This chapter is based on Ciara's review.
Since there is no James Rogers in this story but I like the prompt idea I'm changing it a little bit. Instead of James its Natasha who's away on the mission and it's up to Steve to comfort Anna.
Anna's Age: 7
"Hi Daddy." Anna called out.
"Morning Sweetie." Steve said closing the bedroom door behind him. He made a cup of coffee before joining Anna on the couch. "What are we watching?"
"It's called Rocco the Clown. It's super funny."
"I bet it is." He said taking a sip of coffee. He had agonized through another hour of Saturday morning cartoons when Anna turned to him.
"Daddy, how long until Mama's home?" He pulled out his phone and showed her the calendar.
"Well, it's Saturday today and your Mama's coming back from her mission on Monday. So that means…"
"Only two more days!" She said smiling brightly behind her oxygen mask.
"That's right!"
"I can't wait! I made her a present for when she gets back!" She pointed towards her bedroom. Steve's eyebrows furrowed at the sight of art supplies scattered from one corner of the room to the other.
"I'm sure she'll love it. Hey, here's an idea. How about you put all of your crayons and toys away so your room'll be nice and clean when she comes home?"
"Okay!" Steve passed Anna her crutches and watched her scurry into her room. His face fell from a smile to a worried expression. He pulled out his phone and selected the most recent call, tapping his foot as it dialed.
"Agent Hill."
"Maria, It's Steve-"
"She's still missing Steve."
"…Nothing's changed?"
"Last time we heard from her was 3 days ago. I'm sorry, I'll keep you updated don't worry."
"I don't know how I can't."
Two days passed quickly with still no word from anyone on Natasha's location. As the sun set on Monday Steve sat in the old rocking chair in Anna's room, wondering what he would tell Anna.
"Mama!" Anna called out as she came into the apartment "Mama? Daddy where's Mama?" She asked walking into her room.
"She's… she has a few more things to do on her mission."
"What kinds of things?"
"Well… There's a bad guy that's a little harder to beat than Director Fury thought. But she's working real hard to get back to us."
"Okay!" Steve pulled Anna into his lap. She leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "How much longer Daddy?"
"A few more days." He said, lightly rocking the chair back and forth.
"Is she okay?" His heart dropped, he didn't know.
"Of course she is."
3 days passed agonizingly slowly. "Steve, a STRIKE team was sent to Natasha's last location…" Steve's heart thudded in his chest, he tightened his grip on phone. "She wasn't there, and… there were traces of blood in the hotel room she was stationed in." He could tell Clint was trying to keep a cool collected composure as he delivered the news.
"Is it her blood?" Steve asked, his voice barely above a whisper
"Not sure, they're sending it to the lab to have it checked. Even if it isn't, it can still help us find her. We can find out who was there, maybe leading us to a location. I'll keep you posted."
"Thanks Clint. I'll talk to you la-"
"How's Anna handling all this?" Steve shifted his feet awkwardly.
"She doesn't know, just thinks Nat's mission is taking 'a little bit longer'."
"When are you going to tell her?"
"I don't know. Depends on what the results of that blood test."
"Daddy?" Anna's voice called from the living room.
"I gotta go, keep me posted on the test results." Steve hung up the phone quickly as he walked towards the couch. "
"Is Mama coming home today?" She asked hopefully.
"Sorry sweetie… Your Mom's going to have to be gone just a little bit longer." Anna frowned.
"Why?"
"I told you, her mission's going to take a little bit longer-"
"You said that 3 days ago!"
"I'm sorry Anna."
"I miss Mama…"
"I do too."
"…Is she okay?" Steve's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to read a text from Clint.
It's her blood.
"Of course she is."
Steve stared at his alarm clock, Friday 11:56 pm. He couldn't sleep, worried thoughts about Natasha plagued his mind. His mind quickly jumped to thoughts of Anna when he heard her scream out.
"Anna!" He jumped out of bed and ran into her room to find her in bed curled up in a little ball.
"Anna, honey what's wrong?" He asked kneeling down beside her bed.
"I… I had a bad dream." She said shaking.
"What was it about?"
"I was walking around, and there were all these bugs! Creepy crawly bugs with sharp fangs and fire and they poked me and it hurt a lot and-"
"It's okay, the nightmare's over now." He wrapped her in his arms.
"Mama's usually the one that makes me feel better when I have a bad dream…" She said against his chest. "Is she coming home yet?" Steve sighed.
"Not yet…" She pushed Steve away angrily.
"Don't hug me I'm mad at you. I'm mad her too."
"Don't be mad at her. Why are you mad at your Mama?"
"Because she isn't here… Daddy? She's okay… right?"
"Of course she's okay."
More and more days passed. Unknown to Steve, Clint and Pepper had started to make arrangements for a funeral, if it was deemed necessary. 3 more Mondays had passed by when Natasha Romanov was officially pronounced MIA and possibly KIA. Steve didn't want to think about the second part.
He walked into the Romanov-Rogers floor on Avenger's tower, thinking of what he was going tell Anna next time she wanted Natasha. But he walked into an empty apartment. "Anna?" He wandered around, her room, his room, the study; he finally found her sitting on the floor on the balcony. She sniffled when he approached her.
"…She's not okay is she?" Anna said, her voice shaking. Steve's already damaged heart seemed to break into 1000 pieces, he swallowed hard.
"No Anna… she's not." She let out a small sigh filled with agony. Her cheeks stained with tears. He wearily sat down next to her, not knowing what to say next.
"Is she ever coming home?" There was a long silence, Anna felt that answered her question enough. But she still wanted an answer.
"…I don't know." Anna kicked one of her crutches angrily.
"I… I always thought you guys would always come home safe… That you were invincible… I guess not." She wiped her face with her sleeve. "I miss her Daddy… I just want her home with you and me. I want her to read me bedtime stories… a- a- and tell me fun stories about her missions a- a- and hug me and make me sandwiches. I even want her to yell at me! I- I- I just miss her Daddy!" She held onto him, her cries turning into sobs.
"I know… I do too." Steve, who'd been Anna's rock for 3 weeks and 4 days, let a single tear stream down his face.
Natasha's stomach growled, she wondered how long it had been since she'd eaten. Two, three days? Her ankle hurt like hell, she knew it had to be broken; the leather straps keeping her bound to the chair weren't helping either. She shivered at the thought of the torture she'd endured. The burns and bruises on her arms and stomach would take a few weeks to heal, if she managed to get out that is. She slowly closed her eyes, hoping to escape into the safety of sleep.
Her eyes shot back open at the sound of a man's voice. Not the cold, cruel voices of her tortures, but a familiar voice. Filled with concern and… relief?
"Nat? Can you hear me?" Her blurry vision focused on a red, white and blue uniform, and a pair of baby blue eyes.
"Oh my god." She let out a sigh of relief and surprise. Steve smiled widely as he undid the leather straps binding her arms and legs. She heard the familiar sound of Tony's rockets and the Hulk's roar from outside, followed by thunder and what sounded like Clint and Maria Hill yelling.
Steve ran a hand though Natasha's hair before kissing her soundly. "Natasha Romanov." He said, helping her to her feet and wrapping one arm around her waist, her other around his shoulders. "I've got to get you out of here. There's a 7 year old girl who's dying to see you."
Natasha walked down the jet's ramp and onto the runway. She was covered in dirt and bruises, her arm was still a little sore, her left ankle was ace wrapped and she wasn't supposed to do any manual labor for 5 weeks. "Yeah, I've got a 7 year old. We'll see how long that lasts."
Natasha's smile grew several sizes when she saw that 7 year old standing on the runway. "Mama!" Anna yelled smiling. Anna silently cursed her stupid legs from keeping her from running into Natasha's arms. But Natasha walked a fast as her ace-wrapped ankle would take her. She sank to her knees and pulled Anna into a hug.
"I missed you so much." She said tightening her hold on Anna, who was squeezing her as hard as her little arms would allow. When she tried to let go Anna wrapped her arms around Natasha's shoulders more, so the spy gave up and pushed her sore muscles to pick up her small daughter.
"What no hug for me?" Tony joked; Natasha hadn't even noticed her there. 'Somebody had to be with Anna I guess.'
"Stark, the last time I hugged you the world nearly ended. And whilst completely unrelated I'd rather not risk it." Tony laughed
"I get to hug her now not you!" Anna pressed a kiss to Natasha's cheek.
"I missed you Anna." She squeezed her tightly.
"I missed you too." Anna said smiling. "I'm glad you're okay."
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