A/N: I apologize for putting the author's note at the beginning of the chapter. HOWEVER, I have to put one up to warn newcomers that this is a continuation of a series I have termed the Of Time series. They are stories in the Captain America/Avengers sections of movies on FF (and can be found in the My Stories tab on my profile page). Because it is a continuation, I have to warn you also that the character of Holly Rogers (née Martin) and her actions and interactions in this story, as well as additional original characters, are not going to make any sense if you haven't read the previous installments. Therefore, I am going to suggest you read them, as this is AU from the MCU continuity—from near the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron on—and I have made a few changes that may catch you by surprise later on in the text. I know, it's a lot to ask you to read several additional stories before this, but I don't want you to be confused.

If you've already done so...well, welcome back. It will be a short foray into the Of Time universe, set five months after the end of Darkest Before Dawn. It was fun, jumping back to it, and experiencing a bit of Christmas in these hot summer months. I hope you'll find it interesting, as well.

With that being said, please, read on...

December 23rd, 2018

Snow and salt crunched under the tires of the truck as it maneuvered down the road. The terrain of the interior of the state had morphed, changed from mountains and forests to the coast and the sea, winter encompassing all. The black vehicle turned off the main road, a residential street just inland from the coast spilling out before it. The small, coastal town was behind them, and several large, expansive mansions were sprawled out, some with large displays and lights blinking as fiercely as they could in the daylight.

It was Christmastime in Sagaponack, and miles away from their own home, but they had made the choice to be there.

The decision had been made back in November, that particular evening passing decently enough. Steve Rogers, former commander of the Avengers and now simple civilian, was neck-deep in an assignment for his art history course. He had been enrolled in the online college since September, intent on earning a higher degree now that he had the time. With the founding of the Academy for Enhanced and Inhuman children, it fell upon several former Avengers to be instructors. Those who had formal training and the licenses to teach, like Bruce Banner, already had positions, but Steve could not operate in the same capacity. Nor did he truly aspire to that. In between taking care of his two young children, he hosted an after-school art program that mainly allowed the students something to do before dinner time. He hoped, once he got his degree, that he could parlay that into a more structured period, give some real lessons. (It had been pointed out to him that he did not actually need accreditation to do so, but his last formal training had been in 1940. It would do him some good to at least learn a bit more about modern art to help any future students if they wanted to experiment with the forms.) Frowning at his laptop, he blew out a sharp breath, blue eyes darting over the edge of the screen to watch as his son toddled after the dog. Grant, nearly two and a half years old, squealed as Bonnie, their corgi, yipped and sauntered around him, towing him with the chew rope in her mouth. Brown hair flopped over the little guy's blue eyes, and he giggled when he tugged the rope again. Snickering, Steve let out another breath, feeling hands upon his shoulders and relaxing into the touch.

Looking over his shoulder, a tiny grin came to his lips. Holly, his wife, bent further over the back of the couch and planted a kiss in his hair. She still worked in the archives department for the Avengers, which was always supplying her with new and different reports, photos and other such things to catalog and store for future perusal. Since it was a Saturday, she was home, spending her time either chasing after their son, cuddling their infant daughter Iris, or chatting with her publisher about a possible third novel (she had a storyline drafted and hidden in one of her folders on her computer, but nothing was definite yet). Her hand came up, tucking back some of her loose, brown waves behind her ear and she smiled in equal exhaustion.

"How's the paper coming?" she asked him, flicking her gaze to the laptop sitting on his thighs.

"It's coming," he responded, glancing back at the word document and also at the books surrounding him on the couch. Tiredly, he supplemented, "Slowly."

"Well, you've been at it for awhile," she remarked, glancing at the clock on the wall. Tipping her head towards the arch that separated the living room from the kitchen, she asked, "Want to take a quick break?"

Immediately, he moved his finger along the track pad, clicking on the save icon in the document.

"Yes, absolutely."

The laptop and the books were placed on the coffee table while Holly retreated briefly to the kitchen. She returned, two cans of soda for them and a filled sippy cup for their son. Handing off the drinks to her husband, she then turned and went upstairs, up to the nursery to quickly check on their daughter. Since she was still napping soundly in her crib, Holly was able to return soon enough, plopping down on the couch beside Steve and taking back one of the cans of pop. She asked after the parameters of the paper, wondering if he wanted her to proofread before sending in a final copy. Promising to ask to utilize her own formal training once he was finished, and if she had a moment to spare, he sank back against the cushions, something else weighing upon his mind.

Her dark eyes strayed from him to their son, the boy marching across the floor to his toy bin and swigging heartily from his sippy cup of juice, but her gaze settled back on him before long. The set of her face told him she suspected he was considering something, but would wait until he was ready to talk.

Draining his can of soda, he figured that he may as well get it over with.

"I actually have something to run by you," he murmured, wedging the empty can onto the coffee table between his books. Holly cocked her head to the right, shifting in her seat to face him fully.

"What is it?" she wondered, bright curiosity lining her features.

Unconsciously, he palmed his smartphone through the outside of his jeans, the device nestled snugly in his pocket. He had gotten the call a couple of hours beforehand, when Holly had taken Bonnie and Grant outside and he had been pulling lunch together. The memory of the call, of the muted desperation of the person on the other end leavened with dry wit, had him chewing the inside of his lip for a moment. Inhaling deeply, he took the plunge.

"What would you say to Christmas in Sagaponack? With Tony, Pepper, and the baby?"

Holly blinked at him, a little nonplussed. While she had nothing against the Starks or the newest addition to their family, she did not think that would merit an invitation to what was considered the summer home. Off her expression, Steve hastened to explain.

"Tony asked." Scratching the back of his neck, he adopted a sheepish look. "Actually, he kinda...begged for us to join him and Pepper, and Evie."

Holly's look of incredulity was met with Steve's frank honesty. The Stark pride was well known the world over, but the two knew there were instances in the billionaire's life where it had been broken. That this was one of those times still caught Holly off-guard, even with the sincerity in her husband's eyes.

"Weren't they planning on doing the holidays by themselves this year? Especially since Evie will only be a little over a month old?" she wondered. It was the truth; the Starks had only just welcomed their baby girl to the world the previous weekend. With all that they had to adjust to, to do, thinking about holidays seemed to be a lesser point of concern. Steve shrugged a shoulder, idly toying with a loose string on the outer hem of his jeans.

"They were, until Pepper's parents insisted on flying out and meeting them for Christmas," he declared, wincing in tandem with his wife at his words. While he had nothing against his own in-laws, he could not imagine having to host them so soon after the birth of one of his children. Grimacing slightly, he revealed how that was played upon with his friend. "They really want to meet their newest grandchild and, well, it was hard for Pepper and Stark to say no."

The brunette woman snorted audibly. "Probably because they were too sleep deprived and emotionally spent to say so."

Steve inclined his head, not about to argue against that sentiment. "Tony is hoping for a bit of back-up. Pep's already in his corner, but a little more couldn't hurt."

Holly's wince bordered on a frown when that was mentioned.

"Mr. Potts still doesn't like him, huh?" It was no secret that the man had taken an immense dislike to the fellow he called son-in-law, since Stark was all too willing to mention it in that past. He hadn't liked him since Pepper was his personal assistant, and it only increased when she accepted him into her heart.

"Unfortunately, no." Steve glanced over at Grant, who was currently flopping into his little bean bag chair and snuggling with the dog, and blew out a sigh. "I know what we had planned, but I don't want to leave him out to dry like this. Not when he's asking for help."

"I...I was looking forward to a Christmas with just us this year," she replied softly, the creeping edges of disappointment in her voice. After the all that had happened over the last year—the Avengers going to war with Thanos, nearly losing Steve to torture and chaos, and Iris's birth being the most prominent—they had come to the conclusion that, until the baby had her first birthday, they would spend the coming holidays as a family.

(Given that Steve had also retired from being an Avenger, she had joked that most people used their retirement to travel, not stay at home. He'd proclaimed he'd seen far too much of it, and without her or the kids, and he would be more than happy to discover what was out his own back door.)

Thanksgiving, even though they would be spending it with the others, would be happening at their home again that year. But Christmas...that was meant for the four of them. Well, five, including Bonnie. She couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened at potentially losing that.

"I know," he responded, reading the emotion in her voice clearly. Carefully taking her hand in his, he supplied, "This is a special circumstance."

The brunette woman beside him bit her lip, her brow furrowing as she considered the proposal. It wasn't an easy thing he was asking of her; it would be all but guaranteed that there would be some familial conflict, and it wasn't something either of them relished. But then again, neither of them would have to worry about pulling together a dinner for them, and they really hadn't gone anywhere since visiting her best friend in Maryland back in July. And Thanksgiving, while it would encompass a good portion of their friends, would be all their responsibility; it wouldn't be so bad to be somewhere different for the next holiday.

"I suppose Christmas by the ocean could be fun," she intoned slowly, running a finger over the scar above her eyebrow. "And the kids will like it. At least the one who can actually play outside will."

Steve grinned at her joking words, a flicker of hope lighting his irises.

"So I can tell him we'll be coming?" he asked. When she nodded her compliance, he exhaled in a form of relief. Leaning forward, he pecked a kiss on her cheek. "Good. I promise, I'll make this up to you."

Her eyebrows rose, and then she lifted a finger, pointing at him while seizing the opportunity.

"New Year's, just us," she stated, no room for debate left. After thinking for a few more seconds, she tacked on, "And a back massage."

Steve narrowed his gaze upon her, pretending as if he would consider the proposal, before letting out a long sigh.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, accepting the poke in his side and the kiss she planted on his lips before she got up.

And, true to his word, Steve and Holly had packed up his truck after church on the morning of December 23rd. The kids and the corgi were strapped into their seats, Grant whining a little at the prospect of a road trip and Iris gurgling as she bopped a stuffed cow toy around. A few hours—and four quick stops to change diapers and endure a toddler-sized meltdown—passed before the village appeared before them, almost picturesque with its snow drifts and decorated storefronts filtering by as they drove. Negotiating the turns, the house that Tony and Pepper owned was in sight, the soft gray siding stretching out as the building got nearer. Coming to the end of the gated driveway, the HUD display that had been installed in Steve's truck popped up, the accented voice of JJ (JARVIS's replacement was still operating, though Tony had recently started experimenting with one called FRIDAY) welcoming them to the property. Two Iron Legionnaires flanked the gate, though they remained still as he punched in the code he'd been given by Tony a few days ago. As the gate opened, JJ relayed that Mister Stark and his family were out at the moment, off to fetch a few last-minute goods for the next few days. Holly absently thanked the UI, habit now ingrained since it was also installed at their home, too, and Steve shook his head silently.

There were still times in which he could not believe what time he was living in, after what he'd grown up. He reckoned he would never truly stop, either, and so didn't fight it.

Parking the truck, he let out a sigh of relief, looking at the large house and feeling the memories of the place flood back to him. It had been at that house and that little village that Holly and he had spent their honeymoon, warm July nights spilling into hot, balmy days. Quite a contrast, in comparison to that moment.

"Well, this place hasn't changed," he pronounced, unbuckling his seat belt. Holly leaned forward, peering up at the house through the windshield and smirking.

"You're the one who has the memory to prove that's true." After cutting a fast look to him, she softened her smirk into a small grin. "But yeah, I don't think it has. Well, except for the fact that we're not on our honeymoon this time."

He nodded, letting out a slow exhale before Grant's squawks pulled them both back into the present moment. Iris echoed her brother, and the little corgi clipped into the seat between them began to shift and yip, sensing the change in the air. Following his wife's lead, he got out of the truck, releasing Iris's car seat and hefting it out, quickly swooping in and clipping a leash to Bonnie's harness before unhooking her from the center seat. On the other side, Holly got Grant out of his seat, his little travel backpack slung over her shoulder along with her purse. Carrying their children and guiding the dog, the two adults approached the house, intent on getting the little ones inside before attempting to bring in the rest of their things. The front door unlocked and swung open for them—a modification that had been built since the last time they were there—revealing the credenza by the front staircase. Having been designated rooms in the basement (for privacy, Pepper had told them, given that they would likely want it at certain parts of the upcoming days), they turned to find the staircase that led to it. They would have to go through the living room to a back hallway, but it would be worth it.

"Woah," Steve murmured, halting in place once over the threshold to the living room. "It looks like the Christmas display at Macy's exploded in here."

Looking around as well, she had to concede that he was right. The large, wide rooms had garlands and ribbons edging along the trim, snowflakes attached on the high ceilings. Silver and gold knick-knacks, ranging from reindeer to elves dotted the side tables, end tables, and empty spaces of shelves. Stockings were hung on the mantle of the fireplace, one for each of them (and a small, worn one with stains and tears bearing the name Jarvis), and another wreath was placed above that. Framed by the bay of windows was a tall, broad noble fir, capped with a star and laden with ornaments and lights. It glowed red and gold, the gentle blinks of it bouncing off the expertly-wrapped presents beneath it.

"Geez," Holly breathed, shifting their son in her arms and shaking her head. "I'm a little afraid to touch anything."

Steve chuckled, and then Grant started to wiggle and squirm.

"Mama, down!" he begged, and she complied, setting him firmly on his feet. His little boots clomped as he tore across the room, blue eyes wide as he stopped and stared up at the bedecked fir. His high voice reflected awe as he crooned, "Big tree."

"It is a big tree, bud," she agreed, sucking in a fast breath when Grant toddled towards the branches. Steve shifted in his stance, but both froze when the boy plucked a ball ornament and threw it. When it bounced harmlessly across the floor, the distinct of plastic meeting their ears instead of glass, both parents let out a gasp of relief. Spying the bit of ribbon trailing away from its top, Holly clasped her hands together. "Plastic ornaments at the bottom with no metal hooks. God bless them."

"Amen," her husband retorted. Clicking his tongue, he called out to the toddler, nodding to the flight of steps which led to the lower portion of the house. "C'mon, let's go see what our rooms are like."

Proceeding to the back stairs, they descended to the basement, the family room down there likewise decorated. Another tree, coated with ornaments portraying Steve's old shield and insignia, sat in the corner, and he looked heavenward for a moment.

"Oh, look at that," Holly crooned suddenly. "They set up the niche for Bonnie."

Looking over to where she was pointing, Steve snorted audibly. It was true; an alcove in the wall in the family room had been converted into a little dog's paradise. A comfy, wadded flannel bed with worn blankets piled inside it was set snugly within, emulating the one back home for her. A little wreath decorated with wooden dog bones was tacked to the wall above it, and several toys were perched around it as well. A mat was set out for the travel dishes the family had brought with for her, complete with cartoon dogs wearing Santa hats.

Putting Iris's car seat down, the blond fellow knelt beside the leashed animal, who was now squirming to get free and sniff her temporary home.

"You are gonna be one spoiled pup this year, Bon," he told her, scratching around her neck before unclasping the harness from the leash. At once, the corgi tore away from him, flopping into the bed and rooting her nose into the haul that had been left for her.

"Bon-bon!" Grant cheered, about to toddle forward to play with her, but his mother's tight grip on his coat made him pause.

"Let's go see your room, huh?" she enticed him, herding the child away from the now-nesting dog down the hall. Two guest rooms had wreaths upon them, each bearing the Rogers children's names. Striding up to the one designated for Grant, Holly turned the handle and opened the door. The room was not festooned like the others (like she had nervously anticipated). The light blue on the walls did have a few glittering snowflakes tacked onto them, and the bedding for the crib sported snowmen, but it otherwise remained as a rather typical nursery—minus the high-end furniture, which had Holly raising her eyebrows considering they would only be there through the twenty-eighth. In the corner was a plush rocking chair in deep blue, complete with moving stool. Drawn in by the sheer amount of stuffing, Grant shuffled over to the chair, making the grabbing motions with his hands to his mother. When she went to him, he brokenly demanded his travel bag, the bright-colored backpack dropped on the ground beside him. Unzipping it fast, the boy reached into it, withdrawing his two favorite stuffed animals that he could not do without.

"Raffie go here," the toddler declared, placing the stuffed animal directly in the center of the chair. Grabbing out another one, which was a sheep with his name stitched upon it, he stated, "Ship, too."

Holly smiled softly, warmth in her heart as her boy cuddled the sheep for a moment before placing it by the giraffe. Ship the Sheep was a baptism gift from Tony, and a small part of her was glad that the boy's still loved the toy from one of his Avenger uncles.

Steve, bringing Iris across the hall, called to his wife to check her bedroom out, too. Fearing a possible pink explosion, she was relieved to see that her daughter's nursery was a mild yellow, with similar snowflakes on the walls and the furniture of a lighter wood.

"Man, what do you think Evie's room looks like?" she breathed, taking in the richness of the furniture provided for them as her husband began to unbuckle their daughter from her car seat.

"Here, or back at the Tower?" he replied, glancing up at her and chortling. "That one probably is a princess's paradise. It likely has a real throne built into it somewhere. Tony definitely dotes on that girl."

Watching as Steve lifted Iris out and pecked her cheek, she smiled softly.

"Like he's the only father to do so."

The corner of his mouth lifted, the baby cuddled closer to his chest for a moment.

"Guilty," he conceded, another peck placed in his daughter's hair. Grant came running in to them, then, and he cleared his throat, looking from the boy to the baby. "Alright, you two. You're gonna have naps, and then we're all gonna see Uncle Tony and Auntie Pepper, okay?"

"No, no nap!" Grant insisted, shaking his head hard. Despite having stumbled in his boots, and the fact that he was rubbing his eyes, he would likely not go down without a fight. Sharing a look with her husband, Holly bent at the waist and ruffled her son's hair.

"How about a story in the chair, then?" she offered, sneaking a sly glance to Steve as Grant nodded happily. Herding him back into his bedroom, she helped him out of his coat and snowpants, boots following before he ran to the chair and began to crawl up onto it. Steve tended to Iris, the baby far more amenable to a nap and thus giving him the chance to get her to sleep and tend to their own bags. He made a couple trips in and out of the house, bringing in the presents and the last of their things. Once he'd put out Bonnie's dishes and filled one with water—the corgi gnawing on a chewy rope beside her alcove—he went back to the room that had been marked as his and Holly's. Pushing the gathered items inside, he only stopped to look around once he was done.

The soft white of the walls was broken up by the garland lining the window frame and doorways. One door was ajar, showing the en suite bathroom and their toiletry bags dropped onto the double vanity within. The king-sized bed was adorned with flannel sheets and crowned with a deep red comforter, a patterned blanket placed at the foot. And stretching over the side to one of the end tables was Holly, plugging in the monitors to the kids' rooms and her green sweater riding up to expose her waist.

Watching her for a moment, Steve grinned to his feet as he started to remove his outerwear.

"How long?" he asked her, toeing off his boots. A light chuckle came, and he glanced up as his wife flopped backward into the bank of pillows lining the head of the mattress.

"He was out by page three," she told him, sitting up again as he shucked off his coat and gloves. Her dark eyes roamed the room again, approval lining her gaze. Keeping her tone light, she jokingly remarked, "It's not the master bedroom, but I think we'll be fine."

Recalling as well as she did the master bedroom of the house, where they had spent a good portion of their honeymoon hours a few years ago, Steve smirked. Crossing over to the bed, he sat down on it, bouncing in his seat a few times before nodding.

"Yep," he pronounced, leaning back and patting the center of the comforter. "No dip in the mattress."

Holly giggled, leaning back into the pillows again. "So I won't roll on top of you."

Swinging his legs up, Steve took a moment to savor the wider bed and the room it provided. Then he looked over at Holly, at the distance between them, and he shrugged. Their mattress at home was smaller, but he liked the closeness of sleeping with her.

"Roll this way, anyway, sweetheart," he prompted her, shifting down to lay his head on a single pillow. "We both gotta nap while we can, too."

Eagerly, she complied, resting her head on his chest after kissing his cheek. Looping his arm around her, he let a slow breath crawl out of his nose before pecking her hair. And when he looked up, spotting the mistletoe strung from the ceiling, he was hard-pressed not to laugh or roll his eyes.

xXxXxXx

It was an hour or two after lunchtime—which the Rogers clan had managed to figure out in the the kitchen that would make a chef think they had died and gone to heaven—that the Starks had returned from their outing, Tony carrying in a few bags while Pepper pushed a stroller in, the wheels clicking and whirring as they converted to ones that could roll easier on the floors. Hugs and handshakes were dealt all around, the two families able to greet another more amicably than any had thought possible, given what had happened a couple years prior. Time, and war, had changed things, but Tony and Steve could confidently call one another friend again, and their wives enjoyed closeness as well. Grant had hurtled himself at "Uncle Ton's" legs, smiling broadly as the older man snorted and smirked down at him. Iris, held by her mother, was carried over, the seven-month-old girl's brown gaze blinking behind the wisps of dark blond hair as she was introduced.

The purchases made were set to one side, coats and boots taken off before all adjourned to the living room. There, Tony and Pepper sank down onto one of the couches, little Evelyn Stark laid in her mother's lap. The toddler crowed about the new baby, but before he could run over to see her, his father stopped him. Kneeling down, the blond man saw his son's eyes widen, the little guy knowing his daddy was about to be serious with him.

"You can say hi, Grant, but she's a baby, remember," Steve told the boy, holding both his hands and looking him directly in the eye. "You have to be gentle, like with your sister. Be nice."

"Otay, I be nice, Daddy," Grant said, nodding and looking grave as he did so. Under his daddy's guiding hand, he was hoisted up onto the couch beside Auntie Pepper. Kneeling on the cushions, he put a bracing hand on her shoulder, peering down at the younger girl in her arms. Big blue eyes stared down as Evie shifted, yawning as her hands rose and fell, tugging at the ends of the sleeves of her romper. When dark eyes opened, assessing him, too, he smiled broadly. "Hi."

Evie blinked again, a short coo coming out as she stared back at the older boy. Carefully, he reached out, his bigger hand curling around her tiny one,his thumb squeezed in her grip. Holly gave out a soft exclamation at the sweetness of the boy, phone raised to take a few pictures while he wasn't paying her any attention.

"Her a pretty baby," he half-whispered, looking up at Pepper and grinning.

Tony's eyebrow rose, and he crossed his arms. "Better dial it back, Mini-Don Juan."

Steve rolled his eyes, straightening his stance. "Tony, he's just being nice."

Holly's dark gaze slid from the children up to the other parents and a smirk sprang onto her lips.

"Although, wouldn't it be sweet if they...?" she started to imply, lowering her phone and tucking it into a pocket. Immediately, the billionaire shook his head.

"Nope, never."

Pepper's elbow dug into his side, and he gasped as she smiled down at Grant.

"Don't mind him," she told the boy's parents. "It's cute."

"Hmm," the billionaire grunted, rubbing the sore spot exaggeratedly. Grant, oblivious to the conversation that had happened, gave the baby's arm one more pat before crawling off the couch, intent on finding Bonnie and playing with her once more. Sharing a fast look with Holly, Steve shuffled after the boy, Tony on their heels to give the women a little space to speak. The brunette joined the redhead on the couch, each of them tending to their girls and chatting for awhile.

"How are you surviving, Pepper?" Holly asked, her tone lowered so as to keep the question as private as possible. She knew how tough it could be, transitioning to motherhood and caring for a tiny human, even if her circumstances were not exactly the same as her friend's. Pepper looked up at her, the light of the tree catching and softening the smudges of darkness beneath her eyes. A little more careworn, a little more frazzled, but she still met Holly's gaze frankly.

"It's a challenge. One I don't think anything can ever prepare you for," she murmured plainly. "But..."

She looked down at the baby in her lap, a coo and dark eyes blinking up at her, and she smiled.

"...It's worth it," she breathed, bending and pressing a light peck against Evie's forehead.

"Yeah," Holly agreed, smiling gently and looking down at her own daughter. Flicking her gaze back up to Pepper, she cleared her throat and asked innocently, "So, are you planning on pumping during your first board meeting once you go back to work?"

Pepper threw her head back, laughing hard enough to shake a little. Raising a fist, she was giggling when Holly obliged her with a bumped of her own against it.

"It would be something else to see all those stuffy suits squirm," she pronounced, the gleam in her light irises clear. Holly lifted a shoulder, smirking and playing up the nonchalance in her tone.

"Well, you are a busy woman. You have every right to accommodate yourself while, you know, running one of the largest companies on the globe."

"And all while praying I don't laugh too hard or...yeah," Pepper retorted, sharing a knowing glance with the younger woman. Exhaling loudly, she tipped her head to the left. "But that's my life. How's yours been since we last talked?"

With the demands of being a new parent, there was little time for either her or Tony to be as in touch as they had been in the past. While she knew her friend and her family were alright, she knew this was her chances to get some details. A frown immediately came to Holly's lips, and the sharp breath that shot out her nose gave the other woman an idea of what was about to come, but she sat and waited for it.

"I honestly think my department head is gunning for me. After everything that happened last spring, he's been so passive aggressive and just a pain. If you don't eat, sleep, and breathe archives, you're useless. Having the base leader as a family friend doesn't help, especially when she pulled strings to keep you on the payroll."

Pepper inclined an eyebrow. Maria Hill had so much for all of them over the last several years. In the most recent past, she had shielded those with close attachments to the Avengers from Secretary Ross, as the man was intent on finding them and unearthing team members' locations when they went off-world to meet Thanos. Pepper was untouchable in that regard, but she had found out that Holly had been sent into hiding until interest in her had waned and the Avengers had returned. That Maria had effectively kept her employed was not surprising, but the antagonistic response was.

"Any option to move on?" she asked, a modicum of concern in her voice. "I know you're getting royalties for your books."

Holly canted her head. "That is true, but I'm no millionaire. I don't want us to be dependent on Steve's pension, or the extra he gets from hosting the art hours at the Academy. I don't want us to fall behind because of me, especially since he's in school now, too. But I don't know how much longer I have."

The other woman's eyebrow spiked higher. "So no plans at all?"

"Not so much a plan as a dream," Holly confessed slowly. It wasn't something she considered to be more than a passing fancy, but once it occurred to her, she couldn't entirely shake it. "There's this old storefront in the village nearby. It could be a great bookstore, but again, any savings we have is for the family."

As she looked back down at Iris, who had sneezed and kicked her legs, Pepper's gaze assessed her.

"I see," she nearly whispered, no other remark made on the subject and attention turning onto her own baby.

Across the room, the two men were leaning against the long, sleek bar. Tony and Steve were taking a moment to catch up themselves. Though both had effectively retired from superhero work, they still wished to remain involved with their friends and old teammates in some capacity. Rhodey was still acting in a consultant capacity to the teams, and had been out to California recently to inspect a prospective recruit, at Fury's behest, before meeting up with his sister's family. Steve told about how Sam and his wife Kay were going to meet her family in Ohio, and that Natasha and Bucky would be spending time at the Bartons homestead once they got back from another mission themselves. The team across the pond was busy as well, but they'd sent out photos of the office holiday party, one with Pietro and Wanda holding up a menorah in the background as Chapman and the others had various degrees of humor on their faces.

While in the midst of talking about finishing his first semester of college, Steve watched as Tony accepted a fluffy toy ball from Grant, tossing it underhand across the room for the little boy to run after. After Grant brought it back and the process repeated a few more times, the blond man snorted.

"My son isn't a dog, you know," he remarked, shaking his head.

Tony shrugged, grinning a little as the toddler grabbed the ball again. "He's entertained, though."

Exhaling slowly, Steve clicked his tongue, changing the course of the conversation.

"So when do your in-laws arrive?" he asked, watching without surprise as Tony visibly deflated.

"Tomorrow," the brunet man groaned, leaning harder against the bar.

Glancing around the living room, the former commander inquired, "Are they staying here?"

"No, thank God. They're staying at a hotel in town. Despite the fact that this is an eight-bedroom house, they insisted on 'not imposing.'" Stark rolled his eyes, letting out a bitter scoff as his friend frowned in sympathy. "They're there on my dime, as a peace offering, but William Potts is still such a gem about it."

"Oh, boy."

Another groan, and Grant returned, pressing the ball into his father's grip that time. Before he could do as Uncle Ton did, the little guy ran over to where the corgi was trotting around the tree, each barely avoiding crashing into it as they capered and cantered around the branches.

"Do you have any recommendations on how to deal during a major holiday after the birth of your child and in-laws who despise you?" Tony asked Steve after several seconds, scrubbing a hand over his forehead. "We avoided it at Thanksgiving, but, well…"

Steve glanced away guiltily, scratching the curve of his jaw. "Mine don't really have any problems with me."

The billionaire spiked an eyebrow, giving him a deadpan look. "Really? No problems at all, Mr. AARP?"

Steve shot him a smirk, lifting a shoulder.

"Age is a state of mind, not a number, Tony." When the brunet man continued to squint at him, the former commander sighed. "Okay, they did have a little issue with that at the beginning, but we've got it worked out. As it turns out, they were only mildly uncomfortable. My grandmother-in-law is worse."

Tony's eyebrows rose, and he opened his mouth to ask about that particularly nugget of information. However, he stopped himself from asking when he noticed Steve's pensive look, the seriousness invading him not something that could be glossed over.

"Look, all I'll say is just be polite; don't feed into confrontation but don't roll over and take it," he advised his friend, affixing a small grin as his son ran back to him. Lifting him up and sitting the toddler on his lap, Steve glanced up at Tony again, the set of his jaw stiffening as he stated, "And, if they really go after you or your wife's choices, handle it accordingly."

Stark nodded, leaning back in his seat. A few moments of silence reigned between the men, broken by the corgi's yips and Grant's chattering. When the little guy was put back down again, and allowed to crawl over to his mother, his gaze focused on his own wife and child.

"You know, I can take it when the old man goes after me," he confessed quietly, twinges of ire and pain reflecting in his eyes. "But Pep…she doesn't deserve it. And neither does Evie."

Fierce, strong emotion well up in him as he thought about Evie suffering for her parentage. His little girl didn't deserve to have slurs and hard looks thrown her way because of him. That he'd made mistakes in the past was all too clear, but they weren't hers to bear. Nor were they Pepper's, who was still proving that she was something of a saint to put up with him.

He could only hope that the in-laws would, for once, be of the same mind as him.

"I agree," Steve said, cutting through his thoughts. "Which is why we're here, remember."

Tony snickered without humor. "Trust me, I do. I'm also hoping the multiple children will also be a good deterrent."

"Because who doesn't love babies and toddlers, right?"

Tony clicked his tongue and pointed at him, unapologetic. "Right."

Steve snickered, the good humor surfacing and gone within moments. The brunet man began to absently rub at the center of his chest, chewing his lip as he tried to think of some solution. There was nothing for it, though; he had agreed to hosting his in-laws, had agreed for Pepper and Evie's sake, and was not about to back out. He just wished there was a way to make it all more...tolerable.

A hand came down on his shoulder, Steve giving him a couple solid pats in commiseration.

"You'll get through this," he said, his voice hushed. "You guys aren't on your own."

Dark eyes glanced up, and Tony smirked again. It was uneasy, and unsteady, but it was there.

"Thanks, Cap," he told him, the corner of his mouth lifting higher.

Steve grinned back, giving his shoulder one last pat. "Anytime, Iron Man."

The rest of the day wound down, the families converging upon the kitchen area once more, a flurry of bottles and tiny plastic ware for the children while the adults took turns eating when they could. The promise of the next day, of a catering company delivering a full-course meal, was something they all were looking forward to. Night came early, as it always had in winter, with Iris out by seven and Grant nodding off in his father's arms by eight. Evie, managing roughly four hours at a time those days, had gone down as well, Tony and Pepper hastening to their room to sleep while they could. Good nights were passed, and the families parted ways. Well, at least Steve went downstairs first. Holly came down shortly afterward, a big grin on her lips as she entered the bedroom.

"Pepper let me peek into the baby's room upstairs," she confided, heading over to her suitcase and unzipping it. As her husband tilted his head in curiosity, she reported, "She doesn't have a throne. Some really nice pieces, but nothing outrageous."

Steve chuckled, the reminder of his words from earlier making his shrug.

"Didn't think so," he responded, adjusting the pajama pants he'd changed into a few minutes before she'd come to the room. Combing a hand through his hair, he said, "Her mom is a little too grounded to put up with extravagant for an infant."

Holly snorted, pulling out the large flannel shirt and shorts she preferred to sleep in.

"Tony painted racing stripes on the crib. And has digital banner along the wall displaying her stats as recorded by JJ," she intoned flatly, inclining her eyebrows. "She puts up with it a little."

Steve chuckled at that.

"I suppose so," he murmured, padding over to the bathroom and getting out his toothbrush. Turning on the faucet, he cleared his throat and raised his voice to continue speaking. "Tomorrow's going to be interesting."

The sardonic nature of his words was not lost on his wife, who let out a hard laugh.

"Yeah, no kidding," she retorted as he ran the toothbrush under the water and scrounged up the toothpaste. Her soft footsteps heralded her arrival to the bathroom as well, her own toiletry bag poked at for a minute. Glancing up at him while he brushed his teeth, she asked facetiously, "Think it's too late to hide out in Maryland?"

Steve couldn't suppress the snort coming out of his nose, and he rinsed the foam from his mouth shortly afterward.

"Given that you told me Sarah and Aaron are in Virginia at the moment, it might be a little difficult to get into their place to hide," he replied, toothbrush rinsed again and placed in a holder. Resting his hip against the vanity, he inquired, "Do they even have baby stuff yet?"

Holly smiled to herself at the thought of her best friend. It had been a few months since they'd visited her and her husband in Annapolis, and it was during that visit that the petite blonde woman had confessed that she might be pregnant. Keeping it a secret as requested, Holly was overjoyed to share the news with Steve when Sarah finally confirmed it a few weeks later.

"They have a couple things," she professed, though she knew that her friend only possessed a few pieces of baby clothes. The weight of the coming day was starting to sit upon her shoulders, and she let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, well. We'll be fine."

Her husband nodded, before stepping away from his spot and coming up behind her. Palms rose and started rub up and down her arms, attempting to soothe her worries. Idly, she wondered if he was providing himself some comfort in the action as well doing so for her. He bent and kissed her temple, meeting her gaze through the mirror.

"Here's hoping," he muttered, another peck given before he turned and left the bathroom. It was all they could do for the moment. Hope, and pray, that the following day would be better than they were all anticipating it to be.

A/N 2: Try to keep that hope alive, Steve. You're gonna need it.

This is shaping up to be an interesting foray, huh?...I'm enjoying myself, for sure.

Remember, this is only part one. Read on for the exciting conclusion!

Just as a reminder, I own nothing from the MCU, nor do I own any other pop culture references made in the text (Marvel comics, etc.).
Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you all for the next chapter!