The Act Struck A Spark

It's Christmas Eve and Natasha and Pepper have snuck out of Stark Towers together. At almost eleven at night the streets are nearly deserted-well, for New York-and they walk in companionable silence. They're wearing mittens, because Pepper's always been more than a little whimsical and Natasha feels whimsical around Pepper.

Snow begins to fall as Natasha leads them to an achingly familiar park bench. Three, four months ago Pepper would have panicked, worried incessantly that Natasha was going to break up with her.

Now they've built enough trust between them that all Pepper can think is how perfect this is, the cold air, holding hands with her girlfriend, the glow of their faces under the streetlamp. It's like a dream. They both sit there for a moment or two, reflecting on the last year. On how much has changed, how much they've grown together. On how deeply they've come to rely on each other.

It's a beautiful night, as Natasha slides (with impossible grace, considering the bulky coat Pepper insisted she wear) down on to one knee, and Pepper's heart rate doubles.

"Pepper," she whispers, just loud enough to be heard. "You have an amazing ability to bring out my favorite parts of myself, beneath all the identities I've become and destroyed, and you remind me not only who I am, but who I could become." She takes a deep breath, steadying herself-she's not used to feeling this nervous, hasn't been this shaky since her first kill. "Will you marry me?" Pepper can't control the grin that breaks across her face as she pulls Natasha towards her.

"Of course." When they kiss it's like their first kiss all over again, all excitement and wonder. They look in each other's eyes and see the possibility of the two of them together, the spectacular ways they can move through the world. In that instant they glimpse their own possible eternity.

Across the city, church bells strike midnight, police are called to the scene of the crime, a woman goes into labor, and a million decisions are made. Life goes on.

Tomorrow will be about the family they've been forced to create, about the t-shirt Natasha's giving Clint this year (which has Katniss on it.) and the love they're surrounded by.

This moment, though, is for them and them alone.