I hated being on maternity leave, there was nothing to do. But luckily any day now the baby was due. I was thinking about doing less field work, I don't know what Clint's plans are but how I feel about this is that I don't want our baby growing up without parents, like Clint and I did.
I sit on the couch in a black maternity tie-belt Jersey dress. With much difficulty I get up. I waddle my way to the lab where Bruce is. I walk/waddle into the lab, Stark and Bruce look directly at me when I enter.
"Hey mommy." Stark says. I glare at the older man.
"Stark can you give me and Bruce a moment?" I ask him, ignoring his last comment, so he would leave. Stark reluctantly leaves, as he is about to leave the room I stop him.
"If you ever call me mommy again I will kill you." I threaten him. Stark leaves the room and leaves me with Bruce.
"Bruce, I need to ask you something." I say, I find one of the chairs Tony sat in and go to it to sit in it.
"Is it about the birth? It's normal for women to be nervous when they are about to give birth to their first child" He informs me.
"It's got nothing to do with the birth. I wanted to ask you if you'll be the baby's godfather?" I ask. Bruce just looked at me as if I was asking him to cut out my kidney on the spot.
"Are you serious? Natasha two years ago…the other guy, tried to kill you. If Thor hadn't took him down, he would of killed you. He is me and I am him, I…he may hurt the baby." He doesn't look me in the eye.
"Bruce….If something happens to Clint and I, who would be a good person to be the baby's godparent? I'm also trusting you enough to be the doctor who delivers my baby. Bruce, I want you to take care of my baby if Clint and I die." I state. Bruce stands there silently and continues to do some research. He looks up at me and stares directly into my eyes.
"Yeah, I'll be the baby's godparent." When he agrees, a wave of relief washes over me and I smile.
"Thank you, Bruce." I slowly and stiffly get up. Bruce comes over to me and helps me up. I smile at him again.
"Have you and Clint think up any names?" " Bruce asks me about his godson or goddaughter.
"A couple." I only say that and I leave.
…
"The baby is due any day now and you're leaving on a mission?" I ask, no emotion in my voice.
"Nat, I'll be gone two days and then I'll be back. Trust me, the baby is due on the 9th it's the 5th I have 4 days." Clint stops his packing, sits down next to me and grabs my hand.
"Nat, I'll be there I'm not going to miss the birth of our baby." Clint assures me.
"You better not." I say as he gets up. He turns around and looks at me.
"Tasha, I know you're scared. But don't worry I'll be there." Clint smiles at me.
"Clint, I'm not scared. I just want you to be there. I mean you've always been there for me. When you made a second choice on my life when I was 15. When you saved me from Paulo in Barcelona from being raped and killed when I was 16. You came to me when I was upset about you might leave SHIELD when I was 17. You buried me out of the rubble in Marseilles and we made love when I was 18. Budapest when I was 20. Saving my sanity when I worked for Stark when I was 21. Helping me with Loki in The Battle of Manhattan when I was 23. Being accepting when I told you I was pregnant when I was 24 and now I want you to be there during our baby being born when I'm 25." I hadn't prepared a speech, but it jus came out.
"Tasha….In 10 years I haven't abandoned you. What makes you think I won't be there." Clint said.
"Alright. As always I trust you." I smile. Clint smiles back and touches his lips to mine. I trust him when he says he'll be there for the birth. I hope he will be there.
…..
I waddle down stairs to the gym in my black maternity boat-neck jersey tunic and black leggings to go talk to Steve. I walk into the gym to find Steve beating on a punching bag.
"Hi Steve." I say as I walk into the gym. Steve stops and looks at me.
"Hello Ma'am." He smiles at me. I waddle my way to Steve.
"Let's talk shall we?" I ask him.
"Sure, shall we go somewhere more comfortable?' Steve asks.
"No it's fine here." With a lot of difficulty I sit on the ground. Steve sits across from me. It's silent for a while, I think about something to talk about, until I look at the punching bag.
"Did you know when I was 17 years old Clint almost left SHIELD so he could live a better life with his first wife?" I ask him, I usually don't share personal stories but for this one time I felt as if I could.
"No I didn't" He responds, I smile.
"I was told by His ex-wife, Bobbi. I hated her, she treated me like a child and she often would talk to me about spending too much time with Clint. Anyway when I heard this from Bobbi and not Clint, it made me even more mad and so I went to the gym in the SHIELD headquarters and I punched a punching bag from 9:30am to about 3:00pm. Clint started to get worried and came down to find me, he did. I had hurt my hand, he tended to it and we talked. Later that night Bobbi left him…I don't know why I'm telling you this, there is no relevance really. I never told anyone this….I don't know I guess I trust you." I ramble, Steve smiles
"Thank you Ma'am." Steve kinda laughs.
"Steve, the real reason I'm down here is because well…I want you to be my baby's godfather. Bruce is the other godfather. I trust you enough to take care of my baby if Clint and I died. Steve will you be the baby's godfather?" I ask. Steve hesitates.
"I will ma'am." Steve responds.
"Thank you." I smile
"No, thank you." His smile widens. I'm about to get up.
"Oh here ma'am, let me help you up." Steve springs up and helps me up.
"Thanks Steve, also call me Natasha." I say as Steve helps me up.
"Steve." I stop.
"Yes Natasha?" He asks. I sit there my mouth hanging open my breaths quiet and quick.
"My water broke." My eyes wide my mouth still hanging open.
…..
My contractions were 7 minutes apart. Everyone had been called back to the tower. Bruce was in the medical wing getting prepared for the birth and I was already in a hospital gown. I sit on the adjustable chair…bed….thingy. Steve is at my side holding my hand. I feel pain growing, I start to hyperventilate and then I scream through my clenched teeth. The pain dies down, I continue to breath heavily.
"Where's Clint?" I ask.
"He's on his way back from Montreal, he should be here in 4 hours."
"Oh God!" I yell as I feel another contraction coming.
"Natasha, Clint's gonna get here anytime now and he'll be here before the baby is born I promise." Steve talks me through this contraction.
"He better be." I clench my teeth as another contraction comes.
"Ok, You're dialled enough to start pushing." Bruce says. I shake my head.
"I am not going to…" I'm cut off by another contraction
"-to push until Clint get here." I manage get out during the contraction.
"Natasha, if you don't start to push. You and the baby's life could be in danger." Bruce informs me. I nod, I'm upset but I don't cry. I start to push. It's painful. In my whole life I've never experienced this kind of pain.
"Ok, Natasha push." Bruce says to me. I push, I clench my teeth and I yell. I don't know how long I had to push. I just wanted Clint to be there, holding my hand.
"How…long have I been pushing?" I ask, exhausted.
"About 2 and a half hours." Steve responds, still holding my hand but now sitting down.
"Don't worry Natasha, just a couple more pushes and the baby will be out. I can see the head. Now push." Bruce tells me. I push holding onto Steve's hand with both of mine.
"Ok one more push." Bruce says. It was almost if on cue, because as soon as I was about to push Clint rushed through the door.
"WHERE THE HELL WHERE YOU?" I yell at him. Clint runs to me and takes Steve's spot, holding my hand.
"Sorry babe, The baby is 3 days early who can blame me?" He asks.
"I can, You said you would be home before the baby was born." I say, my teeth clenched.
"Natasha, you really need to push." Bruce interrupts us.
"Ok Tash, once more, you can do this." Clint kisses me on my forehead. I push once more and with that a cry fills the room. That was it, the baby was born. Both me and Clint smile, we look at each other. Clint presses his lips to mine and moves my neck length hair behind my ear. Bruce comes back from cleaning the baby and hands it to me.
"It's a boy." Bruce says as he hands it to me.
"A boy…" I sigh. I move over and Clint lays next to me.
"So what will the name be?" Bruce asks a birth certificate in hand.
"Archer Phillip Barton." I say, Clint smiles and kisses me on the forehead again.
After 5 minutes of Clint, Archer, and I being alone the rest of the crew walks in to say hello to the new member.
"So whats the baby Hawk's name?" Stark asks
"His name is Archer." I answer. Steve picks Archer up and holds him and hands him to Bruce, Archer goes around the circle until he reaches me again.
"Can I have a moment alone with the new parents?" Bruce asks. Thor, Jane, Pepper, Stark and Steve leave the room. Archer now sits in Clint's arm.
"Natasha, Clint. Natasha can still have children. However if Natasha gets pregnant again, there could be a chance her and the baby wouldn't live." Bruce tells us.
"What should we do Banner?" Clint asks
"I suggest, as your doctor and as your guy's friend that Natasha has her tubes tied." Bruce suggests.
"Discuss it, when you make up your minds let me know and I'll get it set up…at an actual hospital." Bruce leaves us.
"Lets not talk about it now." I suggest as I take Archer back in my arms. Clint put his arm around me and watches Archer slightly flailed his arms about. Archer was perfect.
"What am I going to do? I still need to wipe out my ledger." I look sadly at Archer.
"Tash, I think you have." Clint says, I look at him, I lean against him, a wave of anxiety and many other emotions passes over me. That was it, after 10 years I had wiped out my ledger.
…..
I place Archer in his cherry wood crib. Archer extends his hand to me, I follow his actions. He grabs my finger and just stares at me. Archer has strength as he clutches my finger. As he drifts off to sleep his grip loosens. I pull my hand away as soon as he falls asleep. I kiss my son on his forehead and I leave his room. I go to the living room of the tower and I sit down on the black leather couch. I sigh, cross my arms over my white cotton tank top and I cross my legs.
"Tash could I talk to you." I jump when I hear Clint's voice.
"You never used to be able to sneak up on me." I laugh, Clint sits down next to me.
"Natasha." Clint says, he never calls me Natasha unless it's a serious matter.
"What is it Clint?" I ask as I pull at my jeans, I know what he's going to talk to me about.
"We need to discuss the surgery." Clint says. I look at him he wears a red t-shirt and a pair of jeans.
"Clint, I'm not sure. I mean it's not a big deal and we don't have that kind of money." I explain.
"It isn't a big deal? Tash if you get pregnant and give birth, you could die. Not just you, but the baby as well." Clint says.
"Clint, that is a concern of mine having another baby and leaving Archer without a mother. But we just don't have the money for the surgery."
"But we do." A voice interrupts. Clint and I turn our heads to find Stark and Pepper behind us.
"No, Stark. We're already free-loading in the Stark tower, you paid for the baby furniture, we can't have you pay for my surgery as well." I protest, I stand up.
"Natasha, it's no problem. You don't have the money and you're family." Pepper smiled as she put her hands on her baby bump. It was settled Pepper and Tony were going to pay for the surgery.
….
A month later I was having my surgery. I sat in my hospital room with Clint.
"Your surgery is in 30 minutes, how are you feeling?" Clint asks me.
"Clint, I've given birth, I was almost killed in Budapest, and many other things. I feel fine for this simple procedure." I thought it was funny, Clint a master assassin so worried of me having a surgery.
"True. I'll be there once you get out." Clint promises. I press my lips to his forehead.
"Thanks babe. Who has the baby? Steve has finally gotten the guts to go to England to visit Peggy. Stark and Pepper are in Malibu. Bruce is with Stark. Thor is off planet and Jane is in New Mexico." I'm curious and he'd better of gotten a good babysitter.
"Um….Fury is with him." Clint confesses, I just look at him
"Fury…As in Nick Fury, Director of SHILED?" I confirm
"Yeah, he's the only one who knows about Archer being our child and he said yes." Clint tells me.
"Ok Mr. Barton, you need to leave." The dark skinned nurse says.
"Alright, I love you. I'll see you later." Clint kisses my forehead and leaves the room.
"Alright honey, let's get you prepped for your surgery." The nurse named Rosa smiles as me.
"Thanks, Rosa. Hey do you think it's possible for someone who has lived through many life threatening situations could die during a surgery?" I ask, Rosa laughs.
"Honey, I swear to you nothing will happen and you'll get to see your baby again." Rosa says. I get ready for my surgery feeling confidant that I'll live.
…
I went into surgery in the afternoon and I was out of the hospital out by the evening. I find Clint in the waiting area.
"Hey, you." I say as I walk up to him.
"Hey." He smiles and gets up. I grab his hand as we walk out of the hospital.
We got home by 7pm and when we got home we heard a voice talking. Clint and I, slowly and quietly made our way to Archer's room. There Fury sat in the rocking chair Archer in one arm and in Fury's hand is a book.
"We're finally watching our movie.
Popcorn's in the microwave.Beep.
Oh shit. Goddamn it. You gotta be kidding.
Come on, go the fuck back to sleep."
Clint and I stand at the doorway, barely containing our laughter. Fury looks up, sets the book down and put Archer in the crib.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Fury says as he leaves the room.
"Ok I'm going to bed, coming?" Clint asks me.
"I'll be there in a bit." I say. Clint kisses me on the lips and takes off to our room. I walk into Archer's room knowing full well he's not fully asleep. I hear Archer wail a tiny bit. I walk over to the crib and pick up Archer.
"Hey Archer." I say, I don't speak to him in a baby voice. The baby voice didn't really come to me when speaking to little kids.
"You know, I never thought I would be a mother but here I am feeding you, changing you, bathing you, and well….loving you. I always thought love was for children, I have never been more wrong in my life." I kiss his cheek.
"Baby, I love you." I say as I put Archer back in the crib.
"Archer, I hope you have a better childhood then I did or your father did and ohh boy, you will have a better childhood. I promise you, me and your father will be there throughout your whole life." I stroke his cheek and I leave his room and I go back to my room. Clint sits on the bed.
"He asleep?" Clint asks
"Yeah he is." I sit down on the bed and take off my shoes. Clint sits behind me, moves my hair and begins to kiss my neck.
"Good." He says in-between kisses. I get up and face him, I cup his face and I begin to kiss him. I straddle Clint and we begin to kiss more passionately. It's the first time we have slept together since Archer was born. Clint spoons me as he sleeps, I love the feel of his arms around me I feel safe with him that close to me.
I owe Clint everything, he had saved my life countless times and chose not to kill me, but save me. In return I loved him, married him, and gave him a child. My life wasn't that fulfilling, I'll never be remember in history, but I was loved and I loved in return.
Author's note: You guys what can I say? Thank you so much I never imagined it would get this far and it's one of my most popular stories. I'm sad that I didn't make it longer but I may do a sequel…possibly two. But holy, thank you all so much. Oh and by the way the book Fury is reading to Archer is Go the Fuck to Sleep and Samuel L Jackson does the audio reading of it (go check it out on youtube, it's really funny) Anyway Thank you all once more, this means so much to me. You guys are awesome! ~Tamora Sky.