Natalia got tired before the team made it all the way up the stairs. Natasha had no problem picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way, as she had started getting restless having the toddler out of her arms.
Being back in the comfort of Natasha's hold, and being rocking by the natural movement of her hips as she walked, Natalia quickly fell asleep.
"She's exhausted, huh?" Tony lightly ran his fingers through the sleeping girls hair. Natasha shot him a glare.
"Yes, she is. Don't wake her up," She put a hand over the back of Natalia's head, blocking her from her the view of her fellow avengers.
Tony raised his hands before quickening his pace so he was ahead of Natasha, choosing instead to walk next to Steve.
Clint replaced Tony by Natasha's side. "She's really peaceful when she's sleeping," He reached over and lightly ran his finger across the sleeping girls cheek. Natasha tried to hide the small smile that flashed across her face, but unfortunately for her, Clint was just as perceptive as she was.
"Don't think I didn't see that smile," He grinned at Natasha who rolled her eyes before smiling back.
Steve stopped up ahead of them. "You guys are up there three rooms, Natasha and I are in here." He gestured first to the hallway ahead of them, then at the door he had stopped at.
"Yeah, yeah. We need to wake up decently early tomorrow if we want to make it back to the carrier before lunch." He glanced at the Stark pad he'd pulled out of his bag. "I haven't told Fury about the kid yet, figured I'd let the master assassin handle the scary bit." He grinned at Natasha before grabbing his luggage off the ground and starting towards his room.
Clint leaned down, kissing Natalia on the cheek before heading towards the room with his own bags, handing Steve Natasha's single suitcase.
Steve pushed open his and Natasha's hotel door, holding it open so she could carry Natalia through. Then he closed the door as quietly as he could and locked it, ignoring the glares Natasha shot him as the the click sounded through the silent room.
Natasha gently leaned down and set Natalia on the bed, trying her hardest not to wake her.
"She's really out," Steve sounded surprised. "I can't believe she fell asleep on the walk up here."
Natasha nodded. "She's been through a lot, and I think today was a little too exciting for her. She's probably pretty exhausted," Natasha straightened up and stretched, making Steve wince as her back popped.
"I'm going to go grab some ice, do you want anything from the vending machine?" Steve knew they didn't need any ice, but he was slightly desperate to get out of the room. The silence was getting uncomfortable. Natasha shook her head.
"I'm going to wake Natalia up in a minute and give her a bath," She sat down on the edge of the bed.
Steve nodded before grabbing the empty ice bucket and quietly leaving the room, glad to be out of the situation. Even when Natalia was asleep, Steve had no idea how to act around a kid. Especially not one that had been through as much as Natalia.
The ice machine was just around the corner in the hall, so before long, Steve had a full bucket of ice and was standing back in front of the hotel room.
Shaking his head, Steve placed the ice down next to the door and started towards the gym.
– – – – –
Natasha didn't really want to wake Natalia up, but she knew that she had to get the girl cleaned up. She had no idea how long she had been in that alley, but the dirt and filth caked on her little body was proof that she hadn't had any care while she'd been homeless.
Natasha sighed, making up her mind as she stood up from the chair she was sitting in and quietly making her way to where she'd layed Natalia on one of the two hotel beds.
"Wake up, lets go get in the bath sweetheart." She gently shook Natalia, trying her best to keep her form and voice peaceful so she didn't startle the child.
This time, when Natalia finally blinked her eyes open, she didn't immediately start screaming. Instead she started whimpering, unsure of where she was for the second time that day.
Natasha held her arms open, comforting the girl before she could start actually crying. She picked Natalia up and rocked her gently as she carried her to the small hotel bathroom.
When Steve finally pushed the returned to the hotel room with the melted ice bucket in his hand, Natasha was just returning from the bathroom with a towel wrapped, clean Natalia in her arms.
Natasha didn't say anything as Steve guiltily held up the bucket, and she simply gave him a knowing look when he changed out of his sweaty shirt.
"Took you long enough, how was the gym?" She smiled internally as Steve shrugged his shoulder and bowed his head. She always enjoyed playing off the soldiers honesty, teasing him when ever it was possible. "Can you grab my t-shirt out of my bag? Natalia still doesn't have any clothes," she gestured to the black suitcase propped up against the wall across from where Steve was sitting on his bed.
Trying his best to avoid any of Natasha's other possessions, Steve dug around for a minute before finally pulling out Natasha's tight fitting, dark red t-shirt. He layed it on the bed next to Natalia, who was giggling as Natasha scrubbed her hair with the towel.
Natasha thanked him before she pulled the shirt over Natalia's head. The t-shirt, which was tight on Natasha when she wore it, fell loosely around Natalia's emaciated body. She ran her fingers around the neckline, gently pulling Natalia's long, curly, light brown hair out of the shirt so it poofed out around her shoulders.
Steve had to catch himself from reaching down to run his own fingers through Natalia's curls. Natasha, however, couldn't help herself.
Soon Natalia and Natasha were both sitting on her bed with the television turned on, Natalia sitting in Natasha's lap while she watched some puppet show Steve had put on for her. Natasha was repeatedly braiding and re-braiding her thick hair, providing comfort for both her and the little girl while it gave her something to do.
Steve was leaning against the table by the window, sipping on a bottle of water while he watched the two girls. While it was slightly odd to watch Natasha braid a child's hair, Steve wasn't all surprised given the obvious connection between the two. He had seen Natasha do things that others thought were out of the norm for her to do, but Steve knew that the cold persona Natasha showed everyone was just something she put up on the outside.
Steve had absolutely no doubt that Natasha loved the little girl sitting in her lap, and he found himself growing closer to her as well. He knew Clint adored Natalia, and that Tony was more than likely going to spoil her before they even got her settled into Stark Tower with them.
"I'm going to take a shower, can you watch her?" Natasha's voice pulled Steve out of his thoughts. "I won't be long, I promise." Natasha had already disappeared into the bathroom, leaving a very confused Steve alone with Natalia.
Steve contorted his face as he tried to process what Natahsa had just told didn't even notice when Natalia sat up and crawled to edge of the bed, turning around and lowering herself off as far as she ould before dropping to the ground.
"Game." Natalia whispered, pulling on Steve's hand when he didn't respond.
Steve shook his head, clearing his thoughts before turning his attention to the little girl. He crouched down so he was at eye level with the three year old. "What did you say?" He asked her.
Natalia smiled at him, choosing to point at the Stark pad he had put on the table instead of repeating herself. Natasha had been right, she simply didn't talk much.
"Oh, you want to play a game?" Steve stood up, grabbing the Stark pad off the table and handing it to Natalia. She shook her head, handing it back to him with both hands. Steve took it back, confused as to what the child wanted. Natalia took his hand and pulled him towards one of the beds.
Steve helped her back up onto the bed and then handed her the device, but she shook her head again. Sighing, Steve sat on the bed next to her, scooting back so his back was against the wall and his feet were stretched out in front of him. Natalia crawled over next to Steve, leaning against his side and swiping the Stark pad open.
Steve chuckled as she squirmed until she was comfortable, ending up with her head on his chest and one of her feet propped up on his thigh. She stuck two of her fingers in her mouth, using the other hand to play angry birds on the Stark pad.
Natasha found them like that ten minutes later, both man and toddler out like a light. Virtually alone, she grinned at the sight of Natalia cuddled up on Steve's chest, and Steve himself with one arm around her while he snored.
Shaking her head, Natasha climbed onto the bed and stretched out on the other side of Natalia, turning on her side so she could wrap on arm over the back of her daughter.