A/N: Don't own anything Avengers, but sometimes I wish I did…lol..Don't forget to Review...
Hope is Born Today
Chapter 3- Where's My Hope?
Eva has been asleep for about 45 minutes with Hope loosely cradled in her arms napping as well, so Steve and Bruce decide to move into Bruce's kitchen where he decides to put the tea kettle on the burner to make him and Steve a cup of tea and also started the coffee pot because he knows Tony will be begging for some if he doesn't already have a cup in his hands when they return, their voices kept low as not to wake the two ladies passed out on the couch in the living room.
Jarvis interrupts the quite of the apartment, but his voice does come through softer than normal.
"I apologize for the interruption gentlemen but Agent Barton asked me to warn you that he, Agent Romanoff and Sir are heading your way with way too many supplies and that you would understand that meaning"
Steve chuckles and smiles around the lip of his mug as he watches Bruce roll his eyes and smirk thinking about Tony, his best friend just being Tony and going over board with his spending on others again.
"Thank you for the warning Jarvis" Bruce says softly.
"Of course sir" Jarvis answers before going silent.
Steve moves towards the door to greet them and to let them know that the ladies are still sleeping so try and keep the noise level down as everyone turns and looks pointedly at Tony.
"What. I can be quiet when I need to be" Tony snarks back at his friends as they all continue bringing in multiple bags and a few boxes of things that will need to be assembled later. While everyone is working to get the supplies inside Bruce's apartment and laid out to get organized Bruce moves back into the living room to check on the girls and finds Eva still sound asleep not surprisingly as she just gave birth but Hope was wide awake, eyes open and getting a little fussy.
Bruce gently reaches down and lifts Hope up and cradles her in his arms watching as she lets out a yawn bringing her hand and fingers to her face. Bruce can't help but smile as he stares down at her, just amazed by this little person and feels the Hulk purr in his mind, calm and in wonder at the little being.
Bruce looks down at Eva again and gently pulls the blanket up to her shoulders and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear before heading into the kitchen to join the rest of the team.
"Let's let Momma rest huh" Bruce whispers to Hope as he drops a kiss on her forehead causing her to scrunch up her brow making Bruce chuckle.
When Bruce enters the kitchen he is blown away by all the bags and supplies that now litter his kitchen counter and table.
"Geeze Tony" Bruce comments causing Tony to look up and give his signature grin when he sees Bruce holding Hope so comfortably and with such ease and calm, something Tony hasn't see from Bruce since the day they first met to join this team of misfits to fight Loki. It's a good look on him.
Tony walks over to Bruce and stretches out his arms for his turn with Hope but Bruce hesitates and pulls back a bit, not by much but enough that everyone notices it.
"Wash your hands Tony" Bruce grumbles causing Tony to roll his eyes and the others to chuckle as they tackle another bag of clothes, diapers and toys.
Tony returns quickly drying his hands on a dish towel that he has slung over his shoulder and stands in front of Bruce once again and not taking no for an answer this time, "Okay big green hand little bit over"
Bruce reluctantly transferred Hope into Tony's waiting arms making sure her head and neck were properly support but decided not to move to far from Tony as Hulk was grumbling and huffing loudly in the back of his head.
"Hello sweetheart, come see what Uncle Tony got for you" Tony coos down to Hope who just stares back up at him.
Of course Tony's behavior is quite humors to his team mates as they stand back and watch him coo and talk to the day old infant, especially for a man who constantly claims his dislike of children rather strongly and very publicly. The Team loves it and Steve whispers out to Jarvis, "Jarvis you are recording yes?"
"Always Captain Rogers"
"Perfect. Thank you Jarvis"
"Of course sir" Jarvis responds before going quite again.
Leaving Eva to continue her nap in the living room the Team works to pull out the remaining items including some onesies, diapers, burp rags and blankets as they are deemed the most urgently needed items at the moment. Clint noticed that Hope was getting fussy again in Tony's arms and proceeds to do the 'check the baby's bottom' test. Clint didn't feel anything but of course that means nothing with a new born and knew they were better off getting Hope in a diaper sooner rather than later and informed the Team of his suggestion, which they all agreed quite readily. Clint just chuckled at his friends and shook his head at them; this is going to be so much fun.
With Clint having the most experience with babies took it upon himself to give diapering and dressing of said baby 101 lessons, much to the Teams amusement. Surprisingly little Hope was a strong and feisty little new born, "okay munchkin hold still for Uncle Clint" as the Team watch Clint diaper and dress Hope in a cute little onesie with Avenger cartoon characters and then wrapped and swaddled her in the blanket.
"Snug as a bug in a rug" Clint states as he drops a lite kiss on her brow causing her to yawn, exhausted by all the activity from the big people surrounding her causing the Team to smile, chuckle and a round of 'aww' to be heard from everyone.
In the living room Eva was starting to stir a bit catching the Teams attention, especially Bruce. Knowing Hope is securely back in Tony's arms he makes his way into the living room where he hears the low mumbling and gasping breathes from Eva that causes his blood to run cold and Hulk to begin to growl.
"No…stop...please stop…hurts…please...I'll be good...please stop.."
Bruce sits down on the couch next to Eva noticing her breathing and heart rate have quickened as she rocks her head back and forth then suddenly wakes with a gasp, sitting forward her eyes wide and panicked as her hands move to her stomach and cries out, "no, no, no….not my baby…oh god no" Eva's sobs loudly her breath hitching as Bruce pulls her into his arms.
"Eva...shh...it's Bruce...shh. Hope is safe…she's just in the other room…come on breath sweetheart breath with me" Bruce whispers to her as he begins to rock the distraught mother in his arms. Bruce looks up over Eva's head at the Team hovering in the entry way to the living room, Hope still in Tony's arms when she makes a squeak then a cry for her Mother, but Tony does not move.
"Tony" Bruce calls out waving him to bring Hope to Eva but still does not move. "TONY" Bruce barks out again this time more firmly as the Team watch his eyes begin to glow green along with his skin.
"No can do big guy till you calm down" Tony states as Bruce watches Tony step back and behind Steve as Clint and Natasha close ranks. Still holding Eva tightly Bruce begins to take several deep breaths trying to calm himself down along with Eva and now adding the Hulk into the mix.
After a few more tense minutes Eva quiets down as Bruce's repeated words finally sink in and Bruce is feeling just a hair calmer but Hulk is still very close to the surface so slowly releases Eva and moves to stand up and step away but is surprised when Eva grabs his hand, holding it tightly.
"Stay"
"Eva…I…I'm dangerous..." Bruce mumbles quietly but in the tense silence of the room is heard by all.
"Bruce" Steve sighs.
"oh buddy" Is heard from behind Steve's back. It still saddens Tony that his best friend sees himself that way still even after all this time.
"Stay please" Eva says as she turns to look at Bruce, "feel safe" and with those words the Team watches Bruce's body deflate as he sits back down next to Eva but continues his deep breathing when Hope makes herself known once more and Tony steps out from behind the Team and makes his way over to Eva, who quickly wipes her tears from her face before holding out her arms so Tony can gently deposit Hope into Eva's arms once more.
"She's been so good while you napped" Tony comments as they watch Hope let out another big yawn and begins rooting around at Eva's chest, "and hungry apparently" Eva states with a watery smile as she takes another deep breath to try and calm her nerves and clear the last remnants of her dream from her still exhausted mind.
When Eva unwraps the blanket from around Hope she lets out a chuckle seeing the cute little Avengers onesie then looks up at Tony arching her eye brow then over at the rest of the Team, "well at least it's not an Iron Man outfit" breaking the tension causing everyone to relax and begin chuckling and rolling their eyes, especially with Tony acting scandalized by the comment.
"Don't think he didn't try Eva" Natasha calls out as everyone filters into the living room to get comfortable.
Clint grabs the shawl and lays it over Eva and Hope so she can feed Hope and not be exposed to everyone in the room but Bruce remains seated next to Eva, helping where he can as the Team watches Bruce watch Eva and they just know this is the beginning of something special for Bruce and the entire Team.
"She on?" Bruce whispers.
"Yep" Eva states as she closes her eyes and tries to relax her body and mind, still shaken by her nightmare and then waking in Bruce's arms.
"So…." Tony asks watching as Eva opens one eye to look over at him then closes it again.
"Ask what you want…I know you all can't help yourselves being in the line of work that you are in and I'm a stranger in your home, but I reserve the right to not answer if I feel it's none of your business" Eva states firmly as she looks down at Hope checking to make sure she has plenty of air flow to breath.
"Okay, um let's start with some easy questions and we can even go around the room if that makes it a little easier" Steve suggests to everyone who all agreed except for Tony which surprises no one.
"If we are going to do a deep dive into what is Nat's favorite color and Caps shoe size and bird brain's wife's favorite position in bed is, I'm going to need a drink" Tony quips causing Eva to chuckle and shake her head at Tony.
"Eww Tony" Nat hisses.
" you probably would never guess it anyway" Clint says wiggling his eye brows at Steve making him blush as red as a tomato.
"Tony" Bruce wines and huffs at his friend, "there's a bottle of scotch in the cabinet under the sink if you must"
"What…our quiet and shy Brucie Bear has a bottle of spirits in his room…I'm…I'm scandalized" Tony cries in mock horror before jumping up to head for the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with several bottles of waters for everyone including Eva and a large mug of coffee for himself.
Everyone stares at Tony surprised.
"What, I do have some self-control you fiends" Tony says jokingly as he takes a sip from his coffee mug.
"Well then…I'll start favorite color Nat?" Steve asks as the question goes around the room, then the next, as promised starting with the easy non-threatening questions and working their way up to the real ones they want to ask Eva.
Eva was not fooled by this but did appreciate the consideration. When Hope was finished feeding, Eva was handed a burp cloth by Clint as she moved Hope to her shoulder and began to gently tap and rub her back while the questions continued around the group till a little burp was heard causing the group to chuckle. Eva brought Hope back down from her shoulder and into her arms, "good girl" Eva coos as she places a kiss on Hopes head.
"Um…I need to get situated here, who wants to take a turn" Eva asks and this time Natasha steps forward surprising the Team.
"What?!" Nat asks as she reaches down to take Hope and her blanket cradling the baby in her arms gently before retaking her seat between Steve and Clint while Eva pops underneath the shawl to clean herself up with a damp cloth that was comically shove under the shawl by Bruce before buttoning her shirt back up and popping back up for air.
"Better" Bruce asks shyly.
"Yep, thank you Bruce" as Eva hands the wash cloth back to Bruce with a shy smile as neither of them notice the looks and smirks from the team.
The conversation continues to circle around the room till Tony's curiosity could be held no longer, "Okay Momma, spill"
"Tony" Bruce and Steve hiss as Eva just arches an eye brow and smirks at Tony.
"Well…."
A/N: Keep going? Let me know send a Review….