A/N: Hey guys! I apologize for my absence. A lot has been going on in my life that has kept me from my writing (My grandpa has been put on hospice, I finally got a job and will be starting training soon, and like anyone else the holidays were BRUTAL with all the family gatherings) But I promise I am not giving up! I have a lot of this story plotted out in my head, it is just me finding time to actually write that is the problem. I am getting there though! I have the next few chapter (at least!) planned. Anyways, here is chapter 11. It takes place about 4 weeks after the last chapter.

Pepper to the Rescue

"We've been really lucky in the last five and half months that Coulson only sent me out on short solo missions. There was bound to come a time he'd send me out on a longer STRIKE team mission. I mean Daisy is still only a novice sniper." Clint was rambling in an explanatory tone.

"Clint" Natasha held a hand up to get him to stop him talking "I'm not mad that you have to go on an undercover mission with Daisy. I'm a little disappointed that you're going to be gone for two weeks at a minimum. But I'm not mad. I knew that this was a likely possibility. I can't really be your partner in my state." She laughed a little as she placed a hand on her ever-growing stomach.

"I know you're not mad…" Clint looked at her conflicted "I just… I just don't want to leave you here by yourself. What if something happened?"

Natasha smirked "You worry too much. Everything is going to be fine. And I won't be alone. The entire rest of the team is here. Even Thor is here." Natasha reached a hand up to place it on his cheek "And I know I have nothing to worry about because I know Daisy will have your back. Now why don't you go and get your things together? You're supposed to be meeting Daisy in not even two hours."

Clint hesitated momentarily as he looked Natasha in the eyes carefully.

"Alright." He whispered gently before leaning down and kissing her softly. "Can you talk to the kids when they come up from lessons?"

"I can tell them. Don't worry about it. They understand that sometimes we can't say goodbye" Natasha reassured him.
The following morning

Pietro and Wanda both came out of their bedrooms expecting to see their mother waiting for them to go down to the common floor for breakfast. They were surprised to find the rest of their floor dark, and their parents door still shut.

"Is Mama still asleep?" Pietro whispered in a shocked tone.

"Imma go an' check." Wanda said before running to her parents door and knocking on it and speaking loudly "MAMA! Are you awake?!"

The twins waited a moment for a response and became even more confused when no response came.

Wanda and Pietro exchanged looks before simultaneously yelling "MAMA! ARE YOU OK?!"

It was a moment later that the door creaked open to reveal an exhausted looking Natasha, hair ruffled from sleep.

"Wanda! Pietro! Please, don't yell!" Natasha spoke quietly before placing her hands on the small of her back and stretching slightly as she groaned.

"Are you ok, Mama?" Wanda looked concerned.

"I'm fine, little one." Natasha smiled at Wanda through a wince.

"No, you're not!" Pietro said accusingly "You're hurting!"

"It's nothing you two need to worry about." Natasha looked both children in the eye. "It's normal to have back aches and headaches when pregnant."

"Ok…" Wanda looked completely unconvinced "How long is Papa gonna be gone again?"

"He said that he shouldn't be gone longer than two weeks." Natasha said flatly as she walked into their kitchen and towards her tea cabinet.

"We're gonna go down to the common floor for breakfast. Uncle Steve said he was gonna make pancakes." Pietro was still making no move to leave.

"We'll see you after our lessons with Uncle Bruce." Wanda walked forward and looked Natasha in the eye before standing on her tip toes and kissing her on the cheek.

"Be good you two." Natasha smirked slightly as Pietro walked up and hugged her gently

"We will be!" Pietro finally zipped to the elevator and held it open for Wanda.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, and the elevator began descending Wanda spoke up abruptly and bluntly "We're talkin' to Auntie Pep about Mama."

Pietro nodded as he rolled his eye "Uh huh"

It only took a few more minutes before the elevator arrived on the common floor. As they walked into the kitchen, they found Pepper in business attire walking around the kitchen sipping on a mug of coffee. Tony was sitting at the dinning room table attempting to feed Morgan. Steve and Bucky were tag-teaming pancake making and Joseph was sitting on his designated bar-stool slumped over the counter and snoring lightly.

"Good morning, you two!" Pepper was the first to greet them "Where's Natasha?"
Pietro looked at Wanda expectantly.

Wanda let out a groan before she looked at her aunt "Mama JUST woke up. She said her back an' head are hurting her. But she said that was normal. But she still hurting. And she is sad about Papa bein' gone. She didn't say that… but she was thinkin' it!"

"How did you get away with readin' Mama's mind?" Pietro asked incredulously.

Wanda turned towards him and smirked happily "In my private training with Daisy we've been workin' on usin' my powers without my eyes or hands glowing. I can only do it for a little bit and Daisy told me I should only do it if it's completely necessary." Wanda quickly turned back to Pepper "Auntie Pep d'y'think you could spend some time with Mama? So, she isn't as sad?"

Pepper bit her lip in thought "I suppose I could cancel the board meeting I had scheduled for this afternoon. JARVIS would you mind sending an email to all the board members postponing the meeting until next week, Thursday?"

"Of course, Miss Potts" JARVIS responded immediately.

"Thank you, Auntie Pep!" Wanda grinned as sprung forward and wrapped her arms around Pepper's waist.

"Of course, sweetie. I can only imagine how your mother feels right now." Pepper smiled slightly as she hugged Wanda. "You know what… JARVIS do me a favor… alert Jane, Darcy, Hope, and Betty and tell them that we will be having a girls day up on my floor."

"Right away, Miss Potts"

"Well since your Aunts will be occupying your Mom… how does a Disney movie marathon sound? After your lessons of course." Tony was grinning obnoxiously.

"YES!" Wanda squealed with excitement.

Clint and Natasha's floor moments later

"Apologies for the interruption, Agent Romanoff, But Miss Potts would like to know if she may come up to your apartment." JARVIS said quietly.

Natasha sighed into her half-finished tea "Let her up JARVIS."

A moment later Pepper was walking into the living room to find Natasha curled up on the couch with her tea.

"What can I do for you, Pepper?" Natasha asked, yawning slightly as she stretched out and gestured for Pepper to sit.

"Well, it's more what I can do for you!" Pepper smiled "Wanda and Pietro were expressing some concern about you. They said you had some back pain and a headache? And Wanda also mentioned something about you being upset about Clint being gone?"

Natasha frowned slightly "They shouldn't've said anything to you. I told them I was fine and to not worry about me. And I never said I was upset about Clint being gone."

"They're your kids, Nat. They're going to worry about you. It's only natural. And well apparently Wanda has been learning how to use her powers discreetly"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Now that you say that I DO recall Daisy saying something about that. But I also recall Daisy explicitly telling Wanda that she was not allowed to discreetly use her powers unless it was completely necessary."

"Don't get mad at her. She was just worried about you is all." Pepper reasoned "But anyways, they asked me if I would spend time with you. And well them saying something to me made me realize that we haven't been able to have a day with just the girls since Morgan was born. So, I have Jane, Darcy, Hope, and Betty going up to my floor, and the guys are going to be watching the kids for the day while we just enjoy each other's company. Maybe I could even call in some massage therapists from my favorite spa."

"There is no arguing my way out of this, is there?" Natasha asked smirking slightly.

"Nope!" Pepper grinned "So finish your tea so you can go and get dressed and we can go up!"

A few hours later

"You know what we need to start planning? Your baby shower! You're supposed to have one earlier on in the pregnancy when you're having twins!" Hope said as Pepper returned to the living room from showing the message therapist the way out.

"Really? I don't think that's necessary." Natasha scoffed

"Of course, it's necessary!" Darcy sounded outraged "How else are you supposed to get all the things you need for newborn twins?!"

"Clint and I'll be able to afford it all between our Avengers salaries, our SHIELD salaries, and the income he gets from the apartments in Bed-Stuy." Natasha shrugged as she put her feet up onto the ottoman in front of her. "So why would it be necessary for us to have a baby shower?"

"It's… It's not about not being able to afford what you need for your babies…" Pepper shook her head. Jane and Hope both nodded their heads in agreement.

"What exactly is a baby shower about then?" Natasha asked sarcastically.

"Well… It's about… it's about family!" Jane said.

"And it's about celebrating your new additions." Betty added with a smile.

"Why would we celebrate them before they are born?" Natasha asked stubbornly.

"Damn it, Natasha! We are going to throw you a baby shower! It's not going to be a huge affair, we know how you hate huge parties. But dammit we want to celebrate you and Clint and the fact that you guys are going to be going from a family of four to a family of six." Pepper stated in a firm tone

Natasha stared at Pepper for a long moment before she nodded curtly "Alright. Just tell me when and what to wear and I'll be there."

Pepper smiled happily before sitting next to Natasha and hugging her firmly.

A/N: Hope you liked the chapter! We will be getting a LOVELY chapter of the baby shower. So if you would like to make suggestions on what you think everyone would get Clint and Natasha please do so! I love the input! As always THANK YOU FOR READING!