Natasha quickly appeared behind Loki, her appearance changed by his spell. She smiled kindly, "Oh, now now, love…" She turned her attention to the mail carrier and spoke to him, "Our neighbor's away on holiday and asked to have her mail forwarded here without our permission. My husband's just a little annoyed with her. Come on in out of the cold…"

Natasha caught the quick look of concern that spread across Loki's face as the mail carrier stepped through the door. As soon as he did, Natasha quickly incapacitated him by grabbing the back of his neck and pinching a few nerves that rendered him unconscious.

He fell to the floor; she turned to see Loki staring at her, mouth agape, "If he knows that alias, he…or whatever he's carrying was sent by someone who knows me. When he comes to, I'm going to interrogate him, and you'll have to cast a spell to make him forget he ever saw or heard of us."

Loki stood in shock for a moment before his lips upturned in a devious grin. He had almost forgotten how deadly his little spider could be. It turned out that the poor man, not that Loki would lose any sleep over it, was just a simple mailman who knew nothing more than he had an envelope addressed to their home.

The young god casted an enchantment upon him as she had requested so he would remember nothing of what happened. Loki shut the door and turned around as his wife held the package in her hands, rubbing her petite fingers back and forth over the opening. He took it from her hands as she opened her mouth in protest.

"I don't want you to touch it," Loki declared pointedly. "What if there is some kind of poison inside?" He released the envelope into the air so it hovered before him. The only thing inside was a thin paper with a note written in script. Natasha moved closer to him as they both read the letter that floated mid-air.

I'm sorry about what happened. It was out of my hands. It took me awhile to track you but luckily there weren't that many pregnant women being treated for gunshot wounds in the shoulder. It was just a hop, skip and a jump to here. I figured you wouldn't travel too far in your condition.

Meet me at the Brazen Head tonight at eight.

Barton

With a flick of his wrist, he disintegrated the paper and envelope into a burst of flames.

"How stupid do they think we are?" Loki rasped angrily.

Natasha shook her head and sat down, "If it is Barton, he's probably telling the truth. Fury wouldn't share the fact that he was going to kill me with the team…especially Barton or Steve. That wouldn't sit well with either of them, and they would have warned me if they could…but it's too risky to meet him…"

She thought for a few moments and bit her lip before she began moving around the cottage, "We have to get away from here…but we need to find out what Clint knows…the only way that can happen is if I…" Natasha's voice trailed off as she looked to her husband, "You can clone yourself…can you clone me? I'll go to the train station and wait for you. You cast a glamour spell over yourself and create a clone that Clint can interact with. Maybe you get a table close to him so that you can control the clone and listen to what he's saying…just in case it's a trap. Afterwards, you meet me at the train station and we go to Luxembourg so that he'll be thrown off our scent…for now at least…could it work?"

"I could easily do what you ask but I don't like the idea of you being alone and waiting for me," Loki remarked as he pursed his mouth in deep thought. "Now that he is on our scent will he be difficult to throw off? I suppose we do need to find out what he knows. I would like to know how Shield located us in the first place. But the thought of you alone. No.. I don't like it, my little spider."

Natasha frowned slightly, "Love, it's the only way we can find out what he knows…maybe it will help us figure out where we can go. I just don't want to have to pick up and run again when I'm eight months pregnant. If he can help…we need to look into it. Please?"

She looked up at him with pleading, wide eyes and a slight pout. She knew exactly how to get what she wanted from her husband. She decided to give him a little push by brushing her lips across his jaw line.

"Alright, pet," Loki sighed as he felt her soft lips moving along his jaw. He could never refuse her anything. "I will do it."

There was nothing that the young god hated more than seeing his wife step inside the cab as he watched it drive away from him. It gave him an eerie feeling. What if something were to happen? What if she needed him? He tried to push the thoughts from his mind as he prepared to meet up with the archer.

The tavern was easy enough to locate. Loki sent the duplicate of Natasha in first as he casually walked into the bar a few seconds later. He took a seat in a booth that was less than a foot from the table where the fake Natasha had sat down. He asked the waitress for a beer as to not be conspicuous then he returned his concentration to his illusion. He pulled in more power so that he could control its answers better as he listened in to their conversation.

"Well at least your eyes are their normal color, Tash," Clint quipped. "Though I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. What's going on with you?"

"He's not controlling me if that's what you're implying," fake Natasha replied icily. Loki didn't like this man not in the least.

"Pardon me if I find it hard to believe that you are willingly having that monster's baby." Barton retorted. "How did this happen? How is he even free?" Loki's ire instantly shot up when the word 'monster' reached his ears as he attempted to calm himself. He was here for information and this petty mortal's thoughts meant nothing. Natasha loved him that was all that mattered.

"How did Shield find us?" the duplicate probed.

"Where's Loki?" Clint inquired ignoring her question.

The fake Natalia stood up from her chair. "It seems this meeting was pointless for the both of us."

"I'm here to help, Tasha," Barton insisted as he placed his hand over hers where it rested on top of the table. "Sit down, please." Even though it wasn't really his wife. The action still shot a jolt of jealousy through the young god. The woman may be fake but the sentiments coming from the archer were very real and he didn't like it. The duplicate sat back down as she listened to what Clint came to tell her.

"Thor set a trap in Jane Foster's apartment after Loki's first attempts to frazzle her." Clint divulged. "It captured his magical signature when he entered the room to play his newest tricks. It took a little while for SHIELD to decode it but it lead them straight to you once they did. They are getting better at perfecting how to trace the residue of his magic, Tasha, I wouldn't teleport anywhere anymore if I were you."

"Do they know your here?" the duplicate questioned calmly.

"Of course, not." Barton admonished. "Fury is doing a good job of pretending for the rest of the gang that he is out for your best interests, trying to rescue you from Loki's clutches. But you and I both know that is a load of bull. I came here on my own. I came to help you."

"The best way that you can help me is to leave me alone," fake Natasha advised coldly as she stood up from the table once more. "Don't try and contact me again." She turned from him swiftly as she made her way out the door. Loki watched as Clint followed after her. The young god tossed a tip onto the table as he left the untouched drink and strutted out the exit. He could see the archer look back and forth down the street for where Natasha had went. Of course, the allusion had dissipated the moment she stepped back outside.

"I would take her advice," Loki remarked as he dropped his glamour. The archer stared at the young god coldly.

"What did you do with her?" Barton seethed.

"I will take care of my wife and child. You just stay out of our way," Loki ordered as he disappeared from the sidewalk and reappeared in an alley a few streets away. He would have to be careful how he used his magic. He walked toward the main street and hailed a cab. He needed to get to the train station quickly. He didn't trust the archer when he claimed that SHIELD didn't know that he came here to meet with the Black Widow. Loki was desperate to make sure that she was safe.

Natasha sat in the train station, glancing at her watch virtually every opportunity she had. She was nervous. While Loki was busy worrying about her, she was busy worrying about him. He may have been immortal, but he wasn't immune to capture.

She bit her bottom lip as her eyes scanned the mostly empty train station. There were a few people randomly scattered throughout the place…and she caught a choice few staring at her.

Shit.

Natasha got up and walked to the bathroom and went to the sink, pretending to wash her hands. She reached her hands into her jacket pockets as the group of four men entered behind her, locking the bathroom door.

As soon as the door was closed, she pulled her guns from her pockets and fired. She dropped two of them on the first try, but the other two ducked behind a bathroom stall. She did the same, taking cover as she reloaded.

Natasha glanced around the corner at the men. They were in bathroom stalls, so she had a clear shot of her ankles if she took the right angle.

She deftly lay on her side inside of the stall and aimed, quickly shooting out their ankles. When they crumpled to the floor in pain, she shot one of them in the head, then the other in the hand that held his gun. He cried out and dropped his weapon, clutching his bleeding wounds. Slowly, she stood to her feet, walking toward him with guns still raised.

"Did you come with Barton?"

The man cursed at her, so Natasha pocketed her guns and pulled out her knife. She carved him up really good by the time he admitted that they'd tailed Barton there without his knowledge.

After disposing of her informant, Natasha collected their wallets and extra ammo before walking out of the bathroom and directly into Loki. She collapsed against his chest, trembling. Killing was something she was used to…that part didn't bother her. The part that bothered her was the fact that her baby was in danger.

"They sent another team…I'm…I'm ok though…"

Loki grabbed a hold of his wife as she collapsed in his arms. He couldn't see any sign of injury and she insisted that she was okay but her body was trembling as he held her even tighter. He began to walk with her slowly guiding her toward the platform for the next train as his dark green eyes scanned the area intently.

"SHIELD has discovered a way to trace the residue of my teleportation spells, thanks to my brother," he divulged as they moved along the wooden boards. "We need to keep using regular means of travel unless it's an emergency. Are you sure you're alright, my little spider?" he asked sincerely as he placed his hand gently against the small swell of her belly.

Natasha's trembling slowed as he held her. She nodded and placed her hand over his, "Yeah. I'm good. We're alright…I killed them. All of them…tortured one and he was able to tell me that they didn't come with Clint. They tailed him."

Despite her frazzled state, Natasha was still able to think straight. She sighed, "I got their IDs. We'll take the train to Luxembourg, then get plane tickets to New Zealand, ok? There's a lot of remote places there, but the infrastructure of the country is great. We should be ok. No one would suspect it…"

When they got on the train, Natasha finally calmed enough to get some sleep. When the train reached Luxembourg, they rented a car and drove to Berlin before catching a 32 hour flight (including stops) to Wellington, New Zealand.

During their flight, Natasha did her research and found them a beautiful, yet remote home outside of the city. Thanks to a little bit of Loki's magic on their false identities and finances, they were able to move in within two weeks of arriving in the country.

When they first moved in, Natasha wasn't sure what to do with the garden, but after reading a couple of books, she was ready to get her hands dirty. Natasha was on her hands and knees, in the dirt, weeding and planting. She found peace in it, but her growing belly was definitely in the way.

Loki sat quietly on the front porch swing as he gazed at his wife working in the garden. It was definitely something that seemed to sooth her wearied spirit. She spent countless hours out there and it was growing rather nicely.

He was doodling idly on a small pad that he held on his lap. He couldn't stop thinking about what the archer had said. SHIELD had found them because of his stupid little prank on Thor. If he hadn't gone back there that day they never would have been able to get a read on the mystical transfer of his magic. They would have never located them in Copenhagen. Natasha would have never have been injured. The guilt of which had become a heavy weight on his shoulders.

Everything that happened was his fault. If he had kept his promise to stay away from Thor then none of it would have happened. His dark green eyes fell back to the drawing he had made. It was a pencil sketch of Natasha in her wedding gown. He used to love to draw and paint in his youth but it had been a long time since he felt inspired. He heard her footsteps on the front porch step and he looked up immediately.

"The garden looks beautiful, my pet, but I must say that those green and red roses outshine everything else," Loki winked as he stood up and placed his sketch on his seat. He stepped forward, leaning down to brush his lips softly against her belly before claiming her mouth for a more sensuous kiss.

Natasha knew something was bothering him, but she was never one to pressure Loki. His emotions were complicated, and she often wondered how far was too far to push, so she kept quiet, hoping he'd tell her when he was ready.

She kissed him back lovingly and pulled off her gardening gloves, laughing softly, "Thank you. The roses are my favorite too…"

Natasha brushed some dirt off of her jeans and sighed, "Care to join me in the bath?"

She didn't bother waiting for him to answer; she just grabbed him and pulled him into the bathroom where she turned on the bath water. When the tub was full, he got inside first, and she stepped inside soon after, straddling his lap. She kissed him sweetly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "Are you alright, love?"

"I am more than alright," Loki grinned widely, his tongue peeking through his teeth as he leaned in to place a few slow, wet kisses along her throat." I have the most beautiful woman in the world, naked and in my lap. Eh heh heh heh, I am blissfully content." Rolling her nipples gently in his hands as he moved his lips across her shoulders, enjoying the sensation of the way her body trembled, the tiny moans rumbling in her throat. She was almost purring, it thrilled him the effect that he had on her. His own body was more than anxious to become one with her again. He froze suddenly as his lips grazed over the fresh scar on her shoulder. The image of her on the floor of their old home flashing in his mind. 'She could have died because of me,' he thought to himself. He could have lost them both and for what? He couldn't seem to tear his gaze away from the spot.

Natasha was in ecstasy…until she realized he was frozen in place, staring at the scar on her shoulder. It was her most recent scar. One that she'd deemed the most frightening and horrendous of all of the scars her body bore, simply because it had happened during her pregnancy and directly endangered her unborn child.

She slowly moved to cover the scar as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the faraway look in his eyes. Natasha gently tilted his chin upwards, forcing him to meet her eyes, "Loki…talk to me. What is it?"

Loki blinked for a moment as he stared up at her confused expression. Had he been immobile for that long? He pushed the thoughts of Copenhagen and his stupid prank from his mind. "Nothing… its nothing… I love you, Natalia." With a gentle grip around the back of her neck he pulled her lips to his while his other hand resumed its ministrations along her body. "and I need you… by the nines, how I need you, my little spider."

Natasha kissed him back lovingly, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something really was wrong with him. She knew him better than that…and if anyone could see through the god of lies, it was her.

His lips were hard at work on her neck when she gently pushed away, "Talk to me…please. No lying between us."

No lying, Loki mused to himself. He couldn't possibly tell her what he did. She would blame him as much as he blamed himself. He would take on all the guilt in the world over the tiniest speck of her anger or even worse her disappointment in him. But the woman knew him too well.

"It was the scar on your shoulder… the one I gave you," Loki murmured dejectedly, his eyes dropping away from hers as he continued. "I mean… I might as well take the credit. It was my magic that brought them to our door, after all. I swore that I would keep you and our baby safe and I failed miserably." Loki trailed his finger along the mark where the bullet had entered her skin. "When I look at it I… I can't help but remember how I almost lost you."

Natasha's eyes narrowed as she stared at him, still confused by what he was saying. She shook her head, "How is this your fault? I don't understand…it's not like you purposely went to—-" She saw the look on his face and her eyes widened, "What did you do?!"

Loki knew by the look in her eyes before she even spoke a word that he had said too much. "It was just… he kept popping up… on the radio and that picture box… I tried to let it go, I truly did, my little spider." He brushed his hand through his long, black hair as he turned his gaze away from her. "It was just a silly little spell… so terribly pointless and childish and… if I'd have known what would happen I never would have done it."

"You led them to us because you wanted to annoy your brother?!"

Before he was able to say anymore, Natasha got out of the tub and wrapped herself in a towel and stomped out of the bathroom. When he came out of the bathroom, he'd witness her tossing a blanket and pillow onto the couch before slamming the bedroom door shut.

He'd promised to leave all of that hate behind so that they could make a new life…and he'd broken that promise and it almost cost her AND their baby their lives.

Loki was definitely in the dog house for that one.

The next day passed quietly. When he tried to kiss her, she silently slipped from beneath his grasp and moved outside to the garden.

Loki was at his wits end at her silent treatment. It had been three days and every sweet word and elegant apology that he could possibly think of was met with nothing but a stony stare and her swift movement into another room or outdoors to her garden. He would have preferred her anger. In fact, he became so desperate that he actually attempted to start an argument with her. He just wanted to hear her voice even if it was only to yell at him. He did everything he could to push her buttons but the woman wouldn't budge. She was like a brick wall that could not be frazzled.

He was lying on the couch staring up at the ceiling when he heard the door of their bedroom open. She walked swiftly past him towards the kitchen. Was this how they were going to spend the rest of their days, he wondered. He exhaled slowly as he stood up and walked cautiously towards the island where she was fixing herself a snack.

"Natalia, please." He entreated once more but she didn't even so much as pause in her work. "How can I fix this if you won't talk to me? I'm truly sorry. I never claimed to be perfect. I'm actually the farthest thing from it." He walked around the counter as he positioned himself behind her. He swallowed deeply as he took another step closer and placed his arm around her waist so that his hand rested against her belly. "I love you both so much… I did a very stupid thing… I… I… my little spider, I'm sorry. I swear I will never do it again."

Natasha sighed softly and closed her eyes as her body slowly relaxed against his. She rested her hand against his and turned her head to the side, kissing his cheek softly before she rested her forehead against his temple, "I know…and you should know that nothing you do will ever stop me from loving you…just…don't break anymore promises to me, ok? Please?"

She turned in his arms and kissed him lovingly before wrapping her arms around his neck for an intimate embrace, "I love you…"

Natasha kissed him deeply as she pressed herself against his form, but she suddenly gasped and placed a hand against her stomach. Her expression transformed from one of shock to pure elation and joy as she laughed, "It moved! The baby moved…it felt like bubbles…"

"It did?" Loki gaped in surprise as she took his hand and placed it against her abdomen underneath her shirt. His entire being was so flooded with relief that she had finally forgiven him that the moment was almost lost on him until he felt the tiny motion flutter along his palm. "That was… that was our baby?" His grin was near to bursting as he felt the motion again. He dropped down to his knees as he pressed his lips against her stomach. "Does that mean you forgive me too, little one?" The young god looked up at her from his place on the floor, his hands caressing her belly as he smiled. "You and our child are everything to me… everything… I'm going to be a good father and a better husband I promise, my little spider."