Thank you so much for the reviews! This story isn't going to be all rainbows and fun. It will have a lot of serious moments and plenty of action. I know have lulled you into a false sense of comfort with the first 3 chapters being very fun and light but things are about to get serious! Enjoy!

Chapter 4:

Dinner was over. Steve and Bruce were in the kitchen doing the dishes, much to Maria and Natasha's complaint. Thor was watching the Disney Channel with Emma, while Hawkeye fell asleep on the couch with a beer in his hand. Tony and Patrick were playing with an Ironman action figure at the dining room table.

On a lounge on the porch Natasha was leaning against Maria's chest with Maria's arms wrapped around her middle as the sunset slowly descended on their small piece of paradise.

Natasha sighed as she snuggled further into Maria's chest.

"I missed you," mumbled Natasha her eyes closed as Maria began to run her fingers through her hair.

"I missed you to," whispered Maria placing a kiss on the top of Natasha's head.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Maria finally asked the question that she had been wondering since the team showed up on her front lawn.

"What happened today?"

Natasha's eyes snapped open as she stared up at Maria. Sighing she sat up and faced her.

"We got our asses kicked, is what happened," replied Natasha her shoulders tensing at the thought of how quickly they were overpowered.

"We went in with a plan Maria," whispered Natasha, "but we didn't stand a chance. I couldn't even help. The witch…she was in my head…" Natasha trailed off, the memories of her worst fear coming to light flashing before her eyes.

Maria's eyes widened as she saw a haunted look flash before Natasha's eyes. It has been years since Maria has seen that look in her eyes.

"I feel like she is still in my head…" whispered Natasha as the memory of her family murdered flash before her eyes. "You…Emma…Patic…" Natasha couldn't finish the sentence as her voice broke and the tears she refused to let spill clouded her vision.

"Hey Nat…" whispered Maria slowly reaching out to Natasha lightly touching her face as she placed her hand under Natasha's chin and lifted her head up, forcing those haunted bright green eyes to meet hers. "We are fine….we will always be fine."

"I know," whispered Natasha as her eyes met Maria's. Maria slowly moved her hand up to gently cup Natasha's check.

Natasha leaned into the touch and spoke softly, "we didn't have anywhere to go so I came here or that is at least what I am telling myself but…" Natasha's voice cracked again as she turned her head and placed a small kiss to the center of Maria's palm before standing up and walking to the railing of the porch. Natasha stared out into the sunset and continued to speak, "I needed to see you, see the kids…I needed to feel you and them. I needed to be 100% certain that everyone was okay."

"I understand sweetheart," replied Maria as she got up to stand next to her.

"I am being selfish," ground out Natasha. "I am endangering our family by being here Maria,"

Maria grabbed Natasha's arm lightly and turned her around to stare into their home.

Emma was now braiding Thor's hair as he continued to watch the T.V. Hawkeye was up from his nap and he and Steve were drinking a beer discussing something. Bruce was sitting at the table with his glasses on typing furiously on his laptop.

"I think this is the safest our family has ever been sweetheart," replied Maria moving behind Natasha and wrapping her arms around her waist.

Natasha watched as her second family fit in so perfectly with her first.

"Where is Tony and Patrick?" questioned Maria her grip tightening ever so slightly on Natasha's hips at the thought of the trouble those two are no doubt getting into.

Natasha tensed at the question as she looked through the windows to find Tony and Patrick missing.

"I swear if he is putting lasers on Patrick's toys I will kill him," grumbled Natasha as she slipped from Maria's grasp. Both she and Maria entered their home trying to find them.

Natasha and Maria searched scanned the open areas of the home before Maria decided to check the basement and Natasha headed down the hallway to Patrick's bedroom.

Natasha got about 5 feet from his bedroom door before she began to hear Patrick's voice. The door was cracked open and the light was on.

"This is my Ironman beanbag and my ironman poster…ohh and here is my iron man blanket…" Patrick's voice faded and the sound of small running feet echoed through the room as Patrick no doubt running around to show Tony every Ironman thing he owned.

Natasha slowly approached the door and saw Tony sitting on Patrick's bed looking at a small ironman action figure in his hand.

Patrick obviously sensed something was wrong with his new friend by his silence and stopped his running and approached Tony.

"Ironman," said Patrick softly, "are you okay?"

Natasha smiled at the sincerity her son's voice. Maria and her often spoke about how much they loved how caring and kind their son was turning out to be. If only his consideration for others could rub off on Emma.

Natasha watched as Tony looked up from the small action figure to the small boy standing in front of him.

"Ya Tiny Romanoff," said Tony clearing his throat, "I am okay."

They sat in silence for some time, Patrick and Tony just staring at each other.

"You know my mommy has that look sometimes too," replied Patrick walking up to Tony and then sitting next to him on the bed.

Natasha's eyes shot open at her son's comment.

"I don't know what you are talking about Tiny Romanoff" replied Tony, a little too harshly as he was talking to a 4 year old.

Natasha's eyes narrowed at Tony, getting ready to step in if he takes it too far.

"Sometimes I can't sleep," whispered Patrick. "Don't tell my mom's but I have nightmares sometimes and I go to the kitchen to eat the cookies my mom hides behind cans in the cupboard."

Natasha both frowned at Patrick's comment about nightmares. How did she not know about this?

"Sometimes when I go to get my cookie my mommy is in the living room staring outside," whispered Patrick softly. "She has the same eyes yours did…sad eyes."

Natasha whole body stiffened as she listened to her son's words, tears staring build in her eyes. She had no idea Patrick had seen her like that.

"My mommy has a hard job," declared Patrick as he leaned over and took the action figure out of Tony's hand and stared down at it. "Both my mommies don't think I understand. But I do. My mommy is a superhero, like you. "

Natasha sucked in a breath at the comment.

Silence engulfed the room as Tony processed what Patrick was telling him.

"Yes," said Tony softly reaching up and ruffling Patrick's hair, "she is a super hero, just not as cool as Ironman," he joked.

Natasha rolled her eyes but was thankful that Tony lightened up the mood.

"You are my favorite," nodded Patrick agreeing with Tony.

"Is it because of the suit? Or because I can shoot lasers? Or because I can fly?" rambled Tony, truly wanting to know why Patrick liked Ironman so much.

"No," said Patrick, shaking his head as he stared up at Tony. "It's because you saved my mommy."

"I….what?" asked Tony, his voice cracking as he stared down at the Patrick who was still fumbling with the Ironman toy.

Natasha's legs almost crumbled out from beneath her at her son's words. Leaning against the wall she slowly slipped to the floor. Her head coming to rest against the wall and her arms wrapping around her knees as the wall as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"You can't tell my mommy if I tell you," said Patrick as he stared at Tony.

"Okay I won't," said Tony nodding his head.

"Pinky promise," said Patrick holding his pinky out to Tony.

Tony stared down at the tiny finger before sighing and linking his pinky. "Pinky promise," nodded Tony.

"After you guys beat the aliens butts my mom took me and my sister home," said Patrick. "We were staying with our sitter down the road."

"I had a nightmare that night," said Patrick his voice becoming soft as he told his story. "I went to get my cookie and I saw mommy and mom on the kitchen floor."

Tony's eyes went wide as the boy continued to talk.

"My mom was crying and my mommy was holding her," Patrick's voice cracked just slightly. "I hid around the corner so they didn't see me."

"My mom said that she thought she was going to have to watch my mommy die…that a bomb…it was going to explode where my mommy was fighting the aliens."

"They both were so sad…sad eyes," mumbled Patrick.

"But I remember my mommy telling my mom that you were there," said Patrick staring up at Tony. "That you carried the bomb away. That you saved her."

Tony stared at Patrick his eyes wide and tears starting to gather in his eyes.

"That's why you're my favorite," whispered Patrick as he leaned into Tony, "my mommy came home because of you."

Natasha couldn't help it. By now she was completely bawling at her son's words and she sniffled, she tried to make it as quite as she could but as she looked into the room she could see Tony staring at her over her son's head. Tony too had tears running down his cheek.

Keeping eye contact with Natasha, Tony spoke, "You know I will always protect your mommy right? I am always going to make sure she comes home to you."

The statement and raw emotion in Tony's voice had Natasha at a loss of breath.

Tony broke eye contact with Natasha and stared down at the little boy snuggling further into his side.

"You promise?" whispered Patrick.

Tony looked back up to Natasha and his eyes took on this seriousness Natasha had never seen from Tony Stark.

"Pinky promise buddy."

Please Review! Hopefully you guys enjoyed the Natasha/Tony moment :)