"Daddy? Where do babies come from?" Steve's five-year-old daughter asked him innocently.

"Uhh," Steve dropped the paper he was reading to look at his daughter. "Why do you ask?" He knew this question was inevitable, but he wasn't expecting it today. She was only five, after all.

"Just because," Lucy replied. This was her new favorite phrase. Whenever she was in trouble or was questioned, she would reply with the unanimous 'just because'.

"Well, I think that's a question that you should ask your Mama later." Natasha was going to kill him.

"Okay," Lucy replied with a shrug, going back to her coloring. The silence was again interrupted a minute later. "How come Uncle Tony and Aunt Pepper don't have any babies?"

"Well Luce, maybe they don't want them. And they're not married anyway."

"Do you have to be married to get a baby?"

"No, you don't. But it's a very good idea to wait until you're married until you have a baby," Steve replied, hoping to God that she wouldn't ask him any more questions on the subject. His answer seemed to appease her, and she went back to her task. Natasha had taken James with her to the store, and Steve and Lucy were relaxing in the living room of their house.

"Daddy?" Lucy questioned once again.

Patiently, Steve put down his paper and turned his attention to his daughter. "Yes?"

"Was I a cute baby?" she asked sheepishly.

"You were the prettiest baby that I have ever seen sweetheart. And your brother was the most handsome," he replied with a grin. "And you're still the prettiest little girl I've ever seen. Do you know why?" he said happily, rising from the couch.

"Why?"

"Because you look just like Mama. And you know that I like to kiss Mama. Now, come here you," Steve advanced toward Lucy, arms wide open trying to catch her. Her giggles filled the room as Steve chased her around, letting her get away. After a minute, he trapped her in his arms and began tickling her.

"Daddy stop!" she breathed through peals of laughter.

Steve picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, still tickling her. "What's the magic word?"

"Please!" Lucy screamed, and Steve stopped tickling her. The redhead continued to pant, catching her breath as Steve put her down gently. He wore a huge smile on his face. "You're so silly Daddy."

"I know I am, but so are you little girl," he replied.

"Mama? I'm confused," Lucy stated, her forehead crinkling as she spoke.

"What about девочка?" Natasha had to stifle a laugh at her daughter's face and colorful vocabulary. She was tucking Lucy into bed, and sat down on the bed next to Lucy's still form. James was sound asleep through the French doors in the next room.

"I asked Daddy where babies come from, but he told me to ask you. Where do babies come from Mama?" Lucy innocently questioned.

Steve is a dead man, Natasha thought to herself. "Well, why do you want to know?"

"Just because," the child replied the same as before.

"Now you may be able to get away with lying to Daddy," Natasha started, "but you can never lie to me девочка. Spill."

"Well, Jane's mama just had a baby," Jane being Lucy's best friend at school. "And now Jane has a sister named Mikaela. And then I was wondering how they got another baby for their family."

"I see now. But why do you care baby?" Natasha asked tentatively, trying to avoid an awkward conversation.

"I think that we should get another baby Mama. I want one," Lucy stated confidently.

"Okay," Natasha wanted to approach this gently. "I understand that Jane has a new sibling. But you already have a sibling, James. How do you think this will make him feel?"

"Oh, I already talked to James Mama," Lucy said matter-of-factly. "He wants another baby too." She paused to think. "Mama? Where can we go to buy another baby?"

Natasha was floored. This was almost worse than the sex question itself. Almost. "Lucy, you can't just go to the store and buy a baby. It doesn't work like that."

"Why not?" her forehead again scrunching in confusion.

"Just because," Natasha smirked. "No matter how badly you want a baby, you can't buy one. It takes a lot of time."

"But I don't understand Mama. If you can't buy babies, where do they come from?" Lucy pressed.

Steve was beyond dead. "Well, babies come from their Mama's belly. That's where they grow," Natasha started cautiously.

"Did I come from your belly too?" Lucy asked.

"Yes девочка. You and James are twins, you know that right?" Lucy nodded her head yes in reply. "Well that means that both of you were in my belly at the same time. See?" Natasha pulled out her phone and opened her photo album. She handed Lucy the phone with a picture of Natasha when she was pregnant on the screen. Natasha remembered that day. She was six months pregnant, and Steve had been insisting that she start taking pictures of her stomach every week. In this picture, Natasha had her shirt pulled up to reveal her bare stomach. She was smiling at the camera, but only because Steve had made her laugh while taking the photo. The picture was one of her favorites, and she made sure that she always had it on her phone.

Lucy smiled, her eyes lighting up. "Your belly was so big Mama."

"I know. But it was worth it to have you and your brother." Natasha hoped that the conversation would end then and there.

"But how do babies get inside their Mama's bellies?" Wishful thinking, Natasha thought.

"Well, first a mama and a daddy who love each other very much have to decide that they want a baby." She soon decided that it was best to use Steve's method—religion (even if she didn't believe in it herself. "Then the mama and daddy pray to God, and God puts a baby in the Mama's belly," Natasha prayed that this would placate her daughter.

"Then how did you get two babies in your belly, Mama?"

"I guess that Daddy and I just prayed really hard, and God rewarded us with two babies," Natasha smiled, feeding religious stuff that Steve would say to Lucy.

"Okay, I understand now." Natasha internally sighed. "Mama? Can I have a baby if I ask God for one?"

Natasha smiled, "No, девочка, I'm sorry."

"Why not? I'll pray really hard every night. I promise."

"Only adults can have babies Lucy. And only a man and a woman who are in love with each other can have a baby," she lied.

"Well, you and Daddy can have a baby then!" she happily declared.

"We can...but that doesn't mean that we will Lucy."

"But don't you want a baby too?" Lucy questioned.

"I don't know Lucy," she answered truthfully. "And it's not just about what I want, but it's what Daddy wants too."

"Oh," Lucy sighed. "Well can you ask Daddy if we can get another baby? I really want one Mama, and I'll be a really good girl. I swear."

"I know Luce, and you are a good girl. All right, how's this? I will talk to Daddy. But there are no promises. Understand?"

"Yes Mama, thank you thank you thank you!" Lucy excitedly squealed.

Natasha quickly shushed her daughter. "Okay, calm down—you'll wake your brother up. And it's past your bedtime," Natasha rose from the bed and placed a tender kiss on her daughter's forehead. "It's time for sleep. Goodnight, I love you."

"Night Mama!" Lucy said, the excitement evident in her voice.

Once she was sure that James and Lucy were both sound asleep, Natasha made her way into her own bedroom.

"There's my girl," Steve said with a sort of half-smile on his face. He emerged from the bathroom in a white undershirt and gray sweatpants. He approached his wife and pulled her in for a hug. Steve then went to kiss her, but she turned a cheek to him.

"Not so fast there Steve. You have some explaining to do," she began.

"I knew that I wouldn't get off this easy." Natasha sat down on the bed and motioned for Steve to sit down next to her. When he complied, she started up the conversation. "Why did you tell Lucy to ask me where babies come from?"

"I don't know Nat. I wasn't sure what you wanted to tell her. And I also panicked. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

Natasha let out a long sigh. "It's okay Steve. And in case you were wondering, I told her that when a married couple wants a baby, they pray to God and then God puts a baby in the mother's stomach."

"Thank you," he whispered quietly. He wrapped his strong arms around her, pulling her form into his lap. She didn't resist this time. "Now, why don't you tell me what's really bothering you?"

"Have either of the kids asked you why we've never had another baby?"

"Maybe once or twice, but they dropped it right away," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I asked Lucy why she wanted to know where babies come from, and she said that she and James really want a little sibling," she said.

"Okay. And what do you think about all this?"

"I don't know Steve. I mean, they're five already and the world isn't exactly the safest place. Another kid just means that we have more to lose if...we don't come back," she quietly said.

"I know. And we've never seriously talked about having another one before."

"How do you feel?"

"Come on Nat, you know that I would love another child. But it's not just up to me, it's your decision too. You're the one who would have to stop going on missions and all. I know that it's a huge sacrifice," he said gently.

"You really want another?" she questioned, surprised that he had already thought about it before without bringing it up to her.

"Of course I do. How could I not? I have the greatest, prettiest wife who happens to be the best mother ever to my children. James and Lucy are gorgeous because you made them. Natasha you're perfect in every sense of the word, and you've given me a perfect life."

"Well...you're not too bad yourself," she said playfully despite the sudden wave of emotions that had overcome her.

"And I have thought about it, and I really do want another baby. So will you think about it? For me?"

"Of course I will Steve. I'm not saying that it's going to happen, but I will consider it."

"That's all I ask. And who knows what will happen next?"