Hey, all! This chapter jumps heaps but it's the longest so far! Enjoy!
Be prepared for some sadness, though...
"Quick! We have to get her to the hospital! JARVIS, inform the guys! It's happening!" Pepper all but yelled, rushing about to get everything ready.
"The boys shall meet you in the garage." JARVIS said with the usual smooth British accent as usual. Pepper nodded and continued to get the things that they needed. Natasha ran to open the elevator while Jane and Stacy helped Claire walk.
Once Pepper got everything she told JARVIS to call the hospital and got onto the elevator with the others. "Already done, they are making the room ready as we speak." The elevator ride seemed to take so much longer than usual but when the door opened to the garage level, all the guys were already there, figuring out which cars to take and who should drive, almost having an argument.
"Guys, this is no time for arguing, Claire, get in the SUV, Tony you drive Clair, Bruce and I in that, everyone else follow behind however you like!" Pepper yelled, helping Claire sit in the front seat while Tony jumped in the driver's seat and Bruce got in behind Claire. Once Claire was in and buckled, Pepper ran around to the other side and got in next to Bruce. Once she closed the door, Tony drove out of the garage and sped off to the hospital, avoiding all traffic thanks to JARVIS.
They got to the hospital and all helped Claire get through the doors and a nurse got her a wheelchair to sit on, immediately pushing her towards the room that was set up. Tony, Pepper and Bruce ran alongside her, Bruce holding his wife's hand. The nurse took Claire into the room and told Tony and Pepper to wait there while Bruce went in with her. Tony and Pepper sat down in the waiting room, holding hands and all but praying for the best.
Not too long after, Clint, Natasha, Jane, Thor, Steve and Stacy arrived, having all followed Clint and Tasha's car. "They're in there, we don't know anything yet." Tony answered the unspoken question they were all thinking. The group waited for about twenty minutes before Bruce came out. He didn't say anything; he just sat on one of the chairs and stared at the door he had just come out of, waiting. A nurse came out and softly told them that the baby was healthy but Claire wouldn't last much longer, she wasn't going to make it.
"I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do, Dr. Banner. I wish there was something we could do. Would you all like to see her?" Everybody nodded. They knew that this was most likely going to happen but they had still hoped that she made it. The group solemnly followed the nurse to the room where Claire was lying on a bed with a tiny little baby wrapped in a blanket, in her arms, talking to this little person. She looked overjoyed. Bruce was the first to leave the doorway, going to his wife's side to see the baby and to hold her hand. Slowly the rest of the group came to see her and the baby. No one spoke, no one even cried. They all just enjoyed each other's company, especially Claire.
The heart monitor she was hooked up to was only beeping faintly, not nearly enough to keep her alive, then slowly, the beeps became less and less until there was just the one noise. The noise that meant it was the end, no heartbeats left.
Bruce was the first to cry, holding his now dead wife's hand, soundless tears running down his face, but then everyone started crying, holding their partner close. The nurses cried a little as they took the baby out of Claire's arms and pulled the sheet over her, covering her face. Bruce let go of her hand and took the baby from one of the nurses, he looked down at this little baby and he knew that Claire would have wanted him to make this kid the happiest kid in the world and he was going to do all he could to make that wish come true, for her and for the baby.
"I know this probably isn't the best time, but we need to know what this little babies name is…" The nurse who had let them in asked softly to Bruce. He knew exactly what this baby was going to be named:
"Danny Robert Banner."
A few hours after Claire death, everyone was standing by the nursery in the hospital, looking through the glass at the little baby boy and the newest member of their dysfunctional family. It had taken a very long time for the nurses to get Bruce away from Claire so that they could take her away to the part of the hospital where that deceased stayed before being moved for the funerals. Bruce was sad but starting the organisations for her funeral with a funeral worker at the hospital while everyone else was watching the baby, Danny.
The organisation for Claire's funeral went by quickly and soon, the group were at the cemetery watching the coffin being buried, tears flowing from all eyes, Danny in Bruce's arms, not understanding what's going on. Once she was buried, everyone gave their condolences to Bruce and slowly started heading back to the tower until only Bruce and Danny remained. Even though there was such a tragedy for the group, they still had a wedding to plan and everybody hoped that might cheer Bruce up a bit. Clint decided to take his mind off Claire by making Bruce his best man and it worked a little bit, getting him to work on the wedding as well as being busy taking care of his son, he didn't have too much time to feel sorry for himself.
When Danny was one month old, it was the wedding day and everyone was dressed up. Natasha had a beautiful white wedding dress and Pepper, Jane and Stacy were wearing red bridesmaid's dresses. The boys were all in tuxedoes and looked dashing. The wedding was really wonderful, though not quite as extravagant as Tony and Pepper's but it was nice all the same.
Clint and Tasha left for Budapest for their honeymoon for a fortnight and everyone tried to keep Bruce's mind off Claire.
Clint and Tasha came back to the tower after their honeymoon and went straight to their level to talk. "I don't think we should tell everyone just yet, Clint. Maybe we should wait…" She said, sitting on the bed.
"Why not? I just want to tell them, it's exciting!" He replied as he took of his jacket and sat down next to her, putting his arm around her waist.
"But what if we aren't ready for this?" Tasha said, leading her head on his shoulder.
"All the things we've done, and this is what gets you?" He asked with a laugh.
Tasha sighed, giving in. "Okay, let's go and tell them all." She said, getting up off the bed and heading to the elevator with Clint. They rode the elevator to the topmost floor to find everyone except Tony in there; he was probably working on some tech in the workshop.
Everyone greeted them and asked how their honeymoon was and Clint put him arm around Tasha and said; "Tasha's pregnant." Effectively silencing them until everyone started to give their congratulations, even Bruce was happy for them.
Tony walked in with a bunch of wires in his hands and saw the group. "Hey, your back! How was the honeymoon?" He asked suggestively.
"I'm pregnant, Tony. How's that for a honeymoon?" Tasha responded.
Tony started laughing very hard and through his laughter he said; "Oh! I knew this would happen! This is the best!" Everyone ignored Tony's reaction and turned back to Clint and Natasha.
"How far in are you?", "When's your first visit to the doctors?" and other such questions.
"I'm not sure." Tasha said, "We are going to have to organise a doctor's visit to find out."
"Well I can get JARVIS to call the doctors and arrange something for you." Pepper said.
"Thanks Pep." Clint replied.
"JARVIS –"
"Already on it, Miss. Congratulations."
Soooooo... Natasha and Clint are having a baby, too! That's be two born in one year since Danny's birthday is January 13th (it'll be said a few times...) What gender do you think THIS baby'll be? Boy or girl? I already know but i wanna know who's right!
