Hey guys! New chapter! Hopefully this one should make up for the last one that I was obviously asleep when I was writing. I'll re write it eventually, don't worry :) anyway I'm just going to apologize ahead of time for something because originally this story was just Atticus (who was going to be fifteen) and Ana (who was going to be 8). And Atticus was going to be Tonys kid but then some other ideas came to me and now there is more kids, but because it was originally just those too, the story might be more centered around them. I'll try to make it even, but it might not end up that way. Anyway, enjoy!

[This takes place in between the events of the last chapter, so between the kid's meeting and Atticus coming to visit]

Natasha couldn't sleep. This happened often, and usually sleeping in Steve's room helped, but not tonight.

She was completely convinced there was no way she could be a parent. Even though Steve had tried to convince her otherwise, she didn't believe it. 'He would be a good dad." She thought. 'But not me.'

Sure, she had had her doubts about giving Anastasia up for adoption five years ago, but in the end she knew it was for the best. She never expected that anyone would find the girl. They had made sure none of the hospital staff would mention the girls parents. And the adoptive family was in no way associated with SHEILD. It should've been impossible for them to find her. Natasha never thought this would've happened. It was her fault, she should've known better. She should not've let this happened. No child should have to go through what she went through. If only she would've known, then she could've-.

'Could've what?' She thought, 'Not put her up for adoption? Like that would've helped. You can't handle kids, and you definitely couldn't of dealt with a baby. What are you even going to do now? I mean, it's not that I don't like kids, I'm just to dangerous for them. One night she's going to wake up with a nightmare, come in to my room, and I wont know it's her and she'll end up dead. It's too dangerous and-'

"Stop it Nat." She said to herself. "Freaking out isn't going to help."

She got up and left the bedroom, careful not to wake Steve. Natasha often walked around at night, it helped clear her mind, and no one else was ever awake.

Although she would never admit it, the tower scared Anastasia. In the future she would get over her fears, but for now it was absolutely petrifying, especially when she was walking around it alone at night. First of all, she hated that weird computer program. Alexei had described it as "ingenious" but she found it creepy. It could easily be watching her right now, sending her data to companies waiting to get their hands on her and experiment on her. That had happened to her enough already, and she was terrified that it might happen again. She also hated the height. The whole place was glass, so you could see the ground 20 floors away wherever you went. It didn't seem to bother anyone else though. She figured she just wasn't used to it (after living underground for so long) and the fear would eventually go away. Other than that, the general aura of the place scared her, it wasn't what she was used to. These people (she didn't really want to call them her parents), they weren't like them. They saved people, but she was used to killing. Even though Atticus refused to let her shoot someone, she had still helped and had could name at least fifteen ways to kill someone in less than five minutes just by looking at them. Sure, she was grateful for them for getting her away from the Facility, but she didn't know how to be normal. None of these people knew what it was like to kill people, they just saved people. They never had wait for hours in a room every morning, knowing there was no way out, just to be poked and prodded at for hours. The to be sent off to train or kill after that. They didn't understand what it was like sitting in a cage, watching people bid thousands of dollars on your life. How was she supposed to explain why she woke up screaming at night. It was a normal noise in the Facility, but probably not here. She just wasn't meant to be here, none of them-.

She stopped and listened. There were footsteps ahead of her. She silently pulled out her gun. The footsteps stopped and she heard the sound of another gun. It was completely dark and she couldn't see anything around her, so she stood, hoping she was aiming the right way.

Suddenly the light switch flicked on. That lady, her mom, stood in front of her. Natasha immediately dropped the gun she was holding and put her hands up.

Anastasia kept her gun steady.

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay." Natasha said to Anastasia.

The little girl slowly lowered the gun and put it back in her pocket, while maintaining eye contact with Natasha.

"Sorry." Ana muttered.

"It's fine," Natasha assured her, "What are you doing up?"

Natasha wanted to ask why Anastasia had a gun, but didn't think that would be wise (mainly because well, she had a gun).

"Just walking around." Anastasia lied.

It was a convincing lie, and a normal person wouldn't be able to see through it. But Natasha did.

"You sure about that?" She asked.

Anastasia nodded.

Natasha was going to say something, but she bit her lip. She would let it slid, this time. Besides, she could just check JARVIS's security cameras later anyway.

It was quiet for a minute.

Finally Ana spoke.

"I have a stomach ache." She figured if these people were heroes like they said they were, they should be able to fix something as simple as the stomach ache she had had since they arrived in the US. "Can you fix it?"

Natasha nodded, she wanted to start off on the right foot with Anastasia, "I can try to help."

"Yeah."

Natasha walked toward the kitchen, with Ana following her.

When they got to the kitchen, Ana climbed onto a stool near the counter and Natasha opened the cupboard to look for any stomach medicine. The only thing that was safe for Ana's age was a small pill. She turned to Anastasia.

"Can you take pills?"

Ana nodded solemnly, "We had to a lot."

Natasha got her a glass of water and set it down in front of her. She noticed the look on Ana's face. "Are you sure you're ok?"

She nodded again.

Ana looked at the pill before picking it up. As soon as she put it near her mouth the only thing she could see was her sitting back in the lab, the scientist standing around her. Her hands started to sweat and she dropped the pill. After closing her eyes for a minute, she gingerly picked it up to try again.

"Sweetie," Natasha reached out to stop her. She knew how hard it was for her to do some things after the Red Room, and she didn't want Ana to go through any more of the same thing. "I know something else that will work better."

Anastasia set down the pill and looked up hopefully. "What?"

Natasha thought for a minute. She remembered how Steve had once told her that when he was little his mom would give him a glass of milk and a cookie whenever he had a stomach ache, and it always helped. Even though, it didn't actually do anything, like lat kids he believed it would, so it did.

"Cookies and milk." Natasha said, "Guaranteed to cure any stomach ache." She smiled slightly at the little girl.

Ana stared back quizzically.

Natasha grabbed some cookies and poured a glass of milk. "Try it."

"You promise it will work?" Ana asked.

"Promise."

Anastasia still didn't believe her, but decided it couldn't hurt. She picked up the cookie and looked around for a fork.

"Uhh, where's the fork?"

Natasha frowned. She must not've ever had cookies before. "You don't need a fork, you just eat it."

"With your hands?"

"Yep." Natasha picked up a cookie and took a bite to show her.

Anastasia slowly bit into the cookie. As soon as she did her eyes lit up and she looked at Natasha with surprise.

Natasha chuckled and smirked lightly at the little girl who was now quickly devouring the cookie.

A few minutes later she was done.

"Feel better now?"

Anastasia nodded, for some reason, it had worked.

"So, ready to go to bed?" Natasha asked.

Ana nodded and they walked back to the bedroom she was staying in.

As soon as Ana was in bed, Natasha went to turn off the light.

Much like the rest of the tower, Ana hated the room. She was used to being with all of the other kids at the Facility, and being alone was weird.

'Maybe she would sit with me for a little while...' Ana thought. 'No don't be dumb, you're old enough to handle yourself, who cares if it's downright terrifying in-'

"Can you stay here for a little while?"

'Damn it Ana.' She thought again.

Natasha turned around.

"Please?" Ana asked again, she was cursing herself in her head.

Natasha nodded and walked back over to the bed. She say down next to Ana.

Ana quickly curled up next to her and closed her eyes.

'What are you even doing Ana?' She asked herself. 'Just go with it, ok?'

"Thanks." Ana (who was extremely tired) told Natasha. Within minutes she was asleep.

Natasha finally had time to really look at the little girl. She had bright red hair, just like Natasha. When Natasha was younger, she had decided that if she ever had kids (she didn't think she would) that she would want them to have her hair. She remembered when Ana was a baby, she had only a small tuft of light blonde hair, lighter than Steve's even. Over the years she had wondered if her hair color had ever changed, because the last time she saw her was in the hospital. But other than her hair, she looked like Steve. She had his eye color and the same face shape. Natasha couldn't help but wonder if the serum had any affect on her, because she was very small and skinny for her age, but part of that might've been from where she was living. Overall, Natasha could easily say that she thought Anastasia was perfect.

She smiled.

When she was younger, she was convinced that she could never love anyone and no one would ever love her. Clint had proven her wrong first, becoming almost like her older brother. Second was Steve, somehow managing to break her walls and to help prove her wrong again. And finally, Ana. From the moment she was born, Natasha knew she loved her. Even though she had tried and tried to forget about her over the years.

While Natasha was lost in her thoughts, Steve opened the door.

She looked up, "Hey."

"Hey" he whispered, casting a glance at Ana.

"What are you doing up?" Natasha asked.

"Just came to look for you." He replied.

Natasha slowly moved and got up. She pulled the blankets up around Anastasia, who didn't even stir.

She walked over to Steve, who was standing by the door. He put out his arms and she reached around his waist to hug him. They both stood there and looked at the sleeping figure in the bed.

"Steve?" Natasha muttered.

"Hmm?" He replied.

She smiled. "We're going to be just fine, aren't we?"

"Yeah."