Chapter 7
Never in all of his centuries of existence had the god of lightning and storms ever been so stunned.
He stood there in the elevator gaping at the scientist for a few seconds before he remembered himself and managed to choke out: "I beg your pardon?"
"She was pregnant, and having an abortion wasn't an option for her, so she told me she was going to call her adoptive father who lives in England for help, and then disappeared. I haven't seen her in months."
"And…..and you're sure she was pregnant?" Thor asked again, sure he had heard the man incorrectly. Horatio nodded. Thor reached out and gripped the elevator railing remembering that he couldn't hold onto it as hard as he was because he was about to snap it in two. He let go and saw a large dent in the metal.
Horatio reached over and flicked on the power to the elevator again and they once more began moving. "She was," he replied. "And this was a child that had already achieved a significant amount of growth in a one month period when I learned she was with child. I can only conclude it is because of Natasha's advanced state of being."
That and maybe the fact that I am a god, Thor thought to himself, still in a state of shock. This couldn't be happening. Loki was right. Natasha was pregnant…..which would mean that he was a father.
He wondered absently if it would be a boy or girl.
When the elevator reached the bottom floor, he thanked the scientist before once more promising he would keep mum about the information, and then hightailed it out of the facility like a bat out of hell.
Questions and shock were still whirling around in his brain like clothes in a washing machine as he made his way out of the mountain valley to find a place where he could port back to Asgard. Thor needed to think.
Natasha was pregnant.
With his child.
How had this happened?
Loki would have taken it as a literal question and then begun to explain the workings of it to him, before Thor would have shut him up with a well-placed hit.
Thor didn't even remember porting back, he was so in shock. Thankfully Heimdall wasn't there so he would have to explain his blank expression to the gatekeeper as he came down the stairs and hurried along the rainbow bridge to the city.
The blonde ran a hair through his long hair. The reality was beginning to set in, that Natasha was pregnant and had fled with his child to a different part of Midgard to give birth in safety. What was he supposed to do about that?
Self-preservation would say forget the whole conversation with the scientist had happened and to put the event out of his mind. If he ignored it for long enough, then perhaps it wouldn't be true.
But reality was saying that was thoroughly ridiculous. He had never been one to shy away from responsibility. He was the crown prince after all. And his conscience and heart would never give him peace if he ignored something this large.
Another part of him was angry. He knew it was ridiculous, this was no one's fault, but why hadn't Natasha stayed so she could have told him all this herself? He would have gone back to Midgard eventually.
Logic shut the anger down after a second and reminded him that she would have been in danger the minute she found out she was pregnant. Working for an international agency that employed trained master assassins couldn't have a lot of job security and he imagined that Natasha had made a lot of enemies during her time there if Anton Konrad was any indication. She would be vulnerable for a while during the period that she carried the child.
He sat down hard in the training area where he sparred with Loki a few times a day and put his head in his hands.
This was insane.
What would Odin say if he were to find out?
But right now, his father's reaction was the least of his worries. A sense of urgency had replaced the shock and the anger.
He needed to find her.
The blonde got up and began to pace. He knew that she had received a call from her adoptive father in England which was most likely where she had gone. But he needed a way of finding her and for that he was going to need to let Loki in on what was going on, which would mean that more people would know and that there was more of a chance of it getting back to Odin.
This was a nightmare!
He got up and began to pace. Natasha was almost as strong as the women of Asgard, there was no way she wouldn't be able to defend herself. But the fact that she was pregnant would add an extra measure of vulnerability. She might harm herself or the child in the process. She had been gone almost six months which would mean that she was that much further along and would be quite obviously pregnant.
Which made finding her and making sure she was safe that much more imperative.
With that thought in mind, Thor strode from the training yard. He needed to see Loki and find Natasha and ensure that both she and his child were alright.
Ω
Meanwhile, far away in England, Natasha was unaware of what had just transpired and was relaxing in the backyard with Petunia. She had decided that she would try and invite the blonde over more often to get to know her better when her husband was away.
The walrus, as she fondly referred to Vernon in private, never returned until eight in the evening and Natasha usually finished work at around four so that left her a four hour window with Petunia.
Ever since she had moved in, Natasha had seen a noticeable change in the other woman. She smiled more and was often seen humming as she worked in the garden. It could be because of the fact that she was pregnant, or it could also be the company, but either way, Natasha wasn't complaining.
At the moment, the two women were sitting on the lawn furniture in the back sipping from glasses of lemonade. The sun was shining through the large lawn umbrella they were sitting under and everything was surprisingly calm.
Natasha had discovered a week into her stay at Privet Drive that there was a small garden in the back of the lawn by the fence. There was a bird fountain in it and every morning a pair of cardinals would come to nest. The sight brought a smile to her face. But she always wanted to laugh after because the notion that she, an international espionage agent would content watching two cardinals' drink from a bird bath would have been such an obtuse notion in the past.
Was she going soft?
No that was ridiculous, she was going to be a mother whether or not she decided to keep the little girl growing inside of her. It was only natural that her perspective on certain things would change.
Something that did concern her though was the emotional connection she would inevitably have with the child. This little girl would be a part of her. She might have her eyes, her smile, her facial and bone structure. She might laugh the same way and get angry about the same things. She have the same pet peeves and style of walking.
Natasha couldn't deny that. This would be her daughter, and regardless of whether or not she would keep her, she wouldn't be entirely herself anymore. A part of her would always belong to this little girl.
And that scared the holy hell out of her.
After she saw her parents and sister burned to death in front of her, Natasha had turned off the part of herself that could feel love, but this child would someone that would forcibly take it from her whether she wanted to give it or not.
But the frightening thing was, she could almost imagine what her baby girl would look like. Natasha had already imaged her to have strawberry blonde locks and aquamarine eyes. She would be a demigod and a witch so there were bound to be some things that were different about her from the other children.
And there she went again.
"Are you alright Emma?" Petunia asked as she took a sip from her lemonade. "You're awfully quiet."
Natasha nodded. "I was thinking about what will happen when the baby is due. I still don't know what to call her."
Petunia sat up fully on her lawn chair and got a thoughtful look on her face. "Well if she's anything like her mother, then she's going to be very beautiful."
Natasha gave her a soft smile at the compliment. She was no stranger to the admiring looks of men, but it was never something she cared about or valued. It just was.
But this was also Thor's daughter and the man had the looks of an Adonis. Natasha worried that her baby girl was going to receive a lot of unnecessary attention.
"And if she is going to be as beautiful as her mother, which I think she will be, then a beautiful name is in order. A name like Chloe or Allison just wouldn't do for someone like her."
"You seem like you have a lot of experience with this," Natasha observed. Petunia's cheeks turned a bit pink.
"Before I met Vernon, I love to write short stories. I was one of the editors for a publishing company, and picking out the names for the characters of different stories was one of my favorite parts. A name can define a person for the rest of life and what they do."
Natasha was impressed. Petunia was an intelligent woman who was following through on her passions. "So why did you stop?"
The smile on Petunia's face faltered. "Vernon is old school. He insisted that no wife of his should work."
Natasha was outraged. Over the past few months, along with the Barlow's, Petunia had become a good friend. She had gone out of her way to welcome Natasha to the neighborhood and she was a sweet and caring woman. It was 1980 for god's sake, women were part of the working force.
Her dislike of the walrus multiplied again.
"You know you don't have to live like this Petunia," Natasha said softly. "You don't need to let him have such power over you."
The blonde uttered a choked laugh. "And where would I go if I left him Emma? The little boy I'm carrying would be his son too. And Vernon is like a pit bull when he's after something. If I leave, and he wants to find me, then he will. His sister is close friends with the people in the district attorney's office. If he wanted to take our son from me, there's no way I could stop him."
I need to talk to Ivan about options for Petunia, Natasha thought as she watched the other woman. No one should have to live in fear of their husband in their own home. She should be doing what she loves and raising her son away from that walrus. Maybe Ivan can help me about moving her to a different place. He's more powerful than the district attorney. There's no way that Vernon would be able to find her if Ivan relocated her. After all, that's what he did for me and I haven't heard from Russia in months.
She didn't know it now, but she wouldn't be carrying that sentiment for long.
Ω
Unbeknownst to both Natasha and Thor, there was someone else who was seeking the beautiful espionage agent.
Stefan had been furious about her disappearance. She was one of his best agents and for the first few months he truly believed that she had been abducted. But when a thorough search of the country had turned up nothing, he had been forced to look into other options.
Was it possible that she had fled the country?
At first, the head of the Red Room didn't want to admit it, but the more he thought about it, Natasha was a master of deception. She was also high up in the chain of command and knew many secrets about the agency. Secrets that could shut them down for good, and if they were leaked to the rest of the world, it could lose them the war.
She had turned into a wild card, and that was something that Stefan couldn't afford. He knew for whatever reason she had left, that she wouldn't be returning willingly. And that only left a few options.
They needed to find her, and if finding her meant taking her out for good….then so be it.
Ω
As one might imagine, Loki took the news that he was going to be an uncle with shock and no shortage of smart remarks. But when Thor told him that Natasha had disappeared from Russia completely, he sobered up.
"Human pregnancies usually take about nine months to bring to completion," Loki mused.
They were walking among the grounds of the palace of Asgard. Thor was too antsy to pick up a sword and train. He had been pacing for the past hour trying to think of what he would say to Natasha when he saw her again.
For the most part, he was still adjusting to the fact that she was carrying his child. That alone was enough to cause his brain to spark and sputter.
"But you've already determined that six months has passed since you have last seen her, and because this is a child that is part god, it is highly likely that she will have an increased term," Loki continued. But Thor had stopped listening.
"You mean it's possible that she could have the child any day now?" He whirled around. "I should be in Midgard looking for her right now."
Loki reached out and seized his brother's arm. "Would you cease and desist? We have not determined where she is yet and it would not do for you to be running all over Midgard acting like the demented berserker that you are sometimes."
"Fine, then what oh all-knowing brother of mine, do you propose is the best course of action?" Thor asked exasperatedly.
Loki nodded approvingly as if he hadn't heard the annoyance in the blonde's voice. "That's better. Now you said she had left Russia six months ago after she received a communication from her adoptive father in England?"
"That's what the scientist imparted to me, yes." Thor was getting a little impatient. This was old information. What would happen if something happened to Natasha down on Midgard? He knew she was more than capable of defending herself, but again, she was also carrying a child which increased the likelihood of harm.
He gave a strangled groan and sat down hard on one of the benches in the courtyard they had stopped in. It was a small garden filled with fragrant flowers and usually exuded an atmosphere of serenity.
But right now, Thor was feeling anything but peaceful. He reached inside the collar of his tunic and pulled out the amber pendent he had given the duplicate of to Natasha. Ever since he had entered his chamber that one night and found it glowing he hadn't taken it off, convinced that it meant something.
And now he knew what it was.
Loki continued talking, but the blonde was no longer listening. He was wondering just where in England Natasha would have gone off to. She would not doubt want anonymity for her and the child as well as complete privacy for the birth. So it would have to be somewhere quiet where no one would expect her to go.
His brother snapped his fingers and jerked Thor out of the stupor he was in. "I think I've found the way to locate her."
"Can we do it in a timely fashion?" Thor as looking up. Loki rolled his eyes. "What do you take me for? Of course we can. Just bring the pendant and follow me."
Ω
Natasha shot awake at the sudden pain in her stomach. After a second though, it died and her tense muscles relaxed. A moment later though, it happened again and she put her hand on her stomach all of a sudden worried that she might be going into labor. But a sudden force knocked against her hand and she glanced down at her stomach in surprise.
The baby was kicking. Out of the blue, she smiled. The baby was only seven months along and she was already pretty strong.
Deciding that she wasn't going to get any sleep for the next little while, Natasha headed downstairs to make herself a glass of tea. She turned on the kitchen light and headed for the cupboards to take out the kettle. She hadn't been much of an avid tea drinker when she was staying with the Red Room, her advanced metabolism and immune system had been enough to keep her from getting tired for long periods of time but she found after coming to England that she rather liked it.
However, Natasha had no sooner poured the tea into a mug when there was a knock on the door….actually it was more like a pounding.
Natasha glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was just after two in the morning. Who could possibly be pounding on her door at this hour?
Cautiously, Natasha crept to the front door and peered through the peep hole. A moment later her eyes widened and she through back to the two latches and three deadbolts that Ivan had put on the door and turned the lock before opening it to reveal a very frazzled Petunia in a pale blue silk bathrobe and house slippers. Her blonde curls were a mess and her face was red. She was breathing hard and her blue eyes looked even more watery than usual. She had one hand on her swelling stomach and the other was leaning against the door frame.
"Petunia, are you alright?" Natasha asked opening the door. Stupid question Romanov, of course she's not alright. "Never mind, come in and sit down."
The blonde nodded and hurried into the house. Natasha shut the door behind her and followed the other woman to the kitchen where she collapsed into one of the chairs. Not asking any questions, Natasha put another cup of tea on to boil and waited until it was done before she placed it in front of Petunia and sat down across from her.
"Petunia, what's going on?" Natasha asked gently.
The other woman took a few sips of tea and swallowed hard twice before opening her mouth. "Vernon came home very late. He didn't seem to be in a good mood, so when that happens, I simply serve him dinner and stay out of his way. He went out again and I went to bed soon after, but I woke up about twenty minutes ago and heard the sound of breaking glass. I went downstairs and found he had completely trashed the kitchen. He was muttering something about bills. When I tried to stop him and get him to come to bed, it only made him angrier. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and I knew he was drunk. It was then that he got violent. He swung at me, but I managed to duck out of the way and as I scrambled to get out of the kitchen, I fell and cut my wrist."
Her voice wobbled as she held up her bleeding arm for Natasha to see. The red head was burning with rage.
"I was lucky I landed on my side closer to my back so I didn't hurt the baby," Petunia whispered rubbing her stomach. I was close to the ground anyway. And then I ran out the door and came here."
By this point, she was crying and Natasha was horrified. She'd known Vernon was a monster from the moment she laid eyes on him. He was a drunkard and no doubt a cheater as well. She was beginning to hate the man with a passion.
"Let me see about that cut on your arm, and then I think it would be a good idea for you to go to the hospital," she said calmly.
"Oh please no! Don't do that Emma, it'll just make things worse. Vernon will be madder than ever. Can I just stay the night with you and then go back in morning?" Petunia begged tearfully.
Natasha sighed and closed her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was let that pig off the hook for attempting to harm his wife, but she didn't want to make things worse for Petunia also. There was her little boy to think about.
"It's against my better judgement," Natasha said slowly. "But let's look at your arm. You can stay in the guest room tonight. But if something like this happens again, I'm calling the police and then the hospital."
Petunia sighed in relief and Natasha hurried upstairs to get the first aid kit. In the back of her mind, she was mentally putting her fist through the wall. Men like that shouldn't be allowed to exist. She would have destroyed people like that back when she was in the Red Room.
As she collected the kit from the bathroom, Natasha realized that was one of the aspects that she liked most about her job. Sure she killed people for a living, but they were the ones that made her people targets. She stole international secrets and protected diplomats, but it was all for the protection of her country. That was why she liked doing what she did. Not the killing part, but the nationalistic part.
She helped make the world a safer place. There weren't many jobs that played such a direct role in doing that. That was the reason that she missed it.
Meanwhile downstairs, Petunia stared at the table not really seeing it. Her eyes had filled with tears and her shoulders were shaking silently. She knew that Emma was right. She needed to do something about Vernon. She had a baby on the way, and there was no way her son should be allowed to be subjected to such violent outbursts.
But what was she supposed to do? She had no money set aside for a convenient exit, she didn't have a job or any close friends in the area to help her. There was Emma, but that was still too close to Vernon. Her parents were dead, she had no idea where her sister was and she knew that Vernon's sister would fight tooth and nail to take Dudley away from her.
If she did leave Vernon, then she would have to be absolutely sure that she would be able to do it completely and that he and Marge wouldn't be able to find her.
Now dry your eyes Petunia, she told herself sternly. Be thankful that you have a safe place to sleep tonight. And you need to think seriously about leaving him. If not for your sake but for your baby's.
Ω
Petunia spent the night with Natasha, but the latter didn't get much sleep. She was thinking carefully on her friend's problem. Thankfully the cut on Petunia's arm hadn't required any stitches so they didn't need to go to the hospital after all. Natasha was more worried about what could have happened. Petunia might have landed on her stomach and seriously injured the baby, or worse, Vernon might have actually hit her there in the drunken stupor he was in.
She growled as she paced the room. That man was a menace and he needed to be taken care of. Maybe she could pull a few strings with Ivan and make him disappear for good.
Then she put out a mental foot and tripped that thought. She was going to be a mother soon, that wasn't something she should be thinking of.
But something did need to be done about that walrus…and soon.
The following morning, Natasha went back with Petunia to Number 4 Privet Drive to see what the damages were. Thankfully, Vernon wasn't home. The car was gone and so was his brief case so that meant he must have sobered up some time in the night enough to go to work.
Good riddance, Natasha thought as she observed the mess in the kitchen. There was glass everywhere and some of the cupboard doors were hanging half off their hinges. Some of the fruit in the fruit bowl on top of the counter had spilled onto the floor, the chairs were over turned and the pictures were hanging haphazardly off their nails. The counter was also littered with empty beer bottles.
"What a mass," Natasha observed under her breath. Petunia came down the stairs. "Nothing seems to have been touched up here. It's just the kitchen and the dining room."
"I can see that," Natasha said as she looked around. Then she glanced up at her friend. "Petunia are you sure that you want to stay here tonight? Vernon might not have slept it all off yet."
"Thanks Emma, but I'll be okay. I know where to go if there's trouble and if Vernon ever tries something like that again, then I'll call the police."
Natasha nodded. "Good."
She stayed for the next few hours and helped Petunia clean up at the house. She even stayed while Petunia fixed dinner for Vernon, even though she felt it was incredibly wrong sitting there. Petunia was such a sweet woman, she didn't deserve to be treated like this. In fact, she had a baby on the way. It was imperative that she protect herself and this child. If Vernon didn't change-"
"Thank you for staying to help me clean up Emma," Petunia said breaking into her thoughts. She looked better and the cut on her arm didn't look so angry anymore.
Bracing herself on the back of the chair and one hand on her stomach, Natasha stood up. She at least didn't want to be here when Vernon returned. "You're welcome, but if he ever tries something like this again, you don't wait, you just get out of the house and you come find me. This could have turned out a lot worse."
Petunia looked sad but nodded. Natasha told her goodbye and let herself out. Instead of going back to the house however, she decided she would go for a walk.
Not surprisingly, her feet led her back to the park she had visited on her first day in Surrey. She sat down on the swings and slowly rocked herself back and forth.
She needed to check in with Ivan. He called her every week to see how she was doing and whether or not she needed any help around the house.
Natasha always said no but it did mean a lot to her that he asked. She knew that Ivan had her back and that was a good feeling.
As she swung, she glanced down at her stomach and tentatively placed a hand on the taut surface. It was warm and she could almost feel the little hands pushing back at her from the other side.
"You're going to be the death of me little one," She whispered. "What am I going to do with you? Every day you're with me it's like you steal little pieces of my heart. You deserve so much better then what I can offer you. But I'm not sure I can give you up anymore."
It was true. Something had changed. Maybe it was Petunia protecting herself from Vernon and getting out of that house before her baby was harmed, but Natasha realized she had done the same thing. She had left the Red Room for the sake of her baby girl. At the time she believed it was because she was protecting herself and while that may have been partially true, she knew they would have killed her little girl if she stayed.
Maybe that little bit of selflessness was putting her on the right path to becoming a mother.
You've already sacrificed for this little girl, how much harder could it be?
The one thing that Natasha did know about being a mother was sacrifice, and her parents sacrificed a lot by saying no to Grindelwald. If she knew that sacrifice was the first thing to being a parent, could she learn the rest of the stuff on the way?
It was a question that she still had time to figure out. And Natasha felt surprisingly light hearted for the first time in months as she walked back to the house.
Ω
Over the next few weeks, Natasha found herself spending a surprising amount of time with Petunia and the Barlows. The Garrett's knew she was going to be due in around six weeks and had decided to give her the time off early.
She was a little relieved to hear it as the kicking in her stomach had gotten stronger and she was a little more tired than before.
Seeing her condition, Amelia Barlow had come over almost every day to ensure she had everything she needed.
"Amy I really appreciate this," Natasha said one afternoon as she sat on the couch with her feet up. "But before I got pregnant, I was always an extremely active person. There's only so much pampering I can handle."
Amelia who had been in the process of making a pot of tea whilst sweeping the floor looked up at her and laughed. "Honey, your husband is overseas fighting a war while you're here all alone and pregnant and only several weeks away from having your baby. The more I can do to make you comfortable, the better."
When the older woman wasn't looking Natasha rolled her eyes good naturedly. She knew nothing she was going to say would convince the other woman not to continue mothering her. But it was actually sort of nice. She had been taking care of herself for a long time so it was nice to have someone else do it for a change.
Petunia seemed to be better as well. She'd had a few scares where she had been rushed to the hospital, but they had all been false alarms. She complained to Natasha that if this baby didn't come soon, she was going to explode.
Vernon seemed to have quieted down since the incident a few weeks ago with Petunia coming to Natasha's door in the middle of the night. And for that both of the women were grateful. Petunia seemed convinced that he was turning over a new leaf, but Natasha wasn't so sure. She had seen men like him before and while she believed enough in the capacity for change, she also didn't believe that men like him actually would. He loved his alcohol and terrorizing his wife far too much to let it go.
Later that afternoon, Amelia went home and Natasha wandered out to the backyard to look at the roses she had planted around the bird fountain in the back garden. It was such a domestic chore that she wanted to laugh. If someone had told her a year ago this time that she would be pregnant by a god and planting roses in her backyard garden, she probably would have turned them over to the Red Room for questioning on seeing into the future, as that was a talent that would have been put to great use.
But now as she stood in her back garden, she knew that nothing could have prepared her for any of this
It was just too bizarre. She was due in around six weeks and was actually starting adjust to life as a domestic.
Well…..partially.
She had talked Ivan into helping her turn the basement into a course similar to the facility they had in the Red Room, obstacle courses weight training and all. He had grumbled about why she needed this and she told him it was to stay in shape during her pregnancy. He had asked her a few times about what she was going to do once the baby was born, but she had always been evasive.
The truth was that the notion to keep the baby was growing stronger in her mind. She did love what she did, but maybe there was a way to do both. She didn't necessarily have to go back to the Red Room. The British Secret Service was almost as intensive and action filled. Perhaps she could find work there.
But if things didn't turn out the way she thought they would, Natasha had made up her mind that she would want the Barlows to take care of her baby. They were well off financially, the child would be well cared for, and Amelia had always wanted children. The thought of giving her little girl up made Natasha sad, but the Barlows would be a far better option than an adoption agency. Having a plan made her feel a little bit better.
After her last checkup with Dr. Radcliffe, he had cautioned her to not overdo it too much with the exercise as she was only a few weeks away from delivery. Natasha had moaned that she felt like a whale when she had gone to see him, but he had just laughed and said that's how all of his female patients felt around this time.
A sudden ringing of the phone jerked her out of her thoughts. Natasha hurried back into the house and snatched the phone off its hook on the wall.
"Hello?"
It was a breathless Petunia that answered. "Emma? Oh good you picked up. Listen I've just gone into labor and I'm at the hospital."
Natasha blinked. "I didn't hear the ambulance go by, do you need me to come?"
"No, no. Don't worry, I took a cab. I had a strange feeling that today was the day it would happen, and the labor pains started as soon as I parked. I already called Vernon and he's on his way. I just wanted to ask if you could keep an eye on the house. Some of the plants in the back need watering."
"I'd be happy to," Natasha responded. "You take care of yourself."
"I will."
The women rang off and Natasha hung the phone back up before she sighed and glanced down at her stomach. "Now if you wouldn't mind hurrying along little one that would make me quite happy as well."
The next few weeks passed in quick succession. Natasha continued to spend time with the Barlows and she and Amelia grew closer. It was odd to have other females to rely upon. She hadn't really made any other friends in the Red Room, they were just partners and a means to an end. But once the red head slowed down and actually tried to view conversation as less than interrogation and more about communication, she found that she rather liked it.
I'm losing my mind, she thought.
It wasn't until late in the evening that things began to become worrisome. Natasha had just turned in for the night and was in a surprisingly deep sleep when the sound of breaking glass and screaming and sirens yanked her from her bed as if someone had dumped ice water on her.
She flew to the window and looked out across the street before gasping in horror and flying down the stairs.
The Barlow's house was on fire. It was completely engulfed in red flames and was going up like kindling. Natasha threw on a coat and ran from the house.
"Ma'am, you're going to need to stay behind the yellow tape," one of the firefighters told her and she took a step back.
How did this happen? She thought as she watched in shock. Natasha glanced around for Amelia and Ted but her eyes widened in anxiety when she didn't see them.
They hadn't been in the house had they?
"Emma!"
Natasha turned at the familiar voice and saw Petunia hustling toward her. She was carrying Dudley in her arms and the little boy was fat asleep. Petunia's hair was in curlers and she had a housecoat tied haphazardly around her. She slid to a stop in front of her neighbor. "What's going on is everyone all right?"
"I don't know." Natasha glanced worriedly at the Barlows house and then her heart dropped when an ambulance pulled up flashing sirens. A path was cleared and two stretchers appeared out of nowhere bearing two bodies.
Natasha immediately recognized the wedding rings and felt sick. This couldn't be happening, not to the Barlows. They were genuinely good people who had kept an eye out for her since she had arrived in Surrey a few months ago.
She hoped they would be alright and get to the hospital in time.
Ω
They weren't alright.
Natasha found out the next morning that the Barlows had died on the way to the hospital from smoke inhalation. A fire fighter who had been about to leave the next morning after casing the place had informed her that for some reason, the Barlows hadn't woken when the fire alarms went off do to suspicious circumstances.
Natasha was sure they had been drugged and she was madder than ever. Grief was still something that was fairly new to her, and while she didn't shed any tears, she was quieter than she had been before all day.
Petunia had come over with Dudley to make sure that she was alright, and Natasha had actually worked up enough nerve to hold him. It had been surprisingly easy.
But when they had gone home, Natasha stole across the street to what was left of the Barlows house.
There wasn't much. The red tape was still there and Natasha had to keep out of sight as there were still a few policemen around, but even though she was pregnant, she still had more than enough practice in not being seen.
After coming around from the side, Natasha slipped into the house and put her hand over her mouth. This was bringing back some uncomfortable memories. After the fire in her parents' home it had just been a burned out shell. Just like the Barlows house. The structure was still standing but everything inside had been horribly burned.
Natasha wandered into the study. Ted had showed her that this was where he did all of his work. The area was littered with charred books. The chair and desk were half burnt and the previously white paint was peeling, the paintings had fallen off the wall and were partially melted and the beautiful mahogany bookcase that Ted had been so proud of because it was an antique was broken, books strewn across the floor and burned.
Natasha felt a burning in the back of her eyes that could only be tears, but she blinked hard and after a moment, the feeling went away.
She glanced down when a shuffling near her feet had caught her attention. The front window on the house had blown out and a breeze was blowing through the house turning the pages of some of the books that still had pages.
The book lying near her feet was, ironically, A Winter's Tale. She smiled sadly, it had been Ted's favorite play and the only thing other than classic cars that he could talk for hours about. She reached down and picked it up, flipping through some of the worn dog eared pages. Ted had told her on a number of occasions that his favorite character in that particular play had been Hermione as she was all about sacrifice.
Ironic now that Ted was dead too.
She glanced down at the book and saw that almost all the lines where Hermione was speaking were highlighted and gave a sad smile. That was so like Ted.
Natasha closed the book and tucked it under her arm deciding that this was something that she would keep in memory of Ted. He deserved it after all. They had never been as close as she was with Ivan, but she knew that if she went back to the Red Room after the baby was born, they would be people that she would miss.
Sadly, she turned and made her way out of the house. As Natasha was about to step over the threshold however to leave, there was a clinking sound at her feet. She frowned and glanced down.
Something metallic was leaning against the door frame and when she picked it up, Natasha felt her eyes widen.
It was the Red Room medallion. A braided half circle with a star above it. For a moment Natasha's mind sun and then her lightning fast brain made the correlation and she growled deep in her throat. She shoved the medallion into her pocket.
This had been no random attack.
Stefan was looking for her.
And Amelia and Ted were the casualties.
Natasha slipped out of the house and only when she was behind the door of her own, did she show her anger. She slapped down the medallion on the table and stared at it in rage.
She should have known it wouldn't be this easy. Natasha had been pretty high up on the chain of command back in Russia. She knew a lot of secrets that would spell disaster if they were leaked to the international community.
That was the only reason that Stefan was after her. He was too smart to know that she couldn't be dead, but how he had found out she would be in England was something that was concerning. There was only one person that would have known where she would be going besides Ivan and that was-
"Horatio," she whispered.
He had said he was going to transfer but they might have tracked him down since he was the last person to see her. She knew he wouldn't have told them what they wanted to know willingly. So they had either threatened or tortured him.
Natasha sat down at the kitchen table suddenly feeling sick. You know all those serums that they gave me to put my body into a higher plane then other humans didn't prepare me for any of this. Maybe they should have just removed my uterus instead.
Ω
After a few phone calls to Ivan and a few more weeks went by, Natasha was beginning to feel like a caged animal. Ivan hadn't been able to tell her anything about the ongoing investigation into the deaths of Amelia and Ted and it was driving the red head crazy.
And not only that, she felt as if she were getting so big she should apply for statehood. It was maddening.
"I feel like I'm going to pregnant forever," she groaned out loud in the kitchen. Petunia had been over earlier with Dudley. He was an adorable little boy with a tuft of angel blonde hair on his forehead and the same clear blue eyes as his mother. He was a bit pudgy but it would wear off as he got older. He was surprisingly quiet for a baby and Natasha could tell that Petunia was glad of this.
He seemed to have inherited only the qualities from his mother which must have been infinitely relieving for Petunia given that her husband was a foghorn blaring walrus with bad taste in suits and beverages.
She hoped as the years went by that he grew up exactly as quiet and polite as his mother was. And her own child? Well her little girl would kick ass and independent just like her mother/
Natasha smirked as she glanced down at her stomach. "Now you listen to me little girl. You're gonna be independent just like me. You're not going to wait around for anybody unless they put in the work to get to know you, especially if it's a male. You're going to be very intelligent so make sure you study thoroughly. And you're also going to take your healthcare and exercise seriously as well."
You're talking as if you're really going to keep this little girl Tasha. Is this really and truly what you want?
But the more Natasha thought about it, she knew that there weren't many options left to her. The Barlows had been her best option for adoption and they were dead. She ground her teeth together as she thought about it. Stefan had ordered a direct hit on a populated suburb because he must have thought she lived in that house.
And she refused to put her baby into a home where she might be abused. It was also becoming painfully obvious that her former place of work wouldn't be so eager to welcome her back as they were trying to kill her.
That really only left one other option for her.
Natasha glanced down at her stomach and tentatively rubbed it. "I'm open to seeing how this works of you are little girl," she said softly. "God knows I'm never going to see your father again, and you'll need one steady parent in your life. Would that be okay with you?"
The baby responded promptly by kicking.
Natasha laughed and decided to lay down on the couch for a moment, she was suddenly feeling a little tired.
Ω
A sudden sharp pain jerked her awake again. Natasha shot up and grimaced when she felt the shocks. That could only mean one thing.
She glanced down at her stomach and smiled grimly. "Alright little girl, its go time. Let's do this." She got up off the couch and hurried as fast as she could to get the bag she had packed from the hall closet and her coat before snatching the keys and hurrying to the rental car that Ivan had made sure to give her.
Now normally driving a car when you're in the beginning stages of labor wasn't really a good idea. But then again, Natasha wasn't really human either. She had once had to drive an armored jeep with her feet into a hostile situation to rescue some of their own because both of her hands were broken. So driving while in the beginning stages of labor really didn't seem like that big of a deal. Plus her pain tolerance was exceedingly high.
After about fifteen minutes of driving though, Natasha had a permanent grimace on her face and she was taking deep breaths to try and stave off the pain.
Thankfully it didn't take her that long and as soon as she was in the doors of the hospital, one of the nurses put her on a gurney and wheeled her away to the maternity ward. Dr. Radcliffe was called and things seemed to go pretty smoothly after that.
"You're sure you're not in any pain?" Dr. Radcliffe asked when they had settled Natasha in one of the rooms. She gave him a small smile.
"Dr. I used to be in the army before I was discharged because of the pregnancy, I have a very high pain tolerance."
It was partially true. The pain of labor was a different sort of pain however. It wasn't like she had broken a bone or something. The pain seemed to be more spread out. However, Natasha decided to handle the way she always did something uncomfortable.
Grit her teeth and breathe deeply.
Dr. Radcliffe blinked and then grinned. "I must say, you're the calmest patient I've ever had before. Now your contractions are still pretty far apart. I want to wait for them to get a little closer before I induce labor. You're still a few weeks early."
Natasha nodded and waited until he had left the room before she let out a sigh of relief and sank back on the pillows. She was a little glad that it would take some time before she would go into labor completely so she would have some time to think.
It seemed pretty obvious what she was going to do, but she still was having a hard time processing it. She was going to keep the baby, and she was pretty sure of the name she had decided on.
She had told Ivan of her decision to keep the baby and he had been surprisingly supportive. She had also told him that she hated working behind a desk and he had agreed to get her into the Covert Operations Division of the British Secret Service as soon as her baby was old enough.
Things are falling into place, Natasha thought in satisfaction. A sudden contraction made her grimace and hiss in pain.
Well they would be as soon as she got this baby out of her.
Ω
It was early afternoon and Petunia had just put Dudley down for his nap. About a half an hour ago, Emma had called to tell her she had gone into labor and was at the hospital.
The blonde ran a hand through her hair. She had been a little worried because the baby was still a few weeks early, and she hoped that there wouldn't be any problems.
I should probably keep an eye on her house like she did for mine, Petunia thought to herself.
Just then there was a knock on the door and Petunia frowned. Who could that be? Vernon wasn't due home for another couple hours.
Slowly she walked to the door and cautiously pulled it open. And her jaw dropped in complete shock.
Standing on her doorstep was the most breathtaking man she had ever seen. That would be the only accurate way to describe him. He was simply breathtaking. He had eyes the color of sapphires and thick long blonde hair that was neatly tied back. He was wearing dark jeans a pale blue short sleeved shirt and black Oxfords, but he was the kind of person who could be wearing a sack and he still would have looked incredible. He had this aura about him that rippled with power, but he wasn't pretty like one of the models she would see in a magazine ad. There was a sprinkling of pale stubble along his cheeks and chin and he would have stood at least a head taller than Vernon. He was well muscled but not unbearably so and he had the kind of body that would make most women faint.
Which was exactly what Petunia was trying very hard not to do right now.
He opened his mouth and asked her something, but she had to blink twice before she registered any of it.
"I'm sorry, can you say that again?" she asked and cursed her voice when she sounded a little frazzled.
"My apologies. I was enquiring as to the whereabouts of your neighbor. I knocked on her door, but she doesn't seem to be answering."
Good god, even his voice is magnificent.
"You're looking for Emma? Oh I just spoke to her a half hour ago, she went into labor early and is at the hospital right now, I'm keeping an eye on her house for her."
At her words, the relaxed look on the man's face evaporated and was replaced by one of tense urgency.
"Would you please tell me which hospital she is at? It's imperative that I get there as soon as possible," he said.
Petunia told him which one it was and then stammered out the directions of how to get there. It was like her brain wasn't functioning at its normal capacity. He thanked her and turned to go, but stopped when she called out after him.
"Wait, you're Emma's husband?"
He turned and kind of smiled, but it came out more like a smirk. "In a manner of speaking." Then he was gone. Petunia blinked, she hadn't even seen him disappear, and it was like he had just vanished. How on earth had he done that?
As she shut the door and leaned against it, Petunia thought: Good Lord Emma, where did you find him and are there more where he came from?
Ω
Natasha leaned back against the pillows as another contraction ceased. I swear to god, I am never having another kid, she thought to herself.
Dr. Radcliffe had just hurried out to see about another patient and Natasha vowed she was going to relax until the next contraction came.
She breathed out a sigh and laid a hand on her stomach. "There are still some things that you and I need to clear up little one."
"Yes, there are, but I think that a third party needs to be present for that."
Natasha jerked at the interjection and at the sound of the familiar deep velvety voice. It wasn't possible.
She turned her head toward the door, and there he stood big as life. He was wearing simple clothes such as he had worn nearly nine months ago and his heir was tied back to keep it out of his eyes. It didn't make him look any less good however. In fact human clothes seemed to suit him. There was an aura of command around him and Natasha knew immediately that it wouldn't have taken much convincing to let him in here. His deep blue eyes were watching her carefully and he seemed somewhat serious.
"Hello Natasha," Thor said calmly. "It's been a while."
Son of a bitch.
Ω
MWUAHAHAHAHA! I just looooove cliff-hangers. But on another note...yay Thor has found Natasha just in time for the birth of their daughter! I just knew that he had to be there in the hospital. Don't worry, more exciting stuff to come. Don't forget to review!
