Chapter 83
AN: Thank you so much for the support hope you like this chapter. Please let me know what you think.
December 2000
Over a month has passed since Clint and Laura's wedding and after having a short honeymoon they returned to work and have continued to work together as married agents, though Fury gave the warning he gives every agent who is married to another agent, though in this case he is sure that it isn't necessary, and that's if their relationship effects the job they won't be on missions together anymore. It is Christmas Eve and the entire family, with the exceptions of Fury and Mary, the former of whom is working while the ladder is spending time with her family, are at Melinda and Natasha's Lebanon house where they are spending the holidays together.
It's early evening and while Melinda, Natasha, Peggy, Jiaying, Harrison, Angelica, Coulson, Clint, Rhodey, Laura, Tony, Kora and Gordon are up in the kitchen. While Tony, Natasha, Coulson, Jiaying and Kora are working on dinner the others are cleaning up the mess made when the entire family made cookies earlier. As they other adults are upstairs Hope and Maria are down in the basement with the 'kids' watching Christmas evening as while they would usually have the kids help make dinner it was decided that with everything going on it was a better idea for them to be doing something different.
As they watch the movie Hope realises that Sharon is being unusually quiet. Usually when they are all watching a movie together, something which they do a lot, Sharon has a habit of, to the annoyance of everyone else, talking through whatever movie they watch but ever since they started the movie the fifteen-year-old has been silence. As she knows her cousin so well Hope knows because of her behaviour that she isn't okay and because of that Hope knows she needs to figure out what is going on with her.
"Shay?" Hope asks, and Sharon seemingly doesn't hear her "Shay?" Hope repeats, speaking a bit louder this time, and this time she gets through to Sharon who looks over at her. "Are you okay?" Hope asks concerned.
"I… I don't know," Sharon admits, and hearing that Antoine reaches over and pauses the movie they are watching so that they can talk without distraction, and it says a lot about how concerned everyone is about their cousin that no one objects.
"What's going on?" Bobbi asks concerned.
"My mom got a new job, she starts in late January," Sharon reveals, and the others are confused, having no idea why that would be bothering her, then sighs. "The jobs in London," Sharon reveals, and as soon as she says that everyone understands.
"You're moving?" Yelena asks, looking horrified, even though she knows that with their family they can be somewhere in a blink of an eye, she doesn't want Sharon to move away.
"Mom wants me to, Dad doesn't. They're fighting about it," Sharon admits, knowing that because of the fight it was only decided the day before that she was allowed to come to Lebanon for Christmas, something which she was very glad about as she didn't want to miss out on Christmas with her family.
"What do you want?" Maria asks, having a suspicion that no one has actually asked Sharon that.
"No one's asked me that," Sharon admits, proving Maria's suspicion to be correct.
"Well, we are. What do you want Shay?" Antoine asks her, as he knows he doesn't want his cousin to move to London, but he also knows he has no say in the matter.
"Honestly, I don't want to hurt my mom, but I don't want to move. I want to stay here, I want to stay with my dad," Sharon admits.
"Then you have to tell them that, even if it's hard," Maria says, giving her an encouraging look.
"Shay, Maria's right. As hard as it is you have to be honest with you parents," Hope says, knowing that is advice she has often ignored as she has made an art of lying to Hank, but she would never recommend being like her. "Parents make decisions thinking it's for the best, but they make those decisions based on their world view, what they think is best, but the truth is you're the only one who knows what you need, and if you need to stay here, tell them, even if it's hard," Hope tells her cousin, trying not to let her difficult relationship with her biological father effect the advice that is given, but feeling that it is important that Sharon gets a chance to be honest about what she wants, even if her parents don't listen.
"Thanks Hope, Maria," Sharon says, looking between them.
"No problem, Kid," Maria tells her, and once she does Hope un pauses the movie while Bobbi puts her arm around her cousin, and as she leans into her cousin's arm Sharon knows, without a doubt, what she has to do.
While the kids, plus Hope and Maria, are talking downstairs the 'adults' are upstairs and just like the 'kids' know Sharon well enough to realises there is something wrong with her, the adults know Harrison well enough to realise that there is something wrong with him.
"Harison," Peggy says to her nephew, putting her hand on his shoulder, causing him to look at her. "Are you alright?" Peggy asks her nephew who is meant to be cutting bread, but seems to be just staring at it, hearing the question Harrison looks around and between the look on Melinda's face, and the fact that he knows most of his family are master spies, and those who aren't have been around spies enough to be pretty good at telling when someone is lying, he knows there is no point in lying.
"No, I'm really not," Harrison says, putting the knife down, and looking between the members of his family.
"What's going on?" Rhodey asks him concerned.
"Jean got a job in London. She starts in January, and she wants to take Sharon with her," Harrison explains, and as soon as he explains what's going on everyone completely understands. "I'm trying to convince her not to take Sharon away, but I don't know if I'm going to succeed," Harrison explains. "I don't want my daughter to live on the other side of the world," Harrison admits, and before Tony can offer to pay for whatever lawyer they need, everyone hears footsteps and Sharon walks into the kitchen from the nearby stairs.
"I don't want to live on the other side of the world from you either," Sharon assures her father. "I love Mom, and I honestly don't want to away from her either, but I also don't want to move," Sharon admits, knowing that what she has overheard about why her parents divorced may be a contributing factor about how much she wants to stay with her father, but she isn't going to mention that because her parents don't know she knows and she suspects it would be better to keep it like that. "So, if I get a choice in all this the I choose to stay with you, that's what I will tell anyone who asks," Sharon admits, from the fights she has overheard she is sure that there is a very good chance that she will be asked by a judge or someone in a position of authority what she would like.
"Hopefully it doesn't get to that point," Harrison says as he knows that going to court won't end well for any of them, and even though he is extremely hurt about what Jean did that lead to the end of their marriage, he still doesn't want to cause her harm, in fact he wants to do everything he can to prevent that. "After Christmas we'll talk to your mom, and we'll see what happens," Harrison says, getting up and walking over to his daughter. "I love you Kiddo," Harrison says, hugging her, knowing that while he doesn't want to cause Jean harm, he will do everything he can to keep Sharon with him.
"I love you too," Sharon says, returning the hug.
"If you do need a lawyer, let me know, I'll make sure you get the best," Tony promises, knowing that while there isn't a whole lot he can do in this situation making sure that Harrison and Sharon have the best legal help possible is something he can do, something he will do.
"Thanks Tony," Harrison says, looking at him.
"And whatever you need, you've got us, you both do," Melinda assures him.
"Thank you," Harrison says, feeling incredible grateful for his family, as he kisses the top of his daughter's head.
A while later the entire family, adults and kids alike, have changed into new Pyjamas, as it is a Christmas tradition for everyone to get new pyjamas Christmas Eve, and are sitting around the table, having their traditional Christmas Eve dinner which consist of one dish picked by each person for them to share, even if it's not exactly what you would consider traditional Christmas food.
"Okay, now I gotta know. Who picked the exact options needed for a full English breakfast?" Tony asks, as while he did a lot of the cooking Melinda and Natasha collected the list of requested dishes from everyone, so he isn't sure who requested what.
"Do you really have to ask?" Peggy asks her son, feeling like it should be obvious, as even though she visits England a lot it has been a while, and she really misses traditional English breakfast.
"I really shouldn't have," Tony says amused, though he does make a note of that, as he realises it likely means his mom is missing England as while she has spent so long in the US, he has always known that she misses England.
"The breakfast options are good," Bobbi says, looking at her aunt. "It's less strange than some of the other choices," Bobbi comments. "I mean, caviller, seriously?" Bobbi asks Antoine, looking at her cousin who she is sitting next to.
"I've never tried it before," Antoine says in his defence, as he always requests something he has never had for these diners.
"You're not missing much," Natasha tells him, as she has had it a lot, usually on missions, and isn't a fan.
"Good to know," Hope comments, as it has always been something she avoided. "I personal can't wait to have the hamburger sliders," Hope comments, as she thinks they look really good.
"I'm with you on that one, Kid," Clint tells her, as he looks around at all the amazing food options.
"Well then, Aunt Peggy," Melinda says, looking at her aunt who is sitting at the head of the table, at the end they are all sitting at as due to the table being so big, even though the group is big, there are quiet a few empty seats at the other end. Hearing Melinda's words Peggy stands up, holding her glass.
"I can see that we're all hungry, so I'll keep this short," Peggy says. "May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends and family be yours, wherever you may roam," Peggy says. "Happy Holidays," Peggy toasts.
"Happy Holidays," Everyone toasts and as Peggy sits back down, they all get started on their dinner, and as the family eat, they happily talk and just enjoy spending the special time of year together.
A few hours after the family had dinner Tony is sitting on the back patio with an outdoor heater on, when Melinda and Natasha, who he has been waiting for as due to the fact that Peggy and Jiaying are sleeping in the office, they had to change their usual 'spot', walk out onto the patio to join him.
"Let me guess, Daisy and Yelena didn't want to go to bed?" Tony asks when he sees them, knowing they have taken longer than they said they would to join him.
"More Daisy than Yelena," Natasha says as they walk over. "As excited as Yelena is she understands that tomorrow will only come if she goes to bed, Daisy is just excited," Natasha admits as she and Melinda sit down on the couch across from Tony and put the blanket that Tony put there for them over themselves, while they also pick up the glasses of brandy that Tony poured them.
"What time did you tell her she could wake everyone up at?" Tony asks curious, wanting to know what to expect.
"Six thirty," Melinda answers. "But it would be shocking if she woke us up any later than five forty," Melinda comments.
"Sounds about right," Tony says amused, and it's a testament to how much Daisy and the other 'kids' mean to him that he doesn't even complain about being woken up so early.
"Yep," Natasha confirms, knowing that she would never have it any other way.
"So, Mary's not coming?" Melinda asks, having not had a chance to talk to Tony about that.
"Nah, she's spending the holidays in New York with her brother and sister-in-law, but we're meeting back in LA on New Years Eve," Tony explains. "And then I'll be back before Hope's birthday; we have plans," Tony reveals.
"How exactly are you going to corrupt Hope on her twenty first birthday?" Natasha asks curious, being sure that Tony has some kind of plans.
"Oh please, if I haven't managed to corrupt Hope yet I'm not going to do it on her twenty first birthday," Tony comments amused. "I just promised her, years ago, that I would buy her first legal drink," Tony explains, as that is something he and Hope have been talking about for a while.
"Sounds like a good plan," Melinda comments.
"It is," Tony confirms, and the three of them drift into comfortable silence, and after a few minutes the back French doors open and Coulson, Rhodey, Gordon and Kora walk out.
"What the hell are you three doing out here in the snow?" Rhodey ask, noticing that they have the heater on as well as blankets, but still very confused about why the would be outside when it is so cold.
"Aunt Peggy and Aunt Jiaying are asleep in the office," Melinda explains, like that explains everything.
"Translation please?" Kora requests, feeling like she is missing something.
"Every night we spend time in the office just talking, usually sharing scotch, but with Peggy and Jiaying in the office we needed a new place, this is our backup," Natasha explains, as the foursome pool over other seats and outdoor couches so they can join them.
"And let me guess, you already had this figured out as a backup?" Coulson asks.
"Of course," Melinda, Tony, and Natasha say together.
"Well, I'm glad you three understand each other," Gordon comments amused, being pretty sure that Melinda, Natasha and Tony understand each other in a way no one else in the world does. "Now are you going to hog the scotch or you going to share?" Gordon asks curious.
"It's brandy, not scotch," Tony says, passing him the bottle. "You're going to need to get your own glasses," Tony says.
"I'll get them," Rhodey says, getting up and heading back inside, and when he returns a couple of minutes later, he is joined by Harrison, Angelica, Laura, and Clint who had been looking for them.
For a while the group of eleven sit outside sharing a bottle of brandy and just talking, but after a while, even with the heater and blankets, it gets too cold and so they head inside and proceed to set out all the presets and make it seem like Father Christmas has visited.
Just like Melinda suspected she would Daisy wakes the entire house up at five thirty in the morning and the entire family spend the day, mainly in their pyjamas, enjoying Christmas today; enjoyment that also includes everyone taking part in a snowball fight of 'kids' with Hope and Maria being on the kids side, against the adults, and even though they are outnumbered the 'kids' team refuse to allow anyone else to join them, which results in all of them being covered head to toe in snow by the time Peggy and Jiaying put an end to the fight.
After having an incredible Christmas, and Hanukkah, with his family Tony, knowing he is incredibly glad that he is able to travel privately rather than commercially, has made his way to LA on New Years Eve. Once he got to LA Tony dropped a couple of things off at his house before heading to Mary's apartment, knowing she was going to get back into town a little earlier than him.
Once at Mary's apartment Tony reaches out and knocks, second after he does, the door opens to reveal Mary, who looks glad to see him.
"Hi," Tony greats, leaning forward and kissing her.
"Hi," Mary says, when they break apart as she lets Tony into the apartment. "How were your holidays?" Mary asks curious as she closes the door behind Tony.
"Mostly good," Tony answers.
"Mostly?" Mary asks curious, as the two of them walk over to the couch.
"Jean's got a new job in London, she wants to take Sharon with her, Sharon doesn't want to move, Harry doesn't want her to go either," Tony explains. "I've offered help, but unless Harrison and Jean can come to agreement things are going to get ugly," Tony admits, hoping that is not the case.
"Hopefully they can work it out between them," Mary says.
"Hopefully," Tony says, and Mary knows him well enough to know that whatever he can do to help his family he will do it, which is one of the many reasons she loves him. "How was New York?" Tony asks curious.
"It was amazing," Mary says, with a huge smile on her face. "I got you something," Mary reveals, collecting a wrapped present off the side table that Tony didn't notice before.
"I got you something too," Tony says, as the truth is he got Mary more than one thing, as he takes the present.
"Mine first," Mary says, knowing that no matter what Tony may have gotten her it is going to be overshadowed by what she has gotten him, and what she has to tell him connected to it.
"Okay," Tony says, feeling confused, and wondering what is inside, as he works to get the present open he finds a box inside, and opening the box he finds what seems to a simple t-shirt inside, but as he reads the words on it he comprehends exactly what it means and is beyond shocked.
