Disclaimer: I forever and always will be upset that I don't own any Marvel or MCU ideas. I would be a very happy lady if I did!
After Peter, Steve and Pepper were the next to meet the infant. While Jess assured Dr. Cho and Tony that she was fine and everyone could come in, Tony insisted on bringing people in in pairs. "Tony, this isn't Noah's Ark." she had groaned, but let him play the part of over protective boyfriend and dad.
Jess watched the interaction between the godparents and the baby, still a bit dazed that she was actually a mom. Pepper smiled as she stood with Anya in her arms, cooing as she talked in a way Jess had never done in her life... until approximately ten minutes after Anya was born. "Do you want a turn, Steve?" Pepper asked, looking to the man who looked hesitant, at best.
A smirk appeared on Jess' face as she realized he was nervous. "Don't tell me our fearless, Nazi fighting Captain is afraid of a six pound baby..." Jess laughed as the man did the best impersonation of a scowl he could manage. The man was too nice to make it convincing.
"I'm not scared of her!... I'm scared of hurting her." he admitted, making Tony roll his eyes.
"It's not rocket science, Cap. Trust me, I'd know. You just hold her and support her head. If I thought you'd hurt her, I'd be attempting to kick your ass. Here I sit, though." Tony pointed out. Even though Jess was stuffing her face with a burger, she managed a nod of agreement. Clearing his throat, Steve straightened up and nodded to Pepper. Gently laying the baby in his arms, his hand came up instinctively to support her head. Peering down at Anya, Jess recognized the subtle look in his gaze.
Regret. Longing. She knew about Peggy, knew how much he loved her. But, she also saw a hint of something curious; hope. It was something she had never known before the Avengers, but could recognize now. Steve was in love. Current love, not long lost love. Jess wasn't the type of woman to pry... didn't mean she wouldn't wonder. "She's beautiful, guys. Congratulations. You can tell who she gets that from."
"I know she's beautiful. Like me." Jess and Steve looked at each other with a look of horror as Pepper simply laughed, causing the other two to join in. "Alright, you hyenas, send in Barton and Romanoff." Steve brought the baby closer for just a moment, holding her to his chest in a quick cuddle before hanging her back to Jess. Though she, along with Tony, hated being handed things, it was obvious they'd have to make some exceptions.
"You know Spiderkid is forcing everyone to bathe in hand sanitizer before they come in, right?" Nat said in amusement as they walked in, wanting them to know how serious he already was about protecting Anya.
"Alright, let me hold that baby." Clint clapped his hands together softly after getting past Peter's sanitizing station and headed straight for Jess. Picking the baby up with no fear, he was all smiles as he held the little girl. The only parent out of the Avengers, it was obvious how great of a dad he was.
He held her with one arm as he talked to Anya about how she was going to be a badass - "Language!" Tony mocked in a loud whisper, taking a page from Steve's book- while Nat looked over his shoulder with a strangely familiar look in her eyes. Suspicious, Jess put a pin in it, thinking about Steve and Nat... together. Interesting...
"Earth to Drew." Jess blinked and looked to Clint. "I said how are you feeling?"
It was a bit of a loaded question, really. Mentally, she was worried. While her night terrors weren't as frequent or severe, they were still present. The Stark watch was good at catching when they were about to happen... but all it would take was her being exhausted and forgetting to put it on one time... She settled on how she felt physically, the easier option. "I'm alright, bud. Tired." The downside of accelerated healing was accelerated exhaustion, and constantly being hungry since she burned through nutrients so quickly.
Tony didn't look like he was buying it, but didn't push the subject. He had this way of just knowing when she was withholding information. Which she hated; she was the human lie detector, not him.
It took Nat a little longer than Steve to hold Anya, and she didn't look nearly as comfortable as the others. But, her smile was still there. "God, your parents are screwed, кукла (doll). All of these crazy aunts and uncles... you're going to be so spoiled."
Jess smiled at the thought, still not sure how she went from assassin to Avenger to mother. It had never even been a thought she had entertained. "Alright, bring in Point Break and Bruce." Jess couldn't help but sigh at his insistence on having them in pairs still.
The air in the room shifted quickly as the last group came in. Although she wasn't a hundred percent sure who the person was who entered with Thor and Bruce, it was obviously not someone Tony was expecting, or welcoming. "Why the hell is he here?" Tony snapped, standing in front of Jess and Anya.
Jess huffed, trying to look past him, only able to see Thor's massive arm. "Relax, Stark. My brother and I are only here to congratulate you both. No one will be harmed, we've never seen a human baby."
"Damn straight no one will be harmed because he's leaving. You're welcome to stay, Point Break."
"Stark, your daughter will not be harmed by my hand."
"Oh, okay Reindeer Games. Sure, I'll believe you-"
"Oh my God, shut up! All of you! Stark, cool it with the awful nicknames. And move your ass out of the way!" Jess grumbled, happy when they at least went quiet. "Good. Now, Tony, move."
"Drew, the things he's done-"
"The things he's done were awful. He was a real asshole. I get it. But, I killed a lot of people... including a kid. I've killed a lot of people. If you can forgive me, why shouldn't he get the chance?"
Tony hesitated, she knew what he was thinking. She was brainwashed before she was a killer. Loki was not. "Thor is like your brother... he's family. That means Loki is going to be around. The least you can do is try to get along. Got it?" Jess growled, looking between all the men, including Bruce who was looking at the ground like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Jess knew he would keep an eye on the man, too. "Now, Thor, come hold your niece. Loki, my name is Jess, and if my spidey sense goes off, I'm kicking your ass."
Thor grinned and came over, kissing Jess on the head and hugging her sideways. "How does one hold a baby?"
"Maybe skip to Bruce...?"
Jess shut Tony up with a look that conveyed he was already walking a thin line. "Come here." She had him sit on the edge of the bed and held the baby up. "You just cradle her in your arms, head right there by your elbow." She helped him situate the baby like she had been doing it her life instead of the last two hours. "Look at you, God of Thunder! Holding a baby!" she teased, smiling at him. Tony snapped a picture of them, like he had with all the others.
Bruce had his doubts, just like the others. "Jeez, what is wrong with this team?! You all will dive head first into aliens but get a little scared over a baby?! Earth's mightiest heroes my ass." Jess laughed, rolling her eyes and watching as Bruce was even more hesitant to take the baby from Thor.
"Jess, it's okay if you don't want me holding her..."
"You all must also think I'm already an awful mom. No? Then don't you think I'd know not to let my kid be in danger?"
"I'd... I'd like to hold her. If you'd allow." Loki had come up next to the bed and Thor, glancing down at the baby with what she could only explain as fascination.
"No. No, absolutely not."
"My spidey sense isn't tingling. Why would he want a human baby?" Tony looked torn, staring at her in exasperation. "Tony, he's not baby sitting, he's holding her in front of all of us." Turning her head to Loki, Jess looked at him and studied him for a moment. "If I'm wrong about you, you'll regret being born." Jess said in a deadly quiet voice, nodding at Thor to pass the baby.
It was so funny, how mundane the event was. For all of that drama and fear, just to watch this man look down at this innocent, pure baby and look like everyone else holding a baby for the first time. Loki smirked, though it was small. "I fully understand how you are so small but so powerful, little one. You can fit in two hands yet you have everyone's complete attention." Jess was surprised, not at the fact of the statement, but the fact that he was admitting it out loud.
Passing the baby over to Bruce, Loki brushed a hand over her forehead. "I will gladly be on whatever side m'lady is on... you have my word, Starks."
Jess didn't bother to correct him with the Starks comment, still enthralled with the absolute takeover that Anya had managed to stage. Babies did things to people. They turned selfish, asshole playboys into loving, loyal fathers. They caused mighty gods to bend a knee to them. Made assassins turn and become aunts and uncles. And they caused someone who had never been loved in their life to believe in it.
Jess was wrong when she said she didn't know how to be a mother. Because she knew she would do anything, and everything, for her. The moment she held her, she knew she was done. It was over. No person or moment could top this feeling of absolute euphoria. She didn't need time to get used to learn to be a mom, she could already feel it in her bones that she was. Looking at Tony, she knew he felt the same way.
"We didn't do too bad for some screw ups with no parents, huh?" Tony teased gently, squeezing her hand as they sat on the hospital bed and watched the men who could easily destroy grown men talk about if it was too cold and the baby needed more blanket.
"So far, so good." Jess leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, content as her new normal started to seep into her bones.