April

"I'm looking into adoption."

Natasha was hardly fazed by her partner's announcement. Mostly because she saw this coming.

Bruce fidgeted with his hands in his lap as he stared intently at Natasha. "I've looked into it, and I'd really like to register. You don't have to be in on this," Bruce quickly interrupted, though Natasha was in no hurry to speak. "I can register as a single parent." She was silent. "It could take a year, maybe longer… and that's if I pass for qualification…" He lowered his head to stare at the carpeted floor. "I don't think I'll pass...Even after going three years without an incident."

Again, Natasha saw this coming. Bruce was an open book about this kind of thing. There remained a void in his heart that only kids could fill. Natasha reached out to massage gentle circles against his back. She could sense that tangible longing in his eyes whenever they visited Clint's little hawklings. The sight was enough to send her repressed biological clock screaming. "You deserve to be a father more than anyone," she soothed.

Bruce glanced up with a hopeful smile. "You'll do it?"

"You know I would." Her tone lacked the enthusiasm that Bruce's had, but she wasn't as optimistic as he was. "You really think they'll let the Black Widow and Hulk take a kid?" She lowered her hand and let it rest at her side.

"We're capable." He straightened his back and took her hand in his. "We've worked to keep the other guy at bay. You've helped me tame him, and he was much worse than a screaming toddler," he chuckled. "Besides." His smile fell. "Aren't we done being the heroes? Those torches were passed…"

All except hers. After Tony announced retirement, Clint was quick to follow, same for Bruce. The Black Widow only knew the life of espionage and danger. She wasn't willing to quit just yet. So she continued to fight the good fight alongside James and Sam's team of newfound Avengers. Plans to end her career hardly surfaced. She and Bruce had talked about marriage, but work managed to interfere, and that always came first for Natasha. Her fingers tightened around Bruce's. Every time she caught herself staring at his face, she noticed the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes and the wrinkles in his forehead becoming more and more prominent every day. He was hitting fifty this year, and she was pushing ninety-one, contrary to her young appearance. Time wasn't catching up to her the way it was with Bruce. The sand kept trickling down in his hourglass while hers was a mystery. He wanted a family-that wasn't going to change. Natasha also wasn't willing to discourage it. "I want our options open," she finally said. "I've done some research." She pursed her lips. "Years ago… but now it might be more hopeful." Bruce gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Shortly after what happened to me, I looked into reversing it. Mainly to spite what was done. They could take me apart, but I could piece myself back together-that made me feel like I had the upper hand." Natasha paused. "I was told it could be done, but in the end, I didn't want to face another surgery. I also didn't want to take a risk and end up pregnant somewhere down the line. The program was right about us-we weren't made to be mothers, and I didn't see why anyone would want to bring a kid up in this world."

"Natasha," Bruce softly disrupted. "Given that things can be fixed for you doesn't mean that they can be fixed for me."

She reached out to cup his cheek. "What if we look into it? We've got the technology to replace organs and tissues. Hell, you were a part of making Vision… Don't you think science has a way to pick us some winning swimmers?" She managed a smirk.

Bruce uneasily laughed as he placed his hand over hers. "We've got the odds against us in both cases," he stated. "But I want us to have a family. We won't get there without taking some risks."

Natasha leaned in to give him a kiss. "You're the optimist in this ship, Banner. That's how it should stay."

He let his nose nuzzle her cheek. "Maybe our odds will be better if we finally got married."

She raised a brow. "Is this some old wives superstition?"

"No," he shyly grinned. "I just want an excuse to finally marry you."

"Well, I need a proposal, big guy," she challenged, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Bruce wrinkled his nose. "You denied me the first time. And the second time, you were called away before I could ask."

"The first time was after Stark and Pep's wedding. We can't just steal their thunder like that," she winked. "But I'm sorry about take two. Third time's the charm, though."

"Would you like a proposal now, Ms. Romanoff?" he teased.

"I think I'd rather have you surprise me," she hinted.

"You know I can't surprise you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close for another kiss. She was everything that he ever wanted. "Thank you," he murmured. "For agreeing."

"You know I want this just as much as you do." She knew he was referring to a child, but marriage was a close second.