your permission to adopt you?"

Adopt me?