Here is the Oliver/Natasha story that follows "The Wedding." Other characters, of course, are in it. However, it will center around them instead of Felicity and Steve. You really should not read this one without reading "Because I'm Worth It" and all the others. I hope you enjoy the first chapter!

Chapter 1: What Matters

*****Two Months After the Wedding*****

Oliver smiled at Felicity. He was always smiling at her it seemed. However, today something was going on with her. He thought he knew all her smiles, but this was different. Something was happening with her. They were having a working lunch, and she got a call from Steve. When she hung up, Oliver asked, "What's going on?"

"Steve and I want to have a dinner tomorrow. We want everyone to be there. Can you come? I'm going to call Nat and the rest of the Avengers. Of course, your sister and Roy and Dig and Lyla," Felicity said.

"Of course, I can be there. What's the occasion? You seem too excited," he observed.

"Steve and I wanted to tell everyone together, but you're my best friend. I guess it's okay for me to tell you, but you can't share it with anyone!" Felicity said excitedly. "I called my mom this morning and told her over the phone. My ears are still ringing from her screams."

"So what's the good news?" Oliver asked even though he had a suspicion.

"I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby," she announced.

Oliver grinned and stood up. "That's fantastic! Congratulations!" he said. Felicity stood up and hugged him.

Felicity's eyes were full of happy tears. "I just can't believe it. I mean I did throw away my birth control pills a week or so before our honeymoon, but I just didn't think…I just can't believe it! We're going to be parents! You're going to be an uncle!" she informed him.

Oliver would never understand how she continued to make him feel so good about himself even as their relationship involved into something else. He'd never been only friends with a woman—only her. "You really are the best friend I've ever had, Felicity. You're going to be great mom, and I hope it's a girl who looks just like you," Oliver told her, kissing her on the cheek.

Felicity beamed at him. "That's what Steve said! I personally don't care as long as the baby is healthy," she said.

"You're happy," Oliver observed.

Felicity nodded. "I didn't know I could ever be this happy," she said. "We were together before we were married, so I didn't know how much more I'd feel afterwards. But he's my husband. There's power in that title. It's the oddest thing. I'm his wife. It's so great!"

Oliver laughed at her joy. He was so happy for her.

The next night they were at Felicity and Steve's having a dinner party—a rather large one. Tony, Pepper, Bruce, Clint, Sam, Natasha, Oliver, Thea, Roy, Dig, and Lyla were there to celebrate their news. They didn't wait long before telling everyone.

"Felicity and I are happy that you all came on such short notice," Steve said, standing with his arms around her.

"So what's the news?" Tony asked impatiently. He and Pepper had their suspicions, but Pepper threatened him with no sex for a month if he spoiled their moment.

"Felicity and I are going to have a baby," Steve said proudly.

Gasps, cheers, and well-wishes were thrown at them. Their friends surrounded them, hugging the happy couple.

"So how far along are you?" Pepper asked.

"Four weeks. I know you're not supposed to talk about it until the second trimester, but we just couldn't imagine not telling you guys," Felicity said.

"This is so great!" Lyla said with a wide smile. "Sara will have a playmate!"

Dig shook Steve's hand. "There's nothing like being a father. Your entire world is going to change," Dig advised.

"We can't wait," Steve said. He had no family since his parents had died before he'd joined the army. In his adult life, the army and Bucky were the only family he knew. Although Felicity was an only child, she had a mom that would make a great grandma. They both had friends that were like family. However, knowing that he would have a child of his own, one that would take his name and be related to him by blood, meant the world to him.

Sam slapped his shoulder and shook his hand. "So do I get to be godfather? Queen was best man. I think I should get to be godfather!" he teased.

"Ah, no. That would be me!" Tony argued. "Who wants a broke, former vet as a godfather when they can have a billionaire? Besides I have Pepper, who will make the perfect godmother. We're a matched set!"

"You live too far away," Oliver added. "I'm Felicity's best friend. The job will be mine, obviously!"

Felicity and Steve exchanged smiles. This was the best problem to have. Felicity couldn't help stirring the pot, though. "First of all, I'm Jewish. We don't have godparents," she said.

"Cap is Irish Catholic," Clint pointed out. "Since I'm the only one here besides Dig with a stable home life, I'm the obvious choice."

There was a knock on the door, interrupting the good-natured argument. Felicity left Steve with the guys to answer it. It was Thor.

Surprised, she stepped back to let him in. "Thor! What are you doing here? I mean, of course, you're welcome, but you don't have a phone, so we couldn't call you. How did you know we were all together?" Felicity asked.

"Heimdall. He told me that you and Steve had some joyous news to share, so I thought I'd join you," Thor said with his booming voice and wide smile.

Steve walked toward the front entrance, glad to see their friend. He'd not be around since their wedding. "Thor, it's great to see you! Welcome!" he said, shaking his hand.

The Avengers surrounded Thor when he walked into the living room, welcoming him. "You're just in time," Bruce said. "They were about to come to blows over who gets to be godparents."

Thor turned a happy smile toward Felicity and Steve. "You are with child?" he asked.

Felicity nodded. "Yep! We just told everyone tonight. We're so glad you are here!" she exclaimed. She didn't know if she'd ever get used to Thor's presence. It wasn't like anyone else's. When he was in a room, he owned it somehow. It must be the heir to a kingdom thing or an Asgardian thing. Whatever it was, she was still somewhat in awe of him.

"Congratulations!" Thor said, hugging them both. Asgardians were a very warm people. Thor had a tremendous capacity for both love and forgiveness. He still hadn't given up on his brother Loki even after all that he'd done. He was a good friend to have.

"So what do you think? Tell them a billionaire would make the best godfather," Tony said to Thor.

"Godfather?" Thor asked, unfamiliar with the word.

"It's like an honorary uncle who would take responsibility of the child if something happened to the parents. They give gifts at birthdays and Christmas. That kind of thing," Tony explained. "Usually a couple is chosen. The woman is godmother. Obviously, Pepper and I are the best choice."

"Why would they want a tin man when they could have a ruler of the Nine Realms?" Thor asked with a grin.

Felicity groaned as the argument continued.

*****Oliver and Thea's Place*****

Oliver brought Natasha back to his and Thea's place. He ignored the fact (as he always did) that Roy was probably spending the night with Thea in her room.

He shut his bedroom door behind her and kicked off his shoes while she sat on his bed, unzipping her boots. "Isn't it great about Steve and Felicity?" she said.

Oliver smiled. "It really is. She's so happy that she literally glows. I thought that was just an expression about pregnant women," he said. He slipped off his shirt and sat on the bed next to her.

"So how many kids do you want?" Natasha asked, trying to sound casual.

Oliver gave her a surprised look. "Are we talking hypothetical or you and I?" he inquired. Even though the feelings were strong between them, they didn't speak much about their feelings or where their relationship was going.

"Hypothetical," she said quickly.

Oliver didn't say anything as he thought about it. "I don't know. I haven't thought about it since I had a close call before the island," he admitted.

"What kind of close call?" she asked.

"A girl I was cheating on Laurel with got pregnant," Oliver said. "But she lost the baby."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Natasha said with sympathy.

"I thought about it sometimes when I was on the island. What if she'd had the baby? Maybe I'd not gotten on the boat. Maybe my whole life would've been different," he said.

"Would you have quit partying and settled down with the baby's mom?" Natasha asked.

"I'd like to say that I would've. But I was so shallow. So spoiled. It took months of torture and near-death experiences before I truly began thinking of others. I made some friends on the island that I was willing to die for," Oliver shared. "It was the first time I'd ever risked anything for anyone. As much as I hate the things I was forced to do the five years I was gone, I'm not sure I'd be who I am now without all the ugliness."

"I can understand that. I was trained from a child to be a seductress, a killer," Natasha said.

"I came back and saw Laurel and thought for a split second that maybe she and I could have that life we talked about," he shared. "But there was too much bitterness between us. Then Sara and I were together, but she was even more broken than I was."

Natasha brought up what he hesitated to share. "What about Felicity? Did you think about having a life with her? Does it bother you that she's pregnant with another man's child?" she asked, never one to shy away from the hard questions.

Oliver was taken off guard by her questions. He'd not thought of Felicity that way in months. However, he wouldn't lie to her. "I might've pictured her at one time as the woman I could someday spend the rest of my life with, but it was far in the future. I didn't know when or if I'd ever be ready," he admitted. "But she's much smarter than me. She knew Steve was the better guy for her. I've accepted it, and I like him a lot. I'm happy for them. I really am. I felt a twinge of jealousy at their engagement, but I can honestly say I've not thought of her that way in a long time." He paused and bent down to kiss her bare shoulder. "Since I've met you, I've not thought of any other woman."

Natasha felt warm at his words. He was so different from Clint and other guys she'd been with. He was intense about everything, fiercely loyal and protective of those he loved. And his body…well, she loved every inch of it. His scars on the outside were what she liked best. It showed what he'd been through, his strength. When his arms were wrapped around her in bed, she felt treasured. That wasn't a feeling she'd really experienced before. She was falling hard for him, but she didn't want to go there if he was always thinking of what could've been with Felicity. His words reassured her, so she kissed him.

Oliver returned her kiss with enthusiasm. Then he pulled back, wanting to know more about her. "How about you? Do you want to have children someday?" he asked.

Her eyes grew dim. A shutter came down over her face. Oliver could almost see it. She pulled back from him, creating physical distance. Then she looked away from him. "It doesn't matter," she said.

Oliver was alarmed by her words and her behavior. "What do you mean it doesn't matter? Sure, it does. I want to know more about you. Is that so wrong?" he asked.

Natasha looked at him and gave him such a sad smile that he felt a pang. "I can't have children. That's one of the many things they took from us when they were training us. You don't want your asset to get knocked up and begin thinking they're a real person or that they could ever nurture anything. We were trained to ferret out secrets, to destroy, and to kill. All for Mother Russia. Nothing else could be allowed to interfere with that," she said bitterly.

Oliver was horrified by her words, but he knew she wouldn't want his pity any more than he did for his own scars. Instead, he pulled her close. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear.

She pulled back and gave him a searching look. "Does it matter?" she asked, not spelling it out. He knew what she was asking.

He met her gaze without hesitation. "Not at all," he said. Then he kissed her, and words were lost in the hunger that was always there between them.

******Chapter End*****

I hope you enjoyed this. Reviews are much appreciated!