Thank you to Harliquinn for beta editing!

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The first few days at the Barton's had been a lot of fun. Sky had had a great time, playing in the snow, building snow people, and having snowball fights. It had been a long time since she had spent any extended time with people around her age that she got along with.

She had been there three days when Laura mentioned she was going into town to do some Christmas shopping and taking Nate with her.

"Ooh, can I come?" Lila asked. "Or are you buying for me?"

"Well, no, I'm done shopping for you. But I don't know," Laura looked at her husband.

"Please, mom," Lila said. "I need to get a couple of gifts for some friends."

Clint nodded. "I can keep the other two occupied."

"I've got plans with the guys," Cooper said.

"Well, then one," Clint said with a smile at Skye.

Laura, Lila, and Nate left soon after, and Cooper wasn't far behind, leaving Clint and Skye alone.

"Come on. I'm going to put you to work, if you're okay with that," Clint said.

Skye smiled. "I'm happy to help."

They went outside and started to break down some logs for the fireplace inside.

As they were chopping wood Clint looked at her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," she said with a smile.

"Your dad wanted me to make sure you are ready for the court case in a few days. You're not nervous, are you?" He asked.

"A bit, I'm worried I'm just going to end up staying in the system," Skye said.

Clint nodded, "I can understand that fear, given what I know about your past. And that's just what I know. I bet there are things I don't know."

Skye shrugged. "You probably know more than I realize. I know you had access to my record. I don't get access to that."

"You can't see your own file?" Clint asked.

"Not till I age out, or I suppose if I end up going with Steve and he says I can see it," Skye said.

Clint nodded.

"They don't want foster kids to see the things that social workers or previous families have said about them It's often exaggerated or flat-out lies. My old roommate at the last group home aged out just a few months ago. And she got hers. She couldn't believe some of the lies that were said about her," Skye said.

"That's not right," Clint said.

"Foster kids don't usually get what is right or fair," Skye said. "The system is very much broken. and the kids in care are the ones who suffer," she said. It was clear she was getting a bit angry as she spoke as she was going at the logs harder.

"We can change the subject," Clint said. He didn't want her to feel forced to talk about something that was clearly upsetting her.

Skye shrugged.

"You've been keeping up with your classwork while here, right?" He asked. She was doing everything online and sending it to her teacher.

"Somewhat," Skye said.

"What exactly does 'somewhat' mean?" Clint asked.

"Do you want the dictionary definition?" Skye asked with a smirk.

"Ha, watch the attitude, please," Clint said.

"Sorry. It means I have done some of it, but not all," Skye said.

"Okay. Well, when we are done here you need to get working on it," Clint said.

"Got it," Skye said.

"I know you got away with slacking at Thor's. Not here," he said.

"How did you know that?" Skye asked.

"People talk," Clint said with a smirk.

"My teacher, told my social worker, who told Steve, who told you?" Skye asked.

"Pretty much," Clint said.

"Doesn't matter how far from home I am, I still get busted if I don't do my work," she said, smiling and shaking her head.

"Doesn't matter how old you get. You will get in trouble if work doesn't get done," Clint said. "Just get used to doing it, and you will save yourself a lot of trouble."

Skye nodded.

They finished chopping the wood and brought some inside.

"Go get cleaned up and do your homework," Clint said.

Skye did as she was told and sat down at the table with her computer and started to get some homework done.

Clint did some stuff around the house, keeping an eye on her and he noticed she seemed to be stuck on math for awhile. "You need help?" he asked.

"No," Skye said.

"You sure?" Clint asked.

"Yes," Skye said.

"Okay. Let me know if you do," Clint said.

It wasn't much longer until she switched to another subject. She got everything except the math done and sent it to her teacher before she closed her laptop.

"Everything caught up?" Clint asked.

"Yes," she lied.

"Good," Clint said with a smile. He didn't know her tell yet.

She put all her stuff away.

"Anything I can do to help?" Skye asked.

"Nope. You can go watch TV if you would like," Clint said.

Skye went and put on something to watch. Soon everyone else came home and dinner was made and eaten.

Lila and Skye cleared up after dinner. "How was shopping?" Skye asked.

"Good. It's too bad you are basically under house arrest and couldn't come," Lila said.

Skye shrugged. "Well, it's better here than at Thor's. Thor is awesome, don't get me wrong, but there isn't much to do there," Skye said.

"Yeah, there is always stuff to do around here," Lila said.

"You all done shopping for Christmas?" Skye asked her.

"Yes," Lila said. "Do you plan to get anybody anything?"

"I don't have much in the way of funds, so I have something I got for Steve online being delivered to the compound so when I get there I can wrap it. But that's it," Skye said.

Lila nodded. "Yeah, I have been working for the last six months. This is the first Christmas I can buy things for people with my own money."

"Yeah, it will be a few years before I can work," Skye said.

Lila nodded.

The girls finished cleaning and headed to the living room to join everyone to watch a Christmas movie to finish off the night.