Steve pov
Steve didn't want to leave Maria with the girls but he couldn't protect them on the run it wasn't safe or stable and he couldn't cure them if he was on the run and he really didn't understand what the object did to them. Even Tony couldn't understand what was happening or what had happened to their teammates but he was going to try and Steve appreciated what he was doing even if they weren't on good terms.
Maria pov
Maria was relieved when the girls fell asleep on the way to her apartment she knew she had agreed to take care of the girls but she didn't know what to do with two 2-year-olds she was a busy woman and kids wasn't something she was an expert on children and now she had to take care of 2 toddlers and she knew she was in for a hell of a ride.
Surprisingly baby Natasha and Wanda were not light sleepers compared to their older counterparts which was great since Maria wanted them to sleep more before she woke them up. It wasn't hard to get them up to her apartment what was hard was opening the door with both hands occupied. Maria had to admit she struggled a little before she got the door open, she got the girls settled on her bed surrounded by pillows before she went back downstairs to get the things from her car. Maria wasn't sure what was more illegal leaving your kids in the car or home alone but she was sure it was leaving kids locked in a car puls she wasn't leaving them alone longer than a couple of minutes.
Maria had brought all the things up to her apartment when her nosy neighbor came out, Maria didn't like her she was always trying to ask about her life or when she was going to settle down and have kids and for a woman who apparently didn't like to pry into people business Karen sure did that a lot," Maria I didn't know you were expecting." Karen said as she saw Maria bring in one of the high chairs," Karen." Maria said placing the high chair inside before facing her neighbor," When's your due date? You're not even showing yet."
"I'm not pregnant," Maria said she despised talking to Karen but the last time she hadn't she called the landlord that Mara was harassing and Maria was pretty sure the 2 were having an affair," Oh.. I thought you would finally settle down. Give up working and be a respectful wife." It took everything in Maria bot to slam the door in Karen's face.
"No, I just got my daughters back from their father actually." Maria lied
"You had children out of wedlock?"
"Yes, it's very common these days."
"It's shouldn't be a woman should wait till they get married." This was the hundredth time Maria has heard this from Karen she is sure all the other women do to and every time she sees a couple she gives them the evil eye and tells them their going to hell for their sins which she finds ironic since she herself is having sex outside of marriage with a married man.
"Why where your daughters with their father? It's your job as a woman to take care of them not him."
"It really doesn't concern you. As much as I loved talking to you I have to go have a good day Karen." Maria said as she shut the door in Karen's face rolling her eyes at how old fashion the woman was.
Maria had put away the clothes Pepper gave her for the girls which were a lot and put them away in her guest bedroom where they would be staying until Tony finds a cure and she hopes he finds a cure fast as much as she loves her friends she rather has the big and where she didn't need to take care of them or change diapers.
It was when Maaria was halfway into building one of the highchairs when the girls woke up, Maria heard the soft patter of their feet before she saw them," Вы хорошо вздремнули?" (Did you have a good nap?) Maria asked the girls as she pulled them to her lap they were rubbing their eyes. Maria felt them nod against her chest.
"Мама молоко," (Mama milk) Natasha whined tugging at her shirt,"Mолоко Mama," Wanda said also joined in trying to tug Mara's shirt off," Я пойду сделаю тебе молоко прямо сейчас." (I'll go make your milk right now) Maria said slowly prying the girl's tiny hands off her shirt but she heard whines in protest from both girls but that didn't stop her from getting up and going to the kitchen and picking 2 bottles to fill with baby formula. Maria knew what the girls wanted but she couldn't breastfeed them she wasn't actually their real mother so she had no milk for them.
When Maria was done preparing the bottles she went over to the crying girl's Maria picked up both girls and went and sat on the couch trying to feed the girls the bottle they both firmly kept their lips shut while small whimpers escaped their lips," Что случилось, ты больше не хочешь молока?" (What's wrong you don't want milk anymore?) Mara asked the girls," Неправильное молоко, мама. Это молоко." (Wrong milk Mama. That milk.) Natasha said pointing to Maria's breast Wanda nodded agreeing with Natasha.
Maria was stuck she didn't know what to tell them so she settled for a lie," У мамы в это время нет молока. Как насчет того, чтобы приготовить бутерброды и фрукты?" (Mama doesn't have any milk at the time. How about I make you sandwiches and fruit?) Maria said hoping the girls would take the negation until she found a solution to the problem. Wanda and Natasha looked at each other before turning back and nodding their head yes at Maria's request.
Maria had moved the high chair parts away from the girl's reach and gave the toys to play with while she started on lunch, she took one of the baby monitors so she could monitor the girls. As Maria took the items to make PJ sandwiches she called Tony she remembers Stark Industries working on an injection that could not only help a woman produce breast milk but help them make more, she knew the drug was coming out in a few days and would hit the markets at an affordable price for everyone.
"Let me guess the tiny terrors are already waring you out?" Tony's voice came from the other end.
"No. Not yet anyway. Do you think you could get me one of those new shots?" Maria talked while she spread peanut butter on the slices of bread.
"The one for breastfeeding mothers?"
"Yeah, can I get one?"
"Oh, the little terrors need breast milk."
"Can I get one or not?"
"Sure. I can take it to you if you like?"
"Yeah sure. How long does it take for it to you know work?"
"A couple of hours. It varies with everyone but neer more than a couple of hours."
"It's no harmful or anything? Doesn't affect the child in any way?" Maria asked she didn't want to do anything that would cause harm to Natasha and Wanda.
Tony let out a wolf howl," Look who became a Mama bear." Maria heard Stark chuckle," It's not harmful. What the drug does is activates all the other drugs that happen when a woman gets pregnant to help them breastfeed those hormones being estrogen, progesterone, and human placental lactogen."
"I have some idea what that means. After that?"
"The woman has begun to produce breast milk or in some cases more than they did before."
"So when should I be expecting you?"
"In an hour at most."
"See you then. Bye."
"See ya."