Natasha stared at the clock on her bedside table. Steve was on a mission and he was supposed to have been back hours ago. That's when James started crying in the room next. She groaned, reaching out to turn on her nightlight before grabbing one of Steve's jumpers from the chair by the door. James' crying got a little louder.

'I'm coming, James,' she murmured, 'I'm coming, baby.' She rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair as she padded down the corridor to the living room. Suddenly his crying stopped and she sighed with relief, maybe she could go back to bed. That's when she heard a thud. Natasha panicked and ran the last few steps. She let out an exasperated groan when she saw Steve, clad in uniform cradling their now 18 month old son.

'Sorry,' he whispered, 'I dropped the shield.' He nodded to where it was, just next to James' cot. Soon convinced that James' was fast asleep, Steve put him down again and crossed the room to pull Natasha into a hug.

'You're late, Rogers.' She said, stepping back and folding her arms across her chest.

'I know, I'm sorry. Lance made me drop him off at his place first. Then Bobbi made me stay for a late dinner.'

'Did she make her chicken tikka?'

'Yeah,' he nodded, 'now you get why I had to stay.'

'Nothing beats her chicken tikka...' she frowned, 'you're forgiven...just this once.'

'Good.' Steve smiled before leaning in to capture Natasha's lips in a long kiss. 'Nice sweater by the way.' He murmured into her lips. She chuckled as she pulled away to hug him again.

'How about we take this next door, Cap?' she smirked suggestively at the soldier.

'I thought you'd never ask.'

'Hey James, can you say Tony?' Stark cooed at the toddler.

'Stark, there's no way he's going to say your name first.' Natasha said sternly as she held her arms by either side of him to catch him if he fell. He'd been walking for a while now but like Steve he was a clumsy little tyke.

'Yeah he will,' Tony replied almost incredulously, 'he loves me best.' His point was proven as James collapsed onto Tony's chest, losing his balance after a few steps. Natasha sighed as the mechanic picked up her son and carried him over to Beatrice.

'Hey honey, why don't you play with Jamie for a while huh?' he kissed his daughter on the top of her head.

'Sure, daddy.' She smiled up at him.

Bucky, Clint and Steve were watching the scene from the kitchen counter, each with a beer in hand.

'This looks like one of those picket fence family play dates,' Bucky commented, 'it's weird.'

'Yeah, shouldn't Nat be teaching him how to do flips and stuff?' Clint joked.

'You're right, it is kind of weird,' Steve agreed, 'at least Natasha's allowed back in the field now, so she's not stuck on baby duty all the time.'

'That's true,' Clint nodded, 'you're being pretty modern about all this Cap, don't you want to marry her?'

'Of course I do, Clint.'

'Well, what's taking so long? Ask her already?' Bucky interjected.

'I'm waiting for the right time,' Steve replied, 'I need to make one hundred per cent sure she'll say yes. The last thing I need to happen is her hiding again because I've scared her.'

'Steve, you've had a kid with her. There's no way she'll run.'

'Yeah but I want to know she'll stay for me, not just for James.'

Hello, hello! Sorry for the lack of updates recently! I promise I'll be better at it! Do check out my other new stories 'Lie A Little Better' and 'Triple Impostor' if y'all haven't already! x