Chapter 2:
"Agent Hill?" said Steve, his face recognizing the women but his mind not understanding why she was here, in Natasha's home.
Maria Hill smiled at Steve before replying, "I am not an agent anymore, SHEILD, as you all know is done. Now, I am just Maria or Hill, which ever you all prefer."
Seeing the questioning looks on their faces, Maria sighed. Stepping forward she put the small child into a chair at the head of the table and then set a small plate in front of him. She smiled as the boy smiled and began to dig his hands into the noodles.
"Patrick please use a fork," sighed Maria placing extra napkins next to the small child before looking up to the team.
"Come on guys," said Maria staring at them. "I work for you for goodness sakes! Stop staring at me like you don't know who I am."
"I am so confused," smiled Thor in the background in typical Thor fashion. "But supper smells delicious!" he boomed. As he stepped around his still frozen team members then up to the table. Thor grabbed a chair and sat down across from the small girl.
The little girl with curly black hair paused in her eating, the fork in her hand stopping just before her mouth. Her green eyes assessing the new man in her house.
"You have very big arms," the small child says. "But you have very pretty hair." She smiled shyly at Thor, even going as far as batting her eyelashes at him.
"It seems the little one has a crush," replied Steve looking at Maria who was looking at the situation with a small smile, then back to Thor who was giving the little girl his best award winning smile as the little one continued to smile shyly at him.
"Who has a crush?" replied Natasha from the back stepping around the men to assess the situation, leveling Tony with a glare, letting him know that she heard him cuss.
"Hi mommy!" yelled the small boy yelled from his chair waving at her with a spaghetti covered hand.
"Mommy!" yelled the young girl stopping the smiling match with Thor as she jumped from the chair and flying into Natasha's arms.
Natasha with her quick reflexes easily caught the child and swooped her up into her arms.
"Jesus, Emma!" grunted out Natasha. "You have to stop flying through the air, mommy is getting old and she won't always be able to catch you!" Natasha smiled at the child, brushing the black curls away from the small girls face. Everyone in the room smiled a little at Natasha's comment about getting old. Natasha Romanaff was not old in any way, and was still as deadly as her first mission with SHEILD all those years ago.
"I am sorry mommy," replied Emma smiling brightly at Natasha. "I just missed you so much," she exclaimed before wrapping her small arms around Natasha's neck and hugging her.
"I missed you too sweetheart," replied Natasha placing a kiss to the top of Emma's head.
Natasha walked over to the little boy, the young girl still holding on to her for dear life. Natasha leaned down and gave the small boy a kiss on the top of the head. "Hi buddy," she smiled down at the young boy, "missed you."
"Msh you too mommy" replied the boy, his mouth full of spaghetti.
Natasha looked up to see the rest of her team staring at her smiling even though you could clearly tell they were confused.
"This is so delicious!" boomed Thor from the table, interrupting the moment. "What is this Midgardian food called?" He asked as he shoveled more spaghetti into his mouth.
"It's called Spahgetti, Thor," replied Bruce as he gave both Maria and Natasha a smile, clearly understanding what is going on, before stepping forward and finding a seat at the table.
"Spahgetti," said Thor as he copied Bruce's pronunciation as he stared down at the noodles and sauce on his plate with a smile.
Maria stepped forward and began to the process of entangling Emma from Natasha. "Emma sweetie go eat your dinner, your mommy will sit next to you," she said with a smile. Maria finally succeeded in getting Emma to let go of her mother and then removed her from Natasha's arms. Setting Emma on the ground she pushed her lightly towards her chair.
"Okay mom" replied Emma as she began pulling Natasha towards the table.
As Natasha passed Maria she gave her a quick kiss on check and smiled at Maria before her daughter pulled her daughter away.
"Umm…Nat, Agent Hill…I mean Hill," said Clint finally speaking up, "what is going on?"
Natasha looked up at Clint from her chair and Maria stared at him as she stood behind Natasha her hands on the Natasha's shoulder.
"This is my home Clint," replied Natasha softly her eyes going from Emma, to Patrick and then to Maria. Natasha's hand coming up to rest on top of Maria's hand on her shoulder, "and they are my family."
Clint and Natasha stared at each other for few seconds silently. They have been partners for so long, and when SHIELD was still active, it was rumored that the two were so close that they could communicate telepathically with each other. The rumor was clearly false, but both Natasha and Clint would both admit that they know each other very well and sometimes all it takes is a simple look and they instantly knew with the other needed.
"Okay," replied Clint nodding his head before smiling at them all. Clint stepped forward and grabbed the seat open next to Bruce.
Steve soon followed suite and sat down next to Thor whom was currently on his second helping of spaghetti.
Maria sat down between Natasha and the small toddler currently covered in spaghetti sauce. Her left hand holding Natasha's on top of the table.
"So we are just going sit down, eat spaghetti and not ask any questions?" asked Tony still standing looking at the team currently sitting around the table serving themselves.
Everyone paused in their movements to look up at Tony.
Natasha's eyes narrowed. "Look Stark, if you have questions then both Maria and I can answer them after dinner. Just sit down and eat."
Tony sighed but made his way to the table. The only open seat left was between the very messy boy and the equally as messy Thor.
"Stark!" said the small boy his eyes widening at Tony as he sat down. His eyes focused on the small blue light on Tony's chest.
"Mommy, Momma" yelled Patrick, "Ironman! Ironman!" he yelled pointing at Stark. His little hands fling spaghetti sauce in the direction of Tony.
"Yes Patrick," replied Maria smiling encouragingly at him, "Ironman is going to be staying with us for a little bit."
Natasha was currently staring up at the ceiling her arms crossed clearly not loving her sons obsession with Ironman.
Patrick was staring at his mother almost if he could not believe what she just told him before turning back to Tony, then back to Maria, and then back to Tony, his face almost splitting from the giant smile on his face.
"Hi, Ironman," said the little boy shyly at Tony.
Tony was clearly out of his element. The kid had to be about 3-4 years old and stared up at him his eyes wide in wonder.
"Hey kid," replied Tony, a little uncomfortably. This is probably the longest time he has ever been around a child before.
"His name is Patrick," said Natasha leveling a glare at Tony, the look pretty much letting Tony know that if he crushed her son's dreams about Ironman, she would crush him.
Tony looked from Natasha then back to the smiling child, whom was still staring at Tony in complete wonderment.
"Hi Patrick," replied Tony with a small smile. Then looked back to Natasha, giving her a 'was that good enough look?'
Natasha smirked.
"Mommy!" yelled Patrick getting Natasha's attention.
"Don't yell at the table Patrick," scolded Natasha gently leveling her son with a PG stare.
"Sorry mommy," said Patrick quickly. "Mommy can I show Ironman my room?" He asked Natasha and giant smile on his face at the prospect of showing Tony his room.
Tony froze and gave Natasha pleading eyes. His stare practically begging her to not make him be around the small child.
Natasha held Tony's gaze before a smirk began to form on her face.
"That sounds like an excellent idea sweetie, Ironman would love to see your room," replied Natasha watching Tony wince as the child screamed with joy. "But after dinner," she added causing the boy to deflate just slightly but he smiled nonetheless.
"Yay…" mumbled Tony stabbing his spaghetti in defeat giving Natasha a glare before turning to the young boy and forcing a smile on his face.
"Excuse me Lady Hill," interrupted Thor looking down at his empty plate, "is there anymore spaghetti?"
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