Chapter Text
“Clint.” Natasha smiled, sitting on his hips before he could even open his eyes.
“Hello, my love.” He whispered, opening one of his eyes and realizing it wasn’t even six yet.
“Do you know what today is?” She smirked, looking down at him and trailing her finger down his abs.
“November 19th.” He laughed, taking both of her hands.
“Do you understand the significance of today?” She asked, leaning down to kiss him.
“It is your due date. And the day our baby girl is full term. And the day you have been insisting that she was going to be born for over six months.” He whispered after she pulled away from him, already knowing exactly what she wanted.
“Bruce said she’s good to come whenever, the nursery is fully set, the house is ready for when we feel we can move in. She’s tracking to be six pounds and I’m fine losing that bet to Pepper if it means I get to meet our little girl today.” She insisted, starting to pull at the waistband of his shorts.
“Natasha.” He smiled, just wanting her to beg for it a little bit more.
“The avengers are shut down for the day. Pepper insisted on it after she missed out on the birthday pool. Fury is on light duty, Maria is in the tower, James is cleaning every single one of his guns and Steve should already be half suited up. Maria is even waking Sam up in half an hour, and Rhodey started patrol 20 minutes ago.”
“Oh? Is that so?” He teased, sitting up in bed and kissing her again.
“It is. You need to make sure she comes today. I’m tired of waiting. She needs to come today.” She said, smirking at him.
“And what exactly would you like me to do to make that happen? I thought you didn’t want her to come a moment before she was ready to.” He teased again, he was going to give her anything she wanted, especially today, but he was having too much fun.
“I haven’t had a contraction in 24 hours, that is 12 hours too long. Get her out of me, and you know every single damn thing I want. Don’t play with me, not today, your child needs to come out today, I don’t give a damn about the consequences, you should be happy I let you sleep until 5:30.” Natasha nearly threatened, letting her eyes dance across his body.
“You need more sleep, Natasha, especially if you are insisting on having our child today. Bruce said your labor probably won’t be short, but we can go a couple of rounds until you take a nap. And your belly dropped two days ago, Bruce said it might be a couple of days until she’s fully ready, she likes it in her mama.” He smiled, but kissed her anyway.
“Start fucking me Barton. I am carrying your child, Bruce won’t induce me today, so you’ve got to make it happen. I’m done, I want her out.” She nearly yelled, already taking off the sports bra she had been sleeping in in case her labor started in the middle of the night and she didn’t want to wake anyone up yet.
“Yes, ma’am.” he laughed, starting.
“Don’t touch me.” Natasha nearly yelled, looking at the clock.
“Natasha, please don’t be mad. I’m sorry it didn’t work. I don’t know what you wanted me to do. She doesn’t want to come yet, so she isn’t going to come.” He sighed, walking into the nursery as she sat in the rocking chair.
“I wanted you to get your child out of me! 36 hours! 36 hours without even a hint of a contraction. I hate you!” She screamed, rolling her eyes.
“I know, and I’m sorry. She’s been in you for nine months, she’s bigger than I think you are comfortable with, and she has decided she isn’t going to be born today. I’m sorry, love. But our daughter is just as stubborn as you, and I think you need to accept that.” He explained, walking up to her anyway and taking her hand.
“I’m still mad at you.” She whispered, waiting for him to kiss her.
“I know, and you will be until she’s in your arms.” He laughed, kissing her.
“Sam better win the pool. He said he’s putting all of the money into the wedding fund, which I find laughable because I’ve had Maria’s wedding fund set up for ten years.” Natasha smiled as he helped her out of the chair.
“Well, she is your baby sister. I’m not surprised.” He laughed, kissing her again as both of their phones went off.
“The hell?” Natasha asked, pulling it off of the dresser.
Clint was retired, officially, at least from S.H.I.E.L.D. he was still an avenger, but that wasn’t something you could retire from, all of them knew that.
“Tony?” Clint asked, reading the message on his phone.
“Yeah.” Natasha sighed, taking a deep breath and going to put leggings back on instead of shorts.
“You aren’t shipping out, not for anything. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to let you leave right now.” Natasha started, rolling her eyes as she decided she couldn’t wear a bra anymore and put one of his sweatshirts on.
“Natasha, I don’t know if that’s going to be an option right now.” Clint sighed, taking her hand.
“Your daughter is almost officially late. You aren’t fucking leaving.” She argued as they walked into the elevator.
“Tasha. I know. But you know the deal, if you aren’t actively in labor, I have to respond. Barnes still isn’t cleared for Avengers duties, he will be here, and the moment the doctor and you decide it’s go time, I turn the jet around and push it at max speed back to you.”
Natasha rolled her eyes and walked into the meeting room to find Tony and Steve waiting at the table.
“You guys had one fucking job! Keep the world from ending until my daughter is in my arms, and all of you decided to fuck that up too?” Natasha screamed at him in Italian.
“I know, I earned that one. I know I did.” Tony sighed, shaking his head.
“He couldn’t even do his job and send me into labor today, and I almost killed him for it! You think I won’t do that to you?” She continued.
“Natasha. Stop yelling at him in languages I don’t understand.” Clint sighed, pulling her chair out for her and bringing over her laptop.
“Don’t talk to me.” She warned, rolling her eyes.
“How do you feel Natasha?” Steve asked, hoping he wasn’t actively setting off a nuclear bomb.
“Nine months pregnant.” She growled, opening the laptop and trying to find whatever the hell it was that everyone needed.
“Fair enough.” Steve whispered, pulling the paperwork closer to himself.
“Where the hell are the rest of the idiot brigade!” Natasha screamed, waiting for them to come in.
“Bruce isn’t on this one. Rhodey was in the gym, he missed his workout this morning, he’s on his way up. I’m not sure where Sam is, but he should be here incredibly soon. Fury is on his way, he just scanned into the tower. That’s it for this one.” Tony explained calmly, just hoping she wouldn’t start speaking Russian, he could handle Italian, the Russian terrified him.
“So you’re going to take my husband! You’re going to take him into god only knows where the day before a fucking snowstorm, when I am nine months pregnant! I took three fucking days off when I thought my labor was starting, and you guys let everything start falling to shit! Three days! You idiots can’t keep the world safe for three days!” She yelled again as Rhodey walked in.
“Hi, Nat. How’s she doing in there?” Rhodey asked quietly, going to kiss her cheek.
She let him kiss her and put his hand over the bump so he could feel her move.
“Stubborn.” Natasha sighed, rolling her eyes.
“So she already takes after her mother.” He laughed, pulling away from her.
Clint winced, that was the exact wrong thing to say.
“You guys are the idiots who can’t keep the fucking world from falling apart! If I wasn’t so fucking stubborn, not a single goddamn thing would get done on this team. I have set up every single thing for you morons to follow so that I could have my baby in peace, so my husband could hold my hand until he can catch her. Three fucking days, you guys lasted three fucking days without me!” She started screaming again.
Clint put his hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to relax. “Babe, you’re getting really loud, we’re right here, we don’t need to scream.” He whispered as she pushed his hands away.
“Seems like you guys are having fun.” Steve offered, trying to get Natasha to put the pen in her hand down.
“Where in the fucking hell is Wilson? Does he expect me to go out and save the world while I’m nine months pregnant, and why the hell am I in this fucking meeting anyway? I couldn’t even fit into my suit if I wanted to, why am I here?” She snapped, looking at Tony.
“Because this is your thing. Like, you set this up. You’re the only reason we’ve caught it before it spiraled out of control. The world would be ending in a week if you weren’t so good at your job, Natasha. We can fix it now.” Tony offered, sitting down and wanting to take the pen away from her before Sam walked into the room.
Sam walked into the room and Clint grabbed Natasha’s hand before she could throw the pen through his trachea.
“You want your sister happy, you need to remember this even when he’s an idiot.” Clint explained, letting go of her hand as she started struggling and glaring at Sam.
“I was hoping you’d be in labor by now.” Sam whispered, staying as far away from her and as still as he could.
“Me too.” She told him, setting her jaw and rolling her eyes again.
“Well now that we’re all here.” Tony started, turning on the TV.
“Unnecessarily.” Natasha grumbled as Clint continued to stand behind her.
“Anyway.” Tony continued, pressing to the next slide.
“No. No fucking way. Not a chance in fucking hell. You’re fucking insane. Make someone else deal with this. No. Absolutely not!” Natasha yelled, as Clint took a deep breath after seeing the mission date was the 22nd.
“Natasha, stop.” Clint warned, not liking it, but not knowing what else to do.
“You’re going to tell me to stop? You think our daughter is going to be born that day! And you’re thinking about leaving? You’re actually thinking about going? On my birthday of all days? Are you stupid? Are you insane? What the hell is wrong with you?” She yelled as Steve pulled out his phone to warn Bucky.
“Natasha, this is our job. If I could go tell the terrorists who are planning a nuclear arms exchange on your birthday when you’re nine months pregnant, to move it to another day, I would love to, but that isn’t an option.” Steve offered, knowing he would be the only one who could survive being hit by her right now.
“Oh my god! Now all of you are ganging up on me! I am the only one being sane right now! And I think I officially lost my mind two weeks ago waiting for my daughter to be in my arms. I hate all of you, and I swear to god, Steve, I could get your boyfriend to kill you in your sleep for me. And don’t you even think about looking at me or breathing in my general direction, Barton. You fucking did this to me, and now you aren’t going to be there for the one fucking thing you promised me? I let you miss every single other fucking thing, and now you’re backing out on this! Don’t, don’t even fucking try.” Natasha threatened, standing up.
Clint nodded, knowing he needed to stay silent if he ever wanted to meet his daughter.
“Natasha, I don’t think we need to be threatening people as much as we are right now.” Steve tried again.
Sam warned him to shut up, or run with his eyes, or both, he was on the verge of jumping out of the window to avoid being the next victim of her rage which he knew was coming.
Natasha laughed, shaking her head and getting the look in her eyes she did before she put bullets between people’s eyes.
Clint held his breath and braced for her to start hitting him. She wouldn’t actually try and hurt him, but she needed to hit something and it was either going to be him or Steve and he had been with her long enough that it would probably be him.
“How does this sound? You go have raunchy gay sex with my husband in my bed because you two seem to be so hellbent on ruining my life, so why don’t you just go blow up my marriage while I go talk to the only person on this fucking planet who seems to understand why the fuck I would be upset. Clint, you miss our daughter coming out of me, you don’t catch her, you’ll have divorce papers on your bedside table before you can blink, and I’ll take you for everything you have because I built all of it for you, and if you think you’ll ever hold your daughter, you’re out of your fucking mind.” She decided, throwing the pen at him lightly and walking out of the room.
Clint jumped when he heard how loud she hit the elevator doors again.
“Well, all things considered, that went a hell of a lot better than I expected it to.” Rhodey whispered, scratching the side of his head.
“I just got that elevator fixed two weeks ago.” Tony sighed, shaking his head.
“That’s what you’re worried about right now?” Clint laughed, shaking his head and sitting down in Natasha’s chair.
“I’m going to be honest, her telling you to have gay sex with Captain America was not on my list of things I thought she would ever say while nine months pregnant, but, here we are.” Tony whispered, trying to hold back his laughter.
“You all do realize how serious she is about leaving me and taking the baby with her if I do not catch this little girl, right? Like you guys do understand, that wasn’t a threat, it was a promise.” Clint sighed, rubbing his hands over his face.
“You’ll be fine. She won’t leave, once her actual labor starts, not a chance in hell she actually follows through with it. She was with me and Buck a couple of days ago when her braxton hicks got pretty bad and you were at the store, she was sobbing in his arms begging for you to come back to be with her. Trust me, once those first couple of actual contractions start, the only people in this entire world she is going to tolerate are you and him.”
Clint shook his head and looked at his phone.
“Barton, you could quite possibly be the stupidest person to ever walk the planet.” Clint read as Tony continued with the briefing.
“Flowers and chocolate going to cut it?” He texted back, waiting for the reply.
“Not a chance in hell. You’re sleeping on my couch, and you need to follow my instructions very carefully if you want to live.” He responded as Clint stood up to leave the meeting.
“Legolas!” Tony shouted.
“Just because you turned your hearing aids off doesn’t mean we aren’t not saying anything!” Tony yelled, trying to get his attention as he stepped into the elevator.
“Hi! Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get started for you today?” The barista asked as Clint looked around at the store and made sure his hearing aids were turned back on.
“I was told to ask for Kai.” Clint started, not liking how artificially happy all of the workers were in the empty coffee shop.
“Oh sure! He’s in the back, I’ll go grab him and finish the dishes.” She explained, walking away from the counter as Clint looked around again and felt for the gun on his hip.
“Hi, I’m Kai, I was told you were asking for me?” He asked, looking up at Clint and seeing his hearing aids and smiling.
“Are you deaf too? I’ve got them too!” He said and Clint realized there was something off about him besides the fact that he was the nicest nineteen year old he had ever met at a coffee shop.
“Yeah? I’d sign with you if I wasn’t terrified of being murdered by my brother in law if I set down my phone.” Clint explained, still being off-put by everything.
“No worries. What can I get for you today?” He started again.
“I was sent by James. I was told to hand you this, and you would take care of everything.” Clint explained, sliding over the two, hundred dollar bills.
He smiled and put the money into his apron. “James is always so dramatic, but let me get going on that for you. You must be Clint.” He laughed, seeing how scared he was.
“Uh, yeah?” He asked, putting his phone in his back pocket and looking around again.
“James is one of my regulars, he’s been coming in for months now. He missed the past couple of nights I’ve worked. Did Natasha have the baby?” He asked, continuing to make fresh carafe of hot coffee.
“How do you know about the baby?” He laughed, bringing a blender over to the other counter.
“James talks about how his little sister is pregnant all the time. And you are his brother-in-law, which it is good to meet you, finally. And I know you must have done something to royally piss him off, because usually he slides me a 20 and that takes care of it, but he said if you ever came in and asked for me and you slid me $200 to not question it, take the tip and make the drinks.” He continued explaining, pouring espresso shots into the blender.
“And before you open your mouth, don’t worry, it’s decaf.” Kai said as Clint held up a finger.
Clint nodded as he turned back around to check the carafe.
“So, you didn’t answer my question, did Natasha have the baby?” He asked again, turning back towards Clint.
“Uh. No. Not yet. That’s mostly why I’m here.” Clint stuttered watching how fast he was moving and how smooth he was doing it.
“Yeah. Today’s the 19th, it’s her due date. I know you know this. I was hoping to see James tonight to see pictures of the little girl. He’s so excited, and you are too, despite the fact that you think I’m going to try and kill you, but I’m not. I just remember my regulars. I take my breaks with James, he’s pretty cool, but a little weird. I have a security clearance if that helps you.” Kai offered, adding whip cream and caramel to the bottom of the cup.
“It does.” Clint sighed, taking a deep breath and smiling.
“I figured.” He laughed, passing over the incredibly complicated blended beverage that Clint automatically assumed was going to give both Natasha and Katherine diabetes.
“Did you?” Clint asked, looking at the writing on the cup.
“Every night James will ask for me to write that on the cup. He said something about Natasha not being able to accept help, which I kinda get, and her inability to ask for things she thinks are stupid. So he thought this would help her.” He explained.
“For my loves. – C.B” Clint whispered, knowing he left that on every single note he had left for Natasha since they found out about the baby.
“James may think you’re an idiot, but he loves you, and Natasha loves you more than anything besides the baby. He knows if you’re okay, she’ll be okay, and if she’s okay, you’ll be okay, and then he said something about a cycle, I don’t know. He lost me, and I don’t think he was speaking English. But you love her more than anything. He knows that, and so do I. I think it’s cute.” He explained, bringing over the two drip coffees and placing them in the drink carrier along with the one for Natasha that Clint set on the counter.
“Kai? Right?” Clint asked.
“Yeah, that’s my name.”
“I’m not going to forget you, or this. I’ll probably be back tomorrow. Maybe, unless, you know. I’ll make sure James keeps an eye out for you.” Clint stuttered, not understanding anything that just happened before turning to walk out the door.
“Don’t forget the flowers on your way back!” Kai called out, waving as Clint left.
“Flowers. Right.” Clint repeated as he walked into the snow that was just starting to fall.
“Clint.” Natasha whispered as they laid in bed together and his arms were wrapped around her bare upper body.
“Are you in labor?” He asked immediately as he saw that he still had two hours until he had to be awake and getting ready for the mission.
“No.” She whispered, shaking her head.
“Are you okay?” He asked softly, pulling her closer and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“You still love me, right?” She asked softly, not being able to get the voice in her head to calm down.
“I love you more than anything besides the little girl right there. I will love you with every fiber of my being until I stop breathing, and I am so sorry I have to miss at least some of your birthday this year.”
“I don’t care about my birthday.” Natasha admitted, rolling over to face him.
“I know.” He whispered before giving her a kiss.
“You’re going to make it back, if it starts today, right? It’s not going to start until late today because May needs to win, and Bruce said the labor will be long because it’s our first baby, but you’ll be back before it starts. I decided it, already.” Natasha explained, trying not to be as scared as she was.
“The moment that Bruce says our baby is coming and you’re in labor, I’m pushing that jet at max speed back to the two of you. I’m not going to miss it. You asked me to be here, so I’m going to be here.” Clint insisted, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“I know it’s selfish, and I can’t ask you not to go, but I really want to ask you not to go. I’m scared, Clint. But we decided the day after we knew about her, I do the baby growing, you do the world saving, and I have to figure out how to be okay with that.” She admitted, pressing her forehead into his chest.
“If there was any possible way I could skip this mission without you being in labor, I would. If I could even just get it going right now, I would. I wish there was a right answer, because I don’t know what to do, because I don’t want to leave. I don’t. But I have to make sure the world stays okay so it’s safe enough for you to have our little girl, and for our little girl to grow up.” Clint told her, he didn’t want to leave, that was the god honest truth, he barely was okay with leaving last night to go get the coffee from Kai.
He wanted to be there and hold Natasha’s belly and rub her back and keep her calm, even if the baby didn’t come today, he just wanted to be with her for those last couple of moments. If Katherine did decide she was going to be born today, he had to be here, he had to be here for all of it, that was non negotiable.
“I know, and that’s why I feel selfish and like a terrible person. But I need you, Clint. So does baby Katherine. We need you. I know the world needs you, because the world also needs me, but I’m out of commission until I stop waddling and Katherine is six weeks old, no matter what I say or want.”
“I know, Natasha. And it’s your birthday, and I’ve done nothing but scare you this entire pregnancy, and I know you won’t ask, and I wish I didn’t have to go. And I even know you want to be out there with us. Honey, you’re allowed to be selfish, you’re about to pop, you are carrying my child and you have been so amazing, you are allowed to be selfish, I just wish I could give you what you need and want.” He soothed, just wanting to look at her eyes but knowing she needed to feel his heart beating.
“Then can we go stand in the nursery? You just hold my belly up, and we sway to the music, and then we come back and you try and get the tension out of my hips and you make sure I’m comfortable before you have to leave. Can I ask for that?” She whispered, not knowing what else to say or do, but just wanting him close and to make things better.
“Of course, my love. I will try my damndest to make sure you are the most comfortable being on this planet before I leave. If Bruce would give us the green light, I’d even see if you could start pumping because I know your boobs hurt so much waiting for baby girl.” He smiled down at her as she pulled away and he started to move out of bed.
“Bruce said no. He said Katherine needs that first bit of stuff, I can’t even remember what it’s called, nor do I care. I just want her out, but she’s not coming today, I’m not letting her, and last night Bruce said it’s a waiting game.” She explained, shaking her head and taking his hand to stand up as she tried to find her center of gravity again.
“Wow, she did get lower over night.” Clint whispered, seeing just how far Natasha’s belly had dropped.
“She’s not coming today though. She’s not making her appearance without her dad. She’s not.” Natasha whispered, taking a deep breath as Katherine shifted.
“Okay. Let’s just make sure you’re comfortable and calm. You feel better when that’s the case, so does she. It’s going to be okay.” Clint soothed, guiding her into the nursery and realizing just how likely it was that Natasha was going to go into labor as soon as he left.
Clint put the record on and moved Natasha to the center of the room before standing behind her to lift up her belly slightly.
“Oh my god.” Natasha whispered at the relief.
“I know. She’s bigger than six pounds, there’s no way she isn’t. I understand Bruce is the doctor, but I’ve held the two of you for the past seven months, she’s bigger than six pounds.” He soothed, placing a kiss on her cheek.
“I’m massive. Pushing her out is going to be a lot.” Natasha sighed, shaking her head.
“You are and it is.” He laughed, feeling her drop her hips lower to try and stretch.
“You aren’t supposed to agree with me.” She teased, just trying to get every ounce of relief she could.
“I know, I almost wish we could just decide you’re in labor and then I wouldn’t have to go, but I know you won’t let me lie about it, and I know you won’t forgive me if I stay if you aren’t.” He whispered, finally admitting it for the first time.
“I know, but she’s not coming. Not today. Her dad needs to be here and she loves you too much to make you miss that. And you have to save the world, I can handle this. Bruce said it’s going to go long anyway, so you won’t miss it, even if she does decide, you aren’t missing it because I believe in you. And I love you, and you’ve never broken a promise to me, and you won’t start now.” Natasha insisted, nodding because if she didn’t believe that, she didn’t believe in anything.
“I know. And it’s been almost a day without a contraction, right?” Clint whispered, hoping he was still right.
“Yeah, the day after her due date I really did think she was coming, and Bruce checked me yesterday hoping that I was, but, nothing. You were there when he said I lost her seal, or whatever that means, but no contractions so he couldn’t formally say I was.” Natasha told him, even though she knew he knew, she just had to say it out loud.
“I know, love. But let’s just keep you calm, and relaxed and we will take it one step at a time for now. I gotta get ready in an hour, but I’m sure Pepper and James will be up soon. It’s going to be okay.” He whispered, waiting for her to give him permission to let her belly down slowly.
“You can’t come back with bullet holes in you. Not this time. I need you back here in one piece. And I swear to god, you wear your cold suit. I’m not dealing with you bitching about being cold because you wanted to show off your muscles.” She smiled, nodding at him that he could let go.
“I know, babe. I know.” He laughed.
“You promise you’re going to call the moment Bruce says you’re in labor, right?” Clint asked, fully suited up as Natasha stood in front of him at the back of the quinjet.
“I promise. I won’t let you miss it. I won’t. Neither will Kate. I promise. If I don’t call, everyone else on the planet will. You aren’t missing this if it happens today.” Natasha reassured him as she held both of his hands.
“Good. I love you so much. I gotta go.” He whispered, giving her one last kiss.
“Kate needs one too.” Natasha smiled as he pulled away.
“I know.” He laughed, kissing her belly.
“One piece.” She told him as he backed away.
“I love you too much for anything else.”
“I love you more.” She called out to him as he climbed onto the ramp and the rest of the team waved.
“Natasha, let’s go sit. You’re going to start sobbing if you watch them leave.” Pepper explained, walking up to her and taking her hand.
“I know.” She whispered, letting Pepper guide her back into the tower.
“So, no hints of Katherine coming today?” Pepper asked as Natasha sat down at the table as James stood at the stove, making breakfast for them.
“No, and he wouldn’t have left if he thought there were either. She’s stubborn, so I don’t think she’s making her appearance today. And Bruce said even if contractions start, it’s going to take a while. It’s my first baby, he is positive it is going to take forever to get her out of me.” Natasha confirmed as Pepper brought the giftbags onto the table.
“We didn’t forget about your birthday, Clint didn’t either. Bruce is putting your gift from him in your room right now. Even though we’ve been focused on the little one inside of you, we wanted to make sure you still had a good birthday.” Pepper explained, seeing Natasha touch the tissue paper.
“This is my first birthday where the avengers are celebrating with me.” Natasha smiled, looking up at her.
“We know.” Pepper nodded, taking her hand again.
“Thank you.” She whispered, nodding.
“And, I have made a special breakfast for my birthday girl, you need to eat, it’ll keep your energy up in case you need it.” Bucky told her, bringing her over a plate of blini covered in caramel and whipped cream.
“James, you shouldn’t have.” Natasha smiled at him as he placed a kiss on her temple.
“Well, I also have homemade poptarts in the oven, and I have eggs and sausage and ham and toast. I also made your favorite, I’ve spent weeks learning again from videos on the internet, trying to get the memories back.” He explained, stepping away to bring over the teapot and cups.
“You made Russian Chai?” Natasha asked, trying to hold back the tears.
“Of course I did. I was going to make it the moment you went into labor so you could sip on it while she was coming. I just thought a good reminder of home would be nice.” He explained as she took his hand after he set everything down.
“You’re the best big brother ever.” She whispered, standing up and wrapping her arms around him and trying to hold him as tight as she could around the bump.
“God. Why does everything make me so emotional right now?” Pepper asked, drying her eyes.
“I couldn’t tell you. I think you’re just normal, Pepper, that’s all.” Bucky laughed as he felt Natasha crying in his arms.
“Talia? Are you hurting? Is something wrong?” Bucky asked, looking down at her because she wouldn’t pull away from him.
“I’m really pregnant. And Clint had to go save the world and you’re here and you’re back and you’re my big brother, and god you even cut your hair again because you said you wanted to make a good first impression on your goddaughter. And I don’t know, there’s a lot of feelings and I don’t like it.” Natasha rambled into his chest.
“It’s okay. I don’t need you getting worked up. I don’t. Just sit down, eat some food. It’s all going to be okay. I’m right here.” He soothed, running his fingers through her curls.
Natasha nodded and pulled away from him and sat down as he sat on her other side and ate off of her plate like they always did when she was young. They both couldn’t bring themselves to eat a whole meal themselves, so they always shared. Food was a weapon in the Red Room and it was a habit both of them had trouble breaking when they were nervous.
“Natasha? Do you want to go down to the studio today? I don’t think Bruce would mind if you wanted to get a few last dances in before the baby decides to come.” Pepper smiled, watching the two of them.
“I won’t risk her coming, not today, not until they are on the way back. We tried getting her to come on her due date with me dancing, but two hours in the studio where the only breaks were when me and him were having sex didn’t seem to do it, but I don’t want to risk it.” Natasha explained in between bites of food as Bucky brought over another plate for the two of them.
“Talia also can’t hold herself on pointe right now because the baby is sitting so low. It would drive her nuts trying to dance but not being able to put herself on pointe.” He explained, smiling at the two of them.
“He’s not wrong. I managed it a couple of days ago because I still had a feel for my center of gravity, but she dropped really low last night and my body is still trying to adjust and I just can’t figure out where I need to be with how low she is.” Natasha continued explaining as she took a bite of the poptarts Bucky had made.
“Is it really that different?” Pepper asked, looking at her belly and trying to figure it out.
“I don’t think it’s as bad for people who aren’t like me. I have been trained since I could move on my own how I needed to move, how aware of my body I needed to be, how to make sure I could use my body to kill people. Throughout most of this it’s been a slow process and I’ve been able to adjust as things went along, but with how low she dropped overnight, I can’t figure it out.” Natasha admitted, hating that fact.
“She dropped even lower?” Bruce asked, getting himself a cup of coffee and toast as Natasha took a sip of tea.
“See for yourself doc.” Natasha laughed, letting Bucky help her stand up.
“Oh shit. She really is low.” Bruce laughed, setting everything on the counter and walking over to feel under Natasha’s bump.
“Any contractions?” Bruce asked, not knowing how she hadn’t had any yet with how low the baby was sitting in her hips.
“Not in ten hours. And it was a really small one, I think she just kicked really hard. I’ve been paying attention too. I haven’t even had a twinge of a contraction in six hours, but I also think that was just her kicking still.” Natasha explained, smiling at him.
“You’ve got to be annoyed with that.” Bruce laughed, backing away from her to pick his food back up as Natasha sat back down.
“Yes, because I want her out of me, but also no, because she can’t come today. Not without her dad here.” Natasha laughed, taking another bite as Bucky pushed the plate closer to her.
“Phil and May are outside of the tower. They wanted to come check on you, and tell you happy birthday.” Pepper said, looking at the messages and security alerts on her phone.
“Where’s my phone?” Natasha asked, looking at Bucky to bring it to her.
“It’s in my pocket, Talia. You’ve been leaving it all over the tower lately. Do you want me to go down and get them, just to make sure it’s them?” He asked, passing her phone over to her.
“Please?” She asked, looking at the messages from Isaiah and Fury, and declining the call from Maria.
“Anything for my baby sister, once they get up here, I’ll go get suited up, just in case. I’m half ready anyway, but I need to go get my vest.” He told her, standing up and leaving to get them.
“Natasha, why is Maria calling me?” Pepper asked, finally pulling her hair up into a ponytail, even though the sun was barely rising.
“Because I declined her every 20 minute call from the moment she opens her eyes to the moment she falls asleep. I pick up the phone, she asks if I’m in labor, I tell her no, and then she hangs up and goes back to work. She’s been doing this for three weeks.” Natasha sighed, standing up and taking hers and Pepper’s empty plates to the sink.
“Ah! You’re not doing the dishes, it’s your birthday, you’re eons pregnant, and they don’t need to be done right now. That can be someone else’s job. Sit your pregnant ass back down.” Pepper ordered before picking up Maria’s call.
Natasha rolled her eyes and walked back over to the table.
“Is she in labor? Is that why she didn’t pick up? Because if my brother-in-law’s idiot ass left her while she was in labor, I will kill him myself.” Maria threatened into the phone.
“No.” Pepper sighed, smiling at Natasha and shaking her head.
“Fuck.” Maria whispered before hanging up the phone.
“Natasha, how often are you getting phone calls asking if you’re in labor?” Bruce asked, seeing her decline another call.
“At this point, every five or so minutes. I’m about two phone calls away from turning my phone off and throwing it out a window. Baby Romanoff-Barton is incredibly late, and I am incredibly annoyed. If you would have just induced me on her due date, none of this would be a problem right now.”
“For the 300th time. There has been no medical reason to induce you yet, and until there is, or you’re more than a week late, I won’t. I don’t want any unnecessary complications, and I am not going to force your body into doing something it isn’t ready for, because you are annoyed.” Bruce sighed, picking up a poptart.
“Those are mine! Put them down! You’ve annoyed me enough today already, you don’t get James’ poptart privileges.” Natasha yelled, seeing him start to take a bite.
“Fine. I hope you know, I’m only putting up with your bullshit right now, because you are so pregnant, as soon as that little one is out of you, I’m eating your damn poptarts.” He sighed, walking back over to her.
“I’ll be on the floor just making sure everything is ready. Just in case, I know you said she can’t come today, but it never hurts to be prepared. Have Jarvis set off the alarm if you start feeling contractions.” He explained, smiling at her and watching her bump as Kate shifted inside of Natasha.
“Thank you, Bruce. I really do love and appreciate you, and I’m sorry for always being a bitch.” Natasha smiled.
“You’re nine months pregnant, you’re allowed to be a bitch.” He laughed before walking into James, Phil, and May walking into the room.
“There is my lovely and brilliant and glowing daughter-in-law who is going to make me a grandfather for the first time.” Coulson called out, walking up to her.
“Phil?” Natasha asked.
“Yeah?” He asked, stopping just before her.
“Shut up and don’t touch me. Your son is on my shit list currently.” She sighed, rolling her eyes.
“That’s fair.” May laughed, walking over as Bucky went back to change.
“He had one job, May. And then he didn’t do it, still hasn’t done it, and left to go save the world, and I am still very pregnant, I am so annoyed with him.” Natasha explained, smiling at May.
“I know, Natasha. I know.” May sighed, wrapping her arms around Natasha and kissing the top of her head.
“Why does she get a hug and I don’t?” Coulson asked, setting the giftbag on the table with the others.
“Because you aren’t my brother or husband and you have way too much testosterone in your body for me to tolerate you right now.” She explained, rolling her eyes again and standing up to stretch her back.
“Oh wow. Clint told me she dropped lower, but she really is low.” Coulson commented, shaking his head.
Natasha rolled her eyes again and took a deep breath. “I appreciate you guys coming, I really do, and James made enough food to feed the entire army, but I’m tired, so I am going to put my headphones in and lay on the couch until I go into labor tomorrow, or I fall asleep and James or Clint wake me up to put me in one of their beds. I’m done with everything.”
“Fair enough, sweetheart. I’ll send James over to check on you in a bit. You go relax, I’ll make sure Maria knows you still aren’t in labor.” Pepper told her, smiling and watching Natasha nearly waddle to the couch.
“She’s really waddling.” Coulson nearly laughed while whispering.
“She’s really pregnant and really annoyed, Phil. I’d stay quiet if I were you.” May told him, sitting down at the table.