Never | Steve Rogers x OC

Chapter Twenty Four

Brianna didn't remember falling asleep on the couch resting against Steve's side. That wasn't what woke her up though. It was the feeling of two children tackling her early in the morning. She shot up quickly, rubbing her sleepy eyes as they tried to adjust to being awake. When she opened them a very excited Lila and Cooper stood in front of them. She glanced over at Steve who looked equally surprised.

"Santa came!" Lila squealed.

Brianna's lips curled into a smile. "He did. Huh, I thought all those presents were for me."

"No!" Cooper exclaimed. "It's for everyone."

"Really? I talked to Santa and he told me that you guys only got coal." She asked.

Lila gaped at her sister. "You talked to Santa?"

"Oh, yeah. All the time."

She heard Laura giggle behind her. "All right you two. Give Steve and Bri time to wake up. You can open your stockings."

Brianna smiled at the two children and then turned her attention to Steve. A thin blanket covered the both of them. As much as she enjoyed sleeping next to Steve, the couch hadn't been the most comfortable thing to sleep on. She kissed him softly. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Steve returned.

"All right. They'll be none of that." Clint said as he noticed the closeness of Steve and Bri. "I want a bible's length distance between the two of you. At all times."

"Ignore you father." Laura told Brianna.

"Oh, I will."

Cooper ran up to Laura. "Can we please open our presents now?"

Laura ruffled his hair. "Yes, you can. Thank you for asking."

Brianna curled back on the couch with Steve, much to her father's dismay. Her hand was wrapped around a warm mug of coffee and she watched her siblings tear into the presents. For Cooper, she chose a few nerf guns to add to his addiction to them. Lila had requested arm bands to protect her forearms as her father taught her how to use a bow and arrow. For Nathaniel, she chose a few little baby toys for him to play with.

This was all in addition to the usual clothes and books she always got them. With every gift that they opened from her, her dad and Laura shot her a look. She just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. She would video chat with Liam and Owen later so she could see their faces when they opened the gifts from her. Buying for her dad and Laura was a different challenge. She always struggled. For Laura, she booked an all inclusive spa appointment since she deserved a much needed break.

For her dad, she got him new clothes since he only wore the worn, tattered ones he owned. He always hated buying himself clothes. Laura would attempt to mend them, but the sewing only went so far. She had protested against them getting her anything since they had to provide for three kids, but of course they didn't listen. Instead, they handed her a box wrapped in red paper.

"Technically, this is from Fury." Clint told her.

She raised an eyebrow up at him. She carefully undid the package and moved the tissue paper to the side. Her eyes landed on a name, her name; B. Barton, embroidered onto dark navy fabric. She picked it up from the box so she could unfold it. Then, she saw a familiar symbol. The SHIELD symbol. She looked up at her father confused.

"I don't understand." She admitted.

"Well, I'm tired of you stealing my SHIELD jacket. I thought it was time for you to get your own." Her dad said.

"But, I'm not an agent." She pointed out.

"Not yet." Clint said with a smile. "But you will be, one day. You have Fury's word. Whenever SHIELD is ready to hire new agents, you'll be first on that list to join."