Chapter Text
New York, Christmas Eve, 9:00 pm
Kate silently stared at the space where her mom had been arrested while a paramedic looked her over, numb to the cold air in her face. When had her mother gotten involved with Kingpin; was that why she seemed so distant ever since Kate went to college? Kate sniffled and bowed her head to hide her tears, her body still shaking a bit from adrenaline. “Mom, how could you do this to me,” she lamented, then managed to lift her head despite the crushing weight of grief to look up at Clint. “I don’t know what to do,” she whimpered, and grabbed Clint’s outstretched hand to pull herself up. “I need to leave and sleep. If you want to go home, go ahead; I’ll find someone else to spend Christmas with.”
“Kate, I won’t leave you, and I’ll drive you back to the penthouse,” Clint firmly promised, squeezing her hand. “I know what it’s like to feel your world ripped from your heart, leaving only a broken bond between. Don’t go through this alone,” and Kate only managed a silent nod.
The Bishop Penthouse, 9:30 PM
"Do you have any family to spend Christmas with?" Clint asked as he closed the door to the penthouse behind Kate, and she shook her head. "There's going to be a lot of legal proceedings for your mom’s trial, but for now, take a break, before you need to go back to college. How about you spend the rest of the winter break at my place? We would love to have you," and Kate stared straight ahead.
Kate sighed as the silence and cold of the empty penthouse descended on her as a dark cloud, silently watching the shadows as Lucky sat down next to her on the floor. "I'm not sure, Clint, I-" Her voice faltered, and she took a breath to organize her thoughts. "I… There are things I need to do. I need to get ready for the spring semester -I don't know what the deal with my suspension is- figure out the future of Bishop security, and train." She sat down on the couch in her mom's old office, letting her head fall into her hands as she heavily sighed, trying to force the tension out of her body. She glanced up when she felt Clint's hand on her shoulder as he sat next to her, managing a small smile in thanks.
"You shouldn't be alone, Kate. I'm sure my family would love to meet you, and I can tell you need a break. You'll also be able to figure out your suspension while you're there, and train if you'd like. So, stay with us, for as long as you need to, please," and gently squeezed her shoulder.
Kate sighed heavily, but eventually, she looked at Clint and responded, "You convinced me Clint, but I need to get packed, then go to bed so we'll make it there in time." Clint smiled, but it faded as she winced and clutched her bruised ribs as they flared up in pain again, causing Clint to turn toward her.
"I can take care of transportation, and we certainly aren't driving. It's about 17 hours to get there by road, which would require us to leave in just a few hours, and you need to rest," Clint replied. "You can look at flights for us to take, then I'll help with your ribs," and Kate nodded, then winced.
"Ow! Ribs… first, please," Kate managed as she hissed in pain, and lay down as Clint crouched next to her. She felt him lift the purple top of her suit up to her ribs, revealing purple bruises from where she had impacted the hard floor of the toy store. She tensed and groaned a little as he gently prodded her ribs, his hand cold on her bare skin.
"They don't feel broken, which we could have confirmed if you had let one of the doctors do more than check your head for any concussions," Clint chastised. Hopefully, she would learn some much-needed lessons from training, her overconfidence by far the most important. "Is there a first aid kit somewhere?"
Kate nodded and replied, "There's one in the office closet. I should get changed and start packing; the pain isn't too bad." Clint stared at her with a look that seemed to say she would be staying right here, and she rolled her eyes, but huffed as he raised an eyebrow.
"You can look for flights while I get medicine for you," Clint requested as he unlocked his phone and tossed it underhand toward Kate, and she easily caught it. He walked to the door, then turned to glance back at Kate, alone with the arrest of her mother. He smiled as the growing fondness for her once again filled him, and sighed as he left to look for a first aid kit. As he walked through the Bishop penthouse, the cold, empty void that Kate's family once filled seemed to encroach on his senses, and he shook the feeling off as he grabbed the first aid kit from the cabinet in the office closet. "Any luck?" He asked Kate as he sat down next to her, lifting her suit once again as he opened the kit and rummaged through it for something to help her ribs.
"I found a flight with two open seats, and that can take Lucky on board. It's a Christmas miracle, Clint," Kate explained, unable to stop the smile from spreading on her face. "The flight's scheduled to leave at 9:00 am, so, wake up at around 5 or 6 am?"
Clint thought for a second, then responded, "Sounds good to me. So, a four-hour flight, an hour to get from off the plane to on the road, followed by several hours of driving to the farmhouse. That sounds like a good plan, Kate. I found this," and tossed her a bottle of pain medication. "Make sure to get packed, then do your best to get a good night's sleep, ok?"
Kate nodded, then, before she could stop herself, with tears in her eyes, she threw her arms around Clint. "Thank you for everything you've done for me," she muttered, and felt Clint awkwardly pat her back. She pulled away with a forced smile, grabbed the pain medication, and silently looked at Clint as she took the medicine. "I should be able to sleep just fine, you can take my parents' old room," Kate offered, and as the grief threatened to break through the thin dam in her heart, he took her hand and gently squeezed to give a semblance of comfort. Once they had reached the top of the stairs, she softly said, "Good night, Clint, see you in the morning," and he matched her smile, silently watching her as she headed to her bedroom for the night.
Kate’s smile disappeared as she closed the door behind Lucky, but she couldn’t help the sigh of frustration as he jumped onto her bed, and managed a small smile as she climbed in after him. It quickly disappeared, however, as the silent night finally allowed the almost soul-crushing realization to fall on her. She had no family left; she was alone. She burrowed her head into Lucky’s soft fur as tears welled in her eyes, but eventually, a smile spread on her face. Clint had invited her over for Christmas, and she sniffled into Lucky's fur as she struggled to wrench her thoughts away from her mother, then began to pack for her winter break at the Bartons' residence.
Kate groaned in frustration as she looked at the time again: 11:00 pm. She needed to sleep for tomorrow, but she wouldn’t be able to, not until she settled the ache in her heart. She stood and carefully left her bedroom, shaking her head at Lucky, then her eyebrows raised as he stayed on her bed. “I’ll be back soon, I promise,” she whispered before slipping out of her bedroom. The carpet didn’t help her bare feet stay warm from the winter air, and she crept downstairs to the office. She let her hand glide across the lamp as she turned it on, silently staring at a photo of herself and Eleanor. “How could you do this, and also be the mother who bandaged me up after I got hurt,” Kate asked to the air, futilely hoping she would get an answer.
”You shouldn’t be up so late, Kate,” Clint’s voice quietly chastised, and she whirled around to face him. “You need to rest your ribs and your head, before you injure them any further.”
Kate scoffed and spat, “I couldn’t sleep, Clint. I was too busy questioning everything she’s ever done.” She shook her head before continuing, “I don’t know why you’re up, but I might as well see when I can go back to school, if at all,” and moved to walk past Clint.
Clint gently but firmly stopped Kate with a hand on her shoulder, looking her square in the eyes. “Kate, it’s not going to change on Christmas Eve. Go back to bed, and try to get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning,” he softly said, his voice more comforting than Kate had ever heard it.
Something Kate heard in Clint’s voice snapped a barrier in her heart, and she was helpless against the tears that welled in her eyes. “I just didn’t think she could ever do this,” she lamented before her voice broke, sniffling and quickly bowing her head to hide the tears. She flinched as a hand touched her chin, but let Clint gently lift her head up until his blue eyes met her own tear-filled blue.
Clint ignored her words and looked at her eyes, wide and desperate for an anchor, a life vest, anything to keep her from drowning in grief. He silently pulled Kate into a hug, an unbreakable anchor to protect her from the storm. “I won’t let you suffer this alone. Stay here, in my arms, for as long as you need, Kate,” he pleaded, squeezing her closer to his heart.
“I… I just can’t imagine she’d ever do this,” she sobbed into Clint’s chest, desperately clinging to him as her only refuge now. “I have to go with you, Clint, please. Don’t leave me like she did,” she begged.
Clint squeezed her so tightly he might’ve hurt her ribs even more, but she needed his embrace. “I’ll stay right here until you’re ready to sleep.”
Kate shook her head, sniffling as she responded, “No! I can’t be alone right now, Clint. I need a few minutes, then we can head up to my bedroom.”
Clint nodded and rubbed Kate’s back with his knuckles, smiling as he felt her relax, finally, in his embrace. “I’m not going to leave you, Kate. My family will love to have you over tomorrow for Christmas.” Once he felt Kate’s body not shake as much, he pulled away to look at her, but kept his arms around her body. “Feel any better,” he asked, and Kate managed a slight nod but sniffled again.
The smile Kate desperately fought to show had been one of the hardest, but she managed it before softly speaking, “Thank you, Clint. For everything. I need to go to sleep; promise you’ll help me with… healing?”
Clint smiled warmly and brushed a tear off Kate’s cheek, then responded, “Of course, Hawkeye. Go up to bed, I’ll wake you up tomorrow.
Kate nodded, but struggled to keep her face neutral before she was almost diving onto her bed, burying her face in Lucky’s fur. “I love you, and I love Clint. I still love her, and I hope I don’t ever stop,” she whimpered into Lucky’s fur, and he whined sympathetically.
Christmas Day, 5:15 am
The familiar alarm of Clint’s phone instantly woke him up, every sense instantly on alert as he sat up. He glanced around the penthouse living room, and saw a shadow in the office Kate and himself had been confronted in by Eleanor and Jack. “Kate, is there anything I can do to help,” he softly offered as he stepped forward, noticing her head bowed.
Kate took a shaky breath, forced her head up to look at Clint, and choked out, “I’ll never feel my mom hug me again, right?”
Clint heavily sighed and silently pulled Kate into a gentle hug once more, feeling her body shake. “Probably not, Kate. For now, cherish the good memories you had with her, no matter how tainted they might seem now.”
“How long until my heart doesn’t feel completely shattered,” Kate begged for an answer, but Clint only kissed her forehead. The shock was enough to hold back her tidal wave of sorrow, if only briefly, as she realized that Clint now felt closer to a father than anything else.
Clint gently pulled away and softly spoke, “Go grab your stuff, Kate, we’ve gotta make it to my family in time.” Kate nodded and rushed upstairs.
Clint glanced at Kate as she walked down the stairs with her packed bags, Lucky's leash in her hand, and the golden retriever rushed over to him, straining against the leash. He idly petted him as he studied Kate's face more closely; she definitely hadn't slept well, if at all. "Grills is waiting for us, let's go," he instructed, and Kate nodded, yawned, then followed him out.
Thankfully, the time getting from the Penthouse to the airport went smoothly, as well as the flight, until about a couple of hours into it. Clint sighed as Kate adjusted her pillow against the window for at least the tenth time in the last five minutes, muttering something under her breath. Then he asked, "What's going on?"
He noticed Kate's lip tremble slightly, then she responded in a soft voice, "Whenever my mom and I would fly somewhere, she took an extra jacket onto the plane for me." Clint sighed as he silently watched Kate's face; there were probably dozens of small, similar things that Kate and her mom used to share. As she leaned against the window and her eyes closed, he thought back to the promise he had given to Eleanor. He had sworn to protect Kate, and now he truly understood that it wouldn'tt just be to protect her. It would be to treat her as his own daughter. Without saying a word, he unzipped his jacket, took it off himself, and tucked it around Kate's shoulders. She smiled and sighed as the warmth covered her, then she softly remarked, "Thank you, Clint," earning a smile from him.
Clint Barton's Farmhouse, Iowa, Christmas Day, 6:15 PM
The smile lingered on Kate Bishop’s face as she reentered the Barton farmhouse with Clint, glad that she could experience something resembling a normal Christmas Day. She glanced at him and let her grin spread wider, now that she shared the Hawkeye mantle with him. With everything that had happened, she wasn’t sure what the outcome would be, or even if Clint would welcome her into his home. She moved her travel bag behind the couch out of the way, then sighed as she sat down and her body sank into the cushion. She began to eat her dinner again, pushing thoughts of what would happen to her mother back to the edges of her mind. The smile slightly faded as Clint’s children continued opening presents; she’d never have another Christmas with her family.
Once she was finished eating, she set her plate on the table to her left, then put a pillow behind her and leaned against it. She hadn’t slept well ever since she met Clint, and she welcomed the opportunity to rest, the soft Christmas music making her feel more at home than anything else so far. It was incredibly easy to slip into sleep, but she jerked awake as someone touched her.
“Kate? You almost fell off the couch,” Clint’s voice drifted into her ears, and she sighed as her sleep was interrupted. “I’ll show you to your room so you can get settled in, ok?” She managed a nod in response, grabbing her plate and cup to put them in the kitchen, then she grabbed her bags and followed Clint up the small set of stairs, taking two at a time. The Barton residence was no bigger than half the size of her penthouse, and instead of feeling claustrophobic like she expected, there was a cozy atmosphere filling it. The door he opened revealed a queen-size bed pushed against the wall, painted a deep shade of blue, and a dresser beside it. Kate sighed and couldn't help her smile; it already felt homely to her. “There’s plenty of room for you and Lucky; make yourself at home. The closest bathroom is the first door on the right if you're facing toward the back wall, and we’ll make sure you’re not bothered.” Kate silently nodded and set her bags down against the bed, then sat down on the white sheets. Clint spoke again, “I’m going back downstairs, make sure to get yourself cleaned up, and I would like for you to let us know if you’re going to bed, ok?”
What was Kate doing here? Her mom was waiting for a trial somewhere, and she was relaxing with the person she had met barely 10 days ago. She shook her head and tried to blink away her tears, but Clint’s gaze remained focused on her face. Her vision blurred as she stared at the sheets on her bed. What was she going to do? Her mother was going to jail, she had probably ruined her relationship with Jack, and she didn’t have anywhere to stay. “Kate? What’s going on?” he softly called to her.
She managed to blink most of her tears away, then she turned and asked, “What am I going to do, Clint? I don’t have a place to stay, I don’t know who I can contact, and I don’t have a plan.”
Clint smiled and took her bare, cold hand in his, then responded, “We’ll be happy to have you live with us, even if it’s just until you get a different place. Relax for the rest of your winter break like we discussed, then I’ll help you figure things out, ok?” She nodded and felt his hand on her back, wiping her cheeks and eyes with her right hand. She winced and clutched her ribs as they flared with pain, then Clint asked, “You ok?”
Kate nodded and responded, “Yeah, just bruised a bit. I’m still sore from when Kingpin threw me around like a ragdoll.” She rolled her right shoulder and took her shoes and socks off, setting them down by her bag.
He turned to leave when he heard a soft, “Clint?” He turned, saw Kate’s blue eyes wet with tears, and she simply said, “Thank you. For taking a chance with a kid in a ninja costume, who ruined your Christmas.”
Clint smiled and responded, “Actually, so far it’s a bit better with you here, Kate.” It disappeared as he thought for a second, then asked, “Would you like me to go with you when you return home?”
She shook her head and said, “I’m fine going alone. Thank you for offering.” Clint nodded, but with a concerned look on his face.
“I can have an old friend take you when it’s time; there’s a handful of quinjets still in operation at SHIELD,” he explained, and Kate nodded.
However, it was soon replaced with a frown, and she asked, "Is SHIELD actually still around? I thought it had disbanded years ago."
"Well, they did disband, though it’s already reformed into something much different. Think of it as a training facility for heroes. But," and he smiled at her again, "You're here to take a break, not worry about stuff."
“Is there anything I can do to help keep things running while I’m staying?” Kate asked, and Clint couldn’t stifle his laughter.
“Are you kidding me? You don’t need to earn your keep, Kate, but if you truly want to, then I can give you a list of chores. I won’t bother you anymore, but I hope to see you before bed,” he finished, then turned and left her room.
Kate winced as her sore body stretched; a hot bath would do wonders for her right now. She definitely had time to take one, but with her stomach full of hot food, she might end up falling asleep. She rummaged through her bag for the toiletry bag she had brought, grabbed the blue underwear, plain gray long-sleeved shirt, and black sweatpants she had packed, and headed to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and glanced around; relatively big with white tile on the floor and a marble counter. The shower looked relatively big with slightly shaded blue curtains, and a bathtub was tucked into the corner. The tub was designed for a fully grown person; big enough for her to lie down and soak most of her body in the water. It looked like the bathroom had barely been used; most likely a guest bathroom. She set her bag on the counter and took her soap and shampoo out, sealed in separate ziploc bags just in case they leaked.
She paused as her gaze passed over a photo of Clint with a red-haired woman who must have been Natasha, both smiling with joy and their arms around each other. “I wish I had met you… before you died,” she whispered in almost quiet reverence of the Black Widow Avenger. She had spent many school nights reading through the SHIELD files released to the world, but some of them were so… painful to read through that she'd needed to take several days away from them. Every single one of those was always involved with the monstrous Red Room; even the vague descriptions were enough for her to wonder what strength Natasha had been relying upon to move past it. She shook her head to dispel the vague notion of a faint brush against the back of her neck and glanced around the bathroom.
Thankfully, the water mechanism for the tub was simple, consisting of just two things that could be turned: one for cold and one for hot. “No point in freezing my ass off while I get the water temperature right,” she muttered under her breath once she turned the water on.
Once the water felt close enough to the warmth she wanted, she stripped down and stepped into the bathtub. She closed her eyes and sighed as the hot water soothed her soreness, the tension fading from her. Her mind drifted to last night; had it really only been yesterday?
7:00 pm
Kate quickly lost track of time, but made sure to get herself clean, and needed to sit up to wash her hair. She opened the drain to let the dirty water escape, then closed it again and let her thoughts wander.
Her life had changed the moment she met Clint, and set her on a path that led somewhere she didn’t know. She had learned a lot about being a hero in that time, but she wasn’t arrogant enough to think she knew everything. The woods behind the farmhouse would be fantastic for training with her new gear and keeping Clint active. Her eyes began to spill tears down her cheeks as she thought of Eleanor, struggling to reconcile the two versions she knew. One who congratulated her after every trophy she worked her ass off to earn, as well as every test she aced. The other, who hired an assassin to kill Clint Barton, who had framed Jack, and left her without any family on Christmas Eve. If it wasn’t for Clint inviting her over… she wasn’t sure what she’d be doing right now. Probably trying her best, but eventually succumbing to her overconfidence.
Her thoughts drifted from Christmas Eve to the tracksuit mafia to Clint, and finally to Kingpin. A stray thought crossed her mind; she had seen encrypted files while she was on her mom’s work laptop, but she was so busy with everything else. One of them was named 240J212, which didn’t mean anything to her, but an invisible string had tugged her toward it. She looked down, the skin around her ribs still a little discolored from bruises, the hot water helping her relax. A sad smile spread as her thoughts turned to her dad; he would probably be proud of her, right? Or at least willing to help her, just as she would help him if he were still alive, through the trial with her mom. She let herself soak for a few more minutes, then sighed as the water slowly cooled off, her hands began to prune from the water, and her eyes closed from sleepiness a couple of times. She opened the drain, stepped onto the mat beside the bathtub, and began to dry herself off, slightly shivering as she left the warm water into the cold air.
Clint sighed as he sat back down on the couch, slung his arm around Laura’s shoulders, and watched his children explore their new presents. “Kate’s getting cleaned up, and I expect she’ll want to train tomorrow with how restless she is,” he remarked. He thought of Kate's barely restrained tears as she stared at her parents' bedroom, then softly added, "She doesn't have any close family since she got her mom arrested, honey, and… she's hurting. A lot." He turned to look Laura in the eye as he continued, "We have to do whatever we can for her," and Laura fought a smile as she nodded in agreement. Clint's eyes were filled with the same love whenever he talked about their children, to a lesser degree, but it was there.
Laura nodded then softly asked, “How is she handling it? I haven't seen any sign of her pain since she's been here.” Clint heavily sighed in response, glancing over at Kate’s bags behind the couch.
“She broke down into tears three times yesterday after her mom was arrested, honey. If she needs a hug, a shoulder to rest on; anything, we give it to her,” Clint swore.
“Oh my god, Clint,” Laura exclaimed, turning to fully face him. “She’s what… only 22 and doesn’t have any immediate family?” She shook her head and clutched Clint’s hand, forcing a smile as she almost ordered, “We have to treat her as part of our family, since she’s lost her own.”
Clint nodded, glanced toward the stairway, and smiled at Kate as she walked down, wearing a gray sweatshirt and black pants that looked comfortable. Her hair was still wet and loose, but she tucked it behind her ears, and Clint noticed her cheeks were damp. “You doing ok, Kate?” he questioned, and Kate nodded with a forced smile, then sat down next to him on the extended cushion, where she had been since she'd gotten here.
“The bath helped with most of my soreness, but my ribs still hurt,” Kate complained, and Clint briefly touched her left shoulder. “I’ll be able to practice my archery while I’m here, right?” Kate asked and got a nod from Laura in response, then she smiled. “Clint, are you willing to help me train while I’m here?” She asked, and Clint sighed, looking at his children. Kate immediately amended her statement, “I can practice alone, besides, you should be with your family after you almost missed Christmas with them because of me-”
“Kate, while you're staying here, you are part of our family,” Laura interrupted. For the first time since Clint met her, Kate was speechless. As he glanced over at Kate, he saw her almost fighting back tears, and gently squeezed her hand. She smiled and squeezed back, then nodded slowly at Laura's words.
“Let’s wait until tomorrow so I can plan something, ok,” Clint added, and Kate shifted to move a pillow onto Clint’s shoulder, then let her head fall onto it.
“You ok with me doing this?” Kate asked, and noticed Clint’s expression soften, then smiled. It seemed she had slipped into a space in the Barton family, almost like she belonged with them, despite the little time she had spent with Clint.
“Only because it’s so cold,” he responded, but Kate noticed a glimmer of something concealed by the teasing. Lucky finally noticed Kate and almost bounded towards her, trying to jump next to her on the couch, but Kate gently pushed him off as she sat up again. She smiled and gently ran her hand along his back, his tail thumping against the couch cushion as he wagged it.
“Now you can finally relax, you’ve been through a lot,” Clint encouraged, then smiled. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t left out; there are a couple of presents for you,” and stood along with Kate to walk over to the wrapped item by the table. Once Kate had sat down with the box on her lap, he sat next to his wife and explained, “I’m pretty sure Kate’s going to be living with us for the foreseeable future,” and Laura nodded.
Kate glanced at the wrapped object and mouthed a 'thank you' to Clint, silently trying to assess what was inside for her. He gestured for her to open it, and Kate tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a simple white box that people put clothes in, at least in her experience. She hurriedly opened it, smiled, and held up a purple sweatshirt with an image of a ready-to-fire bow sewn into the fabric. The fabric was perfect for a freezing winter night, soft and thick. Once it was folded and set down, she withdrew the other garment, a simple pair of black sweatpants, thick and warm as well. “I might need to put them on now, they’re so comfortable,” she exclaimed. However, she frowned and asked, "When did you have time to get this? We spent almost all day today traveling."
Clint smiled and responded, “I bought it with the other presents; you were asleep in the car. I guess we’ll need to get you more next year,” but Kate looked up at him with a confused expression. “No reason not to have you over, we don’t want you to celebrate Christmas alone. Besides, I’ll probably need to keep an eye on you,” and Kate smiled.
“I need to get some sleep,” Kate said, beginning to clean the space around her of the torn wrapping paper.
As she stood to throw the wrapping paper away, Kate caught a glimpse of Clint’s face, looking at her with fondness in his eyes. “Kate, I want to talk before you fall asleep,” he said, a warm smile on his face.
She smiled and softly said, “Ok, I'll see you in a minute,” and called Lucky to her, then headed upstairs to her room.
Clint froze in place, his smile fading as he heard Natasha's voice from Kate's body. He sighed as he felt Laura's arms wrap around him, returning her hug. "She would've loved Kate, sweetheart. I know she would."
Laura smiled sadly as she tenderly kissed Clint, then softly whispered, "Go talk to Kate; I'll be waiting for you in bed."
A dark cloud of sorrow for Kate spread through Clint's mind as he ascended the staircase. He knew that she'd need support from himself and Laura, which they both would happily give.
Kate sighed as she got in bed and pulled the covers up and over her shoulders, Lucky quickly jumping up after her. The Barton family had welcomed her, a complete stranger into their house, and had- so far at least- treated her like one of their own. She began to shift herself to get comfortable and sighed as Lucky stood on four legs when Clint knocked on her door.
“Come on in,” Kate called, then shifted into a sitting position as Clint walked in. “What’s up, Clint?” She asked, gently holding Lucky in place so he wouldn’t escape.
Clint smiled as he sat on the bed, automatically petting Lucky as he responded, “I wanted to make sure you’re ok, you had quite a reaction to Laura’s statement.”
Kate sighed and softly responded, “There’s a certain… warmth here that I haven’t felt before. You guys-“ she sniffled back sudden tears and continued, “You’ve welcomed me into your home as part of your family, Clint. I never saw my mom do anything like this, and for my hero to take me into his home for Christmas, well, it’s a lot to handle.” She looked Clint in the eyes, making no effort to hide her tears as she finished, “I thought I’d lost the last of my closest family, but you’ve accepted me into yours, Clint,” she managed through her tears. “Thank you.” She managed a soft chuckle and remarked, “I shouldn’t be crying so much, Clint.”
Clint squeezed her hand with one, and wiped her tears from her cheek with his other. “You don’t need to apologize for that, Kate. You need to sleep, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He stood, and a moment passed where it seemed he would kiss Kate’s cheek, but he left her room.
"You need to sleep too, Lucky. You've been traveling all day, aren't you tired?" Kate groaned, and Lucky only tilted his head like he was trying to understand her.
Kate smiled and gave him a scratch behind the right ear, then flinched when he licked her cheek. “Lucky, come on, I just washed my face,” she chastised, but he didn’t seem to care. She sighed, rolled onto her side, and smiled when Lucky lay down next to her, just as exhausted as she was. Kate once again silently thanked Clint for inviting her to the Barton farmhouse; she had never felt so much love fill the place where she lived. She winced as her sore ribs ached, then rolled onto her stomach, moving one of the many pillows under her ribs, making sure two pillows were beneath her head. Her eyes closed, her body almost sank into the bed with every relaxing breath, and eventually, she fell asleep.
The red and blue police lights flashed in Kate’s vision, her mother standing before her father. Her mother was wearing the same clothes she had on Christmas Eve, and her dad was wearing clothes that she didn't recognize, but fit him well. She recognized where she was standing, in the same spot she had stood when her mom had gotten arrested yesterday. “I should have known she would take your side,” Eleanor snarled, shoving Derek away. “She just can’t stop playing the hero, can she?”
Derek scoffed and responded, “Well, at least she actually has a desire to help people, rather than using smoke and mirrors to get what she wants.” Kate flinched as Eleanor withdrew a knife from her coat, then screamed, “No!” as she stabbed Derek in the chest and tried to rush forward. Despite urging her limbs to move, they were slowed by syrup, and Eleanor turned to face her.
“What kind of hero arrests their mother on Christmas Eve,” her mother taunted, something icy in her gaze locking Kate in place. “I’m truly sorry, Kate, but you’re going to get yourself killed,” she lamented and stabbed her in the thigh. Kate crumpled to the ground and shrieked in pain, her right leg on fire as blood began to pour down it and the snowy grass suddenly turned to bloody stone. Her eyes snapped open just in time for a handful of tears to spill down her cheeks, and her right hand flew to her right thigh. No trace of whatever wound Eleanor had inflicted, but she grabbed her phone and looked at the time. 1:14 am, so luckily, she could still get a good night’s sleep. She pulled the sheet and blanket up to her neck, idly petting Lucky as she tried to fall back asleep. The quietness of the room, however, drew her thoughts back toward her mother, and she groaned, tossing and turning throughout the night, trying to get more comfortable. She thought of how, even when she had been going to high school, her relationship with Eleanor had been strained. A frustrated sigh escaped her that Clint and Laura already felt like her parents; she'd barely met Clint a week ago, and Laura earlier today. At some point, the sky began to brighten with the coming dawn, and she groaned; she wouldn’t get any more sleep tonight. Eventually, the sound of Lucky’s whine reached her ears, and she looked at her door, then laughed. Lucky was firmly planted in front of it, a few drops of drool falling from his mouth, and his tail wagging against the carpet. “I’ll take you outside, but I need to put shoes on,” Kate remarked. She didn’t need to change clothes yet, then a faint sizzle reached her ears, and a delicious smell brushed her nostrils. She got out of bed and walked over to her bag, the smell getting stronger to her. “Something smells good, huh? It’s probably driving you insane,” she remarked as she pet Lucky. He let out a short bark in response and jumped at her door, causing her to roll her eyes. “Ok, ok, give me a second,” she said as she finally found a pair of fresh socks, buried underneath her shirts and pants. She quickly donned them, grabbed Lucky’s leash, opened her door, and Lucky bolted out. Kate chuckled and checked the time on her phone: 7:24 am. She shrugged and put it in her pocket, then followed Lucky as voices reached her open door.
Laura glanced toward the stairs, smiled, and called, “Good morning, Kate,” then turned back to cook breakfast.
“Whatever you’re making smells really good,” Kate complimented. The delicious smell yanked her back to the similar one that would fill the penthouse when her dad cooked for her birthday, and she blinked the sudden tears away. Laura stirred the eggs, flipped the sausage patties over, put a fresh batch of French toast on the pan, placed the laden platter in the oven, then washed her hands. She turned toward Kate as she dried her hands off, silently watching for any fracture in her peace.
Kate leaned against the counter and yawned, then Laura smiled and remarked, “Still waking up, Kate?”
“No, I didn’t sleep well,” Kate responded, blinking and trying to force her body to wake up. “I only got a couple of hours of sleep, maybe three at the most. My ribs were bothering me.”
Laura silently regarded Kate as she stared at the picture of the Barton family and softly asked, “Was there anything else, Kate? You seem a bit… emotionally raw.”
Kate's gaze snapped to Laura in surprise, then felt her lip tremble as she heard Eleanor's voice echo in her head. "Heroes don't arrest their moms on Christmas Eve," Kate softly muttered, trying desperately to keep herself from crying.
"Kate, what's wrong?" The pure love in Laura's voice snapped something in Kate's heart. She sniffled and looked away from Laura before she responded, “I couldn’t stop thinking about her," as if keeping her words quiet would reduce their magnitude.
“Oh, come here, honey,” Laura invited, stretching her arms out, and Kate turned back, then stepped forward into her hug.
Kate sniffled as she buried her head into Laura's shoulder and relaxed into the embrace, a warm cloak that helped shield her from the howling wind of grief. "I just can't stop questioning everything she's done until now," Kate managed to say into Laura's shoulder, the sound muffled and broken by her sobs. Laura held her tightly, silently reassuring her that she and Clint would be happy to help in any way they could.
Kate closed her eyes as she relaxed into Laura’s embrace as she realized that Laura was already slipping into becoming a parental figure to her. She felt Laura’s hand gently rub her back, and far too soon, Laura pulled back and softly said, “I need to make sure breakfast doesn’t burn. Clint’s outside, and I’m sure he’d love for you to watch the sunrise with him. A hot beverage always helps me relax, so what would you like? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate, maybe?”
“Hot chocolate, please, coffee’s just going to prevent me from sleeping, and I haven’t tried tea in a while,” Kate asked, and Laura smiled. As she started to look through the kitchen cupboards for a mug, Laura reached into the cupboard above the stove, opened it, and set a mug for Kate down. “Thank you, I’m going to take Lucky out while you’re making it,” Kate explained, and clipped the leash onto Lucky’s collar.
“Ok, I’ll come get you when breakfast is ready if you’re not inside,” Laura responded as Kate opened the door, tugging a jacket on before heading outside. She sighed when the door closed, thinking through how they could help Kate. Making her truly feel like part of the family would be best, and also the hardest, because it would be prodding at a healing wound.
The mostly quiet morning reminded Clint of Natasha's absence; she would always watch the sunrise with him. It was also Barton's first Christmas without her, and he suddenly wished that she had met Kate. His hearing aid was turned to the perfect volume, loud enough that he would hear someone approaching, but quiet enough that he could properly think.
The orange sky dotted with clouds, the trees barren of leaves towering above her, piercing the sky like thorns, and the white snow-blanket on the ground created an image Kate wanted to stay in forever. She slightly shivered as the brisk winter air brushed her face with the wind and pulled her jacket tighter around herself, but welcomed the fresh winter air in comparison to the city. “It looks like a painting,” she softly remarked, unwilling to disturb the peaceful silence of the sleeping world.
“Then you should get to work,” Clint called, and she briefly smiled in response, Lucky rushing over to him. “I thought you wouldn’t be up until after noon. Was it too quiet for you?”
Kate sighed and looked down at the snow, then responded, “I had a nightmare. It woke me up, but I couldn’t go back to sleep because I didn’t stop thinking about her. It feels so much more… complicated than after my dad died. I still love her, but I don’t know the extent of what she’s done.” She looked up at Clint as she asked, “I don’t want to break off contact, but I also don’t think we can rebuild our bond. What should I do?”
Clint was silent for a time, petting Lucky as he thought of what to say. “Kate, it’s good that you want to keep the relationship with your mom, but you can’t let it affect you forever. You’re 22, you have-”
“Oh yeah, my birthday was December 21st!” Kate interrupted. “It was easy to forget with everything that was going on.”
“Hang on, Kate. Why didn’t you say something? I probably wouldn’t do something right then, but I definitely would now, so what’s the deal?” Clint asked, the sun cresting over the trees in the distance and illuminating their breath in the winter morning.
“I haven’t done anything on my birthday for a while; It’s normal to be just another day for me,” Kate softly replied. Not doing anything special for celebrating her birthday was nothing new, and eventually, it became normal. She stared at the distant sky, her tears glistening in the morning sun that shone upon her face.
“Then this year will be the last you don’t celebrate,” Clint declared, covering Kate’s cold, bare hand with his. “If you want to tell me what happened to make you stop celebrating, I am happy to listen. I want you to be happy,” and Kate managed a small smile in response. He chuckled to himself as he noticed Kate's look, then continued, "About your mom… I'm not sure you can maintain a relationship with her, depending on how long she's in jail. But, we'll handle that later, together." He squeezed Kate’s hand and smiled as he finished, "We won't let you go through this alone, Katie. I promise." Kate managed a smile, then pet Lucky, chuckling to herself as he pawed at the snow.
The front door to the farmhouse opened, Laura called, “Breakfast is ready,” and Lucky perked up from Kate’s feet, where he was lying down.
Kate easily stood with youthful grace and extended a hand down towards Clint with a smile. “I might be more than twice your age, but my limbs haven’t started creaking… yet,” he growled, but took the offered hand. Whatever Kate was going to say got cut off as Lucky bolted towards the door, pulling her along and almost making her fall onto the snow. He couldn’t help the smile as he glanced at his wife and began to walk over, dusting his pants off. Laura stepped aside to let Kate enter, then kissed Clint on the cheek. “They seem to be settling in nicely,” he remarked, taking Laura’s hand as he reentered the farmhouse.
Kate couldn’t help her smile and praised, “This looks amazing! Definitely way better than anything I’ve ever cooked. I could burn water if you want a demonstration,” and Clint couldn’t stop his chuckle. “Although I’ve gotten a bit better recently,” she amended, and sat down next to Clint, but Laura walked over to the two plates resting on the counter, then set them down in front of them. The plate at Kate's spot had two pieces of French toast, a couple of slices of bacon, and a pile of fluffy eggs that looked better than any she had ever eaten. The French toast was a perfect shade of golden-brown, which she sprinkled with syrup, and the scrambled eggs were slightly browned. A steaming mug filled with hot chocolate rested on a coaster next to the top right of her plate, and a napkin holder sat in the middle, flanked by salt and pepper shakers, along with a bottle of syrup and a container of powdered sugar. She picked up her mug, recognized the red handle and the white body with a printed-on image of a Christmas tree, then took a tentative sip. Her eyes widened as she tasted it, far more delicious than any she had before. “What’s in this stuff? It’s a lot better than any hot chocolate I’ve had before.”
Laura sat down in front of Clint with a similarly full plate, then a warm smile spread as she responded, “That’s a family secret, sweetheart. A Barton recipe that Clint taught me and enjoyed at his grandmother’s house,” and Kate smiled in return. “Hopefully, we can share it with you one day,” and Kate froze with a bite of French toast just outside her mouth.
“Yeah, hopefully,” Kate softly replied before taking the bite, glancing at the stockings, Christmas decorations, and presents behind Laura.
“Are there any Bishop family traditions you want to tell us about? Maybe we can do some of those while you’re here,” Clint asked, and Kate sighed.
“I’m not sure. My dad usually was involved with those sorts of things, and my mom… well, there’s no chance of her telling me now. I’d need to search the Bishop penthouse,” Kate responded, then continued to eat.
“I’m sorry, we shouldn’t be prodding at a fresh wound,” Laura apologized, and glanced at Clint. “Besides, you’re exhausted, so we’ll wait until after you wake up from your nap to talk, only if you want to,” and Kate managed a thankful smile. They spent the rest of breakfast eating silently, save for asking to pass a condiment when needed.
Once Kate was finished, she rinsed her dishes, then asked, “I should get changed before I go back to sleep, right? I don’t want to get your couch dirty.”
“Don’t bother changing into day clothes if it’s just going to make you uncomfortable, Kate,” Laura replied. She set her dirty dishes in the kitchen, then beckoned for Kate to follow her into the family room, clearing a space on the couch for her. Clint sighed as Lucky licked his hand clean, then, as the golden retriever softly whined, he broke off a small piece of bacon and let him eat it.
“Did you remember to get actual dog food for Lucky, or is he just going to eat pizza and bacon?” Clint asked, and Kate face-palmed. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it the next time we get groceries, since we have a couple of extra mouths to feed. Kate nodded, took her shoes and socks off, and lay down on the couch, her head against a pillow with a reindeer on it, supported by the pillow behind it. She looked up as Laura got an extra blanket out, colored with red and green stripes, then draped it over her. She rolled onto her side, her back towards the fireplace with the stockings, facing the stairwell, front door, and kitchen, then smiled as Laura readjusted the blanket over her. Kate let herself relax with a deep sigh, the soft blanket covering her shoulders, and when Laura briefly touched her shoulder, she reached up to cover her hand.
“Get some rest, you need it,” Laura encouraged, smiling at Kate, and Kate nodded, then her eyes closed. Within a couple of minutes, she watched the tension completely disappear from Kate's face and smiled fondly at the young woman. About an hour passed as Clint and she enjoyed the silence while their children were asleep, Laura silently watching Kate while she slept. The first indicator that Kate's sleep wasn't entirely peaceful was when a sound like a whine or whimper came from her, and her face scrunched up. Laura sighed and took Kate's right hand hanging outside the blanket, and gently squeezed it while she watched Kate's face. She turned as she heard footsteps on the stairs, causing her to see Cooper, Lila, and Nate coming down. "Good morning," she softly called, smiling, and squeezed Kate's hand again. "I'll start making breakfast for you in a few minutes," she continued, and her children nodded.
"Is Kate ok?" Lila asked as Kate whined in her sleep again, and Laura sighed heavily.
"She didn't sleep well last night, so she's getting some much-needed rest, and I would like for you guys to be courteous to her," Laura softly responded. "Also, I'd like for you to help keep her mind off of her mom, please."
“Come on, you party animals, how about you get dressed, then let’s go outside for a while,” Clint offered, and they perked up again. He glanced over to Kate as she groaned, then silently wished for the rest of her sleep to be peaceful. "Keep an eye on her, honey, please," he asked Laura, and added, "She'll need medicine for her ribs when she wakes up. I'll take care of making lunch."
Lucky started heading toward the front door, but Laura held him back and said, “I’ll make breakfast for you guys. Don’t spend too long out there, or else you’ll freeze." Nathaniel, Lila, and Cooper nodded, then turned and ran back to their rooms, eager to spend time outside. "I'll let you know when Kate wakes up, but I'll watch her until then," she informed Clint, and he nodded.
Most of the morning passed in a blur of laughter and love for the Barton family, their honorary member enjoying a dreamless sleep. Laura glanced at the clock on the oven to check the time: 12:00 pm, then her gaze shifted to Kate, still sleeping with a peaceful expression on her face. She sighed as Kate groaned and began to shift with wakefulness; she could use a couple more hours of sleep. The front door swung open as Clint and the kids reentered the house, and Clint remarked, "I guess she's awake," when he looked over at Kate.
"She needs to rest, Clint," Laura responded as Nate, Lila, and Cooper grabbed their favorite snacks from the kitchen. Laura smiled at Kate as she opened her eyes, blinked several times, and looked around. "How are your ribs feeling?" Laura asked once she'd sat down in a chair nearby.
"Sore, and-" Kate was interrupted by her groan of pain, and she nodded in thanks as Laura handed her some medicine. Once she'd taken it, she felt Laura's hand gently rubbing her back, and she sighed, letting herself relax again.
"I'd like to take a look at your ribs, just to see how you're doing, Kate," Laura asked, and Kate nodded in response. She gently raised Kate's shirt, revealing her toned stomach and the bruised skin around her ribs, discolored to a light shade of purple. "Well, you've definitely healed a little since yesterday, but you should rest for the rest of today," Laura softly told Kate. When Kate opened her mouth to protest, Laura doubled down, "Don't make your injury worse. Let it heal, even if it's boring sitting on the couch, but your body will thank you. I'll also need to get you an ice pack for it. Stay still so you don't hurt yourself, ok?"
Kate nodded, then her phone began to ring loudly, but Laura picked it up. "Someone named Yelena is calling her," she explained as Kate yawned and stretched, and Clint sighed.
"Give me her phone, please," Clint said, but Kate's blue eyes, still bleary from sleep, stared at him. He sighed, then added, "I changed my mind, give it to Kate instead." As Laura frowned but did as he asked, he explained in a soft voice, "Yelena was the Widow hired to kill me, and the person who informed Kate that her mom is the person who hired her."
Kate thanked them both, then held her phone against her head and asked, "What's up, Yelena? I was going to call, but I-"
"You owe me drinks, Kate Bishop," Yelena interrupted in a voice that would have Kate speeding back to New York if asked to do so. "I was hoping to enjoy your company a little longer, but you ran off."
"I got invited to stay with Clint's family, and with everything that happened on Christmas Eve, I had forgotten," Kate responded. She flinched as Yelena shouted something in a language that must have been Russian, then hastily spoke, "I promise I'll buy you drinks, with a meal, when I get back. It might be a couple of days since I'm going back to college, but is that enough for you?"
"Yes, and Kate Bishop, if you need anything from me, I am happy to do what I can," Yelena responded, her smile clear in her voice. "The winter break ends around January 15th, yes?" She asked, and Kate couldn't help the noise of surprise that she knew.
"Yes, it is. I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Yelena. Take care of yourself in the meantime, and see you later," Kate responded, and she realized that it was genuine; she actually did want to see Yelena again.
"Enjoy the rest of your winter break with Barton. Take care of yourself as well, Kate Bishop, and I hope to see you soon," Yelena responded, then disconnected from the call.
Kate set her phone down on the table, then explained, "Yelena was just checking on me and wanted to make sure we were going to get drinks. I feel a lot better after taking a nap." She sighed as something satisfyingly popped in her shoulder, then leaned back against the pillow as Laura sat next to her with an icepack. "I think I slept awkwardly on something last night, and… ow!" She exclaimed and flinched as the icepack touched her bare skin, struggling to stay still as Laura wrapped cloth around it to hold it in place for her.
"I didn't expect it to affect you that much," Laura teased with a smile, and Kate sighed in frustration. "This way, you won't have to hold it, but you should stay on the couch for at least today." When Kate opened her mouth to protest, Laura insisted, "No, Kate. I've seen agents insist that they're fine, but collapse three days later and require extensive medical care to survive."
Kate rolled her eyes, but nodded and let herself lie back against the two pillows, then sighed. She glanced at Laura just in time to see the warm smile spread, and she managed a faint one in return. "It feels rude to be on my phone. Got any interesting stories to tell?" The smile on Laura's face shifted to mischievous, and Clint shook his head at her as he walked into the kitchen.
"Yes, plenty of them, Kate. Though Clint might disapprove of some of them," and Kate really, really wanted to chuckle, but already, she felt the grief of her mom brush the feeling away. She deeply sighed, nodded in thanks as Laura squeezed her hand, and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. Laura sighed as she looked at Kate, then smiled and began, "Clint, Natasha, and I were assigned to destroy a HYDRA bioweapon in a secret facility that we had found on a different mission. We found the weapon, but they must have gotten informed that we were going to destroy it, because a bomb was left in its place. We managed to escape, but Clint and Nat got infected with something really nasty. They had to be quarantined for a few weeks, stuck taking care of each other. I couldn't bring myself to touch him for a couple of weeks after that. That was nearly ten years ago, and I still don't know everything Clint and Nat talked about."
"That's because you don't need to know," Clint said as he handed Kate a steaming mug, and she took a sip, then her eyes lit up. "We should be careful, don't want Kate getting addicted to our hot chocolate."
Kate set the mug down on the table next to her, then smiled and remarked, "I think I already am."
Clint sighed and asked, "Are you hungry for lunch, just a snack, or not at all? I'm making soup for everyone, along with grilled cheese."
Kate took another sip, then responded, "I'll be ready for lunch once I'm finished with this, Clint. I don't know what I would be doing if I hadn't accepted your invitation." She smiled in thanks, then let herself sink back into the couch as she tucked the blanket a bit tighter around herself.
"We're glad too, Kate," Laura responded, then frowned. "Do you have a nickname you'd be comfortable with me calling you instead? Kate just sounds…. too formal for my taste."
"Katie is fine," Kate answered, then a guilty smile spread on her face. "Katherine was always used when I was in big trouble, but that wasn't very often. I don't know if you care, but Elizabeth is my middle name." She chuckled slightly, then elaborated, "At least I have an easy name to change to if I need it; same amount of letters, and a shortened version."
Laura raised an eyebrow and smiled in amusement, then encouraged, "Well, that won't be necessary, hopefully. For now, Kate, keep relaxing so your ribs can get better, ok?" Kate nodded and sighed, taking another swig of the hot chocolate.
Kate grinned as she set the hot chocolate down on the table next to her, then commented, "I'll definitely relax most of my body, but my mouth and mind will definitely be active."
Laura retorted, "Clint said you almost drove him mad with how many quips and comments you made; perhaps it'd be best to let even that rest," and Kate nodded.
Kate drained the last of her hot chocolate, offered it to Laura, and smiled in thanks as she took her mug into the kitchen. The smile remained as Clint handed her a bowl of soup, setting the plate on the table next to her, and Lucky started sniffing her bowl. "Lucky, stop it," Kate chastised, gently pushing his head away as she took a bite, and her eyes widened. "So far, every meal has been fantastically delicious, Clint," she praised.
Clint smiled and raised an eyebrow as Kate continued her meal in silence, then remarked, "I haven't had any of my meals called fantastically delicious before. It's quite the compliment."
Kate managed a quick smile, then took another bite and made a show of enjoying it, even adding a faint moan as she ate it.
Clint rolled his eyes and sat down next to her, turning the TV on. "Not even my kids are as insufferable as you are sometimes, Kate." She smiled as she took another bite, the soup mixing wonderfully with the grilled cheese.
"Looking for anything in particular to watch?" Kate asked once she had swallowed her bite. Her bowl was nearly empty now, and her stomach was full of warm food. "Y'all are a lot more casual about eating than…." She stopped as she thought of her mom and sighed as Laura took her dishes to the kitchen. A bitter laugh escaped her as she remarked, "I guess that's the new normal every time I think of her." She managed a smile as Clint's hand covered her right hand and he gently squeezed it, her left hand petting Lucky as he lay down.
Kate drifted in and out of sleep as the afternoon marched on, the low buzz of conversation and the TV excellent white noise. She yawned and stretched as Lucky lay down next to her, and glanced at the time: 5:00 pm. Kate stretched and yawned, forcing herself to sit up so she wouldn't fall asleep again; she wouldn't sleep overnight if she did. "Hey, Kate," Clint called from where he was standing in the kitchen, "Pizza should be here in an hour, that's our dinner." She nodded and frowned as he rummaged through the cabinets, eventually bringing a small bottle over.
"What's this?" Kate asked as he opened it and took a small, white tablet out, no bigger than her fingernail. She managed a nervous smile and added, "I hope that's not going to knock me out."
Clint sighed and responded, "Well, kind of. It's something agents have used when they need to rest, but it takes a few hours to help you fall asleep. The process is natural and just helps guide your body towards sleep.” Kate nodded, put the pill in her mouth, and took a drink of water to help wash it down. She sighed and smiled warmly at Clint, silently thanking him once again for inviting her over as she relaxed into the couch.
Kate sighed and leaned on Laura as the night wore on, her head resting on her shoulder as she struggled to keep her eyes open. She shouldn't fall asleep on Laurs, but… she's so warm, tired, and safe, and it feels like she's home. Whatever medicine Clint had given her worked wonders, and she shifted to make them a little more comfortable. A blissful sigh escaped her when Laura tugged her blanket back up over her shoulders, and she finally lost the battle against keeping her eyes open. Soon after, her body relaxed entirely, and Kate, simply when she exhaled a little stronger, fell asleep.
At some point, Laura turned toward Clint to remark about the movie the family was watching, but the words drowned under a wave of pure love for Kate. "Clint," she began in a whisper, "I think you'd better take Kate up to bed."
Clint looked up at Laura when he heard just how soft her voice was, and the expression on her face was full of love for the young woman he'd brought over. He smiled as he looked at Kate's relaxed body, her head resting on Laura’s shoulder, and his heart hummed with truth as he thought: 'Kate is part of our family, and forever will be.'
Despite how little time he'd known Kate, something about her had caused love for her to begin to grow in his heart, and it wasn't ever going to leave him, no matter what. He softly smiled as he walked over softly and slid his arms under Kate, doing his best to not wake her as he lifted her off the couch. Her head fell onto his right shoulder as he carried her toward the stairs, keeping every movement as smooth as possible to avoid jostling her awake. She sighed and slightly shifted in her sleep as he took her upstairs, then, once he gently set her on her bed, she muttered, "Clint?"
Clint sighed and helped adjust her into a comfortable sleeping position, then softly replied, "Go back to sleep, Kate."
Lucky jumped up onto Kate's bed, immediately lying down next to her and wagging his tail as he licked her face a couple of times. Kate nodded, her eyes still closed as she smiled, then softly spoke again, "The day after tomorrow… I'll be ready to train. I promise." She sighed as Clint tucked her in, falling back asleep before her head was on her pillow. Clint smiled once more at Kate, then left her room, closing the door behind him.
"Kate said she'll be ready to train the day after tomorrow, but I'll see how her archery is tomorrow," Clint informed Laura as he started to change into nightclothes. "Please don't wake her up; let her sleep as long as she needs to." Laura nodded and couldn't help her smile as Clint sighed, giving him a brief hug.
I'm glad you invited her over, honey," Laura softly said as she squeezed Clint's right hand.
Clint warmly smiled and replied, "I’m also glad, but I’ll need to get her bow tomorrow so we can train. She’ll always be welcome in our home,” he promised before climbing into bed, and was asleep in just a few minutes.