In this chapter Evie is two
Natasha had been so busy over the past few days and she'd completely lost track of time, it was only when she noticed the date did she realise
"Clint, I'm late"
"No you're not; Fury isn't expecting you for another hour. You have plenty of time"
Natasha watched as Evie stopped bouncing on their bed, she was waiting patiently for her dad to get dressed and take her to the park. Natasha had to be careful how she worded this; Evie was at an age where she listened to everything and repeated it to everyone, and she was currently giving her mother's words her full attention. She was far too curious for her own good
"Not thatsort of late" she clarified
"What do you mean?"
Natasha groaned at her husband's ignorance, she'd explain it later when there wasn't someone else listening...
She went to work with the full intention of buying a pregnancy test on the way home, but SHIELD was in chaos when she made it there and she spent the whole day run ragged, the whole thing slipped from her mind.
Clint spend his day helping to build sandcastles and watching Evie dress up as a princess, they had a tea party and watched her favourite film; The Aristocats. Evie then helped him make dinner before Natasha got home.
"Daddy, is Mama gunna be late for dinner?"
"I don't think so baby spider"
"You sure?"
"Yeah sweet, I'm sure"
"But what'd she mean?"
"Erm... I'm not sure Eve, but she won't be late tonight"
"Okay Daddy" she smiled, running to her room to retrieve the picture she'd spent all morning making for her Mom.
Clint sat on the sofa while Evie occupied herself with the Mr. Potato head Thor had gotten her, he was still thinking about the conversation this morning when Natasha came through the door.
Evie, in her usually way of greeting her parents, ran to her and threw herself into Natasha's arms. She told her all about her day, every last detail including what she'd eaten, before showing her the picture she'd drawn.
Natasha went to the bedroom to get changed and Clint followed, kissing her and taking her into his arms.
"Oh shit!" she mumbled against his chest, suddenly remembering her forgotten shopping trip
"What is it Nat?"
"Clint, this morning when I said I was late, what I meant was –"
Natasha stopped when she realised their daughter was stood in the doorway, listening once again to every word being said
"Mama?"
"What is it Лингпаука?"
Evie didn't answer, just looked at her inquisitively; head tilted to one side, her eyebrows drawn slightly while she thought. She was only two, but Natasha thought she'd probably figure it out before Clint at this rate...
"Evelyn sweetheart, you're going to miss the end of the film" Clint told her, referring to the Little Mermaid DVD he'd put on for her earlier. The little girl turned and ran.
"Tasha, I really don't-"
"Clint. My period is six days late"
"Oh"
"Oh?"
"That's great news!" he beamed. It was no secret he wanted more children. It'd been a shock when Natasha had found herself pregnant the first time, but a happy shock nonetheless. When Evie was 18 months old they found they were expecting their second daughter, but at six months, an attack at SHIELD and an injury endured by Natasha had taken that away from them.
They'd decided after that that they'd wait a while, maybe a year or two and plan for the next one, but this was only a few months later and was definitely not planned.
"Clint, I haven't taken a test or seen the doctor yet..."
"I know Tash, I shouldn't get my hopes up, but if you were; it'd be a good thing right?"
"It'd be a good thing" she smiled
"What's good thing Mama?"
"How does she do that?" Clint asked, referring to Evelyn's sudden and silent reappearance.
Natasha shrugged her shoulders with a smile
"She takes after you!" Clint whispered to Natasha while both turned to face their daughter.
He grabbed his daughter and ticked her, so much she could barely breathe from laughter. Evie struggled free and ran from the room.
"Do you have a test?" Clint asked, returning to his and Natasha's earlier conversation
"No Clint, I don't generally keep a supply of them" she said sarcastically
"I wonder if Pepper-"
"I'm not asking Pepper if she has any spare pregnancy tests lying round"
"I could go ask-"
"Clint, no!"
"But that means we'll have to wait til tomorrow"
"Clint, you're whining" Natasha laughed
"I just want to know for certain" he said
Natasha smiled at her husband and quickly kissed him before getting up to go see what her daughter was up to.
That night Clint was restless, he couldn't get the thought of having another baby out of his head. He wanted a large family, growing up in the circus had meant he was always around people but never had a proper family, so from a young age he had decided he wanted lots of kids. He never thought he'd be lucky enough to find someone like Natasha to share that dream with.
But here he was, lying next to his wife, his daughter sound asleep in the next room, and the possibility of another baby.
"Tasha?" he whispered
"What?"
"You're awake?"
"Obviously"
"I can't sleep"
"Me either"
Clint flipped on the light and sat up
"Nat, if you're not pregnant, is it too soon to start trying again? I know we said we'd wait, and after last time... But, I think we're ready. Don't you?"
"Yeah, I think we're ready. I can't believe I'm agreeing with you"
"Me either" he smiled
"Don't get used to it"
Clint laughed, and watched as Natasha eventually fell asleep.
It was gone 5am when Clint finally dosed off, and it was quarter to six when he was woken by Evie climbing over him
"Eve, what are you doing?"
"Stealing Mommy's space"
"Where is Mommy?"
"Lounge" Evie said quietly, already nodding off back to sleep as she snuggled into Natasha's side of the bed
"Hey Tash, you sleep okay?"
"No not really, you"
"No, I'm gonna run to the store, I can't wait any longer..."
"Clint, it's not even six, the shops won't-"
"What is it Tasha?"
But she didn't reply, instead she turned and ran to the bathroom
...
He gave her a few minutes, but when she didn't reappear he knocked on the door, gently calling "Tasha, are you alright?"
"Mama!" Evie called and banged loudly on the door, looking up expectantly at her father
The door slowly opened, Clint found Natasha slumped on the floor
"Mama ill?" Evie asked sadly, stroking Natasha's cheek like she often did
Seeing the smile on Clint's face; Natasha scowled at him. Despite this being a good sign that she probably was pregnant, it was certainly an experience she hadn't been looking forward to repeating.
"I'm going to go to the shop now, okay?" Natasha nodded as Clint bend down to kiss her forehead.
"Come on lil' spider, you can come with me" he said as he left.
"Morning Clint" Steve greeted him as he boarded the elevator, "Morning Evie"
"Uncle Steeeeve!" Evie shouted happily as she jumped into his arms
Steve smiled as he hugged his goddaughter
"And where are you going so early?" he asked her
"Shop" she informed him
"Oh really? Me too"
"Together?" she asked, looking to her dad
"Sure, why not" Clint smiled to Steve, sensing his job of secretly getting a pregnancy test had suddenly gotten ten times harder.
Two hours later Clint and Evie finally made it back to their floor, carrying seven shopping bags all full to the brim.
"Clint, what on earth?" Natasha asked from where she lay on the sofa
"Steve came to the shop with us" he explained
"But we just did the shopping two days ago; we're not going to have enough room to put everything"
Evie climbed on the sofa and fell promtply asleep clutching her pink rabbit Rozovyy.
"Hey Tash, now might be a good time" he said, referring to their now sleeping daughter
She agreed; "where is it?"
Clint looked down to the heap of bags by his feet and shrugged
Half an hour later they were nervously waiting for the result of the test.
That was when Tony and Pepper arrived...
"Are you guys okay?" Pepper asked several hours later, when Clint and Natasha had seemed absent and preoccupied all day, still not having had chance to look at the result of the pregnancy test
"Mommy is poorly" Evie informed her. Evie was stood on the sofa behind Pepper, brushing her long hair, listening to the adults conversations with avid interest
"Just a bit of food poisoning" Natasha offered as an excuse
"Clint cooking again?" Tony asked teasing. He scooped Evelyn up and threw her into the air. She giggled and screamed "Again Uncle Tony! Again!"
Pepper looked skeptically between the two assassins, but didn't bring it up again
The five of them ate dinner together and Pepper put Evie to bed before they left.
"Finally!" Clint exclaimed and Natasha laughed
"You ready?" Natasha asked him as he took her hand
"Are you?" he replied.
The two of them went to dig out the test from where it had hastily been hidden when their unexpected guests had arrived.
Two pink lines were clearly visible
"What does that mean?" Clint asked puzzled
"It's positive. Clint, I'm pregnant!" she beamed