Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers or anything related to Marvel, all credit goes to the writers and creators.

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Chapter Two

No words left their mouths, no distance was shortened. He stood rooted in his place, she sat in hers. Both seemed just as stunned to see the other.

Natasha's eyes flickered from the back door to Steve. When she got her hands on Clint it wasn't going to be pretty. What was he thinking bringing them together like this? There was a reason that they hadn't spoken since Steve was announced free, though she had to admit she wasn't sure what that reason was. He hadn't reached out. She assumed he was angry with her but they hadn't exactly spoken for her to know if that was true. "I never wanted to fight you."

Steve let out the breath he had been holding, her words only confusing him. "I know that." His words were spoken with honesty. He knew that Nat would never want to hurt him, or to capture him, she was only doing what she thought was right.

"Do you?" Nat stood up, leaning back against the table. "I heard from Clint." Where was your call? She didn't add it but she thought it. "Weren't we friends, Steve?"

"We are friends, Natasha." He dismissed her question immediately. When he came out of that ice all of his friends, people he loved were dead. Nat had been one of the first friends he had made, the first person he had come to trust. He did not want her to think that he didn't still believe they were friends. "You're right, I didn't call." He could not count the number of times he had pulled her name up on the screen, had her number ready to dial, only he never worked up the courage to push the final button. "I wish I had a creditable reason for you, something that made sense." He took a step towards her. "In order to gain freedom I had to agree to give up my Avenger status. I'm not Captain America, not anymore..."

"Steve,"

He didn't allow her to cut him off, he needed to say this. "I didn't know who I would be in New York, my life there it wasn't going to be the same." He looked down at the floor beneath him. "And after how I left things with you and Tony, well, I didn't think I would be welcome."

Natasha's eyebrow shot up, clearly surprised by that thought. "He does miss you. Might not admit it but Pepper and I can see it."

"I miss you both."

"I'm right here." Nat took a step towards him. "I understand why you did what you did, Rogers. I regret ever having to chose a side."

"Nat,"

Natasha shook her head, not needing to hear him defend her choice for her, like she knew he would. "So, Wanda and you are living together?"

Steve gave a slight nod. "The kid needs someone to support her, be responsible for her. You are living at the tower?"

"Most of the time." She reached out to touch his arm. "You should come back, speak to him." She didn't know all the details of their fall out but she knew if they just spoke again, they would come out the other side stronger. Tony missed him, he was just too stubborn to admit it.

Steve muscles tensed then relaxed under her touch. "I will consider it." He placed a over hers that was on his arm, gently stroking his fingers across her skin. "It's good to see you, Nat."

Natasha smiled at him, probably the most genuine smile she had given to anyone in such a long time. "It's good to see you, Cap."

Pepper took a step into the work shop, shaking her head at Tony who was hunched over working on something new. It seemed all he cared about in the last few months was work, spending all his time locked away inside the workshop. If it wasn't this, it was working with Peter, trying to train him up.
She was proud of Tony for all the effort he was placing into helping the boy, even if at times he seemed a little lost in how to best handle situations. She only wished the advice that he gave Peter, he would apply to himself. It would solve a lot of their problems.

It was time for dinner, and the same as every night for the last eight months, she was here to physically drag him upstairs to make sure he ate and rested. It wasn't that she didn't love taking care of Tony, she had always loved doing so, it was that it had gotten to the point where it seemed she was more mother then girlfriend. That bothered her.

"Peps,"

Pepper reached around him and gently pried the tool from his hand. "Dinner. Come eat."

"I just have a few things left to do."

"Tomorrow." She set the tool down, and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Tony, you've been down here all day and you've left Peter waiting long enough."

It was as through her words sparked something inside of him. "Peter's here...oh, it's Saturday..."

Pepper hummed, gently tugging him towards the door. "Yes, it's Saturday. Come on." She felt him begin to move with her instead of being dragged along. Again she felt herself bothered by the knowledge that it was Peter's name to get him moving, it wasn't her that sparked a little life into him. "Kitchen, J."

"Yes Miss Potts."

As the elevator doors closed, she felt Tony gently squeeze her hand. It shouldn't have made her heart leap but it did, and her eyes flicked to his. He was staring at her, not behind her or through her as he had been lately. "Everything okay?"

"Is Red here?"

"The farm."

Tony sighed. "Maybe I should call him,"

Pepper couldn't help the hope that pooled inside of her, ever since they were told the rouges were free, she had been pleading with him to just call Cap, to settle whatever it was that they fought about, but he hadn't been open to it. She wanted to question why he had decided now was the time but didn't in fear that he would retreat. This was a big step. "Tony,"

"Romanoff visits the farm. Perhaps he would like to visit here." Tony mauled the idea over in his mind. "What do you think?"

Pepper bit back the disappointment that filled her. Clint. He was talking about Clint. Not exactly what she had been hoping for but it was a small victory and perhaps it could lead to reuniting the entire team. "Yes, Tony, I think you should call him. Invite him here." She wished that he would open up to her, talk to her about why he was so upset with Steve but he wouldn't. She had no doubt that both sides were hurt, that they both missed each other. Pepper only hoped that the next eight months wouldn't be like the passed eight, she prayed that her Tony would return to her soon. That he'd get sick off all the work and realize what he was missing.

Wanda used her magic to raise the dirt into the air, swinging it to the right and leaving it suspended. For a moment she considered, tossing it straight into the man that stood just slightly behind her. Believing that he deserved it for the ambush he created, but she couldn't, not with the two kids standing by the dirt bikes.
Instead she flung the dirt right into the pile that Clint had already started making, it landed with a thud.

"You're angry."

Wanda scoffed at Clint's statement, picking up some more dirt with her magic. "You think?"

"It's been eight months, Wanda, they need to move on. Cap needs this."

Wanda spun around to face him, the lump of dirt spinning with her. "She is part of the reason I was in that place! Part of the..."

"Kid,"

"Don't! Don't patronize me." Wanda snapped at him. "We are better off without them."

Clint raised his eyebrow, watching her toss the second section of dirt. "Wanda, Tony and Nat were..."

"I don't fucking care what they,"

"Language," Clint warned, he knew that Cap had been on her since Wakanda about her mouth. "Wanda, I know I sprung this on you but this is exactly what Cap needs. I think inside you know that he needs it. He loves you, kid but this domestic life, you know he needs a little more then just that."

"Argh! I..."

"Ah, jumps finished I see." Cap spoke as he approached the group. "You made quick work of that, sweetheart." He fell into step beside Clint. "You are a lucky man Clint, however probably not lucky enough to escape Nat."

Clint rubbed the back of his neck, shuffling slightly. "Yeah, kind of surprised her with this. But you guys talked, fixed things?"

"We talked. She would like me to talk to Tony. Have you talked to him?"

Wanda's eyes narrowed. "You are not going to talk to him! Why the fuck would you..."

Cap raised his eyebrow. "Language, Wanda." His warning was sharp. "I have not said I would talk to him. If I decide to you will be the first to know." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, kiddo; let's be reasonable."

Wanda took a deep breath but her eyes held uncertainty. After all their talks, she did understand part of it. She understood that they had chosen a side based on what they thought was right, just as she had. It wasn't that, that she had issue with. It was that they had been okay with locking her away and by doing that she had been tortured. If she closed her eyes, it was easy enough to place herself right back there with the shock collar and the men who had no problems picking on a defenseless teenager. Wanda knew she would never be able to shake how vulnerable they had made her feel.
And what about what Clint had said. Steve needed more, more then a life with her in their little town. They were a little family, was that not good enough for him? Had he always been looking or wishing for a way to get back to this?

"Wanda?"

"I'm going for a walk."

"Hey,"

She gave him a small smile, a fake compared to the ones that she usually gave him. "I'll be back in time for dinner." She told him, before took off in the opposite direction.

Clint placed a hand on Cap's arm. "Let her go. She's knows not to wander to far." He looked up. "I'm sorry for ambushing you."

Steve shook his head. "Seeing Nat is a good thing. I wouldn't have said no if you asked." He wasn't sure if that was exactly true but he had hoped it would have been. "I think Wanda needed a warning, surprising her wasn't ideal."

"Yeah," Clint muttered sheepishly. "I should have thought about how this would impact her."

"Nothing that can't be worked through." He tilted his head back to the house. "Come on, Laura wants us to fire up the grill."

Natasha sat on the outdoor lounge chair on the porch, observing Clint and Steve as they grilled the hamburgers. She couldn't help but marvel at their relationship now, how they were quietly talking, making teasing jabs at each other, she even witnessed a playful nudge between them. It was completely different to how they had been before the Accords. It was a nice change to see but one she wished she had been around for, to see the growth.
Her lips quirked when Nate ran passed her chair and latched himself onto Steve's leg, the Captain never missing a beat in his conversation as he reached down and ruffled the kids hair.

"Finally noticed your Uncle is here, huh Nate?" Clint spoke to his son.

"Uncle Steve!"

Steve passed the burger mate to Clint, before slinging the kid up into his arms. "Hey buddy, look at you. Have you grown at foot?"

The little boy giggled. "Nah ah. You say that all the time."

"Do I?" He turned as Laura came out on to the patio. "Hey Laura," He embraced her in a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Laura pulled back, giving him a slightly stern look. "It's been to long since your last visit."

He smiled at her gently. "I know, it just seemed that every time I was thinking to visit something came up or Wanda was actually trying to make a friend." That seemed to soften her up, her expression warming.

"Where is my niece?" She had a quick glimpse around but didn't see her.

Cap tilted his head to the land. "Taking a walk. She'll be back soon." He set Nate back on the ground. "How about you round up the troops, dinner is almost ready."

Nate grinned. "I got it!" He took off sprinting to find his brother and sister only to collide with Wanda who was coming around the corner of the porch. "Wanda, dinner time!" He shouted loudly.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Still not deaf, Natey; but I swear you still have time to make sure I am."

Natasha watched it all, and it only made her wish intensify, she wished that she had been there to witness this family come together. It seemed she would no longer be the only one who was close with the Barton's. That shouldn't have trigged her, but it did.

...

Nat eyes were on Lila who sat to her left, listening to the nine year old intently describe some of her time living with the teenager. She tried to not make it obvious as she subtly snuck glances at the teenager who sat opposite Lila. She had never been particularly close with the girl but the distance between them now felt like a galaxy, not the physical table width that was between them. She couldn't ignore the way Wanda kept glaring at her occasionally, obviously very angry, though she already knew that considering how Wanda reacted to her presence.

"And Wanda taught me how to catch butterflies. She never let me keep 'em though." Lila rambled to her Aunt, filling her in on some of the things that happened when they were living together.

Wanda carefully avoided Natasha's eyes as she looked down at her cousin. "They need to be free, that is why we release them."

"Oh Auntie Nat, we also built a really cool treehouse,"

Nate's eyes lit up from across the table. "It was biggggggg!"

Cooper chuckled. "Remember when Uncle Sam fell out, smack straight on his face."

Wanda shared in the laugh. "Instant broken nose. Remember how crooked it was?"

"We called him wonky for weeks." Clint joined their conversation. "But I think the top moment of those five months had to be when Scott was chased by the sheep." It still amused him that the Avenger had been afraid of a sheep, granted that sheep had been hunting him down, running straight at him but still, Scott had been afraid of a sheep. He'd never let him live that down.

Laura's laugh joined theirs. "He twirled around like a little ballerina before trying to climb the tree."

"Uncle Bu..." Cooper paused, clamming his mouth shut and looking at his dad for guidance. "I..."

"It's okay, Coop." Laura smiled gently at her son, she didn't like the idea of keeping secrets but she understood why they were. Bucky had been in cyro for the first month and a half while people had worked to help him, it was another month and half before he could bring himself to be around them and even after he had still maintained a distance most of the time. Choosing to stay at Wakanda even when they all left.

The room was silent, and Steve's eyes flickered around the table watching them all. All so nervous to talk about the details. The things that needed to be said. He broke it, he was the first to say his friends name, and he felt the relief when he saw their shoulders relax, tension leaving. "Your Uncle Buck was just as scared when I shooed the sheep off and it went charging in his direction. Fell straight on his bottom into a pile of cow dung." He heard their quiet laughter, and his eyes met Natasha's, curious to know what she was thinking. He could see that she was soaking in all their stories that they were offering but her eyes held a sadness, a hesitation that she was desperately trying to conceal. "Nat," He whispered quietly from beside her, but she was already scraping her chair back and heading outside.

"Like she has a right to be pissed about anything." Wanda glared after the Widow's retreating figure.

Steve sighed, standing up to follow her. "You and I need to talk later, kid." He told her before heading outside after Natasha. "Nat," He stepped out, shutting the screen door behind him. "You okay?"

Natasha leaned heavily against the railing. "Okay? Uncle Steve, Uncle Scott, Uncle Sam...Uncle Buck..." She shook her head. "Eight months, Steve. Eight months and this is a family. I...Where do I fit?" They had stories, they had laughter, they had love for each other. While they were building relationships, she had been in the Avenger's tower, living with Tony and Pepper but it wasn't a family, she was really just coexisting with them. What she had there, didn't compare to what these guys had had.

Steve stared at her, watching her intensely, hands clenching the rail, her breathing rapid. All so very unlike her, if he knew anything about Natasha it was how she masked her feelings, always remaining in control. This wasn't like her. "Hey," He approached her, coming to stop just beside where she was, facing her but she didn't turn to him. "You're family."

"Am I? I chose to fight against you, not with you."

"The only reason I stand here, that we are together as a family is because you let me go." He gently reached out, tilting her head towards him. "You are the reason we get to be a family, Nat. That reason we have freedom."

Natasha closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "I should have gone with you,"

He pulled her into a hug, crushing her body to his, holding her for the first time since that moment in the church. Steve berated himself for not pulling her into a hug the moment he laid eyes on her earlier. He needed this, probably more then she did. "You are with me now," He whispered against her hair. "You are with me now."

"Jarvis?"

"How can I help you, Miss Potts?"

"Could you find me the Captain's phone number?"

"Yes, Miss Potts."

Her gaze never wavered from Tony and Peter who was back in the workshop, she'd been unable to stop them the moment dinner had been finished, both retreating quietly without a second glance her way.
This couldn't go on.

Iron Man and Captain America would be friends again, even if she had to force it.

What did you think?

Much Love. x